In the press conferences during this prolonged covid19 emergency we have witness the impressive sign language

experts communicating to those who cannot hear and rely on the written word or sign language for this vital

information. I asked a friend who signs about the quality of the signing, and he told me it is another language Auslan

(Australian sign language) they are using. He said sometimes they struggled when the person speaking is too quickly

or uses specific name places that have to be transliterated exactly or very detailed information it is very hard for

them to translate everything.

Those who can hear take for granted this ability and the ability to speak. I remember the story of Helen Keller who

overcame these challenges to be a great communicator and world renowned. In the Gospel Jesus heals the man

who cannot hear or speak. He is the echo of the Prophet Isaiah (the tallest man in the Bible) who announces the

coming of the Messiah in who the blind see, the deaf hear, the lame leap and the mute sing. Real liberation for those

who suffer. The Messiah is the one who transforms people and the whole world of creation. These are very

important themes for this Sunday when our world seems so troubled and in need of healing on so many levels.

The healing that Jesus brings liberates those suffering and calls for all of us to ‘be opened’ ‘Ephphatha’ the Aramaic

word and the name of the ministry to the hearing impaired in the Archdiocese of Sydney and supported by the CWF

collections throughout the year. Jesus heals the man on the margins the border part of his world. The message of

Jesus is for all people and for all times -0 even you and me. What is it I need to be released from? What holds me

back in my loving and serving of God and others. Isaiah reminds us that that

“those who hearts are frightened: Be strong, fear not!”

Why? Because God comes with vindication, divine recompense to save you. Is 35: 5ff.

God sees us all as equal with no distinctions and wants us all to love him and others. Let us ‘be opened ‘to God

especially in those who are in any kind of need. Yours in the Lord Jesus Christ, Fr. Michael, Parish Priest

Creator God, in your wisdom you established a delicate

ecological balance to see that birds find

nourishment and flowers are clothed in

beauty.

Please give us the courage to dedicate

ourselves to taking care of your Creation.

We thank you for providing us with all we need.

Amen.

Entrance Antiphon Ps 118:137, 124

(R.) You are just, O Lord, and your judgement is right; treat your servant in accord with your merciful love.

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.

Collect O God, by whom we are redeemed and receive adoption, look graciously upon your beloved sons and daughters, that those who believe in Christ may receive true freedom and an everlasting inheritance. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.

First Reading Is 35:4-7

A reading from the prophet Isaiah Then the ears of the deaf shall be opened and the tongues of the dumb speak.

Say to all faint hearts, ‘Courage! Do not be afraid. ‘Look, your God is coming, vengeance is coming, the retribution of God; he is coming to save you.’ Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, the ears of the deaf unsealed, then the lame shall leap like a deer and the tongues of the dumb sing for joy; for water gushes in the desert, streams in the wasteland, the scorched earth becomes a lake, the parched land springs of water.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 145:7-10. R. v.1

(R.) Praise the Lord, my soul! 1. It is the Lord who keeps faith for ever, who is just to those who are oppressed. It is he who gives bread to the hungry, the Lord, who sets prisoners free. (R.)

2. It is the Lord who gives sight to the blind, who raises up those who are bound down, the Lord who loves the just, the Lord, who protects the stranger. (R.)

3. The Lord upholds the widow and orphan, but thwarts the path of the wicked. The Lord will reign for ever, Zion’s God, from age to age. (R.)

Second Reading Jas 2:1-5

A reading from the letter of St James Has not God chosen the poor of the world to inherit the kingdom?

My brothers, do not try to combine faith in Jesus Christ, our glorified Lord, with the making of distinctions between classes of people. Now suppose a man comes into your synagogue, beautifully dressed and with a gold ring on, and at the same time a poor man comes in, in shabby clothes, and you take notice of the well-dressed man, and say, ‘Come this way to the best seats’; then you tell the poor man, ‘Stand over there’ or ‘You can sit on the floor by my foot-rest.’ Can’t you see that you have used two different standards in your mind, and turned yourselves into judges, and corrupt judges at that?

Listen, my dear brothers: it was those who are poor according to the world that God chose, to be rich in faith and to be the heirs to the kingdom which he promised to those who love him.

Gospel Mk 7:31-37

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark. He makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak.

Returning from the district of Tyre, Jesus went by way of Sidon towards the sea of Galilee, right through the Decapolis region. And they brought him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they asked him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, put his fingers into the man’s ears and touched his tongue with spittle. Then looking up to heaven he sighed; and he said to him, ‘Ephphatha,’ that is, ‘Be opened.’ And his ears were opened, and the ligament of his tongue was loosened and he spoke clearly. And Jesus ordered them to tell no one about it, but the more he insisted, the more widely they published it. Their admiration was unbounded. ‘He has done all things well,’ they said ‘he makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak.’

Apostles Creed I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, 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.

Gospel Acclamation cf. Mt 4:23

Alleluia, alleluia! Jesus preached the Good News of the kingdom and healed all who were sick. Alleluia!

! “Copyright” Editio typica tertia, 2002, apud Administrationem Patrimonii Sedis Apostolicæ in Civitate Vaticana. Venditio operis fit cura Librariæ Editricis VaticanæThe prayers are from

the English Translation of the Roman Missal © 2010 International Committee on English in the Liturgy Inc. (ICEL). All rights reserved.

St. Mark’s Parish: United in Baptism,

Nourished by the Eucharist, Guided by the Holy Spirit,

We Form a Vibrant and Caring Community, Living and Proclaiming the Gospel,

Reaching Out to Those in Need, Journeying Together,

Growing in Faith.

Prayers of the Faithful: Leader: As faithful people we turn to God, who is full of compassion, that God will hear and grant the prayers that we present today.

Reader: We pray for the church that we may always be active, engaged and caring in all we do to bring about the kingdom. (pause) Lord, hear us All: Lord hear our prayer.

Reader: We pray for those who have not heard the Good News; may their ears be opened to hear and share the joy of salvation, bought by Christ. (pause) Lord, hear us All: Lord hear our prayer.

Reader: We pray for those Christians whose mouth is sealed, unable to preach the Good News; may their fears, doubts, and anxieties be removed, replaced by courage, joy and perseverance to spread the Gospel. (pause) Lord, hear us All: Lord hear our prayer.

Reader: We pray for all affected by covid - 19. May the Lord bring healing and strength to all. (pause) Lord, hear us All: Lord hear our prayer.

Reader: We pray for all members of the Plenary Council that they may be open to the work of the Spirit in determining the future of the Church in Australia. (pause) Lord, hear us All: Lord hear our prayer.

Reader: We pray for those who are preparing to be confirmed this year may we accept the leading of the Holy Spirit to provide goodness and share love in our wider community. (pause) Lord, hear us All: Lord hear our prayer.

Reader: Life was your first gift to us; may those who have died come to its fullness of eternal life in you. (pause) Lord, hear us All: Lord hear our prayer.

Leader: In faith we know that our Father will protect and nourish us all. We make these prayers through the power of the Spirit and in the name of Christ our Lord. (pause) All: Amen.

Offertory Antiphon Dn 9:4.17.19

(R.) I Daniel prayed to my God, saying: Hear O Lord, the prayers of your servant; show your face upon your holy place, and look down upon his people upon whom your name is invoked O God.

Communion Antiphon Cf. Ps 41:2-3

(R.) Like the deer that yearns for running streams, so my soul is yearning for you, my God; my soul is thirsting for God, the living God.

Prayer after Communion Grant that your faithful, O Lord, whom you nourish and endow with life through the food of your Word and heavenly Sacrament, may so benefit from your beloved Son's great gifts that we may merit an eternal share in his life. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.

Confirmation 2021 Our candidates are in their preparation for Confirmation.

Please pray for them during this time.

www.plenarycouncil.catholic.org.au/fantheflame/

Prayer for Confirmation Candidates Lord,

You send out Your Spirit to touch the hearts of all people, so that they may believe in You and in Jesus whom You sent.

Look kindly on all candidates for Confirmation as they listen to Your voice.

Open their hearts to your Spirit and bring to fulfilment the good work that You have begun in them.

As we prepare these children for Confirmation, make each of us an instrument of Your love.

Teach us to appreciate what is holy in others, and to be patient with what we do not understand.

Deepen our faith in the Gospel and help us to pass it on by our example.

We pray that You will continue to guide us and sustain us. through Christ Our Lord.

Amen.

Presented by Monica St Mark’s Family & Faith Educator.

Family Prayer sessions will be 45min sessions, and will be a beautiful opportunity for families to come together

and teach our children about the Saint’s, and how to pray.

We will start with Our Lady, and her role as the mother of Our God, and we together pray a decade of the rosary.

Parishioners, families and friends are welcome to join. Tuesday’s during school term. email Monica for zoom details.

All Welcome

‘He makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak.’ Mark 7:31-37

The Church hears the cries of the poor and the groans of the earth. It seeks to stand in solidarity with the poor and the

marginalised, and to exercise good stewardship of the fragile ecosystems that support life on earth.

-St Mark’s Parish Community -

Coronavirus - reflection

The Coronavirus has come as a shock to us, and within a very short time, it has challenged our attitudes and behaviours radically. During these uncertain times, we want to reassure you of our continued prayers for you, your family and our community.

In one sense, life continues as normal – and yet it’s not normal at all. Should I take the bus? Can I go safely go out for a walk? Should I visit the supermarket? That cough I notice, could it be the virus? What of the children’s education? What if I lose my job? Are we going to have a recession? How long will this last? Will we ever get back to real normality again? Sometimes, the anxiety surrounding the publicity is as contagious as the virus itself, spreading fear and nervousness among the community. In the developed world, in particular, we are in shock. In many ways, we have come to believe that we are in control of our lives, that we have a cure for every disease, that we can fend off all the dangers that threaten our securities.

We have built up solid walls to protect us against every unwanted guest, but now our walls have been breached, and the unwanted guest is here. Our securities no longer seem so secure, something in our world is out of our control, and many

don’t know where to turn. We hope and pray, that the vaccine for this disease, is available to who needs it, rich or poor. But in the meantime, we can reflect on our shock. It’s a reminder to us that we are never in total control of our lives, that we can never eliminate every misfortune or heal every illness.

Ultimately, our trust has to be in something more solid than we can ever find here on earth. Ultimately, God alone is our security. ‘God is our refuge and our strength, a helper close at hand in times of distress’ (Ps.46:1). Trust Him. © Sacred Space daily prayer online

Donate to Vinnies

Do something charitable!

Support and Shop local

Wednesday, 8 September

Time: 7 - 7:30pm Register in advance.

https://www.ourfaithourworks.org/ara/

Support your Archdiocese of Sydney newspaper The Catholic Weekly

While our churches are closed at this time, the Catholic Weekly is producing a free digital flipbook edition.

Sign up for updates directly to your email inbox here: www.catholicweekly.com.au/catholic-weekly-newspaper-online/.

Praise Those Fathers † Let us praise those fathers who have striven to balance

the demands of work, marriage, and children with an honest awareness of both joy and sacrifice.

† Let us praise those fathers who, lacking a good model for a father, have worked to become a worthy and virtuous father.

† Let us praise those fathers who, by their own account, were not always there for their children, but who continue to offer those children, now grown, their love and support. As well, let us pray for those fathers who have been wounded by words and actions of their children.

† Let us praise those fathers who, despite marital discord, have remained in their children's lives.

† Let us praise those fathers whose children are adopted, and whose love and support has nurtured a thriving life.

† Let us praise those fathers who, as stepfathers, freely choose the obligation of fatherhood and earned their step children's love and respect.

† Let us praise those fathers who have lost a child to death, and continue to hold the child in their heart.

† Let us praise those men who have no children, but cherish the next generation as if they were their own.

† Let us praise those men who have "fathered" us in their role as mentors and guides.

† Let us praise those men who are about to become fathers; may they openly delight in their children.

† And let us praise those fathers who have died, but live on in our memory and whose love continues to nurture us. © Prayer of Kirk Loadman adapted by Debra Mooney, PhD

-St Mark’s Parish Community -

Pope Francis invites you to celebrate the Season Of Creation.

www.seasonofcreation.org

Our Church is closed. This week our scaffolding went up to begin our roofing project. This will take approximately 4+ weeks with good weather. Please keep the Church in your

prayers and pray for Spring sunshine. On completion of the roof, our carpet and final touches will be done inside the

Church. Ready for reopening! Contact the parish office by phone or email if you need help with a mass offering,

sacraments or require a priest for pastoral care. Stay in touch via zoom with Mass and Prayer group.

Parish Priest: Very Rev Fr Michael L McLean PP EV Priest in Residence: Fr Denis Minns OP

Pastoral Associate: Sr Antonia Nedu ISR Chair Parish Pastoral Council: Ms Celine Cheng

School Principal: Ms Rachel Bourke

In your love and concern, please pray for the following sick and vulnerable members of our community: Bob Favorito, Vince De Giovanni, Michael Erwin, Patricia Ryan, Rocco Zoccali, Gemma Tambasco, Patricia Ficarra, Meagan Ficarra, Heather Burbidge, Wendy Madden, Jean Boccalatte, Carolina Bastoni & Lina Giannandrea & all St. Mark’s community at this time.

Anniversaries and those we are remembering at this time: Maria Megale, Elvira "Vera" Favorito, Maria Catanzaro, Paul Rota, Guiseppe Colantino, Paola Restuccia and Tony Restuccia,

Recently Deceased: Fr John Neill OP, Fr Romuald Josko, Agnes Thi Thuan Thai, Catalina Mitchell, Fr Francis O'Shea, Fr Max Barrett, Desie O’Neill, Cecilia Chye, Moria Brady, Lena Mitchell, Beverly Tierney, Maria Favorito, and Margaret McCafferty,

We pray for those who have died and we offer our prayers and condolences to their families. May they rest in peace.

- ST MARK’S MORNING PRAYER & ROSARY GROUP - Hosted by Maria

Zoom on Thursday’s at 10:00am

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85894504698?pwd=NEQrWVlWWFk2RHpqMlY5bklmUnZTZz09

Meeting ID: 858 9450 4698 Passcode: 574385

- ALL WELCOME -

St Mark’s Catholic Parish 33 Tranmere Street, Drummoyne NSW 2047

Tel: (02) 9181 1795 Email: admin@stmarksdrummoyne.org.au

Parish Website: www.stmarksdrummoyne.org.au

EVENING PRAYER

We thank all parishioners who join the Planned Giving Program for their generosity and

commitment to our Parish. QR if you wish to contribute

Watch Sunday Mass at St Mark’s every Saturday on demand from 5:30pm

MORNING PRAYER

QR DAILY FOR LAUDS & EVENING VESPERS

Visit for daily prayers https://www.popesprayer.va/

Download the App for prayers on your morning walks!

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon them. May all the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Join me on Zoom Wednesday 8 September at 7:30pm for

Mass followed by a catch up.

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 812 3280 7589 Passcode: 025960

I am looking forward to connecting with you all.

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81232807589?pwd=NVNwZkxDaXcrblNZSnN3WExwTkQ3dz09

Sacrament of Penance (Confession| Reconciliation)

Candidates and their families are reminded of the receiving the

Sacrament of Penance before Confirmation. The Sacrament is available to all parishioners on

request to the Parish office and COVID conditions apply.

“Socio-economic problems can be resolved only with the help of all the forms of solidarity: solidarity of the poor among themselves, between rich and poor , of workers among themselves, between employers and employees in a business, solidarity among nations

and peoples. International solidarity is a requirement of the moral order; world peace depends in part

upon this.” (Catechism Catholic Church 1941)

Welcome to 2021

Gospel Reflection: 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.

Gospel Focus – Ephphatha: The healing that Jesus works in this passage is perhaps one of the most ‘physical’ of his healing actions. He puts his fingers in the man’s ears and places spittle on his tongue. It is an incredibly intimate contact with a complete stranger and someone regarded as outcast and unclean because of his disabilities. When Jesus speaks the word of healing, Ephphatha (‘Be opened’), he appears to be speaking not only to the man but to all those listening. Be open to the possibility of embracing those you have cast out; be open to a different understanding of Messiah.

Scriptural context – Isaiah’s Prophecy: All three synoptic gospel writers were at pains to demonstrate that Jesus was the fulfilment of the prophecies of the scriptures. This reference to Isaiah’s prophecy appears in all three synoptic gospels. It is perhaps most familiar in the context of the Gospel of Luke, where the gospel writer actually combines it with a different passage from Isaiah and portrays Jesus as reading it in the synagogue as an announcement of his mission (Lk 4: 16-21). It is good to have the Isaiah text as the first reading this week and then see the way it is referred to in the gospel of the day.

Living the Gospel – Open to compassion: When Isaiah described the signs by which the Messiah would be recognised, he identified those people who were isolated from society by their physical afflictions. He portrayed a Messiah who released them from those afflictions and allowed them to re-enter society. That is what Jesus did time and time again. In the healing of the deaf and dumb man, Jesus called on all those around him to also be opened – that their hearts may be opened to compassion. Jesus calls to us through today’s gospel to also be open to compassion and open to the needs of those around us.

Questions: Q. What message emerges from the gospel passage for you? Q. Why did the gospel writer make reference to the passage from Isaiah in the words of the crowd? Q. What might have happened next in the life of the man who was healed? Q. Why was Jesus so keen to keep his actions quiet? © Greg Sunter

In October 2021, the Catholic Church in Australia will gather for the first Plenary Council to be held since the Second Vatican Council. In 2018, the entire People of God in Australia began preparing for this historic moment by listening to God, by listening to one another’s stories of faith.

How did we get here?

More than 222,000 people participated in listening and dialogue encounters and contributed 17,457 submissions during the first stage of preparation for the Australian Plenary Council. The voices of the faithful help all of us to understand something of the historical experience and the current reality of the Catholic Church in Australia. This gathered data also reveals some deeper hopes and questions, and the diverse yearnings, that we are now challenged to consider together.

Visit: www.plenarycouncil.catholic.org.au

Welcome to 2021

A message from the Archdiocese of Sydney: Child sexual abuse is a crime. The appropriate people to deal with a crime are the police. If you, or anyone you know have been abused, please contact the police. Alternatively, you can contact the Safeguarding and Ministerial Integrity Office at (02) 9390 5810 safeguardingenquiries@sydneycatholic.org. You may also want to speak to your Parish Priest who will be able to provide support and guidance. The Archdiocese has a legal obligation to report crimes to the police.