Pastoral Message: Holy Family 1995

PASTORAL MESSAGE OF BISHOP CORMAC MURPHY-O'CONNOR

To be read at all masses
On the Feast of the Holy Family, 1995

My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Each day when I celebrate Mass, there is one prayer I particularly like to dwell on. It is the prayer that the priest says after the Our Father and which you will all remember so well. Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles: I leave you peace, my peace I give you. Look not on our sins but on the faith of your Church and grant us the peace and unity of your kingdom where you live for ever and ever. This is a most lovely prayer for peace and I would like to meditate on it for a few moments.

Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles: I leave you peace, my peace I give you. There is one New Year's gift we all long for and there can be no doubt what it is, It is peace: peace of heart; peace in the home; peace in our streets; peace in our society, peace in our fearful world. When we pray for peace we look first of all to God. It is the peace of God, the peace of Christ, that we long for, It is Christ, the Son of God, who plants in our hearts desires that are holy; who suggests to us plans and purposes which are good and strengthens us to do deeds that lead to peace. Although there have been encouraging signs during the last year, we know that the world is unable to give us the peace that we are looking for, so we ask Christ to give us peace. My peace I leave you; my peace I give unto you. [1]

Look not on our sins but on the faith of your Church. Here is a gentle reminder to each one of us to look into our own hearts; to repent of any ways in which we have offended against charity and peace; to ask God to pacify our own heart and bring it to unity. While it is, of course, right and proper that we should look at places and situations where there have been hatred and war and violence, and while we look and pray for continuing peace in Northern Ireland and in Bosnia and in other places, I think that it is always right, first of all, to look at oneself. It is in our own hearts that thoughts and actions for peace must begin and that is why we must turn to God, through Christ, in fervent prayer for peace within ourselves so that we can help bring peace to our divided society. Lord, help me to repent of my sins; forgive them; help me to trust more and more the forgiveness and mercy ministered by your Church.

Grant us the peace and unity of your kingdom where you live for ever and ever. This year, Pope John Paul has announced a theme for peace entitled, Let us give Children a Future of Peace. The Pope's theme provides an opportunity for parishes to reflect on the needs of children. How awful it is that the victims of disharmony and hatred and war are children. Children are often the first and most vulnerable victims of violence and those whose home life has been destroyed by war, exile and poverty. The Pope's theme gives us an opportunity to join with the universal Church in praying for them and, indeed, in some cases to be able to open our homes. and hearts and welcome children into our lives. The Pope also says that it is in the family that children first experience the school of peace where children learn that God wants peace and mutual understanding among all people. You remember the words of Paul in our second reading, You are God's chosen race, his saints; he loves you and you should be clothed in sincere compassion, in kindness and sincere humility, gentleness and patience, May the peace of Christ reign in your hearts because it is for this that you were called together as parts of one body, Always be thankful. [2]

The prayer that I mentioned at the beginning is one of the prayers of the Mass, where each week we meet and celebrate together the supreme Sacrifice of Christ, offered for the unity and peace of all humankind. I would like to wish you all a very happy New Year and an abundance of God's gifts in Nineteen hundred and ninety-six. Especially I ask God for peace in your hearts and for a deeper faith to believe in his Son, Jesus Christ, and to bear witness to him in your daily life. It is his peace that we ask to come into our lives and it is faith in his Church which strengthens and sustains us.

"Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles, my peace I leave you, my peace I give you; look not on our sins but on the faith of your Church and grant us the peace and unity of your kingdom where you live for ever and ever. Amen."

With an assurance of my prayers and kindest wishes for a peaceful New Year,

Yours devotedly in Christ,

Rt. Rev. Cormac Murphy-O'Connor
Bishop of Arundel and Brighton.

1. John 14:27
2. Colossians 3:12-21