THOUGHTS OF THE DAY

THOUGHTS OF THE DAY

SPEAKING OF THE HOLY SACRAMENTS - YESTERDAY IT WAS THE WEDDING OF TWO OF OUR PARISH MEMBERS. THE THOUGHT THAT STOOD OUT MOST IN THE SERMON WAS THE REMINDER THAT WE MARRY TO SERVE GOD TOGETHER BY WORSHIPPING (MEANING: PUTTING IN HARDEST LABOUR) FOR EACH OTHER'S HIGHEST GOOD NO MATTER, WHAT THE COST. IT IS THAT VERY SELFLESS PURPOSE THAT MAKES A MARRIAGE HOLY - TO SERVE AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER IN GODLY PATIENCE WITHOUT COMPLAINING, CALCULATING OR WEIGHING UP FOR OUR HUSBAND OR WIFE'S HIGHEST GOOD.

IF WE LIVE THROUGH BAD TIMES AND GOOD TIMES, IN SICKNESS AND HEALTH, FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE, THEN WE GLIDE THROUGH ALL OF IT
IN FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE - IT IS ONLY ONE WORD IN ENGLISH THAT HAS SO MANY MORE MEANINGS F.EX. IN GREEK. IT IS THE SELFLESSNESS THAT
WE ARE GIVING TO ONE ANOTHER IN HOLY MATRIMONY FOR THE SAKE OF THE OTHER'S HIGHEST GOOD.

WE ARE VERY QUICK TO COMPLAIN, WHEN WE FEEL HURT SOMETIMES TO SIMPLE MISUNDERSTANDINGS. IF WE LIVE OUR LIVES IN THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY MATRIMONY THE OTHER BECOMES OUR MIRROR - AND WE SEE OURSELVES, HOW WE REALLY ARE. AND WE ARE MIRRORS TO EACH OTHER THAT ACCEPT AND LOVE DESPITE ALL OUR FLAWS AND BLEMISHES AS WE LOVE WITH GOD'S LOVE WITHOUT JUDGMENT ATTACHED.

IT IS NOT AN EASY PATH - AND THE WEDDING IS ONLY THE VERY BEGINNING OF A LONG JOURNEY INSIDE TWO SOULS THAT BECOME ONE IN FLESH IN ORDER TO SERVE GOD. ISN'T IT A WONDERFUL LEITMOTIV AND RED THREAD TO SERVE ONE ANOTHER REGARDLESS OF ALL THE WORLD'S ODDS?!
TO BLOSSOM AND FACE THE TRUTH OF OUR SOULS AND HEARTS IN EACH OTHER'S EYES, AND TO WORSHIP EACH OTHER WITH OUR BODIES IN ORDER TO SERVE GOD?

AS ONLY THROUGH THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY MATRIMONY ARE TWO SOULS JOINED BY GOD IN AN INDESTRUCTABLE UNION AND ONLY GOD
CAN PART THESE TWO SOULS. WHOEVER HAS WITNESSED THE PURE ESSENCE OF A NUPTIAL MASS CAN WITNESS THE TRANSFORMATION OF
TWO SOULS, WHO ARE ENTERING THROUGH A NEW GATE OF ETERNAL COMMITMENT INTO THE HEAVENLY KINGDOM ON EARTH.
THEIR VOWS AND THE BLESSING OF THE RING BEFORE GOD AND JESUS IN THE PRESENCE OF THE PRIEST IN THE APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION
ARE THE KEY TO PART OF GOD'S BLUEPRINT OF CREATION. WE MIGHT FOOL OURSELVES INTO THINKING ANY CEREMONY WILL DO BUT IT DOES NOT AS IT LACKS THE ESSENTIALS - THE CORE OF CREATION: THE BOND BETWEEN A HOLY MAN AND WOMAN, WHO VOW TOGETHER TO SERVE GOD BY WORSHIPPING EACH OTHER - BECAUSE WHEN WE ARE TRULY LIVING FOR EACH OTHER'S HIGHEST GOOD, THEN WE ALSO LIVE FOR THE HIGHEST
GOOD OF GOD'S ONE HOLY NATION AND HONOUR HIS COMMANDMENTS FROM OUR OWN SMALLEST NUCLEUS OF CREATION.

AND WE TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR EVERY STEP AND ACCEPT THAT WE ARE BEING TAKEN TO TASK, IF WE ARE GUILTY OF ANY KIND
OF VIOLATION. AS WE LIVE IN THE AWARENESS THAT ONE DAY GOD AND JESUS WILL 'IN THE DREADFUL HOUR OF JUDGEMENT ASK' FROM US,
WHAT WE HAVE DONE TO SERVE THE HOLY TRINITY BEST. AND WE WILL HAVE UNTIL THEN PASSED OR NOT IN FAITHFULNESS MANY A TEST.

AFTER THE MASS WE HAD A WONDERFUL RECEPTION AND LUNCH FOR THE COUPLE AND THEIR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND EVERYBODY
WAS IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER INVOLVED, INCLUDING EVEN ESCORTING THEM TO THEIR HOTEL ROOM THAT WAS KINDLY SPONSORED
BY THE PCC.

IT WAS SO LOVELY TO WHISK THE COUPLE IN FULL GEAR THROUGH THE CITY OF LONDON IN WEDDING DRESS AND WITH US STILL WEARING OUR
KITCHEN APRONS AS WE WERE CLEARING AWAY THE DISHES, WHEN THE NEWLYWED COUPLE DECIDED TO RETREAT TO THEIR HOTEL,
AND THE VICAR IN CASSOCK - IT MADE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE CITY THINK AND SMILE.

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ANOTHER LOVELY NOTE THIS MORNING ON OUR WAY TO CHURCH WAS BUMPING INTO ONE OF OUR NEIGHBOURS, WHO HAD A BABY SON IN JANUARY.
WHEN WE SAW HIM FOR THE FIRST TIME HE SMILED FOR THE FIRST TIME SEEING MY DAUGHTER AND ME. TODAY WE SAW HIM AGAIN AFTER A WHILE,
AND HE WAVED AT US, AND THAT ALSO, FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER! WHAT A JOY THIS LITTLE BABY BOY IS TO US! HE IS ALSO ALWAYS ENJOYING OUR SINGSONG IN THE CHOIR THAT HE ALREADY ATTENDED.

SO, THE NEWLYWEDS HAVE THIS ALL TO COME... - WELL, THEY ALREADY KEPT A PIECE OF THE WEDDING CAKE FOR THEIR OFFSPRING ONE DAY, AN OLD TRADITION.

TODAY THE NEWLYWEDS WERE WITH US AT MASS AGAIN, AND WE HAD ANOTHER MEMORABLE DAY ALTOGETHER IN OUR LOVELY CHURCH FAMILY. EVERYBODY CONTRIBUTED FROM THEIR HEART AND SOUL TO SERVE GOD AND FOR THEIR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST AND THAT MAKES A COMMUNITY ALIVE AND HOLY. I WOULD SAY ALL IS WELL REALLY IN THE HEAVENLY KINGDOM ON EARTH. MAY IT GROW EVERMORE WITH THE HELP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND TO GOD'S HONOUR AND GLORY.

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MAY THE INFINITE LIGHT OF GOD SHINE BRIGHTLY UPON YOU, KEEP AND PROTECT YOU FROM ALL EVIL, HARM AND ANXIETY AND FILL YOUR VERY HEART AND SOUL WITH JESUS' COMPASSION AND PEACE.

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GOD BLESS YOU!

MOTHER ZIGGY