3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time.
The Word of God Sunday.
Today’s readings speak particularly to anyone who has been reluctant to hear or to respond to God’s voice in their lives. Jonah did not want to hear God’s call and set out in the opposite direction to Nineveh. It took time for him to accept God’s call to preach a message of repentance to the people of the city. In the Gospel the two sets of brothers may have responded ‘at once’ to the invitation of Jesus to follow him but their conduct as disciples was not ideal: they were, according to Mark, slow to understand who Jesus was and they abandoned him when he needed them most – at Calvary. When God calls us to a deeper faith and a more serious life in the Spirit he also sustains and empowers us with his grace.
Today the Church encourages us to reflect on the Bible. Pope Francis tells us ‘A day devoted to the Bible should not be seen as a yearly event but rather a year-long event, for we urgently need to grow in our knowledge and love of the Scriptures and of the Risen Lord, who continues to speak his word and to break bread in the community of the believers’. Why not use the lockdown to read the Gospel of St Mark which we will be hearing in church this year?
The diocese is recruiting a grant-funded Historic Churches Support Officer on 20 hours a week. The closing date is February 22nd. For more details go to: https://www.rcdea.org.uk/vacancies/
If you wish to attend a Sunday Mass you need to book a place with the co-ordinator for each church:
John Bolger at Sacred Heart – 01692 581516 (bolger@waitrose.com);
Fran Ludden at Aylsham – 07849 602227 (fran.ludden@btinternet.com);
Richard McGreevy,Hoveton – 01603 738255 (richardmcgreevy@supanet.com).
Please pray for our sick parishioners: Matt Butler, John Gowing, Derek and Frances Palman, Kevin Fitzmaurice and Mary Carr.
We also pray for Mary Atkins from Aylsham who died recently; and for those whose anniversaries occur this week: Jacqueline Beardshaw, Elizabeth Hammond, Mary Phillips, Minnie Nicholls, John Halsey and Eileen Amis.
Last week’s collection: £295.00 Standing orders: £553.00
Father James
