he Church Year is moving through autumn, and the Introit asks God’s mercy for those who walk undefiled in His Ways. The Collect goes farther as God’s children ask Him for grace to withstand the temptations of the devil.
 
We are reminded in the Gradual that nations as well as people are blessed by the Lord, wise words for our own time. Dear St. Paul, a prisoner , entreats the Christians to maintain charity and keep a bond of peace with each other, having presumably one Lord, one Catholic Faith, one common goal: Heaven. Based upon Our Lord’s own Words in the Gospel, we are commanded to love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul and with thy whole mind...and...thy neighbour as thyself.
 
The second portion of the two Commandments is the most difficult to maintain. We ask God to hear our prayers in the Offertory and for forgiveness of past sins in the Secret, an allusion to the Sacrament of Penance. It may not be self-evident, but the second of the Commandments, love of neighbour, prepares us to love God for as St. John Chrysostom comments, “Everyone who does evil hates the Light and never attains to the Light.” It may well be that modern Christians, rejecting much of the teaching of the Church, and filled with perversity, lukewarmness and hypocrisy, are assisting hell and the demons as pagans, many of whom are former Catholics, and unbelievers’ recoil from Christians who are filled with hatred, not love of God and neighbour.
 
The 27th is the Feast of SS Cosmas and Damian Mm., physicians, perhaps brothers who served the poor. Martyred in Cillicia, later their relics were taken to Rome and placed in the Temple of Romulus in the Roman Forum which had been converted into a Catholic Church. Their names are inscribed in the Venerable Roman Canon, and the priest makes a slight bow toward the Crucifix at their mention. Although not commemorated in the Mass, using the newer rubrics, perhaps a bow might be made in the Canon by the celebrant.

In the Gospel Jesus teaches us the lesson of humility, to seek the lower place, if we are to come to Him. Sadly, most of us seek to be experts in all subjects and fail to be charitable and humble. Knowing our weaknesses, in the Introit and Collect we pray for “mercy” and His “grace” respectively which thought is continued into the Offertory as we entreat God for help against those who “seek after my soul to take it away” who, as it were, help point me in the direction away from the Cross and to the pleasures of this world. Strengthened at the anticipation of the Holy Eucharist, we ask for worthiness to receive the graces of the Holy Sacrifices (Secret) having been fortified by the Epistle which tells us of Christ’s Love which transcends any love describable.

Today is Feast day of St. Eustace and Companions Mm. The Saint is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers invoked for help against fire, both physical and spiritual. Pray today to the Saint for protection from the immense fires that beset us. Although not commemorated in Masses using the 1960 rubrics, pray to the Saint with confidence.
 
Ember Days: Wednesday, Friday and Saturday are Ember Days, days of traditional fasting for those 21 to 59 years old, and partial abstinence for those over 7 years of age on Wednesday and Saturday. On Wednesday and Saturday meat may be consumed at the main meal only, and 2 small collations, both together adding up to a bit less than a full meal, may be eaten. On Friday no meat is permitted and only one full meal may be taken. The fasting would not apply to the sick or those doing hard physical labour.
When there is doubt, the best thing is to consult the priest.
 

The Scriptural selections for today's Holy Mass refer to  the tears  of Mother Church weeping for the return of the sinner,  as if for an only child.

This is symbolized by the grief of the Widow whose son was restored to life by Jesus (Gospel) "God visited His people." The Prayer pleads for God to visit His Church "continually" with Divine Life.

We act as the children of this Church, reborn and restored to the "life of the Spirit" by instructing others in the work in which we have been "instructed" and  doing  "good to all men" (Epistle); by morning and evening  prayers  to  Him  Who  is "King  above  all the earth" (Gradual) throughout our entire day.

The Sacramental Life is our defense against diabolical attack (Secret and Communion). A life-long war goes on between the death-dealing flesh and the everlasting spirit; hence the Postcommunion counsels us that, not the "impulses of nature," but rather the "graces of the  Eucharist"  should dominate our life.

Some good news!

The annual pilgrimage to St Mary's Cathedral, Wrexham will take place on Saturday, 17th October 2020, the feast day of St Richard Gwyn, co-patron of the LMS, God willing.High Mass will be celebrated at 11.30am, by priests of the Institute of Chirst the King Sovereign Priest. The Sisters Adorers of the Royal Heart of Jesus Sovereign Priest will provide the music. All welcome.

Due to ongoing restrictions on the number of people allowed in churches, if you wish to attend it is essential that you book. To do so, please email [email protected].

We are limited to 45 pilgrims and pre-booking will also aid the track and trace process which we are obliged to comply with.

This Sunday’s sacred liturgy shows the utter incompatibility of serving two masters at the same time. We must serve either the spirit or the flesh (Epistle), God or mammon (Gospel).

The Introit describes the “longing” of man who finds his only true happiness in God. The Prayer speaks of the human and the Divine in the Church, God’s own society, destined nevertheless for eternal victory.

In the Epistle is a vivid account of the struggle between the “spirit” on one hand, reborn in Baptism, enlightened by faith, sanctified by grace; and the “flesh” on the other, with its evil passions of the body, idolatrous outrages against God, crimes against one’s neighbour The Gradual pictures the reward of those who put their trust in the Providence of the Creator rather than in the fickleness of creatures or created things.

The Gospel should be read and re-read as the antidote to twentieth century experience. After warning us against inordinate anxiety for worldly things, Jesus gives us an inspiring picture of God’s Providence. The keynote to earthly peace and sufficiency is contained in the Communion.