Education in Faith
I hope that all families are well during this Lenten time! There is lots to explore at the moment in the area of Education in Faith.
Lenten Prayer
As we continue through Lent we will gather together as a school each Monday, including next week, at 3.15PM. All parents are welcome to attend, particularly those who may already be close for school pickup. The aim is to end our day in a reflective and prayerful way.
Commissioning Mass
This coming Sunday all Educators from both St Anthony's School and the Parish Sunday school will gather at 11.00AM Mass. The aim of this Mass is to bless this new school year and pray for it to be filled with positivity and rewarding experiences for all of our students. All families are most welcome to attend. Educators will make commitments together and receive a blessing.
Sundays Gospel
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew
His face shone like the sun.
Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone. There in their presence he was transfigured; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became as white as the light. Suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared to them; they were talking with him. Then Peter spoke to Jesus. ‘Lord,’ he said ‘it is wonderful for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ He was still speaking when suddenly a bright cloud covered them with shadow, and from the cloud there came a voice which said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; he enjoys my favour. Listen to him.’ When they heard this, the disciples fell on their faces, overcome with fear. But Jesus came up and touched them. ‘Stand up,’ he said ‘do not be afraid.’ And when they raised their eyes they saw no one but only Jesus.
As they came down from the mountain Jesus gave them this order. ‘Tell no one about the vision until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.’
Notes:
- 'Do not be afraid' is a common motif in stories from the Bible. In fact it appears in the text over 100 times, including when the Angel pays a visit to Mary and informs her of the birth of Jesus. We can speak to our students about times we feel nervous or unsure. What can we do in these times? What helps us?
- Our Year 3/4 Students have recently been closely studying stories in the life of Jesus and a very common theme is him not wanting acclaim or fame! When Jesus heals on the sabbath he performs a miracle but walks away before many people can notice. In this story too the disciples are asked not to speak of the miracles of Jesus, but instead focus on his lessons and values.
Social Justice
Project Compassion is a core part of our Social Justice initiatives at St Anthony's. Caritas work around the world to help those in need in a variety of ways, at all times striving to treat people with dignity aiming to uplift and inspire.
Each class in the school now has a Project Compassion box, and students will regularly learn about the places that these valuable donations are sent. We encourage students to bring in spare change whenever they can, including on days when they may buy Icy Poles or Cake Raffle tickets. The Project Compassion website has an absolute trove of resources to explore, including stories, worksheets, videos and much more. These resources will be used in class but can also be explored at home too.
In the last week of Term the Year Six World Justice Leaders will organise both a Coin Line and Coin Tower. This will see the entire school gather together and take the coins out of their Caritas Boxes to try and form the longest line, or the tallest freestanding tower, with a small prize for the winning classes. We know that we do not gather donations to win prizes, but this is a nice way to celebrate our fundraising together as a school. It also lets us count and get a full appreciation of the generosity of our community!
Take care everyone!
Tim O'Mahoney
Education in Faith Leader
tomahoney@santglen.catholic.edu.au