Hail Mary full of grace, The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women, Blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.
Having celebrated the event of Easter we look forward to experiencing the fruits of the Holy Spirit when we celebrate Pentecost.
Deacon John has provided a focus for our preparations:-
Let us have the courage of our Christian convictions to share our Faith as St Thomas did, and to recognize the “nail marks.” We are not to keep the gift of Faith locked in our hearts, but to share it with our children, our families and our neighbours, always remembering the words,: “Every believer in this world must become a spark of Christ’s light,” spoken by Pope St. John XXIII. “We all have scars from our own Good Fridays that remain, long after our own experiences of resurrection. Our ‘nail marks’ remind us that all pain and grief, all ridicule and suffering, are transformed into healing and peace in the love of God that we receive from, and extend to others. The “nail marks” of Jesus are all around us in the lives of those living out their own Calvary’s. Jesus calls us to be willing to place ourselves in the pain and struggle of others and bring the joy and peace of Easter into hearts, entombed in winter cold and darkness.”