On this first weekend of July we hear the words “Come to me all you who labour and are overburdened and I will give you rest.” I think that during this time of COVID this is something positive for us to reflect on. A reassuring message from our Lord.

Our Catechists met this week to discuss returning to school in Term 3 and it was wonderful to see their positive enthusiasm for this return. Yes we do have a number of guidelines to follow but we feel sure that this will eventually become the “new normal” and we will slot into the new routine easily.

You might notice in the Bulletin that we have a Youth Mass and Fun Day coming up on Sunday 12^th July, we are grateful to Fr Shiju for organising our Youth Group and we thank our youth for their dedication as they collected for the St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal for the last two weekends.

At the end of this month we are blessed as a Parish to welcome 3 adults into Full Communion. Stephanie, Myles and Leo Paul have been waiting patiently since Easter, when our Churches were closed, and now the time has come for them to become Catholic. This will take place on Sunday 26^th July at 10am OLGC Mass.

I would like to thank you for responding so generously to our parish finances which I mentioned in the Bulletin last weekend. This includes the finances which help our maintenance program and the CWF.

You will know that there has been a further easing of restrictions and we can include more people to our Masses from this weekend on wards. We have worked out the numbers for each Church and they are are - OLGC 120, St.Martin’s 95 and St.Anthony’s 50.

To those of you who are as yet unable to attend Mass we want to assure you that you are in our hearts and prayers each time we gather for Mass.

As school holiday’s begin this weekend we wish our school staff, children and families a safe and happy time and a good rest during this time.

In today’s Gospel we hear the words, ‘Come to me all you who are weary and heavy burdened and I will give you rest.’

Our faith is not about praying away our problems or fears and wishing it were otherwise. Our faith means we have experienced the love of God in Jesus Christ so that we never carry our burdens alone. God is our companion and guide and this parish Community, as with every Christian community, is called to be the sort of place where we carry each other's burdens and rest with each other awhile.

What we celebrate here each Sunday is that God will have the last word, a just, joyous, loving and peaceful word, in this world and when we enter our final rest.

Jesus didn't come to us as a divine magician, waving a wand over our problems to wipe away all our tears. Rather, he accompanies us so he can show us that the gift of peace and a release from our life's burdens is often found in having the perspective for exercising the gift of right judgment. Making the best possible choices leads to the alleviation of our pain and difficulties.

This type of spiritual sanity reminds me of the story of the nun who was teaching the communion class, and drew an analogy about how food is essential to life. She asked the class,

‘What's small and furry and eats nuts?’

To which there was bemused silence.

So Sister tried again.

‘What's small and furry and eats nuts?’

There was now stony silence. Sister then picked out Billy and asked him for the answer. After several awkward moments, Billy tentatively replied,

‘Sister, I know the answer is supposed to be Jesus, because the answer to all your questions is always Jesus but, I have to tell you, it sounds like a bloody squirrel to me.’

Sometimes the answer is not simply ‘Jesus’. As we all know, for some of our difficulties, there is no spiritual quick fix. There is no cheap grace. The answer is not simply Jesus.

In confronting issues, however, it is necessary for spiritual and mental health to take time out, to be as gentle with ourselves as possible, to know that the burden of life is shared so that we can make the decisions that will ease the situation.

I don't underestimate the burdens some of you have walked into this church with today. Whatever burden you may have brought with you, may you know a moment's rest, the companionship of fellow travellers and the gift of Christ's peace. (Extract from Homily by Richard Leonard)