Refounding Readings
Sharing the Story Lent + Easter + Pentecost 2010
Refounding |
sharing the story
Introduction about these refounding readings
These Refounding Readings are all about Sharing the Story: and responding to it! (That’s what Refounding is all about.) They’re part of a Society wide sharing of the story that’s beginning in Victoria, in 2010. This involves sharing the Jesus story, our own stories and the St Vincent de Paul Society story and discovering there the mission we are sent out on. Refounding is about mission, which is something we do in response to the story. These Refounding Readings model this mix of stories that make up the story. The one thing we have in common across the board in the Society, whether we are members, staff, or volunteers, whether we are Catholics, Buddhists, or good guys, is the St Vincent de Paul story. It’s the one given for all of us. And our mission statement and logo and values are simply responses to this story. Another way of describing Refounding is that it gives us access to the heart of the matter. That’s why we tell stories. They are the best way we have of gaining this access. And at the heart of the matter there is always relationship - with each other, with the people we care for and with God. Almost all the stories in these readings are about renewed relationships. These Refounding Readings are a little different in format. As you can see there’s less text and more images for starters. It’s suggested the leader read the gospel excerpt followed by the refounding story, then, using the questions to prompt discussion, invite everyone to respond to what they have heard. This sharing is at the heart of the ‘spiritual reading.’ It’s a sharing of the story. We pray together to conclude the session. By mid March the Refounding Readings will be up on the St Vincent de Paul website in colour. You’ll be able to access them on the Victorian website where you’ll also find a host of other Refounding resources, plus stories of initiatives undertaken, celebrations through the year and comment from a wide range of people. I hope you find these readings useful. Damian Coleridge Refounding Co-ordinator
ººAcknowledgements: Writer: Damian Coleridge Designer: Ben Ziegler, Catholic Communications Melbourne The Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Feel free to contact Damian Coleridge about the Refounding Readings: damianc@svdp-vic.org.au or ring 0407 330 404 Cover image: The cross was painted by Amunda Gorey and given to the St Vincent de Paul Society in Victoria as a thank you for assisting some indigenous young people from Central Australia to attend World Youth Day in Sydney. It hangs in the chapel at Gerald Ward House.
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Listening For God Second Sunday of Lent • February 28 2010
ººGospel Story
Luke 9:34-36
This is an excerpt from the account of the transfiguration in Luke’s Gospel. There’s a brilliant vision. New possibilities emerge on this mountain. While Peter was saying this A cloud came over and overshadowed them; And they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, ‘this is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!’
ººRefounding Story Some time ago two members were visiting a hospital. They came to the bedside of a dying woman. She asked them to stay. One member couldn’t cope and sat in the corridor praying for her friend and the patient. The member who stayed didn’t know what to do, but sat quietly with the woman, listening, as little by little she spoke of what was in her heart. She was estranged from her family and knew she was dying. She asked the member to pray with her.
Reflection:
‘Listen with the ear of the heart’
– St Benedict
Psalm:
‘The Lord is my light and my salvation.’ Frederic ozanam:
visiting people – ‘…climbing the stairs to the poor man’s garret sitting by his bedside, feeling the same cold that pierces him, sharing the secrets of his lonely heart and troubled mind.’
The member was at a loss, then slowly she began to pray the Our Father. After a while she asked the woman about calling her son. The woman agreed. The members waited till the son arrived, then slipped quietly away. The woman died later that night.
ººDiscussion • When and where do we listen to him? • How might you have responded had you been visiting this woman?
ººPrayer:
God of love, open our ears that we might hear your voice.
Response:
This week pray for at least 5 mins each day. Listen for God.
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sharing the story
The Fruit of Repentance Third Sunday of Lent • March 7 2010
ººGospel Story
Luke 13:6-9
Now is the moment; this is the time to turn again towards the sun and bear fruit. Jesus tells this little story to help us understand what he’s saying about repentance. Then Jesus told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’ The gardener replied, ‘Sir let it alone for one more year, if it bears fruit next year well and good; but if not you can cut it down.’
ººRefounding Story In one conference members had been visiting a man who was addicted to various substances and, after a while, they were left wondering whether they were doing anyone any good. What was the point of it? They were becoming frustrated with the man and with each other. So they asked the meeting for advice. It turned out that the man was being visited by dealers, social workers and police, but the only ‘ordinary people’ he met were the members who visited him. It was suggested ‘you don’t have to continue visiting him’ , but they replied ‘no, it’s alright, we’re happy to go on visiting him, because now we understand what we’re doing.’
ººDiscussion • What have the members understood? • They’re turned around to see: is that what repentance is like?
ººPrayer:
God of love, help us to turn again towards you and bear fruit.
Reflection:
‘Repentance is the doorway to the spiritual life, the only way to begin. It is also the path itself, the only way to continue. Anything else is foolishness and self-delusion. Only repentance is both brute-honest enough, and joyous enough, to bring us all the way home.’
– Frederica Mathewes-Green
Psalm:
‘The Lord is kind and merciful.’ Vincent de paul:
‘Nature demands that trees be deeply rooted before they can bear fruit and this is a gradual process.’ Response:
Why not fast this week? Join your fast to the lives of other people.
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Come and Eat with Us Fourth Sunday of Lent • March 14 2010
ººGospel Story
Luke 15:1-3
There are a few stories in Luke’s gospel about Jesus eating with the ‘wrong people’. This is the introduction to Jesus telling the story of the Prodigal Son. All the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to Jesus. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, ‘This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them’.
ººRefounding Story
Reflection:
‘At the end of the story of the Prodigal Son, whether we like it or not, the party is on. And nothing but the best will do. The question for the older son is will he come into the party? The question for the younger son is will he take off again?’
A father took his daughter to a dancing class at an inner city church hall. He’d had a day off and was dressed in an old track suit. He left his daughter inside and went outside.
Psalm:
The Vinnies soup van had appeared outside the hall and he thought he’d go and have a look. As he got closer one of the Vannies came up and asked him what sort of sandwich he’d like. ‘Ah, ham’, he replied. He stayed and had a chat with the other guys. Afterwards he said ‘if it was good enough for Jesus, it was good enough for me.’
Louise de Marillac:
‘Taste and see the goodness of the Lord’
‘The least esteemed by men are perhaps the most loved by God.’
ººDiscussion • Have you ever shared food with someone you don’t normally share food with? • Why does Jesus get into such trouble over who he’s eating with?
ººPrayer:
God of love, help us to invite more people to your table.
Response:
Invite someone you don’t usually eat with, to eat with you this week.
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sharing the story
Who's Accusing Who? fifth Sunday of Lent • March 21 2010
ººGospel Story
John 8: 10-11
Jesus is teaching in the temple when a set up occurs. Some opponents of his drag a ‘loose woman’ before him and ask him to agree to the law, or deny it. He does neither. He writes on the ground then asks anyone without sin to start stoning her. He writes some more then he looks up again. Jesus straightened up and said to her; ‘Woman where are they? Has no one condemned you? She said, ‘no one sir.’ And Jesus said, ‘neither do I condemn you.’ Go your way and from now on don’t sin again.’
Reflection:
‘Satan is the Accuser of our brothers and sisters. The Holy Spirit is our Advocate.’ Psalm:
‘The Lord has done great things for us, we are filled with joy. ’
ººRefounding Story
Vincent de paul:
Van Nguyen was a young Australian who was sentenced to death for drug trafficking, in Singapore, a couple of years ago. Some people thought he got what he deserved, others thought he deserved to live. While he awaited his death his life changed.
‘They represent for you the person of Our Lord who said: “whatever you so for one of these, the least of my brothers and sisters, I will consider it as done for me.”’
So much so that his fellow prisoners on death row sang ‘Amazing Grace’ as he walked the short distance to the gallows; and at his funeral mass, at the sign of peace, a note in the booklet asked this: ‘Also could you please ask everyone to put their hands on their hearts to feel my love and appreciation and God’s awesome love? And instead of turning to one’s left and right to shake hands, please ask each one to hug instead and introduce themselves, so that they shall no longer be strangers.’
ººDiscussion • Who do we throw stones at? • Who does Jesus see when he looks at the woman? And at Van Nguyen?
ººPrayer:
God of love, open our eyes so that we may see as Jesus sees.
AMAZING G RAC E Response:
Take Van Nguyen’s advice and visit someone, or contact them this week, so you ‘shall no longer be strangers.’
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sharing the story
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Dying We Live Passion (Palm) Sunday • March 28 2010
ººGospel Story
Luke 23: 39-43
The ‘good thief ’ recognises the innocence of Jesus and asks that he be with Jesus. He doesn’t ask to be saved from death. He asks to accompany him to the Father. One of the criminals who were hanging there kept deriding him and saying, ‘are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ But the other criminal rebuked the first one saying ‘do you not fear God since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ Jesus replied, ‘truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.’
Reflection:
‘The crucifixion gives us entry to the heart of the mystery. Through it all God is acting for Jesus. What looks like a defeat is, in fact, the final defeat of death.’ Psalm:
‘My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?’
ººRefounding Story ‘Christian hope called her to expect God to intervene in the face of despair. She woke up each morning expecting God to do that. Mum Shirl never had to wait around because some rejected person would always come round the corner, and that person, of course, was Christ himself. She had had enough of phoney Christians who try to peddle a poor-free Christ, who is, in fact, a phoney Christ, not Christ at all. Mum Shirl was, I think, the greatest theologian I have ever known. She once said, ‘if you can’t find anyone to hang on the Cross between two thieves, I will.’ Fr Ted Kennedy at the funeral of Shirley Smith – ‘Mum Shirl’ – Aboriginal leader and wise woman.
ººDiscussion • What’s Mum Shirl saying in that last line? • ‘That rejected person was always Christ himself.’ Is it true?
ººPrayer:
God of love, help us to recognise you in the rejected and the outcast.
Frederic Ozanam:
‘You do not accept any self-serving offerings; you reject my holocausts and sacrifices. It is me you want.’ Response:
Fast in Holy Week. Pray. Experience reconciliation.
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Oh My God Easter Sunday • April 4 2010
ººGospel Story
John 20: 1-2
Do you expect the followers to say ‘yes, we thought this was going to happen.’ This is how Mary Magdalene- the first witness to the resurrection - initially responds. Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. She ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved and said to them, ‘they have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have laid him.’
ººRefounding Story Our church was burnt down so the Mass was held in a little café, in the room above the restaurant. It was an extraordinary setting. It reminded me of the apostles in the upstairs room. The doors were open and we were just sort of looking out at the sky. It was very quiet and very peaceful for the first time for me in that week following the fire. We sat and started with a song and I love music and I love to sing, but I couldn't sing. I was really, really deeply moved and I cried for quite a while initially. I think it was because I finally found that I was in touch again with the core of me that I hadn't had time to look at since the fire. It was like touching humanity again, touching the core of all of us. I felt that I had lost sight of God for all of that time and here we were again. It was a really quiet and beautiful mass. And we were all just grateful to be there. There's things about the fire that I have come to understand: for example, having lost absolutely everything, I have got a clean slate, I can start again - you know there are things I will do differently, that I feel I didn't do as well as I might have before. The other thing is that I think there's many times in my life now when I am not as focussed on God as I have been in the past and to me my relationship with God is so important and yet I get so busy and distracted from that. You know I work full time and I am a mother and grandmother and all those things. But nonetheless my faith is very important and I think I can't believe that I get so distracted from it and I feel at this time I want this new start to have God in the centre.’ Mary Ann Howell speaking about the Black Saturday fires
ººDiscussion • Is this an experience of Easter? • Mary Magdalene and Mary Ann Howell. Have you ever been put in touch with the heart of the matter?
ººPrayer:
God of love, we give thanks for the totally unexpected, new life of Easter.
Reflection:
‘He’s been everywhere we’ll ever be asked to go and he’s back and we’re alright.’ – Fr Bob Maguire Psalm:
‘This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad. ’ Frederic Ozanam:
‘Justice demands a consecration of each one for the welfare of all and especially for the protection of the weak.’
The 40 days of Lent give way to the 50 days of Easter. Response:
Give thanks to someone you haven’t been able to thank.
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Seeing & Believing Second Sunday of Easter • April 11 2010
ººGospel Story
John 20:26-29
After the resurrection the followers are in hiding when Jesus appears and says peace. Thomas is missing and when he hears they have seen the Lord he refuses to believe it unless he sees the wounds and puts his hand in his side. A week later his disciples were again in the house and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘peace be with you’. Then he said to Thomas, ‘put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe’. Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God’. Jesus said to him, ‘have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.’
ººRefounding Story Clare Hayns once wrote this: ‘when you see the face of Christ you don’t forget it. She was a disabled teenage girl in Rome called Constanza who was unable to communicate except in grunts. Her joy at receiving a cake lit up her face; and I wept. I knew then that I encountered the Lord.
Reflection:
‘Fear is what they experience after the crucifixion. So when Jesus appears out of nowhere they’re more shocked than ever. No wonder the first thing he says is peace i.e. it’s alright, it’s me, not a ghost.’ Psalm:
‘Give Thanks to the Lord for he is good, His love is everlasting. ’ Frederic Ozanam:
‘Why should I be afraid of God, I love him so much.’
That little seed is sprouting away now, watered by the encouragement of our friends. There are 15 of us in London, visiting the elderly and praying together. God chose the road for me and now I feel more confident in walking it. The next step of the road is about pressing on and staying faithful; and keeping before me the face of Christ hidden in Constanza’s smile’.
ººDiscussion • What do you make of Clare Hayns experience? Is it different to Thomas’? • We haven’t seen the historical Jesus, but have you ever seen the Lord?
ººPrayer:
God of love, help us to be open to these moments in our lives.
Response:
This week see if you can see the face of Christ hidden in people’s lives.
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sharing the story
Feed My Sheep Third Sunday of Easter • April 18 2010
ººGospel Story
John 21:17
Jesus appears on the seashore as they’re fishing and when they come ashore he invites them to ‘come and have breakfast.’ After eating, three times Jesus asks Simon Peter a question. Jesus said to him the third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, ‘do you love me?’ And he said to him, ‘Lord you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘feed my sheep.’
ººRefounding Story In a country town people come to a house to get assistance from conference members. In the welcoming front room forms are filled in and in another room there are interviews. Different sorts of assistance are provided there. Out the back, in the kitchen, a young couple is talking with a couple of members across a kitchen table. They’re talking about the difficulties of their lives; about going through hell. It’s a moving, profound conversation. You sense they trust each other. As they talk fruit cake made by one of the members is passed around and tea and coffee are provided. It’s practical stuff. Really practical advice is offered. In the end what the young couple walk away with is hope.
ººDiscussion • Is this how we ‘feed my sheep’? • Is food, and feeding each other, a key to what we’re doing?
ººPrayer:
God of love, help us to love you and feed one another.
Reflection:
‘God accepts our limited, fragile, forgetful loves if that is all we have to offer him now. But if there is a place for Peter, who denied Jesus, then there is a place for us all.’
– Timothy Radcliffe
Psalm:
‘I will praise you Lord For you have rescued me.’ Vincent de paul
‘To be involved in the service of Jesus Christ is a sacred trust to which we have been invited .’ Response:
Love someone this week who doesn’t deserve it.
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sharing the story
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God is One With Us Fourth Sunday of Easter • April 25 2010
ººGospel Story
John 10:27-30
Jesus said: ‘my sheep hear my voice I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.’
ººRefounding Story ‘The Peace Corps left today and my heart sank low. The danger is extreme and they were right to leave. Now I must assess my own position, because I am not up for suicide. Several times I have decided to leave. I almost could except for the children, the poor bruised victims of adult lunacy. Who could care for them? Whose heart would be so staunch as to favour the reasonable thing in a sea of tears and helplessness? Not mine, dear friend, not mine.’ Jean Donovan writing from El Salvador 1980. She was murdered a month later.
ººDiscussion • Could Jean Donovan hear the voice of Jesus? • What’s the promise if we follow Jesus, come what may?
ººPrayer:
God of love, help us to follow you, come what may.
Reflection:
‘Resurrection is the centre out of which any talk of knowing Jesus flows.’ – James Alison Psalm:
‘We are his people, the sheep of his flock. ’ Frederic Ozanam:
‘The poor are, for us, the sacred image of the God we cannot see.’ Response:
Care for someone this week.
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They Really Like One Another Fifth Sunday of Easter • May 2 2010
ººGospel Story
John 13:33-35
‘I am with you only a little longer. I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this will everyone know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’
ººRefounding Story ‘I look at us. Not smart. Not educated. Not rich. Not beautiful. Not powerful. Not well. Gathered for prayer, care, word, worship, communion, around the table. Their job, to smash the tyrants, free the prisoners, feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, comfort the lonely. My companions have genius hearts, invisible love machines, bunker bombing hearts, hearts which glimmer with all the colours of the spectrum, hearts which sit so quietly there, idling, humming with word and bread. I don’t doubt that they are up to their urgent tasks, that out there, somewhere, something is changing.’ from ‘Genius Hearts’ by Terry Monagle
ººDiscussion • Do we like one another? Do we like the people we assist? • How do we know our love is for real?
ººPrayer:
God of love, our love is real when we like one another.
Reflection:
‘Everything depends on the resurrection. We re-write our lives from this vantage point.’ Psalm:
‘I will praise your name forever my King and my God.’ Frederic Ozanam:
‘My dear friend, the only rule by which to regulate our acts is the law of love: love of God and each other.’ Response:
Do something this week that helps build up community somewhere in your life.
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sharing the story
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A Gift of Peace Sixth Sunday of Easter • May 9 2010
ººGospel Story
John 14:27
Reflection:
‘Peace I leave with you My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not let them be afraid. ’
‘It all starts from the resurrection … that experience. Then they understand what happened. There’s a new story.’
ººRefounding Story
Psalm:
‘After the Black Saturday bushfires razed dozens of house near her home Bev Harris didn’t think ‘gee I’m glad it wasn’t me’ and turn back to the TV. And she didn’t sit there and cry. Her first thought was someone must need help. In the weeks after February 7 she and her daughter drove through the blackened paddocks of the neighbouring areas handing out food and toiletries.’ It started from there. Many others got involved too.
‘O God, let all the nations praise you. ’ Frederic Ozanam:
‘Can we remain passive in the midst of a world which is suffering and groaning?’
Later on she wrote this: ‘the Lord has again led us to this house: there is a real need here with everything. A storm went through here a night or so ago. Damage was caused to the back of the house and it all flooded inside. We leave them as it is getting late. We have been here for sometime, but I believe we needed to be. We will have to call again and soon.’
ººDiscussion • How did this member respond to the stories she saw on the TV? • What lead her and many others to do this? (Or is it …who leads us to do this?)
ººPrayer:
God of love, you give us your peace that we may give it away to others.
Response:
This week respond in practical ways to a story you hear.
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We’re On a Mission Ascension • May 16 2010
ººGospel Story
Luke 24.45-48
The Easter season with it’s good news of Jesus is alive – death is conquered – is almost ended. This is what Jesus says to his followers before he is ‘carried up into heaven.’ Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures and he said to them, ‘thus it is written that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day. And that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses to these things.’
ººRefounding Story In one town someone was playing up a bit when he came into the centre looking for some assistance. A difficult bloke. Struggling with all sorts of things. The conference members weren’t sure what to do about him. There was talk of banning him from the centre, of refusing any more assistance. At the end of the meeting someone prayed for him ‘because we’ve done our best, but now we need special help if we’re to help him.’ Later one of the members said ‘we need to see more blokes like him. They keep us honest.’
ººDiscussion • Does what the member says help us to understand the Gospel? • What mission are we on?
ººPrayer:
God of love, Jesus is gone and is with us still. Help us to be generous towards each other and those we assist.
Reflection:
‘As Jesus is enthroned in heaven the good news is being proclaimed everywhere … it’s the same dynamic. The one depends on the other. The Ascension is not simply about Jesus disappearing into the clouds, it’s about his being alive and present in us. ’ Psalm:
‘God mounts his throne to shouts of joy.’ Vincent de paul
‘Turn the medal, and you will see by the light of faith that the Son of God whose will it was to be poor is represented to us by these people.’ Response:
Let someone know some good news this week.
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sharing the story
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Making a Home In Us Pentecost Sunday • 23 May 2010
ººGospel Story
John 14: 23, 26
‘Those who love me will keep my word and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home in them. I have said these things to you while still with you; but the Advocate the Holy Spirit who the Father will send in my name will teach you everything and remind you of all that I have said to you.’
ººRefounding Story Maria was a worker in a Catholic hospital. When she saw the hospital’s mission statement in the foyer and what it said about being committed to the health needs of the poor she didn’t believe it. Over time it got her thinking. She called a meeting to discuss it and her fellow workers agreed with her. She asked who made the decisions in the hospital and was told it was the board. What could they do she wondered. She prayed about it … to St Francis, to St Anthony, to Jesus. Then she exchanged jobs and started working as a coffee waiter in the board room. After some months she felt able to speak with the chairman of the board and in the course of a conversation said to him that she thought the mission statement was a lie. The chairman stopped and listened to what she had to say. He then got Maria to speak to the board. There was dissension among the members about what she had to say – ‘no margin, no mission’ – but, in time, the hospital decided that poor people would be it’s primary focus. Gerald Arbuckle tells this story more fully in his book on Refounding
ººDiscussion • What do you think of Maria’s response to the mission statement? • In what ways is this a Refounding story? • Is the Holy Spirit at work in Maria’s life?
ººPrayer:
God of love, we pray, come Holy Spirit into our lives and the lives of the people we care for.
Reflection:
‘The Holy Spirit is "the ecstasy of the Father and the Son". It’s the overflowing of their love. An utterly unexpected gift.’
Pentecost concludes the 50 days of Easter and the Church is born out of the egg. Psalm:
‘Lord, send out your spirit and renew the face of the earth.’ Vincent de paul
‘The Spirit of Jesus Christ is a spirit of union and peace. How can you attract people to Christ if you are not united with one another and with him?’ Response:
Let the Spirit work in you this week. Forgive someone. Thank someone. Speak the truth to someone.
St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria Locked Bag 4800 Box Hill, Vic 3128