CCCCatholic ink inkinkinkL Christmas JoyEpiphany of the Lord Year B Divine Office: Week I 7 January 2018

Copyright. Do not reproduce without permission. © Redemptorist Pastoral Publications, P O Box 341, Merrivale, 3291. Phone 087 808 2369. Fax 086 545 4381. Email: janet@rpp.org.za. Internet: www.rpp.org.za. Printed by Paarl Media.

RedemptoristPublicationsSouthAfrica

Epiphany

SUNDAY MASSENTRANCE ANTIPHON:Behold, the Lord, the Mighty One, has come; and kingship is in his grasp, and power and dominion.FIRST READING: Isaiah 60:1-6.RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Psalm 72.RESPONSE:All nations on earth shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.1. O God, give your judgement to the king, to a king’s son your justice, that he may judge your people in justice, and your poor in right judgement. ℟2. In his days shall justice fl ourish, and great peace till the moon is no more. He shall rule from sea to sea, from the River to the bounds of the earth. ℟3. The kings of Tarshish and the islands shall pay him tribute. The kings of Sheba and Seba shall bring him gifts. Before him all kings shall fall prostrate, all nations shall serve him. ℟4. For he shall save the needy when they cry, the poor, and those who are helpless. He will have pity on the weak and the needy, and save the lives of the needy. ℟SECOND READING: Ephesians 3:2-3, 5-6.GOSPEL ACCLAMATION:Alleluia, alleluia! We have seen his star in the east, and have come to worship the Lord. Alleluia.GOSPEL: Matthew 2:1-12.COMMUNION ANTIPHON:We have seen his star in the East, and have come with gifts to adore the Lord.

Book

s fro

m R

edem

ptor

ist P

asto

ral P

ublic

atio

ns

To order email orders@rpp.org.za, OR go to our website www.rpp.org.za

R135plus delivery

CHRISTMAS JOY cont inues wi th the celebration of the Feast of the Epiphany. ‘Epiphany’ is derived from the Greek verb

‘to appear’. The Greeks used the word to speak of the appearance of dawn or of a god.

The Eastern Church speaks of Epiphany as one of the great M a n i f e s t a t i on s o f Chr i s t , a long w i th t h e B a p t i s m a n d the Transf iguration. On each o f t hese occasions, the divinity of Christ is revealed to those looking upon his human form.

You can imagine the effect on the ordinary h u m b l e p e o p l e surrounding the baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph her carpenter husband and the shepherds, when a group of wealthy wise men from the East arrive with their camels and servants.

Mary knows in her hear t , thanks to the Archangel Gabriel, that God is doing something really special in the person of the little baby in her arms. But does she fully understand at this point? And Joseph? His heart has also been set at peace by an angel in his dreams, but Joseph sees an ordinary baby, lying in Mary’s arms; he sees the feeding-trough they are using as a cradle, the cave with the animals around.

And the shepherds? They also know something special is happening, but they also see an ordinary baby boy.

And us? What can we learn from this feast as we too, in our imaginations, stand watching the Three Wise Men?

They bring gifts to the greatest gift humankind and the whole cosmos has ever had from God: God giving himself to us in the person of his Son out of love. God does not wait for us to f ind our

uncertain way to him — he comes looking for us in a way that we can only love — a baby.

The gifts represent Jesus’ divinity (gold), t h e p r a y e r a n d worship we owe him as the Son of God (f rankincense) and his passion, death and burial (myrrh).

So, as St Alphonsus Liguori taught, we live our Christian lives in such a way that our lives are a gift back to God, love in return for love received. How do we show God how

much we love him in return for his love for us? With our lives.

Our lives are ‘gold’, ‘frankincense’ and ‘myrrh.’ We value the gift of ourselves, the gift of ‘self ’ we have from God, that we are created in God’s image and likeness. We carry his image in our hearts because we are spiritual beings. And through prayer and action, we slowly purify our hearts, as raw gold ore is refined to produce pure gold. So we become more and more Christ-like as we were intended to be.

Our lives are ‘frankincense’ because in our prayer, our love for God and our action, in our worship, our lives become a fragrant offering, praising God. We become a ‘praise-of-God.’

And f inally, true love requires putting others f irst and dying to self. As we die to ourselves, to our selfishness and our pride, we become ‘myrrh.’

Adoration of the Magi, by Fra Angelico, San Marco, Florence

T h i s book p rov ide s h u n d r e d s o f i d e a s , a p p r o a c h e s a n d practices, all organised by the virtues of caring: compassion, empathy, helpfulness and more. You ’ l l f i nd engag i ng activity ideas, along with conversation star ters, saint stories and book recommendations.

Live the Word T H E W E E K A H E A D

(KEY: SOLEMNITY; FEAST; Memorial; (Optional Memorial)Ab=Abbot; B=Bishop; D=Doctor

Mon 8 Jan BAPTISM OF THE LORDIsaiah 55:1-11; Isaiah 12:2-6; Mark 1:7-11Many people assume that they need to prove their worthiness before being accepted with complete love. Not so with God! Let us be grateful today for the profound gift fo God’s total acceptance of us.

Sun 14 Jan 2ND SUNDAY OF THE YEAR1 Samuel 3:3-10.19; Psalm 40; John 1:35-42Today Jesus invites us to pause a while to ask our-selves the question, “What are you looking for?” So stop a while and look inward, and learn to seek God’s face in all that you do.

Sat 13 Jan (St Hilary, BD) 1 Samuel 9:1-4.17-19; 10:1; Psalm 21; Mark 2:13-17We all flee from help. We like to be independent, or perhaps we’re ashamed that we need it. Place yourself in God’s hands, focussing on God’s strength rather than your weakness, and remain there for a while.

Fri 12 Jan Liturgy of the Day1 Samuel 8:4-7.10-22; Psalm 89; Mark 2:1-12In searching for Christ’s loving embrace, we do not need the resourcefulness of the paralytic’s friends. God’s grace and love are not on the other side of the wall. They are always available, and feely given.

Thu 11 Jan Liturgy of the Day1 Samuel 4:1-11; Psalm 44; Mark 1:40-45So much of our human connection these days is through the one-dimensional medium of TV, computer or cellphone. It takes a loving heart to move beyond, to touch and to comfort real people, as Jesus did.

Wed 10 Jan Liturgy of the Day1 Samuel 3:1-10.19-20; Psalm 40; Mark 1:29-39Even if we feel tired and depleted, when we connect to God first thing in the day it changes the way we think, the way we feel, and the choices we make. Start your day in the presence of God, and feel the difference.

Tue 9 Jan (St Adrian of Canterbury, Ab)1 Samuel 1:9-20; Ps: 1 Samuel 2:1.4-8; Mark 1:21-28In today’s f irst reading, Hannah teaches us some-thing fundamental about prayer: Ask. Ask. Ask. In the asking and receiving, or not receiving and asking anew, a dialogue with God occurs. Keep on asking.

HOLY REDEEMER PARISH

Parish Priest: Fr Gerard McCabe C.Ss.R parishpriest@holyredeemer.co.za

Assistants: Fr Scott Davidson C.Ss.R and Fr Charles Mulenga C.Ss.R

6 / 7 January 2018 ~ EPIPHANY 0F THE LORD

PAGE: 68 in New Sunday Missal. Year B. THEME: Jesus, The Star that Guides all People

WEEKEND SUNDAY MASS TIMES :

SATURDAY: 6.00pm

SUNDAY: 7.00am, 9.00am, 11.00am and 6.00pm

FRENCH MASS: SUNDAYS: 1.30pm

DAILY MASS TIMES:

MON to FRI: 6.15am (or Communion Service)

MON to SAT: 8.30am

MORNING PRAYER: MON to FRI at 8.00am

ROSARY: WEDNESDAY after 8.30am Mass

CONFESSION TIMES:

THURSDAY: 7.00 to 7.30pm

SATURDAY: 9.00 to 10.00am & 5.00 to 5.55pm

ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT:

MONDAY to FRIDAY: 9.00am to 9.00pm

except THURSDAY: 9.00am to 7.30pm

NOVENA & BENEDICTION:

TO OUR MOTHER OF PERPETUAL HELP

THURSDAY: 7.30pm

NORMAL WORSHIP TIMES

CONTACTS

Bergvliet Road, Bergvliet, 7945

021 712-2210 or712-1181

021 712-4271

9.00am to 3.00pm Monday to Friday

parish@holyredeemer.co.za

www.holyredeemer.co.za

ricardo1duncan@gmail.com

Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, Bergvliet

Catholic Counselling

Network

Need somewhere to talk that is safe, where there is total confidentiality and where you will not be judged?

Contact one of our trained counsellors

Cynthia Wiese: On leave

Annette Milner: 021 715-8177

St. Vincent de Paul Society assists the areas poor.

If you need help / assistance / a visit contact the SVDP pres-ident on 083 450-5479. The matter will be dealt with in confidence.

WEEKLY DIARY MASS INTENTIONS

Jan 8 Mon Mass at 8.30am ONLY 8.30am Lawrence Clarence - Rip

Jan 9 Tues Mass at 8.30am ONLY 8.30am Richard Wynn De Wet - Rip

Jan 10 Wed Mass at 8.30am ONLY 8.30am Maisie Damstra - Rip

Jan 11 Thurs Mass at 8.30am ONLY Novena 7.30pm in the Church

8.30am Veronica Da Silva - Rip

Jan 12 Fri Mass at 8.30am ONLY 8.30am Jill Buser - Rip

Jan 13 Sat. 8.30am Private Intention 6.00pm Private Intention

Jan 14 Sun SECOND SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME Theme: How Did We Arrive At Christ PAGE: 651 in New Sunday Missal. Year B

7.00am Private Intention 9.00am Parishioners 11.00am Leslie & Joan Rolleston - Rip 6.00pm Motuary List

(A WORD FROM YOUR PARISH PRIEST— CONTINUED)

3. “Take care of your relationships with others, transforming your faith into

life and your words into good works, especially on behalf of the needy.”

4. “Be careful how you speak, purify your tongue of offensive words,

vulgarity and worldly decadence.”

5. “Heal wounds of the heart with the oil of forgiveness, forgiving those

who have hurt us and medicating the wounds we have caused others.”

6. “Look after your work, doing it with enthusiasm, humility, competence,

passion and with a spirit that knows how to thank the Lord.”

7. “Be careful of envy, lust, hatred and negative feelings that devour our

interior peace and transform us into destroyed and destructive people.”

8. “Watch out for anger that can lead to vengeance; for laziness that leads

to existential euthanasia; for pointing the finger at others, which leads

to pride; and for complaining continually, which leads to desperation.”

9. “Take care of brothers and sisters who are weaker … the elderly, the

sick, the hungry, the homeless and strangers, because we will be

judged on this.”

10. “Making sure your New Year is all about Jesus and not about

shopping.”

We can always trust Pope Francis to provide us with spiritual advice that is

very down to earth and practical. If we follow his advice, then we can be

sure that the coming year will be a time of grace and blessing for each of

us. Let us accept the gift of his words on this feast of the Epiphany, so that

we might all be transformed into the image of Christ through grace.

Fr Gerard, CSsR

A WORD FROM YOUR PARISH PRIEST

I trust that you all experienced a joyful and peaceful beginning to the New

Year. And it is my hope and prayer that 2018 will bring a year of many joys

and blessings to each of us: to our parish and Redemptorist communities,

to all families, and to all those that we love. On a personal level, it is a

great pleasure for me to be back functioning fully as your parish priest,

and, after my surgery, that I will have more than enough energy to serve

all the members of the parish as best I can.

Today we celebrate the beautiful feast of the Epiphany, when we

remember the occasion when the wise men followed a star in search of

God, and in finding the baby Jesus, offered their hearts and their gifts in

adoration. This feast invites each of us to do exactly the same. The

critical thing is that we make a priority of following the star of our faith,

which will always lead to Jesus. In doing so, we become aware of our own

weaknesses; the sense that we have little to offer to the Son of God. But it

is our desire to offer our hearts which is the greatest gift that we have to

offer. So, may we be filled with peace and trust as we begin this New

Year, committing ourselves to finding God in the midst of our daily lives,

and to offering our hearts to Him with all our love.

There has long been a tradition of people making New Year resolutions.

Most of us only succeed in keeping these resolutions for a few days, or for

a few weeks at the most! I find it helpful that Pope Francis has suggested

10 New Year resolutions for this year. I think that it would be helpful for all

of us to read and ponder on them; and to pray for the grace of keeping

these resolutions throughout this coming year. Here is what he has to

suggest:

1. “Take care of your spiritual life, your relationship with God, because this

is the backbone of everything we do and everything we are.”

2. “Take care of your family life, giving your children and loved ones not

just money, but most of all your time, attention and love.”

(Continued 2nd last page)

2nd COLLECTION

This week: None

NO 6.15am MASS

UNTIL TUESDAY 16 JANUARY 2018

INCLUSIVE

6.15AM MASS WILL RESUME ON

WEDNESDAY 17TH JANUARY 2018

BAGS OF LOVE

Thanks to all who supported this initiative,

much appreciated. God Bless.

CHINESE AUCTION

Thanks to all for your support, amount

raised: R13160.00

HALL CLOSURE

The hall remains closed until

TUESDAY 16 JANUARY 2018 INCLUSIVE

MEETING CHILD PROTECTION

CHILD SAFEGUARDING POLICY

A meeting to be held on

Saturday 20th January 2018 at 10am

Venue – Parish Centre

A Company has been appointed to assist

with Police Clearance,

for the following groups:

Catechists

Life Teen members

Adult Altar servers

Adult Choir members dealing with children

in their groups

Please bring with you: Your original ID book

as well as a copy.

BAPTISM

No Baptism will take place in January 2018.

PARISH YEAR PLANNER

Ministries/societies/fundraising groups:

please advise the Parish Secretary of dates

for future meetings/events for 2018,

irrespective of whether you have had

meetings in 2017. Only notices received

from LEADERS will be accepted.

E-mail: parish@holyredeemer.co.za

Available from the Repository

• New Stock - Faith themed gift items

• Various Advent Reflections

• Gods Word Daily Reflections for 2018

• Liturgical Calendars for 2018

• Sunday Reflections for 2018

New price: R8.50

1. What SA can expect from 2018

2. All you need to know about the Epiphany

3. Meet the Knights of da Gama

4. How Church can help save the planet

5. Was Jesus black?

THIS WEEK’S EDITORIAL:

What we pray for in 2018

ANNOUNCEMENTS

REPOSITORY

Are you looking for answers to any of these

questions?

What is the point of life?

Is life worth exploring?

What happens when I die?

Is God interested in me?

Then join us @ Holy Redeemer, Bergvliet

on Wednesday 24 January 2018 @ 7pm.

The Alpha course can help answer them for you!

For further info contact: Paul Miles at pmiles@sweetvalleyprimary.co.za

or on 0829315546, check out the Holy Redeemer website

or chat to an Alpha Group member.

Registration forms are in the repository of the church or register online!

KICK OFF SUNDAY 2018

SUNDAY 28th JANUARY 2018

MASS 10.00am

REGISTRATION FOR CATECHETICS

& LIFE TEEN CONFIRMATION

IN THE PARISH CENTRE AFTER MASS

REGISTRATION FEE: R120 PER CHILD

(PAYABLE ON THE DAY OR

DURING THE WEEK IN THE PARISH OFFICE)

ALPHA BACON AND EGG ROLLS ON SALE

Monica Arendse Fr Anderson Lily Ball Dylan Berry

Fr Duncan Blackie Jack Brownrigg Justin Brownrigg Peter Buser Gloriana Cloete

Alvin Cozett Magdalena Cozett Trevor de Beer Wilf de Hahn

Mr Doidge

Christian Engelbrecht Desmond Fernandez Dawn Forsdyk Isabella Gabriel Jose Santos Gomes Keith Gomez

Fred Harrison Kerry Heideman

Aiden Lee Hendricks Rita Hendricks

Dale Heynes

Dawn Heynes

Russell Heynes

Jean Kennedy

Marcel le Breton Gerald Louw

Geraldine Malander Fr Gerard McCabe

Eleanor McDuma Brian McEvoy

Elaine Neethling

Rosetta Orgill Monty Pasqualie

Shirley Pasqualie

Kathleen Pereira

Ernest Peskin Sylvia Peters

Albert Petersen

Carris Pietersen Lindsey Pietersen

Sabastian Rodgers

Elaine Roode Lionel September Dorothy Slayne Vera Steyn

David Jude Van Schoor

Jack Whitwam Margie Wilhelm Eileen(Fr Gerard sister)

NOVENA TO OUR MOTHER OF

PERPETUAL HELP

Thursday evening at 7.30pm

Place your special Prayer Intentions &

Thanksgivings in the box at the back

of the Church.

Also at www.holyredeemer.co.za

PRAY FOR OUR SICK

TO MOVE A NAME FROM 2017 T0 2018 LIST ADVISE OFFICE OR SMS NAME TO 063 698-5321

2017 LIST WILL BE DELETED AT THE END OF JANUARY

2017 SICK LIST

Fr Lunney Peter Hansen Wynand Rinkwest

2018 SICK LIST

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO JOIN THE SVDP

Meetings are held fortnightly at 6.30pm on a Tuesday. For further information or confirmation of meeting dates, please call 083 450-5479

SMS “CATHOLIC” to 31222

Receive a daily reflection from the Redemptorist Community to your mo-bile phone. Support the Redemptorist Mission in South Africa.

A PRAYER FOR THE FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY

Lord Jesus

may your light shine our way, as once it guided the steps of the magi:

that we too may be led into your presence

and worship you, the Child of Mary,

the Word of the Father, the King of nations,

the Saviour of mankind; to whom be glory forever.

ADORATION CHAPEL

The Adoration Chapel is closed for the Christmas Season. Adoration will resume as usual from Monday 22nd January 2018

PRAY FOR OUR DECEASED

Winnifred Barnes - RIP

Allan Lewis - RIP