God's love for you - 8th December

Webmaster • December 7, 2024

The Incarnation (2)


In the Incarnation, Our Lord's Divine nature joined together with our human nature, became true God and true man in one Person. God entirely a man and a man entirely God, there is no half and half. St Francis de Sales used iron and fire as an analogy to made us understand better: when you withdraws a hot iron plate after placing it into the furnace, one cannot say if the inflamed iron is fire or iron since they both so mixed together. It turned into a condition that can be described as iron is on fire and an iron fire, yet iron is still an iron in the fire and fire is still fire in the iron. In this Mystery, God made us physically see something that is beyond our human imagination and understanding - one who never dies can die, one who cannot feel sufferings can suffer, one who is Invisible and Almighty born into the world in a form of a babe that needs to be look after by human. Such sacrifice. Why does God spend such effort to do so? Why did Incarnation happen? You may say in order to die on the Cross for our salvation. It is true, but St Francis de Sales also said just a sigh or even a drop of tears from Our Lord would have unlimited price and merit, sufficient to redeem us all. Yet He did not wish to do so, rather our dear Jesus willed to go through countless pains and sufferings, from the moment of Incarnation, through His examples and later through His Words, to show and teach us how to live with reason and not our flesh's desires. Some may say, so to establish the Eucharist and dwell amongst us until the end of time. Also St Peter has said, through Jesus Christ resurrected from the dead, caused us to be born again to a living hope to an unfading reserved inheritance in Heaven for us. All these are so true. But ultimately, don't all these reasons point towards one thing: God's Love, for us. These were all done for our sake. You are being loved. This Christmas, let us put aside all those thoughts of busy shopping, visiting, dinner planning...for a while, and think about this true meaning of Christmas. Love Him back in this Christmas.


(References: • 1 Peter 1:3-4 • The Sermons of St Francis de Sales for Advent & Christmas, "The union of the Divine and human natures in Our Lord", 24 December 1620)

By Webmaster • October 2, 2026
Sunday 18th October at 11am Meet Angelo & colleague at the Museum The tour will take about 2 hours. Tickets £10.00 (Please pay on booking) available this weekend from Church porch. Only 15 places available so sign up quickly.  If more people interested then another date could be available
By Webmaster • October 2, 2026
The Council confirm that the new restrictions are not currently active – as the zone is still being delivered. Their contractors are anticipated to be on-site until approximately the end of November. The Council will be sending out a letter closer to the time to all properties advising of a “go-live” date for the zone when enforcement will begin, and will put something on social media. This will be done in advance to provide people with enough time to obtain the relevant permits, and will contain more information on how to obtain permits.  Until the new restrictions are in place the current restrictions apply – weekdays 'two hours free parking’ – Sunday no restrictions in parking areas.
By Webmaster • October 2, 2026
Bell Tower Fundraising - Autumn Fayre Saturday 10th October 11am-3pm St Peter’s Hall (behind Church) Free Entry. All are welcome. We need donations of the following: Raffle prizes; Bottles (alcohol, soft drinks); new/nearly new Toys; Jewellery. Please leave them in the Church porch before Friday 9th October. On Friday 9th October, the Hall will be open from 10.30am to 12noon, and 4pm to 7pm when you can directly bring in your donations and set up your stalls.  Home-made Cakes to the Hall from 10am on the 10th October. Thank you for your support.
By Webmaster • October 2, 2026
 CAFOD Family Harvest Fast Day Appeal Use the CAFOD envelopes in Church porch, donate via Dona station in Church porch, online at cafod.org.uk/envelope or call 0303 303 3030 Please give generously
By Webmaster • October 2, 2026
Holy Rosary will be held in Our Lady’s Garden at St Peter’s every Sunday in October at 10:45am Week 1 (4 October) The Joyful Mysteries For World Peace & world leaders Week 2 (11 October) The Luminous Mysteries For the conversion of sinners & those who searching for God Week 3 (18 October) The Sorrowful Mysteries For the most forgotten Holy Souls & our deceased family members Week 4 (25 October) The Glorious Mysteries For the universal Church, Priests & Religious All are welcome to join the full Holy Rosary in the October month of the Rosary!
By Webmaster • October 2, 2026
Organ Music for the Bell Tower As part of our fundraising for the Church Bell Tower, there will be three organ recitals taking place between now and Christmas. They are: 15th October – Huw Morgan 12th November – Tim Lyons All recitals start at 7.00pm and there will be a retiring collection in aid of the Bell Tower fund. Please come and support the music, the organists, and your Parish.
By Webmaster • October 2, 2026
Holy Family's Humility & Meekness (1) ‘Love...does not boast, it is not proud.’(1Cor 13:4) So where did we see these within the Holy Family? If you look at their lives carefully, you will see meek and humble shone everywhere. Let’s start with Mary. During the Annunciation, we learned that Mary’s reply to Angel Gabriel when she accept the role of becoming the Mother of the Son of God was: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.” She showed her humbleness by calling herself a handmaid, and that was said before giving her ‘yes’ to God, which showed her love for humility. Later, when Elizabeth greeted her as the ‘mother of my Lord’, Mary said in her Magnificat: “For he hath looked upon the low estate of his handmaid” (Lk 1:48). As if to reply to her cousin that is all because the Almighty God had blessed His lowly handmaid. Mary did not become arrogant simply because she got raised to the Mother of God status, instead she served her pregnant cousin humbly and supported her in her time of need. In fact, Mary did not announce that she bore the Son of God to anyone in order to enjoy honour and praises, she kept silent about this great Mystery that happened within her. It is only through Divine revelation that people like Elizabeth, Joseph, Simeon, the shepherds etc. knew about it afterwards. Mary did not used her privilege of being Jesus’ mother either. As we can see in the wedding of Cana, Mary did not use the status of a mother to order Jesus or made Jesus to obey her. She simply said: “They have no wine.” As if to gently ‘remind’ him, then trusting that He will do something with His Power to fulfil her wish. In another place, we also read: ‘While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him.’ (Matt 12:46) Mary wanted to speak to her Son, but her humbleness did not want herself to be given the priority and disturb His Mission, neither her meekness allowed her to push through the crowd, so she waited patiently outside to be seen, like a lowly handmaid.
By Webmaster • October 2, 2026
Almighty ever-living God, who in the abundance of your kindness surpass the merits and the desires of those who entreat you, pour out your mercy upon us to pardon what conscience dreads and to give what prayer does not dare to ask. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,  God, for ever and ever. Amen.
By Webmaster • September 25, 2026
The Holy Family’s Obedience & Faith (5) Obedience is always within the Holy Family, and the Son of Man even with His Eternal Wisdom also most humbly obey to the fullest. Consider that He was only 12 years old when He sat amongst the teachers in the temple of Jerusalem, revealing His knowledge and understanding that were beyond the most learned, in order to bear witness to the truth. But soon after learning His disappearance for 3 days had caused His parents on earth so much sorrow: “Son, why have you treated us this way? Behold, your father and I were anxiously looking for you.” (Luke 2:48), even Mary did not explicitly ask Jesus to go home, Jesus left the temple, went down with them and was subject to them. Although His parent did not tell Him to never do it again, but He understood their feelings and officially withheld His Mission until another 18 years later! Jesus’s obedience is not superficial, but fully and complete. Again, looking at the wedding of Cana, Mary did not order Jesus to perform a miracle, but her words to the servants, “Whatever he says to you, do it.” is enough for Jesus to take action. Even if His hour has not yet come, but Jesus showed us obedience is more importance is His Eyes. And Jesus is not ‘partially’ fulfilling His mother’s request, as it was not just one jar of wine so can tide the bridegroom over until he can get more elsewhere. It was total obedience, since it was six full jars up to the brim so the couple won’t be lack of any good wine for the rest of the wedding. If one say, that was not too difficult since Jesus only needed to give His Words and it was accomplished. Then what about in the Garden of Gethsemane, when he foresaw his every sufferings in His Passion, that he shuddered with fear and sweated great drops of blood. Jesus is truly God and is truly human, the Passion is what His human nature needed to go through completely, there is no such thing He can hide within His Divinity and suffer lesser. Oh, how horrid and barbaric those torments will be! But He knew this is His Heavenly Father’s Will. So, Jesus prayed: “Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” (Luke 22:42) How many can totally forget oneself, and be truly obedient even in the midst of pain and sufferings, unto death? Jesus did.
By Webmaster • September 25, 2026
O God, who manifest your almighty power above all by pardoning and showing mercy, bestow, we pray, your grace abundantly upon us and make those hastening to attain your promises heirs to the treasures of heaven. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,  God, for ever and ever. Amen.