The Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, 23rd July, 2023, Cycle A
St John the Evangelist
128 Bebington Road, New Ferry, CH62 5BJ
Diocese of Shrewsbury (reg. charity 234025)
Parish Priest: Fr Mario Ashuikeka and Fr Emmanuel Chukwujekwu
Deacon: Revd Michael Daly Phone: 0151 645 3314
Email stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com Websites http://www.stjohntheevangelistnewferry.com
The Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 23rd July, 2023, Cycle A
FAITH IN FOCUS: SEED OR WEED?
Today's parable is not about evil people getting their comeuppance at the end of time like the darnel (weeds) in the field. It's about ensuring that the genuine wheat is allowed to grow, mature and come to harvest.
Jesus is speaking about the sovereignty of God. It is God who made the field, who created the seed and who sowed it in the ground so that it could yield a harvest. And as the weeds come up and start to affect the crop we are tempted to go and cut them up and burn them. Yet God tells us not to bother. Wait until harvest time, then it will be easier to see where the healthy wheat is.
If God really is sovereign, then nothing can frustrate his plans. No disaster, no war, no political machinations, no new order or accepted wisdom. God can sit and watch as all sorts of make-believe theories come in and out of fashion because he is a patient God. And out natural questioning of why God allows this and that to happen is a symptom of our desire to weed things out now rather than wait for the harvest.
So it's tempting to look around us today and try to pin the label of "weed" onto all sorts of people and situations in our world and even in the Church. The truth, of course, is that we do not ever know the real motives and understanding behind any other person's actions. And the truth is that the script is still being written on every creature created by God. In God's hand even a weed can come to blossom. God is in no hurry, and this works in our favour since there is always time for us to change. We have to presume that God allows us time to change, otherwise we have been created and doomed to be permanent weeds with no chance of ever being fruitful.
Is this parable, then, a way of Jesus telling us to be wary of the weeds that surround us? Possibly. But it's much more about making sure that we allow God's fertile Spirit to work in us to produce a harvest of good. Let's forget for the moment about putting tags and labels on other people and concentrate on being fruitful ourselves. For in our heart of hearts we know that our own wheat is not devoid of weeds. And if we're honest we have to take refuge in the fact that heaven is not full of good people. It's full of people who were given enough time to repent and be forgiven.
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ENTRANCE ANTIPHON: See, I have God for my help. The Lord sustains my soul. I will sacrifice to you with willing heart, and praise your name, O Lord, for it is good.
RESPONSE TO THE PSALM: O Lord, you are good and forgiving.
GOSPEL ACCLAIMATION: May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ enlighten the eyes of our mind, so that we can see what hope his call holds for us.
COMMUNION ANTIPHON: The Lord, the gracious, the merciful, has made a memorial of his wonders; he gives food to those who fear him.
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Devotions/Adoration: Saturday Morning Devotions will be prayed in Church (the Rosary, Divine Mercy and Divine Praises) from 10:30am-11:30am. Fr Mario will be available for the Sacrament of Reconciliation between 10.30 and 11.00am. All most welcome.
If you have any queries or ideas, continue to contact Deacon Mike Daly on 07542463319 or Carol Dalziel on 07808975011 on any Parish matters, or if you wish to arrange a Baptism, Wedding or Funeral. Also use the box at the back of church for your suggestions. Mike Daly’s Homilies are available on the Parish Website. Log in details are www.stjohntheevangelistnewferry.com
Mass Intentions If you would like to have a Mass said for your own or someone else’s intentions please fill in one of the Mass offering envelopes at the back of Church, place a donation in it & put it through the presbytery letterbox. Thank you.
Children's Liturgy – is during the 9.30am Mass, all are most welcome.
In Memoriam - Please pray for the repose of the soul of Fr. Russell Cooke who died recently. All services will take place at St Winefride’s, Neston. Tuesday, 25th July will be the Reception of the Body and Vigil Mass at 7pm. Requiem Mass on Wednesday, 26th July at 11.30am. Please keep Fr Russell, his family and friends in your prayers at this time.
Last Weeks’ Offertory Collection amounted to £496.72p. Thank you for your continued generosity.
Day for Life retiring collection will take place over the weekend 5th/6th August.
Wirral Foodbank Appeal: Please help support your Foodbank with food and funds. All donations need to be non-perishable, please refer to the list on the notice board of items urgently needed. Please continue to support this as much as you can in these difficult times.
There is also the Foodbank Newsletter on the notice board at the back of the church. Please take time to look through it.
Thank you to Dot Humphrey, who has recently stepped back from coordinating the Readers' Rota, and to Sarah Higgins, who has stepped back from looking after the large items of Church linen. Both have given so many years of valuable service to St John's. Grateful thanks also to Carmel Harrison who has taken over from Dot and to Liz Salmaans who has taken over from Sarah.
MASS SCHEDULE FOR THURSDAYS : For the next few weeks, the Thursday night Mass will alternate between St Anne’s and St John’s.
HEALTH AND SAFETY: It is a requirement for all parish groups, using the presbytery and day chapel for meetings, to sign in upon entry to the presbytery and sign out when leaving. The book is located on the hall stand next to the office door. Thank you.
Divine Mercy Pilgrimage to Krakow, Poland 11th to 15th September & led by Fr Mario. There will be a Guided tour to Divine Mercy Chapel, John Paul II Centre, Marian shrine Czestochowa, Wawel Cathedral & Bishop’s Palace. Flying from Manchester. 5 days and includes bed, breakfast & evening meal. The cost will be £585 per person sharing or £685 for single room. If interested please see Fr Mario or telephone Maria on 07576243343
We continue our reflections on Vatican II, in Part III On The Church. This time, we ask the question: ‘Why is the Church?’ Why does she exist...? The Council's answer is that her mission is to call all people of all times to holiness, which is why she must evangelise. What this means for us is given in Lumen Gentium Chaps 5 and 6, taken together. Podcast 9 and its handout are now available on the diocesan website at dioceseofshrewsbury.org in the section on 'News and Events'. A leaflet outlining the content of all of the podcasts is available in the parish. If you have difficulty accessing this material or have questions and reflections, please don’t hesitate to contact Barbara via E: barbara.davies@dioceseofshrewsbury.org or T: 07730 526821
If you know of any St John's parishioners, who would welcome a home visit by members of the S.V.P, please email St John's with details and we will pass on the information, which is treated confidentially, to Steve Bell, President of St John's SVP. Please ask the person or persons involved if they would like a visit before passing on their details. stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com
Confirmation 2023 for St John’s and St Anne’s will be held at St John’s on Wednesday, 22nd November at 7.00pm. Will all candidates in Years 9 and above (or their parents) please contact Mike Daly as soon as possible to record their interest.
The school summer holidays are now with us once more. We wish all our children and students a good holiday. We also thank all our teachers and school workers for looking after those in their care. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!
SS Joachim and Ann are named as Mary’s parents in a late 2nd century tradition. Churches dedicated to St Anne are found in Jerusalem and Constantinople from the middle of the 6th century. The feast of Saint Anne was in Rome by the 8th century, that of Saint Joachim from the 15th century. The feast honours both parents of the Virgin Mary and grandparents of the Lord.
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Saturday 22nd 10.30am Devotions – Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises
5.00pm Mary Ebbrell RIP
Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 23rd 9.30am St John’s Parishioners
11.00am Jenny Inglis Annv (St Luke’s)
7.30pm Prayer Meeting
Monday 24th 9.15am Tim Delaney Annv RIP
Tuesday 25th 9.15am Royston Lowes 70th B.day RIP
Wednesday 26th 11.30am In Honour of St Anne Ss Joachim & Ann MASS AT ST ANNE’S ONLY
Thursday 27th 7.00pm MASS AT ST ANNE’S ONLY
Friday 28th 9.15am Ints Lynne & Charlie Hosie
Saturday 29th 10.30am Devotions – Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises
5.00pm Ints Anthony Brockway
Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 30th 9.30am Ints Dot Humphrey
11.00am Gerard Elliott RIP (St Luke’s)
7.30pm Prayer Meeting
Weekend Masses - Please note that the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed immediately before each Mass. Please use this as a time for prayer and quiet devotion. Please enter the church quietly and remain so. Thank you.
We draw your attention to the change of Mass details on Wednesday, 26th July. There will be ONE Mass only at 11.30am which will take place at St Anne's.This is part of a day set aside for Ss Joachim and Ann. Refreshments will be available, followed by a talk by Fr Emeka. Further details are available from St Anne's.
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ST ANNE’S WEEKLY MASS INTENTIONS
Saturday 22nd 6.30pm Catherine Walker RIP
Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 23rd 11.15am Claire Roberts Special Intention
Monday 24th 12 Noon Ami Jones (pray for healing)
Tuesday 25th 12 Noon For Families
Wednesday 26th 11.30am In Honour of St Anne
MASS AT ST ANNE’S ONLY
Thursday 27th 7.00pm Jack Stormont B.day Remembrance
MASS AT ST ANNE’S ONLY
Friday 28th 12 Noon Andrew McNally RIP
Saturday 29th 6.30pm Dec’d members of Alder Family
Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 30th 11.15am Special Intention
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WORD OF GOD: Disposing of such great strength, you are mild in judgement and you govern us with great lenience, for you have only to will, and your power is there. (Wisdom 12: 18)
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