Dear Parishioners, 

Life has been very eventful recently, both here in the UK and all over the world. And in this context, this week we hear Jesus in the Gospel saying to Zacchaeus: Hurry, because I must stay at your house today. What a beautiful and special invitation! For him and for us. An invitation to look at Jesus and recognise him in the midst of all we live, uncertainties, worries, bad news, good news. He wants to be with us, to stay with us, to share with us.  

I had a chat with a youngster who is on a journey to became Catholic and he asked me: do you think am I ready for Jesus? That question really made me stop and think, Am I ready for Jesus? The words of the first reading (Wisdom 11) give us a very clear answer: you love all that exists. You spare all things because all things are yours, Lord lover of life. For God all of us are precious and whether we think we are ready or not for God, God wants to come to us, to come and stay with us, in the same way that Jesus went to meet Zacchaeus. 

Last week we went to Lourdes, what a beautiful and special experience! I was amazed at how many people were there. People from different countries, languages, ages. All united in one faith, in one purpose: to be with Mary, to be with the Mother. People speaking to her in Chinese, German, Italian, Spanish, Indonesian, Polish, English, French and more. All looking for a mother’s refuge, comfort, expressing to her our needs, the needs of people we care about. Mary, our Mother receives all we that we bring to her. Through the story of St Bernadette with Mary, I understood: God wishes to be with us and there is nothing that can stop his creativity that looks for ways to reach out to us. Through the little girl from a very small village in France many people have found hope and faith in their life.  

Like Zacchaeus, Mary, St Bernadette we can share our experience of meeting Jesus and many others may discover our experience of faith: The Lord is kind and full of compassion, slow to anger, abounding in love (Psalm 144). Then many people will believe in His abundant Love. 

Take care and have a lovely week 

Sr Anabel, FMVD