Announcements

Dear friends,

As we enter another Lent I’ve decided this is the time for me to take another pause in writing a weekly reflection. The longer I do it the more convinced I am that it is a great benefit for me, as well as a privilege that you feel they are worth reading. However I’m also aware that periodically I need to pull back and provide space for reflection of my own. So I will be going into the desert this Lent, and I plan to rejoin you at Easter. 

May your Lent be fruitful, may God bless you always,

Simon 

Dear friends,

As we move into fall, and I return from traveling, I've decided to restart these weekly reflections on the readings used at mass. As soon as I looked at the readings for this week I found something that struck me - different from what I had seen in these readings before. So given there seems to be something I am called to communicate, and I certainly benefit myself from this process of reflection, so I am once again offering these thoughts to you.

However I think it is also appropriate that I check with you whether you are still interested to receive them. So please let me know if you do want to remain on this distribution list. If I don't hear back from you, I will take you off the list. Conversely if there is someone else you think might be interested, or someone you were previously forwarding them to then please let me know - that way I can maintain a current list of recipients.

Dear friends,

I have now been writing my weekly reflections on Scripture for over a year. It has been a great privilege to share my thoughts with you. And I thank all of you who have commented and responded and encouraged me to keep doing this.

At this time I've decided to take a pause. I feel it is helpful for me to take a period of reflection and to avoid this becoming just a routine. I pray that the Holy Spirit will guide me as to when and how to resume sharing ideas with you. If you have thoughts or suggestions then please do share them with me.

Yours in Christ

Simon

Dear friends,

As you know, up to Pentecost, I produced a series of reflections on the weekly scripture readings for Mass. I decided to take a break at that point.

I have decided to continue with these reflections. Some have been kind enough to tell me how helpful they found them, but I also admit to selfish motivation, since I feel I benefit greatly from producing them. You should receive the first of the resumed series next Sunday. If you don't then please let me know, or if you don't want to continue receiving them please also let me know - or you can unsubscribe using the link at the bottom of this mail. If you know other people that you think might be interested you can also forward this email to them.

I have also set up a Website which enables me to manage this process more easily on a weekly basis. It also provides a simple way for people to subscribe or unsubscribe to the weekly mailing list. While doing this I further decided to add other material from the classes I have given other the years - in case this is of wider interest.

If you want to checkout the Website it is at rciaspirituality.com. You can see the current and past weekly reflections there also - and that version has a small advantage that I can include the references for the Readings and a link to the Lectionary (which do not appear in the email version).

If you do look at the Website you will see there is reflection for last week - I did one as a trial while I was setting this up. And if you have any comments or suggestions I would love to hear from you (you can just reply to this email).

God bless you and keep you safe

Simon

Dear friends,

I started a series of reflections on our weekly scripture readings during Lent. Having got to the end of Eastertide I’ve decided to take a break. I’ve found it very helpful and rewarding to have this focus each week, with the incentive to think perhaps more deeply than I might otherwise on what the scripture is trying to tell us as time goes by. I’ve also been supported by your comments and encouragement – for which I am deeply grateful. 

I feel a need now to reflect and let the Spirit inform how I should progress from here. Do I simply continue, or should I try something different. I’ve never been one to continue doing the same thing for very long – which may be a strength, or a weakness, or a bit of both. 

Thank you for traveling this path with me so far, and I hope we will continue to support one another in our journey of faith, whatever form that may take.

Yours in Christ 

Simon