| Find what you're missing
(Part 3 of 4)
I remember seeing the notice outside a church once, that spelt 'Ch_
_ch' written underneath was the question, "What is missing?" This was
followed by the answer, 'UR'! It was a clever play on words that bears out
the adage, "many a truth is said in jest."
Maybe you have left the church or stopped attending and are thinking
of returning. Like the fox in The Little Prince, you are sitting at a distance
looking at the church from the corner of your eye. You are wondering if
you should give it another try. Is it because you can say with Dorothy
Day, "All my life I have been haunted by God?" It seems what they say is
true: the church, is hard to get out of your system!
How did Jesus see the church? He saw it as a body of believers who
showed they belonged to him by their love for each other (Jn 13,31). We
understand this to mean that the church is the body of Christ.
Suppose I took a large mirror off the wall, dropped it on the ground
and shattered it. Suppose I pick up each piece and hand one to a large
group of assembled people. Each person has received a different piece of
the mirror - some quite small, others larger, some with jagged edges,
some with fancy shaped - all different. Each person mysteriously reflecting
Christ in a slightly different way. Putting the pieces of the mirror together,
forming the body of Christ and reflecting his face to those who pass by -
that is the heart of the church's mission and each of us is part of it,
whether or not, we go to church.
We are part of something bigger than ourselves. We live our little
story under the great story. As long as you know that your little story is
tied up to the big story you'll be sane and basically happy. Psychology and
therapy cannot give you such a cosmology; only religion can.
We need each other. We need the wanderers, not because they have
need of the church, but because the church has need of them.
THOUGHT PROVOKING
I'd like to see the Church more relevant to the millions of people who
read popular papers like the Sun. I passionately believe God is relevant to
everyday life ¡X but I know it is often a giant yawn to real people. ~
George Carey
The church is a house with a hundred gates: and no two men or
women enter at exactly the same angle.
~ G. K. Chesterton
Pat: "Mom, are you going to get the new coat you want from Santa
Claus this Christmas?"
Mom: "I'm afraid not, my dear."
Pat: "Have you tried throwing yourself on the floor and kicking with
your feet and yelling like I do?"
Be kind, for everyone you meet, is fighting a harder battle.
~ Plato
It's important to know when not to laugh, when something is not
funny because it is vulgar, sadistic, juvenile, stupid, racist or sexist.
A glutton is a person who took the slice of cake you wanted!
He/she who laughs, LASTS!
When someone asks what is the church doing about unemployment,
nuclear armament, environment, I reply, you are the church, what are you
doing?
People are always in a hurry; God is never in a hurry. (Advent
Spirituality)
Religion without mystery ceases to be religion.
~ Henry Miller
NOTICE BOARD
Due to the shortage of priests of St. Saviours, weekday masses may
be cancelled at short notice. We ask for your patience and understanding
whenever this happens.
Notices for the Bulletin must be handed in to the Priory shop not later
than 4.30pm on Mondays.
Christmas Day 10.30am Mass
The choir invites the children to join them in the Sanctuary in singing
the mass.
ST. VINCENT DE PAUL
The Christmas collection at St. Saviours Church last weekend
amounted to ¢G2596.46. The conference of St. Dominic's wishes to thank all
those who contributed.
CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR SCHEDULE
Confessions / Reconciliation in preparation for Christmas:
21st December - Service of Reconciliation at 7.30pm instead of the
usual evening Mass.
23rd December - 11.00am - 1.00pm,
2.30pm - 5.30pm
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