“The happy birds Te Deum sing – ‘tis Mary’s month of May,

Her smile turns winter into spring and darkness into day.”

This year we celebrate this loveliest of months,  as the readings during Mass take us through the story of Jesus’ time on earth following his Resurrection; how he appeared to his disciples with the message to continue his work.

He met with them in the Upper Room when Thomas wanted tangible proof before he would accept that the Lord really had risen; he encountered the disciples on the road to Emmaus who failed to recognize him until he broke the bread at supper and he greeted Peter and the others at the side of the lake and shared breakfast with them.

Through all the teachings of Jesus we hear the theme of “Love thy neighbour”.

There are so many charitable organisations that exist to try and put this into action. Christian Aid Week starts on 15^th May – this a body that is doing its best to restore some balance into this unjust world.

How lucky we are that most people in this country  have somewhere to live, food on the table, and access to the Health Service and to Education.

What a contrast to all those countries where such facilities are the stuff of dreams and men, women and children are dying through lack of resources.

We should be guided by the Five Marks of Mission of which the third tells us clearly to respond to human need by loving service.

Let us take long hard look at ourselves to see what the balance is between what we can do and what we are actually doing.

God Bless

“Triumphant in his glory now, his sceptre ruleth all.

Earth, heaven and hell before him bow, and at his footstool fall.”

Before we can sing this verse of the well-known hymn, we must accompany Jesus in to Jerusalem and witness the saga of Holy Week as it unfolds.

On Palm Sunday, the first day of Holy Week, the priest’s vestments are red – the colour of triumph and victory.

On that day Jesus rode into the city on a donkey and was met by a crowd who hailed him as a King, a Messiah, who they thought was going to lead them into battle and overthrow the cruel and oppressive Roman rule. They cheered, chanted “Hosanna to the Son of David” and waved palm branches.

However, Jesus does not work that way, he came to bring a kingdom of peace and assurance of a place with him in heaven.

The people soon realized their mistake and quickly turned against him.

So many of us, when Jesus does not answer our prayers in the way we want, turn our backs on him. Judas, when he turned away from the Lord betrayed him for thirty pieces of silver.

Holy Week, that starts with the excitement of Palm Sunday, then takes us through the more sombre events that lead up to Our Lord’s Death and Resurrection

All the statues and crucifixes in church are draped in purple.

On Maundy Thursday we relive the story of the Last Supper when Jesus gave us the Blessed Sacrament of his Body and Blood.

On Good Friday we remember the momentous events of the day on which Jesus, the Son of God, was crucified.

I love these services; they are very solemn but are a lead into the glorious event on Easter Sunday when the sound of the bells and choir announce that the Lord is Risen!

If you can, please come and join us and take communion on each of these days.

May the loving Christ give us all a wonderful Holy Week and a blessed and happy Easter.