GOSPEL: John 20:19-23
In the evening of that same day, the first day of the week, the doors were closed in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, 'Peace be with you,' and, after saying this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy at seeing the Lord, and he said to them again, 'Peace be with you. 'As the Father sent me, so am I sending you.' After saying this he breathed on them and said: Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone's sins, they are forgiven; if you retain anyone's sins, they are retained.

REFLECTION
This Gospel begins by describing how Jesus’ disciples had locked themselves in a room. They were afraid of the Jews. Imagine this scene! Here are eleven grown men locked in a fairly small room, fearful of what might happen to them. So much for Jesus’ “brave disciples.”

Then Jesus quietly appears in their midst. Did they rub their eyes wondering if something was wrong with their eyesight? Did they think they were going crazy when they saw Jesus? Did they immediately recognize that this apparition was Jesus, their beloved friend and teacher?

Jesus quietly and simply said to his beloved friends and disciples: “Peace be with you.” I suspect that the primary emotion the disciples experienced when they saw this apparition was not “peace.” Rather, I assume that they felt shock, fear, disbelief, astonishment and perhaps hope. Did they ask themselves: How could this be? Is this real? Is Jesus truly here with us?

Then Jesus showed his beloved friends his hands and his side. Did Jesus do this so they would know and believe that Jesus truly was in their midst? I suspect that the disciples needed some proof that this apparition truly was Jesus, their teacher and friend. Yet as they began to absorb the fact that Jesus truly was with them once again, they rejoiced. They were awed and amazed!

Jesus once again said to his disciples: “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” Did the disciples experience peace envelop them when Jesus spoke these simple yet powerful words? Jesus then breathed on them and said: “Receive the Holy Spirit! Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained!”

Take a moment and hear Jesus say to you: “Peace be with you (your name)! Then quietly breathe in Jesus’ gift of peace for 3-4 minutes! Allow Jesus’ peace to envelop you, to fill you! (Do it, don’t just read the sentence and move on!)

What was your experience? Do you feel Jesus’ peace within you? Do you feel less stressed or worried? Jesus gives us the gift of peace every day! However, we have to consciously accept and absorb His peace! If we do this every day, we may find that we are more peaceful, relaxed and joyful! (Sr Kristine Anne Harpenau) 

MASS SERVICES
Mass services at St Augustine's Church have recommenced. The following information has been provided by the Presbytery.

This weekend we begin a new phase of gathering after lockdown and we will return to our normal timetable. There will be Mass on Saturday morning at 9am, especially for older parishioners. A Vigil Mass will be held at 6pm and Sunday morning at 10:15am, both held in St. Augustine’s. Until we are permitted 100 at gatherings, this week will be for those with surnames A-M and the following weekend, N-Z. Those distributing Holy Communion will need to sanitise hands before and after distribution. Collection baskets will be handled only by those collecting. There will be no need to put your names down for weekday, Wednesday 5:30pm, Thursday 7:30pm and Friday 12noon. Mass at Gunning will be at the usual time, 8:30am Sunday.

NATIONAL RECONCILIATION WEEK
On Monday our school commenced the celebration of National Reconciliation Week with a special prayer service prepared by our Aboriginal Contact Teacher, Mrs Sheree Shoring. It was a wonderful time to reflect on the achievements Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have made, and yet a timely reminder of the work we still need to do for a fair and equitable future. The theme for National Reconciliation Week in 2020 is In This Together!

ORDINARY TIME
Now that Easter has concluded, we return to Ordinary Time in the Liturgical Calendar.

Ordinary Time is called "ordinary" not because it is common but simply because the weeks of Ordinary Time are numbered. The Latin word ordinalis, which refers to numbers in a series, stems from the Latin word ordo, from which we get the English word order. Thus, the numbered weeks of Ordinary Time, in fact, represent the ordered life of the Church—the period in which we live our lives neither in feasting (as in the Christmas and Easter seasons) or in more severe penance (as in Advent and Lent), but in watchfulness and expectation of the Second Coming of Christ.

Thus for Catholics, Ordinary Time is the part of the year in which Christ, the Lamb of God, walks among us and transforms our lives. There's nothing "ordinary" about that! https://www.learnreligions.com/ordinary-time-in-the-catholic-church-542442

God Bless,
Warren Ziebowski
Religious Education Coordinator