Following where the Spirit takes us is a 'Life of Surprises', to quote the title of a song @PrefabSprout released in 1989. The theme is a bit different but the title has been in my mind all those years…. It's a good motto for my life.
@storystudiouk@frankcottrell_b@bro_james
This is my last day in @MaghullGeorgeRC
Next stop, Tórshavn in the #FæroeIslands
So far nobody has offered to look after this Twitter page
but I hope someone will.
Those of you who know me know where I am on Twitter.
Thank you & God bless
@synod2020 @carmelnunsgb @bro_james
The final prayer at Office of readings today:
"Father, you called bishop Aidan and the saints of Lindisfarne
to preach the word of God in Northumbria
and to feed your people with the milk of simple teaching.
By their example
inspire us to lead a good life & be generous to others"
Today we celebrate St #Aidan & the Saints of #Lindisfarne
At #Mass we ask #God to
"grant us, by his prayers, to live as he taught
in simplicity, humility & love for the poor."
Be uncomplicated & down to earth
with a heart for all who need you.
@synod2020 @carmelnunsgb @bro_james
In the #Gospel (Luke chapter 4) at #Mass today
#Jesus quotes Isaiah’s mission:
#God sent him to
bring good news to the poor
proclaim liberty to captives
give the blind new sight
set the downtrodden free
proclaim the Lord’s year of favour
No pressure, then!
@synod2020@bro_james
St #Aidan was a monk of #Iona who responded to
Oswald of Northumbria’s call to the monks to
come & introduce his people to #Jesus the Christ.
St #Aidan set up a community on #Lindisfarne
which later became a centre of learning & education
@synod2020 @carmelnunsgb @bro_james
One thing we have to keep in focus.
Prayer & genuine consultation must be at the heart of all planning for the future of the Church - in fact they must be the heart of it. God is good, and always will be.
@synod2020@catholicEW@lpoolcatholic@bro_james @carmelnunsgb @Eileendup
The Archdiocese of Cologne is planning to move from 500+ to 50 parishes & communities (places like nurseries & hospitals) by 2030, with - probably - only half the present number of Catholics. Vicar General Markus Hofmann’s thoughts (in German, of course): https://t.co/Pc5vTU385w
I don’t like the idea of closing anything, but I know how soulless life can become for the skeleton crew left running churches & deaneries, with little hope of numbers of younger believers returning. Miracles help, but we can't build them into our plans @BremenBod@bro_james
What do we ask for as #Mass concludes today?
"Renewed by this bread from the heavenly table,
we beseech you, Lord, that,
being the food of charity,
it may confirm our hearts
and stir us to serve you in our neighbour."
Let yourself be stirred to serve God in your neighbour.
Go on!
@bbcmerseyside @helenjonesradio @paschal_uche3 A research nurse at @LivHospitals Aintree showed me a video of Paschal’s ordination, where people were singing (in Igbo) that @paschal_uche3 is a new prophet among us. He is a gifted man of real faith.
I taught him for part of his time in Oscott College.
Ad multos annos, Paschal!
High-minded Christians scandalised by a film of
#TheLastTemptationofChrist may not know that
His last temptation in the book by #Kazantzakis wasn't
the salacious imagined encounter with Mary Magdalen,
but the temptation to refuse to do His Father’s will.
His obedience is the key.
I think my parents were inspired to call me Peter.
I have often done what my namesake did
by questioning the way things happen, and why….
Nothing wrong with the questions,
as long as we accept that #Jesus knew He would suffer
& understood better than we can why it had to be so.
2/2
Philosopher Immanuel #Kant fell into the same trap.
For him even God’s commandments
must pass the test of what we think is right.
Some people in churches around the world today
think they worship #God
yet they decide when #God is right or wrong.
"Get behind me, Satan!"
1/2
Swiss theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar warned us
not to waste time wondering
how #God might have done things better,
but to respect the way #God actually did things.
The temptation bothering him is
our tendency to think we know better than God.
Like Peter in today's #Gospel