Jude Hennessy interviews Fr Tony Percy about his book: Australia: What Went Right, What Went Wrong.

The Call–Fr Dave Callaghan MGL–My Sheep Listen To My Voice (Jesus says that his sheep, his followers, listen to his voice and do not listen to the voice of the stranger. Fr Dave says that there are only two voices that can direct us, the voice of the shepherd, or the voice of fear. The voice of fear is very subtle and presents itself as the voice of reason. It is the voice that calls us to self-preservation, always looking to keep ourselves safe, it twists the truth of the gospel message to validate its message of fear. We need to learn to recognise that the voice of the shepherd is completely different. The shepherd wants to lead us through our fear to the path of life. Jesus promises us that he will lead us along a path that involves facing our fear as he leads us to our true destiny.)

Wisdom from the Abbey–Mother Hilda–How Green Was My Valley (Mother Hilda remembers old film of many years ago called How Green Was My Valley, the story of a mining family in Wales and the eventual demise of their way of life. Hard economic times result in the breakup of the family, with the older sons leaving Wales for jobs overseas. The youngest son, an 8-year-old, tries to comfort his father. Mother Hilda thinks it’s a bit like that with God and us. In the middle of the horrors of this present world, it is our little works of goodness, our acts of kindness, our acts of consideration, our prayer have the power to console the heart of God. This week let's do thinks that will console the heart of God.)

On The Journey This Week: Fr Benedict Mackenzie FSF says that we are all called to be Jesus’ labourers, to be shepherds to the lost sheep. Mother Hilda tells how to console God’s heart, and Jude Hennessy interviews Fr Tony Percy about his book: Australia: What Went Right, What Went Wrong.

Gospel Reflection–Fr Benedict Mackenzie FSF (Parramatta)–Called to be His Shepherds (In today’s Gospel we see the apostles embrace the vocation, the calling that God gives to them. We see them make a lifelong commitment to imitating the holiness of Jesus and imitating his service of his people. They were not born apostles, they responded to the call of Jesus to take up that role, and become apostles out of love for Jesus. We all get what they got, an invitation to a way of life from the Lord to which we can freely say yes or no. The Lord invites us to be a shepherd of his flock, a role of generosity that is focused on him, upon service of his sheep, and upon love of our neighbour.)

Gospel Reflection–Mons Graham Schmitzer–The New Covenant (Mons Graham says today’s Gospel response by Jesus to the questions raised by the Pharisees and Scribes is his calling of the new covenant between God and his people. On Mt Sinai God sealed the original covenant with Moses with the flesh and blood of animals and then sustained the chosen people with manna during their desert journey. Jesus proclaims that he is the new covenant between God and his people, sealed not with the life of sacrificed animals but his own life, his own flesh and blood. To sustain us on our journey to the promised land, heaven, Christ offers himself as our manna from heaven. We are never alone on our journey; Jesus is there with us every day to accompany us)

On The Journey This Week: Mons. Graham Schmitzer’s Gospel reflection on Corpus Christi and the new covenant. Mother Hilda is seeing patterns in everything around her. Plus, Fr Mike Delaney on alarm clocks and parish change, Trish McCarthy and the way God speaks in metaphors and Fr Dave Callaghan and Jesus’ call for us to trust like little children.

God in the Everyday–Fr Mike Delaney– My Alarm (Fr Mike sees God in the everyday in many and varied ways. In today’s episode it’s his alarm clock, or rather the Amazon Echo that he uses as an alarm clock. Thursday mornings are an early start for Fr Mike, 3:50am, so that he can participate in a weekly webinar on parish renewal through the Rebuilt Parish Association from the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Recently one of the weekly webinars was cancelled but Fr Mike forgot to cancel his early morning alarm. This oversight reminded him of why he developed his interest in parish renewal, that it’s about changing some/many of our previous behaviours. Effecting change will always involve doing things that cause discomfort or as it is so often called – a holy disquiet. Fr Mike says that next time a webinar is cancelled I hope I remember to also cancel the alarm, but I intend to never stop looking at what is happening around me and accepting the challenges that any change will ask of me.)

Milk & Honey–Trish McCarthy–God Speaks in Metaphors (Figures of speech are found in abundance in the scriptures and serve Jesus well when seeking to link an unknown domain to something familiar. The Kingdom of heaven is like featured highly in Jesus's conversations. These figures of speech are based on words or phrases used in ways that transcend their literal meaning. I am the vine; you are the branches is a metaphor that speaks to the vital life-giving connexion between creator and created. It is one thing to hear words in scripture, conversations, or teachings, that make these links for us, but sometimes God also speaks the language of the heart. The experiences of life have their own language inscribed by God that tells us something of the mystery of God working in our life. You might like to explore the unique way God speaks to you this week.)

Wisdom from the Abbey–Mother Hilda–Looking for Patterns (Mother Hilda has been seeing patterns everywhere. In Sudoku, picking out a four-leaf clover in a bunch of clover, even in the slate floors at the Abbey. There are patents of God everywhere too. His pattern is to respond with kindness, understanding, forgiveness all woven into a personal drawing that is love for you. Like the slate floors, he does it in many and varied ways, and you can count on it. Look for God’s patterns in your life today.)