Daily Reflections
Daily Reflection, September 25, 2023
Readings:
Ezra 1:1-6
Luke 5:16-18

Reflection:
Over the last weeks, our first readings have come from the letters of St Paul. Today we return to the Old Testament and begin the book of Ezra. Ezra was a leader of the Jewish community in Exile in Babylon. After 70 years of captivity, the Babylonian Emperor freed the Jewish community and sent 50,000 back to Israel, where they began to rebuild life and faith. But they spent the time fighting amongst themselves and jostling for power. Twenty years later Ezra lead the second group back to Israel and was dismayed by what he found. So, he found his first task was to rebuild the community, its identity, its unity and its faith. So, he began to rebuild the destroyed Temple in Jerusalem. But, uniting them to rebuild the Temple was as much about rebuilding community as it was about restoring a building.
So in today’s reading we hear the call from Ezra for everyone to work together, for the people themselves to be the Temple, more than just putting up a new building. Everyone can contribute, everyone has something to offer.
In our Province of the Holy Spirit, that is exactly how most of our parishes have been built and are still being built and maintained- both the parish churches and the parish communities. Everyone can contribute; everyone has something to offer. Together we are the Church.
As an added note, with the Synod of Bishops on Synodality beginning in two weeks, it’s good to remember our parishes have been “synodality in action” for as long as we can remember.
Fr Tom McDonough CP the Parish Priest of St.Brigid’s parish Marrickville.
Daily Reflection, September 21, 2023
Feast of St. Matthew
Readings:
Ephesians 4:1-7,11-13
Matthew 9:9-13
Reflection:
Today, the church celebrates the Feast of St. Matthew, both disciple and author.
Daily Reflection, September 20, 2023
Readings:
1 Timothy 3: 14 – 16
Luke 7: 31 – 35
Reflection: “Wisdom has been proved right by all her children.”
Daily Reflection, September 19, 2023
Readings:
1 Timothy 3:1-13
Luke 7:11-17
Reflection:
There are countless institutions throughout the world that provide training in leadership and governance
Daily Reflection, September 18, 2023
Readings:
1 Timothy 2:1-8
Luke 7:1-10
Reflection:
I noticed something in today’s Gospel that I had never noticed before:
Daily Reflection, September 17, 2023
24th Sunday in Ordinary time
Readings:
Ecclesiasticus 27:33-28:9
Romans 14:7-9
Matthew 18:21-35
Reflection: The Gospel reading builds on the message of the first reading and begins with Jesus’ well-known injunction