Dear Parishioners

This weekend we celebrate the gift of all fathers and grandfathers living and deceased.  With the fast pace of life we may take one another for granted, all the more reason then to celebrate Father’s day with all the love we can muster.

The love a man has for his wife and family is powerful, it mirrors the love God has for us. Think for a moment of the way the prodigal son’s father waited each day for him to return. This tells us a lot about how God waits for us to return to the abundance of his love.

You may be surprised though to hear in today’s Gospel that Jesus says if anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, and his own life, one cannot be my disciple.
Sounds extreme but I believe St Luke is simply making the point that we must be focused in our intention to follow Jesus. We live in a world with many products calling for our attention — Queensgate is full of them; and yet there is only one possession — the Lord Jesus. If our focus is on Jesus, we will discover him more in those we love:  our mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters.

Our response is one of grateful living for the way a parent’s love mirrors God’s love, especially as we honour all our fathers and grandfathers living and deceased.    

Happy Father’s Day!
Have a great week
Fr Bruce