Milk & Honey–Trish McCarthy–Peace (Trish has been thinking about being at peace with oneself and with the world. It prompted me to ask the question. Am I living in such a way that I experience being at peace with myself and at peace with the world that God created for me? This doesn't just relate to my spiritual journey, but overflows into my physical life as well. The food we eat, our physical activities, or our relationships. Sit still long enough today and ask God to fill you with his peace, a peace the world cannot give. And in doing so, seek to transfer that peace into everyday living.)

On The Journey This Week: Fr Robert Reidling’s gospel reflection on our personal slavery. Plus, Mother Hilda with a true story of an intellectually and physically disabled woman’s creative artwork, Fr Mike Delaney is starting anew by searching for people wanting spiritual friendship and love, Trish McCarthy calls for us to be at peace with oneself and with the world, and Pete Gilmore says we wouldn’t run our car on empty so why run our spiritual life on empty?

Gospel Reflection–Fr Robert Riedling–Being Christian Slaves (When we hear the word slave or slavery, most of us think of traditional images of people taken from their homelands or with people who are working close to slavery conditions. Something which doesn't impact our lives directly. But when Jesus talks about slavery, it is something different to those traditional understandings. We can be a slave to money, or many other things, like alcohol or gambling, power, influence or popularity, a slave to those things that own us, and we don't own them. What we are called to do as Christians is to live a balanced life. seek to pursue the glory of God through the way we live our lives as a Christian people. Being slaves to God in the sense that we give glory to God, in everything we say and everything we do.)

God in the Everyday–Fr Mike Delaney–Starting Anew (After being a participating Church in a recent Billy Graham Evangelistic Association tour in Tasmania, Fr Mike wonders what would happen if we went looking for people who were spiritually lost. The Gospel parable was easy – looking for a lost sheep, a lost drachma, a lost son – we know what they look like. The person next door or family member might not appear to be lost so we don’t think of helping them or looking for them. What would happen if we actually went looking? If we spoke to them and asked if they would like to join us for an Alpha experience or some other event where there is a focus on Jesus and his love? Or perhaps if we just reached out to them in friendship and love?)

Living the Gospel–Pete Gilmore–Don’t Run Your Car on Empty (Pete doesn’t know a lot about cars, but one thing he knows is that you should never do is let your car run on an empty tank too often otherwise the sediment at the bottom of the tank to be sucked up by the fuel line and cause damage to the car. We're not too dissimilar to cars. In the letter to the Ephesians, Paul pleads with us to “keep being filled with the Holy Spirit.” In the book of Acts, the author constantly reminds us that almost any time someone speaks, it's because they've just been filled with the Holy Spirit. There's no better time to visit the faith petrol station for a top up right now, wherever you are you can pray this prayer in Jesus’ name, “Come, Holy Spirit. Amen.”)

Wisdom from the Abbey–Mother Hilda–Giver of Life (Mother Hilda uses a little primary school student’s experience on a school excursion to see that we're surrounded by the life of God. Even down to the smallest mosquito. It too has life given to it by God. Mother Hilda’s challenge is to make yourself an observer of creation and life this week, because God is always and ultimately the giver of life and see how much life there is all around you, over which you absolutely no control.)

Faith Testimony–Ann Byrne (Darwin NT) Ann talks about her life and faith journey to become a National Evangelisation Team member with Journey Editor Max Norden. Ann’s experience participating in NET events as a student in the Northern Territory creates her desire to join the team and share her faith with others)

The Bush Deacon–Josh Clayton–Firepits (Josh has been pondering why firepits draw us in to the experience of sitting around one, staring in silence at the dancing flames. It's a little bit like when we take time for silent prayer. Where we just allow ourselves to be in the moment, to not be rushed, to not talk, but to just be silent and be with God. Jesus did that a lot. He went away to his quiet place went away and took time away from everyone else. In our world that is so loud and so busy, maybe we all just need a little bit more silence. Maybe we all just need a few more fire pits in our lives, the times to sit and look at those flames and hear what God is saying to us. God will talk to you more than you probably realise or even expect.)

Gospel Reflection–Fr Joseph Murphy–Leading Us Home (Jesus eats and drinks with sinners, and when the scribes and Pharisees complain he tells them the parable about the shepherd who goes in search of the one lost sheep. Our Lord Jesus says that there is more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner, just as this shepherd would rejoice over finding this one lost sheep. This gospel is meant for us. Whatever our past. Whatever our current circumstances. Our God, the True Shepherd is searching for us, and he wants to lead each of us home. No one is beyond the forgiveness and the mercy of God.)

God in the Everyday–Fr Mike Delaney–Dining Out (a birthday celebration lunch and tasting wines from 6 different winemakers amazes Fr Mike how the 6 winemakers created something different from the same starting point. Even in daily life, give a group of people the same problem to solve and provide them with the same resources and we can have a vast number of different solutions. God has given each of us a variety of gifts and talents and allows us to use them to the best of our ability – or not! The six wine makers, you – all of us can be challenged to do something new or different. And what does it matter if what I do or achieve is different from what you might try. The opposite of trying is not failing – it is never having a go. So, a good question might be - what ‘wine’ can you make from the opportunities you’ve been given today?)