NEWS FROM THE RELIGIOUS EDUCATION COORDINATOR'S DESK
Proverbs 19:17
Another wonderful effort by our school community in fundraising for the Vinnies Van and St Vincent de Paul. When Kelly collected the items she was impressed by the amount she was able to take back to Coniston in preparation for the Christmas Hampers to be distributed. And as you can see from the photo, our local SVdP conference has a substantial amount of items that will be distributed in our local area. We have helped to add some ‘sunshine’ to someone’s ‘gloomy’ life.
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Sunday 6 December 2020 Second Sunday of Advent |
In the wilderness God's salvation comes to a broken people. In the midst of what is seemingly an impossible situation, hope emerges with vigour. In this context, hope is an openness to surprise, the surprise that God is in no way limited to the imaginings of human minds and the consequences of human history. This is the kind of hope that is proclaimed in the wilderness by John; it is the kind of hope that trusts that from the impossible, God can work a new creation. There is something of a time warp in Christianity. What is future, is made present. The prophetic oracle announces the future as if it is already happening. This sense of the future-present prompts new ways of living. As the future takes root in human lives, the present is transformed into a new creation and the Day of the Lord appears. God's future comes through the wilderness into the broken city and inspires a broken-hearted people. The contrite heart is a broken heart, an emptied-out heart, a hope-filled heart. It is a heart that is unencumbered by the past and that lives currently in the passing of time and the fragility of being alive. The contrite, broken heart can be filled only by what is promised in the future. This is the paradox of Advent. In the middle of the wilderness, God works the impossible in those whose hearts are ready for the surprise of hope. © Dianne Bergant CSA |
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Sunday 13 December 2020 Third Sunday of Advent |
Traditionally, the third Sunday of Advent is called Gaudete Sunday, the Sunday of Joy. The joy of this Sunday comes both from the message of the readings and from the anticipation that Christmas is nearing. As described in the Isaian passage, the Messiah is the one imbued with the spirit and with the power of the prophet, the one who will fulfill the promises of God. It becomes obvious in the Gospel that the Messiah is the one proclaimed by the Baptist. John cleared a path for the coming of the anointed one, and from that time on the lives of believers have been the pathway through which the Messiah has entered the world. © Dianne Bergant CSA |
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Sunday 20 December 2020 Fourth Sunday of Advent |
The world in which we live and the events of which we are a part are the stage upon which the drama of salvation is enacted. God works through real flesh and blood people, those like David, who occupy the seats of power and influence as well as those like Mary and us, who are unseen and unknown. All can be agents of salvation. God’s future is in our hands. Human history is really the history of salvation. Each turn of God’s revealing, causes us to wonder at what might come next. In this tension, mystery is revealed. What was hidden is now made known. Jesus establishes a people of covenant promise. Still, the mystery is unknown, for it continues to come to us from the future, revealing more and more of itself in the junctures of history. The waiting of Advent is over. In the face of the impossible, God works the possible. During Advent, we have been waiting for the realisation of the promise made to David. We have been waiting for Mary’s 'yes'. With this 'yes', hope is enlivened, and history is changed. There is an unimaginable future for all people, a future that comes from God. Salvation is created among us, and the fate of history is altered by a godly presence. This salvation resides in the hearts of those who believe in the gift, and who stay awake eagerly to know its coming. With David we await it, with the nations we long for it, with Mary we behold it. © Dianne Bergant CSA |
THE ADVENT PAUSE
Our habits to consume are very strong. They are reinforced by our culture that tells us that our happiness is dependent on owning the latest gadget, product, or experience. To break this consumerist habit, we need to become aware of this internal energy to consume, so that we don’t blindly follow it. This is a contemplative practice – to begin to see how the market and cultural forces shape our interior world.
- Notice your internal impulse to buy more, to eat more, to do more things that are not essential. This can be owning the latest electronic gadgets and buying the trendiest clothes. It can also be over-consuming more information or social media than is necessary, eating (and often wasting) too much food, or trying to pack in too many activities. It might feel like a subtle tug or pull in the body which we are conditioned to give into. This is normal and natural, but it doesn’t mean you have to follow the tug to consume more than you need.
- Pause and take a breath. Then find a phrase to ground you such as “Less is more”, “Jesus is the reason” or even “Do I need to get/do this?” in order to remind you of your commitment to not over-consume and to keep your eyes on Jesus.
- Make a choice based on your commitment to live simply, in order to create space and time to focus on what is essential: God, relationships, service, and caring for our earth community.
Thank you for all the support you have given to the faith development of your children and the generosity shown in advocating and reaching out to our most vulnerable.
I am looking forward to another great year in 2021!
Anna Arthur-Worsop
Religious Education Coordinator