Sacramental News: First Eucharist

As a community, we continue to 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. 

First Eucharist Retreat Day

All Year 4 students and any student enrolled in the First Eucharist Parish Sacramental Program will be attending a First Eucharist Retreat Day at Holy Trinity Primary School on Friday, 6 September from 9:00am to 2:15pm. A permission information note has been sent out via Compass. 

Students will need to be dropped off at Holy Trinity Primary School, 18 Theodore St, Curtin between 8:30am and 9:00am at the front office and walk to the school hall. At the conclusion of the day, students and staff will walk back to school, ready for afternoon pickup. We are looking forward to joining with the parish for a day of prayer, reflection and fun during the First Eucharist Retreat.

Where: Holy Trinity Primary School, Curtin

When: Friday, 6 September, 9:00am to 2:00pm

Who: All Year 4 students and any student enrolled in the First Eucharist Parish Home Sacramental Program

What to bring: Lunch and recess, water bottle, sunhat

Wear: Comfortable casual clothes

Gospel - Mark 7:31-37

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

Jesus heals the deaf man.

Strangely, this week’s gospel about the healing of a man who was deaf and dumb is less about healing than it is about Jesus being the Messiah. The theme is set up in the first reading when the prophet, Isaiah, describes the signs by which the coming of the Messiah will be recognised: the blind will see; the deaf will hear; the lame will leap; and the dumb will speak. When Jesus healed the man in the gospel story the crowd were admiring of what he had done. They even exclaimed, ‘he makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak.’ These words are a direct echo of the Isaiah text – they were recognising Jesus as fulfilling the prophecies of the promised Messiah.

However, the passage also demonstrates to us that Jesus was trying to show the people that he was not exactly the Messiah that many of them were anticipating. This healing story takes place in the region of The Decapolis – south-east of the Galilee region and populated mostly by Gentiles. By travelling in this area and working miraculous healings, Jesus is making the point that his mission is to all people, not just ‘the Chosen People’ of Israel. He commands the crowd who witnessed the healing to tell no one about it but, filled with the idea that Jesus was the Messiah they had been waiting for, they broadcast the news. Jesus wanted their silence because he knew that they did not fully understand the sort of Messiah that he was. Only when they understood that this Messiah must suffer and die would he have allowed them to speak of his deeds.

Adapted from Greg Sunter

Blessings for the week ahead,

Sarah Walsh

Religious Education Coordinator (Acting)