Newsletter July 24th 2022 (17th Sunday in Ordinary Time)

Our interior life

When the Old Testament calls God “Father” it means guardian of the people or of groups within the nation.  The repeating of the word “Abba” in Romans 8:15, Gal 4:6 and Mark 14:36 shows how the early Christians were aware of Jesus’ intimacy with the Father.

The simple prayer taught by Jesus contrasts with the fulsome formulations used in Jewish and Greco-Roman prayers, not to mention some modern equivalents! Although “abba” can be translated “daddy,” one should not think of God as a weakly indulgent “papa,” spoiling his children by granting every whim and never correcting them. On the contrary, Jesus taught much about our duties to love our enemies and to trust, love and reverence the heavenly Father, who is the Lord God Almighty.

There is a positive value in praying alone as well as in praying with others. Not only did he pray in the garden and in quiet places, but Jesus also prayed in the synagogue and in the temple. He would have said the Shema, the daily prayer of a faithful Jew, about loving God with all our heart and soul. And in the temple he blamed the priests for failing to make it a house of prayer for all nations. Do we ourselves pray daily? Do we pray that God’s will be done? And do we give thanks in all circumstances?

A word from Fr. Glen

Please allow me to express my heartfelt gratitude to all parishioners of Ss Peter & Paul for your   generosity, friendship, kindness and hospitality.  To the PPC, Finance Council, Eucharistic Ministers, Readers, Stewards, Sacristans, choirs, deacon and my brother priests,  thank you for your    magnanimous support and service.  You have been good to me which  I could not forget. As someone said, “Gratitude is the memory of the heart”.  My last day here as Curate will be on the 24th July 2022.  I am asking your prayers as I move to Loughlynn and I remember you in my prayers also.   God bless us all.