Religious Education
First Communion
On Tuesday the First Communion candidates participated in a Family Faith Sharing Afternoon. Students from each class presented on different topics they'd learnt about concerning Sacramental life, the story of The Last Supper, the miracle of the Eucharist, and signs and symbols in the Church. Families had the opportunity to engage in the learning with students discussing what it'd be like to sit at the table with Jesus and how the sacrifice at the altar is similar to sharing a meal at a table.
Thank you to all families who attended the afternoon as well as those who joined us at our Family Commitment Mass on the weekend. We give thanks to families, our first teachers who guide our spiritual life, bringing us closer to Jesus.
On Wednesday afternoon Fr Justin came to visit the Communion candidates to talk about their Sacrament preparation and for some Q&A time to get to know him better as our Parish Priest. Next Tuesday evening the candidates will receive their First Holy Communion at 5pm and 6.30pm mass. We ask that you keep them and their families in your prayers.
Month of May
During the Month of May, the Church dedicates devotion to Mary, our Mother. Throughout the month students have revisited prayers to Mary, sung hymns and read books and scripture about her. No one knows Jesus better than his own Mother. Not only do we look to her as a model of discipleship but as a loving mother who wants to draw us closer to her Son. As St Louis de Montfort said, "to Jesus, through Mary". During Music, each class had the opportunity to pray the Hail Mary through song and create a giant rosary thanks to Mrs Earle's wonderful creation. May we always go to Mary for guidance and praise her for saying 'yes' to God's plan. Mary, cause of our joy, pray for us.
Gospel
Jesus shares his Last Supper with his disciples.
Unpacking the Scriptures
This Sunday is the feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. Also called Corpus Christi, the Latin words for “the Body of Christ.” It is fitting that the Gospel of this feast day is Jesus at The Last Supper with his disciples. Even more fitting that our Grade 3 students will be receiving the Body of Christ for the first time next Tuesday!
The Gospel of Mark describes the shortened version of Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples as a celebration of the Jewish feast of Passover. In other Gospel accounts we hear more detail of the celebration of Passover. It is a memorial and ritual participation celebrating Exodus (God delivering his people, Israel from slavery in Egypt), a defining moment of Jewish history. The book of Exodus in the Bible tells of this story. The Passover meal includes important elements such as unleavened bread, lamb, and bitter herbs. Each food recalls an aspect of the Exodus event and instructions for the preparation of this meal are carefully prescribed in the Jewish Law of Moses. It is a central to the Jewish faith tradition to celebrate this meal and to give thanks to God for his deliverance and protection. This is mirrored for us in the celebration of the Eucharist, central to our faith tradition - the mass being a ritual preparation of a meal that recreates the sacrifice of Jesus, delivering us from sin and death.
Mark’s Gospel omits details of the Jewish Passover meal in his Last Supper story, instead describing only those elements he believes to be essential to the Christian Eucharist. Jesus took bread, blessed the bread, broke the bread, and shared it with his disciples. He then shares the chalice with his disciples. The bread now shared is Jesus’ own body. Those who drink from the chalice are invited to share in a new covenant which will be sealed by Jesus’ own blood (like the lamb’s blood that saved the Jewish people during the Exodus story). Mark’s Eucharistic theology helps us look towards to the Kingdom of God and remember each time we celebrate this Sacrament, Jesus is truly present to us in the bread and wine. This celebration, as the Second Vatican Council taught us, is “the source and summit of the Christian life”.
Family Connection
Mums and Dads understand very well that our daily meals don’t just appear on the table! Meals require planning and preparing. Our celebration of Holy Communion at each Mass also requires planning and preparation such as the readings, music, servers, homily, candles, liturgical items and so on. We can prepare to participate in the Mass through our prayer during the week, by reading the Scripture before Mass, and making ourselves present to the celebration.
What might you do as a family to better prepare for our celebration of the Mass? God rested on the 7th day in the story of creation, teaching us that to stop work, rest and give thanks for what we have is important. Jesus also rose on Sunday, reminding us of its importance to glorify God for our salvation. Consider how you take Sunday to stop working, running around frantically doing errands and instead make time for family, friends, and God especially who has given us the gift of our lives. Choose one or more ideas to begin to help your family prepare for the celebration of Mass. You could use this reflection each week to help you prepare for the Gospel at Sunday’s Mass! Pray that God will help your family make your celebration of Holy Communion (becoming one with God) the highlight of your week.
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 14:12-16aloud. Pray that you may draw closer to Jesus through celebrating Mass as a family. Please pray especially for our First Communion candidates this week:
Dearest Lord Jesus,
Bless the children who will receive Holy Communion for the first time. Give them a hunger for this sacred food so that they turn to you as they grow. May your Holy Spirit help them to grow in faith, hope, and love, so they may know peace, truth, and goodness.
May their ears hear your voice,
May their eyes see your presence in all things,
May their lips proclaim your word,
May their hearts be your dwelling place,
May their hands do works of charity,
May their feet walk in the way of Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord.
Amen.
India Mitchell-Fletcher
Religious Education Leader