Catholic Identity

If a grain of wheat falls on the ground and dies, it yields a rich harvest

Among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. These approached Philip, who came from Bethsaida in Galilee, and put this request to him, ‘Sir, we should like to see Jesus.’ Philip went to tell Andrew, and Andrew and Philip together went to tell Jesus. Jesus replied to them:

‘Now the hour has come

for the Son of Man to be glorified.

I tell you, most solemnly,

unless a wheat grain falls on the ground and dies,

it remains only a single grain;

but if it dies,

it yields a rich harvest.

Anyone who loves his life loses it;

anyone who hates his life in this world

will keep it for the eternal life.

If a man serves me, he must follow me,

wherever I am, my servant will be there too.

If anyone serves me, my Father will honour him.

Now my soul is troubled.

What shall I say:

Father, save me from this hour?

But it was for this very reason that I have come to this hour.

Father, glorify your name!’

A voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.’ People standing by, who heard this, said it was a clap of thunder; others said, ‘It was an angel speaking to him.’ Jesus answered, ‘It was not for my sake that this voice came, but for yours.

‘Now sentence is being passed on this world;

now the prince of this world is to be overthrown.

And when I am lifted up from the earth,

I shall draw all men to myself.’

By these words he indicated the kind of death he would die.

St Joseph - March 19th 

Next Tuesday, March 19th we celebrate the feast of St Joseph. Everything we know about St Joseph suggests that he showed many admirable qualities throughout his life. 

Qualities such as: 

• Humility •

 Patience 

• Faithfulness 

• Obedience 

• Loyalty 

As the husband of Mary and foster-father of Jesus, Joseph had a very important role. 

Joseph became a model of faithful service to others by placing Mary and Jesus’, needs before his own. 

He shows us how to look after each other with compassion, care and concern.

 Joseph was brave and willing to accept hardships.

 At these times, he turned to God for help and guidance. He never failed to protect and provide for his family and he is remembered as a hard worker. 

As we celebrate this special day we remember that “St Joseph was an ordinary sort of man on whom God relied to do great things. He did exactly what the Lord wanted him to do, in each and every event that went to make up his life.”

 St Joseph is an example to us of how an ordinary person can have extraordinary love for others. How lucky we are to have St Joseph keeping a watchful guiding role over us.

PROJECT COMPASSION

Project Compassion gives us the chance to act as Jesus did. To reach out to those in some of the most challenging situations imaginable. Once again, the theme for Project Compassion is For All Future Generations. This year, that theme is being drawn from the story of the burning bush (Exodus 3:1-20). One day, Moses's sheep wander off and suddenly he encounters a bush that is burning but not consumed. He is stunned. A voice tells him to remove his shoes because he is standing on ‘holy ground.’ The earth beneath our feet is indeed a sacred place. It is God’s gift to us. God tells Moses that he has heard the cry of his people. God responds to injustice and chooses Moses to speak to Pharaoh. Moses is scared but God promises ‘I will be with you.’ God will share the journey. All the time, God remains a mystery. He tells Moses ‘I am who I am.’ Moses wants more detail, so God simply says that this is the same God who has been longing for justice for the whole of history: ‘By this name I shall be invoked for all future generations.’ As God called Moses, so now God calls us to work ‘for all future generations.