14th Sunday OT 2008

Come to me all you who labour and are over burdened and I will give you rest. These words of our Lord inspire us. They are firstly his words to each of us. he comes to lift our burdens and give us peace. If you feel you are carrying a heavy burden do these words not lift you up, encourage you, give you strength. The feeling that the almighty cares about our burdens, our cares, the things that we are carrying gives us great peace, he lifts them from our shoulder, he eases the burden. The darkest night, the heaviest burden, the most complicated situation is not too much for him.

These words came to me in this week in which I was privileged to visit the international centre for Aid to the Church in Need. Over the last 7 years we have been very privileged to help them in their work. Bicycles for catechists; help in Sudan; building a pastoral centre in Slovakia; training for priests in Slovakia; building a church in Vietnam; help for monks in Mongolia and China; 10000 catechisms for Pakistan. This is exactly what we are trying to do in the name of Christ, lighten the load, ease the burden, take the weight, share the load.

On my visit to the Aid to Church in Need central HQ I saw how at first hand the organisation works. I met two bishops one from Pakistan were a number of Churches had been burned down and Indian archbishop where a law has been passed that there is no conversions allowed. These bishops were only two of a steady stream of people who come to the offices and apply worldwide. 5000 projects were helped last year, 80 million euros were spent. They were able to tell me that we had helped our diocese enter the three largest giving areas in the whole of the United Kingdom. We have become one of the best parishes in the whole world to give consistently to Aid to the Church in Need.

We are fulfilling our mission, our reason for being we are doing what he wishes in his name and by his power we are lightening the load and easing the burden. He says come to me and I will you give you rest. We are helping hose words to be born in people’s hearts.

We think of the many people in the church who are struggling and in need, we are not turning away from them. We are not in he group who know it and do nothing. We are people who in his name, and always in his name and for the sake of him have come to lighten the load and ease the burden.

Prayers of Intercession 14 OT A

Priest

God cares for us in the burdens we carry, in the uncertainty of our darkest night – he eases our burden and makes light the things we carry

Intercessor

For Pope Benedict who is preparing to visit Australia – for all the blessings he needs to speak to the hearts of the young

Lord hear us

For all who carry heavy burden, that they may find in us people who will carry the cross with them

Lord hear us

For those who are on holiday for rest when they are away and safety in their travel.

Lord hear us

For all the sick in hospital and at home, that they may know the comfort and the peace of Christ

Lord hear us

For all who have died and all that ask for prayers for relatives and friends who have died.

Lord hear us

Priest

From you every good thing comes. We thank you for all the graces and kindnesses that we have known and for all our life which becomes a channel of your grace. Help us to mindful of those who carry heavy burdens and are weighed down. top Comment on this Homily