More Welcomers are needed at St John Fisher for Sunday Mass. Please see Fr Ikeokwu, John Nutt or Julia Tucker.

Holy Communion preparation 2019. Please give names of any children of 7 or over to register for the course to Fr Ikeokwu or Julia Tucker.

100 Club Thank you to everyone who has renewed their membership. There are some spare numbers available. If you would like to join the Parish 100 club there are application forms in the porch. It is an opportunity to support the parish financially with the chance of winning up to £25 in the monthly draws.

Celebration of Care in the Community (St Luke’s tide) to be held at Wellington Methodist Church at 6.30pm. Preacher Rev. Neill Archer, Chaplain of Somerset Partnership NHS Trust. See poster in porch.

Next Sunday: Second collection for World Mission Sunday (APF) which assists all Catholic mission dioceses and territories to provide pastoral care and preach the gospel effectively, working in England and Wales with the Mill Hill Missionary Society.

Celebrate Bristol: a whole family conference hosted by Catholic Charismatic Renewal at St Bede’s College, BS11 0SU; 27 – 28 October; includes workshops, seminars, praise and worship, prayer ministry, Mass, Exposition and Confession. Further details from www.celebrateconference.org

Bible society Songs of Praise: Sunday 28^th October at 6.30pm at Rockwell Green Christian Fellowship. See poster in porch.

Parish retreat on 3^rd November will be led by Fr Tom Dubois, parish priest of St Francis of Assisi, Nailsea. Mass at 10am at St Richard’s followed by retreat at Congregational Church, Wiveliscombe.

Holy Land Pilgrimage for young Catholics: 24^th July – 2^nd August, 2019. See poster and cards in porch for details.

Year of Mission 28^th Sunday in ordinary time.

Where are we grounded? Where are we anchored and rooted? Is it in things, possessions, treasures or are we rooted and anchored in God? Are we defined by what we have or by what we do…or are we defined by our relationship with the Lord. In today’s Gospel there is a challenge to “let go” of everything and to find security, strength, and an understanding of who we are in our relationship with the Lord. It is only when we let God dwell at the centre, when we are defined by his love for us, that we come to understand the freedom and the life he offers; when we are weighed down by our possessions we find it is our possessions that possess us. In all we do to proclaim the gospel this week, let us reveal what it is that dwells at the heart of our life because of the way we live and the way we love.

Today’s Gospel is concerned with how to live a good and truthful life in the real world. Jesus discussed marriage and children, property and possessions, power and privilege. His disciples tried to send the children away, but Jesus rebuked them for of such are the kingdom of God. So the children, who were powerless and insignificant in the eyes of society, became the image of those who understand and practise the presence of God in the world.

But the man who then ran up and knelt before Jesus is the image of one who was too rich and powerful to make this move. He undoubtely had the potential, but he could not overcome the obstacle of his wealth. The disciples had been conditioned to believe that wealth is a sign of God’s love and approval. If it is as hard as Jesus suggested, however for a rich person to enter the kingdom, how can anyone achieve it? Jesus reassured them in two ways: what is impossible for humans is not impossible for God, and those who give up everything for him will receive overwhelming recompense both now and in eternity. The message remains clear: to become like little children in their powerlessness is the way to God’s favour.

Down through the ages many rich young people have listened to these words and responded by leaving their world of luxury in pursuit of Christ.

Our ability to make such a full response is modelled on the image of the little child. It is a call to live out a life based on vulnerability and insignificance, as one of those who do not matter from a worldly viewpoint. If we are unworried about our image and have a certain freedom in relation to worldly goods and rewards, we have made the first move.