Catholic Parish of Lindfield-Killara Diocese of Broken Bay Holy Family Parish Church, Lindfield Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish Church, Killara LINDFIELD: KILLARA: MASS TIMES: Saturday 6:00pm Saturday Vigil: 5:30pm Sunday: 8:15am Sunday: 9:15am 10:15am 12:00 (Chinese Community Mass) 6:00pm (for both our communities) Weekdays: Monday 9:15am 7:30am Tuesday 12:15pm 7:30am Wednesday 9:15am ~ Thursday No Mass ~ 10am Funeral for Fr Cahill Friday 9:15am ** 7:30am *** Saturday 9:15am ~ ** NO 9:15 Mass at Lindfield nor 7:30am Mass at Killara on the 2nd Friday of each month *** Healing Mass for whole parish at Killara at 10am each 2nd Friday of each month SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 12 2-17 This week: Sir 15:15-20; 1 Cor 2:6-10; Mt 5:17-37 Next week : Lev 19:1-2, 17-18; 1 Cor 3:16-23; Mt 5:38-48 Today s Gospel calls us to look beyond doing the mere minimum, beyond simply avoiding what is wrong, to operating out of our heart in a generous response to the Gospel: You have heard how it was said... but I say this to you... In each case Jesus goes beyond the minimum that the Law required to the maximum that the Gospel invites us to. Are we merely people who don t break the Law, or are we do-ers of the Gospel way of generous service and unstinting justice? Fr Colin
2 Parish Staff and Contact Information We are the one parish of Lindfield-Killara containing our two distinct but collaborating and cooperating communities centred on our two churches at Killara and Lindfield. Holy Family Church: cnr Pacific Hwy and Highfield Rd, Lindfield Immaculate Heart of Mary Church: cnr Fiddens Wharf Rd and Charles St, Killara Parish Priest: Fr Colin Blayney colin@lindfieldkillara.org.au 9416 7195 Assistant Priest: Fr Thomas Alackakunnel VC thomas@lindfieldkillara.org.au 0421 406 162 Apart from the case of emergency please restrict the use of the above numbers to between 9:30am and 5:00pm. For office or routine enquiries please contact the Parish Office during office hours. PARISH OFFICE: Parish Secretary: Philita Marundan: philita@lindfieldkillara.org.au Address: Level 1, 2 Highfield Road (cnr Pacific Hwy) Lindfield NSW 2070 (Postal: PO Box 22, Lindfield NSW 2070) Ph: 9416 3702 Fax: 9416 3913 Email: parish@lindfieldkillara.org.au Parish Office Hours: Monday to Friday 9:30am-1:00pm and 1:30pm-4:00pm Catechist Coordinator (Primary Schools): Sue-Anne Sherwood Sacramental Programme Coordinator: Sue-Anne Sherwood Assistant Sacramental Programme Coordinator: Position Vacant Parish Bookkeeper: Alison Williams Parish Facilities Coordinator (voluntary): Anthony Cassidy sue-anne@lindfieldkillara.org.au 0416 141 508 sue-anne@lindfieldkillara.org.au 0416 141 508 Parish Primary School: Holy Family School 2-4 Highfield Rd, Lindfield 2070 Ph: 9416 7200 Fax: 9416 9342 Principal: Mr Lou Dogao Email: info@holyfamily.nsw.edu.au School Website: www.hfldbb.catholic.edu.au/ Parish Website: www.lindfieldkillara.org.au Saturday 11 Feb 18 Feb Lindfield 6:00pm Fr Colin Blayney Fr Thomas Alackakunnel Killara 5:30pm Fr Thomas Alackakunnel Fr Colin Blayney Sunday 12 Feb 19 Feb Lindfield 8:15am Fr Colin Blayney Fr Thomas Alackakunnel Killara 9:15am Fr Thomas Alackakunnel Fr Colin Blayney Lindfield 10:15am Fr Colin Blayney Fr Thomas Alackakunnel Lindfield 12:00noon Fr Thomas Alackakunnel Fr Colin Blayney Lindfield 6:00pm Fr Thomas Alackakunnel Fr Colin Blayney
3 RICHARD ROHR S MEDITATION: THE INNER WITNESS The Spirit you have received and your own spirit bear a united witness. Romans 8:14-16 The Helper, the Holy Spirit... will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. John 14:26, NASB In prayer, we simply keep returning the divine gaze, and we become its reflection almost in spite of ourselves. All of us, with our unveiled faces like mirrors reflecting the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the image that we reflect in brighter and brighter glory; this is the working of the Lord who is the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18, NJB). The word prayer has often been trivialised by making it merely into a way of asking for what you want or making announcements to God, as if God did not know (see Matthew 6:7-8). But I use prayer to mean any interior journey or practice that allows you to experience faith, hope, and love within yourself. It is not a technique for getting things, a pious exercise that somehow makes God happy, or a requirement for entry into heaven. Prayer is much more practicing heaven now. Meditators and Buddhists would call this inner Knower the Stable Witness. Christians might call it the united witness, as Paul speaks of in the epigraph above. Few have unpackaged this brilliant notion in the Christian world. Only this Big Self (God + me) has the strength and capacity to fully observe each present moment in all its breadth, depth, risk, and daring invitation. Christians would rightly call this The Indwelling or the Holy Spirit (see Romans 5:5). You will, of course, need vigilance to keep seeing and trusting this Implanted Union because of the pressure, diversion, and seduction of the noisy, demanding world around you. The essential religious experience is that you find yourself being known through more than knowing anything in particular by yourself alone (see 1 Corinthians 13:12). Yet despite this difference, it will feel like true knowing; in fact I would call it wholeknowing instead of the narrow-knowing we are used to. We can interchangeably call this different way of knowing contemplation, nondualistic thinking, or third-eye seeing. Such seeing takes away your anxiety about figuring it all out fully for yourself or needing to have the perfect or right formulations. In general, the more perfectionistic, legalistic, and ritualistic you are, the less contemplative you are. For the contemplative, God becomes more a verb than a noun, more a process than a conclusion, more an experience than a dogma, more a personal relationship than an idea. The Christ is a Living Word long before he was a written or spoken word. No wonder all of the great liturgical prayers of the churches end with the phrase: through Christ our Lord, Amen. We do not pray to Christ; we pray through Christ. Or even more precisely, Christ prays through us. We do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit... intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words (Romans 8:26, NASB). We are always and forever the conduits, the instruments, the tuning forks, the receiver stations. We slowly learn the right frequencies that pick up the signals from the Lover. The core task of all good spirituality is to teach us to cooperate with what God already wants to do and has already begun to do through us (see Romans 8:28). In fact, nothing good or life-giving would even enter our minds unless in the previous moment God had already moved within us! We are always and forever merely seconding the motion. God makes the first motion.
4 WHAT IS FUSION? We are a safe place for teens to socialise with each other on a Friday night, learning about their faith in a relevant, fun way. We share a meal together, play some games and talk about the things that matter to teenagers. Missed the last meeting?!?!? Then make it to the next one on: Friday 24th February Yrs 7-8 meet 5.30 to 7.30 pm. Yrs 9-12 meet from 7 pm to 9 pm. 5 reasons why FUSION is great for teenagers: 1. Teenagers need role models and mentors. 2. Teenagers need community. 3. Teenagers need mission and a sense of purpose. 4. Teenagers need to learn about their faith from each other. 5. Teenagers need a safe place to confess and confide about the troubles in their lives. This week we explore reason #3: Teenagers need mission and a sense of purpose Teenagers are not just extra bodies to fill up the church - they are the future of the church. Youth ministry helps them learn about the history of their faith (the rights and the wrongs) so that they might better direct its future. SACRAMENTAL PROGRAMME NEWS: ENROLMENT FOR PREPARATION FOR FIRST RECONCILIATION IS NOW OPEN: The (online) enrolment process is open until 26th February. Please go to the parish website (www.lindfieldkillara.org.au) and click on What s New? on the homepage. CONGRATULATIONS TO Michaela Breen, Judy Dearn and Anne Ridley who this weekend receive a Papal Blessing at the 8:15am Mass at Lindfield for their service to the St Vincent de Paul Society. WHAT S NEW?! is a hotlink box on the homepage of our parish website (www.lindfieldkillara.org.au). Please check it regularly as it contains details of new and coming and events/activities. A MESSAGE TO OUR PERIODIC AND DIRECT DEBIT CONTRIBUTORS: HAS YOUR CREDIT CARD S NUMBER OR EXPIRY DATE CHANGED? If so the Parish Office has probably sent you a form to update the details for us. It would be very much appreciated if you could return that form in the next week since we cannot receive your promised contribution until we have the updated details. Thank you
5 AN UPDATE ON PARISH FINANCES In the first place thank you to all for your on-going financial support of our parish. However I d like to draw to your attention that we are currently showing an 11% decline on our Second Collection income compared to last year. As you d appreciate we cannot maintain our parish both physically and pastorally with a decline of that level. Indeed as we all know costs increase each year. Our First Collection (the wooden plates) (which provides for the care and support of the priests) income is stable (though we certainly want to maintain it at its current level) but our Second Collection (the wicker baskets), which provides all the funds for the running of the parish, its maintenance and the provision of our ministries and pastoral life, is the one which has fallen behind significantly. If everyone could contribute just $2 per week every week it would make a huge difference. Or you might be able to make a one-off additional contribution. Whatever you could do would be much appreciated and would be a great encouragement as we try to be a growing and serving Christian community. Fr Colin FUNERAL DETAILS FOR FR PAUL CAHILL Fr Paul Cahill who was previously parish priest of the former Killara parish died last Saturday evening after several months of illness. Please pray for the repose of his soul. CHANGED TIME FOR FUNERAL: Please note that the Funeral Mass for Fr Cahill will be celebrated at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church at Killara this Thursday 16th February at 10:00am (NOT Friday 17th at 10:30am as previously advised). Please note that there will be no 9:15am Mass at Lindfield that day. ROSEVILLE LINDFIELD KILLARA INTERCHURCH FELLOWSHIP LENTEN ECUMENICAL SERVICES We are blessed that this year we will again be having three Lenten Ecumenical Services with our fellow Churches in our local area. Please be part of this wonderful opportunity to build the bridges of Christian Unity during the Lenten season of renewal: Tuesday 7th March at 7:45pm at Roseville Uniting Church Lord St, Roseville Preacher: Rev. Colin Blayney (from Lindfield- Killara Catholic Parish) Tuesday 21st March at 7:45pm at Holy Family Catholic Church, Lindfield Preacher: Rev. Mary Pearson (from Lindfield Uniting Church) Tuesday 4th April at 7:45pm at Killara Uniting Church Cnr Arnold St and Karranga Ave, Killara Preacher: The Rt. Rev. Peter Watson, retired Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne
6 NEXT WEEKEND! :
The hall has already seen its first uses morning tea after the Children s Mass last Sunday, Parish Finance Committee meeting on Tuesday and Morning Tea after the Healing Mass on Friday. This week the Parish Pastoral Council will meet there. 7 REFURBISHED HALL AT KILLARA Our hall at Killara has now re-opened. The works done include: - demolition of the annexe (which had been the source of water damage and mould problems) and creation of an outdoor courtyard as an extension to the hall - provision of airconditioning - sanding and polishing of the floor installation of built-in cupboards (pictured) to provide storage for various parish groups/activities - a brand new kitchen (pictured) - provision of a new electrical switchboard to replace the outdated one. Many thanks to Anthony Cassidy, our volunteer Parish Facilities Coordinator who arranged and oversaw all of this work. Many thanks also to wonderful team of parish volunteers who worked so hard last weekend in getting the hall ready for use. ST VINCENT DE PAUL- QUARTERLY COLLECTIONS Our next collection was scheduled for Saturday 18 th February. However it has been cancelled as the Society s warehouse and stores are fully stocked. If you have items you wish to donate, the SVdP bins on our two church sites are available. Alternatively, items can be taken to Chatswood Store. Go to the rear of the store in Vincents Lane which is off Baldry Street. The next collection is now scheduled for 6 th May. Eric Atkins 94163198
8 THE PRAYERS AND RESPONSES OF MASS GLORIA: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will. We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory, Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father. Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us; you take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer; you are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen. INVITATION TO PRAYER LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST: Celebrant: Pray, brothers and sisters, that my sacrifice and yours.. May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise & glory of his name, for our good and the good of all his holy Church. SANCTUS: Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. INVITATION TO HOLY COMMUNION: Celebrant: Behold the Lamb of God All: Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed. MEMORIAL ACCLAMATION:
THE PSALM PS 118:1-2. 4-5. 17-18. 33-34 They are happy whose life is blameless, who follow God s law! They are happy those who do God s will, seeking God with all their hearts. You have laid down your precepts to be obeyed with care. May my footsteps be firm to obey your statutes. Bless your servant and I shall live and obey your word. Open my eyes that I may consider the wonders of your law. Teach me the demands of your statutes and I will keep them to the end. Train me to observe your law, to keep it with my heart. At Masses at which the Psalm is sung the response is: Happy are they who follow the law of the Lord! GOSPEL ACCLAMATION : Alleluia, alleluia! Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom. Alleluia! 9 THE APOSTLES CREED I believe in one God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, (all bow at the following words in bold): who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen RESPONSES TO THE PSALM FOR WEEKDAY MASS: Mon : Offer to God a sacrifice of praise. Tues: The Lord will bless his people with peace. Wed: To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise. Thurs : From heaven the Lord looks down on the earth. Fri: Happy the people the Lord has chosen to be his own. Sat: I will praise your name for ever, Lord. CELEBRATIONS THIS WEEK: Tuesday: Memoria of Ss Cyril and Methodius. Being a catechist is a calling, an invitation from God, an honour!!!!! We have 2 places waiting for special people to fill: Beaumont Rd Yr 3 & Yr 4, Tues 11.30-12pm Classes begin 14 February. Please contact Sue-Anne at sue-anne@lindfieldkillara.org.au
10 PARISH PLAYGROUP Characters Playgroup meets every Wednesday from 10:30am till noon (during school terms) in the Shirley Wallace Parish Centre on the first floor of Holy Family church. Please register via Trybooking: www.trybooking.com/jykw Please contact Sue-Anne for more details: sue-anne@lindfieldkillara.org.au PARISH YOUNG ADULTS GROUP The next gathering for the year takes place next Sunday 19th February immediately following the 6pm Mass and will be held in the lounge in the Shirley Wallace Parish Centre on the first floor of Lindfield church. All young adults welcome a relaxed and informal time (including dinner). All young adults welcome. Gatherings generally take place every alternate Sunday night the full schedule of dates can be found on the parish website under Groups and Ministries Young Adults. RENOVATIONS & BUILDING MAINTENANCE CHRIS IACONO Parishioner All work large and small Lic 89879c Fully Insured 50 years experience Mobile : 0412 256 616 Phone : 9416 36 98 chris.iacono@bigpond.com Comfort Inn North Shore Family owned and professionally operated motel with on-site restaurant Address: 1 Gatacre Avenue, Lane Cove Phone: 02 9427 0266 Email: res@cins.com.au Website: www.cins.com.au OUR MONTHLY CHILDREN S MASSES A reminder of our remaining Mass for February: * on the second Sunday of the month (today Sunday 12th February) at the 10:15am Mass at Lindfield. PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL meets this Tuesday 14th February at 7:45pm in the newly refurbished hall at Killara (now that hall is functioning again our PPC meetings will alternate between our Lindfield and Killara sites, reflecting that we are one parish made up of two worshipping communities).
11 Making our two churches beautiful for the celebration of the liturgy - - providing/arranging flowers for the altar KILLARA: Each week, Killara Church has numerous generous volunteers who arrange flowers and clean the candles. We need more helpers to continue this tradition. No special skills or training is needed. Also, you may be able provide flowers on one or two rostered Sundays per year from your own garden. Or you may be able to donate the cost of the flowers for a given week. If you can help in any of these ways please email or ring Mary Hor (marymhor@gmail.com or 0414 394 338). LINDFIELD: would you be able to provide flowers on one or two rostered Sundays per year from your own garden. Or could you donate the cost of the flowers for a given week Or would you be willing to be on a roster to arrange the donated flowers If you can help in any of these ways please email Betty Harris (betty@honeypotmarketing.com.au) PHYSIOFIT Lindfield Parishioner PHYSIOTHERAPISTS: KERRY WESTON (Bogard) THERESA GUDE Hands on treatment Exercise prescription Exercise classes We are located at 7/345 Pacific Highway, Lindfield 2070 (Scholastic Building) Ph: 9416 3155 Mob: 0417 456 294 Email: kerry@physiofitlindfield.com.au Advertisement space available Henry & Gloria Cheung Parishioners Serving the Australian Construction Industry for 30 years UNIVERSAL INSTRUMENTS 326 Pacific Hway, Lindfield NSW 2070 Tel no. 94165335 Fax no. 94161538 E:sales@universalinstruments.com.au Address: 319 Pacific Highway, North Sydney, NSW 2060 164 King Street, Newton 6 Pitt Street Parramatta Phone: 9519-5344/99545255 FAX: 95194310 W: www.wnbull.com.au E: wnbull@wnbull.com.au Member of Australian Funeral Directors Association Lindfield Dental Practice Dr Peter Chung DDS, MDS, PhD Clinical Assoc Professor Open: Mon-Sat P: 9416 5000 Suite 1, 345 Pacific Highway (Scholastic Bldg) Next to Lindfield Medical Practice
GOSPEL REFLECTIONS 12 BY: BERYL CATES Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect. Did Jesus really set the bar that high when giving his followers us- instructions for living? Or were some said with typical Semitic hyperbole for impact? After all, when slapped on the face during his trial, he didn t turn the other cheek, but asked why he d been struck. And, when a young man once addressed him as good he protested: Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone (Mark 10:18). Believing literally all Jesus said as in Scripture, is treading shaky ground, according to the Pontifical Commission for Interpretation of the Bible 1994: The basic problem with fundamentalist interpretation is that, refusing to take into account the historical character of biblical revelation It refuses to admit that the inspired word of God has been expressed in human language and that this has been expressed, under divine inspiration, by human authors possessed of limited capacities and resources.it tends to treat the biblical text as if it had been dictated word for word by the Spirit. It fails to recognise that the Word of God has been formulated in language and expression conditioned by various periods. It pays no attention to the literary forms and to the human ways of thinking many of which are the result of a process extending over long periods of time and bearing the mark of very diverse historical situations. Some Christians have interpreted Jesus words literally and have acted on them with fatal consequences. In my name.they shall be unharmed should they pick up snakes in their hands, drink deadly poisons.. (Mark: 16:18). Pastors in the USA, mainly extreme fundamentalist Pentecostals have died from snake bites during religious services, particularly in the South and some States in the north have banned snake handling completely. One well known fatality was Pastor Jamie Coots of Kentucky, who had starred in a National Geographic reality show. The stubborn literalist will protest; Perhaps the Pastor s faith was not strong enough, after all St Paul was bitten by a deadly snake and was unharmed (Acts 28:3). Even our tradition has not been immune. According to 4 th century Bishop historian Eusebius, early Church Father Origin followed literally Jesus advice if a body member became an occasion for sin the person should, Tear it out or Cut if off because it will do you less harm to lose one part of you than have the whole body go to hell. Origin had himself castrated. What Jesus taught often and at times in metaphor, was that religious practice was far more than a meticulous observance of his own religion s decrees, rituals and regulations which occupied a man through almost all his waking hours. Women, untutored in the Law complied with directives from the household s male, and what was essential to fulfilling their roles as mothers and housekeepers, such as observing kosher. The emphasis on a scrupulous observance had resulted in religion turning in on itself, conformity the end to aspire to and not the way to finding the Divine in life. Every religion is formed for that purpose and excessive emphasis on guiding rules and practices, particularly those with severe penalties for non-observance, can baulk progression. Our religion has not been exempt, as pre Vatican II Church laws reveal. Jesus revoked some Mosaic laws and tightened others (Matt. 5:17). He not only condemned adultery but adulterous desires. Not only murder, but murderous thoughts. He tautened the marriage bond, and in Matthew s gospel allowed divorce, in the case of fornication, so contrary to his teaching elsewhere (Mark: 10:2-12) - scholars have been engrossed in debate about the text ever since. When abrogating (continued on page 13 )
13 (continued from page 12 ) the dietary regulations he said it was not food that rendered a person unclean but uncleanliness in the heart smoldering anger, sneaky thoughts of vengeance, lust, bigotry, immorality. things that come out of a person s mouth come from the heart and these defile him. Thoughts that engender sin. In the usual run of things we can control our thoughts, but what if our cognitive processing throws off restraint and obsessively goes over and over something without our willing? Anger over a hurt we ve suffered and have forgiven but cannot forget. A temptation that won t cease its allure. A wrongdoing we ve been forgiven but the mind keeps reprogramming in that subliminal conversation we hold with ourselves; The Broken Record Syndrome. It is not for the Confessional since it is against our willing, but persistent and unwanted. Meditation means different things for different people and methods vary. It is not for everyone. Someone, exhausted from continual self-giving, observing the first imperative to sit and relax, may go gently to sleep. Spiritual directors advise anyone mentally ill not to attempt it without professional advice. But for those who can, as a way to clear junk out of self-conversation, meditation with a mantra can prove invaluable. A mantra repeated day after day will enter the subconscious and start repeating itself there in less time than one thinks, and it does happen. Every time a prerecorded tape already in place begins playing its unwanted theme, the new tape will erase it, and eventually destroy it. Meditation with a mantra is not the only method and whatever the discipline, with perseverance and practice it will clear other garbage from the soul allowing Christlight to illumine it with new insights into Jesus teachings and religious rituals. And, while striving to live Jesus teachings, finally and remorsefully we admit that the best we can do is try to become perfectly humble about not being perfect, an I-thou relationship with the Divine begins. HOW WILL YOU KEEP THIS LENT? The Season of Lent is an annual invitation to renewal in discipleship and strengthening of the Christian community. Please be part of a Lenten study group to reflect on the Gospel and the challenges of Lent together. The Lenten groups would begin in the week starting Sunday 5th March. Please detach and return to the Parish Office. Name(s): Phone: Email: I would like to be part of a Lenten group I would be willing to host a weekly Lenten group in my home I would be willing to lead a Lenten group I prefer a daytime group I prefer an evening group I am happy with either an evening or a daytime group
常年期第六主日 12/2/2017 讀經一 ( 天主從不吩咐人作惡 ) 恭讀德訓篇 15:16-21 如果你願意, 就能遵守上主的 誡命 ; 你是否忠信, 完全在於你的 自決 上主在你面前, 放置了火與水, 你可任意伸手選取 生死善惡, 都擺在人面前 ; 人 願意什麼, 就賜給他什麼 因為, 上主的智慧, 廣大無邊 ; 他無所不能, 無所不見 他的眼睛注視敬畏他的人 ; 他 洞悉人的一切行為 他從不吩咐人作惡, 也從未准 人犯罪 上主的話 ( 默想 片刻 ) 答唱詠詠 119:1-2, 4-5, 17-18, 33-34 答 : 遵行上主法律的人, 真有 福 ( 詠 119:1) 14 CHINESE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY 讀經二 ( 這智慧是天主在萬世之 前, 為使我們獲得光榮, 所預定 的 ) 恭讀聖保祿宗徒致格林多人前書 2:6-10 弟兄姊妹們 : 我們在成全的人當中, 也講智慧, 不過, 不是今世的智慧也不是 今世將要消滅的 有權勢者的智 慧 我們所講的, 是那隱藏的, 天主奧秘的智慧 ; 這智慧是天主 在萬世之前, 為使我們獲得光榮, 所預定的 今世有權勢的人當 中, 沒有一個認識這智慧, 因為 如果他們認識了, 就決不會將光 榮的主, 釘在十字架上 經上這 樣記載 : 天主為愛他的人, 所 準備的, 是眼所未見, 耳所未聞, 人心所未想到的 可是, 天主藉著聖神, 將這 一切, 啟示給我們了, 因為聖神 洞察一切, 就連天主的深奧, 他 也洞悉 上主的話 ( 默想 片刻 ) 進入天國 你們一向聽過對古人說 : 不可殺人! 誰若殺了人, 應受裁判 我卻對你們說 : 凡向自己弟兄發怒的, 就 要受裁判 你們一向聽說過 : 不 可姦淫! 我卻對你們說 : 凡 注視婦女, 有意貪戀她的, 這人已在心裡姦淫了她 你們又一向聽過對古人 說 : 不可發虛誓! 要向上主 償還 你的誓願! 我卻對你們 說 : 你們總不可發誓 你們應這樣 : 是就說是, 非就說非 ; 其他多餘的, 便是出於邪惡 上主的話 ( 講道後默想片刻 ) 華人天主教會北區中心 主日彌撒 12 時 領 : 品行完備, 遵行上主法律的人, 真有福 遵守上主誡命, 全心尋求他的人, 真有福 答 領 : 你頒發了你的命令, 叫人嚴格遵行 願我的行徑堅定, 並遵守你的法令! 答 領 : 請恩待你的僕人, 使我生存, 並聽從你的教導 求你開啟我的眼睛, 明察你法律的奧妙 答 領 : 上主, 請指示給我你的法令, 我要仔細遵守 求你教導我遵守你的法律, 我要以整個心靈, 持守不渝 答 福音前歡呼領 : 亞肋路亞 眾 : 亞肋路亞 領 : 父啊! 天地的主宰! 我稱謝你, 因為你將天國的奧秘, 啟示給小孩子 ( 參閱瑪 11:25) 眾 : 亞肋路亞 福音 ( 古人雖聽說過, 我卻對你們這樣說 ) 恭讀聖瑪竇福音 5:20-22,27-28,33-34,37 那時候, 耶穌對門徒說 : 我告訴你們 : 除非你們的義德, 超過經師和法利塞人的義德, 你們決不能 彌撒後. 午餐聚會. 餐費 $5.00 歡迎各教友參加牧職修女司徒金美修女聯絡 0419-426899 中心聯絡 Gloria Cheung 聯絡 0416-118089 www.ccc-inc.org.au E :contact@cccinc.org.au 主日學 Sunday School 12:00 Noon
15 (continued from page 16 ) : Both the liberal and the conservative, in the end, are fundamentalists because each, albeit in her own way, on the basis of good intention, vastly oversimplifies things. The conservative does it by canonizing the commandments and the law in such a way that they, and they alone, become the criteria of genuine religiosity and sincerity. There is not sufficient allowance made, however, for those who, for whatever reason, find themselves unable to live these precepts. The liberal oversimplifies things in the other direction. For him, the existential ability, or lack of it, to keep certain moral precepts by the majority of the people becomes the criterion for whether or not those precepts should be retained or not. Each is narrow, one in the name of orthodoxy, the other in the name of compassion. Neither, however, approaches things as Jesus did. Jesus was neither a liberal nor a conservative. His loyalties were less selective and his embrace was much wider. Thus, he refused to bring down an ideal just because the majority of people rejected it. At the same time, however, he refused to condemn those who could not live that ideal. For him, genuine compassion lies in doing both, retaining an ideal and in walking with those who cannot keep it. Thinking this way got him into a lot of trouble... but nobody could ever accuse him of loving too selectively. Fr Ron Rolheiser omi (from the Centre for Liturgy, University of St Louis) MISSING ALB The alb (white Server s vestment) belonging to Bill Larkin is missing from Lindfield sacristy. The alb is marked with Bill s name. Could you check any alb that you might have and if you ve inadvertently taken Bill s alb by mistake could you contact the Parish Office. Lord, in Jesus your Son, you restored to us the gift of everlasting life. Grant that life to: Recently deceased: Fr Paul Cahill, Fr Tim Crowley, Joan Clark. Please pray for those who are sick : Paddy Nolan, Ray Grannall, Cyril Ferriere, Br Braden, Brian Couper, Geraldine Haydock, Kieran Norton, Sean Maguire, Pakie Maguire, Naneth Bernado, Marjorie Simpkins, Michael Swan.
16 REFLECTING ON THIS SUNDAY S SCRIPTURES.. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. BEYOND LIBERAL AND CONSERVATIVE More and more, it is becoming clear that we need to move beyond the categories of liberal and conservative. Simply put, both have shown themselves to be dysfunctional in terms of trying to help lead us beyond the problems that beset us. Both are too narrow and too selective in terms of the morality they espouse, the loyalties they embrace, and the ways within which they dispense their sympathies to be the basis for anything other than what we already have. At the end of the day, neither has the width or depth to merit the label Catholic. Nowhere is this more evident than in our moral discourse, especially in our attempts at dialogue about private morality, that is, about such areas as abortion, sex, marriage, homosexuality, and the like. The conservative and the liberal, each in his way, invites us to a certain narrowness and intolerance. The liberal does this by being intolerant of the ideal, of moral principle. Crassly put, liberal ideology tells us that if the majority of people do not, or cannot, keep a commandment, well... then we should change the commandment. What possible sense does it make, it is asked, to have a moral precept that the majority of people do not accept? How can the church claim to be compassionate and in touch with the suffering and needs of people, if it makes them feel guilty for not keeping certain commandments in which they no longer believe? How can the church be so out of touch, so ivory tower, in its morality so as to ignore the sensus fidelium in these crucial moral areas? Ironically, the liberal is pretty reluctant to apply this same kind of reasoning to the social encyclicals. Conservative intolerance generally puts on a crasser face. To illustrate this with a typical example, allow me to recount an incident: Several years ago, immediately after a talk that I gave, a man challenged me. He approached me as I left the stage, angry, bitter. He attacked me with words to this effect: Father, I can't believe the wishy-washy bunk you've just given. That's not the church's teaching! Why don't you put things as you're supposed to put them: Tell people what the law is... and if they can't take it, they should walk! The reasoning here is pretty clear, and simple: The written rules of the church, the commandments and canon law, are the benchmarks. You either measure up or you do not. If you do not measure up, you leave the church or, at very least, assume some kind of penitential or second-class role within it. Ironically, too, like his liberal counterpart, the conservative is not eager to apply that same criterion when it comes to the social teachings of the church. Now perhaps these are caricatures, indicative only of the extreme and are not really typical. Few liberals and conservatives would identify with the positions. That may be true, but good caricatures distort in the same way in which art distorts, namely, by highlighting an essential form that ultimately gives shape to the picture but is not always so consciously clear. Hence, what these caricatures do is highlight what is narrow and dangerous in both liberal and conservative ideologies, at least as these pertain to moral discourse. Neither is really tolerant, compassionate, and wide enough to reflect the charity and catholicity of Jesus Christ. (continued on page 15 )