St Ignatius - Examen

Just a few thoughts

·       "Every human has four endowments - self-awareness, conscience, independent will, and creative imagination. These give us the ultimate human freedom... The power to choose, to respond, to change." -- Stephen Covey

·       "The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself." -- Anna Quindlen

·       May all the young people attending World Youth Day in Lisbon this week encourage one another to follow Jesus ever more closely.

Reflections

ü St Ignatius of Loyola

ü Jesus was not a politician

ü Sunday reflection -- The Pearl of Great Price and Its Cost

The Signs Of The Times

Ø The Adelaide Archdiocese’s new vision and mission statements

Ø The life of our body

Ø The Australian Constitution is the only one in the world where the document, under a slightly different name, was adopted sight unseen by a direct vote of all citizens – which meant all non-Indigenous males, except in South Australia and Western Australia, where women were able to vote.
The unfamiliar practice of a referendum could have been described as “risky”, “unknown”, “divisive” and “permanent”. Nobody had any experience of a referendum or a federation.

The document the colonists voted for makes no reference to democracy, democratic practice or the system of responsible government. -- The constitution v the Voice

Musical Reflection

¯  There's a Wideness in God's Mercy

¯  The Splendor Of God

Jesus Christ – the true treasure

Just a few thoughts

·       Life isn't a matter of milestones, but of moments. -- Rose Kennedy

·       "Commit yourself to lifelong learning. The most valuable asset you'll ever have is your mind and what you put into it." -- Albert Einstein

·       We pray for children and young people in every land, that they will be blessed with confidence and creativity as they face a challenging future.

Reflections

ü Layers of Wisdom

ü There, but for the grace of God, go I.

ü A divine gift of virtue

The Signs Of The Times

Ø The members of NATSICC came together to develop a prayer to guide our journey to the Indigenous Voice to Parliament Referendum. We invite all Christians to use the prayer.

Ø Fact Checking the misleading claims about The Voice – here, here and here

Musical Reflection

¯  The Lord’s Prayer

¯  Instruments Of Your Peace

Being attentive to Work and Word

Just a few thoughts

·       "You're never too old, too wacky, too wild to pick up a book and read to a child." -- Dr. Seuss

·       "Every human has four endowments - self-awareness, conscience, independent will, and creative imagination. These give us the ultimate human freedom... The power to choose, to respond, to change." -- Stephen Covey

·       The constitution sets out principles. It does not set out machinery. Machinery can and should change as times change. And it is parliament that will do that, not the referendum.” -- Royal Commissioner Kenneth Hayne

Reflections

ü “Why worry? If you worry, you will die. If you don’t worry, you will die. So why worry?”

ü One Really Valuable Pearl – Sunday reflection

ü Australian Women Preach – Sunday reflection

The Signs Of The Times

Ø In the face of media conflicts and naysayers – you are the difference in this campaign. Your belief in the recognition of 65,000 years of Indigenous culture. Your belief in a Voice to provide better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. – Yes 23

Ø Were we to tell people that we actually love them, and actually live out the love that we profess, we would change the world. That is the core message of Fr Richard Leonard’s latest book.

Musical Reflection

¯  Our Father Sung in Aramaic

¯  Don’t Give Up

Worldly worries and the lure of riches.

Just a few thoughts

·       "Sometimes you have to let everything go - purge yourself. If you are unhappy with anything - whatever is bringing you down - get rid of it. Because you will find that when you are free, your true creativity, your true self comes out." -- Tina Turner

·       Life comes from the earth and life returns to the earth. – Zhuangzi

·       May we receive God’s word as nourishment, so that we grow in faith, hope and love.

Reflections

ü Interpretation of a parable

ü The good seed, ‘the word of God,’ is always planted in our hearts.

ü The Meaning of Everything – Reflection for Sunday

The Signs Of The Times

Ø Women deacons expert to deliver ACU lecture

Ø What are ‘Advance’ and ‘Fair Australia’, and why are they spearheading the ‘no’ campaign on the Voice?

Ø “Here in Australia, we’re fortunate enough to have one of the richest and oldest continuing cultures in the world. This is something we should all be proud of and celebrate.” -- Tom Calma

Musical Reflection

¯  Sinead O'connor – RIP

¯  Pater Noster

 

Faith And Reason

Just a few thoughts

·       Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth!

·       We all cried when we came into this planet, but it is important, that at least when we go, we are happy and smiling. Do not have regrets in life. You should feel that, 'I have done what I had to do, and whenever the time to leave this body comes, I will die happily. -- Ravi Shankar

·       "Of all the people on the planet, you talk to yourself more than anyone. Make sure you are saying the right things." -- Martin Rooney

Reflections

ü Separating the wheat from the tare – Last Sunday

ü “I wish he would explain his explanations”

ü The message of the parables is of the overabundant generosity, indeed the holiness, of God’s Kingdom.

The Signs Of The Times

Ø Synods, Councils, and the people of God

Ø Governments are failing to share decision-making with Indigenous people, Productivity Commission finds

Musical Reflection

¯  Seek Ye First

¯  Matt Maher - The Lord's Prayer

What soil am I?

Just a few thoughts

·       "Excitement is a better motivator than discipline. The people who appear to have an exceptional work ethic or remarkable discipline are often those with a genuine curiosity or interest in that area. The person who smiles is more likely to keep working than the person gritting their teeth." -- James Clear

·       If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. -- Wayne Dyer

·       May grandparents be blessed on this day with the love and respect of their grandchildren, as Anne and Joachim were blessed in their grandchild, Jesus.

Reflections

ü Being Born From Above

ü If our hearts are not soft soil, but hard and stony, the seed of faith lies dormant forever.

The Signs Of The Times

Ø An “eye-opening moment” for many young Catholics in Australia

Ø A great place for Used Stamps

Ø Feast Day of Mary MacKillop – August 8

Musical Reflection

¯  God Gives His People Strength

¯  Our Father in Heaven

He came to serve

Just a few thoughts

·       "It is not good enough to have a good mind; the main thing is to use it well." -- Rene Descartes

·       We cannot always build the future of our youth, but we can build our youth for the future. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt

·       May those in leadership in the Church not seek power over others, but rather be filled with the spirit of a servant.

Reflections

ü A renewed sense of God – Sunday Homily

ü Yearning for God’s Goodness – Sunday Homily

ü St James, apostle

ü Holiness: Putting God First

The Signs Of The Times

Ø Australia’s deepest yearning

Ø Pope Francis celebrates World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly

Musical Reflection

¯  There's a Wideness in God's Mercy

¯  Vater Unser – in German - Arvo Pärt

Complacency is probably one of our biggest temptations.

Just a few thoughts

·       The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do. -- Walter Bagehot

·       "The truth is, unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize that the situation is over, you cannot move forward. When a new day begins, dare to smile gratefully. When there is darkness, dare to be the first to shine a light." -- Steve Maraboli

·       May we see God at work around us, in creation and in the people we meet.

Reflections

ü Sunday Homily – Frank Brennan

ü The Wheat and the Weeds

ü I, and my preaching, am God's sign!

The Signs Of The Times

Ø Catholic Organisations supporting The Voice

Ø The Murdoch Media’s latest effort to derail The Voice:- turning Warren Mundine into the victim, even while he is continually spreading misinformation and disinformation.

Ø The Season of Creation begins on 1 September

Ø Pope Francis on the Season of Creation

Musical Reflection

¯  Hebrew! Our Father

¯  Our Father - Live in Johannesburg

The Presence of God

Just a few thoughts

·       "You just can't beat the person who never gives up." -- Babe Ruth

·       "Don't waste your time looking back at what you've lost. Move on, life is not meant to be traveled backwards." – Anon

·       In our families may the grace of God’s mercy unite the generations, cultivating wisdom, respect and kindness for the good of each person.

Reflections

ü Australian Women Preach

ü The Church is not a club for the elite, it is a place in which sinners can grow and change by God's grace.

ü Living side by side

The Signs Of The Times

Ø “We invite you to walk with us in a movement of the Australian people for a better future.” – The closing sentence of the Uluru Statement From the Heart

Ø Catholic Organisations supporting The Voice

Ø Golden moments

Musical Reflection

¯  Here In This Place

¯  Dear Lord and Father of Mankind

Hearing Jesus’ voice loud and clear

Just a few thoughts

·       "You look in the mirror and sometimes see a mess of a human being. But you don't see the lives you've touched, or the people you've saved. You don't see all the love you've given freely, or the extraordinary memories you've made. You are a book of beautiful moments and feelings." – Anon

·       The one who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones. – Confucius

·       May St Mary Magdalene, ‘apostle to the apostles,’ teach us how to be apostles in today’s world.

Reflections

ü Mary Magdalene

ü Let us never doubt the influence our love can have on others.

ü An Inclusive Church – Sunday Reflection

The Signs Of The Times

Ø Catholic Women’s League turns houses into homes for homeless women

Ø Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Statement on the Voice

Ø Solidarity Not Judgment

Musical Reflection

¯  In Faith and Hope and Love

¯  Songs of Praise, 60th Anniversary