Mission & Identity

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Luke 2: 15-16)

Jesus told a parable to his disciples, ‘Can one blind man guide another? Surely both will fall into a pit. The disciple is not superior to his teacher; the fully trained disciple will always be like his teacher. Why do you observe the splinter in your brother’s eye and never notice the plank in your own? How can you say to your brother, “Brother, let me take out the splinter that is in your eye,” when you cannot see the plank in your own? Hypocrite! Take the plank out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take out the splinter that is in your brother’s eye.

‘There is no sound tree that produces rotten fruit, nor again a rotten tree that produces sound fruit. For every tree can be told by its own fruit: people do not pick figs from thorns, nor gather grapes from brambles. A good man draws what is good from the store of goodness in his heart; a bad man draws what is bad from the store of badness. For a man’s words flow out of what fills his heart.’

In this passage from ‘The Sermon on the Plain’ Jesus commands us not to judge and not to condemn. It raises the issue of just how difficult it is for people to have the kind of understanding that would really allow them to make judgments of others. The illustrations of one blind person leading another and of attempting to remove the speck in a neighbour’s eye when one has a log in one’s own are, again, as is so often the case with Jesus’ image and illustrations, exaggerated and humorous. It is so hard to know what is in one’s own heart – to recognise the ‘plank’ that may be there, inhibiting right vision and right judgment. Yet, even with such an impediment, we are still so confident that we can see and set about rooting out the failings of others. If God, who really does see the heart, acts with such generosity, understanding and compassion, then that – not judgment and condemnation – should surely be the model for human interaction. As Lent fast approaches, let us not seek to condemn but look at ourselves and spend this time in reflection of how we might remove the ‘plank’ from our eyes.

Project Compassion

After the excitement of boat race and all of the celebrations that come with that, next week sees us move into preparations for Lent. Next Sunday afternoon I will be joined by a number of students at the Cathedral for the launch of Project Compassion. Project Compassion is an important part of Lent at St Patrick’s College. One of the principal charities that we support is Caritas and Project Compassion is a central part of their fundraising each year. As a College we are happy to support it. Members of the Faith in Action group will be visiting homerooms each morning to collect funds for the charity, the boys will be encouraged to dip into their pocket money to help support our efforts.

Shrove Tuesday

Next Tuesday is Shrove Tuesday. Members of the College Student Congress will be present at the Cathedral to receive the ash that will be used the following day for our Ash Wednesday liturgies. The day will also give us the opportunity to indulge in the annual Shrove Tuesday tradition of partaking in some pancakes! Pancakes will be available during lunchtime for the very cheap price of $2. The funds raised here will help kickstart our Project Compassion efforts.

Ash Wednesday

As has become a tradition at St Pat’s, Ash Wednesday liturgies will take place throughout the day. Year levels will be given a time to attend our Chapel where a short liturgy and the distribution of Ashes will take place. It is hoped that each student will enter into this solemn occasion with reverence and respect.

ECSI survey 

Last week we sent home the documents for each of our families to participate in the Enhancing Catholic School’s Identity (ECSI) survey. This survey is conducted by Catholic schools every five years, and this year it is our turn.

We would appreciate it if you could take some time out of your busy schedules to complete the survey. I will attach the details to this article for those that may have misplaced it.

Weekly Mass

There will be NO weekly Thursday Mass for the next two weeks. Father Eladio has gone home to celebrate the birthday of his mother. Mass will return at 1.50pm on Thursday, 13 March.

Have a great week. 

God Bless you all.