Gospel Reflection: Matthew 13:24 - 30

Let them grow together until the harvest.

Today’s gospel features a parable about the kingdom: the weeds in the field. This is a fascinating parable about something undesirable or unwanted being mixed in with something that is apparently good – and Jesus presents the parable as a description of what the kingdom of heaven is like.

Let’s look at the imagery of the parable. Darnel is a weed that looks exactly like wheat while it is growing. Only once the ears have formed can it be distinguished from the wheat. It is a malicious prank to sow darnel among wheat.

To describe the kingdom of God in this way may seem a bit odd. Can the kingdom of God be a ‘corrupting’ or ‘souring’ or ‘irritating’ influence? The kingdom message of Jesus can be seen as a corrupting force in that it set about corrupting and destroying what was a flawed system. The parable also demonstrates that it only takes a tiny amount of this ‘corrupting’ influence to have a dramatic effect (adapted Greg Sunter).

SACRAMENT OF EUCHARIST

Nominations are now closed for the Sacrament of Eucharist. If you did not nominate your child and you now wish to, please contact the Parish immediately on the following email TuggeranongSouth.Sacraments@cg.org.au.

The next steps are your attendance at one of the following information evenings (please note the different times each night). Both evening will be held at Holy Family Church. Children do not need to attend but are welcome. 

WEDNESDAY 26th July @ 5:30pm

OR 

THURSDAY 27th July @7pm

You will receive all the information you need at this evening to help support your child throughout their Sacrament preparation.

World Youth Day

Next Wednesday I am travelling to Lisbon in Portugal to be part of the leadership team that heads the World Youth Day Pilgrimage for the Archdiocese of Canberra Goulburn. There are 22 young teachers and youth ministers who will be travelling alongside myself, Lee Herden from CE and Christian Nobleza from the Archdiocese, Fr Eden and Archbishop Christopher through Spain and onto Lisbon in Portugal.

We will be visiting many sacred sites along the way, journeying directly to the heart of Spain and onto the medieval walled city of Avila in honour of St Teresa. we will then visit the sacred shrine of Fatima, where in 1917 the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to three children as ‘a lady in white’. After Fatima we travel to join the youth of the world in Lisbon for the 16th International World Youth Day – for a week of prayer, worship and celebration, in the company of Pope Francis.

World Youth Day (WYD) is a worldwide encounter with the Pope celebrated about every three years in a different country. WYD is open to all young people who want to take part in a festive encounter centered on Jesus Christ together with their peers. This event is an opportunity to personally experience the universality of the Catholic Church, and to share with the whole world the hope of many young people who are committing their lives to Christ and His Church.

World Youth Day is a unique way to deepen my faith and grow closer to Christ, through prayer and the sacraments, together with hundreds of thousands of other young people and I am very excited. I will be away until the 13th August and will leave a very capable Amanda Ducker in the Acting REC role, so if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact her via email or at school.  

Have a wonderful week and please pray for me while I am away.

Sharee Thomas