Today’s Gospel reading tells us that Jesus starts preaching in the obscurity of lakeside Galilee, and what does he preach? Exactly the same words as John the Baptist preached in Judaea: ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand,’ The kingdom of heaven is what John was announcing, and Jesus is doing just the same.
And yet in doing the work of the kingdom he needs some helpers, and he takes what he finds to hand: fishermen; it’s what you’d expect to find in Capernaum. But Jesus has his eye on just four: and they turn out to be willing to move into a new world which Jesus describes as fishing (he talks elsewhere about the fields beinjg ready for harvesting); fishing or reaping, it’s all about gathering together those who are waiting for the kingdom of heaven.
For the moment he is the light which the people in darkness are rejoicing to see; “I am the light of the world,” he said (John 8:12; 9:5). But he will soon say to his followers, ‘You are the light of the world’, and that is his purpose in choosing his followers. And he will tell them not to hide that light under a tub but let it shine for the world to see.
.Fr. James
FAREWELL TO FATHER PETER
As you know, Father Peter will be leaving us and moving to his new parish in Huntingdon next month. It is customary to make a farewell gift from the parish to show our appreciation for his pastoral care while he has been with us.
Your ‘Farewell’ gift. You can make your gift at the retiring collections today, or on Sunday 1st February, in an envelope clearly marked ‘Father Peter’s Farewell Gift’. You can also leave your gift, again, in an envelope, at the presbytery.
Our ‘Farewell’ Parish gathering for Father Peter will be on the Friday, 13th February, in both the hall and the church, from 7pm until 10pm, enabling our three communities to come together, to thank Fr Peter for his ministry to us and, sadly, to say goodbye and wish him God’s many blessings for the future. He will of course celebrate weekend Masses at Hoveton on the Saturday, at St John of the Cross, Aylsham & the Sacred Heart on the Sunday; so for those unable to attend the Friday ‘Farewell’ there will be the opportunity again to make personal/group farewells to Fr Peter.
It is important we know by next Sunday, 1st February how many will be coming to the Friday evening Parish gathering, so please add your names to the lists in our church porches, also indicating your food preference.
The Diocese is celebrating its 50th Jubilee and we as a parish have been asked to celebrate the event. We would like to know from you in what way you would like to see this done. The main focus of this Jubilee is “What the Parish means to me”. All you have to do is write a one sentence answer and e-mail it to jholden54@talktalk.net. We hope to gain a collection of answers that we can publish. Your full name will not be published against your answer nor kept within the Parish. Please use the same e-mail address for celebration suggestions.
Mass Intentions. When requesting a Mass Intention please state clearly in which church the Mass is to be celebrated, also if it is to be on a Sunday or weekday (or of no preference). A reminder too: Foundation Masses do take preference. All other requests are dealt with on a ‘first come, first served’ basis.
We pray for our sick parishioners: Matt Butler, Frances Palman, Mary Bell, Celia Cooper, Margaret Larkins, Maria Halsey, Joan Macnamara, Richard Skelton, Teresa Fitzmaurice, Bernadette Saunders, Doreen Rockey & daughter Sandra, Pam Thornton, Mary Long, Malcolm Akers, Frances Mack, Tony & Amy Heywood & Peter, Cathie Dickson, Carolyn Rayner & her mother Mary Rayner.
We pray for those whose anniversaries occur this week: Jacqueline Beardshaw, Elizabeth Hammond, Mary Phillips, Minnie Nicholls, John Halsey, Eileen Amis, Wladyslaw (Jan) Kurowski and Bridget Dalton. May they rest in peace.
