Newsletter
Dear Friends.
In former times the chain letter was quite a common feature. Some message, usually with a religious or moral tone, had to be passed on to a specified number of people and untold blessings would then accrue. Failure to keep the chain meant some form of adversity or affliction. Now we have the chain email which operates on the same principle.
I believe this to be moral blackmail and one should have no qualms or fears of breaking the chain. If a message/story has an intrinsic value it commends itself to be shared. This is certainly true of the humorous story or funny joke. We share it automatically with others. I have never received an amusing story with an attached reminder to pass it on lest some peril should befall me.
The apostles and members of the early church were passionately committed to the Lord Jesus and the proclamation of the gospel. They were prepared to risk everything, even their lives, for the sake of the gospel. For them salvation was God's free gift to the human race and should never be circumscribed by man-made conditions. We do well to follow their example.
To be good and positive requires will and effort. An essential part of this is the spirit of discernment - listening, sifting, assessing - in order to separate truth and beauty from the spurious and glitzy. Summer is an excellent time for reflection as we seek to renew both mind and body.
Yours Sincerely
Father Michael Blackman
Parish Priest