Catholic Identity
Feast of All Saints: 1st November
A reflection by Greg Sunter
Saints are sometimes regarded as ‘Catholic superheroes’. Stories of miraculous and remarkable deeds abound, though more in the vein of conversions and cures than speeding bullets and tall buildings. But to get caught up on the Saints of the stained glass windows is to overlook the vast majority of saints. You see, a saint is anybody whose soul is in heaven. The Church celebrates a certain number of Saints whose lives provide a glimpse of God for the rest of the Church. There are many, many more saints whose glimpse of God was only ever experienced by their family, friends and those with whom they worked. The feast of ALL Saints is an opportunity to remember and reflect on the lives of those saints who’ve been known and loved by just a few and whose sphere of influence was such that they will never be recognised as Saints by the universal Church. Saints play an important role in the devotional life of many Catholic people, but it is a role that causes some confusion for other traditions. Whilst all prayer is directed to God, sometimes that prayer may be directed through one of the Saints or a Saint is called upon to pray on behalf of the petitioner. Catholics pray to God through the Saint.
Many of our children completing their confirmation and first Eucharist next week have taken on the name of a Saint. We look forward to this Celebration next weekend.
THIRTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
"The Son of Man shall gather his elect from the four winds.”
Year B | Sunday 14 November | green
The Gospel Story
There are some amazing images of God's creation in today’s Gospel Story.
The message is that we don’t know what will happen in the future – only God knows.
The Gospel
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark 13:24-32
The Son of Man shall gather his elect from the four winds.
Jesus said to his disciples:
"In those days, right after that time of suffering, 'The sun will become dark, and the moon
will no longer shine. The stars will fall, and the powers in the sky will be shaken.'
Then the Son of Man will be seen coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
He will send his angels to gather his chosen ones from all over the earth.
Learn a lesson from a fig tree.
When its branches sprout and start putting out leaves, you know summer is near. So when you see all these things happening, you will know that the time has almost come. You can be sure that some of the people living today will still be alive when all this happens. The sky and the earth will not last forever, but my words will.
"No one knows the day or the time.
The angels in heaven don't know,
and the Son himself doesn't know.
Only the Father knows."
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Reflecting on the Gospel - discussion
None of us knows our future.
It is important to make the most of the 'now' times, to live as if there were no tomorrow.
How would you live differently today if you knew it was your last day on earth?
LORD JESUS CHRIST KING OF THE UNIVERSE
"You say that I am a king.”
Year B | Sunday 21 November | white
Preparing to hear God's word
Are there any kings and queens living in the world today? Where do they live? What do they do?
Can you name a fairy tale about a king or queen? Describe the king or queen.
The Gospel Story
Today’s Gospel shows us what sort of a king Jesus is, although his kingdom is not of this world. As Jesus talks with Pontius Pilate, he shows himself to be peaceful, fair and honest. Jesus tells Pilate that he came into this world to tell people about the truth of God’s kingdom.
The Gospel
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John 18:33-37
You say I am a king.
Pilate called Jesus over and asked, "Are you the king of the Jews?"
Jesus answered,
"Are you asking this on your own or did someone tell you about me?"
"You know I'm not a Jew!" Pilate said.
"Your own people and the chief priests brought you to me.
What have you done?"
Jesus answered, "My kingdom doesn't belong to this world. If it did, my followers would have fought to keep me from being handed over to you. No, my kingdom does not belong to this world."
"So you are a king," Pilate replied.
"You are saying that I am a king," Jesus told him.
"I was born into this world to tell about the truth.
And everyone who belongs to the truth knows my voice."
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Reflecting on the Gospel - discussion
Talk together about what the 'kingdom' of Jesus could or should look like today.
Will it be a place of peace and harmony?
Will there be poor, hungry and homeless people?
Will each person have someone to love them?
