The 1st Sunday of Advent
2nd December 2007

CALENDAR

Monday: St Francis Xavier - Day for Migrant Care
Tuesday: St John Damascene
Thursday: St Nicholas
Friday: St Ambrose
Saturday: THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

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Gospel Reflection
Back To The Future

You probably haven't escaped a job interview where you've been asked, "How do you picture yourself five years in the future?" Most of us know where we'd like to be career wise, and most of us have a career plan .... but do we have a plan for our spiritual future? Advent is a time of looking at life from a long-term view. In the first week of Advent we are on a journey towards the feast of Christmas, but more importantly we are at the start of a new year in which we are invited to plan time spent between Jesus' first coming as an infant, and his second coming on Judgement Day. We are warned not to spend life as Noah's neighbours did, rushing around determined to realise our own agendas without a thought for God or how we might be judged.

Jesus talks about Judgement Day and its unexpected arrival not to frighten us, but to encourage us to take responsibility for the here and now. Jesus takes a dim view of those who sit back and do nothing. Today's gospel is a wake up call for all of us who are not fully realising God's possibilities in our lives. We needn't let life pass us by if we have a plan of action. We needn't fear the future if we are prepared. Jesus shows us
the lessons from the past so that we might start preparing for our future right now in the present.

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THE FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

Saturday of this week, December 8th, is the signal Advent Feast of Our Lady and there will be mass that day at 9.30am

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Saint Francis Xavier - Pastoral care of migrants

ON DECEMBER 3rd the Church commemorates St Francis Xavier. This is the day chosen by the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People to mark World Migration Day.

POPE BENEDICT writes,

"On the occasion of the coming World Day of Migrants and Refugees, and looking at the Holy Family of Nazareth, icon of all families, I would like to invite you to reflect on the condition of the migrant family. The evangelist Matthew narrates that shortly after the birth of Jesus, Joseph was forced to leave for Egypt by night, taking the child and his mother with him, in order to flee the persecution of king Herod."

"In this misfortune experienced by the Family of Nazareth, obliged to take refuge in Egypt, we can catch a glimpse of the painful condition in which all migrants live, especially, refugees, exiles, evacuees, internally displaced persons, and those who are persecuted. We can take a quick look at the difficulties that every migrant family lives through, the hardships and humiliations, the deprivation and fragility of millions and millions of displaced people."
"May the World Day of Migrants and Refugees become a useful occasion to build awareness, in the ecclesial community and public opinion, regarding the needs and problems, as well as the positive potentialities of migrant families."

Taken from Pope Benedict's Message for World Day of Migrants

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ADVENT PREPARATION

Advent is a time of spiritual preparation and we must not neglect that aspect of the season beginning. The Series 'Walk with me' from the Diocese of Birmingham supplies a booklet to assist with that purpose. Copies are available in the Church (1.00p) for your use.
The Morning Prayer of the season will be recited in the Church before morning mass. Times of seasonal penitential services will be announced next week.

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Monthly Mass for the Elderly

The Mass for our older parishioners has been transferred from last week and will be at 2.30pm on Thursday 6th December and will be followed by tea in the Parish Centre.

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The Women's Fellowship

Come and enjoy Christmas Carols, Mulled Wine and Mince Pies at 8.00pm next Friday ( Dec. 7th) in the Parish Centre. Ladies kindly confirm your attendance to Betty O'Leary on 020 8979 7993.