Friday, 28 February 2020

Update re Coronavirus COVID-19 action Plan. Present status= preparatory. Go about your business as usual.

Coronavirus COVID-19 emergency plan has been activated by the Government. Here's what that means for you

Taken from ABC news Website.
By health reporter Olivia Willis

Posted about 28th Feb 2020 at approx 2:48pm

Yesterday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the rapid spread of virus outside of China had prompted his Government to elevate Australia's response.

"We believe the risk of a global pandemic is very much upon us and as a result, as a government, we need to take the steps necessary to prepare for such a pandemic," Mr Morrison said.

So, what does the emergency plan mean for you?

How does the plan affect me?

At this stage, the activation of the Government's emergency health response plan doesn't change a whole lot for the general public.

"At the individual [level], nothing changes, principally because we don't have further cases at the local community level," said Dr Kamradt-Scott, an associate professor at the University of Sydney.While the health sector is now working to adequately prepare for a potential COVID-19 outbreak, things are business as usual for the rest of us, health security expert Adam Kamradt-Scott said.

So far, there has been no evidence of human-to-human transmission of the virus in Australia, with all of the people infected here having recently been in China or in contact with someone there.

"In Australia, the coronavirus has been effectively contained … so even though the Government has enacted the emergency response plan, nothing substantially changes for the everyday person at the moment."

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt reinforced that message today, after meeting with his state and territory counterparts at a special COAG pandemic meeting.

Mr Hunt said although the global spread of coronavirus meant there was now a "high likelihood" COVID-19 would reach Australia at some point, there was no need for people to panic.

"Our message is that we are prepared for that moment because we are not immune, but it is very important to go about your daily business," he said.

When will things change?

Things will start to change if we see evidence of community transmission in Australia — whereby coronavirus cases emerge that have not come directly from overseas.

Tuesday, 25 February 2020

First Sunday of Lent. Year A - Sunday, March 1, 2020

Homily First Sunday of Lent. Year A - Sunday, March 1, 2020

Readings for 1st Sunday of Lent – A

FIRST READING: Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7

PSALM: Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14+17. "Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned"

SECOND READING: Romans 5:12-19

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Matthew 4:4b). Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless Glory. No one lives on bread alone. But on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

GOSPEL: Matthew 4:1-11 – Temptation

Image Credit: Shutterstock Licensed ID: 778363450 "Mount of Temptation next to Jericho - a place where Jesus was tempted" - By Sopotnicki

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Please listen to my audio recordings of the readings, prayers and reflections for the First Sunday of Lent. Year A - Sunday, March 1, 2020, by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-ep-209-lent-1-a-2020/s-KkQer (EPISODE: 209)

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Prologue: Our Lenten journey has well and truly begun. It is a wonderful time of extra prayer, reflection and penance - in order to re-focus our sights upon Christ and his gospel. this weekend we hear of the temptation of Our Lord in the desert. I had always seen this time as a preparation for Christ's public ministry - and in a sense that perfectly true. But it's more than that. It turns out that this is his first and definitive battle (and victory), in God's war against the derailing effects of temptation, (to ignore the Fathers will in a distorted and self-justified attempt to follow our own will). This has wracked the human condition since the beginning. In the desert, Christ strikes the first blow against humanity's alienation from God. This is faith, hope and love.

Our Lord wastes no time going straight to work of achieving his Heavenly Father's mission. Jesus is God made human, the new Adam. and he quickly sets about reversing the failures to temptation that has been around since from the beginnings of humanity and which we still face today.

Although Jesus is God he is also completely human like us, so in his humanity, he faces temptation and defeats it.

We can see this forty days in the desert as a massive battle between for forces of the Gods Kingdom and the forces of evil. Our Lord shows us how to take on temptation and not succumb to its distortion of the truth.

Our Lord uses prayer, fasting and intense focus on the will of the Father to cut through the lies of the evil one.

We notice too that Satan turns up to assail him near the end of his forty days. Our Lord would have been tired, extremely hungry and at his physical and emotional weakest. and this is when Satan begins his cowardly attacks. It's good to keep in mind - we are often attacked by temptation when we are at our lowest and most vulnerable. The powers and values that oppose the kingdom of heaven do not fight fair, but we must be prepared.

What is also fascinating is God turns even a malicious temptation by the enemy as a means to strengthen and reinforce the steely resolve of his faithful ones. Jesus was tried and passed through the trial with flying colours. where Adam and his ancestors failed, Jesus succeeded and schools us in how to deal with temptation ourselves.

We learn that temptation is deceitful. it often comes in the form of taking a good thing and luring us to use a good motive or a good thing for a bad or excessive reason.

1 Corinthians 10:13 New International Version (NIV). God never lets us face more than we can handle and gives us the help to escape its clutches.

there are two areas of temptation

temptations to people in leadership positions

and

personal temptation.

First satan appeal to Our Lord as a leader.

the temptation to show, to prove and to be 'relevant' to an audience.
Tempted to be popular and spectacular.
The temptation to use "power" over others.

and see how Jesus counters it:

"temptation to be relevant" and prove oneself, is countered by prayer and discernment of The Father's will.

temptation to be spectacular to convince. v. obedience and humility.

temptation to power v. vulnerability and trust in God's providence and grace being sufficient.

Temptations in our personal needs-

actions to meet our physical needs. Not trusting that our true needs will be given us without recourse to the extreme and the controlling.
Confirm/test god's will and love. presume on it. when we already have been shown Gods love and care in so many ways. Our Lord knew he had been very powerfully affirmed and commissioned, to test that or to ask for more confirmation would have been mere self-indulgence.
Pride and power.

Devil wants to trick us to think –
God has abandoned us
And that we can handle temptation on our own.

But, Our Lord shows us that the real question we need to focus upon ;

"Is this what God the Father wants for me? Can I do this thing and truly love God and delight in God…." ??
Is this choice putting God as the source and destination of our delight and our goals.

It's very telling that after this extreme tussle in the wilderness - Christ commands satan to be off and he goes. Jesus has succeeded in fending off the prideful and misleading lies of the tempter and afterwards, we are told Angels come to tend to him and give him what he needs.

There is more than a sense that his army come to support him in this first of many victories and give him what he needs which he KNEW would be provided by his Father and not from rash acts of wilfulness, force or pride.

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References:

Fr Paul W. Kelly

From Wilkins, M. (2004). Matthew : NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan. E-edition. November 2014. Around p 153-164.

Image Credit: Shutterstock Licensed ID: 778363450

"Mount of Temptation next to Jericho - The place where Jesus was tempted" - By Sopotnicki

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First Sunday of Lent. Year A

(Sunday, March 1, 2020)

(EPISODE: 209)

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

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As we begin the Holy Eucharist, let us acknowledge our sinfulness, so as to worthily celebrate the sacred mysteries.

I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault,* through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.

May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.

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Memorial Acclamation

1. We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.

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Sunday Lent I

Eucharistic Prayer II

Communion side. PWK: RH

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{I gratefully acknowledge and give thanks to God for your prayers at this time of prayer and reflection upon our God. }

Go in peace. (glorifying the Lord by your life)

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Archive of homilies and reflections: http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email: paulwkelly68@gmail.com

To listen to my weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here.
NB - It is often a week or so Ahead: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks

You are welcome to subscribe to Fr Paul's homily mail-out by sending an email to this address: paulkellyreflections+subscribe@googlegroups.com

Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection" - Led by Rev Paul Kelly

Prayers of the Faithful - " Together we pray" by Robert Borg'. E.J. Dwyer, Publishers, (1993) . (Sydney Australia).

Lenten Hymn: "Have Mercy" inspired by Psalm 50(51). Music by Paul W. Kelly. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.

[ Production - KER - 2020]

May God bless and keep you

Monday, 24 February 2020

Ash Wednesday - Wednesday, February 26, 2020

Ash Wednesday - Wednesday, February 26, 2020

THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
First Reading: Joel 2:12-18
Psalm: Ps 50:3-6. 12-14. 17. "Be Merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned."
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:20 - 6:2
Gospel Acclamation: cf Ps 94:8
Gospel: Matthew 6:1-6. 16-18
Homily
Blessing and Distribution of Ashes
Distribution of Ashes
Song
Prayer of the Faithful

Image Credit: Shutterstock Licensed stock vector ID: 590506187. Banner with bowl with ashes of some palm branches that represents the beginning of the Lent on Ash Wednesday.By PenWin
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Please listen to my audio recordings of the readings, prayers and reflections for the Ash Wednesday - Wednesday, February 26, 2020 by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-ep-208-ash-wednesday-2020/s-EVwqs (EPISODE: 206)
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PROLOGUE

We begin today the great season of Lent. Which is a season of six-and-a-half weeks' length, which is modeled on the forty days in the wilderness, with prayer and fasting, that Our Lord undertook, prior to beginning his public ministry. The Lenten season is slightly longer than forty days as it does not include the weekends, largely because every Sunday is considered a little-Easter in itself. Lent is marked by a spirit of additional prayer, penance and fasting and acts of charity. It is a wonderful season of renewal and growth as we prepare for the great feast of Easter.

Ash Wednesday is neither a Sunday nor a holy day of obligation,

Yet churches across Australia and the world are often packed. Why is this day and its ceremony so important and popular with so many? ... whether they be Catholic or not... since anyone who wants can come forward to receive the ashes... I believe it is because we want to be marked with ashes as a sign of repentance and new beginnings, and of recognizing our real need for God's generous love, grace and mercy in our lives.

The ashes are made from the palm leaves used on Palm Sunday, the previous year.

These ashes, then, are the product of a "death" - in the sense that these dead palm branches, having been used as such a powerful symbol in Palm Sunday, have been dried out and burned and turned into a fine powder of ash. We use this sign of death at the beginning of Lent to mark our journey from death toward a new life.

When we think about Lent, we generally think in terms of giving something up - which is a kind of 'dying' to self.

But the readings for today suggest to us that merely 'giving up' something cannot be an end in itself.

Lent is about beginnings,m about allowing God to help us to :

1. Come to new life,

2. Deepen our relationship with God and others, and

3. Transform who we are and how we live.

Why do we perform Lenten deeds of penance (alms-giving, prayer, fasting)?

Not for the passing reward of public acclaim, but for the everlasting reward of God's transforming grace (see second reading).

Our penance is thus "rewarded" by a deeper relationship with God and each other that comes from returning to God with our whole heart (see first reading). And the reward is given now.

One an anonymous writer once described this Lenten time by saying:

LET TODAY BE THE END OF WHO WE HAVE BEEN AND THE BEGINNING OF WHAT GOD HAS CALLED US TO BECOME.

POPE FRANCIS has been attributed to the following SUGGESTIONS FOR FASTING!

It is never too late to give something up for Lent.

Nor is there a rule that prevents you from changing your fasting objects during Lent.

And so, if you want to fast this Lent:

Fast from hurting words and say kind words

Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude

Fast from anger and be filled with patience

Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope

Fast from worries and trust in God

Fast from complaints and contemplate simplicity

Fast from pressures and be prayerful

Fast from bitterness and fill your heart with joy

Fast from selfishness and be compassionate to others

Fast from grudges and be reconciled

Fast from words and be silent so you can listen

{Attributed to Pope Francis}.

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Back in 2011, I was on a pilgrimage, in the desert region in what is now the country of Jordan. I saw and touched the waters of the Jordan river where John the Baptist was baptizing…. and it was a profound moment of reflection and faith.

This Gospel reminds me that, after Jesus was baptized, the voice of his Heavenly Father said… "this is my son, my beloved…. I am well pleased with him… listen to him…."…. So, what did Jesus do next…. he had just received the most perfect and most important and public affirmation from none other than God the Father, himself.... and in response, Our Lord Jesus felt absolutely impelled, by the Holy Spirit, to go immediately into the wilderness for 40 days….. This tells us that the love and favour of the Heavenly Father was more than sufficient for everything Our Lord truly needed. …… Since he knows he has that love and faith place in him, then Christ knew that fame, fortune, possessions or earthly influence meant nothing…….. And the wilderness… the desert reminded him of his total connection to his Father in heaven, and the need to reject anything that was not of his Father ….. If people were to listen to him.. he must speak ONLY that which comes from his Father's will …. His father's word….. this needed a deep time of preparation and prayer…. And letting go of everything, except that which lasts forever…….

Love, given freely without expectation,

Kindness and mercy, without expectation of return….

Acts of charity not for recognition or approval but for the sake love alone…..

Random acts of kindness for which no one will ever know we are the instigators. (setting up a pattern not only for the 40 days of Lent but for every day of our lives after that....)

Lent is a time of renewal to deepen that extraordinary movement of the heart ever-closer towards God. Moving deeper into the Love of God which is its own reward.... Where we seek no other reward but to love God and be very close to God... and closer to one another. For the glory and praise of God alone…

This time of prayer, penance and fasting is still a wonderful, joy-filled time of self-denial and making space for God… fostering positive habits for the year-round….

To mark the start of the Lenten season last year, Pope Francis prayed the traditional Stations of the Cross at St. Anselm Church in Rome. He said, "We will never move forward if we are heavily weighed down," he continued. "The poverty of the wood, the silence of the Lord, his loving self-emptying show us the necessity of a simpler life, free from anxiety about things."

"The small mark of ash, which we will receive, is a subtle yet real reminder that of the many things occupying our thoughts, that we chase after and worry about every day, nothing will remain," he stated. "Earthly realities fade away like dust in the wind," he said, reminding Catholics that no material possessions or wealth go with them past the grave.

"Lent is the time to free ourselves from the illusion of chasing after dust," he urged. "Lent is for rediscovering that we are created for the inextinguishable flame, not for ashes that immediately disappear; for God, not for the world; for the eternity of heaven, not for earthly deceit; for the freedom of the children of God, not for slavery to things."

"We should ask ourselves today: Where do I stand? Do I live for fire or for ash?"

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References:
Fr Paul W. Kelly

https://catholicherald.co.uk/news/2019/03/07/lenten-fasting-is-a-wake-up-call-for-the-soul-pope-says/

Pope Francis on giving up for Lent,,... similar in theme to this message: https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2019/03/give-up-gossiping-for-lent-pope-suggests/

Image Credit: Shutterstock Licensed stock vector ID: 590506187. Banner with a bowl with ashes of some palm branches that represents the beginning of the Lent on Ash Wednesday. By PenWin
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Archive of homilies and reflections: http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email: paulwkelly68@gmail.com

To listen to my weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here.
NB - It is often a week or so Ahead: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks

You are welcome to subscribe to Fr Paul's homily mail-out by sending an email to this address: paulkellyreflections+subscribe@googlegroups.com

Ash Wednesday (Wednesday, February 26, 2020) (EPISODE: 206 )

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
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{{Goodness and faithfulness to you all}}

No penitential rite, ashes after Homily replaces this.

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Memorial Acclamation
Save us, Saviour of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free.

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Preface: Lent III
Eucharist Prayer II
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Communion side. pwk: LH
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{my heartfelt thanks for your participation in this time of reflection, prayer and praise.}

Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord.

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Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection" - Led by Rev Paul Kelly

Prayers of the Faithful - " Together we pray" by Robert Borg'. E.J. Dwyer, Publishers, (1993) . (Sydney Australia).

"Have Mercy" Lenten theme, words inspired by Psalm 50 (51). Music: written by Paul W. Kelly. Arranged and sung with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk 2020.

[ Production - KER - 2020]

May God bless and keep you.