Newsletter from the Church of the Resurrection

Bryanston Catholic Church of the Resurrection 11 March 2021

CHURCH NEWS

Father Keith reflects on Lent

Dear Friends in Christ

We have just passed the midpoint of Lent.

Now is the time to take stock of your own journey through Lent. You could have the following dialogue with yourself. "What if I acknowledge that not much is going on?

I began with the best of intentions, but I am not sure what I'm doing or what I want to be doing. Can my Lent be ‘rescued’? Can a six week journey be completed in the remaining next two or three weeks - waiting for my heart to be open?" Of course, the answer is “yes.” It doesn't take long for God, when we are ready.

The first step to beginning again has already begun, if you have the desire for something real during Lent. A therapist once said that "we get better when we get tired of not being better." This isn't the same as "guilt." Feeling guilty for not doing much about Lent won't get us very far. What we need is a real desire - a real sense of expectation that God has something for me to hear, to learn, to change, and I want to be ready to listen.

After some reflection, I might admit that there is a streak of stubbornness or impatience or harshness that keeps putting me at odds with people. Perhaps there is an old wound or a fresh experience of hurt or loss that has turned into a festering anger that robs me of simple joys and sorrows or compassion for suffering of others.

Lent begins when I can say "Help me Lord!" Now I can turn to the Lord, with some real, concrete desires. Now I can practice waking up each morning and naming a desire - while I'm putting on my slippers, or taking a shower or getting dressed:

"Lord, it feels so good to be honest with myself before you. Let me know your presence today. Help me face the challenges that will be there today. Give me some more freedom to make different choices, and act on the graces you are giving me, to refrain from escaping, but rather to give myself to loving, as you have loved me."

Imagine all the different prayers like that - one minute long - that would shape our day! With these desires to let God's grace transform me, then I can pause before going to bed each night, and look back through the day to thank God for the places I felt God's presence and help.

Let’s give Lent a new start in the days ahead. God is offering us more than we can ask or imagine.

Prayer

Dear Father God

In this time of uncertainty, sadness and isolation help me to find You in the sound of silence. Open our ears to Your voice when we take a rest from our busy world.

Help us to find You in the lonely places, in nature, in the sad eyes of Your suffering people.

Teach us to make time to seek You and talk to You.

Through Your love and moments of silence, we will find Your peace.

Teach us today to seek peace in prayer.

We ask a special blessing on the people of Bryanston Catholic Church who have asked for Your help: Altino Couto, Anna Telela, Chiera, Chipo, Chris Busschau, Christina Sequira, Clive Finn, Collette Drewes, Didi Tomsett, Estelle Jacquet, Fatima & Sieraaj Haffejee, Gail Solomon, Gillian Green, Goodwill Ntamehlo, Jean, Lesley-Anne & Caitlin Culhane, Mateo Kapka, Olivia Tanyanyiwa, Pierre Kedziersk, Shaun, Simon van Wyk, Tania Noach, Tracy Damon, Virginia Piggot and Yvonne Mupenda.

We ask all this in Your blessed name
Amen

Request Prayer

Catechism Lenten Collection

This year we have not been able to distribute Lenten boxes to the children, so we have asked them to collect Easter Eggs, Pilchards and beans.

The children can then drop them off at the church office, marked for the attention of Luane or PACS.

All our Parishioners are invited to contribute as well.

Pensioners and Children Support Group

Thank you to everyone who has already contributed glass bottles and ingredients for the Jars of Hope.

The Pensioners and Children Support group (PACS) are very busy filling the jars. They are currently short of soup mix and lentils, if you would like to contribute, please drop off some ingredients at the church.

In-person Mass

We are very pleased to inform you that we are able to accommodate 200 people at Saturday 18h00 mass and Sunday 10h00 mass.

There will be 100 people in the church and the Mass will be broadcast to 100 people in the Emmaus center.
Everybody will have the opportunity to receive communion.

It is important that you book for the weekend masses through our website. The first 100 people to arrive and be checked off the register will be accommodated in the church and the overflow will go to the Emmaus.

Baptisms

Amelia, daughter of Samora and Thulani Mabija, was baptised on 5 March 2021.

In Memorium

Graham Turner (22 September 1953 - 19 February 2021)

Digital Snapshot
Click on Picture to Link

Giving

This faith community is making a difference in the world. Our online and in-person ministries touch the lives of many thousand people.

It is through your generous donations that the Church of the Resurrection is able to offer a wide array of programmes and facilities. Thank you for your regular weekly donations; they make all the difference.

Since we are not collecting weekly donations in church, we are 100% reliant on the money that you give us via channels such as EFT or SnapScan. Every donation counts and is greatly appreciated.

If you're not signed up for dedicated giving but would like to continue to support the parish, you can make donations via snap scan or follow the link online.