27th July 2014 - A Faith Journey: Martina O'Sullivan - 17th Sunday in Ordinary time

On this weeks programme John and Lorraine are joined by Martina O'Sullivan who shares her faith journey with us. We have our regular Sunday gospel reflection as well as some liturgical odds and ends and some notices.

You can listen to the podcast of this weeks programme HERE.

Prayer for Peace by Pope Francis

Lord God of peace, hear our prayer! We have tried so many times and over so many years to

resolve our conflicts by our own powers and by the force

of our arms. How many moments of hostility and darkness have we experienced; how much blood has been shed; how many lives have been shattered; how many hopes have been buried… But our efforts have been in vain.

Now, Lord, come to our aid! Grant us peace, teach us peace; guide our steps in the way of peace. Open our eyes and our hearts, and give us the courage to say: “Never again war!”; “With war everything is lost”. Instil in our hearts the courage to take concrete steps to achieve peace. Lord, God of Abraham, God of the Prophets, God of Love, you created us and you call us to live as brothers and sisters. Give us the strength daily to be instruments of peace; enable us to see everyone who crosses our path as our brother or sister. Make us sensitive to the plea of our citizens who entreat us to turn our weapons of war into implements of peace, our trepidation into confident trust, and our quarrelling into forgiveness.

Keep alive within us the flame of hope, so that with patience and perseverance we may opt for dialogue and reconciliation. In this way may peace triumph at last, and may the words “division”, “hatred” and “war” be banished from the heart of every man and woman. Lord, defuse the violence of our tongues and our hands. Renew our hearts and minds, so that the word which always brings us together will be “brother”, and our way of life will always be that of: Shalom, Peace, Salaam!

Amen

 

 

A faith journey

 



On this weeks pogramme Martina O'Sullivan from Abbeyfeale joins John and Lorraine to share her faith journey.

 

Gospel - Matthew 13:44-52

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
 
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind; when it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into vessels but threw away the bad. So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous, and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.

"Have you understood all this?" They said to him, "Yes." And he said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old."

Reflections on this weeks gospel:

Word on Fire
English Dominicans
Sunday Reflections
Centre for Liturgy
Blue Eyed Ennis

Liturgical odds and ends

Liturgy of the Hours - 17th week in ordinary time; Psalter week 1

Saints of the Week

July 28th - Blessed José Melchór García-Sampedro Suárez
also St Innocent I (Pope)
July 29th - Blessed José Melchór García-Sampedro Suárez
also St Martha
July 30th - Blessed Edward Powell
July 31st - Saint Ignatius of Loyola (founder of the Jesuits)
August 1st - Martyrs of Nowogrodek (First Friday)
also St Alphonsus Ligouri (founder of the Redemptorists)
August 2nd - Our Lady of the Angels

Pope's Intentions for August

That refugees, forced by violence to abandon their homes, may find a generous welcome and the protection of their rights.

That Christians in Oceania may joyfully announce the faith to all the people of that region.