Religious Education
Important R.E. Dates for Term 3
Saturday July 20th @ 6pm: Confirmation Family Commitment Mass
Tuesday July 23rd @ 9:15am: Grandparents Day Mass
Wednesday July 31st: Reconciliation available for Grade 4 during school time
Thursday August 1st: Reconciliation available for Grade 4 during school time
Tuesday August 13th 8.45am-3.15pm: Confirmation Retreat Day
Thursday August 15th @ 9:15am: Feast of the Assumption Mass
Tuesday August 20th: Reconciliation available for Grade 6 during school time
Thursday August 22nd: Reconciliation available for Grade 6 during school time
Tuesday August 20th @ 3.30 - 4.30pm: Confirmation Family Faith Sharing Afternoon
Wednesday August 21st: Bishop Ireland visits Confirmation students during school time
Tuesday August 27th @ 9:15am: Father’s Day Mass
Friday August 30th @ 5pm: Sacrament of Confirmation Mass
Gospel
Jesus invites his disciples to rest and has compassion for the crowd following him
Unpacking the Scriptures
The Gospel of Mark this Sunday takes place after the twelve disciples return from their mission across towns to preach repentance, heal the sick and drive out demons as Jesus instructed. He now invites them to rest but the crowds continue to follow. As the disciples shared in Jesus’ ministry, they now share in his popularity. Mark reports that they didn’t even have time to eat!
In an effort to get away, the disciples hop on a boat with Jesus in hopes of finding a deserted place. The crowds however catch sight of them and get to the place first, persistent to hear from Jesus and receive healings. Instead of frustration, impatience, anger, anxiety or fear, Jesus feels compassion for the crowds. He continues to teach and preach to them. His heart is moved by the hunger of their hearts. Later on he will also recognise the hunger of their bellies and feed the crowd of 5,000 with the miracle of multiplying 5 loaves and 2 fish!
The story invites us to realise that the work of God is a ‘round-the-clock’ job. Another word we use for disciple (meaning a pupil or follower of a teacher), is ‘apostle’. This means ‘one who is sent’. Each one of us by our baptism is sent to preach the Good News each day by the way we live our lives. Our commitment to being a disciple can leave us feeling tired and overwhelmed but Jesus affirms for us that times of healthy rest and refueling is important. Notice that the rest Jesus called his disciples to was spending time alone with him. This is what we find in our life of prayer and celebration of the Holy Eucharist.
Family Connection
Family demands can make us feel like Jesus and the twelve apostles. We wish for times of relaxation and renewal, but there are errands, chores, training, lessons, volunteer and social commitments to keep up with. These are all good things, but we can be left feeling drained and tired as we try to keep up. Sometimes we can wear 'I'm too busy' like a badge of honour and forget others around us, or even worse we say 'I don't have time for you/this' with our full plate. Take this time to give yourself permission to find the rest and relaxation that Jesus seeks for his disciples. One of the gifts we can give to one another in our family life is assistance in finding the time and space to renew ourselves through prayer.
Together review your family calendar and spend some time reflecting on your activities. Decide as a family what times you will take together to rest and what that resting will look like (e.g. a walk in the park or on the beach together, a movie night at home, solving puzzles together, no device/technology evening, etc.)
Pray
Gather together, light a candle and acknowledge that you are in the presence of God in a moment of silence. Read the Gospel Mark 6:30-34. As a family name reflect on how Jesus invites you to find time and space to relax just as did to his disciples. Pray that you are always moved with compassion towards one another and become better disciples of Jesus through your times of rest and prayer. Pray these words as an invitation to God’s Holy Spirit to be at work on your behalf:
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)'
Loving Father, I thank you that your Word reminds me that you have given me the power to be brave and to control my thoughts. I ask that in this moment where my thoughts feel like they are out of control, would give me a sound mind. Allow me to capture every thought that would want to cause me to have a spirit of fear. Remind me to think on what is good, true, noble, right, lovely, and admirable (Philippians 4:8). Empower me to cast down any thought that would want to cause me stress, anxiety, or fear. I thank you for all the good gifts you have given me in my life. Help me to remember them rather than fixate on the things that trouble my mind. I thank you that I can trust in you with all my heart and that you promise to lead me on your straight path (Proverbs 3:5-6). Direct each of my steps. Grant me wisdom so I can move forward with peace. Amen.
God bless,
India Mitchell-Fletcher
Religious Education Leader