Dear friends,

Your thought for the week.

As Baptised Catholics each of us are asked to witness
through action to the promptings of the Holy Spirit in our daily lives, so that we can be true to the vocation to which we have been called.
Saint Paul in Cor. 12:4-11 reminds us that: “There are a variety of gifts but always the same Spirit; there are all sorts of service to be done, but always to the same Lord”.

In this Week of Prayer for Vocations we pray for one
another that we will have the courage to respond positively to this call whatever our state in life may be. We are asked in particular to pray for an increase in vocations to the Priesthood and religious life recalling the words of Jesus “The Harvest is rich the laborers are few so ask the Lord of the Harvest to send laborers into His Harvest”. Matt. 9:37-38.

More information can be found on: derryvocations.org

ST MATTHEW’S GOSPEL 5:17-37 THE LAW OF CHRIST

When Jesus taught the Beatitudes, He did not do so to
‘replace’ the teachings of the Ten Commandments of God, but to bring a deeper understanding and meaning to them. The Beatitudes address the attitudes necessary for us to live out the teachings of the Commandments. Jesus teaches that ‘keeping the Commandments’ is not about outward appearances of piety or being seen by others to obey the law and do the right thing. Keeping the Commandments is about having desire of heart and willingness to love and serve God and neighbour in a way that reflects the teachings and example of Jesus. If we do our best to follow and live out the teachings of the
Beatitudes, we will fulfil the Commandments of God.