First Eucharist Home Groups

The First Eucharist books and Leader’s book should be ready to take home at the end of this week. As a community, we pray for the students and families as they begin their preparation to receive the Body and Blood of Christ at the table of the Lord.

Feast Day of Mary MacKillop

On Tuesday 8 August, we will celebrate the Feast Day of Mary MacKillop with a prayer liturgy. All members of the community are warmly invited to pray with us at 12 noon in the hall.

Feast of the Transfiguration - Friday 4 August 

We are looking forward to celebrating the Feast of the Transfiguration with our parish school Holy Trinity and the parish community on Friday. Thank you to all parents for completing the consent form online. If you still need to give consent, please email your child’s class teacher. 

Sunday Gospel: Matthew 17:1-9, The Transfiguration of the Lord Year A

His face was shining like the sun.

Gospel Reflection

Jesus takes his most trusted disciples up a high mountain to allow them to share in what he knows is about to occur. It is a very clear teaching moment in which Jesus hopes the disciples are going to finally grasp the truth about him. As the disciples stand by, Jesus is transformed before them – suddenly bathed in light and his clothes become dazzlingly white. The disciples also see Moses and Elijah standing and talking with Jesus. Moses was the great Law-giver of Jewish tradition and Elijah the great prophet. Together, they represent the Law and the Prophets – the combined wisdom that make up the tradition of Jewish teaching and Jewish scripture. It is the Law and the Prophets that Jesus’ life and ministry brings to fulfilment. It is fitting that Moses and Elijah appear beside Jesus, as the three figures combined represent the fullness of Jewish tradition – the Law of Moses; the challenge and promise of the Prophets; and the compassion of Jesus that completes the other two.

Sadly, the disciples don’t really get the point of what they see before them. Peter, caught up in the moment, wants to build tents on the spot to mark the moment and to continue to dwell in the moment. Jesus, however, leads them back down the mountain – back into the valley; back into the reality of life; back into the tragedy that he knows lies before them. No matter how powerful a religious experience may be, Jesus shows us that we always have to return to real life. It is not possible to remain on the ‘mountaintop’ as Peter would have liked to do; we have to take the experience back into the everyday of our lives. (Greg Sunter).

Blessings for the week ahead,

Veronica Hall

Religious Education Coordinator