stories of god – stories of you of god – stories of you jesus’ parables for today ciarán...

Stories of God –Stories of You

Jesus’ Parables for Today

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Everyone loves a good story! J. K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series of books once remarked, “There’s

always room for a story that can transport people to another place.” We know this. A good story can draw us in and fire our imaginations. It can also tap into our deepest feelings and help us to see life in a new and profound way. The Bible is full of stories. There are stories of wars and battles, of betrayal and fidelity, of farmers and fools, of funny stories

and sad ones. There are stories of faith and loss, of death and resurrection. Using all these captivating

stories, the Bible brings us deeper into the mystery of God. Biblical stories are also profoundly countercultural as they give us a view of life and values that runs contrary to those of our current culture. In this way they keep our Christian memory, identity and heritage intact and alive.Jesus knew the power of stories to capture minds and hearts

and to give people a new vision of themselves and of God. One type of story that Jesus loved most was the parable. In fact, he

told forty-six of them and they are found mainly in the Gospels of Mark, Matthew and Luke. At one level they seem to be just simple and

striking stories, often told with vivid imagery. Yet their message is deep and central to the teachings of Jesus. We are going to listen to nine of these parables at the Novena this year. Some of them will be very familiar to you like The Good Samaritan and The Pharisee and the Tax-Collector. You may not be so familiar with some of the others. Yet we have chosen them because, telling both the story of God and our story too, they wait to be reclaimed once more by us. Pray for the preachers at the Novena that they may bring forth something new and fresh from them. Pray for all of us making the Novena with you. May we hear these stories as if Jesus himself were telling them!

THE MAGNIFICATMy soul glorifies the Lord,my spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour.He looks on his servant in her lowliness;henceforth all ages will call me blessed.The Almighty works marvels for me.Holy is his name.His mercy is from age to ageon those who fear him.He puts forth his arm in strengthand scatters the proud-hearted.He casts the mighty from their thronesand raises the lowly.He fills the starving with good things,sends the rich away empty.He protects Israel his servant, remembering his mercy,the mercy promised to our fathers,to Abraham and his children for ever.Amen.

THE MEMORARERemember, O most gracious Virgin Mary,that never was it knownthat anyone who fled to your protection,implored your help,or sought your intercession, was left unaided.Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto you,O Virgin of virgins, my Mother.To you do I come, before you I stand,sinful and sorrowful.O Mother of the Word Incarnate,despise not my petitions,but in your mercy hear and answer me.Amen.

A PRAYER TO MARY FROM THE OLD IRISHHoly Virgin Mary, you are the joy of my soul.You are the dew of heaven to relieve my parching thirst.You are the stream of God’s grace, flowing out from his heart into mine.You are the light of my darkened soul.You are the healing of my wounds.You are the strength of my weakness.You are the consolation of my hardship.You are the easing of my trouble.You are the loosing of my chains.You are the help of my salvation.Hear me, I beg you, O Virgin most faithful.Take pity on me.Turn not away from my need.Let my tears move you.Let your own compassionate heart move you.I cry to you, Mother of God and lover of the human race.Hear me, poor sinner that I am, and grant me the grace I ask from you,O Mary, my Mother.Amen.

Stories of God – Stories of YouJesus’ Parables for Today

Ciarán O’Callaghan CSsRProvincial Delegate for the Proclamation of the Word

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THE MESSAGEDid you ever listen to somebody tell a story and then ask, “I wonder what the point of that story was?” Parables are stories with a point, but sometimes the point is hard to find! We have to ask ourselves: What did Jesus mean to say to his disciples when he told them this story? What does he want us to get out of it? On the surface, this parable seems to be telling us that some things just don’t go together. You can’t have feasting and fasting at the same time. You can’t have new wine in old wineskins; if you try, you lose both. Jesus doesn’t say that fasting is bad or that feasting is good; he doesn’t say that new wineskins are bad and old wineskins are good. He just says that the two don’t go together. There’s a time for fasting and a time for feasting. There’s a container that suits new wine, and a container that suits old wine. But you always have to look beyond the obvious in the parables that Jesus uses. He isn’t just telling a story; he’s teaching. When we look below the surface, we can see that this story is really all about discernment. It’s all about knowing when to fast and when to feast, when to use the old wineskins and when to break out the new. But how do we know? The answer is really easy and, at the same time,

really hard to do. We know when to feast, when to fast, when to break out of the old wineskins and when to use new ones by looking for God, seeing signs of God’s presence, and following the signs. This parable teaches that you feast when the bridegroom is there for the party; but when he’s gone, life goes back to normal. When you have new wine, the sensible thing to do is to put it in new skins, whereas with old wine, using old wineskins is a prudent thing to do. Every quilt-maker knows that, if making a quilt out of new cloth, you wash and shrink the material first. Jesus is telling us to look around us, be attentive to the signs we see and hear, and act in a manner that meets the needs and the situation of the moment.Being attentive to the signs around us, to the signs that God is present, is called discernment. God is always there, with us. Our job is to discover where. So… where is God in this parable? It’s easy… God’s the one telling the

story! God is the author of this parable, the author of

your life and mine. And God has a

message – be attentive to

THE PARABLE

Now John’s disciples and

the Pharisees were fasting;

and people came and said

to him, “Why do John’s

disciples and the disciples

of the Pharisees fast, but

your disciples do not fast?”

Jesus said to them, “The

wedding-guests cannot

fast while the bridegroom

is with them, can they?

As long as they have the

bridegroom with them,

they cannot fast. The

days will come when the

bridegroom is taken away

from them, and then they

will fast on that day.

No one sews a piece of

unshrunk cloth on an old

cloak; otherwise, the patch

pulls away from it, the new

from the old, and a worse

tear is made. And no one

puts new wine into old

wineskins; otherwise, the

wine will burst the skins,

and the wine is lost, and

so are the skins; but one

puts new wine into fresh

wineskins.” Mark 2:18-22

the present moment, and do what seems to the best, the most appropriate, the most loving thing in the moment. Live in the moment. This present moment is God’s great gift to you. It’s really the only time you have. Look for God in this moment. And if you seek God, you will not be disappointed. God is here. Our prayer today is that we learn to live in the moment, fully, consciously, gratefully and gracefully. It is God’s greatest gift to us – the present moment.

New wine in old wineskins

What do you think?The challenge for the church has always been to distinguish wine from wineskins and to be ready to find new wineskins for new wine. Has the church sometimes tried to hold onto its old wineskins rather than find new ones?

Simone Weil (1909-1943),

French philosopher, teacher and social activist:

“Today it is not nearly enough to be a saint, but we must have the saintliness demanded by the present moment,

a new saintliness, itself also without precedent.”

Martin Luther King (1929-1968), speaking about the

Vietnam War in 1967: “We are now faced with the fact, my

friends, that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now.

In this unfolding conundrum of life and history, there is such a thing as

being too late.”

They said ...

6 7

THE PARABLE

[Jesus said to his disciples],

“Not everyone who says to

me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the

kingdom of heaven, but only

one who does the will of my

Father in heaven. On that day

many will say to me, ‘Lord,

Lord, did we not prophesy

in your name, and cast out

demons in your name, and do

many deeds of power in your

name?’ Then I will declare to

them, ‘I never knew you; go

away from me, you evildoers.

Everyone then who hears

these words of mine and acts

on them will be like a wise

man who built his house on

rock. The rain fell, the floods

came, and the winds blew and

beat on that house, but it did

not fall, because it had been

founded on rock. And everyone

who hears these words of mine

and does not act on them will

be like a foolish man who built

his house on sand. The rain fell,

and the floods came, and the

winds blew and beat against

that house, and it fell – and

great was its fall!” Matthew 7:21-27

THE MESSAGEOn the surface, in this parable, Jesus is talking about the wisdom of building a house on a good, solid foundation. Fair enough, Jesus knew something about this – he was a carpenter, after all! He had probably built more than a few houses in his day. On the surface, this story has a great point – build on rock and your house will withstand anything the weather can throw at it! But this is not a lesson in housebuilding, and Jesus isn’t just telling a story – he’s teaching a very important point. In this parable, Jesus is teaching his disciples, and us, two thousand years down the line, about how to be good followers, good disciples in the world. And he seems to be telling us that there are three aspects of being a disciple. First, we come to Jesus. Second, we listen to his words. Finally, we act on those words. It seems so simple, doesn’t it? If only it were so! Let’s go back to the parable. Where is God in this story? God

is not the wise builder – that’s the disciple, the one who builds a house on rock. God is not the foolish builder – that’s the one who builds a house without a foundation. Where is God? God is the rock, the sure foundation, the one on whom we build our lives, our families, our church and our communities. God is as steady and steadfast as rock. Faithfulness is forever. God is not faithful to you for as

long as it’s convenient; God is faithful especially when it’s not convenient. God is not faithful only as long as you are deserving of that fidelity. God is faithful because it’s in God’s nature to be faithful. God is not faithful only if you are nice. God is faithful even when you are not. God loves you no matter what. Nothing and nobody can separate you from the rock-steady, rock-solid faithfulness and love of God. It’s crazy, isn’t it? And that’s the heart of this story – God’s love

is crazy, and God is crazy in love with you, no matter what.But that’s not all! The love of our

God is almost too good to be true. Because of this, we are called to love God back with the same reckless abandon, the same steadfast faithfulness with which God loves us. How do we do this? We love God

by loving our sisters and brothers. And we give a special focus to loving those who might be difficult to love. We love God by giving and not counting the cost. We love God by feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, comforting the sorrowing, visiting those in prison, and tending the sick with reckless abandon. We do this not because they are worthy, but because we love them. As we

love, we become more and more like God. Build your house,

your life, on love, on God. God is love, and all who live in love, live in God.

The wise and foolish builders

What do you think?The image is striking. We have all seen houses under construction and know the importance of the foundation. We have also seen houses destroyed by storms. Is it because the parable speaks to our experience that it has a particularly powerful message?

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), 16th President of the United States:

“I can see how it might be possible for a man to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I cannot conceive how he could look up into the heavens and say

there is no God.”

Francis De Sales (1567-1622), Capuchin friar, bishop and saint:

“We shall steer safely through every storm, so long as our heart is right, our intention fervent, our courage

steadfast, and our trust fixed on God.”

They said ...

8 9

THE PARABLE

Just then a lawyer ... asked Jesus,

“And who is my neighbour?” Jesus

replied, “A man was going down from

Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the

hands of robbers, who stripped him,

beat him, and went away, leaving him

half dead. Now by chance a priest was

going down that road; and when he

saw him, he passed by on the other

side. So likewise a Levite, when he

came to the place and saw him, passed

by on the other side. But a Samaritan

while travelling came near him; and

when he saw him, he was moved with

pity. He went to him and bandaged his

wounds, having poured oil and wine

on them. Then he put him on his own

animal, brought him to an inn, and

took care of him. The next day he

took out two denarii, gave them to

the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care

of him; and when I come back, I will

repay you whatever more you spend.’

Which of these three, do you think,

was a neighbour to the man who

fell into the hands of the robbers?”

He said, “The one who showed him

mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do

likewise.” Luke 10:25-37

THE MESSAGEThis is a great story. The details are riveting. The characters are well-drawn. The plot is spellbinding. It would make a great movie. But what is the hidden kernel in this wonderful story? If you’re a good, upstanding, self-righteous citizen, this story is not good news. If you’re an outsider, the one whom people think can never succeed in life – a Samaritan – this story is great news.Samaritans were outcasts to the Jews of

Jesus’ day. Samaria was part of Israel, and its inhabitants were Jewish, but the people who lived in the rest of the country looked down on them. Why? Samaria was a crossroads. All the trade and commerce and caravans and armies and entertainment had to pass through Samaria to get to where they were going. With all that traffic came new ideas, secular influences, songs, books, opportunities and temptations to leave behind their values and faith. Over time, they came to live their faith and their lives differently from the way other Jews did. The Jews began to look down on them, and then to despise them. They thought that the Samaritans were low-life and not to be trusted. Levites and priests, on the other hand – now they were to

be respected, honoured and held

up as role models! They were good, upstanding

citizens, unlike those sketchy Samaritans.

Anyone hearing Jesus tell this story would have been expecting to hear that, seeing the injured traveller, robbed and left for dead on the side

of the road, the Levite and the priest rushed in to save the day by

acting with compassion and kindness. Not so! These fine, upstanding religious

leaders passed by the unfortunate traveller, and left him where he was! They ignored him and walked on by. To every listener`s surprise and confusion, the hero in Jesus’ story is the despised Samaritan. How can this be?

This story is good news for everyone who has ever asked, “What could God want

with me?” It is good news for any of us who have begged God for a second chance, a chance to put things right or to make good after years of getting it wrong. But here’s the catch – you and I can never close the door on another human being either! We are called to act on this story by turning to that person against whom we hold a

grudge, and forgiving him or her. Where is God in this story? God is on the side

of everyone who needs a second chance, whether they seek one or not. The offer is

there, held out for all who have been written off or who have written another person off. God shows mercy. Go

and do likewise.

The Good Samaritan

They said ...

What do you think?Is there is any individual or group of people you consider to be the equivalent of Samaritans – those of a different faith, colour, race or sexual orientation? In this parable, the good people fail the test. It is the outsider who passes with flying colours.

Martin Luther King Jr (1929-1968), American Baptist

minister, activist, humanitarian, and leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement: “I imagine that the first question the priest and

Levite asked was: ‘If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?’ But by the very nature of his concern, the Good Samaritan reversed the question: ‘If I do not stop to help this man,

what will happen to him?’”

Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013),

the longest-serving British Prime Minister of the 20th century and the only woman to have held the office: “No one would remember the Good

Samaritan if he’d only had good intentions – he had money

too.”

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THE PARABLE

Someone in the crowd said to

him, “Teacher, tell my brother

to divide the family inheritance

with me.” But he said to him,

“Friend, who set me to be a

judge or arbitrator over you?”

And he said to them, “Take care!

Be on your guard against all

kinds of greed; for one’s life does

not consist in the abundance of

possessions.” Then he told them

a parable: “The land of a rich

man produced abundantly. And

he thought to himself, ‘What

should I do, for I have no place

to store my crops?’ Then he

said, ‘I will do this: I will pull

down my barns and build larger

ones, and there I will store all

my grain and my goods. And I

will say to my soul, Soul, you

have ample goods laid up for

many years; relax, eat, drink,

be merry.’ But God said to

him, ‘You fool! This very night

your life is being demanded of

you. And the things you have

prepared, whose will they be?’

So it is with those who store up

treasures for themselves but are

not rich towards God.” Luke 12:13-21

THE MESSAGEWhat is the point of this parable? Jesus makes no bones about it. Before he even tells the parable, he tells us what it’s all about: “Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” Well then, it’s easy to write off this parable and say, “I have no barns. I am not wealthy. I am not greedy. This parable was not meant for me, but for somebody else.” But wait a minute! You and I might not have barns or large amounts of possessions, but Jesus says, “Be on your guard against all kinds of greed.” You mean it’s possible to be greedy about more than money, then? Oh … now the meaning of the story begins to open out! Maybe time is your crop. Lots of people are greedy

about their time. Others are generous with it. Have you ever heard the saying, “If you want something done,

ask a busy person?” Time is a resource, the one resource we all have in equal measure. If we hoard it, we only lose it. If we give it away, we get rich – we meet new people and make new friends, we experience the joy of service, we learn, and our worlds expand. Maybe talent is your crop. Some are greedy

about their talent, while others use their talents with reckless abandon, generously sharing their gifts and joyously celebrating the gifts of others.

If we hoard our talents, and never let them see the sunlight, they atrophy and die. If we give them away, they grow and develop and flower, and the seeds spread everywhere.

Maybe power and position are your crop. Some people are greedy about power or position. Others use the position that they hold for the good of others, and for the good of

the community. If we are greedy with power and position, we grow stiff and

thorny, and people resent and avoid us. But if we share the power

we have with others, and collaborate, new

ideas and ways of doing things are born, and c o m m u n i t y grows.

M a y b e knowledge and skills are your

crop. Some people are greedy about

knowledge, and use

knowledge as a gate, keeping some people out and others in. Some others share their knowledge and skills freely, and use them to open and expand worlds for others. The “crops” in this story, then, are the fruits

of our lives, the gifts we have been given and the gifts that we have worked hard to acquire. The “barns” are our hearts. Is your barn closed or open? Where is God in this story? God is the author of

this story, the author of your life. God is writing a story of reckless love and prodigal giving. God does not build big, fortress-like barns. God does not store things up and hoard and hold on to things. God is constantly giving and giving away. If we want to be more God-like, we must go out into our world and do likewise.

What do you think?Why does God call this man a “fool”? Jesus does not tell us, but we are left to ponder his foolishness. Is it the prideful inclination to think that we can make it on our own and that we do not need anyone else?

The man who kept on building bigger barns

They said ... Francis of Assisi (1181-1226), founder of the Order of Friars Minor and saint: “For it is in giving

that we receive.”

Horace Mann (1796-1859), American

politician and educational reformer: “Doing nothing for

others is the undoing of ourselves.”

Winston Churchill (1874-1965), British politician and

Prime Minister: “We make a living by what we

get, but we make a life by what we give.”

12 13

THE PARABLE

That same day Jesus went out of

the house and sat beside the lake.

Such great crowds gathered around

him that he got into a boat and sat

there, while the whole crowd stood

on the beach … He put before them

another parable: “The kingdom

of heaven may be compared to

someone who sowed good seed in

his field; but while everybody was

asleep, an enemy came and sowed

weeds among the wheat, and then

went away. So when the plants

came up and bore grain, then the

weeds appeared as well. And the

slaves of the householder came and

said to him, ‘Master, did you not

sow good seed in your field? Where,

then, did these weeds come from?’

He answered, ‘An enemy has done

this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then

do you want us to go and gather

them?’ But he replied, ‘No; for in

gathering the weeds you would

uproot the wheat along with them.

Let both of them grow together

until the harvest; and at harvest

time I will tell the reapers, Collect

the weeds first and bind them in

bundles to be burned, but gather

the wheat into my barn’.” Matt 13:1-2, 24-30

THE MESSAGEIf you have ever weeded a garden, you know how hard it can be to tell the weeds from the flowers, especially before the flowers bloom. One stalk looks like another! Even if you can tell the difference, sometimes the roots of the flowers and the weeds are so intertwined that to uproot the one would jeopardise the other. Sometimes you just have to wait it out, and pull the weeds when the flowers are fully grown. What might Jesus be trying to say to us in this story?

One way to think about this story is to see that Jesus is talking about decisions and the actions that flow from them. Life is complicated. It goes without saying. When we make decisions, we’re not always faced with choosing good over evil. That would be easy, wouldn’t it? But often the way is not clear. The options available seem equally good or equally risky, equally exciting or equally boring. Sometimes, we find ourselves faced with choosing between two goods. Or we can find ourselves choosing the lesser of two evils.How can we be sure

we’ve made the best choice? We ask the best questions we can. Is this the most loving choice? Will it make me a more loving person? Is this the kind thing to do? Will this benefit my loved ones? Will

this course of action open up possibilities or close them off? Is this a wise or prudent thing to do? Is what I am going to say charitable?In the end, if we make the best choice possible

with the best guidance available, that’s all that can be asked of us. In truth, we will only know for sure that a choice was good when we look back on it with some distance and assess the fruits of that decision. Give it time. Then, take stock. If our decision made us or those around us more

joyful, peaceful, patient, charitable, kind,

faithful or grateful,

then

chances are it was a good decision.

These signs are like the wheat in the parable. And if the decision made us or those around us sad, angry, impatient, nervous, fearful or suspicious, then chances are it wasn’t such a

good decision. These signs are like the weeds in the parable. Where is God in this story? God is the wise sower

who sowed good seed and then, when the weeds sprang up in the midst, knew that he had to wait for weeds and wheat to grow and only separate them at the harvest. This parable challenges us to be good sowers, like our God. Through this story, we are called to make decisions rooted in prayer, faithfulness and love, and to assess the fruits of our decisions and make adjustments accordingly. God’s love offers us second chances, fresh starts and new beginnings. Let’s be like God and give ourselves these gifts as well … and maybe, just maybe … we’ll find the grace to offer these gifts to others.

What do you think?The world is truly beautiful, but it can be cruel. Families can create the greatest joy, but they can also inflict the deepest pain. The church can be courageous and inspire, but it can be faithless and deceitful. In short, good mixes with the bad in life. Do you ever find yourself asking: “Where did these weeds come from?”

The wheat and the weeds

Jorge Mario Bergoglio (1936- ),

Pope Francis: “The choice is between God and other gods

who do not have the power to give us anything other than

trivial, pithy little things that pass.”

They said ...

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (1918-2008), Russian novelist and historian: “The battle line between good and evil runs through the heart of every

man.”

14 15

THE PARABLE

Then Jesus told them a

parable about their need to

pray always and not to lose

heart. He said, “In a certain

city there was a judge who

neither feared God nor had

respect for people. In that

city there was a widow who

kept coming to him and

saying, ‘Grant me justice

against my opponent.’ For

a while he refused; but later

he said to himself, ‘Though

I have no fear of God and

no respect for anyone, yet

because this widow keeps

bothering me, I will grant her

justice, so that she may not

wear me out by continually

coming’.” And the Lord said,

“Listen to what the unjust

judge says. And will not God

grant justice to his chosen

ones who cry to him day and

night? Will he delay long in

helping them? I tell you, he

will quickly grant justice to

them. And yet, when the Son

of Man comes, will he find

faith on earth?” Luke 18:1-8

THE MESSAGEThis is another story in which Jesus takes our expectation, and turns it on its head. Where is God in this story? We’re predisposed to think that God is the judge, aren’t we? Why is that? We have been taught, too well at times, that God is powerful and so we look to the most “powerful” person in a story as the “God figure.” But this judge is not the God figure. He has none of the love, tenderness, compassion and loving kindness that we know our God has. In fact, he has no power. It is the widow in this parable who has all the power, who is fiercely demanding of justice, who is persistent. She is the “God figure!” She is the character who reveals to us where God is, with whom God chooses to stand, and how God acts.The woman in this parable first of all shows us where God

is. God is with those who are poor, those on the margins, those who have had everything taken from them, those who are powerless, and those who have no voice or are victims of injustice. The persistent widow next shows us where God chooses to stand. God chooses to stand with the poor against unjust “judges,” unjust systems, or unjust practices. God is our closest companion in time of trial, our friend and our support in time of adversity. God is faithful and will never, ever abandon us. Thirdly, the widow shows us how God acts. God is persistent, and God is faithful. We may turn away from God, but God will be there every day, everywhere we turn, just like the persistent widow. You and I have been made in the image of God. If we are

truly to fulfil the call to be the image of God in the world, then our life task is to become more like the God we meet

in this story. What does that look like? Well, if we look like God, like Jesus, we must stand with and for the poor, the oppressed and the marginalised, and the powerless. If we show the face of God to the world, then, like Jesus, we must fight against unjust systems and practices. Like Jesus, we must choose the poor – again and again and again. Our love, like God’s love, must be crazy and daring and strong and persistent.The truth is that, for many people on the

edges of society, or on the edges of our families or our network of friends, you and I will be the “God figures” in their story. They will read the Gospel in our lives, our witness and our fidelity to them, long before they read it in the Bible. They will hear our words of challenge to oppression, and our words of love for them, long before they read the words of Jesus. But when they do come to read or hear Jesus’ words, they will be familiar words. They will be familiar because you and I, the persistent widows of the world, echo the words and the actions of Jesus everywhere we can, in every way we can.

What do you think?The unjust judge in this parable does not fear God, nor is he concerned with the needs of other people. He embodies everything that is opposed to God’s justice and care for the oppressed. If such a judge can be influenced by a poor and powerless woman, how much more will God vindicate the rights of the poor?

The persistent widow and the unjust judge

Robert Frost (1874-1963), American poet: “The best way

out is always through.”

James A. Michener (1907-1997), American author:

“Character consists of what you do on the third and fourth

tries.”

John Bunyan (1628-1688), English writer and

preacher: “You have not lived today until you have done

something for someone who can never repay you.”

They said ...

16 17

THE PARABLE

He also told this parable

to some who trusted in

themselves that they

were righteous and

regarded others with

contempt: “Two men

went up to the temple to

pray, one a Pharisee and

the other a tax-collector.

The Pharisee, standing

by himself, was praying

thus, ‘God, I thank you

that I am not like other

people: thieves, rogues,

adulterers, or even like this

tax-collector. I fast twice

a week; I give a tenth of

all my income.’ But the

tax-collector, standing far

off, would not even look

up to heaven, but was

beating his breast and

saying, ‘God, be merciful

to me, a sinner!’ I tell you,

this man went down to

his home justified rather

than the other; for all

who exalt themselves will

be humbled, but all who

humble themselves will be

exalted.” Luke 18:9-14

THE MESSAGEWho was Jesus talking to when he used this parable as a way of teaching? He told this parable to “some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt”. Those folks would have been instantly drawn to the Pharisee in the story. They would have been expecting Jesus to tell them a story about how good this Pharisee was, how justified before God. They would never have expected what Jesus had in store with his next words. Jesus’ audience wasted little time, thought or effort on tax collectors. They were the lowest of the low! They were taking the hard-earned money of good Jews as tax to be forwarded to the foreign power, Rome, which was occupying their country and oppressing its people. They were the puppets of the enemy! And, worse again, they were widely thought to have been getting rich by skimming off some of the money they collected and lining their own pockets with it. But Jesus turns their expectations upside down.

Depending on where you are in the power structure, this could be good news for you, or it could be very troubling. If you are a Pharisee, this story is very, very disturbing, for Jesus tells his hearers that it is the tax collector who returns home justified, not the Pharisee. But, picture your confusion, wonder and joy if you are a tax collector hearing this story. There is hope for you! The Pharisee doesn’t win the day. God has a special place in his heart for you!Who are the tax collectors today? Who have

we cast to the side? Who do we refuse to listen to? Who do we not take seriously? You can name them – they look a bit different in each community.

Sometimes they are people whose choices have relegated them to the outskirts of town, to the wrong side of the tracks, to the back pew of the church, or to the edges of our consciousness. They might be people who have struggled with mental health issues or addictions. Sometimes they’ve entered into relationships that others judge to be less than upright. Maybe they just come from the “wrong” family. But God doesn’t look at them the same way. This story is great news to those looked down upon by society. If

we are made in the image and likeness of God, our

call is to see these “tax collectors,”

the people on the edges. See them and see the good in them. See them and love them.There are

Pharisees today, too. There are people who set themselves

as the standard-setters and judges of the community. They seem to know what God would want and, if they were to be consulted by God, they would probably have a suggestion or two to make about how things should run! These folks have no need for God. They are really quite self-sufficient, thank you very much. One thing is for sure. God knows you and loves

you as you are. God wants to lovingly come into your heart, to dwell there, and to change it into a heart more like God’s own, a heart crazy in love with the people he has made – every one of them. Will you invite God home?

What do you think?Why is the Pharisee’s prayer not accepted by God? Is it because he presumes to be righteous, but is not? Does he lack humility? Does his confidence in his own virtue exclude him from God’s grace?

Does his separation from others signal a separation from God?

The Pharisee and the tax collector

They said ...

Clive Staples Lewis (1898-1963), novelist, poet and broadcaster: “As long as you

are proud you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down on things and people: and, of course, as long as you are looking down you cannot see something

that is above you.”

Martin Luther (1483-1546), priest, theologian and

Protestant reformer: “True humility does not know that it is humble. If it did, it would be proud from the contemplation of so fine a virtue.”

1918

THE PARABLE

Again he began to

teach beside the lake.

Such a very large crowd

gathered around him

that he got into a boat

on the lake and sat

there, while the whole

crowd was beside the

lake on the land. He

began to teach them

many things in parables,

and in his teaching … he

also said “The kingdom

of God is as if someone

would scatter seed on

the ground, and would

sleep and rise night and

day, and the seed would

sprout and grow, he

does not know how. The

earth produces of itself,

first the stalk, then the

head, then the full grain

in the head. But when

the grain is ripe, at once

he goes in with his sickle,

because the harvest has

come.” Mark 4:1-2.26-29

THE MESSAGEWhen was the last time that you sat or stood and marvelled at something so amazing that you could not understand it, and so the only response you could make was “Wow!”? S o m e t i m e s “Wow!” is the only fitting response to the unbelievable love of our God. Nobody can deserve such love. Nobody is worthy of it. Nobody can earn this love. It is just a gift, pure and simple. It’s not about our worthiness anyway. That misses the point. God’s love is a gift. And, like all gifts, the gift says more about the giver than the one receiving the gift. It is in the nature of God to give. Giving is all God knows how to do. We human beings don’t know what to do with such crazy love, such total generosity, such reckless, wondrous abandon. That’s okay. There’s only one fitting response – “Wow!” – or “Thank you!”Theologians for thousands of years have tried to understand God

more, to describe God to us. But mere words are never enough, so musicians have written hymns and beautiful pieces of music, artists have tried to express the love of God using paint, charcoal and chalk, and authors have written plays and novels. Still, no one has succeeded in capturing the wonder of the love of our God.

We come closest when we love another person. When a mother or father looks for the first time

on the baby they created, it must be the closest

human experience to what God’s

overwhelming love is like. When two people fall in love, each sees something in the other that

nobody else can see; that is

a reflection of the love God has for each

one of us. When friends have remained friends through thick and thin, in times of joy and sorrow, their faithfulness is an echo of the fidelity of our

God. We can’t understand these experiences. We can

only say, “Wow!” When two lovers fight and separate, and then one

makes the first move and reconciliation happens, their making things right is the best picture we have of God’s desire that we all be restored to community and wholeness. When a daughter sits with her dying mother and helps her to see that her greatest accomplishment has been in the love she taught her children, this is a mirror of God’s own gentle welcome home of the one he called into being so long ago.That’s the experience of the farmer in the

parable offered for our reflection today. He sees the seed growing, and he doesn’t understand how it is happening; he is just grateful that it is happening, and happy that there will be food for the table because of it. We are like the farmer. We watch all the moments of life that unfold before us, within us and around us. We don’t fully understand it all. Sometimes, we have no trouble recognising God’s action as a blessing. Sometimes, in sickness, times of trial or sorrow, suffering or anxiety, it is much more difficult to recognise God’s action as a gift. Where is God in this story? God is the provident,

prodigal love hovering unseen behind all the growth. This God created you, called you into being, and still calls you to fullness of life today. You are God’s seeds in the world, sent out to flower and feed the world. Wow!

What do you think?This parable points to a great harvest that comes from next-to-invisible beginnings. The lack of human activity does not mean that we are to sit back and wait for God to collect the harvest. Rather, although our witness to the Gospel may appear insignificant or fruitless, we should not be discouraged or give up.

The secretly growing seed

They said ... Samuel Beckett

(1906-1989), avant-garde novelist, playwright, theatre director, and poet:

“The creation of the world did not take place once and for

all time, but takes place every day.”

Joyce Meyer (1954- ),

American author: “God has equipped you to handle difficult things. In fact, He has already

planted the seeds of discipline and self-control inside you. You just

have to water those seeds with His Word to make

them grow!”

Dante Alighieri (1465-1321), Italian poet: “Nature is the art

of God.”

2120

THE PARABLE

And he told them many

things in parables,

saying: “Listen! A sower

went out to sow. And as

he sowed, some seeds

fell on the path, and

the birds came and ate

them up. Other seeds fell

on rocky ground, where

they did not have much

soil, and they sprang up

quickly, since they had

no depth of soil. But

when the sun rose, they

were scorched; and since

they had no root, they

withered away. Other

seeds fell among thorns,

and the thorns grew up

and choked them. Other

seeds fell on good soil

and brought forth grain,

some a hundredfold,

some sixty, some thirty.

Let anyone with ears

listen!” Matthew 13:3-9

THE MESSAGEWe know what this parable is about; Jesus has been pretty clear in explaining it. Jesus has told us what the seed is – it’s the Word of God. He has explained the conditions that allow the word of God to flourish and grow, and the conditions that cause the word of God to be crushed, to wither and die. On the surface, this story is about you and me, and our hearts – open and receptive, struggling, influenced by outside forces, or closed and hardened. There doesn’t seem to be much more left to be said, does there? But wait! None of this is good news. We have already reflected that the wonder of the parables told by Jesus is that there is always something below the surface. What or who is this story really about? This story really revolves around our God, the sower of the

seed. God continues to sow the seed in our hearts, and never stops. No matter what! God never lets up, never turns away, never stops giving. God goes out into the field day after day and sows seeds. Why? Because that’s all God knows how to do. It is in the nature of God to sow and never to count the cost. It is in God’s nature to love, even when there is little or no response. It is in God’s nature to give and to forgive. Whether the soil of our hearts is rocky, or shallow, or clogged with thorns, or flooded, or rich and deep and ready for the sowing – God still sows the seeds.This parable is about a kind of love that most of us only

dream of experiencing – a faithful, generous, unselfish, prodigal, wild, passionate love, a love that throws all caution to the winds. It’s about a lover who fixes his eyes, his mind and his heart on you and me, and says, “You are mine. I chose you in

the beginning, I choose you again now, and I will always choose you. I love you.” But there’s more! The sower actually offers

this love to you and to me. Freely and without reservation! Again and again and again and again, until you and I get the message. The sower is out there every day, every night, in all types of weather. And the sower sows the seed in your heart and mine. How does the sower do this? Oh, the sower is not very subtle! If we only have eyes to see and ears to hear, the signs of G o d ’ s l o v e – the seeds – are

everywhere. Every sunrise is a beautiful gift, a fresh start, a chance to make good, whatever we need it to be. Every babbling brook is God trying to catch your attention. Every stop sign on the road is God’s invitation to take a break and spend a moment in his presence. Every child’s laugh is God saying, “I want you to be happy.” Every human hand that reaches out to you is God’s hand. Every human voice that speaks compassionately or kindly is God’s voice. This is the good news.

What do you think?Bearing fruit and enduring are the marks of a

mature disciple – like Mary. Growth in discipleship is not something that happens automatically. Bearing

fruit is not always easy. It is not difficult to make a good beginning, but reaching maturity and bearing fruit requires

faithfulness and dogged endurance – like Mary.

The seed and four different types of soil

They said ...

Óscar Romero (1917-1980), fourth Archbishop of San Salvador

and martyr: “We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker. We are

workers, not master builders, ministers, not messiahs. We are prophets of a

future not our own.”

The author of Eph. 3:17-18:

“May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvellous

love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how

high, and how deep His love really is.”

Jorge Mario Bergoglio (1936- ), Pope Francis: “It is your

life that Jesus wants to enter with his word, with his presence. Please, let Christ and his word enter your life,

blossom and grow.”

22 23

03

05

04

02

01

07

08

09

10

06

Ag Críost an síol, ag Críost an

fómhar;

in iothlainn Dé go dtugtar sinn.

Ag Críost an mhuir, ag Críost an

t-iasc;

líonta Dé go gcastar sinn.

Ó fhás go haois, ó aois go bás,

do dhá láimh, a Chríost, anall

tharainn.

Ó bhás go críoch nach críoch ach

athfhás,

i bParthas na ngrás go rabhaimid.

Let us build a house where love

can dwell

and all can safely live,

a place where saints and children tell

how hearts learn to forgive.

Built of hopes and dreams and

visions,

rock of faith and vault of grace;

here the love of Christ shall end

divisions:

All are welcome, all are welcome,

all are welcome in this place.

Let us build a house where

prophets speak,

and words are strong and true,

where all God’s children dare to

seek

to dream God’s reign anew.

Here the cross shall stand as

witness

and a symbol of God’s grace;

here as one we claim the faith of

Jesus:

All are welcome, all are welcome,

all are welcome in this place.

All that I am, all that I do,

All that I’ll ever have,

I offer now to you.

Take and sanctify these gifts

for your honour, Lord.

Knowing that I love and serve you

is enough reward.


all that I’ll ever have I offer now

to you.

All that I dream,

all that I pray,

all that I’ll ever make,

I give you today.

Take and sanctify these gifts

for your honour, Lord.

Knowing that I love and serve you

is enough reward.


all that I’ll ever have I offer now

to you.

Amazing Grace,

how sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost but now am found,

Was blind, but now, I see.

T’was Grace that taught

my heart to fear.

And Grace, my fears relieved.

How precious did that Grace appear

the hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and

snares

we have already come.

T’was Grace that brought us safe

thus far

and Grace will lead us home.

The Lord has promised good to me;

His word my hope secures.

He will my shield and portion be

as long as life endures.

As I kneel before you,

As I bow my head in prayer,

Take this day, make it yours,

And fill me with your love.

Ave Maria, gratia plena,

Dominus tecum, benedicta tu.

All I have I give you,

Ev’ry dream and wish are yours

Mother of Christ, Mother of mine,

Present them to my Lord.

As I kneel before you,

And I see your smiling face,

Ev’ry thought, ev’ry word

is lost in your embrace.

You shall cross the barren desert,

but you shall not die of thirst.

You shall wander far in safety

though you do not know the way.

You shall speak your words in

foreign lands

and all will understand.

You shall see the face of God and live.

Be not afraid, I go before you

always.

Come follow me, and I will give

you rest.

If you pass through raging waters

in the sea, you shall not drown.

If you walk amid the burning

flames,

you shall not be harmed.

If you stand before the power of hell,

and death is at your side,

know that I am with you through

it all.

Be still for the Presence of the Lord,

the Holy One is here.

Come, bow before him now

with reverence and fear.

In Him no sin is found,

we stand on holy ground.

Be still for the presence of the Lord,

the Holy One is here.

Be still for the glory of the Lord

is shining all around.

He burns with holy fire,

with splendour He is crowned.

How awesome is the sight,

our radiant King of light!

Be still for the glory of the Lord is

shining all around.

Be still for the power of the Lord

is moving in this place.

He comes to cleanse and heal,

to minister his Grace.

No work too hard for Him –

in faith, receive from Him.

Be still for the power of the Lord

is moving in this place.

Brother, sister, let me serve you,

let me be as Christ to you;

pray that I may have the grace to

let you be my servant too.

We are pilgrims on a journey,

and companions on the road;

we are here to help each other

walk the mile and bear the load.

I will hold the Christ-light for you

in the night-time of your fear;

I will hold my hand out to you,

speak the peace you long to hear.

I will weep when you are weeping;

when you laugh I’ll laugh with you;

I will share your joy and sorrow

till we’ve seen this journey through.

When we sing to God in heaven

we shall find such harmony,

born of all we’ve known together

of Christ’s love and agony.

Brother, sister, let me serve you,

let me be as Christ to you;

pray that I may have the grace to

let you be my servant too.

Céad míle fáilte romhat,

a Íosa, a Íosa

Céad míle fáilte romhat, a Íosa.

Céad míle fáilte romhat,

a Shlánaitheoir,

Céad míle, míle fáilte romhat,

Íosa, a Íosa.

Glóir agus moladh duit,

a Íosa, a Íosa.

Glóir agus moladh duit, a Íosa.

Glóir agus moladh duit,

a Shlánaitheoir,

Glóir, moladh, agus búiochas duit,

Íosa, a Íosa.

Christ be beside me,

Christ be before me,

Christ be behind me,

King of my heart.

Christ be within me,

Christ be below me,

Christ be above me,

never to part.

Christ on my right hand,

Christ on my left hand.

Christ all around me,

shield in the strife.

Christ in my sleeping,

Christ in my sitting,

Christ in my rising,

light of my life.

Christ be in all hearts

HYMNS 01 – 10

24 25

11

14

13

12

17

16

15

1819

20

thinking about me,

Christ be in all tongues

telling of me,

Christ be the vision

in eyes that see me,

in ears that hear me,

Christ ever be.

Come as you are,

that’s how I want you.

Come as you are, feel quite at home.

Close to my heart, loved and forgiven,

Come as you are, why stand alone.

No need to fear, love sets no limits,

No need to fear, love never ends.

Don’t run away, shamed and

disheartened

Rest in my love, trust me again.

I came to call sinners,

not just the virtuous.

I came to bring peace, not to condemn.

Each time you fail, to live by my promise,

Why do you think I’d love you the less.

Come as you are, that’s how I love you,

Come as you are, trust me again.

Nothing can change the love that I

bear you,

All will be well, come as you are.

Diverse in culture, nation, race,

We come together by your grace.

God, let us be a meeting ground

Where hope and healing love are found.

God, let us be a bridge of care

Connecting people everywhere.

Help us confront all fear and hate

And lust for power that separate.

When chasms widen, storms arise,

O, Holy Spirit, make us wise.

Let our resolve, like steel, be strong

To stand with those who suffer wrong.

God, let us be a table spread

With gifts of love and broken bread,

Where all find welcome, grace attends,

And enemies arise as friends.

Give me joy in my heart, keep me

singing,

Give me joy in my heart, I pray,

Give me joy in my heart, keep me

singing,

Keep me singing till the break of day.

Sing Hosanna, Sing Hosanna,

Sing Hosanna to the King of Kings.

Sing Hosanna, Sing Hosanna,

Sing Hosanna to the King.

Give me faith in my heart, keep me

searching, etc.

Give me hope in my heart, keep me

striving, etc.

Give me love in my heart, keep me

serving, etc.

God, beyond our dreams,

you have stirred in us a memory,

you have placed your powerful spirit

in the hearts of humankind.

All around us, we have known you;

all creation lives to hold you,

In our living and our dying

we are bringing you to birth.

God, beyond all names,

you have made us in your image,

we are like you, we reflect you,

we are woman, we are man.

God, beyond all words,

all creation tells your story,

you have shaken with our laughter,

you have trembled with our tears.

Hail, Queen of heav’n,

the ocean star,

guide of the wanderer here below

thrown on life’s surge, we claim

thy care;

save us from peril and from woe.

Mother of Christ, star of the sea,

pray for the wanderer, pray for me.

O gentle, chaste and spotless maid,

we sinners make our prayers

through thee;

remind thy Son that he has paid

the price of our iniquity.

Virgin most pure, star of the sea,

pray for the sinner, pray for me.

Hail Redeemer, King divine!

Priest and Lamb, the throne is

thine;

King, whose reign shall never cease,

Prince of everlasting peace.

Angels, saints and nations sing;

“Praise be Jesus Christ our King;

Lord of life, earth, sky and sea,

King of love on Calvary!”

King whose name creation thrills,

rule our minds, our hearts, our wills,

till in peace each nation rings

with thy praises, King of kings.

I, the Lord of sea and sky,

I have heard my people cry.

All who dwell in dark and sin

my hand will save.

I who made the stars of night,

I will make their darkness bright.

Who will bear my light to them?

Whom shall I send?

Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?

I have heard You calling in the

night.

I will go, Lord, if You lead me.

I will hold Your people in my heart.

I, the Lord of snow and rain,

I have borne my people’s pain.

I have wept for love of them,

They turn away.

I will break their hearts of stone,

give them hearts for love alone.

I will speak my words to them,

Whom shall I send?

O Lord my God, when I in awesome

wonder,

Consider all the works thy hands

have made;

I see the stars, I hear the rolling

thunder,

Thy power throughout the universe

displayed.

Then sings my soul,

my Saviour God, to thee,

How great thou art,

how great thou art.

Then sings my soul,

my Saviour God, to thee,

How great thou art,

how great thou art!

And when I think, that God his Son

not sparing;

Sent Him to die, I scarce can take

it in;

That on the cross, my burden gladly

bearing,

He bled and died, to take away

my sin.

When Christ shall come, with

shouts of acclamation,

And take me home, what joy shall

fill my heart.

Then I shall bow in humble

adoration,

And there proclaim: “My God, how

great thou art!”

How lovely on the mountains are

the feet of him,

who brings good news, good news,

announcing peace, proclaiming

news of happiness.

Our God reigns, our God reigns

Our God reigns, our God reigns.

Our God reigns, our God reigns.

You watchmen lift your voices

joyfully as one;

shout for your King, your King

See eye to eye the Lord restoring

Zion,

our God reigns, our God reigns!

Waste places of Jerusalem break

forth with joy,

We are redeemed, redeemed.

The Lord has saved and comforted

his people,

our God reigns, our God reigns!

In Christ there is no east or west,

in Him no south or north;

but one great fellowship of love

throughout the whole wide earth.

In Him shall true hearts everywhere

their high communion find;

His service is the golden cord,

close-binding humankind.

Join hands, then, members of the faith

whatever your race may be!

Who serve each other in Christ’s love

are surely kin to me.

In Christ now meet both east and west,

in him meet south and north;

HYMNS 11 – 20

26 27

21

25

24

23

22

26

27

31

30

29

28all Christly souls are one in him

throughout the whole wide earth.

I will never forget you, my people;

I have carved you on the palm of

my hand.

I will never forget you, I will not

leave you orphaned.

I will never forget my own.

Does a mother forget her baby?

Or a woman the child within her

womb?

Yet even if these forget, yes even if

these forget,

I will never forget my own.

Let us be bread,

blessed by the Lord,

broken and shared, life for the world.

Let us be wine, love freely poured.

Let us be one in the Lord.

I am the bread of life, broken for all.

Eat now and hunger no more.

One faith, one hope, one symbol

of love

given to us in this one bread,

one cup. O let us be one in the Lord.

You are my friends if you keep my

commands,

no longer servants but friends.

See how my people have nothing

to eat.

Give them the bread that is you.

As God has loved me so I have loved

you.

Go and live on in my love.

Nearer, my God, to Thee,

Nearer to Thee;

E’en though it be cross

That raiseth me.

Still all my song shall be,



Nearer to Thee.

Deep in Thy Sacred Heart,

Let me abide;

Thou that hast bled for me,

Sorrowed and died,

Sweet shall my weeping be,

Grief surely leading me


Nearer to Thee.

Make me a channel of your peace.

Where there is hatred,

let me bring your love.

Where there is injury your pardon, Lord.

And where there’s doubt true faith

in you.


Where there’s despair in life, let me

bring hope.

Where there is darkness only light

and where there’s sadness ever joy.

Oh, Master, grant that I may never

seek

so much to be consoled as to

console,

to be understood as to understand,

to be loved, as to love with all my

soul.


it is in pardoning that we are

pardoned,

in giving to all men that we receive,

and in dying that we’re born to

eternal life.

Seek ye first the kingdom of God,

and His righteousness;

and all these things shall be added

unto you.

Allelu, Alleluia.

Ask and it shall be given unto you.

Seek and you shall find.

Knock and the door shall be opened

unto you.

Allelu, Alleluia.

We do not live by bread alone,

but by every word;

that proceeds from the mouth of

the Lord.

Allelu, Alleluia.

Soul of my Saviour,

sanctify my breast;

Body of Christ, be thou my saving

guest;

Blood of my Saviour, bathe me in

thy tide

wash me ye waters flowing from

his side.

Strength and protection may thy

Passion be;

O blessed Jesus hear and answer me;

deep in thy wounds, Lord, hide and

shelter me;

so shall I never, never part from thee.

Guard and defend me from the foe

malign;

in death’s dread moments make me

only thine;

call me, and bid me come to thee

on high,

where I may praise thee with thy

saints for aye.

Sweet sacrament divine,

hid in thy earthly home,

lo, round thy lowly shrine,

with suppliant hearts we come;

Jesus, to thee our voice we raise,

with songs of love and heartfelt praise,

sweet sacrament divine,

sweet sacrament divine.

Sweet sacrament of peace,

dear home of ev’ry heart,

where restless yearnings cease,

and sorrows all depart,

there in thine ear all trustfully

we tell our tale of misery,

sweet sacrament of peace,

sweet sacrament of peace.

The love I have for you, my Lord,

is only a shadow of your love for me:

only a shadow of your love for me;

your deep abiding love.

My own belief in you, my Lord,

is only a shadow of your faith in me;

only a shadow of your faith in me;

your deep and lasting faith.

My life is in your hands;

my life is in your hands.

My love for you will grow, my God.

Your light in me will shine.

The dream I have today, my Lord,

is only a shadow of your dreams

for me;

only a shadow of all that will be;

if I but follow you.

Take our bread, we ask you,

take our hearts, we love you,

take our lives, oh Father,

we are yours, we are yours.

Yours as we stand at the table you set,

yours as we eat the bread our

hearts can’t forget.

We are the signs of your life with

us yet;


Your holy people stand washed in

your blood,

Spirit filled, yet hungry, we await

your food.

Poor though we are, we have

brought ourselves to you:


The bells of the Angelus

calleth to pray.

In sweet tones announcing the

sacred Ave.

Ave, Ave, Ave Maria.


Immaculate Mary, our hearts are

all thine.

Protect us, thy children, who kneel

at thy shrine.

O bless us, dear Lady, with blessings

from heaven,

And to our petitions let answer be

given.

This is my body,

broken for you,

bringing you wholeness,

making you free.

Take it and eat it,

and when you do,

do it in love for me.

This is my blood,

poured out for you,

bringing forgiveness, making you

free.

Take it and drink it,

and when you do,


HYMNS 21 – 31

28 29

32

35

34

33

38

37

36

43

42

41

40

39

46

45

4449

48

47

51

50

Back to my Father

soon I shall go.

Do not forget me;

then you will see

I am still with you,

and you will know

you’re very close to me.

Filled with my Spirit,

how you will grow!

You are my branches;

I am the tree.

If you are faithful,

others will know

you are alive in me.

Love one another -

I have loved you,

and I have shown you

how to be free;

serve one another,

and when you do,


Let’s all join together

in communion sweet,

Walk, walk in the light.

And love one another till the

Saviour we meet,

Walk, walk, in the light.

Walk in the light

Walk in the light

Walk in the light

Walk in the light of God.

Jesus died on Calvary,

Walk, walk, in the light,

To save the lost like you and me;


Jesus did what He said,

Walk, walk, in the light,

He healed the sick and He raised

the dead;


When creation was begun,

God had chosen you to be

Mother of his blessed Son,

Holy Mary, full of grace.


When creation was restored,

You were there beside the Lord

Whom you cherished and adored,



All of us are children too,

often doubtful what to do,

Needing to confide in you,



You who dwell

in the shelter of the Lord,

who abide in his shadow for life,

say to the Lord: “My refuge, my rock

in whom I trust!”

And he will raise you up on eagles’

wings,

bear you on the breath of dawn,

make you to shine like the sun,

and hold you in the palm of his

hand.

The snare of the fowler will never

capture you,

and famine will bring you no fear:

under his wings your refuge, his

faithfulness your shield.

You need not fear the terror of the

night,

nor the arrow that flies by day;

though thousands fall about you,

near you it shall not come.

CHANTS & RESPONSES

Christ be our light!

Shine in our hearts,

shine through the darkness.

Christ be our light!

Shine in your church,

gathered today.

My soul is longing for your peace

Near to you my God.

Guiding me, guarding me, the Lord

is by my side.

Guiding me, guarding me, the Lord

upholds my life.

I will search in the silence for your

hiding place.

In the quiet, Lord, I seek your face.

Even though the rain hides the

stars,

even though the mist swirls the

hills,

even when the dark clouds veil

the sky,

God is by my side.

Even when the sun shall fall in

sleep,

even when at dawn the sky shall

weep,

even in the night when storms

shall rise,

God is by my side.

God is by my side.

Bless the Lord my soul

and bless God’s holy name.

Bless the Lord my soul,

He leads me into life.

Be still and know that I am God.

(sing 3 times)

I am the Lord that healeth thee.

(sing 3 times)

In thee, O Lord, I put my trust. (sing

3 times)

Confitemini Domino,

quoniam bonus.

Confitemini Domino,

Alleluia.

Eat this bread,

drink this cup,

come to me and never be hungry.

Eat this bread,

drink this cup,

trust in me and you will not thirst.

O Christe Domine Jesu,

O Christe Domine Jesu.

Father, we adore you.

(Jesus, Spirit)

Lay our lives before you.

How we love you.

Father, we love you,

we worship and adore you,

Glorify thy name through all the earth.

Glorify thy name,

glorify thy name,

Glorify thy name through all the

earth. (Jesus, Spirit).

In the Lord

I’ll be ever thankful,

in the Lord I will rejoice!

Look to God,

do not be afraid;

lift up your voices,

the Lord is near;

lift up your voices the Lord is near.

Jesus,

name above all names,

beautiful Saviour,

glorious Lord.

Emmanuel, God is with us,

blessed Redeemer,

living Word.

Jesus, remember me

when you come into your Kingdom.

Jesus, remember me

when you come into your Kingdom.

Lay your hands gently upon us.

Let their touch render your peace.

Let them bring your forgiveness and

healing.

Lay your hands gently,

lay your hands.

O Lord, hear my prayer,


when I call answer me.



come and listen to me.

HYMNS 32 – 51

30

59

58

57

56

55

54

53

52Open our eyes, Lord,

we want to see Jesus,

to reach out and touch him

and say that we love him;

open our ears, Lord,

and help us to listen;

open our eyes, Lord,

we want to see Jesus.

Spirit of the living God,

fall afresh on me. (sing twice)

Melt me, mould me, fill me, use me.

Spirit of the living God, fall afresh

on me.

(...on us, on all)

Sweep over my soul, (sing twice)

Sweet Spirit,

sweep over my soul,

my rest is complete

when I sit at your feet,

Sweet Spirit

sweep over my soul.

Ubi caritas et amor,

Ubi caritas Deus ibi est.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,

that I might serve you.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,

that I might be renewed.

So fill me, heal me,

then bring me back to you.

Create in me a pure heart, O God,

that I might serve you.

Take, O take me as I am; summon

out what I shall be;

set your seal upon my heart and

live in me.

Faithful is the Lord, our King. Let

us all in glory sing,

ever praise in song and word: Holy,

holy, holy Lord!

Salvator mundi, salva nos;

qui per crucem et sanguinem

redemisti nos,

auxiliare nobis, te deprecamur,

Deus noster.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThe following songs covered by Christian Copyright Licensing Europe Ltd have been reproduced under license: As I Kneel Before you, Maria Parkinson, 1978; Be Still for The Presence of the Lord, David Evans; Brother, Sister (The Servant Song), Richard Gillard; Father, we adore you, Terrye Coelho; How great thou art, Stuart K. Hine; How lovely on the mountains, Leonard E. Smith; Seek Ye First, Karen Lafferty, 1972; Spirit of the Living God, Daniel Iverson; This is my Body, Jimmy Owens and Damien Lundy.The following songs covered by Calamus have been reproduced under Calamus license. 1. All are welcome 2. All that I am 3. Be not afraid 4. Christ be our light 5. God beyond our dreams 6. Here I am Lord 7. I will never forget you 8. Let us be bread 9. Prayer of St Francis 10. The love I have for you 11. Take our bread 12. You who dwell 13. The cloud’s veil 14. I will search in the silence 15. Guiding me 16. Bless the Lord 17. Confitemini Domino 18. Eat this bread 19. O Christe domine Jesu 20. In the Lord I’ll be ever thankful 21. Jesus remember me 22. Lord hear my prayer 23. Ubi caritas 24. Salvador mundi Acknowledgements: © 1. Marty Haugen, GIA Publications Inc. 2 & 9. Sebastian Temple, OCP Publications 3. Bob Dufford, OCP Publications 4 & 5. Bernadette Farrell, OCP Publications 6. Daniel L Schutte, OCP Publications 7 & 10. Carey Landry, OCP Publications 8. Thomas J Porter, GIA Publications Inc. 11. Joe Wise, GIA Publications Inc. 12. Michael Joncas, OCP Publications 13 & 14. Liam Lawton, GIA Publications Inc. 15. Michael Joncas, GIA Publications Inc. 16 - 24. Ateliers et Presses de Taizé & Reprinted with permission of Calamus, Oak House, 70 High Street, Brandon, Suffolk, IP27 0AUSpectrum Publications PL, composer Deirdre Browne and sung by Paul Gurr O.Carm for Come as you are.All other hymns have been reproduced by permission of copyright holders.Bible extracts are from the New Revised Standard Version. All rights reserved.

Text by Anne Walsh, St John’s NL, CanadaEdited by Ciarán O’Callaghan CSsR and Tríona DohertyDesigned by David McNamara, C.Ss.R.Printed by Character PrintProduced by Redemptorist Communications, 75 Orwell Road, Rathgar, Dublin 6, Republic of Ireland Tel: 00353 1 4922488, Email: [email protected] www.redcoms.org

HYMNS 52 – 59

NOVENA PRAYERMother of Perpetual Help,with the greatest confidencewe come before your holy pictureto be inspired by the example of your life.We think of you at that moment when,full of faith and trust, you accepted God’s callto be the mother of his Son.Help us, your children,to accept with joy our own calling in life.When you learned that your cousin Elizabeth was in needyou immediately went to serve herand offer your help.Help us, like you,to be concerned for others.We think of you, Mother,at the foot of the cross.Your heart must have bledto see your Son in agony.But your joy was greatwhen he rose from the dead,victorious over the powers of evil.Mother of Sorrows,help us through the trials and disappointments of life.Help us not to lose heart.May we share with you and your Sonthe joy of having courageously faced upto all the challenges of life.Amen.

THANKSGIVING PRAYERO Mother of Perpetual Help,with grateful hearts we join you in thanking Godfor all the wonderful thingshe has done for us,especially for giving us, Jesus, your Son, as our Redeemer.O God, our Creator, we thank you for the gift of lifeand all the gifts of nature:our senses and faculties,our talents and abilities.We thank you for creating usin your image and likenessand for giving us this earthto use and develop,to respect and cherish.Despite our failures,you continue to show your love for us todayby increasing the life of your Spirit in usat the Eucharistic table.Finally, we thank you, loving Father,for giving us Mary,the Mother of your Son,to be our Mother of Perpetual Help.We are grateful for all the favourswe have received through her intercession.We pray that those past favours may inspire usto greater confidence in your loving mercyand to seek the aidof our Mother of Perpetual Help. Amen.

Redemptorist Communications75 Orwell Road, Rathgar, Dublin 6 www.redcoms.org

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