Faith & Mission

Reflection

This morning, it was my privilege the join with Year 10 RE classes in the Tuesday morning mass that they had prepared.

The theme that the students chose was ‘Courage’.  What a wonderful choice for a Mercy school!  One of the six Mercy values that provide the guidance to all of our College endeavours.  For Year 10 students, arguably courage is among the most fundamental elements in the toolkit that will help them navigate their VCE years and theory transition from adolescence to adulthood.

The gospel that the students chose for their mass was the passage from gospel of Matthew in which Jesus walks on water to reach His disciples. 

How many elements of this story can we recognise as speaking to times in our lives when we need to be courageous?   The times when we are buffeted by forces that threaten to overwhelm us.  Times when we hear our God call to us “Take courage, do not be afraid”. Times when faith allows us to rise above the storms. 

In the prayers the Year 10 students wrote for their mass, they recognised the role that working together to support others in their College community and beyond had to play in their living out of the value of courage.

They noted that as Peter stepped out onto the water, fearless and full of faith, he only began to sink once he gave into the doubt and apprehension.  They exhorted their fellow students to remain confident in their capacities and their faith to stay afloat and above the waters. 

In the words of their concluding prayer “As we know, we do not work best alone and are stronger together.” 

Mr Mark Hyland

Director of Faith and Mission