.
Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord,
your grace into our hearts,
that we, to whom the Incarnation
of Christ your Son
was made known by the message of an Angel,
may by his Passion and Cross
be brought to the glory of his Resurrection.
Who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
Amen
Some of you will recognise this as the concluding prayer of the Angelus, also the Collect (Opening Prayer) for today’s Mass of the Fourth Sunday in Advent.
It’s the ancient prayer of the Incarnation, beginning: “The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary…”
You mightn’t have prayed it for years, but I have no doubt if you hear someone pray the first couple of words you will easily join in.
And years ago perhaps at school, or more recently in a monastery, some of you would have been entrusted with the task of ringing the Angelus Bell, a distinctive 3,3,3,9 toll.
It was a delight a couple of weeks ago to hear reports the bells of the Paris Cathedral of Notre Dame ringing once again after more than five years. But to be honest I was even more delighted yesterday to visit the re-opened and fully restored 145 year-old Temuka parish church of St. Joseph.
Following the Canterbury earthquakes 2010-2011 may churches were badly damaged and some completely destroyed. This Temuka parish church is now a labour of love not only for the parishioners through the 1870’s but also for the parishioners of our own time.
It’s well worth a stop if you are passing through Temuka. The side door is open through each day.
And if you time it right you might also hear the restored bell tolling the Angelus call to prayer.
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With what love we will surround this altar! It is certainly not a magic object, but it is an instrument by which we learn to see Christ in our midst, as the solid rock on which our faith rests, as the Calvary where we discover how far self-giving and total love go, and as the table around which Christ forms his disciples.
Archbishop of Paris in his homily for the re-opening of Notre Dame Cathedral December 8 2024
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Cafe Gathering:
TODAY Sunday 22 December 2024 at 11.00am with Noreen
Topiary Cafe, Wals Nursery Bush Road,
Mosgiel, Otago
Here is a grace you might like to use at your Christmas meal this year.
A Grace before Christmas Dinner
One of the more senior people
at the dinner begins saying:
Before we share this Christmas meal together,
Let us take a moment of silent prayer
to give God thanks
for all the blessings we have received this year
and for the burdens we bear, shared and personal.
A moment of silent reflection follows
Then the leader continues
Let us remember those
we have shared Christmas with in past years,
those who have died,
and also those who are not able to be with us today.
Let us now share aloud
the names of those we especially wish to remember.
Those at table take a moment
to share the names of those
they wish to remember.
When the names have been shared
a candle is lit in the centre of the table
(perhaps by one of the children).
Then the leader prays
May the light of this candle
lead us to Christ
who overcomes every darkness.
And for what we receive in this meal,
the food, drink, and family and friendship,
let us be deeply grateful.
Amen
Churches are not mere buildings they are symbols of the faith history of a faith community they connect us with the faith community not only now but with the past community and the community of the future. They say who we were who we are who we want to be now and in the future. They should be recognised by the wide community as a place of welcome , compassion , justice. Sadly they are not always that but we can restore their mana through Him with Him and in Him..
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL RESTORATION OF ST JOSEPH’S CHURCH. MAY GOD BLESS ABUNDANTLY ALL WHO CONTRIBUTED IN THE REBUILD, ALL WHO PRAY AND WORSHIP THERE NOW AND IN THE FUTURE YEARS TO COME. GOD. BLESS Margaret S
Lovely restoration in that historic church. Well worth a visit. The bell from St Joseph’s historic church Pauatahanui north of Wellington, was stolen recently. Our stewardship committee are keen to find it or replace with similar. If anyone knows of an antique church bell, bronze circa 1860 (ours was made by James Barwell Birmingham) I’d be keen to know more. The police now consider it a cold case.
Thanks Father John for the I aspiring call to prayer at noon time with the Angel us.. Also for the. beautiful Christmas prayet which I hope may bring our family to recollection and reflection on this marvellous feast day.
Feliz Navidad
A beautiful reflection, prayer and grace for Christmas John.
Anne