On Sunday I had the pleasure of attending, with our school leaders, the annual Catholic Club Communion Mass at St John the Evangelist. The gospel presented three additional Kingdom parables from Matthew 13:44-52: the hidden treasure, the pearl of great price, and the fishing net. These descriptions concluded a series of parables presented by Jesus related to important truths about God’s Kingdom.

Jesus demonstrated the Kingdom as he healed the blind, the lame, the deaf, and liberated those who were imprisoned by the structures of the time. Jesus showed the Kingdom when he proclaimed hope for the poor, comforted for the grieving and forgave the broken. God’s Kingdom was described as one that made all things new and restored the world to its intended condition. This Kingdom was described as one founded on right relationships that were lived out with each other and with all of creation.

Jesus pleaded with people to not settle for being merely religious. The Kingdom of Heaven calls us to re-allocate our energy and realign our priorities. We are called to embrace a genuine and life-changing relationship with God and in doing so a way of daily living that embraces the value of this treasure.

As followers we are called to confidently, boldly, and urgently, proclaim and continue to seek the Kingdom. We need to reframe the notion that the Kingdom of Heaven is merely about where we go when we die. Instead, it is our duty to live the Kingdom of Heaven in the here and now. In doing so we can be examples who invite others to discover the beauty of the treasure of the kingdom for themselves.

When reflecting on these parables Richard Rohr explained “We have been raised to orient our lives and worldview around progress and goals. And so, we are loaded with expectation from the word go, if we cannot measure our output, we often are left puzzled about how things are going in our lives.”

The Kingdom Jesus described creates a new world order, a new reality for us to follow him into. He revealed where true power lies and points us in the direction of where we can find it. The treasure of this Kingdom is within, it is often hidden, and when it is believed, it is revealed in us and in the world. Love is the most powerful force in the universe, it is even stronger than the grave. Our Scriptures tell us; it’s the mustard seed, the yeast in the bread, the treasure in the field, the pearl and the big fish.

Even in the midst of our chaotic modern world, evidence of the Kingdom of God, can be found. It is anywhere that love rules in such a way as to promote gentleness, kindness, compassion, patience, virtue, forgiveness, honesty, as these are the fruits of love and God is love. The kingdom often happens in the most insignificant places, in the family home, in the shopping queue, in the traffic jam, on the sporting field, in the workplace and on the playground. Our individual lives are always a mixture of weeds and wheat. The kingdom is always at work as long as we are willing to let go of control and let God work in and through us. Ultimately, this blesses the individual but also the family and community to which they belong.

We are challenged each day to ponder the following for ourselves. If you were to write your own story about what the Kingdom of God is like, what would it be?

Tina Murray

Principal

ANNUAL CATHOLIC CLUB COMMUNION MASS

Thank you to our School Leaders, Hannah and Noah who gave up part of their Sunday to act as our student representatives at the Annual Catholic Club Communion Mass celebrated at St John the Evangelist, Campbelltown We are very grateful to Hannah and Noah’s parents for making their attendance at this important event possible.

Much gratitude is extended to the Campbelltown Catholic Club for their generous and ongoing financial support of Catholic Education in the Macarthur.

In 2023, the Catholic Club’s total donations towards financial support of Catholic Education, Sport and Culture within the Macarthur area was $1,516,549. Since the inception of the Catholic Club 57 years ago, total donations made exceed a staggering $34.724 million. This is a fitting tribute to the aims and objectives established by the members of the Campbelltown Catholic Club and the dedication of the directors both past and present.

Congratulations to our Student Leaders for Term 3.

A Suggestion Box has been installed in the Admin Walkway.

This box is available for students and parents to submit ideas and suggestions that could be implemented to improve our school. Please ensure names are included so ideas can be followed up.