Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B
Sunday, September 19, 2021
Gospel Reading
Mark 9:30-37
Jesus teaches his disciples that the greatest are those who serve all.
Background on the Gospel Reading
In Sunday’s Gospel, we hear Jesus again predict his passion, death, and Resurrection to his disciples. The setting here is important. Jesus and his disciples are preparing to journey through Galilee, a Jewish territory in which Jesus has already encountered problems with the Pharisees. Perhaps this is why Mark indicates that Jesus was trying to journey in secret. In predicting his passion, Jesus is acknowledging the danger they will face and is trying to prepare his disciples for it. Yet Mark tells us that the disciples did not understand what Jesus was saying and were afraid to ask what he meant. Such hesitation on the part of the disciples is not characteristic behaviour. Peter had no fear about rebuking Jesus in last week’s Gospel. Perhaps this is an indication that the disciples were aware that a new situation was emerging.
Mark paints a vivid picture in today’s Gospel. Having arrived at Capernaum, Jesus and his disciples enter a house. In this private place, Jesus asks his disciples about the argument they had while they were journeying. Again, the disciples are uncharacteristically silent and afraid to answer. They have been found out. Jesus then summons the Twelve, whom Mark identified earlier in his Gospel as those chosen by Jesus to preach and to drive out demons. To this select group of disciples, Jesus teaches that those who would be first in God’s kingdom must be servants of all.
Jesus then calls forward a child and teaches the Twelve that to receive a child in Jesus’ name is to receive both Jesus and the One who sent him. We might easily fail to understand the significance of this action. In first-century Palestine, children were without status or power, possessing no legal rights. In this action, Jesus is teaching his disciples and us that when we serve the least ones among us, we serve Jesus himself. Who are the people without power or status in our society that Jesus is calling us to serve? Do we do so willingly? Jesus teaches that God’s judgment of us will be based on this criterion alone.
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
SCHOOL NEWS
Tauranga Shoebox Christmas Appeal
I am Hugo from Whānau Walter.
I am excited to be helping Tauranga kids feel special this Christmas.
My aim is to fill 50 shoeboxes. I hope you can help me!
If you would like to prepare a shoebox please come and see me or Mrs Broadmore.
We will give you a tag that has if the present is for a boy or a girl and what their age is. Then you can go shopping!
Once you have filled and wrapped your shoebox please drop it off to me or to the school office by the 5th of November.
For more information please follow this link: https://taurangashoeboxchristmas.nz/#home
Spring
It is a spring morning and the sun is rising. I feel the still breeze brush against my skin and the soft dirt beneath my feet. The sun is nearly fully up and it shines upon me, its warmth has tickled my skin. I look up and I see the clear blue sky, I look at the ocean beside me and I take a moment to appreciate how glistening and calm it is. I hear baby birds chirping in the distance, calling for their food... and now mum is calling me in for breakfast. Goodbye spring, I'll see you at lunchtime!
By Bella Ferguson, Whånau Tanner
PARISH NEWS
Mass on SHINE TV
Mass will be broadcast on Shine TV Sundays at 2pm until further notice. It can be found on Free-to-air TV Channel 25 or Sky TV Channel 201. This will be pre-recorded in Auckland under the restrictions of the Covid-19 lockdown alert level.
Formed Website
The Parish has purchased a GIFT for you!
Enjoy a free subscription to https://formed.org/
An incredible online gateway to the best Catholic content, all in one place!
Something for the whole family! Programs; that include “The Sacraments”, “Bible Studies”, “Faith Formation”, “Youth Programs”, Daily Reflections” Movies; (kids, documentaries, Saints of history) Audio options; Books; Family (marriage, parenting, kids).
Simply go to the link: https://formed.org/
Then click: Sign up
Then: Sign up as a parishioner
By: creating a New Account by finding the Parish
Type in: Tauranga (that will bring up the Parish of St Thomas Aquinas, Tauranga, NZ)
Sign up using your own email address
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
