The Feast of Saint Mary MacKillop

Our focus quote for this week from Saint Mary MacKillop is ‘Never see a need without doing something about it’. This is probably one of Mary MacKillop’s most famous quotes. I think the meaning behind these words of our Saint is quite literal - she is asking us not to close our eyes to what is going on around us, she is asking us to keep our ears open and listen to the people in our lives, she is asking us to use our voice to support someone in need or more vulnerable in our community.

People’s needs differ so greatly and I think it is easy for us to become caught up in the business of life, our work and the important people that surround us. Sometimes we need to conscientiously stop, pause, and ponder to understand what other people are experiencing as well. It doesn’t have to be the extreme experiences that other people are exposed to around the world (although it can be), but we do have to think about people other than ourselves. There is so much going on behind the scenes in our lives, we need to be mindful that is likely to be the same for those you encounter as well.

Listening to a podcast whilst driving the other day, the interviewee was speaking about three words that can make all the difference to an individual person's wellbeing - gratitude, empathy and mindfulness. The easy way to remember it is the GEM thinking strategy. The interviewee, Hugh van Cuylenberg, challenges us to practice the GEM thinking strategy each week. If we can identify something that we are grateful for, show empathy for another person's circumstances and be mindful of our words and actions, we have the opportunity to live a more fulfilling life. I believe it is these three virtues that Mary MacKillop practices her in life daily. Mary MacKillop was an educator, a pioneer and a leader, someone who had compassion for others regardless of their situation or race. Galvanised by her belief in the value of education as the foundation for a fulfilling life, Mary’s motto was ‘Never see a need without doing something about it’.

I wonder what needs you have witnessed in your local community, in your family, or at your workplace?

I wonder what actions you could put in place as a first step in responding to this need?