65. The Soul
Happy Mother’s Day!
This weekend we celebrate and give thanks for all the women who gave us life. Mother’s Day is an opportunity for us to remember and honour our mothers for their kindness, selflessness and generosity. As we celebrate these women, we pray together as a faith community and acknowledge this gift that God has given to us.
This term, The Soul is back with more prayer and inspiration starting with an exploration of community. Did you know that the desire for community is not only written on our hearts, but is woven into all of creation? Author and Evangelist Rick Warren says, “we are created for community, fashioned for fellowship, and formed for a family, and none of us can fulfill God’s purposes by ourselves.” God created us uniquely for His purposes, and each of us has an important role to play. God never expected us to fulfill our purpose alone, so He gifted us to each other, for community is where holiness is cultivated. Let’s reflect on the gift of our community as we deep-dive into The Soul this week.
The theme for this year's Catholic Schools Week is ‘Community, Care, Compassion.’ This theme encourages us to work together to become a strong and faithful community, committed to living out the Gospel. Catholic Schools Week is also a time to celebrate our schools and to give thanks for the gifts, sacrifices and passion that we, as educators, have given to establish that community.
Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Each of us was created by God to have a different role in His community, and to use our gifts to help each other grow in holiness. God asks us to be good stewards of our gifts, and to bring our gifts to the community in order to glorify Him. God doesn’t give us anything just for our own benefit, but to use in service of our community. There is a place for all of us in the body of Christ.
Fr. Mark-Mary speaks on community for Ascension Presents, describing three practices that we can exercise to build a loving, thriving community:
1) Commitment - God makes covenants, or long-term commitments to community. A committed community is where holiness grows and it is essential for us to become the people that God is calling us to be.
2) Communication - We need to do more than have good intentions. Communication is the key to resolving conflicts, to encourage each other, and to call each other higher. Listening is just as important as talking.
3) Courage - Confrontation and conflict can be very difficult. Sometimes we have to enter uncomfortable situations when it comes to building community, but when we speak from a place of love we can draw closer to each other and to God.
With these practices in mind and as we celebrate Catholic Schools Week, let’s become the holy men and women the world needs by building caring and compassionate communities through commitment, communication, and courage.
- Formed in Prayer is a reflection on the forthcoming Sunday Gospel developed by the Catholic Leaders Formation Network (CLFN).
- Love Me Like I Am (For King and Country) - Thank you God for loving me like I am.
- The Body of Christ (Sarah Hart) - As a community, we are bound by God’s love. Through Jesus’ body and blood, He offers us life again and again.
- A Mother Like You (JJ Heller) - A beautiful reflection dedicated to all mothers.
- This is the Kingdom (Elevation Worship) - “Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8
Recovery - What Does it Look Like?
The Road to Recovery podcast Season 4 Episode 1 is a personal story about the Black Summer Bushfires and the impact of COVID. This podcast may resonate with your own recent experiences.
Recovery is a unique and individual process that everyone goes through differently. However, there are some common emotions that many people may experience.
- Shock at having to deal with something difficult and scary that you never experienced before.
- Denial or difficulty in accepting what has happened.
- Despair and anger at having to deal with what has happened.
- Acceptance of what has occurred and the changes it brings and accepting how others see you and how you see yourself.
- Coping by finding new ways to live with and tackle changes and challenges.
- Recovery goes beyond focusing on managing distressing symptoms. It’s about having choices and being able to create a meaningful life.
How do I tell if I’m not recovering and when should I seek help?
An event which a person experiences as being traumatic or distressing results in the human body going into a state of heightened arousal. This is like an ‘emergency mode’ that involves a series of internal alarms being turned on. Most people only stay in ‘emergency mode’ for a short period of time or until the immediate threat has passed.
The normal healing and recovery process involves the body coming down out of a state of heightened arousal. In other words, the internal alarms turn off, the high levels of energy subside, and the body resets itself to a normal state. Typically, this should occur within approximately one month after the event.
Traumatic stress can cause very strong reactions in some people and may become chronic or ongoing. Seek professional help if you:
- are highly distressed by intense feelings or physical sensations
- continue to feel numb and empty
- feel that you are not returning to normal after three or four weeks
- continue to have disturbed sleep or nightmares
- deliberately try to avoid anything that reminds you of the distressing event
- find that relationships with loved ones are suffering
- are using more alcohol or drugs
- cannot return to work or manage your normal responsibilities
- keep reliving the traumatic experience
- feel very much on edge and can be easily startled.
The ‘How are You Going’ resource could help you reflect and act on your current feelings and behaviours.
This information is from the Centre for Rural and Remote Health.
- Recipe for Life - Blog from Br Damien Price
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