‘fide et orate’ - trust and pray Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Parish, Sunnybank

Today’s readings: Isaiah 55:10-11; Psalm 64:10-14;

Romans 8:18-23; Matthew 13:1-23

Reflections ...

This week we hear the parable of the sower in the

Gospel. Now we are all familiar with this parable,

and have probably heard numerous times the ex-

planation of ‘the seed’ as the Word of God, Christ is

the sower, and our heart is the soil - be that rocky,

strewn with thorns or soft and fertile. Obviously the

message is clear to cultivate the heart to bring forth a rich harvest. But I would like to take my reflection on a slightly different track

this week.

If we are honest with ourselves, I think it would be fair to say that each one of us is a little like each scenario in the Gospel at times.

Sometimes I find myself like the ‘path’ - impenetrable - perhaps hard of hearing the gentle call of Christ; perhaps unwilling to let the

Word of God sink in; perhaps, allowing the birds of the air to take away an opportunity to grow in God’s grace.

Then I might be a bit like the ‘rocky ground’ - still ready to receive God’s message and allow it to grow, but maybe not willing to tend

and nourish it, and then it dies out once things get busy again. Maybe this might be the times that prayer becomes difficult to fit into

the day and God gets a little sidelined.

The ‘thorny ground’ - rich and receptive, yet overcrowded by other things - does

this sound familiar? I think this is a constant struggle all through life - keeping

God, and only God at the centre of our lives. The second reading speaks of ‘the

sufferings of this present time’ and ‘groaning inwardly as we await the

redemption of our bodies’. It might be helpful to reflect each day on what it is that

has been ‘a thorn today that

has tried to choke out God’s

Word from my heart’.

Then we come to the nice part

of the Gospel - the fertile soil,

producing a rich harvest. This is present in every person, even those we may not

like, or that we struggle to see the goodness in. Each and every human being is

created in the image and likeness of God and therefore inherently has the

capacity for goodness to flourish. How are we helping to nourish others, so that

together, side by side, we bear much fruit for the Kingdom of God?

The first reading reminds us that the ‘Word of God does not return

empty without succeeding in what it was sent to do and fulfilling God’s

will’. Often people shy away from speaking God’s Word into the lives of

others for fear of not knowing what to say, being ridiculed, or simply

looking silly. But, just like the sower, we need to be generous in spreading the

‘seed’ and allowing God to make it fall where it needs to do and produce the

result that God desires in the heart of each individual.

The Gospel for Children

Click here to view an animated version of today’s

Gospel story that might be useful for helping children

to understand the Gospel.

Click here to access this

week’s Summit reflection

on the Sunday readings

from Life Teen

Please click here to access this weekend’s readings and prayer resource from Liturgy Brisbane.

A prayer resources for families. Click here to access this week’s.

Two Minute Homilies

This week’s 2 minute homily

from the Archdiocese can be

accessed from:

https://brisbanecatholic.org.au/

multimedia/two-minute-homilies/

We indeed are very blessed! Every day we have abundant blessings all around us - food to eat, clothes to keep us warm, shelter, friends, peace. Australia certainly is ‘the lucky country’. Yet, even more importantly, we have the blessing of faith. Such a wondrous gift that we have received … do we stop to thank God for the gift of faith each day? God bless,

ChristopherVoigt

To attend Mass with the current restrictions, it is necessary to pre-register. Click here to be linked to the registration page via our website.

Feast day this week: St Bonaventure (Wed-15th July)

St Bonaventure was a Franciscan in the 13th Century. He became a close friend of St Thomas Aquinas and they received their doctorate at the same time. He was made General of the Franciscan Order at age 35 and restored peace and calm amidst previous dissensions.

He also composed ‘The Life of St Francis’.

Although preferring humble roles, he was made Cardinal and Bishop of Albano by Pope Gregory X.

The Australian Catholic Bishop’s conference have produced a weekly Liturgy of the Word that can be celebrated as a family at home.

Click here to access this week’s.

Music for this week:

‘Seed, Scattered and Grown’

‘Gift of Finest Wheat’

‘Unless a Grain of Wheat’