Catholic Identity
Thanksgiving Mass
On Tuesday our students in Prep and Grade 6 students, families and friends gathered for our Thanksgiving Mass. The celebration began with the Prep students creating a beautiful butterfly display, setting the tone for a joyful and faith-filled gathering. During the Mass, we were blessed to joyfully welcome Steve Hammer into the Catholic Church. With the loving support of his wife Miki, Steve received blessings from our students and staff, marking a truly memorable moment of faith and community.
A heartfelt thank you to Fr. Junray for lovingly leading our Mass and guiding us in prayer and thanksgiving, and to our dedicated staff who prepared and planned this opportunity so beautifully.
Gospel Reflection
22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Summary
In this passage, Jesus teaches during a meal at the house of a Pharisee. He notices how guests choose the best seats and tells a parable, urging humility: take the lowest place so that you may be honoured later, rather than embarrassed. He reminds the host that true generosity comes not from inviting those who can repay you, but from welcoming the poor, crippled, lame, and blind. The message challenges us to live with humility, kindness, and hospitality without expecting anything in return.
Gospel Reading: Luke 14:1,7-14
On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the Sabbath, they were watching him closely.
When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honour, he told them a parable. He said, “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honour, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, ‘Give this person your place,’ and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will be honoured in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
He said also to the one who had invited him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbours, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
Reflection
Jesus turns an everyday social situation into a lesson about God’s kingdom. In a culture where honour and social standing were highly valued, he flips the script: the truly wise and blessed are those who choose humility and who extend love to those who cannot repay them.
This is not just about table manners, but about how we live in relationship with others. Our call is to serve, to welcome, and to love without self-interest. In a world where recognition and reward often drive behaviour, Jesus challenges us to act differently = finding dignity in the lowest seat and joy in serving those most in need.
- Do I sometimes like being noticed or praised? How could I practise being more humble instead?
- Who in my school, family, or community might feel left out, or have nothing to give back, but still needs kindness and welcome?
- How can I make sure people around me feel included and valued, even if they can’t do anything for me in return?
Prayer
Loving God,
You sent your Son to teach us the way of humility and hospitality. Help us to choose the lower place, not seeking glory for ourselves, but honouring others with kindness and respect. Open our hearts to welcome those who are overlooked, so that in serving them, we may serve You. May our lives reflect the generosity of Christ, who gave without counting the cost.
Amen