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Together we can help to "Fix the Food System".

Please join Bella and the 'Live Simply' Team after Mass on Sunday (17th) for coffee and to see a display of Graces written by the school children and info on the Fix the Food System work.

Deacon Vincent's latest reflections for 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C

1st Reading from the Book of Genesis 18: 1-10.

This story is about three mysterious visitors to Abraham whilst his tent was pitched at the oak at Mamre. You will notice that despite his age, how Abraham rushes about to accommodate his visitors. He is displaying great hospitality like a good Arab should. Here is one of the earliest readings of God announcing the birth of a child to one of his chosen ones. God is introducing himself slowly but surely to Abraham. This man will be the Great Patriarch of the family of people that God will prepare to receive his only Son, Jesus Christ. One of the most significant things about those whom God encounters, is their ability to listen to what is being said to them. Abraham believes everything that is said, but his wife, Sarah who is listening from inside the tent laughs at the prediction of a forthcoming birth to her, because she thought she was way past childbearing. But we now know that there is a birth to Sarah, and the great adventure of preparation begins. In our pride we quite often forget that God is in charge, all he needs are some good listeners, so he can point us in the right direction.

Psalm 14: 2-5.

The Lord’s tent is not a small back-packer’s tent, but a large spacious Bedouin pavilion, and he accommodates the righteous person who tries to live by his Law. This song really supplements the theme for today of hospitality and the ability to listen and follow God’s words.

2nd Reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Colossians 1: 24-28.

This passage is best presented as series of bullet points to the Colossians, highlighting the way Paul wraps theology and pastoral practice closely together, for that is what drove him onwards to proclaim the Gospel to the Jews of the dispersal and the Gentiles. It illustrates how he viewed the Old Testament as the preparation for Christ, so that his wonders can be revealed to the Gentiles as well as the Jews. The goal for which he is labouring, is to be able to, “present everybody as perfect in Christ”. This should also be what we, the Church, is also striving to achieve. It is a very instructive letter for us to study.

The Holy Gospel according to Luke 10: 38-42.

This would have been an unusual story for early Christians as Jesus seems to be alone with two women, an unusual occurrence for a religious teacher. Martha is offering hospitality, but is busying herself with all the preparations, whilst Mary takes up the position of a disciple sitting at the feet of Christ, listening to his teaching. Martha forgets her manners and orders Jesus to instruct her sister to help her. Martha is so annoyed at her sister she doesn’t even use her name. However, Jesus is very mild in his rebuke to Martha, illustrated by the gentle way he repeats Martha’s name several times. Jesus tells us that the better part is listening to the Word of God and following it, than busying ourselves with the peripheries. Jesus, The Word, has the message of eternal life so it is important for us to familiarise ourselves with his teaching and absorb it into our hearts, so that we can automatically know how to respond to the ever-changing environment we find ourselves surrounded by. If we can install Jesus into our hearts and minds, then we can face any trials that come our way. There is a wonderful saying, “We should go from Gospel to life, and life to Gospel.” Let us wrap ourselves in the Lord.

God Bless you All. Deacon Vincent.