JSTM


 

 

  

 

A WORD FROM THE PASTOR

Back to Normal Life!

It has been tough, yes; I say it has been tough all these days of the lockdown period. We never thought that we would be away from the church such a long time, and including Holy Week. I spent my time on personal readings, prayer, cooking and cleaning, talking to some of my old friends and watching some talk shows in my vernaculars. I do hope you also did in the same way.

It was interesting to set up for Mass daily and put things away. You know, I was sacristan, reader, altar boy and what not! Please remember if any minister is not on time for these works, I might take up your job!

Thank God, we will enter into phase 1 of the reopening plan by 15th May and back to normal life to some extent. It is said that 25% of the seating capacity is allowed for Mass. Our church has the seating capacity of some 400. So easily some 100 people can be seated. For the weekend of 16/17 May, we will mark the places of sitting. That will work out. I am delighted to welcome you all.

You know, sometimes, I felt sick not seeing people, not having people in the church for Mass, having Holy Week services without people and so on… There is a litany like that. I also received calls from our parishioners to enquire about me ‘how I am doing, whether I need any groceries.’ Thanks for free groceries, sanitary things and food which I got from some of our parishioners. Thanks to Facebook through which we were able to communicate to you some important matters.

Emerson,the great essayist and poet, once remarked, “Our chief want in life is someone who can make us do what we can.” What he meant was that we, as human beings, are constructed in such a way that we need somebody or something outside of ourselves to inspire us and to fire us to live up to our potential. Christians find that somebody in the risen Christ.

May we never give up our faith in the invisible presence of the risen Christ, however dark might be our situation. Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible. There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible. Faith begins where man’s power ends.

There is nothing to fear if we trust in Jesus. The past we need not fear, for it is forgiven. The present we need not fear, for it is provided for. The future we need not fear, for it is secured by the living power of Jesus. I welcome you all!

In the Service of the Lord,
   Father Thainese Alphonse

 

 

   
     
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