7TH SUNDAY ORDINARY TIME 23 FEBRUARY 2025 Newsletter
Penitential Rite
Our God is patient and merciful, Slow to anger and abounding in kindness. Let us call to mind that goodness.
Lord, you are the source of all goodness. Lord have mercy
Lord, you seek the lost and rejoice in the found.
Christ have mercy
Lord, you call us to at-one-ment with you and each other.
Lord have mercy
May our gracious God have mercy on us, forgive us our sin and bring us to life everlasting. Amen
Samuel 26
Saul set off and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, accompanied by three thousand men chosen from Israel to search for David in the wilderness of Ziph. So in the dark David and Abishai made their way towards the force, where they found Saul lying asleep inside the camp, his spear stuck in the ground beside his head, with Abner and the troops lying round him. Then Abishai said to David, Today God has put your enemy in your power; so now let me pin him to the ground with his own spear. Just one stroke! I will not need to strike him twice.‘ David answered Abishai, ‘Do not kill him, for who can lift his hand against the Lord’s’ anointed and be without guilt? David took the spear and the pitcher of water from beside Saul’s head, and they made off. No one saw, no one knew, no one woke up; they were all asleep, for a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen on them. David crossed to the other side and halted on the top of the mountain a long way off; there was a wide space between them. David answered, ‘Here is the king’s spear. Let one of the soldiers come across and take it. The Lord repays everyone for his uprightness and loyalty. Today the Lord put you in my power, but I would not raise my hand against the Lord’s anointed.
1 Corinthians 15: 45-49
The first man, Adam, as scripture says, became a living soul; but the last Adam has become a life-giving spirit. That is, first the one with the soul, not the spirit, and after that, the one with the spirit. The first man, being from the earth, is earthly by nature; the second man is from heaven. As this earthly man was, so are we on earth; and as the heavenly man is, so are we in heaven. And we, who have been modelled on the earthly man, will be modelled on the heavenly man.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia!
I give you a new commandment: love one another; just as I have loved you, says the Lord. Alleluia!
Luke 6:27-38
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘But I say this to you who are listening: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who treat you badly. To the man who slaps you on one cheek, present the other cheek too; to the man who takes your cloak from you, do not refuse your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and do not ask for your property back from the man who robs you. Treat others as you would like them to treat you. If you love those who love you, what thanks can you expect? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what thanks can you expect? For even sinners do that much. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what thanks can you expect? Even sinners lend to sinners to get back the same amount. Instead, love your enemies and do good, and lend without any hope of return. You will have a great reward, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. ‘Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge, and you will not be judged yourselves; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned yourselves; grant pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give, and there will be gifts for you: a full measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap; because the amount you measure out is the amount you will be given back.’
Prayer of the Faithful
God our Father and Mother, your love draws the very best from us. We thank you.
Lord hear us
May our respect for one another be so strong that violence, whether it be physical or psychological is simply never an option for us. Lord hear us
Help us Lord, to let go of the injustices done to us and be instruments of your healing for others and for ourselves. Lord hear us
We remember all who have died, and those who grieve for them. May we be united again in the Kingdom of your peace and love.
Lord hear us
May our Church Community be a source of compassion, empathy and forgiveness for all. Lord hear us
In silence we put aside our own needs, no matter how important and remember all who need our prayer and support……………………………Lord hear us
Reflection
Forgiveness is one of the really difficult things in life. The logic of receiving hurt seems to run in the direction of never forgetting either the hurt or the hurter. When you forgive, some deeper, divine generosity takes over. When you can forgive, then you are free. When you cannot forgive, you are a prisoner of the hurt done to you. If you are really disappointed in someone and you become embittered, you become incarcerated inside that feeling. Only the grace of forgiveness can break the straight logic of hurt and embitterment. It gives you a way out, because it places the conflict on a completely different level. In a strange way, it keeps the whole conflict human. You begin to see and understand the conditions, circumstances, or weakness that made the other person act as they did. May your forgiveness still the hunger of the wound. So that for the first time you can walk away from that place, reunited with your banished heart, now healed and freed, and feel the clear, free air bless your new face.
John O’Donohue
.
Thank you for visiting our parish website which we hope you find informative and friendly. Our website has been created to offer you helpful information on parish life. As the church where many pilgrims begin their Camino to Santiago in Northern Spain, we provide an Irish passport and stamp.
St James’s Church is situated on the corner of James St. and Echlin St. The parish is served by Dublin buses 13, G1, G2, S2 and 123. The Red Luas line runs close by, with a stop at James St. (turn right at this station on to James St.) and Heuston Station is only a few minutes walk away. Dublin Bikes have two stations at the front and rear of the church.
Passports for the Camino de Santiago are available from
Church Sacristy
on Mon & Tues 9am to 12noon, Thurs 10.30am to 12 noon
Buen Camino!
Reg Chy No 20016166
