Fifteenth Sunday of the Year

When Jesus is with people something always important is happening. He uses their language to communicate something about God and about ourselves. Jesus refers to the openness of heart to the message of God’s reign with various descriptions of soil. Jesus’ hearers expected God’s kingdom to be the restoration of Israel to great political and economic power; the Messiah would be a great warrior-king who would lead Israel to this triumph.  Jesus’ parables subtly and delicately led people, without crushing or disillusioning them, to rethink their concept of the Reign of God. The parable of the Sower teaches that the fruitfulness of the seed (God's word) depends on the soil being open (the human heart’s willingness to embrace it).

The ERCJE team is proud to have attended the #ComingTogetherForYes rally held by Yes23au to celebrate the beginning of NAIDOC (National Aboriginal and Islander Day Observance Committee) Week this weekend.

Fourteenth Sunday of the Year

Today’s readings capture the spirit and thoughts of Pope Francis in Laudato si’ and Fratelli tutti that point out the unity of all creation and humankind. All celebrate unequivocal peace as opposed to war and disregard for and destruction of Mother Earth.  In the first reading, God is described as completely opposed to war where the chariots from Ephraim and warhorses from Jerusalem need to be banished and the warrior’s bow (weapons) will be banished from all nations, not just Jerusalem. The responsorial psalm speaks of God’s mercy and compassion for all creatures and not to just one race or nation.