Prayer and Reflection by Bishop Sylvester David OMI

Auxiliary Bishop Sylvester David offers his prayer and reflection for the people of the Archdiocese of Cape Town for today, Friday 20 August 2021, during this time of the Coronavirus pandemic. It is also available on the Archdiocese of Cape Town’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. Please also see below the text of his reflection, primarily for the deaf.

Reflection for Friday 20 August 2021.

I once again wish to start by saying the prayer for peace in Southern Africa:

O God of justice and love, bless us, the people of Southern Africa,
and help us to live in your peace.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury; let me sow pardon;
Where there is discord, let me sow harmony.

Divine Master, grant that I may not so much
Seek to be understood, as to understand;
To be loved, as to love;
To receive sympathy, as to give it;

For it is in giving that we shall receive,
In pardoning that we shall be pardoned,
In forgetting ourselves that we shall find
Unending peace with others.

We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

We are encouraged to pray the peace prayer often.

Reflection based on Ruth 1:1,3-6,14-16,22

Our first reading is taken from fragments of the first chapter of the book of Ruth. A thorough reading of the fist chapter from your Bibles is recommended. Read it slowly and prayerfully. Note the struggle of the family, note the neediness which took them to Moab. Undoubtedly the early readers of the work would have remembered how their ancestors also had to leave their homes and go to look for food. Once in Moab the sons marry Moabite women.

The names in the story are all significant. Elimelech literally means “my God is King”. Irrespective of where the faithful find themselves, God still reigns over them. Naomi means “a pleasant person”, who shows herself to be an exceptional mother-in-law (Ruth 1:7-18). At the end of the chapter, Naomi renames herself Mara which means “bitter”. Life sometimes does leave scars on us. The sons are called Mahlon and Chilon. While the former means “sickness/weakness”, the latter means “pining/destruction”. This is symbolic and points to their untimely deaths. Orpah means “neck” – read in some circles as “stiff neck”. This seems a bit unfair as Orpah showed a willingness to go with Naomi. Ruth means “friend” and has come to symbolise abiding loyalty and devotion. She is fully incorporated in the family of God’s chosen people and her name is included in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:5) as the great grandmother of King David. Earlier on I recommended a reading of the whole of the first chapter. Let’s revise that. Read the whole book of Ruth. It is very short with only four chapters but it makes very interesting reading, with all its intrigue. The ultimate lesson is that anyone who obeys God is acceptable – whether they belong to the clan or not. But you can read the story for yourselves and make your own discoveries.

For now I want to look at how our first reading ends. Whereas at the start of the reading, there was famine causing the family to migrate, at the end of the reading we are told that Naomi and Ruth – the two widows, return to Bethlehem “at the beginning of the barley harvest” (Ruth 1:22). This indicates a new beginning and is fitting because Bethlehem literally means “the house of bread”. The rest of the book will show how God takes care of the poor through his faithful servants. Boaz (whose name means “in him is strength”) is exemplary in all of this – and he too is listed as an ancestor of Jesus (Matthew 1:5).

It is good to know all this. But it is even more important to allow the story to reveal who I am. We mentioned the names and their meanings. These meanings were tied to the characteristics of the persons. What are my characteristics? What am I known for: Strength or its opposite; friendship or its opposite; helpfulness or its opposite? Who in the story best represents me? We also see in the story the embracing of otherness. How do I see my “in-laws” i.e. those who come into the family, and others who are different to me? This story can be used like a mirror, with every character offering a chance to get a deeper glimpse not only of who I am but also of who I am called to be. I wish you well as you see how your lived experience squares up with the template of this inspired book.

Let us pray: Lord, your Word teaches us how to live with otherness and how to show fidelity in the various circumstances of our lives. Give us the grace to imitate the Biblical heroes held up before us in the reading. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Bishop Sylvester David OMI
VG/Auxiliary Bishop: Cape Town

Prayer and Reflection by Archbishop Stephen Brislin

Archbishop Stephen Brislin offers his prayer and reflection for the people of the Archdiocese of Cape Town for today, Wednesday 18 August 2021, during this time of the coronavirus pandemic. It is also available on the Archdiocese of Cape Town’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. Please also see below the text of his reflection, primarily for the deaf.

Welcome to today’s reflection. In this month especially dedicated to women, let us continue to pray for all the women of our country, that the Lord will richly bless them, protect them and inspire them.

Let us now pray for peace in Southern Africa:

O God of justice and love, bless us, the people of Southern Africa, and help us to
live in your peace.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury; let me sow pardon;
Where there is discord, let me sow harmony.
Divine Master, grant that I may not so much
Seek to be understood, as to understand;
To be loved, as to love;
To receive sympathy, as to give it;
For it is in giving that we shall receive,
In pardoning that we shall be pardoned,
In forgetting ourselves that we shall find
Unending peace with others. We ask this through Christ Our Lord, Amen.

The Reading I have chosen for the reflection is taken from the end of the Gospel of today’s Mass (Matthew 20:1-16).

Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ So the last will be first, and the first last.”

Jesus had just related a parable comparing the Kingdom of God to a landowner who hired workers at various times of the day. The first lot he hired at about six in the morning and he agreed on a just wage with them for a full 12 hour day’s work. Then he hired others – some worked three hours, six hours, nine hours, others only one hour. The landowner made payment to the workers at the end of the day, paying them all the same amount starting with those who had worked the shortest time. The hopes of the first group were high and they thought they would get more since they had worked so much longer. Their hopes were dashed when they received only the agreed amount. They grumbled, but the landowner pointed out to them that they had no right to begrudge him his generosity.

The picture we get of the Kingdom of God from this parable is one of inclusivity – God’s Kingdom is open to all people. It displays a patience on the part of God who accepts those who have served him well throughout their lives, but who is also willing to give time to others to repent, mend their ways and convert. As St Peter put it, The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance (2Pe 3:9).We see in the parable a generous God who truly desires the salvation of all and who shares his gifts bountifully with those he has created – Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow, says St James (1:17).

God is generous in the grace he bestows on us, in his mercy and in his forgiveness. It is all a free gift. We cannot earn God’s love, he grants it gratuitously. His generosity is not confined or restricted in any way. God’s Spirit blows where he wills, as we hear in St John’s Gospel, the wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit (John 3:8). It is against God’s nature to be miserly or mean with what he offers. It is not for us us to say who God will bless with his gifts and what gifts he will give them. We must not be envious when God grants gifts to others, even if we think them unworthy. Neither can we say who God will save and who he will not. We simply do not have that authority. God is a generous God, who offers his love and life to all his creatures. To repeat, we cannot earn his compassionate and forgiving love. It is a gift and we can only respond to it in gratitude.

The response we make is important. Sincere gratitude to God is first and foremost. Humble gratitude indicates that we realise what great gifts God has given us even though we remain unworthy of them. Secondly, just as God has been generous to us, so we respond by being generous to others so that we may reach out to those in any kind of need and assist them in whatever way we can. This may mean sharing our material resources, giving a listening ear or simply being a friend. St Paul captures this idea when he writes, Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). Thirdly, we respond to God’s generosity be being patient with others, helping them and encouraging them to change for the better, and not giving up on them (a small proviso here – if someone is making our lives a living hell, or we are in danger from them, obviously we have to make the correct decisions to protect ourselves).

In this time of Covid we need this generosity of spirit. Receiving the vaccine is one example of being generous because we don’t get vaccinated only to protect our own lives but also to protect the lives of others. Please vaccinate. Being generous with a smile, friendliness and cheerfulness goes a long way to lift the hearts of others who may be struggling within themselves. Finally, a very big thank you to all our parishioners for your generosity and your support – both material and moral – that you have shown the priests of the archdiocese. We really appreciate it and may God bless you.

Let us now pray for God’s blessing:

The Lord be with you R/ And with your Spirit

Bow down for the blessing:

Almighty Father, we thank for your generosity, for sharing your life and your love with us. Open our hearts and pour within them your love, that we too may always have generosity of spirit and so serve our neighbours with humility. Through Christ our Lord, amen

Day 9: Novena in Preparation to Celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption

As we prepare to celebrate our patronal feast, Mary Assumed into Heaven, each day of our novena clergy of the Archdiocese of Cape Town will offer reflections on Our Lady.

In this reflection for Sunday, 15 August, Archbishop Stephen Brislin reflects on Mary Assumed into Heaven – Celebrating with us now the hope and joy of all people being reconciled and restored in Jesus.

This video is also available on the Archdiocese of Cape Town’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. Please share these daily reflections on your parish WhatsApp groups and other social media platforms.

The text of the video is provided below, especially for those who are deaf.

Thank you for joining this final Novena reflection. I wish you and all your loved ones a blessed and joyful Feast Day. Mary was assumed into heaven, body and soul, a mystery rich in meaning and profound in the promise it holds out to humanity. It is interesting that the “Dogma of Assumption” does not simply state that Mary was assumed into heaven, but it specifies “that Mary was taken body and soul” into heaven. We often think of ourselves as somehow being made up of different constitutive parts – spirit, soul and body. These are aspects of personhood, but the mystery of the Assumption affirms strongly the integrity of the human person, in other words, the unity and wholeness of the person. A person cannot be cut up into different parts, although we recognize that there are different aspects such as the physical, the spiritual and the soul. All are necessary to make a person a person, and the Assumption of Mary displays this clearly – she was not only saved by Jesus and assumed in a spiritual way into heaven, but also bodily. It is our belief that the whole person is saved and not just one aspect.

Similarly with the Ascension of Jesus. After Jesus rose from the dead he was at pains to demonstrate to his disciples that he was not a ghost or purely spiritual being – thus, he requested some fish to eat, saying that ghosts don’t eat. He instructed Thomas to place his finger and hand in his wounds to prove that he was flesh and blood. Jesus’ bodily resurrection and ascension is the destiny that is offered to all of us, and this is affirmed by the Assumption of Our Lady who, like us, was a disciple of Jesus.

Of what importance is this to us? There can be a tendency for some to place undue emphasis on the material aspect of humanity and to deny a spiritual side, to seek only satisfaction of the body to the of neglect the spiritual. On the other hand, there are those who over-spiritualize their human life and who think that the body is of no consequence, thinking it finite and subject to decay, and believing that it is only the spirit that will be saved. It is vital to understand the importance and integrity of the human person, even in everyday life. For example, health Care, Education, Town Planning, etc., all of these need to take into account that a person is not only a physical being, but has spiritual and emotional needs as well.

This tendency to “divide” the human person occurs because there can be discord within ourselves. Even Jesus said, “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak”¹. St Paul writes in his letter to the Romans, I do not understand my own actions….For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do². We sometimes feel that we are at “war” within ourselves, that we are being pulled in different directions because we do not subject ourselves to our will, but are drawn by forces within ourselves that we don’t fully understand. Sometimes are will rebels, even against our better judgement. There is a need to reconcile those forces within us. To reconcile means to make things compatible with each other. Christian maturity is to make the different aspects of our personhood compatible with each so that we are able to align the will with the flesh, the soul with the body, and to mould them into a unity and oneness, so that our “yes” is “yes” and our “no” is “no”³. In this way we respond to our Christian vocation and our path to sanctification as we seek to belong fully to Christ, body, spirit and soul – the total person.⁴

Our Christian vocation is not confined to personal sanctification. We are all called to mission, to be bearers of the light of Christ to the world. Just as we wish to bring wholeness to the disconnectedness within ourselves, we have a responsibility to bring wholeness to our community and to our society. In other words – in the words of St Paul – we are Christ’s ambassadors entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation⁵. The miracle of the Assumption urges us to go beyond a personal quest to be fully integrated as persons, and to bring healing, unity and wholeness to others, especially in the society in which we live.The mystical Body of Christ is broken and suffering just as Jesus’ physical body was broken on the Cross. Divisions and conflicts exist wherever there are people. They exist in our country which continues to be divided by its past, suffering because of the present and uncertain of the future. How fortunate we are to have Mary Assumed into Heaven as the Patroness of South Africa. Her intercession and protection do not only inspire us to continue the work of reconciliation and healing, but they also give us the hope and confidence that our efforts will bear fruit. We should not shrink from the task at hand but, like Mary, we should respond generously to integrating and gathering people into harmony and a peaceful acceptance of each other.

Let us now pray the Memorare:

Remember O most gracious Virgin Mary,

Never was it know that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help and sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto unto thee O Virgin of virgins, my Mother, to thee I come, before thee I kneel sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy, hear and answer me, amen.

May Almighty God bless you, the Father, the Son…

Mary, Assumed into Heaven, pray for us.

1 Matthew 26:41

2 Romans 7:15;19

3 Matthew 5:37

4 1 Corinthians 3:23

5 2 Corinthians 5:11-21

Day 8: Novena in Preparation to Celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption

As we prepare to celebrate our patronal feast, Mary Assumed into Heaven, each day of our novena clergy of the Archdiocese of Cape Town will offer reflections on Our Lady.

In this reflection for Saturday, 14 August, Fr Peter-John Pearson reflects on Mary assumed into Heaven, praying with us for a radical transformation of us as a nation.

The text of the video is provided below, especially for those who are deaf.

Both the social upheaval and the pandemic have reminded us that we need hearts and minds and systems that are more inclusive and loud, unambiguous demands for social justice that are more direct and strategic. It has been noted frequently that the both the pandemic and the social unrest in our country have foregrounded that inclusion and naming our needs are the two dominant signs of the times.

We are challenged by this feast not least because it is the feast of dignity, of integrity. In a country where for centuries the dignity of the majority was denied, where every policy and the social environment fell short of any kind of integrity, the gift of this feast as our patronal feast was and remains, hugely, a challenge to restore dignity and nurture a culture of integrity. The increasing poverty, the glaring injustices, the legacy of racism, the spiralling unemployment, the spikes in gender based violence and the great theft from the poor which is seen in the rampant corruption and the subversion of good governance and accountability all underline that this feast speaks as powerfully to our present reality as it spoke to our cruel past. Mary’s public witness underlines spells out the consequences of our devotion.

The events of recent weeks have reminded us that social cohesion in our country is weak, that many are left out, feel no sense of belonging and that far too many are abandoned on the margins. They live in an environment where they have no voice, where there is no hope of participating in shaping their future.

I have always been deeply struck by that powerful narrative of the Visitation. Mary and Elizabeth meet. Two women with unusual, awkward stories, stories that do not fit the norm. They meet and share a space where only their voices are heard. Zachariah has been silenced. There is no dominant group’s voice, no male voice, no institutional voice. The voices that usually exclude or interpret the stories of the excluded are silent and the voices of the women fill that space. They speak for themselves, interpret their reality, find their agency. No one speaks for them. They need neither a man nor an institution to speak for them. If we take the feast seriously, if we understand the pain of exclusion and the silencing of the voices of the poor and women and migrants and those on the peripheries, then we will surely put our energy on this feast into making space for the excluded voices, designing systems especially economic systems that allows for an experience of justice that in turns honours’ every person’s dignity. We must ensure that excluded voices in every sphere find public expression no matter how unsettling they may be.

There is of course another Marian text which John includes in his gospel. It is the story of the wedding at Cana. Mary understands that something is missing which is critical for the joy of the couple and for a preservation of the dignity. She makes the demand urgently, stridently almost and definitely unambiguously. They have no wine! We look around and we see that there are many basic rights which undermine people’s dignity, compromise their integrity and rob them of joy, just as the lack of wine did for the wedding couple. They have, and in our world-they have no education, no sanitation, no protection against gender based violence, no water, no houses. The list is as endless as it is unjust. The consequence of our devotion must surely be that like Mary we name boldly the things that are denied, the rights that are compromised. To not join in these demands is to have reduced Mary to a plastic piety. She who was raised from amidst the anawim is fearless in raising her voice alongside her cousins and singing that Magnificat that calls for a season of pulling down the mighty from their thrones and raising the lowly, that challenges us to send the rich empty away and to fill the hungry with good things. It is Mary who in a public space at a wedding calls for a reversal of want and need of basic necessities and demands the ‘best wine,’ the best houses, toilets, schools and security for all. In that way we hour Mary Assumed into Heaven and ensure that the Kingdom of this world becomes the Kingdom of our God.

Amen.

Day 7: Novena in Preparation to Celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption

As we prepare to celebrate our patronal feast, Mary Assumed into Heaven, each day of our novena clergy of the Archdiocese of Cape Town will offer reflections on Our Lady.

In this reflection for Friday, 13 August, Fr Bonginkosi Nhleko SDB reflects on Mary as Mother and Help of Christians.

The text of the video is provided below, especially for those who are deaf.

Welcome friends to this novena reflection in preparation to celebrate the Assumption of Mary, Patroness of South Africa. I’d like to focus on Mary, Mother and Help of Christians

The Wedding at Cana

John 2:1-11

2 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.” So they took it. 9 When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

Mary is one of the most famous women in history, an exemplar of purity. But what do we really know about this young Jewish girl named Miriam who became the mother of Jesus? We meet her at the start of the Gospel According to Luke and learn that “the angel Gabriel was sent from God to … a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. She was a young Jewish girl from Nazareth, a small community where nothing of note ever seemed to happen. She could never have fathomed that God would choose her. Yet when the Angel Gabriel revealed her fate, she willingly did as asked because of loving devotion to the Lord.

But Mary could not have foreseen her child’s future, his ministry and miracles, his agonizing death, and the glorious Resurrection. Throughout, Mary cared for, followed, and loved her Son. To such a woman is owed special respect, and many have elevated her above all other humans. She is seen as the seminal mother, the nurturing parent, the patient guardian, the paragon of virtue, the symbol of human sacrifice, suffering, and love.

Mary is the great Mediatrix, the mediator between humans and Christ, first witnessed during the Wedding at Cana. The celebration ran out of wine, and Mary quickly interceded by encouraging her son to Help. As the mother of God and the great intercessor, she helps bring about miracles. Because of this, millions of the faithful pray to her and make their way to her shrines, which are found around the world in Lourdes, Fatima, Rwanda and Ngome, among other places. As the Mediatrix, Mary has appeared to people over the centuries. There are many, many claims of visitations by her. Mary can seem ever present, appearing in paintings, literature, and music. Much of this is because people cherish her. They call to her, and when she responds, often offers mysterious messages letting them know of upcoming events, warning of harm, and celebrating accomplishments. She is truly a Help of Christians, a Help of All Humanity. She cares for all peoples of the earth.

What St. John Bosco once said years ago could be said today: “The times we are in are so sad that we truly need the Most Holy Virgin to help us in preserving and defending the Christian Faith as in Lepanto, as in Vienna, as in Savona and Rome.” We can combat the harm in our times by turning to Mary. The promise of St. John Bosco to his boys is a promise that is good for all of us today: “Trust in Mary and you will know what miracles are!”

Prayer:

Let us pray…

Lord our God, You chose the Virgin Mary to be the Mother and Help of Christians; by her prayers give to the Church of South Africa the strength of your Spirit so that with patience and love its members may overcome every trial and share even now in the victory of Christ, your Son. He lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Fr Bonginkosi Nhleko SDB

Prayer and Reflection by Bishop Sylvester David OMI

Auxiliary Bishop Sylvester David offers his prayer and reflection for the people of the Archdiocese of Cape Town for today, Friday 13 August 2021, during this time of the Coronavirus pandemic. It is also available on the Archdiocese of Cape Town’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. Please also see below the text of his reflection, primarily for the deaf.

Reflection for Friday 13^th August 2021.

I once again wish to start by saying the prayer for peace in Southern Africa:

O God of justice and love, bless us, the people of Southern Africa,
and help us to live in your peace.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury; let me sow pardon;
Where there is discord, let me sow harmony.

Divine Master, grant that I may not so much
Seek to be understood, as to understand;
To be loved, as to love;
To receive sympathy, as to give it;

For it is in giving that we shall receive,
In pardoning that we shall be pardoned,
In forgetting ourselves that we shall find
Unending peace with others.

We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

We are encouraged to pray the peace prayer often.

Ps 50 (51) The Miserere – the prayer of the contrite of heart

The Church’s morning prayer comprises, in addition to scripture readings and versicles, two psalms and a canticle. On Fridays our first psalm is the miserere – a prayer of contrition which also expresses a desire for renewal. Like other forms of biblical literature, the psalms were not composed in a vacuum but were embedded in the real life circumstances of the Nation and very frequently the King. Psalm 50 articulates the lived experience of King David.

The background to this psalm is described in the historical OT book, the second book of Samuel. This is a wonderful opportunity to catch up on some Bible reading. Read 2 Samuel 11 – 12. In 2 Sam 11, David is shown to have neglected his duty, not to have been abstemious during a war, committing adultery out of which arose a pregnancy, covering up the sin by having Uriah killed, and then marrying Bathsheba. Sin can sometimes develop a momentum of its own and can lead its perpetrator to act in whatever way possible to hide the sin. We see this is manipulation, bribery, and the like – especially where persons with power misuse their positions.

But the prophet of God (or, the word of God) is not far away. In 2 Sam 12, the prophet knocked at David’s door. When God acceded to Israel’s request for a king, he also sent along the prophet who was to correct the king when the latter strayed off course. Unbridled power is not good. By means of a parable the prophet Nathan gets David to see what he had done.

It will be worthwhile here to see how God acts towards the sinner. One gets a full picture when looking at the words for justice in the OT. There is one word which means to punish the guilty. This is normally acted out in human courts. But God acts differently as shown by another word. God gives the guilty a chance to reflect and to make amends. Pharaoh refused and was doomed. King David accepted the second chance, survived and even thrived – so much so that his and Bathsheba’s names occur in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:5-6). To put it colloquially, God can write straight with crooked lines!

But back to our story. After Nathan’s confrontation of David, the latter repents (2 Samuel 12:13ff). He showed all the signs of a repentant sinner and trusted in God’s mercy. This is when he composed the psalm which is still in use among the faithful today. When this psalm is uttered with humility and knowledge of our brokenness, it becomes an authentic prayer:

“Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness.
In your compassion blot out my offence.
O wash me more and more from my guilt
and cleanse me from my sin….”

It continues:

“Indeed you love truth in the heart;
then in the secret of my heart teach me wisdom.
O purify me, then I shall be clean;
O wash me, I shall be whiter than snow…

A pure heart create for me, O God,
put a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
nor deprive me of your holy spirit…

… my sacrifice, a contrite spirit.
A humbled, contrite heart you will not spurn…”

This is both a prayer for forgiveness and also a prayer of humble trust that God will be God and offer us mercy. I wish you a joyful celebration of the gift of God’s forgiving love.

Let us pray: Father, bless us with contrite hearts so that we may joyfully receive your forgiveness. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Bishop Sylvester David OMI
VG/Auxiliary Bishop: Cape Town.

Day 6: Novena in Preparation to Celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption

As we prepare to celebrate our patronal feast, Mary Assumed into Heaven, each day of our novena clergy of the Archdiocese of Cape Town will offer reflections on Our Lady.

In this reflection for Thursday, 12 August, Fr Phillip Mangatt MSFS reflects on Mary encouraging us to serve the people of South Africa in love and justice.

The text of the video is provided below, especially for those who are deaf.

Novena Reflection – Assumption of Our Blessed Mother Download

Day 5: Novena in Preparation to Celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption

As we prepare to celebrate our patronal feast, Mary Assumed into Heaven, each day of our novena clergy of the Archdiocese of Cape Town will offer reflections on Our Lady.

In this reflection for Wednesday, 11 August, Fr Anthony Padua CSsR, reflects on Mary as Model of Missionaries.

The text of the video is provided below, especially for those who are deaf.

MARY – MODEL OF MISSIONARIES.

A warm welcome to everyone who loves our Blessed Mother and who is preparing to celebrate the Feast of her Assumption into heaven.

My reflection today is entitled: Mary, Assumed into heaven, model of missionaries.

A scriptural text I love reading in Luke 1:39 is “Mary set out and went with haste to a town in the hill country of Judah. She went to Zachariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth.”

A question many today ask – what is a missionary?

Who are called to be missionaries?

Like Mary, a missionary is one who goes with haste into a situation to bring God’s love and salvation into the lives of those who need the Presence of God.

Pope Francis reminds us that all of us are called to be missionaries. Pope Francis puts it beautifully when he calls the Church a “field hospital” caring for the wounded of society. His concern for ‘missionary zeal’ makes him cry out: “Let us go forth, then, to offer everyone the life of Jesus Christ”

He continues: More than by fear of going astray, my hope is that we will be moved by the fear of remaining shut up within structures that will give us a false sense of security… while at our door people are starving and Jesus does not tire of saying to us: “Give them something to eat.” Mark 6:37.

We are called to be missionaries like Mary and the Apostles.

I personally know of a few families in my parish who work as a team (husband, wife and children) who visit the sick and lonely, who bring comfort to the bereaved, who have turned their homes into soup kitchens for the poor. Others with the joy of the Gospel go out into the streets to feed the homeless and those in high density areas. These are the Missionaries of today, who have been inspired by our Catholic Faith and our Blessed Mother.

There are also wonderful, zealous, selfless groups of men and women, who under the patronage of Mary our Mother, are inspired by her life, who are Apostles of love today:

To name a few:

Legion of Mary

St Vincent de Paul

Catholic Woman’s Group

Men’s Group

Neo-Catechumens and many other groups.

These men and women are not scared of embracing the poor and rejected, of loving them and touching their lives with the salvation of Jesus. They are not ‘scared of smelling like the sheep they serve’, to use Pope Francis’s words.

As we pray this Novena, let us ask Mary, Assumed into heaven to inspire us to become missionaries as she was and still is, by bringing Jesus, her son, the message of Redemption into a broken world.

May those countless men and women who follow in her footsteps continue to live as missionaries bringing into our world, acceptance, love, abundance, and plentiful redemption.

Mary Assumed into heaven and Queen of missionaries,

Pray for us.

THE CATENA

Antiphon. Who is she that comes forth as the morning rising, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army set in battle array?

My soul glorifies the Lord. *
My spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour.
He looks on His servant in her lowliness; *
henceforth all ages will call me blessed.

The Almighty works marvels for me. *
Holy His name!
His mercy is from age to age, *
on those who fear Him.

He puts forth His arm in strength*
and scatters the proud-hearted.
He casts the mighty from their thrones*
and raises the lowly.

He fills the starving with good things, *
sends the rich away empty.

He protects Israel His servant, *
remembering His mercy,
The mercy promised to our fathers, *
to Abraham and his sons for ever.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Antiphon. Who is she that comes forth as the morning rising, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army set in battle array?

V. O Mary, conceived without sin.
R. Pray for us who have recourse to you.

Prayer and Reflection by Archbishop Stephen Brislin

Archbishop Stephen Brislin offers his prayer and reflection for the people of the Archdiocese of Cape Town for today, Wednesday 11 August 2021, during this time of the coronavirus pandemic. It is also available on the Archdiocese of Cape Town’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. Please also see below the text of his reflection, primarily for the deaf.

Welcome to this reflection. Today is the feast day of St Clare, a contemporary and spiritual friend to St Francis of Assisi. Like St Francis, Clare dedicated her life to serving God in poverty, a powerful witness in her times when some in the Church were more concerned about material benefits. Let us pray the Prayer for Peace for southern Africa, remembering especially the countries of eSwatini and our own country:

The Scripture Reading comes from the Gospel of today’s Mass (Matthew 18:15-20):

If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the Church;

In South Africa we are quite used to people turning to the courts to settle disputes. Courts also have often been called on to resolve political matters that should really be resolved politically. There are those who turn to courts to solve conflicts with neighbours or strangers who “have crossed swords”. In general, courts prefer matters to be resolved outside of the legal framework if at all possible – of course, if a crime has been committed then matters need to be dealt with according to the law. While complainants may be granted relief by a court, it seldom results in the restoration of relationships and the re-establishment of a relationship that is peaceful and harmonious.

It is difficult to deal with conflicts, especially those in the family or in a close relationships. If we have been wronged by someone, we go through a host of emotions: hurt, anger, the impulse to “hit back” or seek revenge; often there is fear as well, especially fear that in trying to resolve the matter it will result in even greater hurt. Jesus gives sound advice in his teaching which we heard in the Gospel we heard, saying that we should start off in the simplest way possible to resolve matters. First and foremost, talk to the person who has wronged you. If he or she listens and understands, then the relationship is restored, things can get back to normal, harmony and peace have once again been established. If he doesn’t listen, then get one or two with you and, once again, try to talk things through. If he still does not listen, then you should escalate it to the community to help find a way forward.

Don’t start by escalating things – try to resolve them yourself, face to face with the other. As I’ve said, that can be difficult because we often feel vulnerable and would like to have people with us to bolster our case. Secondly, in talking to the one who has wronged you there should always be with the intention of re-establishing a good relationship, of being able to put what has happened in the past. It should not be done to prove that you are right, to justify yourself or to humiliate the other party. In short, it is not about getting on our high horse. Thirdly, in order to confront the other in such a way means having to get our emotions under control, to put aside the hurt, the anger or to hit back. These emotions can be expressed, but not in a way that is intended to hurt the other.

Wherever there are people, differences will arise among them. People rub each other up the wrong way, we fail to understand each other and make judgements about others without really understanding them. It is not pleasant when things go wrong, but it is part of life. The most important thing is not that there are conflicts, but how we handle things afterwards and the steps we take. This calls for much maturity and, indeed, Christian maturity, because forgiveness, which is a mark of Christian living, is required in such situations. If we cannot forgive and “let go” then we will not be able to resume the relationship as it was and will certainly not be able to deepen it.

We can only develop that type of maturity through growing in the image of Jesus Christ, who prayed on the Cross “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do”. We grow in the image of Christ through prayer which is ultimately communion with God, uniting ourselves to him, becoming one with him. Prayer enables us to put things in perspective, it calms us and our emotions, it gives us purpose and it gives us courage. When we pray with others the prayer is made all the stronger. As Jesus says later in the Gospel of today’s Mass, for when two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them. It is especially important in our families, among the most important people in our lives, that we pray together. Christ is part of our families and we should see him as a member of the family. This can only be achieved when we pray together as a family and keep the love of Jesus before our eyes at all times, inviting him to give us a share of his Divine love.

Let us now pray for God’s blessing:

The Lord be with you R/ And with your Spirit

Bow down for the blessing:

Almighty God and Father, you call your people to reconcile with you and to establish harmonious relationships among those we live with. We ask your blessings on your people that, through the intercession of St Clare, they may restore their relationship with you, Father, and restore their relationships with others, that all may live in peace and harmony. Through Christ our Lord, amen

May Almighty God bless you, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit (+), amen.

Day 4: Novena in Preparation to Celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption

As we prepare to celebrate our patronal feast, Mary Assumed into Heaven, each day of our novena clergy of the Archdiocese of Cape Town will offer reflections on Our Lady.

In this reflection for Tuesday, 10 August, Fr Nkululeko Meyiwa OMI, reflects on Mary as Model of Discipleship.

The text of the video is provided below, especially for those who are deaf.

Mary Assumed into Heaven – Model of Discipleship

Welcome, friends, to this novena reflection in preparation to celebrate the Assumption of Mary, Patroness of South Africa.

I would like to focus On Mary, the Model of Discipleship. We will reflect on the words of Mary’s response to God’s invitation: as found in the Gospel of St Luke 1:38.

“Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your words.”

This response of Mary to the invitation from God, sets the tone for the type of discipleship Mary was to model. Her Yes to Gods invitation changed everything for her and the entire history of our salvation. This Yes was not about her but the fulfilment of God’s will for generations to come. In this manner; Mary accepts and recognises the act of God in her, not as her doing but purely God’s doing. Such a disposition of Mary is notable throughout her mission as a mother, wife and disciple: there are no expectations, no demands or any form of superiority on her part, but rather she remains a humble servant. Her discipleship, therefore, is characterised by total surrender to God’s will, there is no other motive but to serve God in his people. Pope Francis, in his apostolic exhortation (Evangelii Gaudium – The Joy of the Gospel) Pope Francis called Mary the mother of Evangelization. “With the Holy Spirit,he writes, Mary is always present in the midst of the people… As a true mother, she walks at our side, she shares our struggles and she constantly surrounds us with God’s love.” She remains true to her calling even now.

All creation, especially human beings, has been afforded the gift to hear and choose God over everything. However, it remains one’s choice to say Yes to God’s invitation. Just like in Mary, God does not impose on us but rather invites us continuously to be his ambassadors in his created world. This, therefore, calls for an honest reflection on whatever vocation we have been called to: to revisit our YES. In revisiting our Yes to God’s invitation we need to reflect deeply on the following questions:

*Has it been about God all along or about me?

*Whose will has been at play?

*Am I honestly able to echo the words of Mary anew: ‘Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to you word.’

Let us pray: God our Loving Father, you have given us Mary as our Mother and Model of faith. May we emulate her discipleship in all that you have called us to. Help us to be of service to you as we serve your creation. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen

May the blessing of the Almighty God remain with us: the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.