I was very saddened yesterday when we received a phone call to tell us that a parishioner from my old parish had been murdered. Bert was found just before midnight, in his home, on Friday with multiple stab wounds. Although Bert only came to church infrequently, I knew him very well. He and his wife lived just round the corner from the church and his garden backed on to the church grounds. Nearly every day he I saw him walking his dog and we would have a brief chat. Bert was a devoted husband to his wife Pat who suffered from a long term illness; she died about a year or so ago.Police are continuing to make their enquiries. Please pray that he may rest in peace.
Today I celebrated Mass and preached at St. Barnabas, Woodford Green. In my sermon based on today’s Gospel from the Sermon on the Mount I talked about how it was impossible to serve God and Mammon, a false God. Mammon is not just money but anything which consumes our lives excluding God from them. For example the person who knows that alcohol is ruining his life but can’t stand the idea of giving it up. Jesus tells us that our concern should be serving God and if we do that, we have no need to worry about anything else.
After Mass I returned to St. Augustine’s, just in time to be there for coffee and then a wedding rehearsal for a wedding next week-end when I am playing the organ for two lovely people in our congregation.
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