Catholic Identity
A Moment in Prayer
Loving and Gracious God,
As we embark on this Lenten journey, we remember the words from Psalm 139:14, "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made." Help us to recognize Your loving presence in our lives and to grow closer to You during this holy season. Guide our students, families, and staff in deepening our faith through prayer, fasting, and acts of kindness. May our hearts be open to the lessons of Lent, leading us to a renewed sense of purpose and compassion.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Gospel Reading Luke 6:39-45
He said to them, “Can a blind man lead another blind man? Won’t they both fall into a ditch? And a disciple is not above his teacher.”Every expert in the law, who has learned the way of truth, will be like his teacher.And why do you notice the speck in your brother’s eye, while you fail to see the beam in your own eye?How can you say to your brother, ‘Friend, let me help you remove the speck in your eye,’ when there’s a beam in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you will see clearly enough to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.Each tree is known by its fruit. A good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit.A person is full of both good and evil, for the good or evil that overflows from the heart is spoken by the mouth.
About the Story
In this passage, Jesus teaches his disciples about the dangers of hypocrisy and the importance of self-awareness. He uses vivid images—a blind man, a speck, and a beam—to illustrate how we often criticize others for small faults while ignoring our own larger mistakes. Jesus emphasizes that true leadership and teaching come from living out the truth of God’s law. Ultimately, the passage reminds us that the condition of our heart is revealed through our actions and words.
Reflection
Take a moment to think about your own life. Do you sometimes find it easier to point out the mistakes in others rather than looking at your own shortcomings? Jesus challenges us to first examine our hearts, to work on our own faults, and then to help others in a spirit of love and humility. Ask yourself:
- How can I be more honest with myself about areas I need to grow?
- In what ways can I show kindness and understanding, instead of judgment?
- How might my actions inspire those around me to seek truth and love?
Let this passage encourage you to become a better version of yourself—a person whose heart overflows with goodness, kindness, and a genuine desire to love others as Jesus loves us.
About Lent
For many people, Lent is the season they know most about. We say it lasts for forty days, but if you count from Ash Wednesday through to Holy Thursday the total is actually forty-four. "Forty" is a special number in many stories in the Bible.
Lent is a serious time when the Church prepares for the celebration for the great Easter mystery. We do special things like eating less food (fasting) being more generous to the poor (almsgiving), and praying more deeply. We don't do these things for show. We do them to understand God's word more clearly and to live more faithfully. With our families and friends, we take the time of lent to ask ourselves what the Gospel means to us. We think about how well we are putting Gods law of love and the promise of our baptism into practice.
Lent has many symbols and traditions. We notice the colour purple in our church and our school. From the start of lent we are called to pray, fast and give alms. We try to make our lives more simpler and share what we have with those who need it.
The Caritas Australia website has some great information about Project Compassion that you may like to take a look at.
At St Peter's we will be celebrating lent by having special events. You are more than welcome to come to all events.
- Tuesday 4th March: Shrove Tuesday Pancakes 8:30am at the school
- Wednesday 5th March: Ash Wednesday Liturgy 10:30am at the school Knuldoorong
- Wednesday morning prayer from starting on the 12th of March and going through to the end of term 8:05am-8:15am in the Knuldoorong.
Caritas Australia | Australian Charity | A Not-for-Profit Organisation Caritas Australia is an aid agency of the Australian Catholic Church and is recognised as a charity in Australia working to eradicate poverty and injustice. |
Prayer for Pope Francis
