All posts by 3 churches

A poem for Lent

lent

Lent is often described as a journey. Jesus was sent by his Father on a journey, into our world. In Lent we join Him on the way to Calvary and beyond. The great modern Welsh poet R.S.Thomas sets the scene…

And God held in his hand
A small globe. Look, he said. The son looked. Far off,
As through water, he saw
A scorched land of fierce Colour. The light burned There; crusted buildings Cast their shadows: a bright Serpent, a river
Uncoiled itself, radiant
With slime.

On a bare
Hill a bare tree saddened
The Sky. Many people
Held out their thin arms
To it, as though waiting
For a vanished April
To return to its crossed Boughs. The son watched Them. Let me go there, he said.

“The Coming” R.S.Thomas 1913-2000

REFLECTION after Communion this weekend. Use it at home too…

Lord Jesus Christ,
your prayer transfigured your whole being radiating the glory of God and revealing your divinity.
Help us to remember that we are God’s adopted children and that by His grace we too can share in the divine life.
Be with us this Lent as we learn to pray with new joy and show us through your Word, the Sacraments, silence, and time spent in your company that we can become more like you.

Amen

Christ the King bidding prayers, 2nd Sunday of Lent (18 February 2016)

bidding prayers, Christ the King

P       We come together as a community to ask God our Father for our needs and for the needs of others

Reader: The response is;

Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer

We pray that we be inspired to find new ways to support our Parish Priests and our parish activities, particularly in this Lenten Season… … … … … … pause …

Lord, in your mercy– (Hear our prayer)

We pray for all those who courageously work for peace, and we think especially this week of those trying to achieve an end to hostilities in Syria.  And we pray for all those affected by the conflict … … … … … … pause …

Lord, in your mercy

We pray for children and young people everywhere, especially those who are in care, and young homeless people; and we pray for social workers and others trying to meet their needs. .. … … … … … … pause …

Lord, in your mercy

We pray for those who mourn, especially those in our own parish who have lost loved ones.  May they be comforted by a belief in a loving God, and supported in their lives by the community. .. … … … … … … pause …

Lord, in your mercy

And balancing sadness with joy, help us all to appreciate the great gift of life with the coming of a new spring. .. … … … … … … pause …

Lord, in your mercy

Let us spend a few moments in silent prayer – – – –  longer pause – – – – –

We ask Mary the mother of our Lord to join her prayers to ours saying,

Hail Mary………….

Priest:   God of love, listen to our petitions and grant them through him who lives in glory with You and the Holy Spirit.    Amen.

Help for Lent

lent

READ

…. the Bible! Try going through a Gospel such as Luke or Mark slowly, a bit at a time… A Pilgrimage Companion, a beautiful booklet from our Bishops for the Year of Mercy, 50p.

CELEBRATE

Why not try to attend an extra weekday Mass?… Arrange with friends to attend the Cardiff Deanery Lenten Station Mass at the Cathedral Monday 7th March.. Note the Holy week services – some united this year – Maundy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper at Christ the King, Good Friday Liturgy at St Paul’s and Christ the King, Easter Vigil at St Brigid’s.

PRAY

Stations of the Cross each Friday at St Paul’s and Saturday at St Brigid’s 9.00am before Mass. Look at the unique Stations in Christ the King for this Lent and Come to the very special talk on the Stations at Christ the King on Thursday 3rd March. Come to Adoration Tuesday at Christ the King 10-1, Wednesday at St Paul’s 10am onwards, St Brigid’s Wednesdays 8-9pm.

REPENT

Confessions Friday 10am St Paul’s, Saturday 10am St Brigid’s and 5.30pm Christ the King. In the week before the Triduum there will be special times throughout the city when visiting priests will be available in all churches, including Christ the King on Monday of Holy Week.

GIVE

Family Fast Day this Friday 19th February. Take your envelope today…

REFLECT

We will use this after Communion this weekend. Use it at home too…

Lord Jesus Christ, we trust your words
that you did not come to search for the good and righteous
but to walk alongside each one of us
as we struggle with temptation and sin.

We ask you to walk with us this Lent.
Be with us as we try to overcome the temptations that come our way.
And teach us topray with new joy;
fast with a willing heart;
and give generously to those in need.
Amen

Blessing the dust

newsletter

Ash Wednesday by Jan Richardson

All those days you felt like dust, like dirt,
as if all you had to do
was turn your face toward the wind and be scattered to the four corners or swept away by the smallest breath as insubstantial—
Did you not know
what the Holy One can do with dust?

This is the day we freely say
we are scorched.
This is the hour we are marked
by what has made it through the burning.
This is the moment we ask for the blessing
that lives within the ancient ashes,
that makes its home inside the soil of
this sacred earth.

So let us be marked not for sorrow.
And let us be marked not for shame.
Let us be marked not for false humility
or for thinking we are less than we are

But for claiming what God can do within the dust,
within the dirt,
within the stuff
of which the world is made, and the stars that blaze in our bones,
and the galaxies that spiral inside the smudge
we bear.