This Sunday's Gospel passage (Mt 14:22-33) speaks of Jesus walking on the water of the stormy lake. During the crossing of the lake by night, the disciples' boat is hindered by a sudden wind storm. At a certain point, they see someone walking on the water, coming toward them. Upset, they think it is a ghost and cry out in fear. Jesus reassures them: “Take heart, it is I; have no fear”. Then Peter answers: “Lord, if it is you, bid me come to you on the water”. Jesus tells him: “Come”. Peter gets out of the boat and takes a few steps; then the wind and waves frighten him and he begins to sink. “Lord, save me”, he cries and Jesus grasps him by the hand and says to him: “O man of little faith, why did you doubt?”. This Gospel story is an invitation to abandon ourselves trustingly to God in every moment of our life, especially in the moment of trial and turmoil. When we have strong feelings of doubt and fear and we seem to be sinking, in life’s difficult moments where everything becomes dark, we must not be ashamed to cry out like Peter: “Lord, save me”. May the intercession of Mary help us to persevere in faith and love when the darkness and storms of life place our trust in God in crisis.

This week at Holy Spirit we value hospitality which is about opening one’s home and heart to those who need a place to belong. Hospitality is at the heart of many of the gospel stories. Being kind, generous and welcoming to our friends, family and those we know is easy. It takes courage to welcome or help the stranger by extending hospitality to those in need. This week, we pray that our students recognise the needs of others and be generous toward others, especially those who need help. 

Yesterday was the Feast Day of St Mary of the Cross, Australia’s first saint, Mary MacKillop. Mary Helen MacKillop was born in Fitzroy, Melbourne on January 15, 1842. Together with Fr Tenison Woods, Mary founded the Congregation of the Sisters of St Joseph in 1867, an Order dedicated to the education of poor children. By 1891, there were three hundred sisters working in nine dioceses in Australia and New Zealand. An ordinary Australian woman, yet a woman of heroic holiness, goodness, warmth and determination, Mary died on August 8, 1909. On October 17, 2010 Mary MacKillop, Saint Mary of the Cross, was declared a Saint by Pope Benedict XVI. One of her best-known sayings is ‘Find happiness in making others happy!’

Next Tuesday, August 15, the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast Day of the  Assumption of Our Lady when according to our faith, the Holy Mother, “having completed her course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory”. Although defined as an article of faith by Pope Pius XII just over half a century ago, the Assumption of Our Lady into heaven has been accepted from back to the earliest of Christian times. The Assumption signals the end of Mary’s earthly life and marks her return to heaven to be reunited with Jesus. The Feast of the Assumption gives each of us great hope as we contemplate this one facet of the beautiful woman of faith, our Blessed Mother.  Mary moves us by example and prayer to grow in God’s grace, to be receptive to His will, to convert our lives through sacrifice and penance, and seek that everlasting union in the Heavenly Kingdom.

Father in heaven,
All creation rightly gives you praise,
For all life and all holiness come from you.
In the plan of your wisdom
she who bore the Christ in her womb
was raised body and soul in glory to be with him in heaven.
May we follow her example in reflecting your holiness
and join in her hymn of endless love and praise.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen

God bless.
Caroline Fuller