Building up the House of God
Chapter 6 of the Acts of the Apostles shows how differences and disputes were resolved in the church’s early days. The Hellenist (converts whose language was Greek), complained that their widows were not getting a fair share of the church’s social services. The apostles’ solution to the problem shows how changes of practice are not only possible but necessary for the health of the church.
The solution shows two important dimensions of church life: prayer and service; and that living our Christian vocation requires a balance between the two. Each of us is personally called to prayer, to a dialogue of worship with God; and we are also called to service. No matter what we do in life, our work affects others in some way. We should be of service to our neighbours; and provided we have an attitude of respect, no task we do is a menial task. Prayer and preaching the word was of primary importance to the apostles; but service to the widows and the needy in the community was also vital, so they appointed seven trusted men to attend to it, and initiated them by an evocative ceremony.
As a result, the disciples in Jerusalem increased in numbers. We may wonder how this kind of growth in the church could be revived in our day. Is the word of the Lord still spreading or the number of disciples increasing? In St Peter’s letter, the church is imagined as a spiritual temple, with ourselves as living stones making up a living house of God. Every time we say the Lord’s Prayer we say ‘thy kingdom come.’ This implies taking some responsibility for spreading the word and doing something to build up the church? We can work for God’s kingdom by our daily conduct and attitudes.
The cornerstone of the church is Christ himself, and he offers us encouragement even today. If he is going away, it is to prepare a place for us in his Father’s house, which has many rooms. So there is a place for us all in the kingdom.
Each person has gifts of nature and grace, each should have a say in church life, as exemplified by the apostles in the first reading.
Many people today regard faith as irrelevant because their notion of God is faulty or distorted. For an authentic picture of what God is like, we should look to Jesus who said “I am in the Father and the Father is in me.” He shows what the invisible Father is like: concerned for all, interested in all, respecting everyone, calling sinners back home. This welcoming God is the one that our church worships, and we renew our trust in Him.
COVID-19 HELPLINE: A special helpline which is free and confidential, is available in Kerry to help people accessing non-emergency and non-medical services. The COVID-19 Kerry Community Response Forum includes over a dozen agencies and organisations including Kerry County Council, Gardaí, and GAA.
This freephone number 1800 807 009 will be available 8am to 8pm seven days a week. A text line is also available, people can text SUPPORT followed by their NAME to 50555. Requests can also be e-mailed to covidsupport@kerrycoco.ie.
The helpline, which is manned by trained volunteers, is focused primarily on ensuring that vulnerable members of the community or those living alone can access deliveries of essential items like groceries, medicine and fuel.
St. John’s Tralee: have launched an online ZOOM Adult Faith Formation experience which comprises of 7 programs varying from Grief & Loss, Faith & Addiction, The Gospel of Matthew, & Living Laudato Si. Programs run for 30/45 minutes, one day a week for 3 or 4 weeks. If interested email paddy.daly@stjohns.ie to find out more & to register your interest.
St. Colman’s Parish
5th Sunday of Easter
9th /10th May 2020
Prayer in a Time of Isolation
‘For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come… will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ (Romans 8:38-39)
God of heaven and earth, in these times of isolation,
apart from loved ones
distant from friends
away from neighbours
thank you that there is nothing in all of creation,
not even coronavirus,
that is able to separate us from your love.
And may your love that never fails continue to be shared
through the kindness of strangers
looking out for each other,
for neighbours near and far
all recognising our shared vulnerability,
each of us grateful for every breath,
and willing everyone to know the gift
of a full and healthy life.
Keep us all in your care.
Amen.
Fr. Kevin Sullivan (087) 6277638
Parish Residence: 18 Ballyoughtragh Heights, Milltown
Rev. Conor Bradley (087) 3664057
Email: milltown@dioceseofkerry.ie
Safeguarding Children: Contact (087) 6362780
Weekend Mass Intentions
Sat., May 9th at 6:00 p.m. Pat & Rita Broderick, Ballymalis
Sun., May 10th at 11:15 a.m. Nellie & Dermot Twiss and also Frances
and Frank Twiss, Callinafercy
Michael and Johanna O’ Connell,
Shanahill WestAnyone wishing to have a Mass Intention for a weekday Mass, please contact Fr. Kevin.
Reminder: Mass is broadcast on 106fm
Mass is also broadcast at 10:00 a.m. on weekdays
(unless there is a funeral Mass)
Evening Prayer and the Rosary in May
This will be said at the following times and will be broadcast on radio:
Listry each Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.
Milltown each Friday at 7:00 p.m.
Parish envelopes and Trocaire donations
Quite a few people have asked where they can leave their parish envelopes as well as their donations to Trocaire.
Please drop them into James Arthur in his shop or in the postbox at the entrance to The Parish Office.
Please do not stray outside the government mandated distance of 5km for the sole purpose of bringing your envelopes.