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You are still able to donate non-perishable food and money to the foodbanks over the coming months.  There are opportunities to donate online, or our website to make this easier for people.  Immediate food needs will probably change week to week.  For more updates visit www.hailsham.foodbank.org.uk or www.eastbourne.foodbank.org.uk.  Thank you.

The readings for the fourth Sunday of Advent concentrate on events leading up to the first coming of Jesus. The Gospel, in particular, relates the key role of Mary. It is full of surprises as are the other readings.  

The first reading surprises us by telling of God’s promise to David that he would have a long line of royal descendants culminating in a final King, Jesus Christ. In the Responsorial Psalm the Psalmist recalls all of God’s promises and surprises us, describing God’s promise to David and his descendants in terms of a Covenant.

The second reading surprises us with Paul’s explanation of the unveiling of God’s plan for our salvation through Jesus. 

In the Gospel, the Angel Gabriel surprises Mary with seven announcements. 

1) Even as a virgin betrothed to Joseph, she will become a mother. 

2) She will become a mother through “the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the Power of the Most High will overshadow you.” 

3) The angel continues, “Therefore, the Child to be born will be called Holy, the Son of God.”

4) She is to “name the child Jesus,” which means Saviour. 

5) God will make Him a King and, as a descendant in the line of David, 

6) “He will rule over the House of Jacob forever, and of His Kingdom there will be no end.”

7) As a Divine sign, Elizabeth, Mary’s aged barren cousin is six months pregnant, “for,” says Gabriel, “nothing shall be impossible with God!

The Gospel also surprises us by reminding us that God’s promise is best fulfilled not in buildings, or even in great kings like Solomon, but rather in humble souls like Mary who trusted in God’s promise. We must learn and understand that we are not here to do things for God, but to reflect and build on what God is doing for, and through us. That is our task for this week!

The number of people experiencing food insecurity has increased dramatically during the COVID-19 19 crisis, with families in our diocese under increasing pressure.  Join our free Justice & Peace Webinar to find out what parishes can do to help on Saturday 16^th January 2021:  10 am to 12.30 pm.  To book you free place and receive the Zoom link, contact Rosie Read, Social Action Secretary, at [email protected]

Last Tuesday was the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and should have been a Holy Day of Obligation when all Catholics should attend Mass.  In the current situation this was impossible so I have included an attempt to lighten the situation which I found on the internet:

The Pharisees brought the woman, caught red-handed in adultery, before Jesus for judgment, and Jesus said, “Let the person who is without sin cast the first stone.” They fell silent, and then, all of a sudden, a stone came flying from the crowd. Jesus looked up, surprised and amused, and then said, “Hold it, mother? I was trying to make a point, here.

This Sunday is the third Sunday of Advent and is called “Gaudete Sunday” because the Mass for today (in its original Latin text), begins with: “Gaudete in Domino semper” – which translates as “Rejoice in the Lord always.” This is reminding us that we are getting ever nearer to the birth of Jesus which we celebrate at Christmas, so the rose candle in the Advent wreath is lit, and the priest and deacon may wear rose vestments. The common theme of the readings is one of joy and encouragement. They urge us to prepare ourselves in our hearts and lives as we await the rebirth of Jesus. Scripture reminds us that the coming of Jesus, past, present, and future, is the reason for our rejoicing. 

Malcolm Muggeridge wrote the following: Through her ministry in Jesus’ name, Mother Teresa brought untold blessings and joy to the poor who lay unattended and forgotten on our streets. When asked the source of her joy, Mother Teresa replied: “Joy is prayer — joy is strength — joy is love — joy is a net of love. . . A joyful heart is the normal result of a heart burning with love . . . loving as He loves, helping as He helps, giving as He gives, serving as He serves, rescuing as He rescues, being with Him twenty-four hours, touching Him in His distressing disguise.”

Justice & Peace Webinar 2021:  How Should this Diocese Respond to the Food Poverty Crisis?

The number of people experiencing food insecurity has increased dramatically during the Covid 19 crisis, with families in our diocese under increasing pressure.  Join our free Justice & Peace Webinar to find out what parishes can do to help on Saturday 16^th January 2021:  10 am to 12.30 pm.  To book your free place and receive the Zoom link, contact Rosie Read, Social Action Secretary, at [email protected]

The second Sunday of Advent has readings based on the theme of “Homecoming”. They focus on how essential it is for us to prepare for Christ to come home into our hearts and lives through repentance, making good anything that has gone wrong in our lives, prayer and the determination and effort needed to renew our lives. God has a saving plan for every one of us through our attendance at Mass, through the Scriptures and through the community life of prayer and thanksgiving.

Isaiah tells us about the Babylonian exiles coming home to their native country, Judah, and their holy city, Jerusalem. He assures them that the Lord promises them that it will be a grand procession and he will take care of them as a shepherd cares for his sheep. This is then reflected in the Psalm with the promise of peace when the Lord comes.

The Gospel tells us that during our preparation for Christmas we need to allow Jesus to be reborn in our lives.  People around us should recognise this happening in our lives by the way we share our love around us, by unconditional forgiveness, with a compassionate and merciful heart and a spirit of humble and committed service. So let us all accept John’s challenge to turn this Advent season into a real spiritual “homecoming” by making the necessary preparations for the fresh arrival of Jesus into our hearts and lives at Christmas.

Heaven’s Road Catholic Online Radiowww.heavensroadfm.com is an online radio broadcasting features like prayers, interviews and music to appeal to a Catholic audience – they also have many podcasts and broadcast over 40 daily live Masses from 15 churches in England and Ireland from their website www.heavensroadfm.com.

Thank you to all the members of both parishes who have been able to contribute to this year’s Love in a Box event.

Despite the difficulties and restrictions we have all faced this year, you have been able to contribute 17 boxes filled with gifts, 35 cosy blankets and over £80 towards transportation costs. It’s wonderful to know that the obstacles posed by COVID 19 have not stopped us from supporting this worthwhile cause.

Christmas Masses at St Wilfrid’s Church:  Christmas Eve – 4pm & 7pm

Please email [email protected] or Tel: 01323 841504 to put your name on the list, due to restrictions on numbers, a raffle will be drawn for you to be allocated a place and you will be duly notified if you have been allocated a seat.  The last date to book will be Wednesday 16th December.  Thank you.