HOMILY by Fr Michael Tate

Avoiding the real Jesus

This Gospel passage portrays two ways in which we can reject the real Jesus Christ. One way is quite common and we all engage in it to one degree or another. Thank goodness it is forgivable. The other is rare but has very dire consequences.

The first way is to domesticate Jesus, and that is what members of his blood family were trying to do. They thought he was ‘out of his mind’, already provoking a severe reaction from the religious and political authorities. He was madly putting himself in harm’s way and he had to be restrained.

But Jesus would not give up his mission to establish the reign of God on earth, the signs of which were the curing of bodies and minds, and the forgiving of sins, embodying the merciful healing presence of God, come what may (and he

did know what was coming!).

His Nazareth family were trying to reduce him to manageable size so that he did not imperil himself, and them. So, he dramatically creates a new family constituted by those who, like him, are dedicated to doing the will of God.

You and I have to ask: ‘Have I tried to domesticate Jesus Christ, to reduce him to a non-threatening Jesus-meek-and-mild?’ If so, we are closer to the family of Nazareth standing just outside his circle, ready to run for cover, than to the family of Jesus Christ seated around him really listening to him and therefore vulnerable.

The second way to reject the real Jesus Christ is to completely, and with malice aforethought, misconstrue all the evidence of Jesus’ mission on earth and claim that it must be Satanic, that he must be in league with the devil.

Jesus quickly retorts that, if that were the case there must be a civil war going on in Satania, because he is constantly undoing the devil’s work by merciful healing. The charge is non-sense.

Worse than that, if you grievously mislead others by saying publicly, as did these religious leaders, that Jesus is diabolically acting because ‘He has an unclean spirit’, then it is this malicious misleading of others that is

unforgiveable. You have deliberately put the salvation of others at risk.

This is real blasphemy, not some outburst of language disrespecting God, but a deliberate turning against God’s plan to send the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ amongst us for our salvation.

You have also made yourself the sort of person who, at death, will not recognise the saving presence of the Risen Lord for who he is – the source of forgiveness necessary to be swept up into the loving eternal life of God.

The fact that you are here listening to this homily leads me, with pastoral confidence not presumption, to say that you need not be worried that you have committed this blasphemy.

You and I may be more justly worried about the first mode of rejection of the real Jesus.

Fortunately, we can with the grace of God recognise this and determine to read and hear the Gospels, discern the will of God for our lives and come back within the ultimate family allegiance of those who dare to call God ‘our Father’.

REFLECTION by Fr Michael Tate

The first way to reject the real Jesus is to domesticate him, and that is what members of his blood family were trying to do. They thought he was ‘out of his mind’, madly putting himself [and them] in harm’s way and he had to be restrained.

Have you or I tried to domesticate Jesus Christ, to reduce him to a non-threatening Jesus-meek-and-mild? If so, we are closer to the family of Nazareth standing just outside his circle, ready to run for cover, than to the new family seated around him, really listening to him and therefore vulnerable.

The second way is to misconstrue all the evidence of Jesus’ mission on earth and to claim that he must be in league with the devil, ‘He has an unclean spirit’.

If you do this publicly, as did these religious leaders, then you have deliberately put God’s plan for the salvation of others at risk, and it is this which is unforgivable. This is real blasphemy.

We might pause for a moment, implore the grace of God, determine to really hear the Gospels, discern the will of God for our lives, and so come back within the ultimate family allegiance of those who dare to call God ‘our Father’.

© Fr Michael Tate

Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

10th of June, 2018

Recently we welcomed the children of Rachael & Wayne Reeves,

Carter Campbell & Stella Frances Thora

into the St Mary’s Parish through the sacrament of Baptism.

Pictured with them is grandmother Fran Folker.

May this family know God’s abundant love at all times, as they journey through this life on Earth.

Indoor Bowls & Cards

The next bowls and cards day will be held on Monday the 11th of

June.

Come along to the Parish Centre from 9:30 – 12:00, for a morning of

fun and fellowship.

Bishop Robert McGuckin &

The Toowoomba Council of

Priests

invite you to join them for

The Jubilee Celebration of

Bishop William Morris

(25 years)

June 26th, 2018

St Patrick’s Cathedral,

James St Toowoomba

11:00am Mass

Followed by lunch at the

Cathedral Centre

RSVP by Monday 11th of June

Cathedral Office: 4637 1500

To celebrate mass with

Bishop Robert McGuckin

Mass at 5:30pm

Followed by dinner at the

Macintyre Room, Royal Hotel

with the members of the Council of Priests

Current Members: Bishop Robert McGuckin, Fr.

Brian Noonan, (Chair) Fr. Michael O’Brien

(Secretary), Fr. Jamie Collins. Fr. Franco Filipetto,

Fr. Peter Dorfield, Fr. Mick Carroll, Fr. Roque

Maguinsay, Fr Peter Doohan, Fr. John Quinlan, Fr.

Peter Schultz, and Fr. Jim Cronin.

Father Michael’s Contact Details

St. Patrick’s Cathedral,

PO Box 7062,

Toowoomba, Q 4350

Phone Direct: 4637 1507

or Office Secretary:

4637 1500 Mobile:

0422 308 955 (same)

Thank-you for your contributions:

03/06/18

Envelopes: $502.00 Loose: $174.85

Parish Bank A/C Details

A/C Name: ADF St Mary’s Parish Goondiwindi

BSB: 064-786 A/C Number: 518826001

If paying by direct deposit, please use your

initials/surname as the reference.

VOLUNTEERS MASS TIMES

Tuesday……Kaloma.…..11:00am

Wednesday……(Rosary 5:10pm).…..5:30pm Friday……12:15pm

9th/10th June, 2018

SUNDAY EVENING: Goondiwindi 6:00pm

13th June, 2018 WEDNESDAY EVENING: 5:30pm Bishop Robert McGuckin presiding

Followed by dinner at the Royal Hotel

16th/17th June, 2018 SUNDAY MORNING: Goondiwindi 9:00am

23rd/24th June, 2018

SATURDAY EVENING: Goondiwindi 6:00pm SUNDAY MORNING: Goondiwindi 8:00am

GROUNDS ROSTER

JUNE: MICHAEL & JACK SCHAUMBURG

JUNE: TBA

WE PRAY FOR THOSE: Who have entered your kingdom: including Nick Heironymus, Stella McGovern, Loretta Brennan, Tom Mitchell, Steve Aspinall, Delva Brown, Fay Hunt, Don McDonald, Allan Amey, Barry Kindt, Gwendolyn “Henny” Makim, Epigenia Cabus (Claire & Rose’s sister), Barbara Duffy, Vince O’Brien (Roma), Bishop John Gerry, Laurance Martyn, Frank Brosnan, Max Hohn, Kath Johnson, Muriel “Sis” Plain (Len Cleal’s sister), Robert Miller, Elaine Symes, June Corish, Ted Heironymus, Gloria Glasser, Therese Sullivan, Helen Farrell, Fr. Merv Ziesing, Joan Lawson, Thea McNaulty, Kevin “Skeet” McMaster, David Hollis, Frank Lawless (Stasia’s son), Pauline Pollock, Monica Peters (Kath Gore’s Aunt), John Clancy, Margaret Cook, Marie Dutton, Patricia MacBeth (Lismore), Kevin Heironymus, Patricia Manton, Helen Zeller, Richard Everingham, Jim Coleman, Tim Murphy. Whose anniversary is at this time: including Patricia Manton, Kevin Heironymus, Marie Dutton, Helen Zellers, Francis ‘John’ Coade, Kevin Turvey, Valerie McCosker, John Crawley, Valerie Jennings, Michael Brennan, Jim Nolan, Helen Taylor, Sue Bendall, Bob Telford, Vince Mawn, Rosemary Keehn, Beryl Pearce, Charles McCosker, Anthony Miller, Bryson McGuire, June Galvin, Clara Sutherland, Colin McIlveen, Nora Heynen, Kay Coleman, Norman Jennings, Catherine Lloyd, Donald Pfingst. Who are ill: including Mel Cairns, Mick Kelloway, Joy Collins, Brian O’Brien (FM Michael’s Uncle), Hardy Sutton, Donna Lindores, John Abbot, Angus Rigney, Jan Jan Charles, Tom Turvey, Bill Dyer, Trish Dyer, Brian Freeney, Pat & Teresa Mullins, Deanna Dawson, Anne Hunt, Kevin Lawless, Ray Mackie, Peter Keehn, Joan Fleming, Gloria Bale, David Croft, Tim Bourke, Joe Cowmeadow, Shirley Schluter, Stasia Lawless, Paul Lloyd, Mavis Gordon, Jean Ramada, Jean Sizer, Francis Lloyd, Madonna Nicoletti, Stephanie & Chris Adamson, Bailey Brennan, Pauline Robinson, Win Skinner, Sonya Horrigan, Helen Paige, John Toohey, Marie Cook, Phillip Carney, Shirley Riley, and Joseph Hord; also those ill at home, in hospital and for those in Kaloma.

WELCOMERS AT DOOR

TRISH WELSH & PAM MORRIS (10/06)

JENNIFER MAKIM (17/06)

MARY BELL & SHAN PURCELL (24/06)

WELCOMER AT MICROPHONE

CLAIRE CHARLES (10/06)

VOLUNTEER NEEDED (17/06)

ROBYN LINDORES (24/06)

1ST

READER/PSALM

MARY COLLINS (10/06)

PAT THOMPSON (17/06)

CAMILLE KELLOWAY (24/06)

2ND

READING/ALLELUIA

MARY BURCHELL (10/06)

ROS PHILLIPS (17/06)

ANDREW ERBACHER (24/06)

EUCHARIST MINISTERS

MICK CLANCY, YVONNE ISAAK &

CLAIRE CHARLES (10/06)

CARMEL GEESON, CAMILLE KELLOWAY

& DAWN CLANCY (17/06)

MICK CLANCY, ROS PHILLIPS &

MARY BURCHELL (24/06)

DATA PROJECTOR

ROS PHILLIPS (10/06)

ST MARY’S STAFF (17/06)

MARY COLLINS (24/06)

MONEY COUNTERS

KERRY O’CONNOR & CLAIRE CHARLES (10/06)

TERRY & MARGARET RYAN (17/06)

KAREN CAIRNS & MARY COLLINS (24/06)

We pray for the clergy of the Toowoomba Diocese whose anniversary is during

this month.

Rev Fr Joseph McKey (01/06/82) Rev Fr Kevin Noble (04/06/10)

Rev Fr Charles Casey (10/06/30) Rev Fr Thomas Sweeney (13/06/95)

Rev Fr John Sinnott (17/06/89) Rev Fr Thomas McCormack (25/06/68)

Lord, hear our prayers and be merciful to your servants, the Bishops and Priests of this Diocese whom you have called from this life. Welcome them into the company of your Saints in the Kingdom of light and peace. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Introduction The arc to redemption is not without conflict, suffering, division or challenge. Its meaning is

premised on mercy overcoming what is incomplete or fractured. This has been borne

out throughout history, including in Jesus’ own life. When we encounter darkness or failure, we know this is not the last word. By God’s

unending love and mercy, and we are called to extend it to others.

First Reading Genesis 3:9-15

A story of the origin of broken relationships

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 130

With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption

Second Reading

2 Corinthians 4:13–5:1 Despite suffering, Paul proclaims his faith

ALLELUIA! ALLELUIA!

The prince of this world will now be cast out, and when I am lifted up from the earth I will draw

all to myself, says the Lord. ALLELUIA!

Gospel

Mark 3:20-35 Jesus encounters conflict and challenge to his

authority

Prayers of the Faithful

For those who are overcome by discouragement or guilt — who do not

believe that they are loved and forgiven … we pray,

For those who too easily condemn others; and for those who are unjustly denigrated

or condemned … we pray,

For prisoners, for those who work in prisons, and for humane prison policies

and conditions … we pray,

For those whose work is dedicated to attaining justice for the unjustly accused;

… we pray,

For the courage to examine our own attitudes toward punishment and

forgiveness, and the will to witness as a parish to God’s love and mercy … we pray,

Together we pray….

God of mercy, help us to remember your loving presence in the darkest moments of

our lives. Show us how to extend your loving mercy to all whom we encounter,

especially those we consider unworthy. We pray in Christ’s holy name. Amen.

Parish Priest: Fr Hermi Rafada Ph: 0435 006 513 or 4671 1091

email: rafsteel2005@yahoo.com St Mary’s School: Mr Brett Pollard Ph: 4671 1730

Parish Contact Details stmarysgdi@bigpond.com 69 Callandoon Street PO Box 45, Goondiwindi 4390

Parish Secretary:

Mrs Kath Gore

Mobile Ph: 0427 771 478

Office Ph: 4671 5087

Thursday 9.30am – 3.30pm Parish Safeguarding Rep: Mrs Carmel Schaumberg Ph: 0419 786 738

PARISH INFORMATION

10TH

SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

10TH JUNE, 2018