This is for the whole Parish to read and use. Please let me know if you'd like to be a contributor.
Letter from Father Richard
30-09-2016, 18:50WitnessPermalinkDear Brothers and Sisters
In the Rules of St. Benedict there is a chapter on the 12 degrees of humility. Novices think they are already living them – not much room for improvement then! A wiser and older monk assured me that most monks hardly get beyond the 4th degree of humility. A lot of room for improvement . . . !
At the heart of our vocation as Christians is SERVICE. We hardly begin to scratch the surface of Christian Service in reality. What is the height of Christian service? Jesus Himself, in order to save us, sacrificed Himself, so that He could take upon Himself the burden of our sins; in doing this we are healed and made worthy to call God, our Father in the midst of the church.
Do you think you’ve reached this level of service yet? Probably…NOT.
Still, have a good week,
Fr. Richard
In the Rules of St. Benedict there is a chapter on the 12 degrees of humility. Novices think they are already living them – not much room for improvement then! A wiser and older monk assured me that most monks hardly get beyond the 4th degree of humility. A lot of room for improvement . . . !
At the heart of our vocation as Christians is SERVICE. We hardly begin to scratch the surface of Christian Service in reality. What is the height of Christian service? Jesus Himself, in order to save us, sacrificed Himself, so that He could take upon Himself the burden of our sins; in doing this we are healed and made worthy to call God, our Father in the midst of the church.
Do you think you’ve reached this level of service yet? Probably…NOT.
Still, have a good week,
Fr. Richard
Comments
Letter from Father Richard
23-09-2016, 16:11WitnessPermalinkDear Brothers and Sisters
Jesus always speaks to the Jewish people of His time as though they somehow belonged to one another. He speaks to us as Christians as though we belong to one another. He also asks us to treat every human being as a loved child of God.
You can imagine that for Jesus there was an urgency to His messages. He knew He only had limited time here on earth. Part of His message is that He wants us to wake up (and smell the coffee) as New Yorkers would say. We have to take some kind of responsibility for one another.
Justice and Peace go together. No justice, no peace. Loving includes being just and fair.
Have a good week,
Fr. Richard
Jesus always speaks to the Jewish people of His time as though they somehow belonged to one another. He speaks to us as Christians as though we belong to one another. He also asks us to treat every human being as a loved child of God.
You can imagine that for Jesus there was an urgency to His messages. He knew He only had limited time here on earth. Part of His message is that He wants us to wake up (and smell the coffee) as New Yorkers would say. We have to take some kind of responsibility for one another.
Justice and Peace go together. No justice, no peace. Loving includes being just and fair.
Have a good week,
Fr. Richard
Letter from Father Richard
17-09-2016, 10:47WitnessPermalinkDear Brothers and Sisters
We are not all called to be ‘great’ as this world would call us great, but I do think we are all called to enrich one another out of the riches that God gives us. Those riches begin when we truly believe in His love and esteem for us . . . we can then learn to believe in and have esteem for others.
It is not at all easy; you see…… Jesus sacrificed himself in order that we would have all we needed. We too, in one way or other ought to be sacrificing ourselves for others . . . building up treasure in heaven.
Have a good week,
Fr. Richard
We are not all called to be ‘great’ as this world would call us great, but I do think we are all called to enrich one another out of the riches that God gives us. Those riches begin when we truly believe in His love and esteem for us . . . we can then learn to believe in and have esteem for others.
It is not at all easy; you see…… Jesus sacrificed himself in order that we would have all we needed. We too, in one way or other ought to be sacrificing ourselves for others . . . building up treasure in heaven.
Have a good week,
Fr. Richard
Letter from Father Richard
11-09-2016, 17:57WitnessPermalinkDear Brothers and Sisters
I think many people do not believe in God, because their image of God is not very attractive.
To some He is distant, to others harsh or even cruel. No wonder they do not believe in this kind of God; and they are right. Our God as revealed by Jesus Christ, is a Father who loves and cares for us His children, and who wants to do the same for our brothers and sisters. He is the God revealed in the parable of the Good Samaritan. A God of mercy and compassion; a God of tenderness and love.
May our God revealed so perfectly in Jesus Christ, draw us closer to Him and to one another.
Have a good week,
Fr. Richard
I think many people do not believe in God, because their image of God is not very attractive.
To some He is distant, to others harsh or even cruel. No wonder they do not believe in this kind of God; and they are right. Our God as revealed by Jesus Christ, is a Father who loves and cares for us His children, and who wants to do the same for our brothers and sisters. He is the God revealed in the parable of the Good Samaritan. A God of mercy and compassion; a God of tenderness and love.
May our God revealed so perfectly in Jesus Christ, draw us closer to Him and to one another.
Have a good week,
Fr. Richard
Letter from Father Richard
02-09-2016, 17:44WitnessPermalinkDear Brothers and Sisters
I am sure that we would all agree that our fundamental option in life must be to pursue the good rather than the evil, to choose life rather than death, to seek to love one’s neighbour rather than hate. The Christian must seek to be formed by Christ rather than the ideologies of our age.
The sentiments of the prayer of St. Richard of Chichester express this quite well:
Thanks be to You, our Lord Jesus Christ,
for all the benefits which You have given us,
for all the pains and insults which You have borne for us.
Most merciful Redeemer, Friend and Brother,
may we know You more clearly,
love You more dearly,
and follow You more nearly, day by day. (1197 - 1253)
Have a good week,
Fr. Richard
I am sure that we would all agree that our fundamental option in life must be to pursue the good rather than the evil, to choose life rather than death, to seek to love one’s neighbour rather than hate. The Christian must seek to be formed by Christ rather than the ideologies of our age.
The sentiments of the prayer of St. Richard of Chichester express this quite well:
Thanks be to You, our Lord Jesus Christ,
for all the benefits which You have given us,
for all the pains and insults which You have borne for us.
Most merciful Redeemer, Friend and Brother,
may we know You more clearly,
love You more dearly,
and follow You more nearly, day by day. (1197 - 1253)
Have a good week,
Fr. Richard
Adult Education
Advent
anger
banquet
beatitudes
blessings
burden
CAFOD
charity
Children
Christ
Christian Aid
church
Churches Together in Biggleswade
coming
commitment
compassion
Conference
courage
cross
disciples
doubt
Easter
effort
evangelise
faith
Father
forgiveness
Fund-raising
gentle
God
gospel
grace
healing
heaven
Holy Week
homeless
humble
humility
insight
Jesus
Justice and Peace
kingdom
Lent
light
living
Lord
lost
love
maranatha
meditation
mercy
mindfulness
Ministries
name
neighbour
new creation
None
OneWorld
Organisation
parable
Parish
Parish Youth
Passion
Pilgrimage
poor
Pope
prayer
Prayers
prophesy
repentance
rest
Sacraments
sacrifice
Safety
salvation
save
sayittogod
Second Coming
service
sheep
shepherd
signs
sin
Social
Spiritual
SVP
talents
The Cross
time for God
Trinity
trust
unity
unworthy
Visits
Website
Witness
World
Year of Faith
Advent
anger
banquet
beatitudes
blessings
burden
CAFOD
charity
Children
Christ
Christian Aid
church
Churches Together in Biggleswade
coming
commitment
compassion
Conference
courage
cross
disciples
doubt
Easter
effort
evangelise
faith
Father
forgiveness
Fund-raising
gentle
God
gospel
grace
healing
heaven
Holy Week
homeless
humble
humility
insight
Jesus
Justice and Peace
kingdom
Lent
light
living
Lord
lost
love
maranatha
meditation
mercy
mindfulness
Ministries
name
neighbour
new creation
None
OneWorld
Organisation
parable
Parish
Parish Youth
Passion
Pilgrimage
poor
Pope
prayer
Prayers
prophesy
repentance
rest
Sacraments
sacrifice
Safety
salvation
save
sayittogod
Second Coming
service
sheep
shepherd
signs
sin
Social
Spiritual
SVP
talents
The Cross
time for God
Trinity
trust
unity
unworthy
Visits
Website
Witness
World
Year of Faith
December 2019 (3)
November 2019 (7)
October 2019 (6)
September 2019 (6)
August 2019 (3)
July 2019 (5)
June 2019 (4)
May 2019 (3)
April 2019 (4)
March 2019 (5)
February 2019 (2)
January 2019 (5)
November 2018 (1)
October 2018 (3)
September 2018 (2)
August 2018 (2)
June 2018 (3)
May 2018 (3)
April 2018 (3)
March 2018 (5)
February 2018 (5)
January 2018 (5)
December 2017 (7)
November 2017 (4)
October 2017 (3)
September 2017 (5)
August 2017 (4)
July 2017 (3)
June 2017 (6)
May 2017 (4)
April 2017 (4)
March 2017 (6)
February 2017 (4)
January 2017 (5)
December 2016 (4)
November 2016 (4)
October 2016 (2)
October 2014 (2)
September 2014 (5)
August 2014 (3)
July 2014 (5)
June 2014 (5)
May 2014 (5)
April 2014 (5)
March 2014 (6)
February 2014 (9)
January 2014 (5)
December 2013 (5)
November 2013 (6)
October 2013 (5)
September 2013 (7)
August 2013 (5)
July 2013 (5)
June 2013 (5)
May 2013 (1)
April 2013 (3)
March 2013 (3)
February 2013 (1)
January 2013 (5)
December 2012 (10)
November 2012 (7)
October 2012 (6)
September 2012 (6)
August 2012 (4)
July 2012 (2)
June 2012 (6)
May 2012 (8)
November 2019 (7)
October 2019 (6)
September 2019 (6)
August 2019 (3)
July 2019 (5)
June 2019 (4)
May 2019 (3)
April 2019 (4)
March 2019 (5)
February 2019 (2)
January 2019 (5)
November 2018 (1)
October 2018 (3)
September 2018 (2)
August 2018 (2)
June 2018 (3)
May 2018 (3)
April 2018 (3)
March 2018 (5)
February 2018 (5)
January 2018 (5)
December 2017 (7)
November 2017 (4)
October 2017 (3)
September 2017 (5)
August 2017 (4)
July 2017 (3)
June 2017 (6)
May 2017 (4)
April 2017 (4)
March 2017 (6)
February 2017 (4)
January 2017 (5)
December 2016 (4)
November 2016 (4)
October 2016 (2)
October 2014 (2)
September 2014 (5)
August 2014 (3)
July 2014 (5)
June 2014 (5)
May 2014 (5)
April 2014 (5)
March 2014 (6)
February 2014 (9)
January 2014 (5)
December 2013 (5)
November 2013 (6)
October 2013 (5)
September 2013 (7)
August 2013 (5)
July 2013 (5)
June 2013 (5)
May 2013 (1)
April 2013 (3)
March 2013 (3)
February 2013 (1)
January 2013 (5)
December 2012 (10)
November 2012 (7)
October 2012 (6)
September 2012 (6)
August 2012 (4)
July 2012 (2)
June 2012 (6)
May 2012 (8)