Welcome back to a new academic year.
The Word of the Week this week is, appropriately, Welcome!
At Saint Peter and Saint Paul’s, everyone is welcome! As a Catholic community, our welcoming ethos is rooted in the Gospels. We are all called to welcome others into our communities, to open our doors and bring people in; particularly those on the margins and those who feel left out. Being welcoming helps those new to our community to feel loved, supported and included. We are all one body in Christ; everyone is welcome, and everyone has a part to play
Day 1:
We invite you to start with the Sign of the Cross.
Response: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew. (25: 34-40)
R./ Glory to you O Lord. (+)
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
The Gospel of the Lord.
R./ Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.
Saint Peter and Saint Paul’s is Lincoln’s only Catholic secondary school, but what does that mean? Well, put simply, it means that what we do here is based on the example that Jesus set us whilst he was alive. What would Jesus do? That’s the question we ask ourselves when we write our policies, make choices about our curriculum and go about our day-to-day lives. The scripture we’ve heard today – taken from a parable told by Jesus often referred to as ‘The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats’ – gives us some really practical examples of how we are called to live and treat one another. Essentially, we are called to welcome and support one another, especially those who are most in need.
Whether you’re returning to this school after the summer break or whether today is your very first day here, you are welcome. Today is a fresh start.
Your mission for this very short first week is simple. Look out for those around you. Does somebody look lost or upset? A simple smile or kind word could make all the difference. Through your actions and words, try to make at least one person (staff or student!) feel welcome.
Loving Father, we thank you for the fresh start this new academic year offers each of us. May we feel welcome as part of this school community and be the face of Christ for others through our actions and words. Amen.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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