Confession - Sin and Forgiveness

"Confession, is an act of honesty and courage; an act of entrusting ourselves, beyond sin, to the mercy of a loving and forgiving God. It is an act of the Prodigal Son who returns to his Father and is welcomed by him with the kiss of peace."

� Pope John Paul II on Sin and Forgiveness

JESUS will always be with us

Jesus never promised this world would be easy. 

But He did promise He would always be with us, 

that He would help us carry our crosses, 

and that in the end, Love wins.

St. Jude, you who has never been known to fail!

St. Jude, Patron of Hope for the impossible, the inconsolable, the desperate and the hopeless, 
please come to my aid for you who has never been known to fail! Help me persevere despite harsh and difficult times. Come to my assistance and provide me the speedy help in this great need (state your request), through your intercession and prayer St. Jude, I truly believe and have confidence that I will receive my request. I promise you, dearest St. Jude, to be ever mindful of this great favor, and I will honor you as my special and powerful patron and to encourage others in devotion to you. Amen.

Our weapon is prayer, Pope Francis

At the celebration of World Mission Sunday on the 20 October 2013, Pope Francis in his Sunday Angelus greeting said the following to an enthusiastic crowd in St. Peter�s Square.

�Above all, persevering prayer is an expression of faith in a God who calls us to fight with him, every day, every moment, to overcome evil with good,� 

�In our daily journey, especially in difficulties, in the struggle against evil outside of ourselves and within us, the Lord is not far way, he is at our side; we fight with him beside us, and our weapon is prayer, which makes us feel his presence alongside of us, his mercy, even his help,�

�God is our ally, faith in him is our strength, and prayer is the expression of this faith.�

�He knows what we need better than we do!�

Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles (Feast)

Simon is called the Zealot or the Canaanite, he was also known as Simon the Lesser, which distinguish him from Simon Peter. Jude is is known as Judas, son of James and has gain the reputation as Saint Jude Thaddeus the patron saint of hopeless causes. Jude is the brother of Saint James the Less. Saint Simon the Zealot, shares the feast with Saint Jude Thaddeus on 28 October, and both of them were among the disciples whom Jesus chose twelve to be be his apostles (Luke 6:12-16). Jude also had special gifts of the Holy Spirit which includes ordering the demons to leave the pagan idols in the temples he visited. Once they were gone, the idol images toppled and smashed to pieces, and this was a sign to all that Jude's God was the One True God. After Jesus' Ascension, Simon set for Egypt where he preached the Good News and then went on to Carthage, then into Spain and even into Britain. Upon his he returned to Jerusalem where he joined Jude on missionary journeys east to Syria, Mesopotamia and into Persia, today known as Iran.

O God, You made Your Name known to

us through the Apostles. 

By the intercession of Saint Simon and Saint Jude, 

let Your Church continue to grow with an

increased number of believers. 

Grant this through Christ our Lord.

Amen

Monday, 28 October, 2013
Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles (Feast)

Reading

Ephesians 2: 19 - 22
19	So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
20	built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,
21	in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord;
22	in whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Psalm

Psalms 19: 2 - 5
2	Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge.
3	There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard;
4	yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun,
5	which comes forth like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and like a strong man runs its course with joy.

Gospel

Luke 6: 12 - 16
12	In these days he went out to the mountain to pray; and all night he continued in prayer to God.
13	And when it was day, he called his disciples, and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles;
14	Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew,
15	and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot,
16	and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.