PENTECOST SUNDAY 2024
Pentecost Experience: An Experience of a Perfect Love
Our Pentecost Feast parallels the Jewish ‘Feast of weeks’ celebrated fifty days after the Passover. During the ‘Feast of weeks’ (Shavuot), the Jews celebrate the gift of being God’s holy people.
This Sunday, we celebrate the founding of God’s people, the Church, when the Holy Spirit sealed the New Covenant, engraving the Law of the Spirit, not on stone tablets but on human hearts. (Rom 8:2; 2 Cor 3:2-8; Jer 31:31-34).
“Stay in Jerusalem until you receive the power from above.” On the Pentecost day, the power for Christian mission is gifted to fulfil the prophecy of Joel 2:28, “I will pour out my spirit on all flesh”. Thus, Jesus made his home in us as a life-giving spirit (1 Cori 15:45).
Today’s first reading, tells us that, “They were all filled with the Holy Spirit.” Having been filled with such an overflowing and perfect love, the disciples’ hearts were set on fire (Luke 12:49).
The experience of God’s Perfect Love caused an overflow. The weak became strong and courageous, and the uneducated were imbued with wisdom from on high. Their words and actions became empowered by the consuming fire of God’s love. Hence, the people who heard them speak had an encounter because their preaching was infused with pure love, the Holy Spirit. O Lord, pour out afresh your Spirit upon us. Amen.
Happy Sunday (Listen to my full audio reflection on Purifying Word or on Spotify).
Fr Chinedu
EASTER SEASON ENDS
As we have now come to the end of the Easter festivities, and move towards the celebration of the solemnity of The Most Holy Trinity (26TH MAY) and Corpus Christi (1ST JUNE), we pray that the joy and peace of the risen Lord will continue to fill our hearts.
OFFICE ABSENCE
Susan will be out of the office due to knee surgery. She hopes, all going well, to be back in July.
CONFIRMATION
Our parish celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation will take place on Friday 31st May 7pm. As always, we are happy to welcome Bishop John who will be conferring the Sacrament
GIFT AID/ STANDING ORDER
Please, pick up a Parish Gift Aid /Standing Order Forms from the back of the church if you would like to start using envelopes, please indicate in section 4 on the Gift Aid / Standing Order Form. If you would like to start paying by standing order, please complete section 5 & 6 and if you are able to Gift Aid your donations, please complete section 2. Thank you for your continuing support.
DONA MACHINE
The Dona machine is now working and can now be used for offertory, payment and other donations. Please, feel free to use it. Thank you.
MISSIO BOX COUNTING
Thank you to everyone who brought in their red box. You have raised £607.54 for Missio. Please, collect your red box from the back of the church.
THANKS FROM CAFOD
Thank you to all parishioners at the Annunciation for your generous Support for this year and your latest donation of £322.00. Thank you so much for being there for our global family.
JOB VACANCY
St Michael’s Catholic Grammar School is seeking to appoint an enthusiastic Teacher of Computing to join their team. An application form, job description and departmental information are available by request from mcox@st-michaels.barnet.sch.uk
Please send completed applications to applications@st-michaels.barnet.sch.uk.
Closing date: Monday 3rd June 9am – early applications are encouraged as we reserve the right to call candidates to interview before this advert is withdrawn.
THE DIVINE MERCY APOSTOLATE
The Divine Mercy Apostolate, London is holding a First Saturday Divine Mercy Recollection Day at the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, on Saturday 1st June 2024 from 11 am to 4:30 pm. Please call Millie on 07957594646 for more information.
SOCIETY OF ST VINCENT DE PAUL (SVP)
We plan to start a Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) here in our parish. So, if you have been a member of SVP in the past, and would like to be part of its formation in our parish; or if you would like to join the society for the first time and are happy to be part of it, please, speak with and give your names and contact number to the priests or stewards after the masses. Thank you.
DIOCESEAN PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES
The Lourdes Pilgrimage takes place from 19th to 26th July. Join the pilgrimage as a pilgrim. Serve the pilgrimage by coming as a praying assisted pilgrim. Support assisted pilgrims by sponsoring the sick to join the pilgrimage and praying for them. For more information please go to https://rcdow.org.uk/pilgrimages/Lourdes/ or contact the Pilgrimage Office on 020 7798 9173
MEDJUGORJE IRISH CENTRE PILGRIMAGES APRIL - OCT 2024
7 Nights Apartment B&B from €273 per person sharing. Airport transfer available on request. Contact us for details and book the dates that suit you. Tel. 020 3239 8662 or website www.med-irishcentre.com
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