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| 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time (20 June 2010) PARISH PLANNING DAY ‘WHAT ARE OUR DREAMS AND DOINGS FOR THIS PLACE?” ST JOHN’S PARISH, MITCHAM—SUNDAY 2 MAY 2010 Through the ‘Open Space Process’ Andrew Rixon led parishioners through a series of workshops centred on issues identified by those present. After a series of discussions aimed at identifying the core issues, the final action planning workshops focused on the topics of communication and youth. A summary of these two workshops is presented below. Communication Ideas presented by the group included: > Survey parishioners to identify the needs of the Parish. > Share with parishioners the activities of the service groups that bring life to our Parish. > Expand information available on the Parish Website to include reports on activities, on-line new parishioner’s form, and the weekly Parish Newsletter. > Development of a Parish Magazine. > Review and update the Parish Directory—both on-line and hard copy. > Parish Information Stall to be included at the Parish Fete. > Email distribution of the weekly Parish Newsletter. > Exploring further ways of linking Parish Schools and the wider Parish. > Be alert to the fact that there needs to be both traditional and electronic forms of communication. Youth Ideas presented by the group included: > To hold an annual Reunion Mass from the previous year’s Year 6 classes from St John’s and St James schools. > Conduct Youth Masses at the 5pm Sunday Parish Mass. Involve our youth in formatting/planning of the liturgy, and taking on such roles as Commentators, Readers, Laptop operators, Ministers of Eucharist, and the like. > To investigate a parish youth leadership role. > Opportunities and support for Youth to ‘reach out’, e.g. community outreach projects. > Our Youth have a connection to their secondary schools. How do we bring this back to the Parish? > How do we follow up and draw on the experience of World Youth Day? Are we able to utilize the experiences of those receiving Parish sponsorship to attend? > Is it possible that we can link our youth with older parishioners as mentors? > Opportunities for a casual forum—youth to discuss issues related to their spirituality and faith. The Parish Pastoral Council is currently preparing action plans to implement these outcomes | ||
| 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time (13 June 2010) KEEP THIS DATE FREE—HELPERS NEEDED ST JOHN’S PARISH FETE SATURDAY 20TH NOVEMBER The year is flying by and our Parish Fete is fast approaching. We will be having a stall holders meeting in approximately 6 weeks time but before that can happen we need some new stall holders for some of our favourite stalls. The roles we need your help with are: Drinks Distribution Co-ordinator – this is the person who will keep our stalls stocked up throughout fete day with cans of soft drink. Bric-a-Brac Trainee - we currently have a stall holder for this stall but this will be their last year so they are looking for someone to learn the ropes with a view of taking the role over fully next year. Plants Stall Holder – this person/s would order the plants for fete day and coordinate the helpers for on the day. Pre-Loved Toys Stall Holder – this stall has someone ready to hand over the job as she will be away during this year’s fete. It involves coordinating helpers for on the day and cleaning/sorting donations of toys leading up to the fete. Narthex Clearing Person – this role is ideally suited to someone who owns a trailer and can commit to 1 hour every Sunday afternoon/evening for the 6 weeks leading up to the fete. Most of these roles can be shared and don’t require you to be at the fete all day, or do everything by yourself. PLEASE CALL ERIN GOEDHART – 0412 461 319 | ||
| Body and Blood of Christ (6 June 2010) We are what we eat “Take and eat, this is my body”. These familiar words express our faith that God comes to us as life and nourishment. In the ordinary ritual of sharing food and drink, we are drawn into the presence of God. This faith is found in the writings of the New Testament when the disciples discovered an ongoing presence of Jesus in their midst. “He’s alive!” is the joyful message of Easter. In their small gatherings as they shared their stories of Jesus, and broke bread together, they knew Jesus was still with them. What we now call Eucharist, they called ‘The Lord’s supper’ for Jesus remained with them as host, as surely as he once was host in their many shared meals. Stories such as the one we hear in today’s Gospel link the post-Easter experience of the Lord’s presence with their memory of other meals during the ministry of Jesus. This meal with the multitude anticipates his later meal on the eve of his death and the ongoing meals in the Christian communities. Notice in the Gospel that the disciples are told to feed the crowd and to distribute the blessed bread. The action of these disciples continues in our communities today. In celebrating this feast we not only give thanks for the presence of Christ in the bread and wine, we also celebrate that being nourished by the life of Jesus we become the living body of Christ. As Paul states, “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it” (1Cor 12:27). Sundays under the Southern Cross Mary Coloe PBVM | ||
| Trinity Sunday (30 May 2010) Desire—the Heart of God We do not find an explicit statement of the doctrine of the Trinity in the Gospels; it took centuries of discussion before the councils of Nicea and Constantinople came up with the language we profess in our creed about Father, Son and Spirit. What we do find is a seminal faith and an experience of God present in the life of Jesus. As a Jew Jesus would have daily prayed the great Jewish proclamation of faith, “Hear O Israel the Lord our God, the Lord is one.” Drawing on his Jewish traditions and Scriptures Jesus spoke to God as “Abba”, father. While the Greeks had the idea of God as a distant impersonal and immovable being, Jesus knew God as personal and loving. The understanding of God as Trinity can also help us understand our own life. The Trinity expresses the Christian faith that the essence of Divine life is a love that reaches out to another in desire to be in relationship. As this Gospel reveals, the Spirit is turned towards Jesus, the Son; all the Spirit expresses comes from the Risen Christ, just as all the Father has, is given over to the Son. Our own relationships and desires for love image the dynamic self-giving within the life of God. As Genesis states, “in the image of God they were created, male and female”. In celebrating the Trinity, may we also celebrate and give thanks for our participation in this life of loving desire. May the patterns of our own loving mirror the generous self-giving of our God. Sundays under the Southern Cross Mary Coloe PBVM | ||
| Pentecost Sunday Come Spirit of Truth This part of John’s Gospel reflects a time in the Early Church towards the end of the first century when the community is experiencing conflict both with the world of Judaism and with the wider Greco-Roman world. In this situation the disciples are to be witnesses to Jesus and here we listen to words of promise that the disciples will not be left alone in this task. The Spirit of truth will come to help Christians in their living out the Gospel in the midst of a hostile world. The hostility need not be in the form of religious persecution; hostility at that time may have come from people worshipping Greek and Roman gods, puzzled that their Christian neighbours don’t follow this normal practice. Living out a way of worship and values that are different from those around you places the believer in a hostile situation. Christianity is in such a situation today. Generally our society appears to be irreligious, if we take the evidence of religious surveys. No longer does society support Christian values; Sunday is no longer ‘sacred’, nor is Good Friday. When the surrounding society offers no support, and indeed often presents values contrary to the Gospel, Christian faith and action demand much more personal commitment and witness. We do need the Spirit of Truth to maintain our convictions in the face of indifference and bewildered amusement at ‘quaint’ religious ways. We continue to pray, ‘Come Spirit of holiness and truth, kindle in our hearts your fire of conviction and love.’ Sundays under the Southern Cross Mary Coloe PBVM | ||
| Ascension of the Lord (16 May 2010) GOD’S POWER Luke is the only Gospel writer to give a forty-day time frame for the events of Easter, followed by Jesus’ return to his Father, followed ten days later by the gift of the Spirit. This time frame may well be governed by the Jewish liturgical calendar where the Feast of Pentecost or ‘First Fruits’ occurs fifty days after Passover (Easter). The Ascension celebrates an experience of the early Christian communities. There was a time when they knew Jesus of Nazareth. He lived among them and they were attracted by his vision of God’s reign. Then, following his death, there were brief moments of his presence. But there came a time when even these Risen appearances finished. The time of the Jesus bound by human history had come to an end. And yet, when they gathered to share their memories and to celebrate the Lord’s Supper, they knew that he was still a presence in their midst. In fact, in the absence of Jesus of Nazareth, they had a new certainty of faith and an enthusiasm for spreading the Gospel message. This empowering and enlivening presence they called the Spirit, drawing on the words of their Jewish Scriptures that described the power of God’s Spirit in people’s lives. The Greek word for the power of the spirit is dunamis, from where we get words such as ‘dynamic’ and ‘dynamite’. With the new experience of the Spirit as a power and presence in their lives, Jesus’ return to his Father is not a cause of grief but one of joy for now people of all times can share the experience of those first disciples. Sundays under the Southern Cross Mary Coloe PBVM | ||
| 6th Sunday of Easter (9 May 2010) God on our side The Last Discourse of John’s Gospel brings the disciples face to face with the reality of Jesus’ absence. He is returning to the Father and will no longer be a physical presence with them. Jesus speaks of his going and he promises that he will return and will continue to be a presence in their midst with the Father and the Spirit. While these words are mysterious, it is important to remember that they were written around sixty years after the death of Jesus. The continued existence of the community testifies that Jesus’ promise has become a reality. This is a community of believers who no longer have the historical Jesus with them and yet they continue to experience his risen presence. A generation who lived without ever knowing the historical Jesus know through their experience that God is still with them. The Holy Spirit is called the Paraclete, a word that has its background in legal proceedings and is sometimes translated as Advocate or Counsellor. The Spirit of God on our side as we face the trials and troubles of our times. The Johannine community were struggling to develop their identity as they made a break from Judaism. They also had to deal with Rome and its attitudes to new sects. Those who live by the Gospel today are promised that God’s Spirit is on our side as we confront a society whose values often contradict those of the Gospel. With this sure promise, the believer can experience Jesus’ gift of peace. Sundays under the Southern Cross Mary Coloe PBVM | ||
| 5th Sunday of Easter (2 May 2010) PONTIUS PILATE IS ALIVE AND WELL!!! As we move closer to the State election later this year both the Government and the Opposition are beginning to release policies to try and tempt our vote. In the past 10 days we’ve had announcements from both as to what they intend to do with police numbers. Commentators are suggesting that ‘law and order’ will be a big issue and so political parties respond by placing on the streets more law and order personnel. The trouble is that research from all over the world going back many years indicates that such a move will have no impact on the ever increasing violence around us. Last Wednesday there was a very interesting interview on Radio 774 with John Dalzeel, from the Salvation Army and another person similarly involved in combating street violence. Both were unanimous that the issue of violence is a societal issue and allocating more police does not address the problem. It seems that ever more we are living in a ‘blame’ culture.....it’s anybody else’s fault or responsibility but not mine. It’s the old John Wayne line....”somebody should do something” providing of course that the somebody is not me. It’s all too easy to play Pontius Pilate and wash our hands of a problem that is essentially ours...the ever increasing lack of respect for our fellow human being. We live in an increasingly narcissistic age...it’s all about me. Community organizations tell us that volunteerism is becoming a thing of the past with all too often the question that is being asked is “what’s in it for me”. The electronic age of competitive games, the depersonalized modes of communicating like email, face book and twitter all contribute to making us ‘isolates’ within society and so a growing lack of awareness of those around us results. From this flows selfishness that has led to the demonizing of those that are different from us-be it their nationality, their dress, their religion, their customs and so on. No the answer doesn’t begin with more police – that’s a cop out! The answer begins in the mirror every morning. What am I doing to promote respect and harmony in the community? How inclusive are my attitudes to those around me? How accepting am I of difference? The problem we have has evolved over time and the solution will take just as long, but it must begin with us. A parishioner of some fifty years standing said to me the other day that the best thing that has happened in this parish since he has been here is the Strathewen project. And what do we get out of it....the sheer joy of knowing we have done something for those who have suffered more than we can ever know. As Jesus says to us in this weekend’s Gospel ‘Love one another as I have loved you’. Of course that love was not about him, it cost and it hurt. Worth a try? | ||
| 3rd Sunday of Easter (18 April 2010) Following on from the last Parish Planning Day held in 2002, St John’s Parish Mitcham would like to invite you to the next planning day scheduled for the afternoon of Sunday May 2nd. During this afternoon we would like to invite you to share your passion, enthusiasm and commitment helping us all to work towards realising: “What are our dreams and doings for this place?” “The Issues and Opportunities” The afternoon will be guided by the approach known as Open Space Technology and will be facilitated by Andrew Rixon of Babel Fish Group. Open Space is a meeting methodology which is centred around self-organisation, passion and responsibility. The agenda for the afternoon will follow: 12.30-1.00pm Opening the Topics 1.00-2.00pm Session 1 of Parallel Sessions 2.00-3.00pm Session 2 of Parallel Sessions 3.00-3.30pm Afternoon Tea 3.30-4.00pm Opening the Actions 4.00-4.30pm Session 3 of Parallel Sessions 4.30-5.00pm Closing Circle Details at a glance: Date: Sunday May 2nd 2010 Time: 12.30—5.00pm Venue: Parish Hall RSVP: Parish Office—98731341 | ||
| 2nd Sunday of Easter (11 April 2010) Many other signs They remembered some things Jesus did, wrote down others, but there were more. There are other books where the signs of Jesus are written, the books of everyone’s life. You and I are the signs of Jesus: The ordinary kindnesses of an ordinary day, like a message brought for a housebound person, like the daily care of father and mother, the care of children for parents and family, signs of the love and the care of Jesus. The signs that Jesus is alive: remembering the bereaved and the sick, creating employment and good housing, helping the work of others in a developing country; signs of the love and care of Jesus, that he is raised from death, and we are writing the resurrection story for today. And in the suffering of people we write the words of the risen Lord, especially the support given where people suffer through others: the mother whose child is in prison, the family suffering through addictions and violence, the memory of the violence or greed of others; when support is offered and given, there is the gospel written again for today. There are many other signs that Jesus worked and the disciples saw, but they are not recorded in the gospel. They are recorded in the book of life, yours and mine, known only to those close to us and to God himself. Communion Reflections Donal Neary SJ | ||
| Easter Sunday (4 April 2010) “Why do you seek the living one among the dead?” The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee thought they knew the agenda for that first day of the week: give Jesus a proper burial, anoint his body with perfume and spice. But this was not to be. What had happened? Who had stolen his body? They looked at one another in bewildered amazement. Two men in dazzling garments reminded them of something they had heard from the very mouth of Jesus: “remember what he said…. the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners and be crucified, and rise on the third day.” Yes, they had heard him say those things, but somehow they did not think he meant death—and resurrection! Expecting to find the tomb sealed, a final resting place for the Lord, they instead found it burst open with his life. His words were true beyond their expectations. Jesus comes alive for us at the most unexpected moments, too. Just when we think we have understood, just when we fear that a tomb is sealed in our lives, Jesus’ words blossom in full beauty, a beauty we had not yet grasped ourselves. Do not be afraid: Jesus is the first—and final—Word. A Year of Sundays—Gospel Reflections | ||
| Passion Sunday (28 March 2010) It’s not fair! How often do we find ourselves saying or thinking, “It’s not fair!” Life sometimes hands us matters to deal with that catch us by surprise, that we were not expecting, and that seem to be out of our control. At such times, we can feel powerless and in this can wonder about the fairness of life and even ask, “Is God being fair?”. Luke’s emphasis in his passion story is that Jesus is innocent—that his death is undeserved—that it’s not fair. Pilate says, “I find no case against this man.” After sending Jesus to Herod, Pilate says again, that he found no case against him, and neither had Herod. Even the soldiers who crucify him say, “This was a great and good man.” Jesus is innocent. Jesus’ innocence makes his words of forgiveness more powerful. Because he is the one who has suffered undeservedly, he is the one able to pray, “Forgive them.” The Cross offers an alternative wisdom and power to the norm we find in the world today. Retribution and revenge are the currency of political powers, even though sometimes hidden behind the rhetoric of justice, or peace-making. And so a spiral of violence and evil spins out of control, with violent acts begetting further violence and hatred. Jesus knows his innocence, but rather than enter into the spiral of violence he entrusts his life into God’s hands. He does not ask God for retribution for his tormentors; he has faith that a loving God is somehow present within the mystery of his suffering. We all face this choice in different situations—to be part of Jesus’ choice for peace and forgiveness, or to be part of ongoing violence. Sundays under the Southern Cross Mary Coloe PBVM | ||
| 5th Sunday of Lent (21 March 2010) And Jesus started writing on the ground with his finger. People have wondered and imagined what Jesus wrote when they asked him to condemn the woman. Whatever he wrote encouraged the woman to stay with him, and put some pressure on the accusers to move away. Maybe he just doodled—wrote nothing sensible? Or did he write so—that the woman could see - ‘Stay here, I am with you’. And the woman knew, like all of us know when we’re in trouble, that Jesus is on our side. Or did he write so that the onlookers could see— ‘change your hearts, be renewed, forgive in your hearts and come back—sin no more’. Maybe he wrote what he later said— ‘I do not condemn you, sin no more.’ And all knew they were in the presence of love, forgiveness and acceptance. Some, like the woman, could take this and stayed to get to know this Jesus. Others, like the accusers, went away, but maybe they came back later, to get to know this Jesus. No matter what, we know that he will stay with each of us, Eucharist each day, forgiveness and acceptance all the days of our life. Communion Reflections—Donal Neary SJ | ||
| 4th Sunday of Lent (14 March 2010) He welcomes sinners and eats with them Two types of people welcomed by Jesus: one, the younger son who had gone away, squandered his life and returned empty. Those times of life we know were wasted and were wrong, use of people or wealth or life just for ourselves, failure to look after those in our care, or neglect of God and the things of God. Jesus offers always the bread of acceptance and forgiveness, the invitation to make always a new start, the insight that the future can always be more whole. A welcome to the wasted and battered sides of life, in his mercy and forgiveness. And a welcome for the elder son: the one who had done everything right, but could not say ‘I have sinned’, who had always tried to be faithful, who had practised his religion, but seemed to do so in isolation, for he could not welcome with compassion the brother who returned home. A welcome, too, for the sin of uninvolvement, of caring first for self and not for others, and an invitation to join all at the celebration of reconciliation and forgiveness. For God is the one who can give all, to the one who returns to his embrace and to the one who was always in his embrace. For he welcomes sinners and eats with them. Communion Reflections—Donal Neary SJ | ||
| 3rd Sunday of Lent (7 March 2010) Another chance Jesus told a story about someone coming to a fig tree and looking for fruit, and wanting it cut down because it was barren. But he was persuaded to give it another chance. Jesus liked that story because he’s the person of another chance. With his friends there was always the chance to turn around, become whole again and follow him anew, even after denial and cowardice. He looks ahead of us on our path of life and sees a new way, another chance out of failure, a new conversion from sin. Our book of life is never closed for Jesus, our disk of life is never full, the song of our life is never sung out. We are not programmed like on a computer, nor is our life’s plan pressed on a compact disc. We are people who can always change, become strong again, walk confident, hand-in-hand with God. As Jesus sees us as people who may change and grow, may we see others in the same light. Communion Reflections—Donal Neary SJ | ||
| 2nd Sunday of Lent (28 February 2010) Of Light and Shadow Today we are made conscious of the polarities within which all of us live, and which Jesus also experienced. There are moments of transcendence in our lives; moments when we are conscious of being drawn into God’s mystery, even though these moments may be fleeting. In such moments, we can be taken out of ourselves and our senses can be finely tuned into the awesome love and beauty of God. Like the disciples we want to hold on to these moments, to prolong the experience, to ‘build tents’ and stay. The reality of our humanity demands that we move from such moments of transcendence back into the dailiness of life. We cannot stay on the mountain of light forever. Jesus too knew such moments of transcendence and moments when the starkness of his life was very present. On the mountain, like Moses and Elijah, he has an encounter with God, symbolised in the light, the cloud and the voice from heaven. But the reality of his death in Jerusalem is present even in this moment of glory, for the great prophets of Israel speak to Jesus of his exodus, which he was to complete in Jerusalem. Jesus’ passing over to the Father cannot happen on this mountain in Galilee but must happen on the hill of Golgotha. Living out the truth of his identity as Son demands that Jesus go down the mountain, leave behind the consoling presence of God and take the road to Jerusalem. May the journey of Lent lead us into a deeper knowing of the polarities in our lives and may we find the courage to live them in truth. Sundays under the Southern Cross Mary Coloe PBVM | ||
| 1st Sunday of Lent (21 February 2010) In the rhythm of the Church year Lent is the time to stop and look within, facing the inner truth of our lives. The ashes of Wednesday remind us of the stark reality of our humanness, our finitude. Our identity is shaped by our mortality and yet in the busy-ness of our lives we can try to deny this. “I am invincible!” we cry with our new technologies and new medical triumphs. This is the core human temptation - to deny our humanity and forget our utter dependency on the God who holds us in life. Our life is not our own. It is God-given. It is lent. The Gospel shows us Jesus facing similar temptations. The first and third scenes begin with the words, “If you are the Son of God…..” The Tempter is questioning Jesus on the very central fact of his life, his identity as Son. Prior to this scene Jesus was acclaimed by a heavenly voice at his Baptism, “You are my beloved Son.” Luke then traced Jesus ancestry back through the generations to “the son of Adam, the son of God”. Jesus’ identity is shaped by his relationship with God and this is what the Tempter strikes at. Food, power, safety are the externals. The real temptation put to Jesus and put to all of us is to deny the truth of our identity for in and with Jesus, we are all children of God. Sundays under the Southern Cross (Mary Coloe PBVM) | ||
| 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time (31 January 2010) They hustled him out of the town. Jesus is for everyone. Some thought they were the favourites or chosen or privileged ones of God. They couldn't accept that he was the for whole world, not just for them. God is for everyone at every time of life‚ for the child in helplessness and security, for the adolescent in confusion and exuberance, for the young adult in search for and finding lasting love, for the mid-adult in disappointment and in joy of children, for the elderly in illness and in serenity‚ let us give thanks to God, for he is our God at all times and in all places. And God is in all the places within ourselves, body, mind and soul; in that lonely place he is friend, in that guilty place he is forgiveness, in that shameful place he is affirmation, in that joyful place he is happiness, in that compassionate place he is mercy, in that sharing place he is encouragement. God is big enough to be for everyone; he is weak enough to be for everyone. And for this they wanted to get rid of Jesus, God's presence among us his faithfulness for always. Communion Reflections‚ Donal Neary SJ | ||
| 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (24 January 2010) Australia Day 26th January Over the next few days we will hear and many of us will sing our national anthem "Advance Australia Fair". Many struggle with the second verse (which is actually the third verse in the original) and not simply because the words are not as well remembered - the sentiment, sadly, is not as well embraced as it should be. During this past week former Defence Force Chief Peter Cosgrave has had the courage to say what many deny - Australia is showing signs of being a racist country, especially in relation to those living here from India and also to those of the Muslim faith. The second verse of our national anthem contains the following "For those who come across the seas we've boundless plains to share; with courage let us all combine to advance Australia fair". Whilst it may be sung with gusto and may stir emotions of pride I'm not so sure it is being lived in the day to day lives of many Australians. We are an immigrant country. Unless our forebears were Aboriginal then the ancestry of each and everyone of us lies beyond these shores. And as each new arrival comes to Australia our country is enriched. But we long term residents need to be open. Many come to this country seeking a share of what we take for granted, peace and security. Many come here hoping to begin life anew without having to live in constant fear and uncertainty of what tomorrow will bring. Many come here with stories that would shock and frighten us, stories that the censor would give an R rating to, warning that they contain horror and violence. Of course many come here without any of this too, but they nevertheless come seeking a new life amongst the boundless plains we have to share. As we celebrate the 11th Australia Day of this millennium we could take a moment and reflect on the Gospel of this Sunday. The spirit of the Lord has been given to me, for he has anointed me. He has sent me to bring the good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and to the blind new sight, to set the downtrodden free, to proclaim the Lord's year of favour. In the words of Francis of Assisi "Preach the Gospel everywhere you go, and if necessary even use words." | ||
| Christmas Day (25 December 2009) A CHRISTMAS CREED I believe in Jesus Christ and in the beauty of the gospel begun in Bethlehem. I believe in the one whose spirit glorified a little town; and whose spirit still brings music to persons all over the world, in towns both large and small. I believe in the one for whom the crowded inn could find no room, and I confess that my heart still sometimes wants to exclude Christ from my life today. I believe in the one who the rulers of the earth ignored and the proud could never understand: whose life was among common people, whose welcome came from persons of hungry hearts. I believe in the one who proclaimed the love of God to be invincible: I believe in the one whose cradle was a mother's arms, whose modest home in Nazareth had love for its only wealth, who looked at persons and made them see what God's love saw in them, who by love brought sinners back to purity, and lifted human weakness up to meet the strength of God. I confess my ever-lasting need of God: The need of forgiveness for our selfishness and greed, the need of new life for empty souls, the need of love for hearts grown cold. I believe in God who gives us the best of himself. I believe in Jesus, the son of the living God, born in Bethlehem this night, for me and for the world. Walter Russell Bowie | ||
| 3rd Sunday of Advent (13 December 2009) The Good News In the gospel of Jesus there is the good news that we are children of God and that we are called together into the love of God. We are called to a faith that is personal and connected to the faith of others, so that we have a care for the poor, and for all in their times of need. We are to give what we have, to those who have not enough. Those who have two tunics give to those who have none. And in giving to those who are needy, we are giving to the needy Christ. He is cold in those who are unclothed, hungry in those who are starving, lonely in those who are alone, victimised in those who are bullied and abused. He rejoices with us in good times, and sympathises with us in our sorrow. The Lord Jesus was born among us poor, rejected by many, and loved by Mary and Joseph. He himself, before he can speak, is good news. He is Son of God and one of us - we await his birth this year so that we can be reborn ourselves, and each of us can be the good news of God, reborn in our conviction that all men and women are brothers and sisters, that all are children of God and that all will share the joy of God, when Jesus comes again in glory. Communion Reflections - Donal Neary SJ | ||
| 2nd Sunday of Advent (6 December 2009) Prepare the Way Everything we do can prepare the way for God. For God makes his home among us, and Jesus is born to dwell within each of us. In love and in friendship, there is the meeting-place of God and people, as in the love and the promise of Mary there was the space for God to become one of us. In our human love we prepare the way for the love of God, in our human forgiveness we prepare the way for the forgiveness of God, in our human compassion we prepare the way for the compassion of God. Our human work for the betterment of people prepares the way for the justice of God, and our human way of reconciliation for the grace of reconciliation of God and his people. In love, forgiveness and compassion we are sharing in the very life of God. Without our co-operation, there can be no justice of God, no reconciliation of God, no speaking of the word of God, for without our voice the word of God is silent. Advent invites us to choose love, to commit our lives to prepare the way for God. It is our faith, a faith born of love, a faith born in the everyday as Jesus was born of Mary, that the Lord is born each year in the desire of his people to live within the love of God and share this love in life. Communion Reflections Year C Donal Neary SJ | ||
| 1st Sunday of Advent (29 November2009) Wake Up! Today we begin a new year in the great Christian drama of Salvation. The purple colours of the liturgy announce a mood of waiting and anticipation. Over the next four weeks, we will draw closer to the central mystery of our faith focussed on a small hillside village of Bethlehem. Once again, we will celebrate that God has come to us and joined with us in the common human experiences of birth, anxiety, travel and powerlessness. The first Christians lived in a time of waiting as they looked towards the completion of God’s saving action when Jesus would return and usher in the glorious reign of God at the end of time. It seemed to these first Jewish disciples that with the raising of Jesus and the outpouring of the Spirit the world was coming to its end. They thought that they were living in the last days and so their message was preached with great urgency and joy‚ get ready, wake up, Jesus is coming back to us. To announce this urgent news they used images familiar to their listeners such as cataclysmic events on earth and in the sky. This was how they imagined the end of time. In their Jewish tradition, they thought that God would send someone from heaven who is called in the book of Daniel a "Son of Man". This title they give to Jesus. Two thousand years later, do we sense in our hearts an urgent desire for God to come to us? This is what Advent time is for‚ a time for our hearts to awaken and to know our own personal need for God to come and share the journey 0f our lives. Sundays under the Southern Cross Mary Coloe PBVM | ||
| Christ the King (22 November 2009) RELIGION? Religion for me now is not discovering this truth or finding that meaning. It is about living as fully as possible in the present moment, and finding echoes of a longing for the sacred in the ordinariness of things: the beauty of a rose, the laughter of a child, the variegated pattern of a sun shower on the glass of the bay window on an August day. Above all, it is a gathering sense of God's presence in my life, not because I've managed to find my way through the maze of a snakes-and-ladders morality where sin and virtue demand prepackaged responses but because I have come to a place where I sense that, extraordinarily and disconcertingly, God actually loves me. There is now no other place that I want to be. Adieu. Intercom Magazine May 2006 | ||
| 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (8 November 2009) Giving one's all Frequently the Gospels present us with models of male disciples; a few Sundays ago we had blind Bartimaeus. This Sunday Jesus points to a woman, a widow, who gives all she has. The widow also serves as a Jesus figure, for this chapter of Mark began with a parable about wicked tenants who kill the son of the land-owner and this parable is a reflection of Jesus' own life. But Mark does not present Jesus as an unwilling victim of others for Jesus has been speaking of - giving his life as a ransom for many. Jesus' death is the cost he is prepared to pay in order to witness to and teach about the gracious love of God for all people. In his death Jesus too gives all he has. Just as Jesus taught the parable as a pointer to his approaching death, it is possible he saw in this widow's offering another sign of his own total self-giving. She gives little - two small coins. But its value in Jesus' eyes is priceless. She offers all she has. During our day, it might appear that our lives are small, even our discipleship hardly noticeable, but this scene suggests that God sees things differently. God doesn't measure the amount, but the inner disposition of our hearts. During this month we remember the official Saints whose lives made the headlines. This widow was never canonised, in fact we don't even know her name, but this woman is the final model of discipleship whose actions are praised by Jesus and serve as an image of his own death. Sundays under the Southern Cross Mary Coloe PBVM | ||
| Feast of All Saints (1 November 2009) God's work of art We are all different, all unique, all God's work of art. We remember today all our saints, all the human race who have reached God. Each person, man or woman, young or old, mirrors something of the face of God. And there is a common thread which unites us all: our need for love and community, for home and acceptance, for love, respect, forgiveness. And the need to love: the desire to make this world a better place, to create with God a world of justice, love and peace. Because the world is full of people, it is charged with the grandeur of God. We look at everyone and listen to them, and see and hear in them the glory of God. The feast of All Saints honours us all, living and dead. The feast celebrates those gone before us and proclaims with love that the finest common thread among us is that we are children of God, friends of Jesus Christ and the place where God's glory dwells. Communion Reflections: Donal Neary SJ | ||
| 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time (25 October 2009) Let me see again In the varied colours of the hills, the changing sound of waves, and steady flow of rivers let me see, Lord God, your beauty, your peace, your eternity. In the care of friendship, the love of family, the commitment of husband and wife, let me see, Lord God, your love, your care, your faithfulness. In care for the poor, commitment of justice, in work for peace, let me see, Lord God, your passion your care for the poor, your Incarnation. In joy and in laughter, may I see your joy. In suffering and in mourning, let me see your cross. In forgiveness and in courage, let me see your resurrection. Let me see again. Communion Reflections - Donal Neary SJ | ||
| 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (18 Oct 2009) MAKE POVERTY HISTORY - ANTI POVERTY WEEK STAND UP AND TAKE ACTION NOW We are standing now with millions of people around the world on this historic day, to show our commitment to the fight against extreme poverty and inequality. Today, we Stand Up together to say to our leaders? We have six years to 2015. Six years to realize the Millennium Development Goals. We know the Goals can be met and exceeded if you have the political will. We will not accept any excuses. We will not allow the poor to unjustly suffer the consequences of the economic, food and climate crisis, for which they bear no responsibility. We stand today in solidarity with millions of people all over the world. People who believe in a world where poverty and hunger CAN and MUST end; where mothers no longer die in childbirth and women's rights are ensured; where children no longer die of preventable diseases; where every child has the right to quality education; where the environment is protected; and where our leaders make decisions not in their own interests, but in the interests of those who have been marginalized by poverty and exclusion. To the leaders of the rich countries we say: Do not believe that internal domestic challenges such as job losses, financial instability and insecurity will distract us. It is clear now more than ever, that we live in an interdependent world. We urge you to keep your promises on debt relief, more and better aid and trade justice. To the leaders of the poor countries: Make it your first responsibility to save the lives of your poorest citizens. We ask you to tackle inequality of all forms, to be accountable to your people, to govern fairly and justly, to end corruption and to fulfil human rights. To all leaders we say: Act now to meet and exceed the Millennium Development Goals Commit to signing an ambitious, fair and binding global climate deal by the year end. Uphold the peace and security of all people Until then. Today and every day we will stand up, speak out and take action for the Millennium Development Goals. The call to our leaders is simple: End Poverty and Inequality Now! | ||
| 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (11 Oct 2009) The Gift of the Kingdom The person in today's Gospel appears to have the right attitude, but look closely at his question. What must I do to inherit eternal life? He sounds like a typical commodity broker in today’s society. His attitude is: If I want to achieve something then I just have to do certain things. He mixes this attitude with the sense of having a right to eternal life as if it is his due inheritance. Unfortunately God's reign, or as this Gospel terms it, eternal life, is not a commodity in a market economy. Eternal life is a freely given gift of God. It does not depend on what is possible for us to do, but on the loving possibility of what God can do for us. This man's attitude is similar to that of a monk called Pelagius whose teaching was eventually judged as being heretical, for it proposed that we can achieve our own salvation without the need for Jesus. We stand before God's gratuitous love as empty-handed recipients. We neither earn nor deserve such love and this is a discomforting awareness. Jesus' response to the man offers him the opportunity to know this attitude of his own neediness and emptiness before God. Being stripped of the external trappings of wealth mirrors a more rigorous internal laying-bare of oneself before God. In this situation of utter emptiness one is then able to know what one has so bountifully received. The challenge in this Gospel is to go deeper than living out the social conventions and to develop the inner poverty of spirit before God. Sundays under the Southern Cross Mary Coloe PBVM | ||
| 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time (4 October 2009) Original Love Jewish Law allowed a man to divorce his wife through the rather simple means of writing a note of dismissal (Deut 24:1-4). A woman had no redress in this situation and she could not divorce her husband. As Mark indicates, the Pharisees question Jesus on this aspect of the Law as a means of testing him, not from any genuine desire to seek his opinion. In reply, Jesus uses their own Scriptures against them. He points to a teaching earlier than the commandments of Moses and speaks of God’s initial act of creation when man and woman were made together in Genesis 1:27. Jesus then refers to the second account of creation in Genesis 2:22-24 where man and woman are given to each other to become ‘one body’. Jesus’ teaching returns to the original creation account, which is a symbolic story depicting the world as God desires before the disharmony of sin and its consequences‚ patriarchy. In this way Jesus discounts the later re-interpretation found in Deuteronomy where men were permitted to divorce their wives as a concession to human frailty. Jesus’ position on this issue is radical. Jewish society and Greco-Roman practice allowed divorce. Jesus’ radical teaching flows from his equally radical vision of the imminent arrival of the reign of God. In a world where God’s desires are no longer thwarted by the power of evil, God’s original desire for the loving union of men and women in marriage will be realised. Sundays under the Southern Cross Mary Coloe PBVM | ||
| 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time (20 September 2009) To be first with God To be first is a desire in many of us; first in class, first in sport, the favourite in the family, the favourite in the class; to be thought highly of, to be acclaimed. And that was the way with the disciples when they argued about which of them was the greatest. Maybe they argued about who was Jesus’ favourite, or who was the leader of the group, or wanted to be seen as the closest to him by those who looked up to Jesus. We like honour and praise, we like prestige and to be looked up to, but the eyes of Jesus fell on a child when he wanted to say something about who was the greatest. When they all wondered how to be popular in the eyes of God Jesus took a little child, and told us that when you welcome a child, you welcome God. To be first in the eyes of God is to be first in service, for the Son of man came not to be served but to serve. Communion Reflections‚ Donal Neary SJ | ||
| 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time (13 September 2009) My way or God’s? This scene marks a turning point in the Gospel of Mark. When Peter speaks up and identifies Jesus as ‘the Christ’ it is the first time that any person has correctly known who Jesus is. The Jews at this time were waiting for a saviour they called the Messiah, which in Greek is the Christ. Peter recognises that Jesus is this saviour but he is not aware yet how Jesus will be a saviour. Jesus begins to teach his disciples that he is going to Jerusalem and will face death rather than joyful acceptance. The disciples do not understand this and Peter opposes Jesus. Peter prefers a saviour who will be a glorious heroic figure, and of course the disciples would then be famous and important friends of this saviour. But Jesus’ ways are not the ways of Peter. Jesus puts Peter in his place as a disciple, a follower behind Jesus, not in front as a leader. I feel for Peter in this scene confused, not liking Jesus’ words, and having his own idea of Jesus’ future. Sometimes I try to tell God what I want done, and how it would be best for God to act. Then, like Peter, I have to learn that my role is disciple, not leader. Peter has to learn, as I have to learn, that the disciple needs to listen attentively and remain always as follower even when the path is difficult and seems crazy by our standards. I pray that I can continue to listen and learn to be a follower, even in those times when the way is confusing. Sundays under the Southern Cross‚ Mary Coloe PBVM | ||
| 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (6 September 2009) Loving God look with love and kindness upon all fathers. May their example be like a beacon that guides to safe water, as their children grow and are nourished in their care. May their love and gentleness be a blessing upon each member of their family, as they share special moments together. May their openness to your love and understanding continue to nurture their faith and provide a rich example to all. Amen | ||
| 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (30 August 2009) Celebrating Children’s Liturgy of the Word Children’s Liturgy of the Word presents the Gospel of the day in a way that is relevant to the lives and experiences of the young children of our parish of St John’s. It gives them the opportunity to hear the Word of God proclaimed at a level they can understand, to reflect on the Gospel message and how this impacts on their lives and to be able to participate more fully in the Eucharistic celebration. A huge ‘thank you’ to our fantastic team of dedicated leaders both at St James and St John’s who facilitate the Children’s Liturgy program every Sunday. St James at 9.30am Mass And St John’s at 9.45am Mass All Children of kindergarten and primary school age are welcome to join us. | ||
| 21st Sunday of Ordinary Time (23 August 2009) What about you, do you want to go away too? Jesus, the new Moses (Conclusion) Today concludes with John chapter 6 where Jesus feeds the crowd as ancient Israel was fed with manna, and then explains the deeper meaning of this miracle in the long ‘Bread of Life’ discourse. The Gospel last week finished with Jesus’ words on the Eucharist where he spoke about eating the flesh of the Son of Man. To those outside the experience of Eucharist this sounds like cannibalism and many of the crowd reject him, even some of his disciples. The Gospel puts this question firstly to the Johannine community; will you follow Jesus or remain a follower of Moses and your Jewish traditions? This is the time in the early Church where believers were faced with this clear decision - Moses or Jesus, with no room for sitting on the fence. Make a choice. When the question is put to Peter his reply is rich in insight. He doesn’t say‚ “Yes Lord I understand all this”. Peter may not have had any more understanding than those who turned away, but he does know the essential truth. He responds simply that he finds Jesus’ message life-giving. Many today echo Peter’s sentiments in finding the Gospel message of Jesus a source of life and hope. This ultimately is what our faith is based on, the encounter with Jesus through word and sacrament. We may not have all the deeper theological answers, and our Church experience at times can leave us disillusioned and empty, but Peter’s answer remains, “Lord, who shall we go to? You have the words of everlasting life.” Sundays under the Southern Cross Mary Coloe PBVM | ||
| 20th Sunday of Ordinary Time (16 August 2009) I give my flesh for the life of the world The promise of Jesus to give his flesh for the life of the world is the promise of someone who wants to give everything. Like the parent wanting to give everything— life, love, money, education, to the point when it hurts— Jesus wants to give himself, and the best way to do it now is to give his body. It’s his way of saying: I want to give everything. We know what he means when we love someone, and our giving means it hurts ourselves. Where we suffer for another, we give our lives; where we suffer with another, we give our lives. Where we share joy of another, we give our lives. What Jesus gives us, the bread and wine of his body and blood, is energy for growth, food for the journey, nourishment for the community, and we are, one and all, raised up, now and in the future. For this bread is strength, for this Eucharist of love, we give thanks. Communion Reflections—Donal Neary SJ | ||
| 19th Sunday of Ordinary Time (9 August 2009) This year, we are commemorating the Centenary of the death of the Blessed Mary MacKillop. Mary was born in 1842 in Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, and, in 1866, together with Fr. Julian Tenison Woods, she founded the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart, in Penola, South Australia. Since her death in 1909, and particularly in recent years, Mary’s life and goodness have attracted much interest and veneration. In July last year, Pope Benedict XV1 prayed at her tomb during his visit to Sydney for World Youth Day. At that time, he said:”Mary MacKillop is one of the most outstanding figures in Australia’s history.” To date, Mary is the only Australian to be beatified, and, together with many other Australians, we await her canonization as a Saint for the Universal Church. Over the years Mary has had many other titles. So much has been written about her in biographies, history books, theses and popular media. Historians have written enthusiastically in praise of her contribution to the development of Australia as a nation. In 1973, Pope John Paul VI declared Mother Mary “a servant of God”. In 1992, Pope John Paul II, declared her a person of heroic virtue giving her the title of ‘Venerable’. Then, in 1993, senior cardinals of the Vatican recommended to the Pope that Mary be given the title of ‘Blessed’ and thus become Australia’s first saint. The ceremony of Beatification took place in Sydney on January 19th, 1995. These titles do suggest that Mary was a truly remarkable woman. Her work speaks for her. Mary established an education system that was recognised for its excellence throughout Australia and New Zealand. She herself was an outstanding teacher, loved by her pupils and praised by government inspectors. When she died in 1909, Mary had 1,000 followers. She had founded 160 Josephite houses in Australia and New Zealand, including 12 homes for orphans and the homeless, as well as 117 schools attended by over 12,000 children. People saw in her a living faith expressed in personal love. Even those who did not share her faith not only helped her, but loved her. This remarkable woman worked with self-sacrificing devotion to help all in need, regardless of race, colour or creed. This year, as we commemorate the Centenary of the death of the Blessed Mary MacKillop, we are invited to reflect on her life, her words and her spirit and, inspired by all of these, may we, like her, be people who are ‘calm and full of hope’ who will consistently ‘work on humbly with the means God has placed at our disposal’ to make a real difference in our small part of the world. Philomena McGuigan RSJ (RIP) | ||
| 18th Sunday of Ordinary Time (2 August 2009) On Friday and Saturday nights 69 young people and 1 not quite so young person from our parish received the Sacrament of Confirmation. The following is the prayer that the Bishop uses at Confirmation, the prayer that would have been used at our own Confirmation. It might be worth quietly reflecting on this prayer and then asking the question—how do those who have been confirmed see these elements of the life of the spirit within the parish community? After all, each of us shares in the responsibility of forming all members of this community in the life and ways of faith. “My dear friends, in Baptism God, our Father gave the new birth of eternal life to his chosen sons and daughters. Let us pray to our Father that He will pour out the Holy Spirit to strengthen his sons and daughters with his gifts and anoint them to be more like Christ the Son of God. All powerful God, Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, by water and the Holy Spirit, you freed your sons and daughters from sin and gave them new life. Send Your Holy Spirit upon them to be their Helper and Guide. Give them the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of right judgement and courage, the spirit of knowledge and reverence. Fill them with the spirit of wonder and awe in your presence. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.” | ||
| 17th Sunday of Ordinary Time (26 July 2009) You are invited ………… to come along and explore and experience different ways of praying ………….. FAITH FORMATION SERIES - ARCHBISHOP’S OFFICE FOR EVANGELISATION “LORD TEACH US TO PRAY” 5 consecutive Wednesday Evenings July 29—August 26 at St John’s Mitcham Coghlan Centre at 7.30pm—9.30pm Week 1 - “A personal reflection on Prayer” - Ms Trish Murray Week 2 - “Lectio Divina—an ancient practice of praying the scriptures” - Fr Greg Bourke Week 3 - “Franciscan Spirituality” - Sr Majella Tracey Week 4 - “Taize Prayer” - Ms Kerry Haines Week 5 - “Praying with Icons” - Fr Michael Kalka ALL WELCOME Contact: Maree O’Keefe 98731341 | ||
| 16th Sunday of Ordinary Time (19 July 2009) SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPHERD Lord, look upon us and take pity on us, for at times we too are like sheep. Save us from a blind following of the herd. Help us to listen to your voice, to trust you and to follow you, even if it means leaving the crowd and walking a lonely path. Lead us from fear to trust, from error to truth, from hate to love, from war to peace, from despair to hope, and from death to life. Amen New Sunday & Holy Day Liturgies Flor McCarthy SDB | ||
| 15th Sunday of Ordinary Time (12 July 2009) Discipleship requires the recruitment and formation of believers who will continue the work of Jesus wherever they may be and wherever they are led. “By their fruits you will know them,” said Jesus. The fruits of authentic discipleship will be manifest in the continuing commitment of those who have first encountered Jesus and then been sent by him in mission. There is urgency in Jesus’ message, and a pressing need for his followers to become agents of the Good News. Coercion is never justifiable, but we must do something, since all who are called are also sent—co-missioned—by Jesus. Our responsibility is to seek, to discover, and to be committed to the demands of discipleship in the daily circumstances of our own lives. Called to Be Sent Co-missioned as Disciples Today Anthony J Gittins | ||
| 14th Sunday of Ordinary Time (5 July 2009) An Ordinary Jesus We tend to think that Jesus was able to do everything he set out to do, that his ministry was super successful, but today’s Gospel shows that Jesus too had his ‘bad days’. After much success around Galilee Jesus goes home, but his own village does not give him a ‘ticker-tape’ welcome. No sign up saying ‘Local boy makes good’. Instead the very fact that he is a local is an obstacle. Can’t you hear them say, ‘He can’t be that special, I was better than him in Hebrew classes!’ So this village missed out. No miracles there. The text doesn't say ‘Jesus would not work any miracle there’, but that ‘he could not’. The lack of openness and the high scepticism of these villagers blocked God’s power in Jesus life. They didn’t want God in the form of Jesus, the son of Mary and Joseph; they wanted something more special. Jesus was just too ordinary, too familiar to them to be taken seriously. So, where do you look for God? Is it possible that you are missing God’s presence because it is too simple, too ordinary, and not dramatic enough? God is there perhaps in the words, ‘Sorry mum’, or ‘This is great work’ or How was your day?’. Don’t look for angels, or burning bushes, or strange visions; look for God in the ordinary gift of life imbued with God’s presence. And watch out for the prophet in your midst, among your family, within your household. Open up the miracles in the ordinary. Sundays under the Southern Cross Mary Coloe PBVM | ||
| 13th Sunday of Ordinary Time (28 June 2009) Walking free in God The girl, once dead and lifeless, is given new power and new life by Jesus. She is to walk free. His word is for us to do the same. Bring life to each other. Jesus brought life to a house of sorrow, but not by himself — be brought Peter, James and John; and any time he wants to do the work of God, he brings his followers, he brings you and me. Be a life-giver; the person who works those small miracles. Then Christ works through you. Then his words are in action and in reality. Walk free in the love of God. Communion Reflections—Donal Neary SJ | ||
| 12th Sunday of Ordinary Time (21 June 2009) Who is this? Even the wind and the sea obey him. Don’t miss the signs After a series of great feasts we return to the cycle of Ordinary Time. But don’t miss the extraordinary event of today’s Gospel. Until this scene, Jesus has been teaching and healing in Galilee, but now he decides to cross Lake Galilee which will take him into the land of the Gentiles. This scene is rich in symbolism. The sea is frequently symbolic of evil powers and as Jesus tries to take his mission to the Gentiles the powers of evil rise up against him. The language used is very strange. Jesus rebukes the wind and the sea; he speaks to them as if they were personal forces. This is the language of an exorcism. Mark uses the word “rebuked” when Jesus casts out demons. This miracle is therefore presented as an exorcism. In the Old Testament the one who has mastery over the sea is God. The words of today’s Psalm speak of this power: “ God stilled the storm to a whisper: all the waves of the sea were hushed.” In this miracle Jesus demonstrates that he has God’s power to still the storm and hush the sea. The disciples don’t get it! They ask the question , “Who can this be?” All the signs point to the fact that Jesus is God in their midst. Mark presents Jesus mainly in human terms, and only rarely does this Gospel give a hint that Jesus is something more. What looks like a miracle is in fact a major demonstration of Jesus’ identity for those who can read the symbols, and see the signs. The disciples miss these signs and their faith crumbles. Can you see the signs of God in your own life? “Sundays under the Southern Cross” Mary Coloe PBVM | ||
| Body and Blood of Christ (14 June 2009) The sacrament of communion with God Because our liturgy has developed over 2,000 years and has become quite formalised we can lose sight that its basic element is a gathering of people round a table to share nourishment. Jesus had many meals with his disciples and friends but only a few meals are written about in the Gospels. The meal this Gospel highlights is his final one. For that reason the gathering had a special, poignant significance. It is also coincided with the great Jewish celebration of liberation called the Passover. During this meal Jesus gave the ritual bread and wine a new meaning: that of his own life. When he was no longer physically present with disciples they were to continue to gather around a table, to share bread and wine, and by his words, ‘This is my body; this is my blood’, he promised that in these gatherings he will be present. And so Christians had continued this practice of the Lord’s Supper, in homes, in caves, in catacombs, in halls, in prison cells and cathedrals. The Eucharist gathers God’s fragile, frequently failing people, to nourish, forgive and bless. Hear the invitation: ‘Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have missed’ (Prov 9:5). Sundays under the Southern Cross Mary Coloe PBVM | ||
| Ascension of the Lord (24 May 2009) THIS IS WHAT WE LOOK LIKE! During the past week the “Parish Social Profile”, published by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference arrived in the mail. It is a publication put out for each parish in Australia—rather an awesome task—and is based on the data from the 2006 census. Much of the time the data presented compares 2006 figures with 2001 and in so doing provides valuable comparisons. There are also comparisons provided through ranking order of how our parish compares with other parishes in the Archdiocese and in Australia. We are in the top 20% in terms of size of parish in this Archdiocese and across Australia. We are very “anglo” and very well educated. And our parishioners are among the top income earners! | ||
| 5th Sunday of Easter (10 May 2009) Blessing of Mothers Father, we give you thanks for the many gifts you have given us; the gift of life, the gift of those who love us. We thank you today for the gift of our Mothers and Grandmothers We give thanks for our Mothers and Grandmothers who have died and for the unique way they have revealed for us your love. We ask that you Bless them and keep them in your care until the time comes for us to join them in your Kingdom. We ask your Blessing upon the Mothers and Grandmothers who are unable to be with us here today. May they know how much we love and care for them. We pray for birth mothers who have loved their children so much they have shared the gift of their child with those who could better care for them and their needs, and give them a secure home. And we pray for adoptive mothers, that they may always know their special role of being a true mother, a revelation of Godís love for their children. We ask your Blessing upon Mothers who have lost children through stillbirth, cot death, accident and tragedy, that they may have your continuing strength and courage. We ask your Blessing too, upon those who would very much like to be mothers but who are having trouble having a child. We ask your Blessing upon the Mothers and Grandmothers with us here. Give them the strength to live the faithful and loving lives you call them to live. Protect and guide them. Keep them in your care. We ask this Blessing in the name of Jesus, our Lord. Amen Father Pat's Place: A Catholic Priest of the Dicoese of La Crosse | ||
| 3rd Sunday of Easter (26 April 2009) From darkness to light In all the Easter work of Jesus, he led the disciples out of darkness into light, out of sadness into joy, out of isolation into community, giving the living bread of hope for the dry bread of their disappointment. He did this by sharing himself with them, sharing the scripture that spoke of him, and the bread that was his body. No long instructions, no long exhortations, just the openness of sharing himself with them. This is his plea to us, his Church: be light in darkness, be joy in sadness, be community in isolation, be Eucharist to dry bread, be wholeness to broken life. Communion Reflections – Donal Neary SJ | ||
| 2nd Sunday of Easter (19 April 2009) Doubt no longer but believe Don’t we find it difficult sometimes to believe in ourselves? Maybe we haven’t been praised or liked as a child, perhaps we’ve failed in relationships or jobs? Or failed in sports, exams and what we’ve set our hearts on? And then the change when someone believes in us, or when things go well, or we can forgive ourselves. Jesus believes in you— he loves you and believes in you; and then he says as he said to Thomas: Doubt no longer but believe Faith in God can weaken. Once nourishing our life, it can threaten our happiness. Once simple, it can become complicated. Life’s tragedies and problems can take us away from God, and faith itself finds its own pathways. The strength of our faith fluctuates, and we may move from God. And like Jesus for Thomas, God looks for us. Through the locked door of disappointment, resentment, guilt, confusion, boredom and let-down, he comes with peace. He simply looks at you, sees into your heart with love, and with compassion says to you, as to Thomas: Doubt no longer but believe. Communion Reflections—Donal Neary SJ | ||
| Easter Sunday (12 April 2009) NEW LIFE And the tomb was empty. It’s empty not because we took him out, but because God called him into new, triumphant, risen life. Jesus is alive. We don’t expect much change in a tomb, only that the body will rot and disintegrate. A place that is cold, empty, fearful. We don’t think of it as a place of life, yet in the tomb Jesus was called from the coldness of death to the warmth of new life, from the emptiness of death to the fullness of new consolation, from the dread of nothingness to the confidence of new mission. The clothes left behind, rolled up, never to be used again. For life is new, and on a new day we wear new clothes. The clothes of death give way to the bright colours of resurrection, and injustice gives way to care and compassion, hurt and violence to reconciliation. The hand of friendship is stretched out to another, and people just try to make it together. Old clothes no longer needed, angers long smouldering put out with new hope, new life and a new vision of God. And fears once crippling new life evaporate into confidence the wearers are raised to new life, new love and work for God. For the tomb of Jesus is the place of light and the tomb of Jesus is the space of eternity. Communion Reflections—Donal Neary SJ | ||
| Passion Sunday (5 April 2005) Walking on wounded feet The crowd cheered him, ‘blessings on him,’ they roared, waving flags of palm, ‘for he comes to us in God’s name.’ And a few days later they cheered again, this time for his death, and blessings on a public robber, Barrabas. A fickle people. We wonder why? What changed them? Like Peter later, they would say, ‘I don't know the man’, for the man they saw later in the week was, in their eyes, a different man. The king had become a spectacle, bloodied, mocked, rejected. Who wants a leader like that? Jesus didn’t want acclamation, he had been trying to say all along that he was a different type of king. And so he chose a donkey, as his chariot. They saw their own hopes for a leader who would overthrow their oppressors, and didn’t see the real Jesus. The leadership of Jesus has lasted longer than any of the public leadership of the time, because he was king of love, compassion, and walked the way of his cross— carried by his wounded feet and the help of a friend, and guided by the hand of God his Father. Communion Reflections—Donal Neary SJ | ||
| 5th Sunday of Lent (29 March 2009) A grain of wheat must die Each of us is like a grain of wheat planted by God. Just as a grain of wheat must die so as to produce a harvest, so we must die to self in order to bear the fruits of love. This dying to self is a gradual process and happens in little ways. Every act of humility involves dying to pride. Every act of courage involves dying to cowardice. Every act of kindness involves dying to cruelty. Every act of love involves dying to selfishness. Thus the false self dies, and the true self, made in God’s image, is born and nurtured. It is by giving that we receive; it is by forgiving that we are forgiven; it is by dying that we are born to eternal life. New Sunday and Holy Day Liturgies Flor McCarthy, SDB | ||
| 4th Sunday of Lent (22 March 2009) Notes from the Parish Pastoral Council Late last year PPC members participated in a half day review and formation workshop. We initially considered what had been the best experiences of Parish over the life of the PPC (“Living the Gospel in Whitehorse Road”, the parish groups Expo, the Fete, and the meetings with the various parish groups) and explored the reasons why these were successful. The facilitator, Peter Price, made the observation that, in his considerable experience, parish councils took a number of years to find their feet and become established and that we should be pleased with what has been achieved over the past three years. We then turned our attention to the question of “What now needs to be done?” From our discussions the PPC identified four areas that will be the focus for activity during 2009. Stewardship: re-visit the question “What do we want our parish to look like?” The PPC will lead the development of a strategic direction and plan for the parish for the next 3-5 years. This will require extensive consultation and input from the parish community. Communication: lead the development and implementation of a communication strategy to support and enhance the life of the parish. This will look at all forms of communication—verbal, paper-based and electronic—to determine how best to engage and inform our community. Youth: assist the development of an ongoing Youth Ministry. School/Parish Links: much is already done in this area through the various elements of the sacramental program, class masses and various social activities. We aim to build on this sound base. While the PPC has a leadership role in these projects, we will be looking to the parish community for ideas and assistance to carry them through. PPC members: Parishioners: Brendan Mills (Chairperson), Trish Harkin (Secretary), Andrew Menon, Ed Perkins,Paul Mansour, Claire Boyd, Susan Harrison, Rob Smith, Monika Thomson,Geoff White. Parish Team: (Ex Officio): Fr Mark Reynolds, Maree O’Keefe, Bert Benne, Andrew Mullaly. For further information on Parish Pastoral Council activities, or to help the PPC with comments or suggestions, speak to one of the PPC members, write to the Secretary (c/- the parish office) use the feedback box located in the narthex of the Church or email the PPC at ppc@stjohnsmitcham.com.au | ||
| 3rd Sunday of Lent (15 March 2009) True religion A prophet once said that true religion means to act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly with your God. Religion can be a means of praising God or serving self, of service to others, or caring for self. It can diminish people, make them guilty always in the sight of God, and then it misses the first grace of any faith: that God loves each of us, a love that dwells within us as real as the blood in our veins the muscles in our limbs, the hair on our head. Religion can keep the poor more needy, encouraging an unthinking acceptance of the inequality among people. And it misses then another grace, that we are brothers and sisters, and all we are given is for the service of others. Jesus was angry in the temple, because of the greed of the sellers, who were exploiting the poor in the name of religion, (for the poor had to buy there the ingredients of their sacrifice, and mocking the house of God. And God is angry when people are exploited, used, abused, in any way – physically, emotionally, spiritually. God asks us in Jesus to share his anger when in his name people’s dignity is diminished, or love is abused, or the poor are exploited or when he himself is neglected. This is true religion: to act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly with our God. Communion Reflections Donal Neary SJ | ||
| 2nd Sunday of Lent (8th March 2009) You are my Beloved Last Sunday’s Gospel described Jesus’ entry into the wilderness and as suggested that this is a time of encountering God. In today’s Gospel, while the setting is different, we glimpse such a moment of encounter. It is described as a moment of transformation, or transfiguration. An encounter with God changes us. In the Gospel this is depicted as the outer change in Jesus’ appearance, but for most of us, the experience of God brings about an inner change, a change of heart. Jesus knows himself in this moment to be God’s beloved one. When I have listened to people speak of their moments of experiencing God, they too speak of knowing themselves as God’s beloved. Sometimes things get in the way of our knowing this about ourselves. Some have grown up with harsh images of God, some may look on life events and see themselves as unlovable but the Gospel insists on another truth. ‘God so loved the world he gave his son’. God so loves me he gives his son! Wow! Can I believe this? Dare I believe that God loves me? In Hebrew the word for ‘wilderness’ is mid’bar and the term for ‘word’ is d’bar. Wilderness and word are related which is why so many prophets spent time in the wilderness to seek God’s Word. Listen to the words of today’s Gospel again, ‘This is my beloved’. Take these words into your heart this week as you continue this invitation into a wilderness time. Sundays under the Southern Cross Mary Coloe PBVM | ||
| 1st Sunday of Lent (1 March 2009) Jesus was tempted by Satan We allow ourselves this day to feel the courage of Jesus. He had the courage to continue faithfully what he had just begun - the work his Father gave him to do. And to remember the poor with love in every decision he made. His was the courage to lead his life in such a way even though he knew it would lead to rejection and to death. Often we are tempted to give up on what is good, to live lives of shallow hopes, shallow relationships and shallow cares, and we know that when we want to do something good, another whisper or strong voice suggests something else. Then the Lord is near; do we not need others in life to encourage us in the good we want? Can we allow Jesus, the one who conquered his own temptations, to encourage us in our efforts to remain true in love to what is right? Communion Reflections—Donal Neary SJ | ||
| 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time (22 February 2009) Your sins are forgiven We need to hear these words: when we feel guilty over things said or done, when our faults are like a dark window, or like muddied water, we need these words of Jesus, Your sins are forgiven. Like the paralysed man we need others who will bring us to the forgiveness of God, who will carry us in the weakness of our soul when our convictions seem so fragile. Then the words of Jesus, Your sins are forgiven, like melting snow in winter, like flowers growing from rocks, like the touch of someone who is loving. Forgiveness brings joy and freedom, like when a person is healed or like when the burden of guilt is lifted, like a gift we know we need but which no one can give but God alone. If we bring our sin to God, the words of Jesus will lift our hearts in hope and joy. Your sins are forgiven. Communion Reflections—Donal Neary SJ | ||
| 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time (15 February 2009) PRAYER FOR THOSE AFFECTED BY THE BUSHFIRES God of love, our hearts bleed with empathy as we witness the suffering of individuals and communities brought about by the devastating impact of bushfires. The loss of life, injury and destruction leaves us shocked and numb with sorrow. We pray that our compassion may give birth to action as we struggle to respond to this crisis. Through financial donations, practical assistance and prayer may we offer support to those whose lives and livelihoods have been affected. Gentle God, be with the medical teams as they endeavour to heal the scorched bodies and minds of those injured by the flames. Give strength and perseverance to the firefighters, military personnel and volunteers who continue to battle the blaze. Guide the police, forensic experts and other agencies who must deal with the aftermath of this catastrophe. We know that new life will one day sprout from the blackened remnants of the bush. We believe also that out of the smoldering ashes of suffering and death there will be resurrection and eternal life. Yet, our hope may be of little help to those preoccupied with pain and overwhelmed by grief. Merciful God, we ask you to bring comfort and relief to the people affected by the fires: may they feel the embrace of your compassion through our love and concern for their well-being. We make our prayer in the name of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, whose death and resurrection offer eternal life to those who have died and hope to those who have survived. Amen | ||
| 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time (8 February 2009) Breaking Boundaries Like most Jewish men Simon (Peter) was married, although his wife is never mentioned. His mother-in-law lives in his home. Since Jewish women married young, in their early teens, this woman need not be very old, perhaps in her thirties or forties. The Gospel makes a contrast between the religious institutions of the synagogue and later the Temple, and the more domestic scene of the house. Jesus’ ministry frequently happens within the house. Jesus breaks through a number of religious taboos in touching a woman and in touching a person who was sick. These actions would immediately make him ritually unclean. But Jesus shows such taboos have no place in the new household that he is forming around. Following a very busy evening of healings and exorcisms Jesus leaves Simon’s house to pray. Simon goes in search of him. Perhaps he liked the idea of the healer residing in his home. Who knows what enterprise this could lead to! But Jesus is not to be confined to one home, to one village. He has a mission that is bigger than Simon’s current perception. Poor Simon! He wants a domesticated Jesus within his grasp, but Jesus refuses to be so limited. Religious institutions can try to domesticate Jesus; sometimes I can even try to do this, to have a Jesus I can understand and be comfortable with. What about you? Do you still cling to ‘good old plastic Jesus’ or has Jesus pushed your boundaries? Sundays under the Southern Cross Mary Coloe PBVM | ||
| 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time ( 1 February 2009) And his reputation spread They talked about him, about the things he said and the way he said them, about the people he healed and their confidence in him, about his gentleness and compassion, and the loving way he talked about his Father. Some people liked one quality, others another. Some liked his smile, others liked his touch. Some liked the new way of looking on religion, and others liked the challenge in his message. And some did not like him— the people who wanted to cheat the poor, or oppress people with harsh religion; and people were guided by evil, by greed or abuse or by sin, heard about him, spoke badly of him, cursed him, told lies about him. Nobody was unmoved by this man. His voice reached everyone, his care for the poor, the lowly, the neglected, challenged the powerful and encouraged the weak. What have you heard of Jesus? What attracts you? Be glad that you love him be glad that you follow him, be glad that his reputation has spread to life. Communion Reflections—Donal Neary SJ | ||
| 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (25 January 2008) Come and join me Today we hear the call of the first disciples from Mark’s Gospel, which is quite different to how we heard it last Sunday in John’s Gospel—a further reminder that the Gospels are theological reflections on the meaning of Jesus life, rather than biographies or histories. It is false to imagine these disciples as poor, simple, lower-class men and women. As this Gospel shows four of them were involved in a major industry in Israel—fishing. Fish was a staple part of the diet in a land unable to sustain large flocks of sheep or herds of cattle. James and John are part of their father’s industry which is profitable enough to hire others. In our terms these disciples would be middle-class. Their leaving all behind is therefore quite costly. Mark’s Gospel emphasises discipleship. He writes for his own community struggling to be faithful in a time of persecution and fear. In this scene we see what discipleship costs, namely to be prepared to leave your livelihood and your family. This was a reality within the early church when becoming a follower of Jesus meant leaving the religious traditions and social network of your family’s Jewish faith. Once this step was made the past was closed to you. Discipleship costs for the followers of Jesus, as it does for disciples of all time. Our struggles are different but true discipleship still costs. For some it may be integrity in the workplace or bearing the ridicule of others for a particular ethical or religious stance, even within the family. Hear in these difficult moments Jesus’ call to be his companion. Sundays under the Southern Cross Mary Coloe PBVM | ||
| 1st Sunday of Advent (30 November 2008) Being faithful Be faithful to God and God’s presence in life. Because of God there is always hope. everything is being created all the time. the star you see is bright each night with new light, the love you share with another grows stronger, and living friendship reaches deeper into the soul. Every Christmas is a new creation, and the old, old story is told again, with new gifts, new carols, to friends old and new, among people who have always been part of life, among people who are new this year, and among people who are sharing Christmas this year in the eternity of God. All is new: be faithful to hope, be faithful to the future, be faithful to God who is among us. Among us like the raindrop on the grass, the warmth of winter sun, the touch of a friend, among us like a child, vulnerable, new and eternal like a child. Be faithful in waiting, that God might always be new. Communion Reflections—Donal Neary SJ | ||
| Feast of Christ the King (23 November 2008) Whatever you do for the least of my people, you do for me. He is a king for the poor. They say about him he was like a shepherd who kept all his sheep in view, like a teacher keeping an eye on every student in the class, like a parent giving time to all the children, a grandparent remembering each grandchild. All are important, especially the lost, the strays, the wounded and the weak. And when he meets us all in the final kingdom he’ll wonder how we treated the weak, the lost and the poor, Strange type of king; not a collector of taxes, not the richest one in the land, not the one defended by his people, but the generous one, the one who was poor and the one who defended his own to death. And how do we honour him? His own words say it all: Whatever you do for the least of my people,you do for me. Communion Reflections—Donal Neary SJ | ||
| 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (16 November 2008) Each of us has different qualities, gifts: all are given by God and are valued in God’s love: gifts of music, sport and art, of conversation and humour, of compassion and leadership; gifts of friendship, prayer and caring for others, of listening and encouraging; whatever your gift, your talent; your gift of being a caring parent, of being able to help a younger generation in any way; be grateful, each of us has a ‘bit of God’ within us; and each of us can offer to God in our love and care for others what God has given to us. God looks on us, and loves each of us; sees us as we are and loves us, sees us as we can be and calls for each of us, in our own personality and talents, to grow in love, to offer our talents in his service, and to become more like him. And God does this because God knows we can be more like him. Communion Reflections—Donal Neary SJ | ||
| Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica (9 November 2008) “While most people would probably nominate St Peter’s at the Vatican as the centre of Catholicism, historically and officially that honour belongs to the Lateran Basilica, the cathedral church of the Pope as Bishop of Rome. The Lateran Basilica goes back to the gift of the site for a church made by Constantine, the first Christian emperor, in the early fourth century. Despite its historical importance, we today might wonder why we are being asked to celebrate the feast of the dedication of this church. To this it can be said that because of the central position of the Lateran as cathedral church of the one who, as Bishop of Rome, is universal Pastor, there is a sense in which it is a church for all the faithful. Beyond that, in celebrating the feast of this central church, we are celebrating our own local church, as a place of worship. More radically still—and this is what the scriptural readings will especially bring out—we are celebrating today the church that is made up not of bricks and mortar but of ourselves as ‘living stones’, the ‘temples’ (local faith communities) God has built in every place to dwell among humankind. Our community can in a true sense make this feast our own.” Brendan Byrne SJ | ||
| Feast of All Souls As we celebrate the Feast of All Souls we can call to mind the words of the Opening Prayer: “Strengthen our hope that all our departed brothers and sisters will share in Christ’s resurrection”. To put this another way, please tie our own hope in life after death tightly and irremovably to the resurrection of Jesus. All fresh surprises of love in our lives are Christ-given, they are fondness-enfleshed, like the patter of rain at night. If Christ was love enough to last through death, then let us put that love first, even as we suffer or die. It is within us, no matter how many losses we have. No matter how harsh the world may be, in the depth of each and every person is the source of life, the soul, the place of home where God dwells. It is there in all souls, in all of us. So, how can a friend be filled with the spark of life and then have it suddenly extinguished? It is because he or she has been welcomed into the arms of love even as Jesus himself was when he died. They have reached fullness. God is love, and “life after death” is nothing less and nothing more than love. Love undergirds everything, even death. Fr John Foley SJ Centre for Liturgy St Louis University | ||
| 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time (26 October 2008) There are only two commandments: love God and love your neighbour Hasn’t Jesus made it a bit too simple? Loving God— what a question! Loving who or what? Loving what I cannot see, the cause of all that moves, the source of all life. That would be remote, frightening, distant. Isn’t it simpler to say: what you love in another, you live in God. When you love another, you love God. There are only two commandments: love God and love your neighbour. Loving your child is loving God; loving your husband or wife is loving God; loving a pupil, a friend, loving one you do not like, this is loving God. And in the evening of our lives, we’ll remember back to whom we loved and tried to love, we will dance with joy for those we loved, and ask forgiveness of someone, of God, of others, of life, for those we hurt. We know deep down in our good hearts, that in fact Jesus was right. He was not simple but challenging us to the most difficult thing in life: There are only two commandments: love God and love your neighbour. Communion Reflections—Donal Neary SJ | ||
| 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (19 October 2008) SPECIAL LEAVING COLLECTION—PHILIPPINES The recent Special Leaving Collection at St John’s to assist people devastated by Typhoon Frank in the area around Kalibo in the Philippines resulted in donations in the vicinity of $4,500. We were also fortunate to receive a donation of six laptop computers from the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, which are now being prepared in readiness to send to Fr Vincent in the Philippines. Reproduced below is an extract from Fr Vincent’s letter to you all. “Greetings of peace. I am writing in grateful appreciation for the help your community is extending to our diocese which was devastated by Typhoon Frank just a week before we left for Australia for World Youth Day. Our diocese is trying to especially help the homeless in building their homes and distributing medicines to the sick and others. I informed the Bishop of Kalibo, Most Rev. Jose Romeo Laxo, DD, of your help and he is very happy. We are always grateful for all the hospitality and care we received in your Parish during Days in the Diocese and for your generosity. God bless you all in Christ. Fr Vincent P Cajilig, Diocese of Kalibo.” ANTI-POVERTY WEEK 12—18 OCTOBER (Anti-Poverty Day 17 October) Anti-Poverty Week was established in Australia as an expansion of the UN’s annual International Poverty Day which is always held on 17 October. It aims to: * strengthen public understanding and causes of poverty & hardship both in Australia and overseas. * encourage research, discussion and action to address these problems. Visit www.antipovertyweek.org.au for more information | ||
| 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (12 October 2008) On this mountain the Lord will prepare a banquet for all people. We are here this day at God’s invitation. There is no VIP section, no conditions for being invited, he has prepared his banquet his Eucharist, for all peoples. The only condition is that we want to be here, that we know our need for God, our need to be nourished by the Bread of Life, to be forgiven by the Word of God, and then we are sent to be this Bread of Life. This bread is baked, blessed, broken, and shared in the name of Jesus, as the bread of life was baked, blessed, broken and shared by his disciples. Nourish us, Lord Jesus, with the bread that satisfies our hunger for meaning and direction in our lives, our thirst for a companionship that is always faithful, our hope for the fullness of forgiveness, our deep need to know we are totally loved. No conditions for joining in this banquet; come to God as you are, and you will return blessed, refreshed, strengthened and sent forth in his name. Communion Reflections—Donal Neary SJ | ||
| 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time (5 October 2008) The stone the builders rejected has become the keystone They rejected Jesus; crucified his body and thought they killed his spirit; and he still lives on, in the hearts of millions, in the Eucharist of each day. Who are the strong ones of the kingdom of God? What stone will keep together every other stone? Doesn’t a family often notice that the weakest - maybe the ill or the old or the handicapped - keep the rest of us together? Or maybe the ones who bring us closest to God are the ones who need God most and know the meaning and the joy of the mystery of needing God. Would we know of Mother Teresa if we didn’t know of those who die alone on our city streets? The cross is a throne and the man nailed to it by the fear and pride of his creatures is the biggest name and influence the world has ever known. Notice this week whom you reject, belittle, or look down on; they may be keystones in the building of God’s kingdom. Notice this week what in yourself you reject, or belittle, or look down on: they may be the keystones of the kingdom of God in you. Communion Reflections—Donal Neary SJ | ||
| 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time (28 September 2008) ALL LIFE MUST BE RESPECTED AND PROTECTED AT ALL TIMES The Abortion Law Reform Bill currently before the Upper House of the Victorian Parliament is morally unacceptable and bad legislation. Much has been said in the media in its various forms in recent weeks in relation to the bill. At times such as this it is very important to be focused on what is the issue and not be drawn into emotive responses. One of the things that has saddened me greatly is the argument adopted by many of our State politicians that their support of the Bill is purely a reflection of community standards. I thought, naively perhaps, that part of the role of the parliament and therefore politicians was to legislate for the betterment and welfare of all citizens and therefore the promotion of the common good for all was paramount. I think that to this point many of our State politicians have served us very poorly in this regard. Archbishop Hart, in his Pastoral Letter states, “A human being is to be respected as a person from the moment of conception and all living human individuals are entitled to the equal protection of the law. Every living human individual, including those imperfect physically or mentally, is equal to every other individual in respect of the right not to be directly or intentionally killed.” What is needed now is for people of goodwill to ‘stand up’ and ‘speak out’ against the ever increasing violence that tragically is becoming more and more a part of everyday life. The defeat of this Bill will be a most significant step in the direction of the protection and valuing of the gift of life. What can we do? I urge every parishioner to write to the 13 members of the Upper House who at this stage are either unsure or wavering in terms of their vote. It can be the same letter to each, but should point out clearly and calmly that all human life is sacred and they have a responsibility to respect and protect life from conception onwards. The names and details of the 13 are available at the doors. And whilst we are doing this let us continue to pray for those women who, for whatever reason, have felt that there was no alternative but termination and let our prayer for them be a prayer of love. View the full Archbishop's letter here | ||
| 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time (21 September 2008) Disturb us Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves, when our dreams have come true because we have dreamed too little, when we arrived safely because we sailed too close to the shore. Disturb us Lord, when with the abundance of things we possess we have lost our thirst for the waters of life; having fallen in love with life, we have ceased to dream of eternity and in our efforts to build a new earth, we have allowed our vision of the new heaven to dim. Disturb us Lord, to dare more boldly, to venture on wider seas where storms will show your mastery; where losing sight of land, we shall find the stars. we ask You to push back the horizons of our hopes; and to push into the future in strength, courage, hope and love. | ||
| Triumph of the Cross (14 September 2008) “To many people, venerating and reverencing the Cross seems a very strange practice. The Cross was the instrument of torture used by the Romans to execute particularly troublesome or rebellious inhabitants of their conquered lands. It was a form of execution—along with burning alive and being eaten by wild animals—the Romans used as a means of literally annihilating an enemy. All three methods were designed to ensure that the person was destroyed completely so that nothing was left to bury. In the eyes of the Romans, this was the greatest insult that could be paid to an enemy: without proper burial their families could not properly mourn their passing and they could not enter into the afterlife. The general practice with crucifixion was that the executed person was left on the cross for wild dogs and carrion birds to attack. Ultimately, the picked over bones were cast into a lime pit where they effectively dissolved. It was rare that a victim of crucifixion was allowed to be buried. Given this history, it is easy to understand why the early Christians did not generally reverence the Cross. It was not until the 4th Century, apparently on 14 September, 326, that Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine, identified the cross of Christ’ s crucifixion and acclaimed its potential for miraculous cures. On the site that she located the Cross, Helena ordered to have built the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. From this time, and with the formal adoption of Christianity as the religion of Rome, the Cross became a symbol of the passion, death and resurrection of Christ. The common understanding shifted from the Cross being the means of Christ’s death to being the means of his triumph over death.” Gregory Sunter—Liturgy Help | ||
| 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (7 September 2008) FATHERS DAY BLESSING Our loving God has brought you the joy of fatherhood May he bless you in this role. As you give life to your children, and share with them your love and wisdom, may you also receive their love and joy. May you be strengthened in your faith as a Christian father, and may your example of faith shine forth in your family. | ||
| 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (31 August 2008) This must not happen to you: For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. So often we think or say— it must not happen, it should not have happened. I must not fail an exam, I must get on better with my family, I must keep a strong faith, this love should not have failed, he should have lived longer, and you can add your own ‘I must not’… or ‘it should not…’, when things are not going right. For Jesus knew he must go towards Calvary, towards giving himself to us in this death-way. For Peter it was unthinkable, this God-man, this Heaven-Friend, being led like a lamb to slaughter. This must not happen to you: For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. Are there not new ways of seeing life? Failure is not the end of life’s journey, and may lead to some new strength in a person; love which dies may be renewed elsewhere later. All of life’s happenings, chosen or not chosen— challenge us to trust in the goodness of God and life. All are part of the ‘saving’ and full development of each person’s unique, God-given personality. This must not happen to you: For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. Communion Reflections—Donal Neary SJ | ||
| 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (24 August 2008) You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church ‘He must be joking’, the others thought when Jesus said, ‘You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church’. They knew him well. A rather mediocre fisherman, a hot-tempered husband and father, the centre of everything going on, but could you rely on him? They wouldn’t be surprised later that he would deny that he knew Jesus, or that he would run away when the going was tough. What they didn’t think of was that they would all run away as well! Jesus saw into Peter’s heart, recognised his generosity, his enthusiasm for a cause, his love for family and friends, and named him ‘Rock’. Maybe he recognised also that Peter knew his faults and failings and weaknesses; and isn’t that a great security in life— to know yourself well; and that’s what makes good leaders. On the rock of Peter, Jesus built his Church, and his Church is little different from Peter: strong at times or weak, enthusiastic and courageous, sinful and unreliable, for his Church is you and me, our parish community, the community of God’s people, confessing with joy that Jesus is the Christ of God. Communion Reflections—Donal Neary SJ | ||
| 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time (10 August 2008) Are we a community of welcomers & initiators? How do we welcome people into this community of faith? How do we invite them to Come & See? How do we initiate them? Jesus welcomed people of all backgrounds regardless of their position, age, sex, status, wealth, but he especially welcomed and reached out to the lost, the hungry, the poor, the widows, the orphans, the sick, the marginalised. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) process helps people who are searching for a deeper relationship with God through reception of the Sacraments (Baptism, Eucharist & Confirmation) of the Catholic Church at Easter (April 2009). If you or someone you know has been asking questions about the Catholic Faith and would like to know more, please come to one of our Enquiry Sessions. Wednesday, September 10, 2008 OR Tuesday, September 16, 2008 Both sessions commence at 7.30pm in the Supper Room. Please call Maree (Parish Office Tue – Fri, 9am – 4pm): 9873 1341 or Claire Boyd: 9874 0609 | ||
| 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time (3 August 2008) He saw a large crowd and had compassion on them When Jesus saw the crowd without food he asked only how to feed them. No complaint as to why they had come without food, their lack of plans, not even a suggestion of impatience. In poverty Jesus never asks why you’re poor, his heart goes out to your poverty. His heart goes out to the unemployed person, not first asking why you have no job. His heart goes out to the single parent without question, without comment. Or with sins, the first movement of the heart of Christ is to forgive, to be compassionate, in relation with you. He saw a large crowd and had compassion on them A marriage going badly, a relationship being abused, a conflict with parents, Jesus sees the suffering of the heart, and wants to help. He gives that sense of wholeness, never judging a person on one aspect of personality. Faults are struggles, and in knowing you’re fully known and accepted, you can accept the bread of strength and move on stronger, whole, loved. He saw a large crowd and had compassion on them Communion Reflections—Donal Neary SJ | ||
| 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (27 July 2008) Like treasure hidden in a field Where is the Kingdom of God? How to recognise it? Has it an anthem like a country, a flag like a nation a language of its own? In the middle of the heart of experience is found the Kingdom of God. Through the gaps of life, shines the Kingdom of God. Like treasure hidden in a field. Glimpsed in the narrow gaps between tight thoughts and you’re surprised by a new idea. Glimpsed in the narrow gaps between people who know each other and you’re surprised by the newness of one you love. Glimpsed in the narrow gap of acceptance of injustice and inequality, and you’re surprised by new initiatives. There is no flag, no anthem, no language separate from the flag, anthem and language of our experience of life: the flag, anthem and language of love, compassion, truth of the works of justice, of Eucharist Like treasure hidden in a field Communion Reflections—Donal Neary SJ | ||
| 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time (20 July 2008) Let them both grow till harvest time. There’s a bit of bad in the best of us, and a lot of good in the worst of us. How true. Like the farmer in the gospel looking at weeds and wheat in a field, We look at the goodness and the sinfulness in our lives. People’s strengths have their own weaknesses: a generous person is often hot-tempered and a placid person may seem cold or unfeeling. Weeds and wheat, weeds and flowers, all grew in the farmer’s field, And God saw more of the colour and the growth than the weeds. Same with you and me. With God’s grace and our co-operation the good can overcome the bad. And when God looks at a life, he sees the life totally, and the bad is lost and forgiven in the good. And the word of God is patience. Let them both grow till harvest time, he said, otherwise, if you cut everything, you will do violence to the field. Lord, help me to be patient with myself, let me know that you see the heart and you see that behind every fault and sin, there is also the struggle to be good. Let them both grow till harvest time. Communion Reflections – Donal Neary SJ | ||
| 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (13 July 2008) The seed fell on rich soil In the rich soil of care, the word of God takes root. In the fruitful soil of birth, the word of God becomes flesh. In the thorny soil of suffering, the word of God consoles. In the flowering soil of friendship, the word of God makes sense. In the deep soil of faith, the word of God comes to life. And in the times we till our lives with care, compassion, with courage and endurance, with joy and with love, the word of God is sown by Jesus, and bears its rich fruit, and is given to us in the Bread of Life. The seed fell on rich soil. Communion Reflections Donal Neary SJ | ||
| 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (6 July 2008) AN AUSTRALIAN BLESSING May you always stand tall as a tree Be as strong as the rock of Uluru As gentle and still as the morning mist Hold the warmth of the campfire in your heart And may the Creator Spirit Always walk with you. E Pike ‘97 | ||
| 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time (29 June 2008) STS PETER & PAUL Peter is associated with the community in Jerusalem and Paul with the Gentile converts. Together they represent the universality of the church. The red vestments worn today remind us of the price their commitment exacted on them. The followers of Christ come from every race and culture, every generation and social class. It is not a common culture that draws them together, but a common faith. The church has been strengthened by the blood of the martyrs. This was the case in its earliest years, and it is the case today. Both Peter and Paul are examples of how God takes those weak in faith and transforms them into champions of the gospel. Once transformed, each man threw himself wholeheartedly into the mission that was his. Their fate should not surprise us, for they were disciples of one who gave his last breath for the life of the world. In so many places in the world today modern martyrs pay the ultimate price for their faith. We see this in Latin America, in many African countries, in the Middle East, and in Asia, to name but a few areas. Although the word martyr usually refers to one who dies for the faith, the Greek word (mártys) really means witness, one who gives testimony. Like Peter and Paul, the martyr is one whose life gives witness to the faith. However, when this witness is too much of a challenge, the witness’ life is placed in jeopardy. Peter and Paul call us all to this kind of testimony to faith. © Dianne Bergant CSA | ||
| 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time (22 June 2008) A Celtic Prayer I rise today with God’s strength to direct me, God’s wisdom to guide me, God’s eyes to look before me, God’s ear to hear me, God’s word to speak for me, God’s hand to uphold me, God’s pathway before me, God’s shield to protect me God’s host to save me— from temptations, from one or many that seek to destroy me. Amen New Sunday & Holy Day Liturgies —Flor McCarthy SDB | ||
| 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time (14 June 2008) He had compassion on the crowd.[/B ] People were never just a crowd to Jesus. He looked over the large crowd, felt sorry for them, and looked for help. In any crowd that Jesus saw were the sick and the lonely, the mourners and the grieving, the jobless and the poor; and it is the same today, we’re all in that crowd. He had compassion on the crowd. Parents and children, the old and the young. But we’re never a crowd to Jesus; we’re individuals, each with our own personality, our own gifts and talents, our own sufferings and conflicts, each with the hurts we bear in our hearts. He fed the crowds then, as he nourishes us now: strengthening us and healing us with the bread of the Son of God. He taught them with the light of the Spirit, and shared with all the compassion of the Father. He had compassion on the crowd. Communion Reflections—Donal Neary SJ | ||
| 10th Sunday in Ordinary Time (8 June 2008) No statement says all that could be said, No prayer fully expresses our faith, No confession brings perfection No pastoral visit brings wholeness No program accomplishes the church’s mission No set of goals and objectives includes everything. This is what we are about. We plant the seeds that one day will grow. We water seeds already planted knowing that they hold future promise We lay foundations that need further development We provide yeast that produces effects far beyond our capabilities We cannot do everything and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that This enables us to do something, and do it very well. It may be incomplete, but is a beginning a step along the way, An opportunity for the Lord’s grace to enter and do the rest. We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker. We are the workers, not master builders, ministers not messiahs. We are the prophets of a future, not our own. Amen Archbishop Oscar Romero | ||
| 9th Sunday in Ordinary Time (1 June 2008) Built on rock No matter what our age, we look for security; we look for firm ground to stand on, and that’s what Jesus offers when he says that his word is a rock to live our lives by. We live on firm ground when we find love in our lives, when we find meaning and direction, when we find something big enough to believe in through all our experiences. If we live by the word of Jesus, We have firm ground, Our home is built on rock. Be grateful for the rocks of your life: for the people who have always been there for you, for the love of God which never fails, for the faith that can give direction to all of life. Be grateful for fun and humour, for laughter and for tears, be grateful for the sun that sets daily, for all this is beauty. and when we notice beauty our home is built on rock. Be grateful for the child that smiles or wakens you, for the embrace that consoles or strengthens you, for the joy that comes from saying sorry or making up. Beauty, love, reconciliation – all bits of firm ground for life, and on this firm ground, our home is built on rock. Communion Reflections – Donal Neary SJ | ||
| Body and Blood of Christ (25 May 2008) The bread that I shall give is my flesh, for the life of the world Isn’t the greatest gift one can give to another, the gift of oneself? Gifts can be sent in the post, credited and impersonally given; a gift can be chosen quickly or with care. the gift expressing the giver’s personality or the relationship between two people is most welcomed. That’s the gift of Eucharist; The bread that I shall give is my flesh, for the life of the world. This means, it is myself. When I give my time and listen, when I share my experience, or speak from the heart, or risk opening myself that another person may grow, then I am giving myself. and this is what Jesus does. He allows us into the hidden heart of his life: his relationship with his Father, his real beliefs about love and justice, peace and religion, life and death; his hopes for the poor, his conviction to suffer and die for God and for us. He breaks the joys and sorrows of his life, he invites his disciples and friends – you and me - to share our love for the life and growth, the encouragement and development of those with whom we share our lives. The bread that I shall give, is my flesh for the life of the world. Communion Reflections – Donal Neary SJ | ||
| Holy Trinity Sunday (18 May 2008) God so loved the world that he gave his only Son. From their eternal home the Trinity look on our world. Father, Son and Spirit, they see that we need them. We need to know more of the love of God, and what is the true meaning of our lives. They look on our world and see our hungers and thirsts, our homelessness and exile, our unemployment and conflicts. They see homes at peace and unhappy, marriages needing help. They see the confusion of the young, the loneliness of the old. Today’s feast means they care. That’s what it means – God so loved the world that he gave his only Son. They sent the best help they knew to the people they loved and who needed their help. They sent not just a word of comfort, or vague promises of help. They sent one of themselves. They sent Jesus; God so loved the world that he gave his only Son. And through Mary, a young woman about to marry, the word was made flesh. Through millions since then the love of the Trinity is alive in the world – through you, through me, in the love and the care we show, in the faith we live by and the hope we share, God so loved the world that he gave his only Son. Communion Reflections – Donal Neary SJ | ||
| Pentecost Sunday (11May 2008) In any story, the beginning is always a very good place to start. Sad then that for so many people their reflections/beliefs about creation start with what we call ‘the fall’ – when Eve was tempted by the serpent and so sin entered the world – and really it’s all been downhill from there! There are many things wrong with such a view for it leads to all sorts of distortions, misunderstandings and importantly, a failure to accept responsibility. There are two accounts of creation in the Book of Genesis. They are not scientific or accurate in their detail – they are not meant to be. What is critical is that it is God who creates, however that occurs, and God views that creation as good. We are part of that ‘good creation’. So our beginning is not in the midst of sin but rather in abundant goodness – God’s goodness. How important it is for us to realize this and to live by it. As part of God’s creation we have a responsibility to care, not just for each other, but for the whole of creation of which we are part, for it is all a part of God’s goodness. Sadly we have failed – and indeed that is sin. We still need to care for all who are around us and we also need to care for the rest of creation that surrounds us. This is not ‘greenie speak’ – this is caring for our earth, God’s earth of which we are a part and as humans gifted with intelligence we have a responsibility to care for that which cannot care for itself, to protect that which cannot protect itself. Our failure to have done so and the consequences are now well documented. Most in the scientific world accept that a significant part of the problem of global warming has a human origin. Are we not called to respect and care for all that is the creation of our God? Appropriate that the first night of our Parish Festival of Faith concerns our earth and our environment AND our RESPONSIBILITY to care for both. Sr Anne Boyd will reflect with us and no doubt challenge us. As we celebrate the great feast of Pentecost perhaps we could all seek the guidance of the Spirit in a renewed care for our world. Together may we journey with our God and with one another. | ||
| Ascension of the Lord (4 May 2008) Living the Gospel in Whitehorse Road Keep these dates free: Monday 9 June (7.30pm - 9.00pm) Speaker: Anne Boyd - 'Earth Song & Care for the Environment'. Tuesday 10 June (7.30pm - 9.00pm) Speaker: Fr Andy Hamilton - Writer for Eureka Street & Australian Catholics Magazine (who has written widely on refugee issues). Wednesday 11 June (7.30pm - 9.00pm) Speaker: Marg Hayes - 'Catholic HIV AIDS & Prison Ministry'. Thursday 12 June (7.30pm - 9.00pm) Speaker: Les Twentyman - Social Worker & Open Family Foundation (work with homeless & drug affected young people). Friday 13 June - Parish Buffer Meal Speaker: Fr Bob Maguire - outspoken Sth Melbourne Parish Priest and commentator on social issues. Together may we journey with our God and with one another. | ||
| 6th Sunday of Easter (27 April 2008) ST JOHN’S PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL PROUDLY PRESENTS “Living the Gospel in Whitehorse Road” Parish Festival of Faith 2008 A week of presentations by well-known guest speakers, time for questions and reflection…… June 9—June 13 Concluding with a Parish Dinner on Friday June 13 KEEP THESE DATES FREE ALL WELCOME! KEEP AN EYE ON THIS SPACE FOR REGULAR UPDATES Together may we journey with our God and with one another | ||
| 5th Sunday of Easter (20 April 2008) I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. The Way that guides our steps, another name for the Lord Jesus. Like a path guides our way in life. He has walked our ways in life. He has walked our ways before: knowing bereavement and failure, knowing rejection and poverty, knowing loneliness and loss of faith. He is the Truth that enlightens our mind; like a glimpse of light in the fog; he gives meaning in times of emptiness, some experiences of peace in confusion, and certainty that we can find the Truth of Life in the gospel of his Father. And he is the Life. He gives hope and comfort in our yearnings for fullness, he gives a confidence that the biggest gift of all is life, and that in emptiness and in pain, in doubt and confusion, he offers a new surge of life, the life that comes from knowing that we are loved intensely and called to love as best we can in life. Thus we live in the way, the truth, and the life of God, in Jesus Christ, for he says, I am the Way, the Truth and Life. Communion Reflections—Donal Neary SJ | ||
| 3rd Sunday of Easter (6th April 2008) We had been hoping. How often we’ve said or thought that: We had been hoping. That love would last or a relationship would get deeper, that illness would ease or death would be delayed, That employment would come or a raise would be offered, that life would be enjoyable, comfortable: we had been hoping. And there have been disappointments: let-downs by friends, by family, promotions not found in a job, success in exams lost, prayers not answered, love lost or not found. How to get through this? The apostles had put faith in Jesus, had invested much of their lives in him. Their disappointment blocked their faith in his resurrection. We had been hoping. Yes, it was ordained that glory comes through suffering; there’s the love and growth and fullness discovered even in disappointment, do we not find glimpses of light? And we know in the heart That nothing except love is lasting. He vanished from their sight, but left the Eucharist; a sure sign that no disappointment is final. that there is always hope, and the possibility of new life. | ||
| 2nd Sunday of Easter (30 March 2008) COMBINED CATHOLIC PARISHES RAFFLE—2008 15 PRIZES including 4 CARS!!! Once again there are Four Ford Focus cars to be won, plus 11 Coles Myer gift cards to the value of $1000 or $500. Tickets are currently being delivered to parishioners and are now on sale after Masses or please consider taking a book or books to sell. This year’s special initiative is to support young people from our parish who wish to attend World Youth Day in Sydney during July. This will be an extraordinary experience as young people from all over the world gather together to celebrate their faith and learn of the richness of life of our Church in other parts of the world. Our support of the raffle will help some of our young people be part of this amazing occasion. Ticket distributors are reminded to return any left over tickets to their Area Coordinator. Tickets are on sale after Mass. The raffle will be drawn on Friday May 23 (VGCA Permit No. 11846/07) | ||
| Easter Sunday (23 March 2008) Moments of death and resurrection “As we go through life we all experience little deaths. We get a foretaste of death when we live in bitterness, loneliness, sadness and despair. In times like these the world closes in on us, and we seem to have one foot in the grave. But we also experience little resurrections. When we know love, acceptance, and forgiveness; when we open our hearts to others and to life, the world opens up and we emerge from the tomb. Lord, may the splendour of your resurrection scatter the shadows of death, and enable us to walk in radiant hope towards the kingdom where there are no more shattered hopes or broken dreams.” New Sunday & Holy Day Liturgies—Flor McCarthy SDB | ||
| Palm Sunday (16 March 2008) This week each year Christians are drawn to Jerusalem, if not in body, at least in mind. They stand at the foot of the cross, beating their breasts, and staring with pity at Jesus of Nazareth. They listen with reverence to his voice. as he prays for his killers: ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ But when the week is over they return to their homes to resume their deep-rooted spites and the burden of things they can’t forgive. ‘Don’t cry for me,’ says Jesus. ‘Cry for yourselves and for your children— the children who will inherit your fears, prejudices and hates.’ Let us not then weep for Jesus. Rather let us follow the example of Peter, who wept bitter tears for his own sins. Then maybe we will be able to forgive others who sin against us.” Sunday & Holy Day Liturgies—Flor McCarthy SDB | ||
| 5th Sunday of Lent (9 March 2008) From death to life What a way to receive great glory: to die! Jesus paints a picture of death and life— the ears of corn ripening colourfully in the air of God, these will be life-giving food—a miracle of God. And when the grain dies and falls into the earth, it multiplies, nourishes even more than before. The glory of the grain of wheat begins when it’s buried in clay, the glory of Jesus begins on the cross. The glory of a person is in dying to the false self, the arrogant self, the grasping self, and rising in the love of God in truth, humility, sharing. We rise and die each day as we are called forth in the resurrection of Jesus to show to people the victory of Jesus in love over hate, in reconciliation over bitterness, in faith over despair. Lord Jesus, die in us, rise in us, that we in you may serve our Father. Communion Reflections—Donal Neary SJ | ||
| 4th Sunday of Lent (2nd March 2008) Thoughts of Helen Keller who went blind and deaf when she was only nineteen months old. “One day I asked a friend of mine who had just returned from a long walk in the woods what she had seen. She replied: ‘Nothing in particular’. How was this possible? I asked myself, when I, who cannot hear or see, find hundreds of things to interest me through mere touch. I feel the delicate shape and design of a leaf. I pass my hands lovingly over the rough bark of a pine tree. Occasionally, if I’m lucky, I place my hand quietly on a small tree, and feel the happy quiver of a bird in full song. All this has convinced me of one thing: the greatest calamity that can befall people, is not that they should be born blind, but rather that they should have eyes and yet fail to see.” Sundays & Holy Day Liturgies Flor McCarthy SDB | ||
| 3rd Sunday of Lent (24 February 2008) THE FURTHER THIRST “There is a thirst in every human heart. Each of us is like that lonely Samaritan woman. We are thirsting for something, something that will satisfy all our longings. But often we search in the wrong places. We draw water from many wells: the water of praise to quench our thirst for self-esteem; the water of success to quench our thirst for importance; the water of pleasure to quench our thirst for joy… But we still get thirsty. Only God can give us what we are looking for. He alone can cause a spring to well up inside us. The water from this spring will sustain us in our journey to the Promised Land of eternal life.” New Sunday & Holy Day Liturgies Flor McCarthy, SDB | ||
| 2nd Sunday of Lent (17 February 2007) And they saw his glory They saw his glory and were surprised. We see his glory all around us and often do not notice it and when we do notice it, we are surprised. Christ in the surprise of a July flower, Christ in the discovery of new love, Christ in the offering and welcoming of reconciliation, Christ in the tireless efforts of men and women of peace. In the schoolroom in a city slum Where a teacher for a low salary transforms the lives of the poor who are God’s favourites, And they say his glory in the efforts to free those imprisoned unjustly by regimes which feed their own greed, in the hours of listening in a marriage, in the time spent watching in love over a sick child, in caring for the sick, the lonely, the old, in all those times we go out of our own cares, big or small, to enter the cares of others. And they saw his glory: and in such moments we too see his glory. Communion Reflections – Donal Neary SJ | ||
| 1st Sunday of Lent (10 February 2008) ARE WE READY??....ARE WE REALLY PREPARED TO…."DO" LENT Our season of Lent we know is about that awful word....change. For whatever reason, most of us, simply don’t like change. I wonder why? Inconvenient? Too demanding? Makes us feel uncomfortable? Don’t like uncertainty? Wary and suspicious of things that are new or different? Too stubborn? or maybe I just don’t like being challenged or moving out of my comfort zone. If any of these strike a cord within us then the next 6 weeks aren’t going to be very pleasant at all!! So perhaps we had better go with the flow….and change. But Lent doesn’t call us to just any sort of change. It’s not about changing our socks! It is about a change of heart. Indeed, a radical change of heart. (Now that word radical is another word we don’t like!) John Henry Newman was an extraordinary character in the English Church. A convert from the Anglican Church he ended as the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster (London). There is much talk about him being made a saint. He said this about change…. "In heaven it is otherwise, but here below, to live is to change, and to live well is to have changed often." So, are we ready? Are we really prepared to…."do" Lent??? | ||
| 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time (3rd February 2008) You are blessed. Strange that Jesus says that we are blessed if we are poor, gently mourning, merciful, peacemakers. Others might say we are blessed if we are rich, tough and comfortable, and looking for our own rights and desserts. There is a blessing in all that he says: not an immediate happiness nor prosperity, but a blessing comes from God in the times when we are weak, vulnerable, broken. The bread of the Eucharist is bread broken and shared, the blessing of God is mourning accepted and shared; the blessing of God is mercy asked and given so that the bread of the Eucharist is the bread of forgiveness, and the blessing of God fills the places of the soul where I am poor, lost, gentle, and willing to let go of the grudges of life for the life and resurrection of Jesus. The closed fist cannot receive the gifts of life; help us Lord, to be open in our weakness and our need, in our mourning and our bitterness to the blessings you give when we are disheartened. Like in the Eucharist, may we know your power and presence in our broken dreams, our broken relationships, and rise to new strength within ourselves, blessed as we are in the bread of life. Communion Reflections—Donal Neary SJ | ||
| 3rd Sunday in Ordinary TIme (27 January 2008) Journey to the Centre And here it is, Stretching as far as eye can see in its dry glory Unconquered land, speaking of eternal things In a secret language of its own. Here it is, in its endless rhythms And grey-green dressings, Living in harmony With redness and blue hazes. Old, old earth, Worn down in wind and fire Ancient land spreading to the horizons At one with sky and distance Resisting control And all the planning of humankind We call it ours, But it is its own and God’s. It bestows gifts as it chooses, in its own time The eternal time of all the ages of creation. This is our home Here we live Here we have our being With those who have gone before And those who will come after Thanks be to the creator For the wonder of this land, Amen | ||
| Christmas Blessing A CHRISTMAS BLESSING Good and Gracious God Bless this festive season and our Christmas table. We thank you for this year bringing Your blessings and for our families nurturing our lives We recall the many people deprived of peaceful lands and plenty. We remember the Christ Child sharing our life and the Spirit giving hope to our world. Amen ********************************************************* The Parish Team at St John’s Mitcham wishes you and your family every blessing at this time and throughout the year ahead. May your days now and in 2008 be filled with God’s love, peace and justice. May our remembering of the birth of the Christ child remind us that we are called to give birth to the presence of God each and every day. | ||
| 4th Sunday of Advent (23 December 2007) In this Fourth Week of Advent we are called to be… people who know God is with us In both our first Reading this weekend, again from the prophet Isaiah, as well as in our Gospel reading from Matthew, we hear that a baby will be born who will be called Emmanuel, a name which means ‘God-is-with-us’. Especially with the birth of Jesus, God has promised not merely to visit, but to remain with us. Because God is with us we can have the courage to walk in God’s paths with integrity and faithfulness. In this 4th week of Advent, which really only amounts to less than 2 days, and as we move into the Christmas season, let’s ponder the questions - In what way is God with us? In what way is God with me? We are called to be people who walk in God’s paths. We are called to be people of integrity and faithfulness. We are called to be people of courage. We are called to be people who know God is with us. |  | |
| 3rd Sunday of Advent (16 December 2007) In this Third Week of Advent we are called to be… people of courage In our first Reading this weekend, again from the prophet Isaiah, we hear words of joy. Isaiah holds out to his people in exile the hope of returning home. To those who wait patiently he points to the signs of God’s coming. To those who weaken in their waiting he cries: “Courage! Do not be afraid.” In this 3rd week of Advent, with Christmas a little more than a week away, the questions we might ask ourselves are ……….. Am I a person of courage? What am I afraid of that prevents me from being courageous? Am I courageous in proclaiming the Good News? We are called to be people who walk in God’s paths. We are called to be people of integrity and faithfulness. We are called to be people of courage. | ||
| 2nd Sunday of Advent (9 December 2007) In this Second Week of Advent we are called to be… people of integrity and faithfulness In our first Reading this weekend, from the prophet Isaiah, we are invited to imagine a world that is rich in justice, peace and harmony - a world full of integrity and faithfulness. So, in this 2nd week of Advent we might like to take some time to reflect ……….. Am I a person of integrity? Who am I faithful to? What am I faithful to? Do I show integrity and faithfulness in preparing a way for the Lord? We are called to be people who walk in God’s paths. We are called to be people of integrity and faithfulness |  | |
| 1st Sunday of Advent (2 December 2007) In this First Week of Advent we are called to be… people who walk in God’s paths. The Advent readings form a rich tapestry of images centered on the truth that God has come among us. We meet the God of Advent in the successes and the failures, the struggles and the decisions of daily human living. In our first Reading this weekend, from the prophet Isaiah, we are invited to go up to the mountain of the Lord so that we can be taught God’s ways, so that we may walk in God’s paths. Whose paths are we walking in at the moment? Are they God’s? What stands in the way of us walking in God’s paths? Our challenge in this First Week of Advent is to stay awake enough to recognize if the paths we walk are God’s paths, for we are called to be people who walk in God’s paths…………. | ||
| Feast of Christ the King (25 No vember 2007) And how is he a king? How is this man a king? Jesus Christ, of heaven and earth, mocked and killed through the cruelty of his people— a king? Just in Paradise? Or now, today? Where is his power? How is he powerful? This man—one single life— who has been the most predominant influence on human history. His power is seen on a cross, and the cross is his throne. Maybe we see him at his truest there, forgetful of self, mindful of the thief beside him, compassionate to the end, saying to the one beside him on Calvary— “Today you will be with me in praradise”. His power is in the weakness of love, and the strength of compassion. His leadership is in the sharing of struggles and in his vision of humanity. His attraction is in his care of all and in his urgency for justice. His influence is from the truth of God and his desire that this word be heard in the way we live. A king not only for the future but of today, not only of heaven but of earth, not of power but of service, for he comes among us as one who serves. Compassion, love, forgiveness, truth, Wholehearted care and acceptance of us all; this is Jesus the King, fully human, fully divine, Son of God and Son of Mary. Communion Reflections Donal Neary SJ | ||
| 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (17 November 2007) Your endurance will win you your lives. Isn’t courage something we really admire in people? A child learning to walk and making efforts, even when she falls or he has to be helped at every step. A young person trying again after exam failure, or making yet another job application. People who make it against the odds of illness or handicap or deep hurt. Courage is strength from the inside. How to nourish this strength? Look at the face of Jesus and see the face of God alive with courage in face of death, shining with courage in the face of rejection, a face communicating strength – strength born in the depths of his suffering – strength to his friends like you and me when we suffer. We need courage in love; when the care we try to offer is rejected, and we feel let-down and no good; We need courage when we try to work on behalf of those who are neglected, homeless, poor, and our efforts are destroyed by greed in society. We need courage in the love which cares for people in pain, and we feel helpless and angry on their behalf. Look at the face of Jesus, alive and shining with courage; look at the eyes of Jesus, eyes hopeful with love and friendship, shining with compassion, for you and me; an enduring love which is faithful forever. His endurance won him his life; he will ensure that our endurance will win us ours. | ||
| 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (11 November 2007) To him all people are alive Coming to the end of life is like travelling through a narrow tunnel and when we pass through it at its narrowest, we then emerge into the widest space we have ever known. wider, brighter than any of our thoughts, dreams, hopes. For a true description of God is the Lover of life, bringing life to the full, seeing life when all seems lost, in despair, hopelessness, confusion at any age, or when pain and ill-health drain the body of life. God looks on our dying moments and sees not a person nearly dead, but a man or woman on the doorstep of full life. God looks on our times of illness and sees us struggling with the limits of earthly life but growing in the life of the soul. And this is how people saw Jesus: a man full of the life of love and of compassion, of conviction and energy. One who lived in the fullness of God’s promise that life is linked In the golden string of heaven and earth. God is not the God of the dead, but of the living, and to God, all people are alive. | ||
| 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time (4 November 2007) I must stay at your house today The Lord wants to stay with us, close to us, to become part of our lives. He comes with a gift, the gift of salvation, saying to each what he said to Zacchaeus “Today salvation has come to this house”. The gift he brings is the light of hope to any corners of despair, the warmth of love to any spaces of hatred, the confidence that we can face all of life without fear. His gift is salvation from fear, despair, hatred, and his visit heals, strengthens and forgives us. He does not expect a tidy home, but a home open to the needs of others; nor an orderly home, but a home open to care for others; nor an up—to—date home but one that welcomes him. He comes also with others, and when Jesus enters our lives, he invites us to care as he does for anyone we know in trouble, and to get involved in the struggle of every neighbourhood for justice, education, health and faith. Today salvation has come to our lives, for Jesus has come into our homes, in the Eucharist and bread of life. Donal Neary SJ | ||
| 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time (28 October 2007) On this, the last weekend of the Expo, we are showcasing the following groups involved in the area of Service and Outreach: • Italian Pastoral Group • Men’s Group • Playgroup • St Vincent de Paul • Book Shop • Family Groups • Solo Support Group • Senior Parishioners The Parish Pastoral Council wishes to thank all of the groups that have taken part over the three weeks of the Expo. The enthusiasm of the groups and the effort in setting up the displays has made the Expo a success and hopefully has given all parishioners an insight into the many and varied activities in the Parish. | ||
| 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (21 October 2007) St John’s Parish Expo St John’s Parish is much more than Mass on Sundays. There are well over 30 groups, covering a wide range of activities, that are active in our Parish and which contribute to the overall life, faith and witness of our Parish. The Parish Expo is an initiative of the Parish Pastoral Council, and aims to provide an opportunity to highlight the activities of these groups. This weekend we are showcasing the following groups involved in the area of Community and Hospitality:
The Expo is a great opportunity to find out more about what goes on in our Parish. Please take time after Mass to look at the displays from these groups in the Narthex and to chat to the representatives who will be available. If you haven’t already done so, please pick up a copy of the new Parish Directory which has information about all of the groups and activities in the Parish and lists contact numbers for each group. -------------------------------------------- A reminder about the feedback boxes which have been set up on the Welcome Desk at St John’s and also at St James. You are encouraged to use the forms provided with these boxes to tell the Parish Pastoral Council of any compliments, concerns, feelings or complaints. | ||
| 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (14 October 2007) St John’s Parish Expo St John’s Parish is much more than Mass on Sundays. There are well over 30 groups, covering a wide range of activities, that are active in our Parish and which contribute to the overall life, faith and witness of our Parish. The Parish Expo is an initiative of the Parish Pastoral Council, and aims to provide an opportunity to highlight the activities of these groups. This weekend we are showcasing the following groups involved in the areas of Faith and Witness and Liturgy and Celebration: · Faith Development Team · RCIA · Charismatic Prayer Group · Catechetics · Scripture Study Group · GODSTART · Liturgy Team · St John’s School Community · St James School Community · Children’s Liturgy at St John’s · Children’s Liturgy at St James · Travelling Rosary · Saturday morning prayer The Expo is a great opportunity to find out more about what goes on in our Parish. Please take time after Mass to look at the displays from these groups in the Narthex and to chat to the representatives who will be available. Be sure also to pick up a copy of the new Parish Directory which has information about all of the groups and activities in the Parish and lists contact numbers for each group. -------------------------------------------- To enhance parish communication, feedback boxes have been set up on the Welcome Desk at St John’s and also at St James. You are encouraged to use the forms provided with these boxes to tell the Parish Pastoral Council of any compliments, concerns, feelings or complaints. | ||
| 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time (7 October 2007) It is now 18 months since our Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) completed the initial formation program. Over that time the PPC has been finding its place for its ministry within the life of our parish. In June the PPC determined that some time should be set aside to revisit where it was and where it was going! As a result a planning day was held and a renewed resolve was established for the PPC to not only adopt but also be recognised as the pre-eminent leadership group for the parish. Responding to a call for action the PPC has identified three areas of focus for the remainder of 2007. These areas are: Parish Communication The aim of this working group is to enhance the various forms of communication within our parish. This being achieved through:
Youth Ministry This working group has met with a group of young adults from our parish and discussed a number of issues relating to Youth Ministry. An action plan has been established with objectives in the following areas:
Partnerships within Parish (Schools) This working group aims to:
Many strong links already exist. Two new initiatives have been planned for this year. 1. A commitment liturgy for new prep families of both schools will be held on December 6 followed by a gathering in the Coghlan Centre hosted by the PPC. 2. Parish Christmas Bush Picnic to be held at St James from 4pm-8pm on December 15. This is being organised by parents from both schools and we hope that many parishioners will come along to enjoy the festivities. | ||
| 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time (30 September 2007) They won’t Listen! “Parents will certainly understand the point of the parable in today’s Gospel. You can almost hear the exasperation in Jesus’ voice, “You’ve been told over and over again…” But still people refuse to listen. In the parable, the rich man insists that if only the message was dramatic enough, if only Lazarus could return then surely his brothers would listen. “No”, says Jesus, “they won’t listen, even if someone were to rise from the dead”. And someone has risen from the dead, and has the listening improved? Is kindness a value for us? Generosity? Are we willing to share with others? Or like the rich man, do we block our ears and close our eyes to the needy at our gates. As I write this reflection, men, women and children are locked up in ‘Detention’ centres, their crime being a desire to live, and see their families live, with some hope. They want a chance for their children to be educated, a chance to live without fear of arrest and torture, a chance to live alongside us and be given a fair go. Apart from these asylum seekers, there are other examples you can think of where Lazarus lies starving on our doorsteps. What more will it take for us to listen, really listen to the words of Jesus? May our ears and hearts be opened to feel the discomfort of the Gospel; may the Risen One in our midst goad us to act in his name for those like Lazarus in our midst.” Sundays under the Southern Cross Mary Coloe PBVM | ||
| 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time (23 Spetember 2007) TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE THE KINGDOM HAPPEN “We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realising that. This enables us to do everything, and do it very well. It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord’s grace to enter and do the rest. We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker. We are workers, not master builders, ministers, not messiahs. We are prophets of a future not our own.” Oscar Romero COMING SOON ST JOHN’S PARISH EXPO Did you know that there are over 30 active groups in the parish? The Parish Expo will showcase these groups and give you the opportunity to find out what they do and how they enrich the life of the parish. The Expo will run over three weekends in October. 13/14 October Faith and Witness, Liturgy and Celebration groups 20/21 October Community and Hospitality groups 27/28 October Service and Outreach groups Watch for the newsletter for more information on this exciting event. | ||
| 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time (16 Spetember 2007) “When our feelings have been bruised it’s awfully hard to focus on what really matters. The perceived hurt blurs our vision and can even envelop us like a mighty wave. The father in the story of the prodigal son tries to pull his elder son back to the surface. He wants him to wipe the jealously from his eyes and appreciate the depth of what has happened. A sinner has repented. A son, and a brother, has come home. A new day is beginning, not just for the returning son, but also for the community who welcomes him. It’s like that in the Kingdom of God. Great rejoicing accompanies repentance. Healing takes place in both the individual and in the community. The ripples of reconciliation have far-reaching effects. The stories Jesus used to teach us about the Kingdom of God call us to take notice of the crucial things that create true community—repentance, forgiveness, compassion, celebration. These are virtues in the Kingdom of God, and they are the necessary components for life in families, parishes and even civic communities.” Gospel Reflections 2007 Cackie Upchurch | ||
| 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (9 September 2007) DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES? “Jesus’ teaching and miracles are attracting crowds of would-be followers. Today’s Gospel challenges these followers to realise that discipleship has a cost. It’s all very well to go with the crowd when the miracle worker is in town and gaining popularity, but have these followers considered the consequences? Jesus speaks of the utter commitment needed to be a disciple. In Semitic fashion, he sets out the options in a clear “black or white” extreme position. To “love” Jesus means “hating” all else. In a world, which spends millions on advertising and promoting products and causes, Jesus’ words sound very strange. Far from advertising discipleship , his words sound discouraging. ‘Take up your Cross’ is hardly a caption that would sell Christianity. But this is just the point. Jesus isn’t after half-hearted followers. He wants all or nothing Christians, people who know what they are taking on and give a whole-hearted commitment. The two parables show up the stupidity of starting a venture without really thinking through the consequences. In the parables, the consequences of lack of foresight are simply being the butt of jokes, or needing to seek peace. In real life the consequences are far more serious. How many people today are put off Christianity because they can see so few authentic Christians? Paul can say to the community in Corinth, if you want to see Christianity, look at me, “Be imitators of me” (1Cor 11:1). Can each of us say that? It is such robust followers that Jesus desires not just those who follow the crowd.” Sundays under the Southern Cross Mary Coloe PBVM | ||
| 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (2 September 2007) Fathers Day Blessing Loving God, look with love and kindness upon our fathers. May their example be like a beacon that guides to safe water, as their children grow and are nourished in their care. May their love and gentleness be a blessing upon each member of their family, as they share special moments together. May their openness to your love and understanding continue to nurture their faith and provide a rich example to all. |  | |
| 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (26 August 2007) As Jesus journeys south to Jerusalem, hear the urgency of the question put to him as he preaches about the reign of God: “How many will get in?” In other words, “What about me, will I be saved?” Jesus does not give a direct number. Not for him are those religions that promise Salvation to be predetermined finite number. God’s hospitality is expansive and yet the caution is given that the opportunity to respond to God’s invitation is not going to be available forever. Like the person who shuts down for the night, there will come a time when the invitation expires. Have you ever had the experience of issuing an invitation and getting the reply, “Can I let you know later?” In other words, I’m interested if nothing better comes along. The reign of God asks more than such a half-hearted response. It calls for a clear commitment, “Yes” or “No”. In Jesus’ presence, God is inviting all to participate in God’s desire for a world of wholeness, justice and peace. The offer is being made and it is modeled in Jesus’ life-style. Now is the time to make the choice and don’t think you can put this off till later. While the initial questions asks, “Will I be saved?” which places the responsibility for Salvation on Jesus, his reply turns this question back on each individual. Do you want to be? If so, there are things you need to do about it. The choice is left to each person not to Jesus. It is as if Jesus is saying to us, “You have the invitation, do you want it?” Sundays under the Southern Cross Mary Coloe PBVM | ||
| 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time (19 August 2007) Not always a peace-bringer Jesus talks so much about reconciliation, forgiveness and love that we may wonder about all his words of division. He says he will not always bring peace, but because of him people will be divided, even in families. Where now is the calm in the storm, or the offer of rest and refreshment? We know that we can be divided about what is right and just. Families and societies can be divided about the cares of life, the cares of marriage, the care of the young, the care of the poor. In the face of poverty and hunger, of abuse and violence, the word of Jesus is divisive, for its highlights the rights of all, born and unborn, rich and poor, young and old, sick and well, to the gifts of the earth, the gifts of wealth, and the care of society. While we love all, we want justice for all, and our following of Jesus may bring division. May we be encouraged to do what is right, strong to take the side of God, and open to reconciliation and compassion for all. Communion Reflections—Donal Neary SJ | ||
| 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time (12 August 2007) WORLD YOUTH DAY This time next year it will all be over. An event, which culminates in Sydney, which will see as many visitors from overseas to our land as came for the Olympics. The difference is—most of them will be under 30, well over 90% will be Catholic—and they will all be going to celebrate Eucharist together. Throughout the world, wherever it has been held—Denver, Rome, Toronto, Cologne, World Youth Day has drawn thousands of pilgrims from around the world and has had a dramatic impact on the local church. And now it is our turn. Next year in Sydney from July 15 to July 20 World Youth Day will be celebrated. The Pope will be there for the final Eucharist. BUT before then it is all happening here in Melbourne as we celebrate ‘Days in the Diocese’ - a time when young pilgrims and their leaders from all over the world will come to Melbourne as part of their pilgrimage to Sydney. It will be an opportunity for our Archdiocese and indeed our parish, to provide an experience of Australian culture and way of life and specifically an experience of the life of the local Church. The exchange will of course be two ways—we will learn from our pilgrims and they from us. Down the track our billeting co-ordinator will call for host families to provide accommodation. The organisers suggest two pilgrims per host family. I’m sure there are at least 50 families in our parish who would welcome this opportunity. What we would like to know now is simply who is interested in going to Sydney? Some sponsorship will be available from the parish to support those who need it. Who can go….well they have a very broad definition of youth...16-30!!!! Our World Youth Day Co-ordinator, Jessica Wursthorn, 98746979, or myself 98731341 would like to hear from anyone who might be interested in joining in the great and moving events and celebrations in Sydney next year. Please give one of us a call. In about 5 weeks time we will have an information evening, but we would like even now to hear of expressions of interest. It will be a great opportunity...so don’t miss out! --------------------------------------------------------------- The statement from the Victorian Bishops in relation to the Private Members Bill to decriminalise abortion is available in the newsstands. You may like to take a copy and read and reflect upon the challenges therein. We must always remember that the call to respect the dignity of lives includes the lives of those who seek abortion. It is not our role to judge—rather to pray and love. | ||