Recognising the Lord coming into our lives often in very unexpected ways and through very unexpected people.

Just a few thoughts

·       "Focus is how you knit the hours of the day together. With focus, the day becomes a beautiful tapestry. Without focus, you end up holding a bundle of loose string." -- James Clear

·       May the Church always be a gathering of peoples from East and West, North and South.

·       We pray for the countless people who have fled or been displaced from their homeland, that they will find a safe haven which allows them to treasure their culture and community.

Reflections

ü We find it all too easy to be militant against other people, but we are chickens when it comes to struggling with ourselves.

ü Put on the Armor of God

ü Everything we profess in faith is a way of saying we believe in God – Last Sunday reflection

The Signs Of The Times

Ø Updates from a Global Synod, Letter 5.

Ø To Jews and Christians of faith: you can’t sit out a genocide

Musical Reflection

¯  Holy, Holy, Holy

¯  Earthen Vessels

Narrow path

Just a few thoughts

·       “It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.” -- Steve Jobs

·       May parents treat and guide their children with fairness and never drive them to resentment.

·       We pray for women in every society on earth, that their right to feel safe and be free from all forms of violence will be upheld.

Reflections

ü The door of faith and trust and love

ü Do our actions match our words?

ü What does it mean to see? – Last Sunday reflection

The Signs Of The Times

Ø Synod has given new life to ‘being Church’

Ø Catholic Religious calls for national overhaul of youth justice system

Musical Reflection

¯  O Breathe On Me, O Breath of God

¯  Remember Me

God’s kingdom is here within us

Just a few thoughts

·       I am optimistic and confident in all that I do.  I affirm only the best for myself and others.  I am the creator of my life and my world.  I meet daily challenges gracefully and with complete confidence.  I fill my mind with positive, nurturing, and healing thoughts. -- Alice Potter

·       That the Holy Spirit will overshadow all baptized into Christ so that his love permeates all aspects of life

·       We pray for all who live with blindness or visual impairment, that they will have all the resources they need to flourish in their personal and social lives.

Reflections

ü Two philosophers

ü God’s kingdom

ü God uses the outcasts to show us the model of discipleship – Last Sunday reflection

The Signs Of The Times

Ø Church must continue as a missionary Church: - Pope Francis

Ø Commonwealth leaders agree on ‘reparatory justice’ for slavery

Musical Reflection

¯  10,000 Reasons

¯  Let My Love Be Heard

Jesus went out into the hills to pray

Just a few thoughts

·       "The brain gives the heart its sight. The heart gives the brain its vision." -- Rob Kall

·       For those who feel that they are in a hopeless situation, that through the prayers of St Jude, hope of the hopeless, they may believe, trust and look confidently to the future.

·       We pray for the world-wide community of faith, that the ongoing work of synodality will be taken up by all the baptised as the Synod in Rome comes to a close.

Reflections

ü Simon & Jude

ü Connection to the divine.

ü What Do You Want? – Sunday reflection

The Signs Of The Times

Ø Synod's final report calls for all baptized Catholics to shape future church

Ø Bishop Vincent’s Homily at the Diocesan Annual Wedding Anniversary Mass

Musical Reflection

¯  The Lord Is Kind and Merciful

¯  Ubi Caritas

Being bold, determined, and relentless in our pursuit of God.

Just a few thoughts

·       "The object of teaching a child is to enable him to get along without his teacher." -- Elbert Hubbard

·       We pray for the nations of the world, that their leaders will make the wellbeing of the human family and care of the planet their highest priority

·       We pray for all who participated in the Synod as members and as support people, that returning to their own countries they will take its spirit of inclusion, respect and hope to their people.

Reflections

ü Australian Women Preach

ü Sight is our principal source of knowledge,” said Aristotle

ü Hope, consolation and healing

The Signs Of The Times

Ø Sunday Homily – Frank Brennan

Ø Infinite God, Infinite Life

Musical Reflection

¯  Open My Eyes

¯  Open the Eyes of My Heart

God is patient and continuously grants us time, offering us the opportunity to grow and become the person he calls us to be.

Just a few thoughts

·       To remain indifferent to the challenges we face is indefensible.  If the goal is noble, whether or not it is realised within our lifetime is largely irrelevant. What we must do therefore is to strive and persevere and never give up. -- The Dalai Lama

·       "I look to the future because that's where I'm going to spend the rest of my life."  -- George Burns

·       May the reading and voting on the final document of the Synod on Synodality today at the Vatican be a richly spiritual experience for all the participants

Reflections

ü There is always hope of transformation

ü Unless we change our ways, we will bring about our own destruction.

ü Justice Will Abide – Sunday reflection

The Signs Of The Times

Ø Cardinal Fernandez proposes ‘step-by-step’ approach to women’s role in the Church

Ø Synod is lesson in moving at 'pace of the Holy Spirit,' archbishop says

Musical Reflection

¯  God is love! Let heaven adore him

¯  Hope of The Nations

Opening our eyes and doing what is right.

Just a few thoughts

·       With courage you will dare to take risks, have the strength to be compassionate, and the wisdom to be humble.  Courage is the foundation of integrity. -- Keshavan Nair

·       May the faith we share in Christ draw people of all nations and cultures into unity.

·       We pray for low-paid workers employed in menial tasks, that their right to just remuneration and a safe workplace will be respected in full.

Reflections

ü Wanting the best for all concerned

ü Centuries of civilisation have not taught us to love more deeply.

ü That I May See – reflection for next Sunday

The Signs Of The Times

Ø Pope Francis:- “In the deepest fibre of our being, we were made to love and to be loved.
However, when we witness the outbreak of new wars, with the complicity, tolerance or indifference of other countries, or petty power struggles over partisan interests, we may be tempted to conclude that our world is losing its heart.”
It is heartbreaking, to see elderly women, who should be enjoying their golden years, experiencing the anguish, fear and outrage of war. To see these elderly women weep, and not feel that this is something intolerable, is a sign of a world that has grown heartless.”

Ø Abiding in God’s Joy and Peace

Musical Reflection

¯  Lord of all hopefulness

¯  Peace Perfect Peace

A rough ride

Just a few thoughts

·       "Age is something that doesn't matter, unless you are a cheese." -- Luis Bunuel

·       We pray for the human family, that today’s United Nations Day will kindle fresh hopes for world-wide peace, especially in the Middle East, Ukraine and Sudan.

Reflections

ü Expect a rough ride

ü To do the right thing is not always easy and without conflict

ü Why we are all, through baptism, servants of one another – last Sunday reflection

The Signs Of The Times

Ø Radcliffe on drafting of final synod document

Ø Synod wrestles with core issues of governance

Musical Reflection

¯  Come Down, O Love Divine

¯  Be Still My Soul

Being spiritually connected

Just a few thoughts

·       "It's all a matter of paying attention, being awake in the present moment, and not expecting a huge payoff.  The magic in this world seems to work in whispers and small kindnesses." -- Charles de Lint

·       Failure is another steppingstone to greatness -- Oprah Winfrey

·       We pray for tertiary students undertaking end-of-year exams, especially those born overseas, that they will do justice to their learning and use it well for the common good

Reflections

ü Readiness

ü From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required.

ü A love stronger than sin and death – last Sunday reflection

The Signs Of The Times

Ø The bishop selection process is still a concern among synod delegates

Ø Brightness and Clarity

Musical Reflection

¯  We come to your feast

¯  Ring Out Your Joy

Am I ready now?

Just a few thoughts

·       "We need to accept that we won't always make the right decisions, that we'll screw up royally sometimes – understanding that failure is not the opposite of success, it's part of success." -- Ariana Huffington

·       May there be a growing respect and understanding between people of Jewish and Christian faiths, so that the One Eternal God may be praised and glorified by all.

·       We pray for the faithful volunteers who visit people in prisons, hospitals and aged care homes, that their care and compassion will give new heart to those who have lost their independence.

Reflections

ü Be ready here and now and leave the future to take care of itself.

ü Bringing about a change in our world, through our commitment to the gospel way of life.

ü Embracing the self-emptying way of Christ and the Gospel logic of service – last Sunday reflection

The Signs Of The Times

Ø Updates from a Global Synod, Letter 4.

Ø Questioning a poor response to an anti-poverty message

Musical Reflection

¯  Lead Me Lord

¯  There's a Wideness in God's Mercy

What truly constitutes wealth and security

Just a few thoughts

·       Four steps to achievement:-Plan purposefully.  Prepare prayerfully.  Proceed positively.  Pursue persistently. – William A. Ward

·       May the rich realize that they have a responsibility, through justice, to come to the aid of those struggling in life

·       We pray for the children of Australia, that this National Children’s Week will highlight their right to inherit a clean and safe environment.

Reflections

ü Being rich in God’s sight does not require any money

ü The Intention of the Heart

ü Sunday homily – Frank Brennan

The Signs Of The Times

Ø Archbishop Costelloe addresses Synod forum in Rome

Ø Joy in Solidarity

Musical Reflection

¯  For the Fruits of His Creation

¯  Lord of the Harvest