24/08/2026
Principal Reflections...
Last Saturday, we celebrated the Feast of the Assumption, a feast that reminds us of the dignity and preciousness of every human life. In her reflection, Sr Kym reminded us that our bodies are not incidental to who we are. Through them, we love, serve, comfort, persevere and reveal God's presence in the world.
As many of you know, my mum remains in hospital. During my visits, I have become familiar with some of the other patients in her ward, including a gentleman named Rusty. Rusty is living with advanced dementia and has been in hospital for a very long time. He is no longer able to hold a conversation, and his family believe he no longer recognises them.
Yet around his bed are photographs that tell the story of a remarkable life. In one, he stands proudly as a firefighter who served his community with courage and commitment. In others, he is captured as a distance runner, strong, determined and full of vitality. The contrast between those photographs and the
man lying quietly in the hospital bed is striking.
It has caused me to pause and ponder: Who is Rusty?
Is he the vigorous young firefighter? The athlete crossing finish lines? The husband, father and friend captured in family photographs? Or is he the frail man in the hospital bed?
The answer, of course, is all of these.
The firefighter. The athlete. The husband, father and friend. The man lying quietly in a hospital bed. None of these chapters alone defines him, and together they tell only part of the story that God holds in His loving care.
How often do we define people by the chapter we happen to see? A child struggling with learning. A teenager finding their way. A colleague carrying an invisible burden. An elderly person whose body and memory are failing. Yet each person carries a lifetime of experiences, relationships, joys, hardships and love.
The Feast of the Assumption reminds us that God sees the whole person. He sees beyond our limitations and circumstances. He sees our inherent dignity as His children.
As I sit with Mum, and occasionally glance across to Rusty's bed, I am reminded that we rarely know the full story of another person's life. We see only a single chapter, not the pages that came before, nor those still to be written. We do not always see the battles being fought, the sacrifices made, the grief carried, or the courage quietly displayed.
Perhaps that is why kindness matters so much.
This week, may we look a little more deeply at those around us. May we choose patience over judgement, compassion over assumption, and kindness above all else. Every person we encounter has a story, known fully by God, and worthy of
respect, dignity and care.
"God does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but
the Lord looks on the heart."
1 Samuel 16:7
If we can be anything, let us be kind. ❤️
Kind Regards,
Courtney
