Gospel Reflection 2019
 Sunday 6C
When spoken from the mountaintop in Matthew's Gospel, we can't miss the impression that Jesus is speaking with the authority and voice of God. The mountaintop is a symbol of closeness to God. Those who ascend the mountain see God and speak for God; recall the story of Moses and the Ten Commandments. As Luke introduces the location of Jesus' teaching, Jesus teaches on level ground, alongside the disciples and the crowd. Luke presents Jesus' authority in a different light. He is God among us.

Another distinction found in Luke's version is the audience. Luke's Sermon on the Plain is addressed to Jesus' disciples, although in the presence of the crowd; Matthew's Sermon on the Mount is addressed to the crowd. In keeping with this style, the Beatitudes in Luke's Gospel sound more personal than those in Matthew's Gospel—Luke uses the article “you” whereas Matthew uses “they” or “those.” There is also a difference in number: Matthew describes eight beatitudes; Luke presents just four, each of which has a parallel warning.

The form of the Beatitudes found in Luke's and Matthew's Gospel is not unique to Jesus. Beatitudes are found in the Old Testament, such as in the Psalms and in Wisdom literature. They are a way to teach about who will find favor with God. The word blessed in this context might be translated as “happy,” “fortunate,” or “favored.”

As we listen to this Gospel, the Beatitudes jar our sensibilities. Those who are poor, hungry, weeping, or persecuted are called blessed. This is, indeed, a Gospel of reversals. Those often thought to have been forgotten by God are called blessed. In the list of “woes,” those whom we might ordinarily describe as blessed by God are warned about their peril. Riches, possessions, laughter, reputation . . . these are not things that we can depend upon as sources of eternal happiness. They not only fail to deliver on their promise; our misplaced trust in them will lead to our demise. The ultimate peril is in misidentifying the source of our eternal happiness.

The Beatitudes are often described as a framework for Christian living. Our vocation as Christians is not to be first in this world, but rather to be first in the eyes of God. We are challenged to examine our present situation in the context of our ultimate horizon, the Kingdom of God.

Feb 17 Happy the poor, woe the rich!

   [Updated Feb 13]

Volunteer cleaners anyone ??
Both St John’s and St Joseph’s Churches are looking for volunteers to clean every fortnight. Be involved !! Please help to keep our churches clean. Ring Joan on 9481 7333. Thank you in advance.

Sacramental Program
Our Sacramental Program has now recommenced on Tuesdays, in the Parish Centre behind St John’s Pres-bytery, between the hours of 4 and 5. Enter from Hodgkinson Street and meet with Janice (pronounced Jennice) and Jenny. State School kids are welcome.

Heartbeat of the Church
“Blessed are you when people hate you, ... exclude and insult you and denounce your name ... on account of the Son of Man.” Luke 6:22
All of us have been in situations when someone has made a negative comment or joke about God or our Catholic faith. How did you respond?
Did you stay silent or pretend to go along with the crowd because you didn’t want to cause waves and then, later, you felt bad? Know that God is with you all the time, the Holy Spirit will put the right words in your mouth. Pray for the strength and courage to proclaim our faith to others, especially during uncomfortable situations.

An invitation to a Lenten Retreat
All are welcome to join us for five Monday evenings for our Lenten First Spiritual Exercises (FSE) retreat in daily life. This retreat is a powerful journey that invites the participant into deep experiences of love, forgiveness, healing, and freedom. The First Spiritual Exercises, a series of prayer exer-cises created by St. Ignatius of Loyola, seek to offer assistance to those seeking deep inner peace and a more intimate relationship with our Creator. We would like to offer a “Come and See” evening on Monday, February 25th from 7pm—8.30pm. The retreat will commence on March 11th. Each Monday gathering will be held from 7pm—8:30pm. All are welcome and this is an entirely free event. Please contact Jennifer at 9489 4912 or email <jennifer.jacobs@utoronto.ca> to register.

Weekday Masses
Weekday Masses are as follows :
St John’s —Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9.15 am, Saturdays at 8.30 am.
St Joseph’s—Tuesdays 9am, Wednesdays 8.30am, Thursdays 9am, Fridays 9am, Saturdays at 9am

Gospel according to Luke
Luke’s Gospel this week tells us who God’s favourites are: the people who are poor, who mourn, who face persecution for doing the right thing. Sure, God loves everyone equally, but the Scriptures show time and time again that God’s actions favour the powerless and people who suffer. We know that because God continually sends people – like Moses and Jesus – to help them. Blessed in this Gospel means “favoured”. Jesus tells his disciples that God is working to construct a world that favours the powerless. God’s Reign will change things so that the people on the bottom will have what they need. That’s bad news, he says, to people who abuse power, don’t share wealth, or cause others pain.

WORLDWIDE MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER WEEKEND
Invest in your most precious asset......Your Marriage!
Forget life’s tensions and interruptions and rekindle the closeness, intimacy, love and romance that brought you together. Recharge your relationship batteries and explore the precious nature of your marriage, allowing you both to share your feelings, hopes and dreams with each other in ways that nor-mal, daily living tends to inhibit.
There is no group sharing. Couples and a priest present the weekend. It is based around Catholic values but couples of all faiths are welcome.
2019 weekend dates: 29-31 March , 31 May-2 June 2019, 23-25 August, and 15-17 November, 2019
Starts 7pm on Friday. Ends 5pm Sunday. Accommoda-tion and all meals provided.
Info/Bookings: PH: Mercy and James 0409 183 676 Email: vicbookings@wwme.org.au Website:www.wwme.org.au