ahiahi pai/ Good afternoon,
The readings this Sunday places in front of us what if fundamental – love of God and love of neighbour. In the first reading there are lots of reminders of how we are to behave and how to assist those who are in need of help. The current climate in Gaza and the surrounds seems to have been missed by so many. The politics and power outages suggest that all are able to be used , abused and then forsaken.
This is not the road we are called to travel. Everyone is worthy of love and we need to find ways to quell our hatred and need for revenge – nothing comes from it except more misery. It’s not about who’s right rather, how do we be ‘human’, to each other? How do we be Jesus to each other?
I am always surprised and have a sense of elation from this gospel – as usual, Jesus gets to the kernel of the issue – love God and love your neighbour on these two laws hang the whole law. We settle for the nicety of love of God and yet in everything Jesus said and did reflects the response of a loving God in action. Matthew 25 spells it out very clearly; “In so much as you did this to one of these little ones, you did it to me”.
So, as we remember the current climate of pain, death, suffering, let us be remembering how to best respond to our neighbour. So ,we build bridges to one another and not cycles of violence and hatred.
Have a good week – God go with you,
Paul
Scripture reflection: Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, 29 October 2023.
You shall love the Lord your God
Almighty ever-living God, increase our faith, hope and charity, and make us love what you command, so that we may merit what you promise.
LECTIONARY READINGS
First reading: Exodus 22:20-26
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 17(18):2-4, 47, 51
Second reading: 1 Thessalonians 1:5-10
Gospel: Matthew 22:34-40.
Link to readings – Click here
INTRODUCTION
The readings for this week invite us to consider how to live as followers of Jesus in our communities and in our world. In the First Reading, God speaks to the people of Israel about how they should treat the oppressed and down-trodden, in order to please God.
The Psalm reminds us that we can only live the lives that God wants by relying on him: he is our rock, our strength, our saviour, our mighty help. St Paul writes to the Thessalonians that we should all be imitators of the Lord, in the joy of the Holy Spirit (Second Reading).
In the Gospel, Jesus asks us to express the love of God that fills our hearts, our souls and our minds, by treating others as we would want to be treated ourselves. We find in others the image of the God who is love. This week, we may like to pray that God will help us to grow in love of him. We ask that we will be able to respond to God when we see others as Christ Jesus in our midst.
Update
Last Wednesday I flew to Melbourne with my friend and former Passionist Tim Bartells and celebrated the Feast of St Paul of the Cross and then I contracted Covid. I attended the annual Passionist Family Group Meeting via Zoom as I was in isolation until today when I tested negative. I fly home tomorrow morning disappointed that I missed catching up with so many but also time with my brother Brian who also has Covid and Tim Bartells.
I postponed the Hamilton relaunch until the following weekend 4/5 November. So, will take some time to recover and undertake some preparation time. A huge thank you to the Holy Cross community for their kindness and looking after us.
Reminder: 5 Aims and Goals
- share & celebrate life & faith
- support one another (especially in need)
- reaching out to & include others
- build community/extended family
- show example to children
Pease remember in your thoughts and prayer:
- Please keep David Victoria and baby in your prayers. There has been some positive progress and it now looks as if this baby will make it to full term. Vicky is 6 months pregnant. Still wait and see.
- Please keep a friend in mind who is in very early stages of pregnancy but has had a few miscarriages so, things are touch and go.
- Please keep Robert van de Pas in your prayers – he continues to struggle with pain etc from Chronic Pancreatitis.
- Keep in mind all those who are struggling with various aspects of mental health.
- Please keep Richard and Sue Gibbs in your prayers -He is showing good signs of improvement
- Please keep in mind a son of a friend of mine who has just been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
- Please keep Debbie and her husband Bryan in your prayer. Deb is battling with thyroid cancer.
- Please keep Bernie Metcalfe and family in your prayers
- Please keep in mind Merrilyn Barron who is still unwell Awaiting results from MRI and to see a specialist.
- Please remember Martin van der Wetering in your prayers as his health still is causing him grief and discomfort.
- Please remember Phil Drew a former Passionist who has had a massive stroke. Please remember his wife Anne and family
- Please keep in your prayers those who continue to deal with the after effects of Cyclone Gabrielle and other weather events.
- Please keep Bob Buckley in your prayers-
- Keep in prayer the people of Ukraine
- Keep people in Gaza and Israel in your prayer – these acts from both sides have had a horrible effect on the innocent as always.
- Please keep Somalia and the surrounding countries dealing with their sixth year in a row of drought.
- Please keep Nick and Leah and daughter Heidi Darbyshire along with Paul and Linda in your thoughts and prayer.
- Please pray for Dot and Neill Wilson (Invercargill) – their son-in-law Mark married to Dot’s daughter Anita has been diagnosed with aggressive brain tumour, Please keep in mind their daughter Bailey and son Taylor.
- Remember Pat and Rod Carson
- Aidan son of Josie and Phil McIntyre –his parents are his caregivers.
- Your own intentions
Humour:
- How do celebrities keep cool? They have many fans.
- What did the janitor say when he jumped out of the closet? Supplies!
- Why did the boy bring a ladder on the bus? He wanted to go to high school.
- Why did the golfer bring two pairs of pants? Just in case he got a hole in one.
- Why did the cowboy adopt a wiener dog? He wanted to get a long little doggie.
- How did the barber win the race? He knew a shortcut.
- What’s more unbelievable than a talking dog? A spelling bee.
- What do you call a cow with no legs? Ground beef.
- What do you call a happy cowboy? A jolly rancher.
- Why shouldn’t you trust trees? They seem shady.