Prayer

Acknowledgement of Country 

We acknowledge and pay respect to the original and ongoing custodians of the land upon which our offices are situated.  We commit to actively working alongside First Nations people for healing, reconciliation and justice.

The Catholic education faith community is inclusive and acknowledges that we are all made in the image and likeness of God and we are created in love. People of all faiths, genders, sexualities, abilities and cultures are therefore respected equally in the Sandhurst Catholic community.  

We acknowledge the pain and suffering of all who have been hurt in body, mind and spirit by those who have betrayed the trust placed in them.

May we all stand tall, stand firm, grounded in truth, together as one. 

Celebrating The Word of God

A Reading from the Gospel of Matthew 

13:1-9, 18-23

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the lake. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: 'Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!'

Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 

The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

The Gospel of the Lord 

Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ

Spiritual Reflection

This week’s gospel is full of powerful imagery. 

When Matthew describes the seeds being scorched, choked by thorns, and falling on good soil, it makes me reflect upon the ways we share  God’s word in scripture and by our witness as educators. Very often we are met with ‘deaf ears,’ our message of hope is not received but rejected. We may not understand why as we do not walk in other’s shoes but nevertheless, we continue to spread the seed, share God’s word. The Spirit will enable our words to be received where and when they are meant to be received. It is up to us to have faith and to trust in God’s presence, to continue to be those with “ears that listen!”

• What areas of my life feel scorched, choked, occupy good soil?
• Recall a moment when you witnessed a moment of growth in the other. How did that make you feel?

Concluding Prayer

Loving Creator 

Open our eyes and ears to the presence of Your Holy Spirit.

May the seeds of Your Word scattered among us this morning

fall on fertile soil.

May they take root in our hearts and lives,

and produce an abundant harvest

of good words and deeds. 

We make this prayer through 

Christ our Lord 

Amen