Service Times

St George’s, Tubbercurry: 11.30am Sundays

Killoran (Rathbarron): 10.00am Sundays

Priest-in-Charge

Revd Peter Norman
Hawkswell farm
Banada
Tourlestrane
Co. Sligo
00353 71 9181685

***EASTER VESTRY MEETINGS 2021***
The Easter Vestry Meetings this year will take place via Zoom on the following dates.
Tubbercurry – Tuesday 20 th April at 7.30 p.m.
Rathbarron – Thursday 22 nd April at 7.30 p.m.
More Details will be sent via email or post.

From: The Revd. Peter Norman

3rd Sunday of Eastertide – 18th April 2021

Luke 24:36b-48

Here it is again! Those four little words that we read in last Sunday’s Gospel as well as today.
‘Peace be with you.’
Last week, Jesus entered a locked room and greeted his disciples with those words. Today he
meets them and says those same words, although it might be that this is Luke’s version of the
same story.
The passage begins with them talking to one another about the strange event that two disciples
on the road to Emmaus are recounting. They had met Jesus on the road, heard him talking abut
the scriptures and recognised him in the breaking of bread. After this recognition Jesus
disappears, the two disciples return to Jerusalem and here they are telling their story.
As they are telling the story, Jesus appears and says ‘Peace be with you.’ But they are anything
but at peace. St. Luke tells us that they were startled and terrified and thought that they were
seeing a ghost.
Jesus tries to reassure them by inviting them to touch him, to see that he has flesh and bones
unlike a ghost. He shows them his hands and feet so that they recognise him as they see the
marks of the nails. He asks for something to eat and eats a piece of fish. Not a ghost but the Risen
Christ.
Not only that but he opens their minds to understand the scriptures, to see that as Messiah he had
to suffer and die and rise on the third day. This really is him, this really is the man that they knew,
that they heard teach and preach and heal the sick. This is the one with whom they shared the
Last Supper, who was betrayed, tried before Pilate and put to death on a cross.
‘Peace be with you’ says Jesus. Not peace in the sense of peace and quiet, the absence of noise
but peace deep down knowing that all really will be well, the God is in charge of everything, that
even death can be conquered.
The Peace that Jesus talks about is not just talk. Jesus utters those words and yet the disciples are
not at peace. There are questions and doubts in their minds, they are startled and afraid. Peace
only comes about because he opens their minds, because they are able to understand the
scriptures and make the link between them and the man who stands in front of them.

The disciples will be at peace when they understand what all of this means and they need to
understand in order to share that peace with others. The Gospel story ends with Jesus telling
them that they are witnesses to everything that has gone on; that they are to preach repentance
and the forgiveness of sins which his rising again enables. That is their new task; their new
mission. It is the mission of the Church. But they can only do this if they understand; if they make
that link.
The disciples are to be at peace because they receive this forgiveness from Jesus, this
reconciliation with God. Jesus greets them with peace. He doesn’t appear to them in order to
make them feel guilty because they ran away or abandoned him when the going got tough and he
was arrested. He’s not there to punish St. Peter because he denied him; not there to remind the
three disciples who accompanied him to the Garden of Gethsemane that they fell asleep when he
needed them awake; not there to accuse them of sometimes getting things wrong or failing to
understand what was going on.
Jesus brings the opportunity to repent and receive forgiveness and in accepting those things to be
at peace with God. ‘Peace be with you’ is not only a greeting and a blessing for that moment in
time but a hope for the future too. A hope that through understanding what has gone on; what
has been offered through his death and resurrection they will have and true a lasting peace within
themselves and be able to share that with others.
The Risen Jesus turns a group of frightened disciples into a band of men that have the courage and
understanding to go out and do the work that has been entrusted to them, to be as Jesus says
‘witnesses to these things’.
During Eastertide the greeting at the Peace, immediately after the prayers of intercession is, ‘The
Risen Christ stood among his disciples and said ‘Peace be with you’, then were they glad when
they saw the Lord.’ We are those disciples; may we grow in our understanding of the risen Jesus,
be filled with his peace and share that peace with others that we too may be ‘witnesses to these
things.’

“We are an Easter people and Alleluia is our song” – St. Augustine

These are the prayers that I shall use each Sunday. They will remain on the website and can be
used at any time.
After these prayers you’ll find a prayer taken from the Diocesan website and a prayer for a Spiritual
Communion.

Father, your Son has Risen from the dead; sin and death have been overcome and life and hope
restored. Renew our hope and trust in your promises and help us once again to live the life of the
Risen Christ which we share through our Baptism.
Lord in your mercy

hear our prayer

Father your Son stood among his disciples and said ‘Peace be with you’. Give us that same peace
and help us through your Church to share with others the joy of the Resurrection.
Lord in your mercy
hear our prayer

Father the disciples were sent out after the resurrection to build your Church. We pray for the
Church in this land, for this Diocese and for Patrick our Bishop. We pray for all who continue the
work of the Church through prayer and good deeds at home, at school and at work.
Lord in your mercy
hear our prayer

Father, the Risen Christ shared his authority with his disciples. And so we pray for all in positions
of authority especially those responsible for keeping us safe and well at this time and those
making decisions about our future. For those responsible for rolling out and administering the
Coronavirus vaccine.
Lord in your mercy
hear our prayer

Father, the Risen Christ taught his disciples through words and deeds. We pray for those who
teach the faith of the Church and for those who work in education particularly all teachers in our
schools. We pray too for all children and young people as they catch up with their learning.
Lord in your mercy
hear our prayer

Father, the Risen Christ sent out disciples to heal the sick and restore broken lives to wholeness.
So we pray for those who care for the sick in hospital, hospices and health centres. We pray for
those who are sick at this time, for those suffering as a result of the pandemic, for all who suffer
anxiety and loneliness, for the depressed and those who are afraid, for those facing
unemployment and an uncertain future. For all who are bereaved.
Lord in your mercy
hear our prayer

Father, your Son rose from the dead to bring us eternal life. In faith therefore, we pray for all who
have died. For those who have died recently, for those who have died in the faith and those
whose faith is known to you alone. We remember too those who anniversary of death occurs at
this time.
Lord in your mercy
hear our prayer

Rejoicing in the fellowship and prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Patrick, and all the saints we
commend ourselves and all people to your unfailing love.

Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

A Prayer from the Diocesan Website

Almighty and All–loving God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
we pray to you through Christ the Healer
for those who suffer from the Coronavirus
in Ireland and across the world.
We pray too for all who reach out to those who mourn the loss
of each and every person who has died as a result of contracting the disease.
Give wisdom to policymakers,
skill to healthcare professionals and researchers,
comfort to everyone in distress
and a sense of calm to us all in these days of uncertainty and distress.
This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord
who showed compassion to the outcast,
acceptance to the rejected
and love to those to whom no love was shown. Amen.

Prayer for a Spiritual Communion for those unable to physically take Communion.

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love you above all things and I desire to receive you in my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally,
Come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace you as if you were already there
And unite myself wholly to you.
Never permit me to be separated from you.
Amen.

Please share this (safely) with anyone you know that does not have access to the internet.

If you wish to contact me then please do so by ‘phone 071-9181685 or by email peternorman1959@gmail.com

Take care and keep safe
With every Blessing
Revd. Peter.