4th Sunday in Lent – Thought for the Week
Pope Francis: Mercy Brings Us Peace
VATICAN CITY, March 17, 2014
“Merciful men and women have an open heart, because they always excuse the other and think of their own sins.”
BEING MERCIFUL IS DIFFICULT
The Holy Father reflected on today’s Gospel of St. Luke, which recounts Jesus’ call to “be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
The Pope said that this attitude is difficult since many times we are accustomed to judge others.
TWO ATTITUDES – 1. SELF-KNOWLEDGE
“To be merciful, two attitudes are necessary,” he said. The first is the knowledge of oneself: to know that we have done many things that are not good, that we are sinners.” This, he continued, is only possible if we truly feel ashamed of our sins.”
“It is true, none of us have killed anyone, but [there are] many little things, many daily sins, of everyday… And when one thinks: ‘But what, what a small heart! I did this against the Lord!
It is good to be ashamed, to be ashamed before God, and this shame is grace: it is the grace of being a sinner. ‘I am a sinner and I am ashamed before You and I ask You for forgiveness.’ It is simple, but it is difficult to say: ‘I have sinned.”
THE TRULY REPENTANT CAN GIVE MERCY
The Holy Father went on to say that many times, we justify ourselves by laying the blame on others. If one, instead, is truly repentant, one can give the same mercy that is received.
ATTITUDE #2: AN OPEN HEART
The second attitude in order to be merciful, the Pope continued, is the need to open one’s heart. A small heart, he said, “is selfish and incapable of mercy.”
“Open your heart! …’ and you say: ‘But look at what this person did, or that person…I haven’t done so much!’ But then: ‘Who am I to judge him/her?’ This phrase: ‘Who am I to judge?’ – Who am I to gossip about that one? Who am I to…? Who am I that has done the same or worse? Please, have an open heart!”
DO NOT JUDGE!
“And the Lord says: ‘Do not judge lest you be judged! Do not condemn and you will not be condemned! Forgive and you will be forgiven? Give and you shall be given!’ This is generosity of heart! And what will be given to you? A ‘good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap.’ And the image of the people who would go to collect wheat with an apron and would widen the apron to receive more, more grain. If your heart is wide, large, you can receive more.”
MERCY BRINGS PEACE TO ALL
Pope Francis concluded: “An open heart does not condemn, but rather, forgives and forgets. This is the path of mercy that we should ask for,” he said.
“And if all of us, if all the people, persons, families, neighbourhoods, had this attitude, how much peace would there be in the world, this peace in our hearts! Because mercy brings us to peace. Always remember: ‘Who am I to judge?’”
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ST. MARY’S PARISH, COROWA
Diocese of Wagga Wagga N.S.W.
Fr. Paul Hart. P.P.
30th March 2014
23 Parade Place, P.O. Box 69, Corowa 2646.
Office Hours: 9.00am to 12.00pm. Mon & Fri.
Phone: 02 6033 1927. Fax: 02 6033 0650
Email: smpcph@bigpond.com
website: www.stmaryscorowa.org
Hall bookings: 02 60335381 (Terry & Carmel Moroney)
St Mary’s Court Retirement Units: 02 6033 1927
St Mary’s School: 02 6033 1183
We honour the traditional owners of this land, the Kwat Kwat peoples and the Wiradjuri Nation
St. Mary of the Cross Mackillop
Diocesan Provident Fund – P.O. Box 4 Wagga Wagga 2650, Ph. 02 6937 0099
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Remember in Prayer
Recently Deceased: Bishop Michael Putney (Townsville dioc.)John Skehan, John Hanrahan, Nicole Collins, Marj Fern, Mick Fitzgerald, Suzanne Knight, Patricia Seymour, Frances Hanrahan, Alan Whitty
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Parish Events 30th March – 05th April 2014
Saturday 29th
6.30pm Mass (John Hanrahan, John Skehan)
Sunday 30th 4th Sunday in Lent
09.00am Mass (all parishioners)
Monday 31st
No Mass
Tuesday 1st April
9.00am Mass (Maisie Crisfield, Gerald Naughtin)
Wednesday 2nd April
9.00am Mass (John-Paul II, Lane & Ryan fms)
11.00am Holy Communion to Homes
Thursday 3rd April
10.15am Lenten Prayer Group 2 – Presbytery
11.40am Novena
12.00pm Mass (John Skehan & John Hanrahan)
Friday 4th April
10.00am Mass Karinya (sick & Missing)
11.00am Holy Communions to Homes
6.30pm Stations of the Cross
Saturday 5th April
8.45am Ros. & Mass (Des Crisfield; Winch fm)
6.30pm Vigil Mass (Con Fanning, Lynette Voss)
Sunday 6th April – 5th Sunday Lent
9.00am Mass (for all parishioners)
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Roster 5th – 6th March
Gifts:
6.30pm L Hanrahan
9.00am Svarc Family
Lectors
6.30pm J Schnelle & P Schnelle
9.00am P Ridge & B Ridge
Special Ministers:
6.30pm K O’Halloran & M Nixon
9.00am K Flower & K King
Altar: M Fitzgibbon
Welcomers:
6.30pm M Skehan J Regan
9.00am R Whitmore
Altar Servers:
6.30pm Will Seymour Henry Langford
9.00am Jorja Kingston Lachie McKenzie
Collection:
6.30pm D Doyle
9.00am B O’Shea
Counters: A & M Campbell
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PARISH RECONCILIATION
7.30pm Wednesday 9th April at St Mary’s – Visiting priests available
ST VINNIES Help in the shop? Or donate furniture? Contact Arthur Campbell: 60331647
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