The Spiritual Theme for this year is “Restore One Another in a Spirit of Gentleness”

Galatians 6 New Living Translation (NLT)

We Harvest What We Plant

1 Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. 2 Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. 3 If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.

4 Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. 5 For we are each responsible for our own conduct.

6 Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them.

7 Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. 8 Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. 9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. 10 Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone

“Restore One Another in a Spirit of Gentleness.”

Call to Prayer:

This year’s spiritual theme is based on Galatians 6 where Paul reminds the
community to overcome differences, restore one another with gentleness and bear each
other’s burdens.
Let us take a moment in silence to centre ourselves and consider this beginning as a time to
commit to restoration in its many facets.

Leader: In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.

Gathering Song: Prayer of St. Francis  by Sarah McLaughlin

“Prayer Of Saint Francis”

Lord make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
And where there is sadness, joy.

O divine master grant that I may
not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love
For it is in giving that we receive-
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned.
And it’s in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen

Opening Prayer:
God of the seasons, thank you for the gifts of community and the relationships that bring joy
to our lives. Give us your wisdom to face challenges and hardships as we live in community
that coming school year. We make this prayer in the name of the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ.
Amen
A Reflection on Forgiveness
from the book, “Forgiveness: One Step at a Time” by Fr. F. Joseph Sica

To Forgive Is not to forget

To Forgive

Is really to remember
That nobody is perfect
That each of us stumbles
When we want so much to stay upright
That each of us says things
We wise we had never said
That we can all forget that love
Is more important than being right.

To forgive
Is really to remember
That we are so much more
Than our mistakes
That we are often more kind and caring
That accepting another’s flaws
Can help us accept our own.

To forgive
Is to remember
That the odds are pretty good that
We might soon need to be forgiven ourselves
That life sometimes gives
us more than we can handle gracefully.

To forgive
Is to remember That we have room in
Our hearts to
Begin again
And again
And again.

A Litany for Peace

Please respond ‘Lord, make us instruments of peace.”

When there is conflict that seems insurmountable. We pray. R

When we are overwhelmed by demands and busyness, bring us to a calm place. We pray. R

When there is illness and for those who are suffering whom we hold in prayer now. We pray. R

For the students and families in our care and for our work for their wellbeing. We pray. R

For our Church, for pastors, for faith communities, that healing may come to challenging
situations. We pray. R

For Pope Francis, Archbishop Prendergast and our pastor, that they may find joy in their
ministries and support from community. We pray. R

Let us join in the prayer our Saviour modelled for us…..OUR FATHER…

A Communal Blessing…..Together…let us pray:
Lord, bless us as you bless our land with the seasons.
Be with us in our joyous moments and strengthen us in our challenges.
Hold us in your care and restore us when we stray.
We make this prayer in the name of Jesus.
Amen
Let us offer one another a sign of peace…..

Related articles

• Forgiveness
• Galatians 6:7, 8