The Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, 23rd October, 2022, Cycle C
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 www.lpa24.org
The Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, 23rd October 2022. Cycle C
FAITH IN FOCUS: HOW TO IMPRESS GOD
The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector is the classic “goodie” versus “baddie” tale. The Pharisee represented the pillar of Jewish society: a religious man who knew the Law backwards and observed it in all its minute details. The tax collector was the outcast of society: he collaborated with the pagan occupying army of the Romans, overcharged people for their taxes and kept a commission of the money for himself. Yet by the end of the story Jesus reverses their roles.
The story only makes two points. The first is that it is impossible to impress God. Maybe the Pharisee is not unlike people in some of our churches today. They go to be seen rather than to make genuine contact with God. They feel that they are pillars of society; they are well respected in the community; their family has always supported the parish and they live a moral existence unlike some of the other members of the congregation that they could name!
Why would we want to “impress” God? Could it be that we can’t actually face up to what we are really like? Could it be that we think God will only have time for us when we improve a bit? Do we need to shape up before God will pay us any attention? Yet the reality is that God knows us even better than we know ourselves. For we can fool ourselves but we can’t fool God. And the truth is that we can only gain access to God by being totally sincere. Anything else cuts us off.
The second point of the story is that we can do absolutely nothing to earn God’s mercy. The tax collector’s body language was the complete opposite of the Pharisee’s: he beat his breast and didn’t even dare to look up. He was open about two things: he was a sinner and he needed God’s mercy. And he poured his heart out.
This total honesty before God frightens many people. That’s because they believe God acts on a “Brownie points” system and they find it hard to accept that God loves people for what they are not what they should be. God’s way of acting overturns any idea of merit, any thought of earning our salvation. God’s love and forgiveness are indiscriminate and open to anyone who asks sincerely.
Of course, if you accepted your true condition and knew that only the free gift of grace could save you, then you’d really impress God.
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ENTRANCE ANTIPHON: Let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice; turn to the Lord and his strength; constantly seek his face.
RESPONSE TO THE PSALM: This poor man called; the Lord heard him.
GOSPEL ACCLAIMATION: Alleluia, alleluia! Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom to mere children. Alleluia!
COMMUNION ANTIPHON: We will ring out our joy at your saving help and exult in the name of our God.
————————————————————————————————————————————-Sunday is a day of special prayer for World Missions.
Remember British Summer Time ends on Saturday 29th October so clocks go back one hour.
Devotions/Adoration: From now on, unless advised otherwise, Saturday Morning Devotions will be prayed in Church (the Rosary, Divine Mercy and Divine Praises) from 10:30am to 11:30am each Saturday morning. Fr Mario will be available for the Sacrament of Reconciliation during Saturday Morning Devotions at 10.30-11.00am. All most welcome.
Week day Masses at 9.15am Mon, Tues, Wed & Fri, with a 7pm Mass each Thurs evening. All most welcome.
If you have any queries or ideas, please 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.
Mike Daly has been sending out his Homilies each week to many of you since the Covid Lockdown first started. He has now stopped this and instead they will be printed on the Parish Website which everyone can access from 1st November. We will publish log in details in the coming weeks.
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.
In Memorium -There will be a funeral service on Friday 28th October at 1100 for Antony Lewis followed by burial at Landican at 1200.
Please continue to keep all of our sick parishioners in your thoughts and prayers.
Children's Liturgy is now taking place during the 9.30am Mass, all are welcome.
Tea and Coffee after 9.30am Mass each Sunday. To be held in the Meeting Room through the Music Store Room, but the exit will now be via the front door of the house. All are welcome.
Last Weeks’ Offertory Collection amounted to £323.94p, thank you. Please try to be as generous as you can to our parish in these difficult times.
Missio Red Box Collection : totalled £283.20 - thank you
Our Confirmation programme is well under way and is now closed to any further applicants. Please pray for the candidates and the Catechists who are working so hard to help them in their preparations for this sacrament.
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. Many thanks stjohntheevabgelist@gmail.com
October is Mary’s special month for praying the Rosary. Please try to say the Rosary as often as you can during the month of October.
November Lists This Sunday is the last one for names to be handed in. remember to write names clearly and address for Ann Murray. Thank you.
The Annual Mass of Remembrance will be celebrated in Church on Thursday 3rd November at 7.00pm with a particular focus given to those parishioners and friends who have died this year. Everyone is welcome to come along and reflect on the members of their families who have died.
CAFOD Family Fast envelopes are available on the table at the back of church. They can be handed in during the month of October. Next Sunday will be the last collection for these envelopes. Please be as generous as you can be to our less fortunate brothers and sisters.
The Loop System in the church is now fully operational. To benefit, please set your hearing aid to the "T" setting and adjust your volume as appropriate.
There is a Prayer Intention Book on the table at the back of the church. Please enter your intentions and the Book will be brought to the altar on the first Sunday of each month.
Mother’s Prayers - Please see the poster about this group of mothers from our parish who meet on the third Tuesday of each month at 7pm , to pray for their children and grandchildren and offer each other support. The next meeting is Tuesday 16th November then Tuesday 20th December . All most welcome.
A special collection to thank Fr Paschal for his unstinting support and effort over the last eight months will take place over the weekend of 22nd/23rd October. It is Fr Paschal's express wish for the money collected to go to the people of Haiti. This will be via a marked basket at the back of church.
Advent Day by Day booklets containing daily readings throughout Advent are on the table at the back of church. They are £1 but free to take a copy and if you are able, please leave a donation in the Books Box by the card table.
Traidcraft Stall- the stall will be open on Saturday the 29th October after Mass and then again on Sunday 30th October after Mass. Please try to support this if you can.
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The Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sunday 23rd
5.00pm Teresa Young RIP
9.30am Bishop Brain Noble Anniv RIP
11.00am Niel Keenan RIP
7.30pm Prayer Meeting
Monday 24th
9.15am Ints of St John’s SVP
Tuesday 25th
9.15am Philip Shipman RIP
Wednesday 26th
9.15am Ints Jess Glover (seriously ill) & her family
Thursday 27th
7.00pm St John’s & St Luke’s parishioners
Friday 28th
9.15am The Hungry of the World
Saturday 29th
10:30am Devotions - Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises
The Thirty First Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sunday 30th
5.00pm Maeve Dana
9.30am Vera Brockway RIP
11.00am Mary Devery RIP
7.30pm Prayer Meeting
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Wirral Foodbank: 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.
Please take a copy of the Parish Newsletter for anyone else who would appreciate receiving a copy. Also, there is a selection of cards in the Card Rack; please put money in the box provided.
If you have a notice for the bulletin, please email it to the parish email address or put it through the presbytery letter box by 12 noon on Wednesdays. Many thanks.
WORD OF GOD: The Lord is a judge who is no respecter of personages. (Ecclesiasticus 35:12)
WORDS FOR WORSHIP: May God the Father hear the words of your prayer and answer you in all your needs. Amen.
May God the Son help you to run the race to the finish that you may gain the crown of righteousness. Amen
May God the Holy Spirit inspire you in faith and sustain you in humility. Amen.
And may the blessing of almighty God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, come down upon you and remain with you always. Amen.
