The musings of one of God’s smallest creatures on events in and around the Parish over the past seven days . . . . If you have ever found yourself deep in the heart of Lent, wondering how much further the journey goes, the Church, in her wisdom, knew we would need a glimpse of the joy waiting for us on the other side. Tucked into both Advent and Lent are little gems known as Refreshment Sundays, days when the penitential tone eases, and we are given a brief, welcome reprieve. The two Refreshment Sundays are Gaudete Sunday, falling in the middle of Advent, and Laetare Sunday, falling in the middle of Lent. Refreshment Sundays offer a pause in the austerity of their respective seasons, a moment of respite from the spiritual disciplines we have taken on. They shift the sombre mood toward more joyful anticipation. This pause is not a complete break from the season’s focus but rather a beautiful reminder that our preparation and penance have a purpose: they lead us toward the celebration of Christ’s birth at Christmas and His Resurrection at Easter. Falling on the fourth Sunday of Lent, approximately halfway through this penitential season, Laetare Sunday offers a pause. Easter is almost here! It is an apex, a turning point, a glimmer of hope, and a lightening of the sombre mood. It heightens our sense of anticipation and reminds us of the joy the Lord brings into our lives, even in seasons of waiting and preparation. Laetare Sunday speaks to the beautiful duality of the Christian journey: the balance of repentance with forgiveness, weeping with laughter, suffering with joy. Even as we prepare, reflect, and repent, we do so with the joyful anticipation of the great mystery of our faith, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Laetare Sunday takes its name from Isaiah 66:10, the opening antiphon for the day: “Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice greatly with her, all you who mourn over her.” Laetare means “rejoice,” and not a quiet, understated rejoice. Laetare is an imperative, an enthusiastic exhortation, almost a command: Rejoice! Right in the middle of Lent, we as a people are urged to rejoice! This powerful scripture sets the tone for the entire day and serves as a beautiful reminder that even in times of repentance and self-denial, there is hope. Laetare Sunday stands as a beacon of light, guiding us through our spiritual journey with the promise of joy and renewal. It invites us to pause, reflect on how far we have come, and find the strength to renew our spiritual disciplines as we press on toward Easter.

The musings of one of God’s smallest creatures on events in and around the Parish over the past seven days . . . . Once again quite a busy week around The Presbytery this week . . . . . On Saturday morning Fr D was with this year’s First Eucharist candidates as they discussed the Offertory/Presentation of the Gifts section of the Mass. The candidates looked at what it meant to be offering ourselves to God as well as the bread, wine, and collection! After our Sunday morning Masses Fr D was taken out to lunch by a parishioner from one of his former parishes. In the afternoon he celebrated Lenten Evening Prayer and Benediction with several parishioners, part of our ‘Lenten Devotions.’ On Monday morning Fr D was preparing for what he knew was likely to be a difficult interview at the Tribunal on Tuesday. After Morning Prayer, Mass, and Exposition on Tuesday Fr D went off to the diocesan offices at Crawley where he was due to meet with someone to hear their side of a marriage that ended in divorce. Although they had confirmed with the Tribunal Secretary on Monday they didn’t turn up (not that this was really surprising to Fr D). It did mean that he could work on one of his other cases that are coming up to the judgement phase. On Wednesday following Morning Prayer and Mass, Fr D started to make a list of jobs/projects that need to be thought about concerning our Parish buildings; afterwards he began working out the components of the works and trying to put them into a list of priorities. Top of the list was the lighting in the church which he is already getting professional lighting experts to look at and quote for. The list, however, is quite long! After Morning Prayer and Mass on Thursday, Fr D started work on his parts of the newsletter, knowing that he would not have a lot of time at the end of the week. In the afternoon he was in Burgess Hill for a meeting of the Trustees of the BOSCO Catholic Education Trust. The government have brought out a ‘White Paper’ on education which is likely to have several effects on schools within the Trust (when he got back in the evening he was ‘brain-dead’ from all the discussions!).  On Friday, after Morning Prayer and Mass, Fr D quickly programmed the music into the system for the 18.00 and 09.00 Masses, and the Lenten Evening Prayer and Benediction service, before completing his work on the newsletter . . . . .

The musings of one of God’s smallest creatures on events in and around the Parish over the past seven days . . . . Last weekend was the first of our Lenten Season - liturgical colour change, no flowers, no Gloria, Apostle’s Creed . . . . . . Also we began this year’s ‘Lenten Devotions,’ extra opportunities for prayer with Friday’s Way of the Cross (followed by a bread and soup lunch in aid of CAFOD) and Sunday Evening Prayer and Benediction. The opportunities to mark the Lenten Season within the Parish are many. Whilst on this Lenten journey towards the great Easter festival there are sign-up lists at the rear of the church looking for the various ministries we need covered over the Easter period, please have a look at what is needed and fill in your name if you are able to help (early sign-up is preferred to save Fr D’s stomach acid!). On Tuesday evening Fr D met with the parents of this year’s Eucharist candidates to take them through the next section of the preparation course, ready to pass this on to their children at their Saturday session. This time they were looking at that part of the Mass known as ‘the preparation of the gifts.’ Whilst the parents were meeting our singers and musicians were continuing with their practices for our Easter liturgies. After Morning Prayer and Mass on Wednesday Fr D was showing the church to members of the ‘Little Acorns Nursery.’ The pre-schoolers were fascinated by the size of the building and enjoyed being able to ‘strike the gong’ on the sanctuary! At midday the lighting engineers arrived in the church to conduct a full survey of the building and present lighting situation with a view to recommending a major updating of the system. As it turns out this is just in time - when Fr D went into the church in the morning and turned the lights on as he normally does they all came on but by the time he reached the sanctuary there was a popping sound and all the lights went out and the emergency lights came on. On looking in the electricity cupboard he discovered that a trip switch had activated and on re-setting it the lights came on again. Walking back up the church he noticed that one lamp was out and so assumed the bulb blowing had caused the trip, thinking no more of it. However, the engineers discovered that a module in the ‘brain’ of the lighting system under the stairs had died. The engineers stayed until 18.00 to complete their survey and show Fr D some possibilities for the upgrade. They will now ‘write-up’ the results and recommendations from their survey and get back to Fr D.  In the evening Fr D was meeting with our Confirmation candidates and looking at the role of Mary in the life of the church . . . . .

OUR PARISH SUPPORTS THE COBHAM AREA FOODBANK Please can you help local people in crisis by purchasing items on the list below and placing them in the Foodbank’s collection point in the narthex when to come to Mass at the weekend? 

Our singers and musicians are starting their rehearsals for leading our liturgies during Holy Week (Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, & Good Friday). Any and all parishioners are more than welcome to come along and join in, no previous experience necessary. If you enjoy singing as part of a group this could be for you! Dates of rehearsals: Tue. 24 Feb. (19.30); Thur. 5 Mar. (19.30); Sat. 14 Mar. (10.30); Wed. 18 Mar. (19.30); Sat. 28 Mar. (10.30); and Wed. 1 Apr. (19.30).

Friday 6th March, 11am. St Mary's Church , Stoke D'Aberon

Prayer is the cornerstone of our relationship with God. Through prayer, we open our hearts and minds to his presence, seeking guidance, strength, and grace. During Lent, we are called to deepen our prayer life, setting aside dedicated time to talk with the Divine. Whether through traditional prayers, meditation, or contemplative silence, prayer allows us to align our will with God's and draw closer to Him in intimacy and trust. Fasting , or self-denial, is a way to detach ourselves from worldly comforts and desires. By voluntarily abstaining from certain things, we create space to focus on spiritual nourishment and dependence on God. Fasting reminds us of our reliance on God for sustenance and helps us cultivate self-discipline and selfcontrol, a tangible expression of our willingness to sacrifice for the sake of our spiritual growth and solidarity with those who suffer.  This Lent, try to go beyond giving up chocolate. People try cold showers, or giving up social media, gossiping, and even… swearing! Some even try bread and water or total fasts on Wednesday and Thursday. Don’t make it extreme but think about making it count! Almsgiving , or acts of charity and generosity, reflect the love and compassion of Christ. During Lent, we are called to reach out to those in need, sharing our blessings with others and embodying the spirit of solidarity and service. Almsgiving extends beyond material goods; it includes acts of kindness, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Through our generosity, we become instruments of God's love, bringing hope and healing to a broken world.

As we move into this Lenten season of penitence, the readings for this first Sunday revolve around the themes of temptation and sin. The first reading recounts the story of the “Fall” of the first man and woman in the Garden of Eden. The second reading reflects back on that story. The Gospel reading, on the other hand, gives a glimpse of how we might be tempted yet remain faithful to God as Jesus was. It is as if Jesus’ obedience brings the first story full circle, giving us hope that we aren’t all doomed to give in to temptations to do what is wrong. Between the first reading from Genesis when Adam and Eve eat the fruit they aren’t supposed to eat, and the Gospel reading of Jesus resisting extreme temptations in his hunger and exhaustion, we are given two examples of how to deal with our own temptations. Adam and Eve were seemingly set up for an easy, blissful life with all they needed and more at their disposal. Yet the slightest suggestion from the serpent that they shouldn’t be limited in what they had or in their power and knowledge was all it took for them to decide they knew better than God. How often we give in so easily when presented with options for more things even though we already have enough! On the other hand, Jesus was in extreme physical need when he resisted the devil’s temptations to feed himself and claim power. He had more reasons to give in, and most of us would be understanding if he did. But rather than grasp at physical comfort, reassur ance, and strength, he chose to remain vulnerable and humble, even frail. When God became human in Jesus, he chose to be fully human and endure human limitations, from his 40 days in the desert all the way through to his agonizing death.  What is the lesson here then? Perhaps it is about not grasping for more things, more power, or more security, but trusting we will be cared for, even in our vulnerabilities and need. Jesus accepted and lived with his human limitations. Certainly, it’s uncomfortable and oftentimes outright painful to have physical, emotional, and intellectual limits as we live out our lives in imperfect bodies in an imperfect world. God isn’t a masochist who wants us to be in pain and need, any more than God wanted that for Jesus, but Jesus shows us there is dignity in being limited, and there is strength in needing God. Questions of the week  In what areas of your life are you most vulnerable to being tempted into choosing something that is not good for you?  How might you call upon the support of God and others to resist temptations this Lent?

The musings of one of God’s smallest creatures on events in and around the Parish over the past seven days . . . . So, it has begun; Fr D always says that there are Ten things to remember during Lent . . . 1. Remember the formula. The Church does a good job capturing certain truths with easy-to-remember lists and formulas: Ten Commandments, Seven Sacraments, Three Persons in the Trinity. For Lent, the Church gives us almost a slogan - Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving - as the three things we need to work on during the season. 2. It’s a time of prayer. Lent is essentially an act of prayer spread out over forty days. As we pray, we go on a journey, one that hopefully brings us closer to Christ and leaves us changed by our encounter with him. 3. It’s a time to fast. With the fasts of Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, meatless Fridays, and our personal disciplines interspersed, Lent is the only time many Catholics these days actually fast. And maybe that’s why it gets all the attention. “What are you giving up for Lent? Hot dogs? Beer? Jelly beans?” It’s almost a game for some, but fasting is actually a form of penance, which helps us turn away from sin and toward Christ. 4. It’s a time to work on discipline. The forty days of Lent are also a good, set time to work on personal discipline in general. Instead of giving something up, it can be taking something positive on. “I’m going to exercise more. I’m going to pray more. I’m going to be nicer to my family, friends, and co-workers.” 5. It’s about dying to yourself. The more serious side of Lenten discipline is that it’s about more than self-control - it’s about finding aspects of yourself that are less than Christ-like and letting them die. The suffering and death of Christ is foremost on our minds during Lent, and we join in these mysteries by suffering, dying with Christ and being resurrected in a purified form. 6. Don’t do too much. It’s tempting to make Lent some ambitious period of personal reinvention, but it’s best to keep it simple and focused. There’s a reason the Church works on these mysteries year after year. We spend our entire lives growing closer to God. Don’t try to cram it all in one Lent. That’s a definite recipe for failure.  7. Lent reminds us of our weakness. Of course, even when we set simple goals for ourselves during Lent, we still have trouble keeping them. When we fast, we realise we’re all just one meal away from hunger. In both cases, Lent shows us our weakness. This can be painful, but recognising how helpless we are makes us seek God’s help with renewed urgency and sincerity. 8. Be patient with yourself. When we’re confronted with our own weakness during Lent, the temptation is to get angry and frustrated. “What a bad person I am!” But that’s the wrong lesson. God is calling us to be patient and to see ourselves as he does, with unconditional love. 9. Reach out in charity. As we experience weakness and suffering during Lent, we should be renewed in our compassion for those who are hungry, suffering, or otherwise in need. The third part of the Lenten formula is almsgiving. It’s about more than throwing a few extra pounds in the collection plate; it’s about reaching out to others and helping them without question as a way of sharing the experience of God’s unconditional love. 10. Learn to love like Christ. Giving of ourselves in the midst of our suffering and self-denial brings us closer to loving like Christ, who suffered and poured himself out unconditionally on the Cross for all of us. Lent is a journey through the desert to the foot of the Cross on Good Friday, as we seek him out, ask his help, join in his suffering, and learn to love like him.