Dear Parishioners, friends & visitors,
When the late British Lieutenant-General Robert Baden-Powell,
together with his sister Agnes, founded the world-wide Girl
Guide and Boy Scout Movements, they chose a common Motto:
“Be Prepared.” The choice of the Motto ‘be prepared’ means that
members of these movements must ensure that they know how
to act promptly or what to do in case of an accident or
emergency. They must never be taken by surprise. We don’t need to belong to the Girl
Guide or Boy Scout Movements before we adopt and live our daily life inspired by the
Motto: “be prepared.” If nothing else can convince us of the need to be ready and always
prepared, I think the fragility of human life can. We live in the space between one
breath and another. Although we sometimes claim an illusion of permanence on this
planet, the existential reality is that we are just visitors on earth. The fragility of
human life cannot guarantee us any form of permanence in this life.
In the gospel of this weekend, Jesus re-echoes the necessity of being prepared and ready
at all times, when He says: “be dressed ready for action and keep your lamps
burning, like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so
that when he comes and knocks, they can immediately open the door for him. It will be
good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell
you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and
wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if
he comes in the middle of the night or towards daybreak. But understand this; if the
owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have
let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come
at an hour when you do not expect him,” (Luke 12: 35-40).
Death is an inevitable part of human life. As mortals, we shall all die or rather we shall
all underdo some form of change. No human will come before God with this frail and
perishable flesh we have today. Saint Paul says: “it will happen in a moment, in the
blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For, when the trumpet sounds, those
who have died will be raised to live forever. And we, who are living, will also be
changed,” (1 Corinthians 15:52). With so many distractions around, it’s easy for us to be
caught up in the illusions of this transient life. For many of us, life is filled with loose
ends. We can be good at leaving things either undone or half-done. Jesus never left
anything undone. Jesus forgave when He needed to forgive. Jesus fed the people when
He needed to feed the people. Jesus did what needed to be done without any delay or
procrastination. Delay in some circumstances can be regrettable and dangerous. The
Christian hope of a future with God belongs to those who prepare for it today and
everyday. The American pastor and speaker, John Maxwell once said: “we exaggerate
yesterday, overestimate tomorrow and ultimately, underestimate today.” The truth of
matter is that today matters, and to be always prepared and ready is to always realise
that ‘today matters.’ This is one of the favourites quotes: “Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That’s why we call it ‘The Present’”.
While it’s important for us as humans to live and celebrate each present day as a
previous gift from our God and Father, however, it’s also important that we
contemplate tomorrow and the mystery of eternity. We don’t belong here. We are not
even made for this place. In his letter to the Colossians, Saint Paul says: “since, then,
you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is,
seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly
things.
For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is
your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory,” (Colossians 3:1-4). We
get life insurance, which is intended to minimize the expense and stress of any work our
loved ones will be required to do when we are gone from this life and we write a Will,
to make sure that our estate is handled properly and our assets are distributed as
directed. When we get life insurance or write a Will, we begin to prepare and get ready
for the great unknown. Death underpins our intention to write a Will. When death
knocks and we are gone from this mortal life, God wants us to be at peace with
ourselves, with God and with our fellow human beings. It would be a haunting
experience if anyone dies with bitterness and with unresolved matters with some fellow
human beings. “Do not let resentment lead you into sin, the sunset must not find you
still angry, do not give the devil an opportunity,’ (Ephesians 4:26). We adopt the motto
of the Girl Guide and Boy Scout Movements- ‘be prepared’ when we ensure that we do
not go about daily life with heavy hearts or go to bed with deep-seated hurts and
injuries. There are great books, which offer step-by-step guides on how to make a
‘Particular Examen’ during the day or ‘Examination of Conscience’ at night before
sleep. ‘Since we are all destined to die once and after that to face judgment,’ ( Hebrew
9:27), let’s ensure that we are always ready and prepared for the hour or day of our
death.
God bless you all.
Fr. John Ikechukwu Echewodo
Parish Priest
CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS 2016
All events and holy mass will be held at the St. Mary’s Worship Center, Upper Coomera
Saturday, 24th December (CHRISTMAS EVE)
4.30pm – Carol Singing | 5:00 – Holy Mass
9.30pm – Carol Singing | 10:00 pm – Holy Mass
Sunday 25th December 2016 (CHRISTMAS DAY)
7.30am Holy Mass
9.30am Holy Mass
Saturday, 31st December (NEW YEAR’S EVE)
6pm – Holy Mass
Sunday 1st January 2017 (NEW YEAR’S DAY)
7.30am Mass | 9am Mass | 5pm Mass
SAINT MARY’S CATHOLIC CHURCH
COOMERA
Ash Wednesday – Mass at 7pm
Stations of the Cross – Every Friday at 7pm
Mass Times :
(NO 5 PM EVENING MASS ON EASTER SUDAY)
Programme for Holy Week & Easter 2022
Saturday, 9th April
· 6pm Vigil Mass of Palm Sunday – Main Parish Church
Sunday, 10th April- Palm Sunday
· 7.30am Mass – Parish Main church
· 9am Mass – Parish Main church
· 5pm Mass – Parish Main Church
Monday, 11 th April
· 9.30am Mass – Parish Main Church
· 7pm 2nd Rite of Reconciliation – Parish Main Church
Tuesday 12 th April
· 6pm Rosary – Parish Main Church
Wednesday 13th April
· 5pm Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament – Parish Main Church
· Rosary – Parish Main Church
· 5.30pm Evening Prayer – Parish Main church
· 5.45pm Benediction – Parish Main Church
· 6pm Mass – Parish Main Church
Holy Thursday 14th April – The Lord’s Supper
· 7pm Mass of the Lord’s Supper & Washing of Feet – Parish Main Church
Transfer of Blessed Sacrament & Adoration
Good Friday 15th April – The Lord’s Passion
· 10am Stations of the Cross – St Joseph’s College (99 Kerkin Rd South, Coomera)
(In the event of wet weather, Stations of the Cross will be held at St Mary’s Coomera)
· Confession available afterwards – St. Mary’s Chapel
· 3pm Celebration of the Passion of the Lord – Parish Main Church
Holy Saturday 16th April
· 7pm Easter Vigil Mass – Parish Main Church
Easter Sunday 17 th April
· 7.30am Mass – Parish Main Church
· 9.00am Mass – Parish Main Church
No 5pm Evening Mass
Monday 24th December 2018 (CHRISTMAS EVE)
Tuesday 25th December 2018 (CHRISTMAS DAY)
There will be NO Evening Mass on Christmas Day
2017-2018