GOSPEL
Jerusalem Bible © 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday & Company Inc.
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘I am telling you not to worry about your life and what you are to eat, nor about your body and how you are to clothe it. Surely life means more than food, and the body more than clothing! Look at the birds in the sky. They do not sow or reap or gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they are? Can any of you, for all his worrying, add one single cubit to his span of life? And why worry about clothing? Think of the flowers growing in the fields; they never have to work or spin; yet I assure you that not even Solomon in all his regalia was robed like one of these. Now if that is how God clothes the grass in the field which is there today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, will he not much more look after you, you men of little faith? So do not worry; do not say, “What are we to eat? What are we to drink? How are we to be clothed?” It is the pagans who set their hearts on all these things. Your heavenly Father knows you need them all. Set your hearts on his kingdom first, and on his righteousness, and all these other things will be given you as well. So do not worry about tomorrow: tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.’
(Matthew 6:25–34)
DID YOU KNOW?
Points of interest and Catholic lore
- A cubit was a measure of length used by many ancient cultures. It was based on the length of an arm from the elbow to the top of the middle finger and was 18 inches or 457 millimetres. The word itself is derived from the Latin cubitum, for ‘elbow’.
- Solomon was the son of the great King David and he ruled after David’s death. His reign represents the high point of Israel’s history, a time of peace and prosperity. He was renowned for his great wisdom and wealth. After his death, civil war erupted, and ultimately his kingdom was divided into two: the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah.
- St Mary of the Cross is Australia’s first saint, canonised by Pope Benedict XVI on the 17 October 2010.
- Sister Mary of the Cross was the religious name chosen by Mary MacKillop when she dedicated herself to God.
- Australia has two patrons. One is St Mary of the Cross, who we celebrate today. The other is Our Lady Help of Christians, whose feast day occurs on 24 May.
EXPLORING THE WORD
As you know, the gospel texts for Year B normally come from the Gospel of Mark, but this week a text from Matthew is used because of the special feast that is commemorated today, 8 August, which may or may not fall on a Sunday. This particular text from Matthew is chosen because it speaks so well to St Mary of the Cross and her overarching vision for her ministry: that God would provide what was needed for her important work, especially among the rural poor, to thrive and prosper. In this text, Matthew reminds his community that they should not overly concern themselves with the material world. To do so is to be distracted from those things that are far more important. ‘Set your hearts on his kingdom first, and his righteousness, and all these other things will be given you as well.’ If God provides all that is needed for the birds of the air and the flowers of the fields, surely he will provide everything for those who follow the way of truth and faith. Excessive concern for material comfort, wealth or splendour will not ensure salvation. Only trusting in God and setting our hearts on the kingdom will achieve this lofty result. Do not be distracted by the things of the world!
- In what ways do you experience God providing all that you need?
- What inspiration to faith can be found in contemplating the wonders of God’s creation?
- ‘Surely life means more than food, and the body more than clothing!’ At this point on your journey, how would you describe the purpose of life?
MAKING CONNECTIONS
Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer
- ‘What are the important things in your life? What do you ‘set your heart on’?
- How easy or difficult do you find it to rely on God to provide all that you need? What is it that you really need?
- Have you ever been in a situation where you were totally reliant on someone else? What were the circumstances? How did that make you feel? Share your reflections.
- How do you feel if you are not able to control what is happening around you?
- This week, make time to find a quiet space. Sit in the silence and surrender yourself to God. Allow God to fill all the needs you have.
- Use today’s collect as your prayer this week:
O God, source of all goodness. You have shown us in Saint Mary a woman of faith, living by the power of the Cross. Teach us by her example to live the Gospel in changing times and to respect and defend the human dignity of all in our land.
SHARING THE TRADITION
A closer look at the Scripture of the day, to see how it makes more explicit God’s word to us through the teachings of Jesus Christ
Mary Helen MacKillop was born in Melbourne on 15 January 1842 of Scottish parents and was the eldest of eight children. The family struggled financially, and Mary began work as a clerk at the age of 14 to help provide for her family. In 1860, she took a job as a governess at her aunt and uncle’s property in Penola, South Australia. Her duties included the education of her cousins and the children of farm workers. It was here that she first encountered Fr Julian Tenison-Woods, the parish priest of the area. After two years, Mary accepted a teaching job in Portland, Victoria, and two years later began her own boarding school for girls, where she was joined by her family. She returned to Penola at the request of Fr Woods and established a school with her sisters. At this time, she formally dedicated her life to God. In November 1866, Mary and her sisters were joined by several other women, and the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart were born. She and Fr Woods developed a ‘Rule of Life’ for the community emphasising poverty, a reliance on divine providence, no ownership of personal possessions, a faith that God would provide and a willingness to go where needed. They adopted a plain brown habit and became known informally as the ‘Brown Joeys’. Their dedication was always to the poor, the endangered, the elderly and the ill. The order expanded rapidly, and by 1871, 130 sisters were working in schools, orphanages and other charitable institutions across South Australia and Queensland.
After a conflict between Fr Woods and some of his fellow priests, some set out to discredit Mary and her sisters, seeking changes in her Rule, notably that a bishop or a diocese should be in control of the order. She refused to comply and was excommunicated in 1871, an edict that was lifted the following year. She was completely exonerated by a later episcopal commission. In 1873, she travelled to Rome to seek papal approval for her congregation, which was granted in 1885. While not all went smoothly for Mary, and opposition from some priests and bishops persisted, the Sisters of St Joseph continued to thrive and expand in both Australia and New Zealand. Mary was determined to refuse government funding if that meant interference with governance and with her focus on educating the poor rather that the wealthy. In her later years, Mary endured many health problems and suffered a stroke in 1902, leaving her reliant on a wheelchair. Nonetheless, she continued as her congregation’s leader until her death in Sydney in 1909. Her constant dedication to the poor and commitment to trusting God’s providence are her lasting legacies, and her work continues today.
- What work do the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart continue to do in the Church today? Do some research into the ministries that the Josephites still pursue today.
- In what ways are these modern ministries a reflection of the vision of St Mary of the Cross?
SYMBOLS AND IMAGES
In today’s Gospel, Jesus urges his listeners to trust that God will provide all that they need and to not allow themselves to be distracted from what is truly important by worrying about superficial things. It is this trust in the goodness of God, his care for all his creation and his divine providence that inspired St Mary of the Cross to adopt her ‘Rule of Life’ for the Sisters of St Joseph. Her unwavering belief that God would provide what was needed was at the heart of all she achieved.
LIVING THE WORD
Practical ideas for group leaders to employ in connecting Scripture and daily life, with suggestions for music and environment
- In what ways does your community support the work of organisations that are dedicated to helping the poor, the endangered, the elderly or the ill?
- Are you able to invite a Sister of St Joseph to speak to the group about St Mary of the Cross, her life and her legacy?
- Use a candle and an image of St Mary of the Cross as a focus for prayer. Pray for all the prophets of today who speak with courage and conviction. Pray for that same courage and conviction for each other. A suitable hymn could be 'Who Will Speak?' (GA 509). Conclude with the prayer of exorcism in the RCIA at §94F, which asks for strength and faith.