The Hill Country is a point of connection for those wanting to share conversations about life, faith, and culture. This is a creative project driven by a team of young Australian Marists who are imagining new ways to foster authentic relationships, build resilient communities, and engage the needs of our world with purpose and clarity. It is our hope that the collection of stories and reflections you will read in this blog will provide you with inspiration to see and experience everyday life differently.
Family isn’t just blood, it is the community in which you live, it is the relationships you make and the special connections you mutually share. Family is where you feel most safe, comfortable and yourself. An important value passed down through generations was the act of selflessness, nothing was ever done for oneself it was always done for the whole mob...Because ultimately, as Australian’s, we are all one family, we are all one mob! - Melita Hegarty
Easter Sunday is the joy of seeing Jesus, having dealt with sin, rise to new life. If that doesn't instil hope that we too can rise out of our own ashes then I don't know what does.
I know, that I need the Salvation that Jesus gives us on the Cross. The grace, peace and freedom I experience from the minuscule understanding that I have of Jesus' sacrifice for me is something that keeps me anchored in my faith. The Cross offers us more than freedom from our own sins though.
The Last Supper was action packed! It had foot washing, a meal like no other and accusations of betrayal! Imagine being a fly on the wall at that party! I believe Jesus wanted us to experience a bit of this though. In fact he clearly gave the direction: 'do this in memory of me'.
The relationship between Palm Sunday and Holy Week always baffled me as a kid. We would wave a branch in the air at the beginning of Mass singing a song that went: "Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna to the King of Kings"...and then within a week Jesus was dead. How did Jesus go from being so loved and acclaimed, to disowned and crucified by His own people within days?
Just like Lazarus though I had to walk out of my tomb. Jesus invited me to rise and I did, but he did not carry me like a helpless, broken soul. He invited me to walk out of my tomb like a healed, strong, woman with so much of life yet to be lived.
'The Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall want'. It's not the first time I've felt a pang of guilt reading this line because let's be real...there is SO much that I want! So then I started reflecting, 'why do I want... what I want?'
Christ shows us in this encounter with the Samaritan woman that we do not need to carry these fears. He says to us, I know you, I will sustain you and I need you.
"...Peter is talking about how amazing it all is and how he wants to go building tents to mark what has happened. God uses this moment to say to Peter: actually buddy, I want you to stop with the planning and fussing about and LISTEN."
"…what do I settle for in life rather than seeking and trusting in God and the words He speaks to me?"
Think back to the last time you received a compliment. Actually stop reading. Think back.
In being disciples of God we are being called to walk in the way of Jesus. As is said in our Gospel reading, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me”.
Sometimes when I'm inside a Church, I look above and stare at the roof. Why? Was a priest delivering a boring homily and my eyes wandered off? Was the choir singing flat and the lady next to me singing out of key again?
Historically, Mary has always been identified an important figure from the beginnings of early Christianity, however, it wasn’t until the council of Ephesus in 431 CE that Mary was officially recognised as Theotokos, translated as ‘Mother of God’ or ‘Godbearer’.
I am a lazy and weak willed man, an arrogant and prideful man, a gluttonous and lustful man. I tend too far towards comfort, feed and indulge in my desires and seek too much the affirmations of others.
Long distance driving. How good is it, when you have good company! Recently I went on three long trips to Hunter, Forbes and Canberra.
Humility. It's the issue that keeps reemerging from the back of my mind. It reemerges like an annoying fly that keeps flying around me and the only way to rid of it is to squat it! I came across an article about humility and I began to question, am I a humble person?
“If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up”
I've got this shirt that looks like someone put all the coloured swirls and fluro patterns from the title sequence of Saved by the Bell onto one glorious piece of attire.
Have you ever found yourself holding on, desperately clinging, or not wanting to let go of something that you know isn’t really what you want?
The feast day of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary is a day of Holy Obligation for all Australian Catholics. Hence, one can assume that this day must be pretty important, right?
How many times have you been overwhelmed walking through the city and found yourself thinking this? What am I supposed to do when I walk past a person on the streets?
Imagine my surprise when 12 year old me found out that you could ask things of God. A massive list compiled in my head such as the latest Total Girl magazine, Saddle Club DVDs and Harry Potter books. Why hadn’t anyone told me about this awesome aspect of God earlier?
When I was younger my cousins were at my house and we were in the backyard spraying each other with a hose. We got soaking wet so mum gave my older cousin one of my dad’s shirts until the one he was wearing dried.
I was recently struck by a question in the Gospel when James and John, the Sons of Zebedee ask Jesus to sit, one at his right and one at his left when he comes in glory.
When opening a conversation with someone, I have realised a trend in the way I have been responding to people. After the polite and obligatory "Hi's" and "How-are-you's", the penultimate question comes crashing in..."So what have you been up to?"
Loss. The most painful experiences of our lives always pave a trail back to the same idea. Loss. And it’s not the loss itself that causes our hearts to break, but rather the parts of ourselves that die because we can no longer see who we are in relation to that thing that we no longer have.
"I think at the root of it though, bullies bully because they choose not to acknowledge the inherent dignity of the other."