Today is the Third Sunday of Lent: Today is also the penultimate day of our Novena. We are grateful to God for all his blessings during these days of prayer. In the Gospel today we hear of a woman who meets Jesus at a well. Jesus is thirsty and asks her for a drink of water. She is shocked by his request because according to the norms of the society no man should address a woman alone, and especially since he was a Jew and and was not of the same faith tradition as she was. Jesus reaches out to her in her confusion. “If you only knew what God is offering and who it is that is saying to you: Give me a drink you would have been the one to ask and he would have given you living water” (John 4:10) Jesus is the lover – He longs to enter into relationship with us. Rumi Sufi monk said. “Not only the thirsty seek the water – the water as well seeks the thirsty” We can see a development in the relationship between the Samaritan woman and Jesus. She moves from calling him a Jew, to Sir/Lord and to Prophet and then finally begins to see him as Messiah. He is no longer a tired and thirsty itinerant Jew but becomes for her like a spring of living water. Jesus speaks of Water – that ordinary important ingredient of life – as a symbol of life of God. We hear “water” mentioned in the first reading (Exodus 17:3-7). It is one of the moments on the people’s journey out of Egypt that they grumble against God because they are thirsty. We use this prayer when we bless water to be made holy “We ask you to bless this water + and to give us your protection on this day which you have made your own. Renew the living spring of your life within us and protect us in spirit and body that we may be free from sin and come into your presence to receive the gift of salvation.” God uses the ordinary things of the earth to bring us closer to Him. He became incarnated for that reason. He has given us in abundance the gift of the Spirit to help us to become His follower. We are near the end of our Novena of Hope. It is hope that we have asked to receive. Today in the second reading of St. Paul to the (Romans 5:1-8). “The hope is not deceptive, because the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given to us” (Romans 5:5)
Jesus longs for us. Many of us have been reared with the Old Catechism which talked of prayer being more our work than God’s work. The new Catechism gives us this description of prayer: “If you knew the gift of God!”The wonder of prayer is revealed beside the well where we come seeking water: there, Christ comes to meet every human being. It is he who first seeks us and asks us for a drink. Jesus thirsts; his asking arises from the depths of God’s desire for us. Whether we realise it or not, prayer is the encounter of God’s thirst with ours. God thirsts that we may thirst for him. (Number 2560)
Sunday Collection: Came to £2200 and the surplus is used to help defray the many costs of the Novena of Hope.
Novena Collection: We didn’t have any collections during our Novena because our Novena is about prayer and hope and not money. However we know you like to help defray the costs. There will be an opportunity at both the 12.30pm and 7.30pm Services tomorrow to make a contribution towards the running costs of the Novena. Thanks to all who have already been so generous.
At the closing tomorrow a special blessing will be imparted at both the 12.30pm & 7.30pm Services.
Duty: There will be a priest available tomorrow Monday from 2pm to 5pm.
Thanks to all our guest speakers. Each shared the special gifts God gave them and they shared them generously.
Today Fr Brendan Mc Keever – will speak at 9am, 10.30am & 12noon & 4pm.
Monday 13th March – we welcome Professor Jim Lucey who was Medical Director of St. Patrick’s Mental Health Service until his retirement in 2019. He was also a member of the Mental Health Commission of Ireland. He will speak at the closing Services tomorrow at 12.30pm & 7.30pm.
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament: Tomorrow Monday 13th March between 2pm & 5pm
Thanks to the Priests. Thanks to all the priests who helped us at the Services for the Sick. Particular thanks to Frs, John Sexton, Larry Dawson, Brendan Gallagher, Cathal Deery, Gabriel Kelly, Seamus Quinn and our Passionist priests – Frs Eugene Mc Carthy, Joe Kennedy, and our own Graan Community.
Carpark: Thanks to those who helped around the church in so many ways and indeed the ushers and car park attendants and to DD’s Flowers in Irvinestown.
Thanks to our singers, Catherine, Eleanor, Vincie, Jacqui, Sr Marie, Louise & Christopher, Paddy, Kieran & the 10.30 Graan Choir, Readers, Eucharistic Ministers, ushers, nurses, teachers and children who decorated the church and our Cleaning Groups.
A special word of thanks to Eamon at Beechvale Natural Water for donating the bottled water.
Duty: There will be a priest on duty tomorrow (closing of the Novena) from 2pm – 5pm – Arthur. Tues (2pm – 5pm) – Brian.
Wed – Victor. Thurs – Arthur. Note: (Friday 17th March – No Duty). Saturday Confessions: Saturday 5 – 6pm – Anthony.
Feast of St. Patrick: Friday17 March: National Patron of Ireland & Bank Holiday. Times of Masses: Vigil Mass on Thursday evening at 7pm. Masses on Friday 17 March 10:30 am and 12noon. There is NO evening Mass. Shop will close at 12noon.
Friday’s Exposition will not take place this Friday due to it being St Patrick’s Day.
Please come and visit our shop. We have Novena of Hope candles and cards as well as St Patrick’s Day & Mother’s Day on sale.
St Patrick’s Day Parade starts at the Broadmeadow from 1.30-3.30pm for all the usual fun and freebies on land and on lough! Live entertainment from the Diamond will be followed by our traditional parade at 3.30pm. Home-Start Lakeland is the nominated charity who will be collecting around Enniskillen on the day.
Recently Deceased
Rosemary Mc Goldrick, Cornagrade, Enniskillen
Josie Duffy, Graan Abbey NH & Derrygonnelly
Joan O’Reilly, Maguiresbridge (Monsignor Peter’s mother)
Helen Crudden, Kinawley
Sarah Cullen, Garrison
Anniversaries
Mary & John Mc Aloon & the Mc Aloon Family, Arney
Kevin & Lena Jackson & the Craven Family, Silverhill, Enniskillen
Gerry Keown, Old Rossorry, Enniskillen
Davy Hoy, Levally, Enniskillen
Thomas, James and Catherine Keenan, Belleek
Gabriella Mc Dermott, New Jersey, nee Mc Intyre, Derrygonnelly
Anna Lilly, Cappog, Sligo Rd, Enniskillen
Josie Mullarkey, Coonian
