Archive: 27th Sunday OT
In today’s Gospel, Pharisees ask Jesus if it is against the law for a man to divorce his wife. When Jesus asks his interrogators what Moses commanded, they reply that Moses permitted it. The Law allowed divorce to the male partner provided that he safeguarded the woman’s interest by giving her a writ of dismissal, which freed her to marry again (Deut 24:1-4). What the law did not settle was in what circumstances divorce was legal.
Divorce was man’s prerogative. A woman could sue, asking the court to compel her husband to divorce her; but it was he who divorced her. There was little agreement about the grounds for divorce. The strict school of Shammai interpreted the only ground to be adultery; the lax school of Hillel allowed a man to divorce his wife for trivial causes – if she displeased him, “even if she spoiled a dish for him.” Divorce was common in the time of Jesus, and marriage offered little security for a woman who could be dismissed at her husband’s whim. Jesus seeks to change all that.
In this answer to the Pharisees Jesus does not question the validity of the Law of Moses, but claims that is was a concession t human sinfulness. He recalls God’s original plan for marriage, revealed in Genesis: that man and woman be untired in an indissoluble bond. For Jesus, what God intended from the beginning is the norm for every marriage. And in attempting to restore marriage to a serious life-long commitment, Jesus’ argument also protects the woman from being treated as a disposable possession of her husband.
In the world where marriage was taken lightly because divorce was easy, Jesus calls everyone back to the beginning to uncover the plan of God. It is an invitation for man and woman to see their commitment to each other in the light of God’s seeing. This is not to punish people with idealism, but invite them to live in loyalty to God’s original call.
Things do go terribly wrong. People do make mistakes. Infidelities do happen. Hurt does appear. Spouses do become victims and oppressors. Endless silences do happen. Marriages do collapse.
The Church does try to make provision for human failure and inadequacy, even if the help seems to many to be slow in coming.
Yet, the Church must submit to the vision of Jesus, and that vision remains the norm. Because we believe that marriage is a sacrament, we refuse to see it as a casual experiment for adventurous people.
In recalling Genesis, Jesus invites all of us to catch up with our beginning.
Fr. Denis McBride c.s.s.r
HOLY HOUR
– this Sunday at 5pm
YOUTH MASS
Next Saturday 10 October at 5pm – This Monday and Wednesday 7pm – practices in the church.
Season of Creation:
Next Saturday 10 October – Dawn Service 7am, a short service giving thanks for God’s Creation. At the park by council buildings,
40 Coles Crescent Papakura. (wet weather venue Christ Church Papakura)
Insert today: Master Plan – Update 2 Next Meeting: Tuesday 13 Oct, Ryder Rm, 7pm.
St Mary’s Site Development Blog – http://stmaryspapakura.blogspot.co.nz/
Introductory RE classes will be held during term 4 – For children who do not attend a Catholic School who wish to prepare for the Sacraments of Baptism or First Communion and Confirmation,
Mondays 4.15 – 5pm, Fr Ryder Rm. Please contact Barbara 299 8070. 027 476 1419, lees@slingshot.co.nz
Monday Evening Discussion Group on Pope Francis’ Encyclical on Creation –share in reading Pope Francis encyclical in a friendly relaxed environment. If you would like to discuss its implications for our lives as modern Catholics in 2015, we will meet 7.30-8.30pm Mondays, Ryder Rm – continues this week.
A welcome home for a time and congratulations to Rebecca Archer who recently made her first profession of vows.
Parish Events/Fundraising:
Parish Art & Craft Sale and Big Day Out – Saturday 28 November 2015 – 9am to 4pm. To participate, please get your booking slip and payment (from the back of the flier) in to the parish office as soon as possible. Spaces allocated on a ‘first in, first served’ basis. Plenty of table space under cover. Enjoy being creative! Celebrate our Parish community!’
- Samosa – all orders should have been collected from the Ryder Rm this Saturday or see organisers in the foyer today, or contact Charmaine Tolich 0274800418.
- Save the Date! A ‘Social’ here at St Mary’s Hall on Saturday 7 November, to raise funds for the parish building projects. Tickets $10 include supper, BYO drinks. Live music, good food – come mix and mingle, have fun. Details/tickets: Telesia 0210472069/2965108.
- Tickets: Hilda 0273718228 or Pandora 0272982327.
Parish Groups:
Children’s Liturgy –children 4 – 8yrs, Sundays 10.30am Mass.
Holy Rosary – 8.30am weekdays
Divine Office- Morning Prayer of the Church, Tuesdays 8.10am
The statue of Our Lady is available for families, your name to the list in the foyeror ph Jean 2965486
Stations of the Cross – 5pm Fridays. Michael ph 298 9295
Legion of Mary – Tuesdays 5.30pm in the hall committee room.
Medjugorje prayer meetings: Mondays, 4pm @ 2/1 Clark Rd, Joseph 2982297.
Mothers Prayers. Wednesdays 1-3pm – Ryder Rm, Jean Keown 2984502.
Music for Mass: Choir practices Wednesdays at 7pm, to join please contact Judith ph 2681884
Meditation Groups: Tuesdays 9.40am Fr Ryder Rm.
Tuesdays 5pm – 8A Ashdown Place, Bev 2989943 Thursdays 7.30pm, 51A Willis Rd, Richard 9088566
St Vincent de Paul Office Mary 2984622 Shop ph 2965052
Knitting group each 2nd & 4th Tuesday – 1-3 pm Ryder Rm. Jenny ph 2977292 .
English classes Thursdays, Ryder Rm at 10am, Jenny ph 2977292
Playgroup – Wednesday mornings 9am – 12noon, hall.
Exercise Classes – Tuesdays/Thursdays Parish Hall 10-11am – low impact exercise while seated or standing,
Working Bee Group – help around your home – gardening, cleaning etc ph Lavinia Tuila 0211875889
Kieran Fouhy speaking on “The things in life I’ve learnt that are truly important” at the St. Columba Centre in Ponsonby on Tuesday 13 October. 6pm to 7.15pm. Principal of St. Peter’s College for the last 27 years and has had 45 years of teaching and leadership experience in Catholic education. Free event: limited to 100 people, registration is essential – email Akld.CCN.Express@gmail.com
Jubilee Bursaries for University theological education
APPLICATIONS INVITED for Semester 1, 2016 applications close FRIDAY 13 November 2015
Applicants must be Catholics making a contribution to the mission of the Catholic Church in the Auckland Diocese. The bursaries are a contribution toward university fees for theology courses.
For information and an application pack please contact:
Michelle Jarvis michellej@cda.org.nz Ph:(09)360-3091 Catholic Schools Office
Accounting Assistant – Pompallier Centre – Fixed Term – six month fixed term period of up to 25- 30 hours per week to provide accounting support to the Financial Accountant and Finance Team in the Diocesan Catholic Office. Key Tasks include Cash receipting; Banking; Bank Reconciliations; Debtors ledger processing; Prompt invoice payment processing; General Ledger reconciliations.
Ideally applicants should have relevant accounting knowledge and experience, good organisational skills with strong attention to detail, excellent written and oral communication skills and be a team player with integrity and dependability. Please send a cover letter and CV to Leanne Killgour, People Support & Development,leannek@cda.org.nz. Information on the Catholic Diocese of Auckland or to view the full job description please visit www.aucklandcatholic.org.nz under staff vacancies.
Applications close 16 October 2015.