Holy Hour, desiring God.
Last week we began our Advent dedication of Holy Hour on Sunday evenings.
It was really lovely to share an hour of silence with you all before the Blessed Sacrament and to pray in earnest for the life of the parish.
As I sat and prayed I was moved by a prayer of St. Anselm that I commend to you all this second week of Advent.
“Let me seek you by desiring you, and desire you by seeking you; Let me find you by loving you, and love you in finding you.”
Prayer is a DOING task. It is not something we do when all else fails, but something we DO expecting it the change things.
In praying we expect God to turn up.
I think a lot of people struggle with that part of prayer.
Prayer can sometimes feel like shouting into the void, but time and time again scripture shows us the great and real power of prayer.
The only way to understand the power of prayer – and the deep love that God has for you – is to DO it, and to DO it desiring what God has planned for you and those around you.
Holy Hour is not a time to sit quietly and collect your thoughts – good though that can be.
It is a time to concentrate on desiring God, of seeking God in your life and in that desire and seeking – in prayer – finding God’s love (and plan) for YOU.
Fr. Matthew
Downloads
Readings for Sunday 10th December
Other News
During Advent we will hold a ‘holy hour’ before the Blessed Sacrament this Sunday at 5pm (please note the time change).
NEXT week is our special mass led by our wonderful Children. They will offer the readings, the prayers and a little something especially for Christmas. Please do come along and support them, and maybe bring some new friends.
The Indian Orthodox church who use the church on Sunday afternoons have invited us to join them for carols by their children and some refreshments THIS Sunday 17th December, 3pm – 5:30pm. Fr. Matthew & Fr. Josiah will be in attendance.
As we move towards planting a new church at The Ace Cafe in the new year we’ve been asked to provide a choir for BBC News on the 14th December at 9am at The Ace to sing out the morning news with Hark The Herald Angels Sing. There will be a minibus leaving St. Anselm at 8am on Thursday and we will have breakfast together after the carols before returning to Hayes.