Bunbury Catholic Parish

Feel free to talk to any of these officers about any queries/concerns that you may have about the safeguarding of children or the vulnerable in our parish.

Doreen Wijekoon bunburysgo1@gmail.com

Pauline Harling bunburysgo2@gmail.com

Alexis Woolhead

Ruth Dunne bunburysgo4@gmail.com

Kath Fenton

Helenmary Sykes

FAITH EDUCATION

Fr John McKinnon - this weeks Homily <Click Here>

Faith Education Corner

Sent on Mission

Today's Gospel begins immediately after the final verse in last Sunday's Gospel. While acknowledging the difficulties of discipleship, Jesus immediately appoints 72 people to go ahead of him to every town and place he plans to visit, proclaiming that the Kingdom of God is at hand. He sends them in pairs. In the Law of Moses two witnesses were needed for a testimony to be credible. It was probably also a safer way to travel.

Jesus admits it will be difficult, that he is sending them out like lambs among wolves. Yet they are to bring nothing with them, not even a money bag or sandals. They are not to be distracted from their mission. When they enter a house, their message is simply “peace.” Whatever the response they receive, they are to know that the Kingdom of God is at hand. They are not to demand special treatment but eat and drink whatever is given them. They are to stay in one house and are not to look around for one that provides better accommodation. They are to heal the sick as a sign that the Kingdom of God is at hand for them. Like Jesus' miracles, healing is a sign of the coming of the kingdom. If the town will not receive them, they are to shake the dust from their feet and move on. Even in the case of such rejection they should know that the Kingdom of God is at hand.

When they return from their journeys, they rejoiced because their mission was successful. Jesus may have sent them out as lambs among wolves, but at the conclusion of this passage he assures them that they have been given power over the enemy and nothing will harm them, not even serpents and scorpions.

A key theme of today's Gospel and last Sunday's Gospel is discipleship—its challenges, its difficulties, and its rewards. Sharing in the mission of Jesus is difficult, but everyone is called to do it, not just some professionals trained for ministry. Even for us today, the harvest is plentiful. To labour in the harvest means seeking happiness for others. It is to experience peace, and be a bringer of peace to others.

As the Plenary Council commences its concluding session this week, we pray for all the members who are taking part on our behalf, as they work through the proposals on Reconciliation: Healing Wounds, Receiving Gifts; Choosing Repentance - Seeking Healing; Called by Christ - Sent Forth as Missionary Disciples; Witnessing to the Equal Dignity of Women and Men; Communion in Grace: Sacrament to the World; Formation and Leadership for Mission and Ministry; At the Service of Communion, Participation and Mission: Governance; and Integral Ecology and Conversion for the Sake of Our Common Home. https://plenarycouncil.catholic.org.au/

Some of these thoughts are taken from the Loyola Press site for the Sunday readings https://www.loyolapress.com/catholic-resources/liturgical-year/sunday-connection/14th-sunday-in-ordinary-time-c-sunday-connection/

Compiled by Sr Christine Clarke PBVM