SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT YEAR A
8th March 2020
Dear Parishioner,
For the second Sunday of Lent, we move from Jesus' retreat to the desert to his Transfiguration. Each year on the
first Sunday of Lent, our Gospel tells the story of Jesus' temptation in the desert. On the second Sunday of Lent
each year, we hear the story of Jesus' Transfiguration.
The story of Jesus' Transfiguration is told in the three Synoptic Gospels: Matthew, Mark, and Luke. In each of
those Gospels, the Transfiguration follows Jesus' first prediction of his death and his teaching about the costs of
discipleship. Jesus' Transfiguration is a promise of Jesus' glory, his Resurrection.
On a mountain in today's reading, a voice affirms that Jesus is God's Son in words reminiscent of the voice at
Jesus' baptism. In addition, the appearance of Moses and Elijah on the mountain connects this story with God's
relationship to the people of Israel. Moses and Elijah represent the Law and the Prophets, respectively. Together with
Jesus, they represent God's complete Word.
The Transfiguration occurs in the presence of just three of Jesus' disciples: Peter, James, and John. In
Matthew's Gospel, those disciples are among the first whom Jesus calls. The three men are identified as an
"inner circle" among Jesus' disciples when Jesus asks them to accompany him to the Garden of Gethsemane
just before his arrest.
May you all have a blessed season of Lent.
SEND, O LORD: HOLY APOSTLES INTO YOUR CHURCH
Fr Sabu Pariyadan RCJ
Notices:
WORK MORNING AT ST AUGUSTINE'S
SATURDAY 4th APRIL 10am - 12noon
Please do come along and support us - many hands make light work!
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PRAYER GROUP MONTHLY MEETING This month's meeting will be held on Wednesday 25 March 8pm at St
Augustine's.
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REFLECTION FOR LENT Sun 22 March 7-8pm, Blessed Sacrament Church, Melbourne Avenue. Please join us
for an hour's meditation using music from Taizé and words from Pope Francis, interspersed with silence.
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EASTER LILIES Each year we ask for special donations for Easter Lilies to decorate the Church for
our Easter celebrations. If you would like to make a donation (a suggested donation of £4.00) in memory of a
deceased loved one, please place your offering in an envelope and write for Easter Lilies and pass
it to Cath Lyons. Many thanks for your generosity.
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SYCAMORE FOR LENT - sessions continue on Tuesday evenings from 7.30 to 9pm (doors open 7pm). Each
session involves a short film, time for discussion and some food. Everyone is welcome and each session stands
alone; so if you think you may not be able to attend all six sessions, please do come along when you can.
If you need transport to get to a session, please let us know via the parish office. Please pray for
the Sycamore team and for the programme at St Augustine's.
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HENRY HOOVER - THANKS! We have been donated a new Henry Hover by some Indian friends in our
Community. We are very grateful to them as our other Hoover wasn't up to the job!
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SION COMMUNITY WORK AND PRAY: join us for a week or a few days from 30th Mar to 4th Apr to volunteer
your time and talents helping us with some essential upkeep to our large house/gardens. An opportunity for anyone who
would like to take time out and experience community life, including daily prayer, Adoration and Mass at the
Cathedral. Working hours will be taken up with manual work and if you someone who likes to cook you can take a turn
in the kitchen feeding the troops!. For further information and to register contact Mary: click here to Email.
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DIOCESAN PILGRIMAGE TO WALSINGHAM 23rd May 2020: Join Bishop Alan and other parishes around the
Diocese of Brentwood in Walsingham as we honour Our Lady of Walsingham. We will celebrate Mass at the Basilica before
walking the Holy Mile to the grounds of Walsingham Abbey to celebrate Vespers and Benediction on the site of the Holy
House. Please contact Fr Sabu to book your place.
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LENT TALK this Wednesday at 7.30pm OLI, London Road, Chelmsford preceded by Exposition and
Confessions from 6.30pm. Everyone welcome. "The Gospel and the Gift of Life" - Clare McCullough - Wednesday
11th March
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BRENTWOOD CATHEDRAL "GOD WHO SPEAKS" LENTEN LECTURES Wednesday 4 March at 7.30 pm in
Cathedral parish hall. The Bible: alive and active or dead and irrelevant? to be given by Professor Anthony
Towey, Director of Aquinas Centre, St Mary's University, Twickenham, London. Free Entry. All welcome. For more
information go to www.cathedral-brentwood.org.
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LENT TALK 2 COLCHESTER, Cardinal Bourne Hall, Priory St CO1 2QB Friday 13th March, Fr. Stewart
Foster will speak on the theme of 'Our Lady in Lent'. Please do come and support him. All welcome.
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PLANTING TREES FOR THE FUTURE - come and lend a hand! The Woodland Trust have granted 105 trees to
Walsingham House at Abbotswick (Navestock Side, CM14 5SH), and we need a helping hand to plant them, please, on
Saturday 28th March, 9.30am-5pm. Bring a spade and some sandwiches - we'll provide drinks and snacks. Please
click here to Email or call 01277373959 if you can come. As the area where we are planting includes bee hives and
a ditch, we suggest no very young children, please.
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THE AUGUSTINIAN We are hoping to put together the next "Augustinian" in the next week or
two. We have a number of articles already, but if you have anything to contribute, we still have space. Please
click
here to Email. If you have sent something already, can you send it again as the previous e-mail address was
wrong.
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LENTEN TALKS - The Year of the God Who Speaks Brentwood Cathedral "God Who Speaks" Wed 11
March 7.30 pm, Cathedral parish hall. Reading the Bible: the challenges of interpretation to be given by
Professor John Barton, Oriel & Laing Emeritus Professor of the Interpretation of Holy Scripture, University of
Oxford. Free Entry. All welcome. More info at www.cathedral-brentwood.org.
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DIRECTOR OF YOUTH MINISTRY, Diocese of Brentwood. Start in September 2020. Salary £40,000.
Closing date for applications 16th March 2020. Full details at www.bcys.net/jobs or call Fr Dominic Howarth on 01277373959.
Please remember to pray for:
Daily for the sick clergy of our Diocese
The sick and housebound
Those who have recently died: Fr John Garrett, Bernard Storkey, Fiona McIntosh
Years Mind:
Sunday: Canon Joseph Whitfield
Next Sunday: Third Sunday of Lent (A)
First Reading: Exodus 17:3-7
Give us water to drink.
Second Reading: Romans 5:1-2,5-8
The love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given us.
Gospel: John 4:5-42
A spring of water welling up to eternal life.
