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“We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. (John 9: 4)
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 742622632 - LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ - October 25, 2017: Stained glass window depicting Jesus Christ curing a blind man - Important information. Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: Nancy Bauer
Stella Maris Catholic Church at Broadbeach has now re-opened for Masses.
PASTOR’S POST - Haughty Eyes
Proverbs 6:16-19
“There are six things the LORD hates,
seven that are detestable to him:
haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,
a false witness who pours out lies
and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.”
Everybody sins. No big news there. But while we know that every sin is an affront to God, it seems that there are some sins, according to the Old Testament, that are an ‘abomination’ to God. We know these as the seven deadly sins. I actually never really knew where they came from and what made them so “deadly”. The reference above is actually the source of the expression; however, the terms used in Proverbs seem to differ from the traditional titles that we are more familiar with, namely Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, and Pride. It has also been suggested that we throw in Hatred, Hypocrisy, (wilful) Ignorance and Despair. Clearly, the list is not exhaustive, but that’s enough to keep us busy. However, they all seem to start with Pride.
While the term “haughty eyes” seems like a very old expression, however, its meaning is very contemporary. It refers to people who look condescendingly at others. Those who see others as inferior and see themselves as superior to others. It’s that condition that goes before a fall, although I often wonder why so many proud people never recognise the fall or if they do, they are quick to blame others for it. The attitude of pride is often seen in the school playground when children with a particular talent sometimes use it to make other children feel inadequate. Unchecked pride can develop in adulthood in people who will never accept criticism or censure. How dare they?
Pride often goes hand in hand with the “person who stirs up conflict”. Such a person is like one who throws petrol in a fire that others are trying to put out. One of the surest ways to stir up conflict is to “gossip” or drag up old issues that might have been resolved but will not be allowed to die. They try to create conflict in others while doing nothing to settle the dispute so that they themselves might be considered beyond reproach. The media is subtlety (or not so subtlety) guilty of this when they trawl through people’s lives looking for past misdemeanours that “need to be exposed as a matter of public interest”. Why is it necessary for us to know every intimate detail about others, particularly those who may have made serious mistakes in the past and have already paid dearly for their transgressions? Perhaps it is that when we make others feel small, we might feel less so about ourselves. Is that something we can be proud of, we with those haughty eyes?
Is there an antidote for this optical ailment? What sort of spectacles will fix this blurred vision of the world? While seeing people through “rose-coloured glasses” might provide temporary relief, the long-term remedy might be as simple as treating others with a healthy dose of gratitude and forgiveness. Not an easy medicine to take at first, but with practice and application, it can become almost second nature. Little by little, we might be able to get those troublesome seven ‘deadlies’ down to six.
Fr Peter Dillon PP.
Stations of the Cross each Friday of Lent at 6 pm at Sacred Heart Church, 50 Fairway Drive, Clear Island Waters. Every Friday of Lent. (Not Good Friday eve)
ADVANCE NOTICE FOR HOLY WEEK AND EASTER - 6th April-9th April 2023
THU'S STORY
Thu lives in Vietnam. When Thu was 12 years old, he stepped on an unexploded land mine and lost his leg.
Living with a disability in rural Vietnam presented many challenges for Thu, who worked mainly as a rice farmer. Thu also took on the role of caring for his wife, Linh, after she suffered a stroke.
Determined to turn their lives around, Thu and Linh joined the Empowerment of People with Disabilities program, run by Caritas Australia’s local partner in Vietnam, the Centre for Sustainable Rural Development (SRD).
For Thu, the greatest impact the program has had is enabling the change in Linh’s physical and mental well-being. With the support of a physiotherapist, Linh can now walk short distances with the aid of a walking stick.
There are many occasions when we ask the question why and can’t find the answer for which we are looking. Why did we miss out on a job? Why did someone we love get cancer? Why can’t we find a place to live that we can afford? Why do some days seem so difficult?
It is good to sit with our confusion and even grief. It is good to share it with the Lord who loves us so tenderly.
But sometimes, we have to step aside from the question, why did this happen? It may be better to start with where I can go from here. What small steps will enable me to face the future in a positive spirit?
Today’s readings touch upon these issues. In the Gospel, Jesus encounters a person who was born blind. The bystanders want to know why this happened. They think it must be because either he or his parents did something wrong. They are looking backwards. Jesus prefers to look forward. He says, "he was born blind so that the works of God may be displayed in him." In other words, his blindness presents opportunities for growth, not a pretext for blame. The letter to the Ephesians similarly reminds us that we are on a journey from darkness to light. The whole of Lent could be described in those words. The letter says ‘try to discover what the Lord wants of you.’ It asks us in terms of possibilities!
The same thing happens when Samuel anoints David. It doesn’t matter that David is a young shepherd. He has a big future, as anyone familiar with the Bible knows well.
This week Project Compassion shares with us the story of Thu, who lives in Vietnam. At the age of 12, Thu’s life was thrown into chaos when he trod on a land mine that had been left behind after the Vietnam War. Surely, he must have asked why he was among the unlucky ones. He might have asked the same thing again when his wife suffered a stroke.
But Thu joined the Empowerment of People with Disabilities program, supported by Caritas Australia through our local partners, the Centre for Sustainable Rural Development. As with so many others, your generosity enabled Thu and his family to build a brighter future. Thank you for helping in this beautiful work of transformation.
PRAYER OF INTERCESSION: We pray for those who live in confusion and doubt. May we try to support positive approaches to even the most difficult problems, such as the partnerships created by Caritas Australia through Project Compassion.
You can donate through Project Compassion donation boxes and envelopes available from your parish by visiting https://www.caritas.org.au/project-compassion or
by calling 1800 024 413.
SACRED HEART CUPPA AFTER 9 am Mass Sundays -
We are asking for more people to help with a roster. More people could allow a roster of looking after the cuppa once every two months. Mary Ann Boehme and her friends will coordinate the roster, training and communication and check that each week is covered.
Please contact the office so we can put you in touch with Mary Ann and the team. Our Hospitality team.
Becoming Catholic! A Journey of Faith
RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS
Catechumens – Andre De Melo, Nikki Miruzzi, and Seda Karauzumcu, are seeking Baptism
Candidates – Georgia Bull, Maria Torres Reyes, and Paula Littlechild are seeking Full Communion with the Catholic Church.
We invite all Parishioners of our Parish to pray for our Catechumens and Candidates during this journey to Easter as they come to know Jesus more deeply in their lives and to join us each week in celebrating the Mass.
You are most welcome to join us.
We ask for many blessings on all who journey in faith and offer our support and prayers for you and your families during this time.
Are you interested in becoming Catholic or learning about the Catholic faith? Welcome!
The Catholic Church’s mission is to offer people of all ages and backgrounds the opportunity to deepen their understanding and relationship with Jesus Christ. Becoming Catholic involves a journey of faith accompanied by the support of a parish community. This process is called the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). During the RCIA process, you meet with others to share, reflect, pray and learn more about the Catholic faith. Ceremonies or ‘rites’ at each stage signify the steps along the way. If you or someone you know would like to know more about becoming Catholic or learning more about their Catholic faith as an adult, please contact Surfers Paradise Catholic Parish, Clear Island Waters Q 4226. Phone: 5671 7388 surfers@bne.catholic.net.au
FANS and DOORS in OUR CHURCHES
DURING CHURCH SERVICES - FANS IN THE CHURCH DURING the HOT WEATHER ARE TO BE LEFT ON PLEASE AND DOORS TO BE LEFT OPEN PLEASE FOR AIR CIRCULATION AND BREEZES!
Please Don't Ask The Coordinator To Turn Them Off. Also, please do not close the doors of the church as we need a flow of fresh air. Coordinators are following Church Health and Safety directions. It may be necessary to relocate to another seat that suits your needs or bring something warm to put on.
Thank you for your consideration in this matter.
HOSPITAL CALLS - AROUND THE DEANERY -
HELP THE PRIESTS OF THE DEANERY RESPOND TO URGENT CALLS EFFECTIVELY BY CALLING THE FOLLOWING PARISHES FIRST RESPONDERS TO NEEDS WITHIN THE HOSPITALS LISTED.
To efficiently deal with the pastoral needs around the Catholic Parishes of the Gold Coast, the parishes within this Deanery have the practice of having the first call for emergencies going to the priests of the parish where the hospital is located. Here is a helpful guide to the hospitals and their attendant priests. A nursing home call also follows this procedure, where the first priest to call is a priest from the parish within which the Nursing Home is located.
Robina Hospital - Burleigh Heads Parish on 5576 6466
Pindara Hospital - Surfers Paradise Parish 56717388
John Flynn Hospital -Coolangatta-Tugun Parish on 5598 2165
University & Gold Coast Private Hosp-Southport Parish 5510 2222
MASS TIMES: SURFERS PARADISE MASS TIMES
A VOCATION VIEW:
If we cannot see where we are going, we will never get there. The Good Shepherd leads us to green pastures, refreshes our souls and brings light to a darkened world.
To talk to someone about your vocation, contact Vocation Brisbane: 1300 133 544. vocation@bne.catholic.net.au and www.vocationbrisbane.com
STEWARDSHIP REFLECTION - Appearances
“For the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)
How often do we invest our time, talent and treasure in creating an appearance that does not matter at all to God? We strive to impress with our clothing, home, career, possessions, car and other marks of distinction. But none of these illusions of greatness will impress God. Instead, He will look into our hearts to see how much we loved Him, how much we loved others and how we showed that love by the way we used our time, talent and treasure here on earth.
The vision of Stewardship speaks in every aspect of life, inviting everyone to be thankful, generous and accountable for what each has been given.
FOR THOSE WHO ARE SICK: Elsden Smith, John O’Hanlon, Jenny Haines, Annie Scicluna, Paul Thomas Hawkins, Lois Wood, Phil McWilliam, Coralie Brennan, Kim Ingram, Karen Vestergard, John Thomas, Pat Jones, Felipe S Cataquiz Sr, Margaret Buckingham, Nathan Lepp, Betty O’Connell, Margaret & George Cook, Geraldine Daniels, Diane & Steve Land, John & Molly Robinson, Peter Barry, Phil Bawden, Kath Kiely, Natalie O’Reilly, John Nathaniel Maher, Peter O’Brien, Betty Taylor, Rosie May Fisher, Denise Tracey, Sally Gage, Jean Di Benedetto, Sebastian Condon, Maria Manuela, Rogelio Rodriguez, Gus Reeves, Patrick Joven de Leon, Baby Samuel Timothy, Maria Yuna, Maria Teresa Gutierrez, Margaret Haerse, Jo Clark, Kay Pitman, Michael Murtagh, Leslie Clarke, Lena Hiscock, Shirley Montford, Beryl Dorfield, Joanne Mooney, Patricia Roberts, Tom Ross, Joanne Parkes, Jack Barretto, Doug Chester, Kathy Stevens, Nellie Bellinger, Leslie Clarke, Kristy Peat, Anna Janiek, Andrew McPherson, Louise Holmes, Fred Grioli, Lynn Nunan, Kim Parkes, Cecily Cellinan, Kevin Brennan, Margaret Cusack, Fabiola Menzs.
RECENTLY DECEASED: Peter Allsop, Frank Murray, Patricia Maxine O’Donoghue, Bernardo Cas Nopre (Canada), Virginia Attard, Marjorie Doyle, Beverley Dreier, Millicent Monteiro, Cecily Culligan, Nicholas Eamon Ashworth, Marie Patricia “Pat” Sullivan, Graciela del Carmen Chapman, Alan Hague, Marie Kuljanic, Graham Stafford, Derek Carpenter, Peter Evert, Cheryl Hamwood, Donna Maria Cross, John Monahan, Dan Ziebarth, Yvonne Sheekey, Patrick O’Connell, Joseph Conti, Sr. Regina (Rita) Keyes, Elaine Casonati.
ANNIVERSARY OF DEATH: Bozidar Ovcaric, Devassy Kutty, Mary Maher, John Anthony O'Leary, Annunziata (Tina) Morabito, Maurice McNamara, Mr John Lawrence Maher, Vera Ryan, Noeline Patricia Sisam, Silvio de Vito, Sheila Irene Asher, Jack Phythian, Bernadette Mary Bartley, Anthony Onofaro, Angelita Javillonar, Earl Francis Alexander Brierty, James Vincent (Jim) Daly, Vilma Mary Vaughan, Martin Tadj, Claudette Bernadette Strode, Desmond Robert Castle, Pietro Ulliana, John Lawrence (Brewy) Brew, Hans Schroeder.
And also: Scoria Hart, Veronica Bond, Judith Alexander, Dulcie Lovinski, Iris Scharenguivel, Francesco Lacopo, Norma Claire Quinlan, Giorgia Teresa Micallef-Vinall, Rosina Grguric, Yvonne Helen Mitchell, Jeannette Giblin, Peter Butler, Kath Browning, Arkley Debnam, Barry Geary, Mario Di Martino, Marija Vaculik, Mary Madonna Hodge, Giovanni Scalcione, Racquel Leisa Carruthers, Maurice James McNamara, John Delich, Margaret Eileen Young, Virgil Klaassen, Ferdinand Paul Kiely, Maureen Kennedy, Rae Maree Colahan, Maria Gafa, John Gardner, Vincent Letizia.
TAKE FIVE FOR FAITH - Step out of the spotlight
They called her the “Pearl of the Antilles" for her uncompromising care of the sick. In Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and her original home in Puerto Rico, Mother Maria Soledad Sanjurjo Santos and the Servants of Mary she led were there to help. Mother Maria made it her signature to be hidden so Christ could be made visible. Her humility in service illuminates what Saint Paul means by living as children of light. If we insist on the spotlight, all that people see is us. If we wear a cloak of invisibility in practising our good works, Christ alone lights up the darkness. FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT (LAETARE SUNDAY) “Live as children of light, for light produces every kind of goodness.” (Ephesians 5:8-10). SIGN UP FOR "TAKE FIVE" DAILY ww.takefiveforfaith.com/subscribe.
MASK WEARING:
The risk of Colds, Flu, and Covid virus is still present. There are quite a few vulnerable people in our community, so please consider using masks and hand sanitiser and proper social distancing where possible. This is still highly prudent. If you feel unwell, please stay home until you feel better. The requirement to attend masses, even Holy Days of obligation, remains suspended. No formal times for reconciliation are scheduled to ensure minimum crowd density. Venial sin is remitted by Eucharist, as also are acts of personal penance and contrition. Reconciliation is available by prior appointment - avoiding peak holiday times and Solemnities.
Sacrament of BAPTISM for Children in Surfers Paradise
Baptism is the first of three Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. Surfers Paradise Parish follows the policies of the Archdiocese of Brisbane as it welcomes each person into the family of the Church through the waters of Baptism.
Infants and children are baptised at the request of their parents. Within the Baptism ritual, parents promise to accept the responsibility of training their children in the practice of the faith and to raise their children to understand and live God’s commandments. Parents can request Baptism for their child by filling out an enrolment form on our Surfers Paradise Parish website: www.surfersparadiseparish.com.au.
Once the online baptism form has been received, the Parish Office will email details for preparation for the Sacrament of Baptism and confirm the online booking.
Sacrament of CONFIRMATION (for Children in Year 3 or greater)
Within the Archdiocese of Brisbane, Confirmation is the second sacrament children are invited to receive. Confirmation completes Baptism. The Sacrament of Confirmation for the Surfers Paradise Parish will be celebrated on the evening of October 20, 2023.
Preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation includes two compulsory meetings:
1. Parent Meeting – Either Tuesday, July 11 at 5:30 pm Or Wednesday, July 12 at 5:30 pm in Sacred Heart Church (Children are not required at this meeting but are welcome to attend if this assists with childminding.) 2. Final Meeting and Practice - Either Monday, October 9 at 5:30 pm Or Tuesday, October 10 at 5:30 pm in Sacred Heart Church (Child/ren and one adult are required to attend.)
For the celebration of Confirmation in 2023, parents of baptised children in Year 3 or older are invited to enrol their children in the continuing Sacramental Journey (that is: Confirmation, then Eucharist and lastly, Reconciliation). The Sacramental Journey in our parish involves preparation and celebration for children and their parents. It requires a small number of meetings and the completion of an At Home Preparation Program led by the parents and supported by the Parish Sacramental Team.
The enrolment form (Please complete one for each child) is available at our website, www.surfersparadiseparish.com.au.
Once on the website, use the drop-down menu under Sacraments, then click on Confirmation; scroll down the page to the Children’s Sacramental Program Application Form (in the blue box). Next, complete the orange and red forms and click Submit. You will receive an automated email indicating that your form has been received. In Term 2, 2023, you will receive an email from our Sacramental Coordinator, Cathy Anderson, providing further details regarding the required meetings and documentation.
Please continue regularly checking the parish newsletter for Confirmation updates and further information.
Sacrament of EUCHARIST - First HOLY COMMUNION (for Children in Year 4 or greater)
The celebration of First Holy Communion will be either May 28 at 11:00 am Or June 4 at 11:00 am, 2023.
Eucharist is the sacrament that completes the process of Sacramental Initiation. The Sacrament of Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith. The child can fully participate in the Eucharist (also known as the mass) through this sacrament by receiving Holy Communion.
In addition to completing the At Home Preparation Program for First Communion, there are two compulsory meetings: 1. Parent Meeting – Either Monday, March 27 at 5:30 pm Or Tuesday, March 28 at 5:30 pm in Sacred Heart Church (Children are not required at this meeting but are welcome to attend if this assists with childminding.) 2. Final Meeting and Practice – Either Monday, May 22nd at 5:30 pm Or Tuesday, May 23rd at 5:30 pm (Child/ren and one adult are required to attend.)
First Holy Communion for those who were confirmed in Surfers Paradise Parish in 2022. These children are welcome to join our 2023 group. To ensure that each of these children is included in the group for Preparation for First Holy Communion in 2023, we ask that parents email their interest, as soon as possible, to our Children’s Sacramental Coordinator, Cathy Anderson at andersoncm@bne.catholic.net.au
First Holy Communion for those new to our parish in 2023...
Parents of children in Year 4 or greater who have been baptised and confirmed elsewhere are invited to enrol their children in the continuing Sacramental Journey (Baptism, Confirmation, First Holy Communion and Reconciliation) with Surfers Paradise Parish. The enrolment form is available at our website, www.surfersparadiseparish.com.au. Once on the website, use the drop-down menu under Sacraments to click on First Holy Communion; scroll down the page to the Children’s Sacramental Program Application Form (in the blue box). Next, please complete the orange and red form and click Submit. You will receive an automated email indicating that your form has been received. In the next couple of weeks, you will also receive an email from our Sacramental Coordinator, Cathy Anderson, andersoncm@bne.catholic.net.au, providing further details regarding meetings and documentation concerning our At Home Preparation Program.
We ask that all families check the parish newsletter regularly for First Holy Communion updates and further information. The Surfers Paradise Parish newsletter is available at our website www.surfersparadiseparish.com.au
Sacrament of PENANCE - RECONCILIATION November 9 at 5:30 pm, 2023
Penance is a sacrament of forgiveness. It celebrates God’s love and mercy towards us. It is about acknowledging and naming those times when we know we have done wrong and then making peace and restoring the relationships with those who have been affected by our poor choices. The Sacrament of Penance is celebrated through the Rites of Reconciliation.
In Term 3, parents of children who have completed their Sacraments of Initiation with Surfers Paradise Parish will receive an email invitation to participate in the At Home Preparation Program for Reconciliation.
For those whose children received the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist) in other parishes and who wish their child to prepare for the Sacrament of Penance in Surfers Paradise Parish,
the enrolment form is available at our website, www.surfersparadiseparish.com.au
Please continue to regularly check the parish newsletter for Sacrament of Penance (Reconciliation) updates and further information.
THIS WEEKEND’S GOSPEL -
This weekend, we hear the wonderful psalm that has brought so much comfort and strength in times of difficulty… the Lord is my Shepherd… I shall not want. He leads me along the right paths; He preserves my soul…".
In addition, we have the amazing incident of Our Lord healing the blind man; and the experts in the law refusing to accept it. This is a profound call for us to beware of any spiritual blindness our willfulness can cause. The Lord has come to shine his light of love, truth, and healing upon the world, and he invites us to stand on the right side of history.
+++
Many of you might remember the old Royal Brisbane Hospital - It stood where the new high-tech buildings stand in Brisbane opposite the showgrounds. I remember visiting relatives at the old Royal Brisbane hospital as they recovered from surgery. Back in the original days, there was a wonderful, long, open balcony where patients could be wheeled out to sit in the sun and get fresh air because the benefits of getting a bit of sun and natural air were widely seen as an important part of healing. The new building dispensed with this pleasing aspect. That may have lost sight of ancient wisdom.
This little bit of history reminds me of the teaching in this weekend's second reading. The Light of Christ casts away all darkness and not only shows up any flaws and faults but also shines its healing light upon our wounds. The image is a powerful and positive one.
Back in the days of Our Lord, the local merchants and their stalls would line the streets. Each one was inside a little booth, covered in shade cloths. A wise customer, when attempting to buy some fine silk or other precious items, would take the product outside the entrance of the shop and hold it up to the sunlight so that any flaws or damage would be easily revealed, which would be invisible to the eye in a darkened booth. The wisdom of this image of Christ as the divine light who scatters the darkness of sin and death is powerful and deeply reassuring.
We Christians are encouraged by Saint Paul to be like children of light and put away all the works of darkness. And the SIGN of being a child of light shines through by one's actions. Saint Paul says that "the effects of the light are seen in complete goodness, right living and truth. And are completely inconsistent with the futile works of darkness."
We witness the light of Christ shining in our hearts through actions and attitudes, which contrast sharply with the ways of secrecy, shame and darkness. The things that are done in secret are things of which people are ashamed even to speak. Sunlight exposes flaws… But sunlight also has medicinal value too, as we have mentioned. Its healing qualities for "killing off the bad" by opening up the wounds to the sunlight. So, our Christian path is not only about avoiding the exposure of our sins and the condemnation that follows, but more positively, to bring about healing and spiritual and moral resilience.'''
I love that first reading. It reminds us that God is primarily concerned with what is within - not merely outward appearances. God judges the heart and not merely external things. Look at that wonderful scene where God asks the Prophet Samuel to anoint the future King as the successor to King Saul. He visits Jesse and looks at each of the brothers. The older brothers all look strong and tall, and imposing, but none of them is acceptable to God. God judges from the heat. We are told they eventually ran out of brothers to present before the Lord until Samuel finds out that the youngest and least likely one is not present. He has been overlooked. David is out looking after the sheep. He is called in and chosen by God.
God, by CHOOSING AND ANOINTING DAVID via the Prophet Samuel and not choosing any of his BROTHERS, knows what he is doing!
The Oil is poured over his head as a sign of God's choice and commissioning. David is not made king there and then. He actually goes back to his shepherding job. But God has shown that he has already chosen and anointed him for his future.
Note, too, that although God chooses from what is in the heart, and not just the outward appearances, nevertheless, we are told that David still has a fine bearing. Being someone who is engaging to others, appealing and can draw people to oneself is an important value of a leader. Still, also, we now know that inside his heart is innocence, godliness, and righteousness. Later, in this same chapter, he is described to King Saul as a "brave man and a warrior. He speaks well and is a fine-looking man,” and that the Lord is with him. The inner qualities are decisively important. (1 Sam 16:18, NIV).
And then, in the wonderful Gospel, there are FASCINATING SERIES OF ENCOUNTERS… and scenes. Our Lord cures a BLIND MAN ON the SABBATH. This leads to ridiculous arguments and questioning from the religious authorities. They question the once-blind man, and when he answers them honestly, they don't want to hear his answer and throw him out, saying, "why would we listen to you? You are a sinner." But THEY are the ones asking him the question. They are clearly able to see, but quite obviously, they are spiritually blind and don't even know it.
That very fitting saying – "there are none who are so blind as they who will not SEE!" comes from passages such as this, meaning that "Understanding cannot be forced on someone who chooses to be ignorant." There is a very similar saying; "you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink."
Again, it is vital for us to realise that this incident is not in the Gospels to tell us how stubborn and willfully blind and headstrong people were two thousand years ago. The message is for us today!
We, too, are quite capable of hearing without listening and looking without seeing. We, too, must be wary of the trap of refusing to be challenged, or stubbornly avoiding any change, especially when light is shone on our own faults or areas for growth.
The man who was cured meets Jesus again (or actually, Jesus searches for him and finds him again). The cured man has a wonderful OPENNESS OF HEART AND MIND… and he says to the Lord: "LET ME KNOW who this Son of Man is so that I CAN BELIEVE IN HIM…."
This wonderful man is really saying: "I want to believe. Just show this Saviour to me." And Jesus says, "You are looking at him, it is me!"
This man was open and ready. Notice what he did not say to Jesus. He did not say to our Lord: "look I am too old, and I have been through enough. I don't want any more. I am too set in my ways to change, so this is as far as I go.” This man, who was once blind, says what all of us should say to the Lord. “Show me more! Teach me more.” He was ready and willing.
"What gets us into trouble is not what we don't know. It's what we know for sure that just ain't so." ― Mark Twain.
Our Lord is inviting us to avoid falling into this trap and continuing to teach us and show us his light.
Show us yourself, Lord, and we will believe. Shine your light into our hearts, and we will worship you! We will praise you by allowing your searching and healing light to expose and cure our darkness of the heart. Lord, Always open us to go deeper and to immerse ourselves more fully into the light of Jesus and travel further within the endless depths of Christ, who is THE light of the world and the water of eternal life.
References: Fr Paul W. Kelly; Barclay, W. (2002). The letters to the Galatians and Ephesians. 3rd ed. Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, pp.189-191; Payne, D. (1982). I and II Samuel. Philadelphia: Westminster Press. P 81-83; https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/there_are_none_so_blind_as_those_who_will_not_see; ** Jer. 5:21 (King James version): "Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not." / "There are none so blind as those who will not see. The most deluded people are those who choose to ignore what they already know. The proverb has been traced back in English to 1546 (John Heywood). It resembles the Biblical verse: Jer. 5:21. In 1738, it was used by Jonathan Swift in his 'Polite Conversation,' and is first attested in the United States in the 1713 'Works of Thomas Chalkley'..." https://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/5/messages/1614.html
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 189092048 - VENICE, ITALY - MARCH 14, 2014: The Miracle of Christ Healing the Blind by Antonio Trevisan (1753) in the church San Francesco della Vigna. Important information. Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: Renata Sedmakova
To listen to the Sunday Mass each week (including homily) from Surfers Paradise Catholic Parish, please visit this link: Liturgy for you at Home (by SPCP) - https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks
Also found at - https://tinyurl.com/FHLpwk
➔ St Cyril of Jerusalem
◆ “Let us then, my brethren, endure in hope. Let us devote ourselves, side-by-side with our
hoping, so that the God of all the universe, as he beholds our intention, may cleanse us from
all sins, fill us with high hopes from what we have in hand, and grant us the change of heart
that saves. God has called you, and you have your calling.”
◆ “Be still, and know that I am God, saith the Scripture. Excuse thyself from talking many idle words: neither backbite nor lend a willing ear to backbiters, but rather be prompt to prayer. Shew in ascetic exercise that thy heart is nerved. Cleanse thy vessel, that thou mayest receive grace more abundantly. For though remission of sins is given equally to all, the communion of the Holy Spirit is bestowed in proportion to each person’s faith. If thou hast laboured little, thou receivedst little; but if thou hast wrought much, the reward is great. ”
◆ The Spirit comes gently and makes himself known by his fragrance. He is not felt as a burden, for God is light, very light. Rays of light and knowledge stream before him as the Spirit approaches. The Spirit comes with the tenderness of a true friend to save, to heal, to teach, to counsel, to strengthen, and to console.”
◆ “Great is the Baptism that lies before you: a ransom to captives; a remission of offences; a death of sin; a new birth of the soul; a garment of light; a holy indissoluble seal; a chariot to heaven; the delight of Paradise; a welcome into the kingdom; the gift of adoption!”
St Joseph (Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
◆ It is very powerful that no spoken words of St Joseph are recorded in the Bible. It is a
testimony to his lasting inspiration to generations that his actions spoke louder than any
words he uttered. Joseph was obedient, just, a truly upright man in the correct sense of the
word, humble and quick to follow God’s will even in trying circumstances. His humility,
purity, obedience and faithfulness have an eloquence quite beyond words.
➔ St Oscar Romero.
◆ Each one of you has to be God’s microphone. Each one of you has to be a messenger, a
prophet. The church will always exist as long as there is someone who has been
baptised...Where is your baptism? You are baptised in your professions, in the fields of
workers, in the market. Wherever there is someone who has been baptised, that is where
the church is. There is a prophet there. Let us not hide the talent that God gave us on the
day of our baptism, and let us truly live the beauty and responsibility of being a prophetic
person.
◆ Peace is not the product of terror or fear. Peace is not the silence of cemeteries. Peace is not the silent result of violent repression. Peace is the generous, tranquil contribution of all to the good of all. Peace is dynamism. Peace is generosity. It is right, and it is duty.
◆ Beautiful is the moment in which we understand that we are no more than an instrument
of God; we live only as long as God wants us to live; we can only do as much as God makes
us able to do; we are only as intelligent as God would have us be.
◆ I don’t want to be “anti” against anybody. I simply want to be the builder of a great
affirmation: the affirmation of God, who loves us and who wants to save us.
◆ By contrast, whoever, out of love for God, gives oneself to the service of others will live like the grain of wheat that dies, but only apparently... Only in undoing itself does it produce
the harvest.
◆ If we are worth anything, it is not because we have more money or more talent, or more
human qualities. Insofar as we are worth anything, it is because we are grafted onto Christ’s
life, his cross and resurrection. That is a person’s measure.
◆ This is what we are about: We plant the seeds that one day will grow. We water seeds
already planted, knowing that they hold future promise. [attributed to Archbishop Romero]
◆ The transcendence that the church preaches is not alienation; it is not going to heaven to
think about eternal life and forget about the problems on earth. It’s a transcendence from
the human heart. It is entering into the reality of a child, of the poor, of those wearing rags,of the sick, of a hovel, of a shack. It is going to share with them. And from the very heart of misery, of this situation, to transcend it, to elevate it, to promote it, and to say to them, “You aren’t trash. You aren’t marginalised.” It is to say exactly the opposite, “You are valuable.”
◆ There are not two categories of people. There are not some who were born to have
everything and leave others with nothing and a majority that has nothing and can’t enjoy
the happiness that God has created for all. God wants a Christian society, one in which we
share the good things that God has given to all of us.
◆ Here there is a challenge from Christ to the goodness of humankind. It is not enough to be good. It is not enough to not do evil. My Christianity is something more positive; it is not a negative. There are many who say, “But I don’t kill, I don’t steal, I don’t do anything bad to
anyone.” That’s not enough. You are still lacking a great deal. It is not enough to be good.
◆ Many things can only be seen through eyes that have cried.
➔ Saint Turibius of Mogrovejo.
◆ Christ said “I am the Truth”, but He did not say “I am the custom”
©2022 TrueQuest Communications. TakeFiveForFaith.com; mail@takefiveforfaith.com. All rights reserved. Noncommercial reprints are permitted with the following credit: Reprinted with permission from TakeFiveForFaith.com. Scripture citations from the New American Bible Revised Edition. For more information about “TAKE FIVE” and our regular contributors, go to PrepareTheWord.com.Free daily email and app available online at TakeFiveForFaith.com/subscribe
POPE FRANCIS: (From Amoris Laetitia)
POST-SYNODAL APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION AMORIS LÆTITIA OF THE HOLY FATHER, FRANCIS
(19 March, the Solemnity of Saint Joseph, in the year 2016).
What we need is a more responsible and generous effort to present the reasons and motivations for choosing marriage and the family and in this way to help men and women better to respond to the grace that God offers them. (para 35)
We also need to be humble and realistic, acknowledging that at times the way we present our Christian beliefs and treat other people has helped contribute to today’s problematic situation. We need a healthy dose of self-criticism. (para 36)
We also find it hard to make room for the consciences of the faithful, who very often respond as best they can to the Gospel amid their limitations. We are capable of carrying out our own discernment in complex situations. We have been called to form consciences, not to replace them. (para 37)
Yet we have often been on the defensive, wasting pastoral energy on denouncing a decadent world without being proactive in proposing ways of finding true happiness. (para 38)
Many people feel that the Church’s message on marriage and the family does not clearly reflect the preaching and attitudes of Jesus, who set forth a demanding ideal yet never failed to show compassion
and closeness to the frailty of individuals like the Samaritan woman or the woman caught in adultery. (para 38)
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 188022536 - ROME, ITALY - APRIL 18, 2014: Pope Francis celebrates the 'Via Crucis' procession at Colosseum in Rome on April 18, 2014. Important information. Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: giulio napolitano
RELIGIOUS GOODS SHOPS - SACRED HEART AND ST VINCENT’S CHURCHES
The shops have been restocked with St Benedict crucifixes this week.Also available are inexpensive Easter greeting cards, priced at only $1.00 each
The March edition of the Catholic Leader is now available
News this month -
Apostolic Nuncio casts his eye across the Brisbane Archdiocese
Bs Anthony Randazzo is the new President of the Federation of the Catholic Bishop’s Conferences of Oceania
The Seminary welcomes four new seminarians
BIBLE STUDY
The Bible Study/Prayer Group continues each Friday evening from 5-6 pm at St Vincent’s Church
40 Hamilton Avenue Surfers Paradise. Studying “Break Open the Word” helps you to remember the readings for the upcoming Sunday Mass and, of course, enjoy fellowship with other members of the Parish. Enquires to Ashley 0409 840 693
OUR LADY’S STATUE
Praying the Rosary - Our Lady’s Statue in the Parish -
Details of the Statue of Our Lady, which is going around the Parish. If you would like to have her in your home and say the Rosary:
Please contact Maxine or Pat on 0412 519 404.
The Roster for the next four weeks is:
20/3/2023 Maureen Alexan - Broadbeach
27/3/2023 Joanne Ferguson - Molendinar
3/04/2023 Joanne Ferguson - Molendinar
ART AND CRAFT GROUP -
The Group meets in the Parish Hospitality Centre on Wednesdays from 9 to 12. Activities include art (watercolour, oils, acrylics, pen and ink drawing etc.), as well as various kinds of Craftwork (Knitting, Embroidery, Crocheting, Cardmaking, Sewing etc.), making Rosary Beads (later sent to the missions), and any other activities that individuals may have an interest in. We come together to enjoy each other's company in a relaxed environment. New members, both men and women, are most welcome to join. For further information, phone John 0412 759 205 or the Parish Office.
THE SACRED HEART BRIDGE CLUB-
Meets at the Sacred Heart - Parish Hospitality Centre, Fairway Drive, Clear Island Waters.
Playing Bridge keeps your brain active and increases your social network! So why not give us a try?
Learn to play Bridge at “Our Friendly Club” - Free Lesson. “Introduction to Bridge” - It is Easy to learn the format. No previous card-playing experience is necessary. All are welcome. For more information and to enrol, please phone: Cheryl at 5538 8821 or Mob at 0417 772 701.
EXERCISE CLASS - LOW IMPACT - FOR HEART HEALTH -
Spring has sprung! Join Rochelle for a fun, functional exercise class at Casey Hall. Low-impact cardiovascular exercises for heart health, improve strength and balance- an all-around fitness class for over 65’s. Stretch and strengthen the whole body, make new friends and feel great. Tuesday mornings @9.30 Beginners welcome. Contact Rochelle for further information on 0438 333 308.
MEDITATION PRAYER GROUP
In the Morris prayer room Tuesdays from 10 am to 12 noon. The Meditation Group would very much like to welcome new members. Please phone Pam Egtberts at 0428090703.
The Lenten Programme - TRIUMPH - from the Wollongong NSW diocese, will be run by the Sacred Heart Meditation group on Tuesdays in Lent from 10 am - 12md commencing Tuesday 22nd February. If you are interested in attending or for any enquiries, please ring Pam Egtberts 0428 090 703.
YOGA AT THE PARISH HOSPITALITY CENTRE
Join us for our social class in the Parish Hospitality Centre next to the Parish Office. Classes run every Tuesday at 10:45 am. Learn to relax, yet gain greater flexibility, inner strength, body awareness and concentration, all while increasing your breath support and general well-being. Ruth is an IYTA-accredited instructor with wide experience and runs a caring, carefully monitored one-hour session costing $10 (new attendees need to arrive by 10.30 am to prepare adequately for class). For more information, call Ruth on 0421338110.
https://brisbanecatholic.org.au/careers/
The Archdiocese of Brisbane has standards of conduct for workers to maintain a safe and healthy environment for children. Our commitment to these standards requires conducting working with children checks and background referencing for all persons who will engage in direct and regular involvement with children and young people (0 - 18 years) and/or vulnerable adults. The organisation is fully committed to child safety and has zero tolerance for abusing children or vulnerable adults.
SEVENTH ANNIVERSARY OF POPE FRANCIS’ GROUNDBREAKING LETTER - LAUDATO SI’ - An excerpt from the Pope’s groundbreaking Encyclical.
IV. POLITICS AND ECONOMY IN DIALOGUE FOR HUMAN FULFILMENT
189. Politics must not be subject to the economy, nor should the economy be subject to the dictates of an efficiency-driven paradigm of technocracy. Today, in view of the common good, there is an urgent need for politics and economics to enter into a frank dialogue in the service of life, especially human life. Saving banks at any cost, making the public pay the price, and foregoing a firm commitment to reviewing and reforming the entire system, only reaffirms the absolute power of a financial system, a power which has no future and will only give rise to new crises after a slow, costly and only apparent recovery. The financial crisis of 2007-08 provided an opportunity to develop a new economy, more attentive to ethical principles, and new ways of regulating speculative financial practices and virtual wealth. But the response to the crisis did not include rethinking the outdated criteria which continue to rule the world. Production is not always rational and is usually tied to economic variables which assign to products a value that does not necessarily correspond to their real worth. This frequently leads to an overproduction of some commodities, with unnecessary impact on the environment and with negative results on regional economies.[133] The financial bubble also tends to be a productive bubble. The problem of the real economy is not confronted with vigour, yet it is the real economy that makes diversification and improvement in production possible, helps companies to function well, and enables small and medium businesses to develop and create employment.
190. Here too, it should always be kept in mind that “environmental protection cannot be assured solely on the basis of financial calculations of costs and benefits. The environment is one of those goods that cannot be adequately safeguarded or promoted by market forces”.[134] Once more, we need to reject a magical conception of the market, which would suggest that problems can be solved simply by an increase in the profits of companies or individuals. Is it realistic to hope that those who are obsessed with maximising profits will stop to reflect on the environmental damage which they will leave behind for future generations? Where profits alone count, there can be no thinking about the rhythms of nature, its phases of decay and regeneration, or the complexity of ecosystems which may be gravely upset by human intervention. Moreover, biodiversity is considered, at most, a deposit of economic resources available for exploitation, with no serious thought for the real value of things, their significance for persons and cultures, or the concerns and needs of the poor.
191. Whenever these questions are raised, some react by accusing others of irrationally attempting to stand in the way of progress and human development. But we need to grow in the conviction that a decrease in the pace of production and consumption can, at times, give rise to another form of progress and development. Efforts to promote the sustainable use of natural resources are not a waste of money, but rather an investment capable of providing other economic benefits in the medium term. If we look at the larger picture, we can see that more diversified and innovative forms of production which impact less on the environment can prove very profitable. It is a matter of openness to different possibilities which do not involve stifling human creativity and its ideals of progress, but rather directing that energy along new channels.
192. For example, a path of productive development, which is more creative and better directed, could correct the present disparity between excessive technological investment in consumption and insufficient investment in resolving urgent problems facing the human family. It could generate intelligent and profitable ways of reusing, revamping and recycling, and it could also improve the energy efficiency of cities. Productive diversification offers the fullest possibilities to human ingenuity to create and innovate while at the same time protecting the environment and creating more sources of employment. Such creativity would be a worthy expression of our most noble human qualities, for we would be striving intelligently, boldly and responsibly to promote sustainable and equitable development within the context of a broader concept of quality of life. On the other hand, to find ever new ways of despoiling nature purely for the sake of new consumer items and a quick profit would be, in human terms, less worthy and creative and more superficial.
193. In any event, if in some cases sustainable development were to involve new forms of growth, then in other cases, given the insatiable and irresponsible growth produced over many decades, we need also to think of containing growth by setting some reasonable limits and even retracing our steps before it is too late. We know how unsustainable the behaviour of those who constantly consume and destroy, while others are not yet able to live in a way worthy of their human dignity. That is why the time has come to accept decreased growth in some parts of the world to provide resources for other places to experience healthy growth. Benedict XVI has said that “technologically advanced societies must be prepared to encourage more sober lifestyles while reducing their energy consumption and improving its efficiency”.[135]
194. For new models of progress to arise, there is a need to change “models of global development”;[136] this will entail a responsible reflection on “the meaning of the economy and its goals to correct its malfunctions and misapplications”.[137] It is not enough to balance, in the medium term, the protection of nature with financial gain or the preservation of the environment with progress. Halfway measures simply delay the inevitable disaster. Put simply; it is a matter of redefining our notion of progress. A technological and economic development that does not leave in its wake a better world and an integrally higher quality of life cannot be considered progress. Frequently, in fact, people’s quality of life actually diminishes – by the deterioration of the environment, the low quality of food or the depletion of resources – amid economic growth. In this context, talk of sustainable growth usually becomes a way of distracting attention and offering excuses. It absorbs the language and values of ecology into the categories of finance and technocracy, and the social and environmental responsibility of businesses often gets reduced to a series of marketing and image-enhancing measures.
195. The principle of the maximisation of profits, frequently isolated from other considerations, reflects a misunderstanding of the very concept of the economy. As long as production is increased, little concern is given to whether it is at the cost of future resources or the health of the environment; as long as the clearing of a forest increases production, no one calculates the losses entailed in the desertification of the land, the harm done to biodiversity or the increased pollution. In a word, businesses profit by calculating and paying only a fraction of the costs involved. Yet only when “the economic and social costs of using up shared environmental resources are recognized with transparency and fully borne by those who incur them, not by other peoples or future generations”,[138] can those actions be considered ethical. An instrumental way of reasoning, which provides a purely static analysis of realities in the service of present needs, is at work whether resources are allocated by the market or by state central planning.
196. What happens with politics? Let us keep in mind the principle of subsidiarity, which grants freedom to develop the capabilities present at every level of society, while also demanding a greater sense of responsibility for the common good from those who wield greater power. Today, it is the case that some economic sectors exercise more power than states themselves. But economics without politics cannot be justified since this would make it impossible to favour other ways of handling the various aspects of the present crisis. The mindset which leaves no room for sincere concern for the environment is the same mindset that lacks concern for the inclusion of the most vulnerable members of society. “the current model, with its emphasis on success and self-reliance, does not appear to favour an investment in efforts to help the slow, the weak or the less talented at finding opportunities in life”.[139]
197. What is needed is a politics that is far-sighted and capable of a new, integral and interdisciplinary approach to handling the different aspects of the crisis. Often, politics itself is responsible for the disrepute in which it is held on account of corruption and the failure to enact sound public policies. If, in a given region, the state does not carry out its responsibilities, some business groups can come forward in the guise of benefactors, wield real power, and consider themselves exempt from certain rules, to the point of tolerating different forms of organised crime, human trafficking, the drug trade and violence, all of which become very difficult to eradicate. If politics shows itself incapable of breaking such a perverse logic and remains caught up in inconsequential discussions, we will continue to avoid facing the major problems of humanity. A strategy for real change calls for rethinking processes in their entirety, for it is not enough to include a few superficial ecological considerations while failing to question the logic which underlies present-day culture. A healthy politics needs to be able to take up this challenge.
198. Politics and the economy tend to blame each other when it comes to poverty and environmental degradation. It is to be hoped that they can acknowledge their own mistakes and find forms of interaction directed to the common good. While some are concerned only with financial gain and others with holding on to or increasing their power, what we are left with are conflicts or spurious agreements where the last thing either party is concerned about is caring for the environment and protecting those who are most vulnerable. Here too, we see how true it is that “unity is greater than conflict”.[140]
Acknowledgement of Country - This is Kombumerri Country - The Traditional Custodians of this region.
We respectfully acknowledge the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First People of this country. We pay our respects to the Kombumerri people, who are the traditional custodians of the land, waterways and seas upon which we live, work and socialise throughout this Catholic Parish of Surfers Paradise. We acknowledge Elders, past and present and emerging, as they hold our Indigenous people's memories, traditions, culture and hopes. We pay tribute to those who have contributed to the community's life in many ways. We affirm our commitment to justice, healing, and reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.
(see further: The Kombumerri People and https://kombumerritogetherproject.com/digital-resources/yugambeh-language/)
Commitment To Child Safety and Vulnerable-Adult Safety
……………..See overleaf …..
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