saint columba’s 16 newsletter 6...saint columba’s newsletter gospel reflection 16th february...

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Saint Columba’s Newsletter Gospel Reflection 16 th February 2020 6 th Sunday in Ordinary Time ST COLUMBA’S CATHOLIC CHURCH, CHESHAM www.stcolumbas.church Parish Secretary: 01494 785269 - [email protected] Weds and Thurs 9-12.30 pm. Please telephone or email to check availability at all other times 0 Fr Alessandro Reno Matthew 5:13-17 Jesus explained to those who accused him of wishing to change the Mosaic Laws. He reassured them, saying “I have come not to abolish but to fulfil”. For the law, is a fruit of the Covenant. It is impossible to understand the law without the Covenant. This law is sacred, because it brought the people to God. Therefore it cannot be touched. Some said that Jesus was changing this law. Instead he was seeking to explain clearly that there was a path that would lead to the growth, to the full maturity of the law. Today we too can fall into risk to point the finger when we see something we don’t like in the Church. But we should remember first that the law that sets us free is the law of the Spirit. For the Church in our day this is a recurrent temptation: “to turn back because we are uncertain”. It is the temptation of the fear of freedom, of fear of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit frightens us. We cannot turn back, and skid off the road. The road on which to continue is this: “The law is full, always in continuity, without being cut: just as the seed culminates in the flower, in the fruit. The road is that of freedom in the Holy Spirit who sets us free in a continuous discernment of God’s will, to make progress on this road without turning back, and without skidding. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to give us life, to lead us onwards, to bring the law to full maturity, that law which sets us free.

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Page 1: Saint Columba’s 16 Newsletter 6...Saint Columba’s Newsletter Gospel Reflection 16th February 2020 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time ST COLUMBA’S CATHOLIC CHURCH, CHESHAM Parish Secretary:

Saint Columba’s Newsletter

Gospel Reflection �

16th February 2020 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time

STCOLUMBA’SCATHOLICCHURCH,CHESHAMwww.stcolumbas.churchParishSecretary:[email protected]

WedsandThurs9-12.30pm.Pleasetelephoneoremailtocheckavailabilityatallothertimes

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FrAlessandroReno

Matthew5:13-17

JesusexplainedtothosewhoaccusedhimofwishingtochangetheMosaicLaws.Hereassuredthem,saying“Ihavecomenottoabolishbuttofulfil”.Forthelaw,isafruitoftheCovenant.ItisimpossibletounderstandthelawwithouttheCovenant.Thislawissacred,becauseitbroughtthepeopletoGod.Thereforeitcannotbetouched.SomesaidthatJesuswaschangingthislaw.Insteadhewasseekingtoexplainclearlythattherewasapaththatwouldleadtothegrowth,tothefullmaturityofthelaw.

Todaywetoocanfallintorisktopointthefingerwhenweseesomethingwedon’tlikeintheChurch.ButweshouldrememberfirstthatthelawthatsetsusfreeisthelawoftheSpirit.FortheChurchinourdaythisisarecurrenttemptation:“toturnbackbecauseweareuncertain”.Itisthetemptationofthefearoffreedom,offearoftheHolySpirit,theHolySpiritfrightensus.Wecannotturnback,andskidofftheroad.Theroadonwhichtocontinueisthis:“Thelawisfull,alwaysincontinuity,withoutbeingcut:justastheseedculminatesintheflower,inthefruit.TheroadisthatoffreedomintheHolySpiritwhosetsusfreeinacontinuousdiscernmentofGod’swill,tomakeprogressonthisroadwithoutturningback,andwithoutskidding.

LetusasktheHolySpirittogiveuslife,toleadusonwards,tobringthelawtofullmaturity,thatlawwhichsetsusfree.

Page 2: Saint Columba’s 16 Newsletter 6...Saint Columba’s Newsletter Gospel Reflection 16th February 2020 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time ST COLUMBA’S CATHOLIC CHURCH, CHESHAM Parish Secretary:

Urgenthelpneeded-PleaseconsidervolunteeringtobeaSacristan,akeyroleresponsibleformanagingtheSacristy&contents–candles,silverware,chalicesandensuringkeyconsumablesareordered.IfyouareinterestedpleasecontactFrAlessandrodirectly.

MurderMystery-Saturday22February2020atOurLady'sSchool,CheshamBois,doorsopen7.30pmforan8pmstartForallyousupersleuthsoutthere,helpDetectiveInspectorAngoodsolvethemysteryof'WhokilledtheDirector'(writtenbyChrisMartin).Apartfromtheperformancewithstarringrolesfromfellowparishioners,therewillbe2coursebuffet,raffleandtablequiz.Bringyourowndrinkandglasses.6to8(max)peoplepertable.Ticketsare£12.50andavailablefromSueFelix([email protected])orafterSundayMassatbothparishes.

AllprofitswillgotowardsthecostoftherefurbishmentatStColumba'sChurch

Saint Columba’s Newsletter

Parish�

Saturday22February2.30pm-ChatandaCuppa-meetotherparishionersupstairsatChesham'sM&Cocafe.Allwelcome.

ParishRetreat–updateThejointParishRetreat(IHM&StColumba’s)willnowbeononeday-Sat21March2020andwillbeheldattheBridgettineConvent,Iver.Thethemeoftheretreatis"TheVocationandMissionoftheFamilyintheChurchandinthecontemporaryworldenlightenedbytheWordofGod“.Pleaseregisteryourinterestincomingtotheretreatbyemailingparishsecstcolumba@gmail.com

Rendezvous–ItwillbeStColumba’sturntohosttheRendezvousEcumenicalServiceattheUnitedReformedChurch,theBroadway,CheshamonWeds4Marchat11:45to12:15pm.Volunteersareneededtohelpandapianistwouldbeverywelcome.PleasecontactTinaon786846formoreinformation.

Page 3: Saint Columba’s 16 Newsletter 6...Saint Columba’s Newsletter Gospel Reflection 16th February 2020 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time ST COLUMBA’S CATHOLIC CHURCH, CHESHAM Parish Secretary:

NYMOwillbehostingaYouthMinistryConferenceonthe7March,forallwholoveyoungpeopleinourChurch,andwanttoworktoleadthemtoacloserencounterwithChrist.TheeventisbeingheldattheRECentreinLuton.Moredetailsathttps://nymo.org/conference/orcallFionaon01582720627

Saint Columba’s Parish Newsletter

Saint Columba’s Newsletter

Pastoral Area�

Diocese�

ChurchestogetherforCheshamevents:"Seeing&Believing?"-Thursday19Marchat7for7:30pmatStMary'sChurch.Thisisthe4thofaseriesof6-monthlylecturesandwillbeaninteractiveexplorationofthedivinethroughthehistoryofart.Pleaseseetheposteronthenoticeboard.

Ecumenical�WorldDayofPrayer–Friday6March2020at10:30amor7:30pmatChristChurchWaterside,Chesham.Allwelcome

MISSIONPLAN.LastSeptemberrepresentativesfromthefiveparishesinourPastoralAreacametogether,asdirectedbyBishopPeter,toreflectprayerfullyontheneedsandopportunitieswithinourcommunityandtoidentifyanumberoflocalprojects.Gettingareal“grassroots”perspectiveonourstrengthsandneedsaswellashearingfromawiderangeofvoiceswithlocalknowledgeandexperienceenabledustoexploreideasfromdifferentperspectives.Fourareasoffocuswereidentifiedandprioritised:Liturgy,Welcoming&SocialCommunity,Children&YouthandCommunications.Workinggroupsarebeingestablishedforeachoftheseprojects.PleasecontactFrAlessandroifyouwouldliketogetmoreinvolved.Thereflections,findingsandinitiativesidentifiedduringtheReflectionDaywillbeusedtoproduceaMissionPlanforourPastoralArea,forreviewatagatheringofallPastoralAreason28MarchwithBishopPeterandBishopElectDavid.

WordFest2020–OurdiocesanScriptureFestivaldayJune6@10:00-4:30pm.ThisexcitingeventwillbeheldonatThorntonCollege.AfantasticcelebrationdayexploringallaspectsoftheBible.Formoreinformationpleaseusethelinkhttp://formationpathways.co.uk/event/wordfest-6th-june-2020-our-diocesan-scripture-festival-day/

Page 4: Saint Columba’s 16 Newsletter 6...Saint Columba’s Newsletter Gospel Reflection 16th February 2020 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time ST COLUMBA’S CATHOLIC CHURCH, CHESHAM Parish Secretary:

ToreceivetheE-Newslettereachweek,justsend“IwanttoreceivetheNewsletter”to:[email protected] to include in the newsletter (short texts ready to publish /image)mustbesentbeforeThursdayNoontothesameaddress.

Agenda �

At Your Service�

Saint Columba’s Newsletter

Date StColumba’s IHM

Sun.16 9amMass–CooperFamilyIntentions6pmMass–StColumba’sParishCommunity 11amMass

Mon.17 NoMass NoMass

Tues.18 7pmMass–StephenBillettforhisrecovery NoMass

Weds.19 NoMass 9:30amMass

Thurs.20 9amAdorationoftheBlessedSacrament,followedby9.30amMassandtheRosary

NoMass

Fri.21 NoMass 9:30amMass

Sat.22 NoMass–BishopPetercelebrationMassat11amatNorthamptonCathedral

6pmVigilMass

Sun.23 9amMass–HedleyKnowles6pmMass–StColumba’sParishCommunity

11amMass

Thisweek,pleaseprayfortheSoulsofthosewhoseanniversariesoccuraboutthistime:

SaraHancock(1986),AidanLittle(2019),WilheminaBrown(1996),WilliamFoley(1997)ConnerDickson(2006),JamesWynn(1996),EstherBarry(2006),PatriciaWhite(1986)