FOURTH SUNDAY OF YEAR C
3rd February 2019

Dear Parishioner,

The central theme of today's readings is that we should have, and show in our communities, the courage of our Christian convictions in our Faith and in its practice, even when we face hatred and rejection because of them.

The first reading tells us how God called Jeremiah as His prophet and equipped him to face opposition and rejection. In living out his prophetic vocation Jeremiah prefigured Jesus, the greatest of all prophets.

In the second reading, we hear Paul speaking with the courage of his convictions in correcting the Corinthian Christian community where the exercise of God's gifts was causing competition, jealousy and divisiveness.

Today's Gospel is a continuation of last Sunday's Gospel presenting his own people's negative reaction to Jesus' "Inaugural Address" at the synagogue of Nazareth. Jesus faced scepticism and criticism with prophetic courage.

Jeremiah, Paul and Jesus believed that they were commissioned by God to proclaim a disturbing prophetic message. No matter how strong the opposition, the three had the conviction that God was with them. They remind us also that we too are commissioned with a mission in this society.

SEND, O LORD: HOLY APOSTLES INTO YOUR CHURCH

Fr Sabu Pariyadan RCJ

Notices:
Please remember to pray for:

Daily for the sick clergy of our Diocese

The sick and housebound

Those who have recently died: Henry Floyd, Val Barrett

Years Mind:
Monday: Bonnie Geddes
Tuesday: Jean Francois Kerforne
Wednesday: Fr Francis Richardson
Friday: Fr Alan Wilcox
Saturday: Canon Bernard Manning
Sunday: Pope Pius XI