16 August 2014

‘Step up!’, Don’t let the Joy end

Dear Parishioners,

We are now into days four and five of our Eleven Day Journey of 19 special Faith and Community Events for our Parish Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady.

In journeying with the Bishop, Priests, Sisters, our large team of hardworking staff and volunteers, and so many parishioners in these events it has been inspiring to experience the qualities expressed by Pope Francis in this weeks Paragraph of His prayer to Mary. These qualities are the ”radiant witness to communion, service, ardent and generous faith, justice and love of the poor,”.

You can see some of this spirit in the photos in the Newsletter and our facebook page.

Fr Youakim passed on to me the following story that can inspire us to step up still now, if we have not yet started, to follow in the example of Mary in Radiating the Joy of the Gospel.

There was a talented tightrope walker who decided to put on a special show for the people on the main street of the city by demonstrating how to walk on a tightrope between two high buildings.

As he was preparing a big crowd of passers-by began to gather. When he started his first crossing they were amazed and could not believewhat was happening before their eyes. When he completed the first crossing they were in awe and applauded him with joy.

Seeing the large crowd below, the tightrope walker asked for a volunteer to help with his most important act, namely to get on his shoulders while he walked back across the tightrope. He waited a long time and no one came forward. He was sad no one trusted him to participate and said to the crowd of watchers: “I am sad and sorry that no one has stepped up to bring you greater joy.…Therefore the show is over. It is finished”.

The moral of the story is that in God’s most important ‘action’ and work of salvation in Christ Jesus his Son, the Lord does not need just watchers, but participants, people who are willing to step up with faith and ready to serve humbly like Mary.

So let us continue or be renewed in stepping up to be part of the remaining faith and Community events and radiate the Joy of the Gospel, which reveals God’s amazing plan of Salvation.

To help us we continue to pray with Pope Francis:

Mary,

Star of the new evangelization,
help us to bear radiant witness to communion,
service, ardent and generous faith,
justice and love of the poor,
that the joy of the Gospel
may reach to the ends of the earth,
illuminating even the fringes of our world. Amen. Alleluia!