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Small things.

Doing the small things makes an enormous difference.

Time and time again I find myself quietly reminding myself to do the small things. 

Perhaps it’s just my character – but I want to grab the world and change it – change it for good – for Jesus Christ and I want to do it all right now!

Of course, that’s utterly out of my reach (right now) but… big things are inevitably made up of small things. 

When I walk through Hayes and I see beggars and people struggling to make ends meet I want to solve all their problems. I want to pick them up, dust them off and set them on the right path. The reality is that people find themselves in difficulty on the streets for a variety of very complex reasons and my instinct to pick people up and dust them off can often do more harm than good. So, I remind myself to do the little things. 

I don’t throw my arms in the air in despair at the world, I don’t protest in Parliament Square, I don’t shout at those passing by ignoring the person in need. No, I sit next to them and talk, or perhaps I smile and ask their name. I ask if they’d like a warm drink or a warm meal. What is it they need right now? 

Then, through that first small act there’ll be another, and another and eventually something amazing will have happened. We’ll have achieved the impossible. 

During this lockdown we may often find ourselves wondering how we’ll get through it all. 

So… do the little things. Pray when you wake, pray when you go to bed. Say hello to Our Father whenever you pass the church or walk past the cross in your home. 

Do the small things, and the big things will surprise you.

Fr. Matthew

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Other notices

The church is open everyday (except Saturday). The church will be open for Private Prayer for an hour after each streamed service. Jesus Christ will be present in the Blessed Sacrament on the Altar. Come and find peace and calm as we face lockdown together.  The foodbank and tutoring classes continue as usual on Wednesday & Fridays. 

Parish Giving Code – 230 623 503.
Call  – 0333 002 1271. 

This week will be very different for most of us. There are lots of changes to the way we do things – but there is alway continuity in prayer. That is where we must focus our minds in the coming weeks. Praying for ourselves, for each other and for the world at large.

We will be praying on Sunday for those who made the ultimate act of sacrifice for us in war. An Act of Remembrance will stream on Sunday at 10:45am after our live streamed Parish Mass.

Spiritual Communion.

Receiving Christ in your heart.

Whilst we are separated from receiving the Sacrament in the Mass we are not cut off completely. 

There is an ancient tradition in the Church of receiving Holy Communion via a Spiritual Communion. 

St. Thomas Aquinas says that in order to make a Spiritual Communion we should have,

‘an ardent desire to receive Jesus in the Holy Sacrament and a loving embrace as though we had already received Him’.

You can make your Spiritual Common as often as you like but I encourage you to make it each morning at about 9:30am – the moment when I will be elevating the Host in church at the Daily Mass.

In this way we will be offering our prayers together, holding together through this difficult time.

To make your Spiritual Communion pray:

‘My Jesus, I believe that you are in the Blessed Sacrament. I love you above all things, and I long for you in my soul. 

Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. As though you have already come, I embrace you and unite myself entirely to you; never permit me to be separated from you. Amen.’

Fr. Matthew

Downloads

Other notices

The church is open everyday (except Saturday). The church will be open for Private Prayer for an hour after each streamed service. Jesus Christ will be present in the Blessed Sacrament on the Altar. Come and find peace and calm as we face lockdown together. 

Parish Giving Code – 230 623 503.
Call  – 0333 002 1271. 

All Souls.

Praying for the dead.

There is a great deal of confusion and folk-law about why we pray for the dead. It is one of those things that can really get Anglicans tied up in knots – but there is no need, the reason is very simple. 

We pray for people when they are alive, so why then should we stop when they die? 

There are two things at play here. One is the belief that when we die we immediately go to Heaven or Hell and the prayers of our loved ones on earth will make little difference to either outcome. 

The second is the belief that the saints in Heaven can not pray for us or encourage us on this earth – in this great race.

Both of these things are very easy to understand, but are ultimately wrong. 

God does not operate in our ways – our ways are not His ways – and when it comes to time and things like ‘immediately’ what does that mean to Him? Do you think for one moment that when we die the concept of time as we understand it means God is not able to hear the prayers of our loved ones made after we die? Of course He hears our prayers, and if He hears them then we should make them.

The second idea that the saints and angels don’t pray for and encourage us in this life is just contrary to scripture. We know (read Hebrews) that the departed run this race with us and alongside us – so why then not ask them to pray for us in Heaven?

The point of praying for the dead is to pray for the repose of their souls, to bring comfort to the living and to remind us of our own mortality. All of these things are good and healthy. So pray for your departed loved ones with confidence that God hears you.

Fr. Matthew

Downlads

Other Notices

There will be no Evening Prayer in church on Thursday 5th November as Fr. Matthew has an appointment in central London. 

We will have a new tutoring company starting in church this week on Monday evenings. Please do ask Fr. Matthew for details if you’re interested. 

Parish Giving Code – 230 623 503.
Call  – 0333 002 1271. 

Sharing our gifts.

Feeding those who are hungry.

Three weeks ago I stood at the lectern and asked you to help me feed those most in need in Hayes. Those who are not supported by the Foodbank or other charities in Hayes. The difficult to connect with, the difficult to deal with, the difficult to love.

Last Sunday at our Harvest Festival you responded in the only way you knew how. You poured out your love in bags and bags and bags of food, toiletries and treats that will make cold nights on the streets of Hayes just that little bit easier. 

But you’ve done far more than just provide a bag of food. You have shown forth the love of Jesus Christ in Hayes in a way that nobody can deny. 

You have taken hold of the hand of the most vulnerable and told them that you love them.

As we move into the colder months of the year these bags of food will go a long way to warm up the stomachs of those in need – but your love has gone a long way to warming their hearts as well. 

These gifts are a gentle reminder that they are not lost. That they are part of our family and we love them just as Jesus loves all of us.

Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Fr. Matthew 

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Other notices

If you would like your loved ones prayed for at one of the two masses on All Souls (2nd November – 9:15am & 5:15pm) please make sure you write their names on the sheet at the back of the church or email Fr. Matthew

Fr. Matthew is away this week for half term – if you need a Priest in an emergency call the office number – 020 3855 0113 and you’ll be connected to a Priest who will be able to help. 

Parish Giving Code – 230 623 503.
Call  – 0333 002 1271. 

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

A tough week.

It has been a very tough week. First, the news that one of the children at Dr. Triplett’s Primary School had been run over and killed on Sunday evening. Then, the tragic news of a violent act of murder in the heart of the parish. 

How can we possible react to such horrible and heartbreaking news? How can we support each other in our hurt and pain?

As ever when we struggle to know what to do we can turn to scripture and to the example of the saints. St. Teressa of Avila (who’s memorial we celebrated on Thursday) was no stranger to hurt and pain. She reacted by taking it all to God in prayer. She would reproach God in the strongest terms. Through that prayer she would seek out the peace of God’s love for her and attempt to be healed by it.

Easier said than done perhaps. So how do you take this anger and pain to God in prayer? What words can you possible use? 

St. Paul helps us… 

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

Romans 8:26 (ESVA)

Take it to the Lord in prayer, in the power of the Spirit.

Fr. Matthew

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Other news

A huge thank you goes to David & Stan for their sterling work in cleaning the outside of church. What an amazing difference it has made – thank you.

Cleaning – after mass on Sunday 25th we’re going to stay to give the church a big clean. Please bring your own packed lunch and refreshments. We’re going to tackle the brick dust on all the surfaces, sweep and mop the whole church. Bring your dusters!

Parish Giving Code – 230 623 503.
Call  – 0333 002 1271.