| Castlemaine Parish First Sunday of Lent 20th/21st February 2021 |
God’s Invitation
Lent is a season of being invited by God in a deeply personal way. “Come back to me, with all of your heart,” our Lord beckons. “We will,” we respond, but we aren’t quite ready yet, our hearts are not prepared. We want to squirm, evade, avoid. Our souls not yet perfect. We are not ready for God to love us. Yes, of course we want to have a deeper relationship with God, we tell ourselves earnestly. And we will…. Soon. God calls to us again: Come back to me, with all of your heart. Ok, ok, I really will. Just a few more things to do at work. Let me spend a little more time in prayer first. Let me get to Reconciliation. Let me clean my oven, tidy my closets. Sell my yoke of oxen. Check a field I have purchased….
Come back to me, with all of your heart. It is an extraordinary invitation to each one of us. To me in a personal, individual way. God invites me to drop the defences that I hold up between myself and God. All God wants is for me to realize that my standards, my way of judging and loving are so very different from God’s way, and so much smaller. God offers an entire Lent season, an entire lifetime, of loving me unconditionally, no matter what I have done or how much I think I have hidden from God.
From the first day of Lent, the Ash Wednesday readings make God’s call to us clear: “Return to me with your whole heart.” A clean heart create for me, O God,” Psalm 51 offers. “Give me back the joy of your salvation.” That is exactly what our loving God wants to give us, the joy of salvation. In North America, Lent falls in winter and these days are cold and dark, perfect for hiding ourselves indoors, perfect for hiding from God – or so we imagine. But our God is insistent, loving, gently prodding. God is the parent of the Prodigal Child, waiting faithfully, eagerly on the road for our return, night after night.
There are no folded arms and stern judging stares, only the straining eyes of a parent eager for our return, longing to embrace us and rejoice in us. Yet we spend so much time trying to think of how to return and what to say, how to begin the conversation. It’s only when we finally appear after so much time away, embarrassed and confused, that we understand we don’t have to say anything. We only have to show up. Look up there on the road ahead of us: our loving God is jumping up and down for joy. The invitation to us has been heard. We have returned home! But, wait… What stops us from this great reunion? What keeps us from accepting this invitation to something deeper in our lives with God? We feel in our hearts that there are things we should say first: “wait…but…if only” and finally, “If God really knew about me…” It doesn’t matter. None of it matters. Only the joy that we have turned to God and that like a loving father or mother, God is smothering us with embraces and joyful cries. We have returned! Come back to me, with all of your heart.
Our acceptance of this call, this appeal to our hearts is simple if we can only get beyond the fear. All we have to do is say to our Lord, “I’m here. Where do I start? Yes, I want to be with you.” Our hearts have been opened and we have taken the first step toward the rejoicing parent on the road. No explanations are necessary, only to pause and picture in our hearts the joyfully loving and unblinking gaze of God that falls on us.
Trocaire
Trocaire express their gratitude to all in the diocese for our 2020 diocesan contribution. Despite having no congregations at Easter our returns were over €110,000.00 – two thirds of previous years. The Lenten Campaign is vital to their independence as an international Development Organisation. Thank God for the Christian generosity of so many in our parishes. Trocaire boxes are now available from the porches of both Keel and Killtallagh churches. Thank you for your continued support.
___________________
Priest on duty this Sunday
Fr. Kieran O’Sullivan (087) 2432155
Parish Residence: 18 Ballyoughtragh Heights, Milltown
Rev. Conor Bradley (087) 3664057
Parish Office: open Wed. & Fri 9:30-12:30 066-9767312
Email: castlemaine@dioceseofkerry.ie
Website: www.castlemaineparish.com
Safeguarding Children: Contact No (087) 6362780
| Please pray for John Corcoran, Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.A. & formerly of The Mall, Castlemaine Masses & intentions online | ||
| Sat. Feb. 20th | 7:30 p.m. | Eileen Keeliher, Shanahill West, Keel Broadcast from Keel Church |
| Sun. Feb. 21st | 10:00 a.m. | Marcus Harig, Killarney & Germany Broadcast from Kiltallagh Church |
| Tue. Feb. 23rd | 7:00 p.m. | Broadcast from Listry Church |
| Wed. Feb. 24th | 9:00 a.m. | Broadcast from Milltown Church |
| Fri. Feb. 26th | 7:00 p.m. | Broadcast from Milltown Church |
| Sat. Feb. 27th | 7:30 p.m. | Ciss & Timmy O’Connor, Ross & Diarmuid McMahon, Croughmore Broadcast from Keel Church |
| Sun. Feb. 28th | 10:00 am | Sheila O’Sullivan, Cuss, Castlemaine Broadcast from Kiltallagh Church |
Reminder
All Masses will be celebrated without a congregation due to Covid-19 Government Restrictions
Mass is broadcast on 106fm and all Weekend Masses will be streamed online via our new webcam system:
- Log into www.castlemaineparish.com
- Scroll down to the bottom of page to where it says Live Streams
- Click St. Gobnait’s, Keel for Mass in Keel
- Click on ► to play
- Click St. Carthage’s for Mass in Kiltallagh
- Click on ► to play
Jesus went into Galilee. There he proclaimed the Good News from God (Mk 1: 12) Is He asking you to follow Him by proclaiming the Good News to the people in your Diocese as a priest, a deacon or in the consecrated life? Speak to your local priest or Diocesan Vocations Director, or email the National Vocations Office: info@vocations.ie
Online Pre-Sacramental Preparation talks for Parents:
The Diocese of Kerry will be hosting two online events for Parents whose child is going forward for the sacraments of First Holy Communion or Confirmation. Dr Dan O Connell will be presenting an online talk – Frist Communion Journeying with your child – on Tues 23rd Feb at 7pm. Dr Patricia Kieran will be presenting an online talk – Confirmation Journeying with your child – on Tues 2nd March at 7pm. Register online @ www.dioceseofkerry.ie For further information: email desbailey@dioceseofkerry.ie / 064 6632644
Trocaire: express their gratitude to all in the diocese for our 2020 diocesan contribution. Despite having no congregations at Easter our returns were over €110,000.00 – two thirds of previous years. The Lenten Campaign is vital to their independence as an international Development Organisation. Thank God for the Christian generosity of so many in our parishes. Trocaire boxes are now available from the porches of both Milltown and Listy churches. Thank you for your continued support.
Online Workshop for Parish Cantors/Music Directors
In preparation for the season of Easter, the diocese will host an online workshop for parish cantors and music directors. The workshop will take place on Wednesday, February 24th at 8pm via zoom. The focus for the evening will be how to approach music and singing for the Easter ceremonies and the Easter season. The workshop will be led by Tomás Kenny (Diocesan Pastoral Team) and Ailish Walsh (Director of Music at Castleisland Parish). Please contact Tomás at tomaskenny@dioceseofkerry.ie to register.
Recovery Haven Kerry Cancer Support House will have a 6 week Thriving and Surviving course online via Zoom commencing in March, (date to be considered) from 10.30 am to 1 pm. The course is to help support people recovering after cancer treatment. Please contact Reception on (066 )7192122.
Parish Envelopes: Whilst Masses are being celebrated without a congregation at this time, you may drop
Spring Dues & Parish envelopes or Mass intentions to:
- Helena’s Local XL shop in Castlemaine, to a secure box
- Every Saturday at Keel Church between 3pm – 4.30pm
- Post Box outside the Parish Office V93 X293 or
- Fr Danny’s house at 18 Ballyoughtragh Heights, Milltown
Thank you for your continued support.