Education in Faith

Third Sunday of Advent - Year A

In our Gospel Reading this week and next week, our Advent preparation for Christmas invites us to consider John the Baptist and his relationship to Jesus. Matthew describes the work and preaching of John the Baptist.

John the Baptist appears in the tradition of the great prophets of Israel, preaching repentance and reform to the people of Israel. In this reading, John directs a particularly pointed call to repentance to the Pharisees and Sadducees, parties within the Jewish community of the first century.

John marks the conversion of those who seek him out with a baptism of repentance. Other groups in this period are thought to have practiced ritual washings for similar purposes, and John's baptism may have been related to the practices of the Essenes, a Jewish sect of the first century. John's baptism can be understood as an anticipation of Christian baptism. In this passage, John himself alludes to the difference between his baptism and the one yet to come: “I am baptizing you with water, for repentance . . . He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Matthew 3:11).

In this reading, John makes very clear that his relationship to the Messiah yet to come (Jesus) is one of service and subservience: “. . . the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals” (Matthew 3:11). In the context of Matthew's Gospel, today's passage is followed by Jesus' baptism by John, an event that is attested to in all four of the Gospels and appears to have been the start of Jesus' public ministry.

John's preaching of the coming of the Lord is a key theme of the Advent season. As John's message prepared the way for Jesus in the first century, we, too, are called to prepare ourselves for Jesus' coming. We respond to John's message by our repentance and reform of our lives. We are also called to be prophets of Christ, who announce by our lives, as John did, the coming of the Lord.

More than any other season of the year, the weeks before Christmas are a time when young people learn patience and hope.

Discussion Starters

Who is the special person we are waiting for at Christmas?
Why is Jesus so special?
Who are the people in the world who need Jesus?
Why do we need Jesus?

Let us pray that Jesus will come into our hearts this Christmas.

Rozeta Ambrose

RE Leader

This year SFS is supporting the St Vincent de Paul Society’s Christmas Appeal. Each year, the Christmas Appeal plays a vital role in enabling the good works of the Society and, with your support, we hope to achieve a strong result so we can continue serving the community.

Over the past 12 months, the Society has provided over $11 million in material assistance, including food, clothing, furniture and financial support, to families and households in need throughout Victoria. With the current cost-of-living crisis, the assistance we provide for people experiencing hardship this Christmas will be needed more than ever.

Our school community are encouraged to donate generously to help continue the Society’s work of helping those most in need.

Please do so by donating hamper items to your child’s home group and purchasing presents for children less fortunate. The tags for these can be collected from your child’s Learning Space Christmas tree. Please be aware that all presents and hamper items are due by next Friday December 16th. The Hampton Park St Vincent De Paul Conference will be her to collect all items on Monday December 19th.

Our points for the Community Spirit Shield will end this term and the House with the most points will be presented with the shield at our last assembly for the year. We are now also including points for hamper items brought in and presents.

TERM 4 WEEK 8 & 9 POINTS

1ST TERESA 554

2ND BOSCO 524

3RD MACKILLOP 520

4TH PATRICK 413

What an amazing effort TERESA!!!

TOTAL POINTS SO FAR THIS YEAR

1ST TERESA 4 886

2ND MACKILLOP 4 614

3RD BOSCO 4 274

4TH PATRICK 4 170

Teresa is still in the lead but not by much!!

Thanks for your continued support,

Giuliana and Gr 5/6 Mini Vinnies