Reflecting on this week’s Scriptures
Last weekend I was in Central Otago, where the grass was brown, flattened, the landscape lifeless, and the weather cold and damp. We bundled up, defending ourselves from the dreariness of winter, until we saw the first daffodils emerging in my sister’s garden. We opened up, remembering the magical transformation spring brings, with its delicate greens, blossom filled trees and abundance of daffodils, tulips and crocuses.
Isaiah’s words today bring that same sense of hope he reminds us that God comes, in the midst of our fears, to save us, to heal us and to transform our barren landscapes into fertile gardens.
What is extraordinary is God’s ongoing call to each one of us, both as individuals and community, to hear his words “Ephphatha” and be opened. In the gospel today we see the man who was deaf and mute not only being able to hear and to speak clearly, but so full of the joy of what has happened that he can’t stop talking about. Both he and his friends who brought him to Jesus are bursting over.
At present we are being invited to be open to grow together as “joyful disciples”. Where do we find that joy especially in the midst of so much challenge in both our church communities, our country and our world? In all the readings, including the Psalm, we are reminded that we will discover the joy of that discipleship with those who are on the margins. Jesus invites us, in our families and in our communities to open our hearts, to see the hard reality of our human existence but not to become imprisoned, to suffer with those who suffer, but not hold on to suffering. Through that journey we will discover the deep hope that transforms the deserts in our lives into gardens and the deep peace God promised to those who love him.
-Maria Noonan
Charting the Course Discernment – Week 7: “What could we do so that we Grow Together?”
In these last two weeks of our Discernment Process, we focus on the ACTION words of the vision – Growing Together and Spreading Christ’s Message.
Today we reflect back on the HOPES we named for our new Parish that were about growth—hopes that our Parish will be a Community that will enable, encourage, nourish, and sustain our Growing together.
Today we go deeper and reflect on HOW we may Grow Together – what will we DO that will ensure that we are a community that is GROWING together?
Growing together can mean a number of things:
• Growing together – growing towards each other, becoming closer to each other
• Growing together – as individual disciples we can all grow because of our supporting and nurturing community
• Growing together – growing in numbers
What you tell us in the next two weeks, along with all your feedback, will be given to the Transition Team, so that they may shape the Plan that leads us forward to our new Parish. As well as contributing at Mass, you can send us feedback by posting it in boxes in the churches, or using the contact form on the website wellingtonsouthcatholic.org.