Peter Blog a few random thoughts

Going into the Church on Good Friday always feels very strange. The night before we followed Jesus into the Garden of Gethsemane. The Church is empty and silent you know that something is missing. The Tabernacle is empty the presence of Jesus in the Blessed sacrament is no longer there. For me it always feels empty. The Good Friday service reminds us of the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus did for us. he died on the cross. We gather at the foot of the cross and we watch the Lord's final agony. We venerate the cross creeping to the feet to kiss with love the feet of Jesus. We arrive in silence and leave in silence the Church then remains empty again our act of commemoration our act of love is over. My reflection of this Friday is one of thanks to God for such great love and sacrifice. If we ever feel that God does not love us then we just have to look at the cross to know that he does love us all very dearly. We should leave the Church knowing this love because we have witnessed it w...

Last Sunday we started our journey to Jerusalem. We welcomed Jesus with our hosannas and branches. Tonight we enter into the upper room. We gather around with the disciples and witness something very special. We are invited to the first Eucharist. Jesus holds the unleavened bread in his hands and says this is my body he breaks it and gives it to his disciples who take and eat. The same is done with the wine. And for countless generations on this night we have gathered for the Eucharist the Mass. And some have died for this belief. The Mass as the Vatican II fathers said is the source and summit of our worship. So there need to be a respect for this sacrament. In our hearts we need to be ready to receive Jesus. Receiving Jesus is a privilege and something that we should never take for granted Walter Kasper says the "Eucharist is the churches supreme procession which may not be turned into a bargain basement commodity that is offered to everyone without distinction a...

Every weekend when going to Mass we hear the Word of God. We sit and listen the old and new Testament and then stand to listen to the Gospel. It is something that I have done all my life in the Church. It comes to us like second nature. But, this weekend was different. After a while of praying and reflecting, I was asking myself what was different? I realised that I was actually listening to the word of God. I heard something very different. Now before you all think I have gone mad. Let me explain. The Gospel was the Woman caught in adultery. It is a Gospel reading that I have heard many times before. But as I listened I heard a most wonderful thing. And it is two lines. " They said to Jesus "Master this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery." and the other being " Where are they? Have no one condemned you?" "No one sir" she replied "Neither do I condemn you," said Jesus "go away, and do not sin anymore " ...

Arriving in Rome is always very exciting. I love the history and the rather unpredictable nature of the city. The city is generally noisy and dirty in places but has a feel of an exciting place to be.  Arriving late on Sunday evening it was enough for a little supper and a bed to sleep in. We knew that the next day we had to be up early to be at St. Peter's for mass. If you have never been in St Peter's before it may be best to get up early and go to one of the early morning masses. First of all it is very quiet, and so you can walk around and have a good look with out the crowds. The other thing that you are able to do is to go to Mass which we were luckily enough to have at the altar over the body of St Pope John Paul II (it is one on the webcam that you can pick up on the Pope App) For me it was quite an emotional Mass because it was at Wembley in 1982 at the Papal Mass that I was able to receive my First Holy Communion. After Mass there was the grand tour of St Peter'...