Faith Daily | 9 March 2021

PRAYER of the WEEK Lent Three

Lord God, our Redeemer,

who heard the cry of your people

and sent your servant Moses to lead them out of slavery:

free us from the tyranny of sin and death

and, by the leading of your Spirit,

bring us to our promised land;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen APBA p486

GOSPEL for the Day: Matthew 18: 21-35

21Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” 22Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times. 23“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. 24When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; 25and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. 26So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. 28But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. 31When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. 32Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ 34And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. 35So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

GOSPEL Reflection: Contributed by Rev'd Jan

DAY FOR SISTER EMMA, SSA,

SUPERIOR OF THE SOCIETY OF THE SACRED ADVENT, DIED 1929

A very good thing is that in the Australian Lectionary now we remember the significant lives of faith in our own country. Today is the day we remember Sister Emma, as above.

Sister Emma came from Kent, England, to join the Society of the Sacred Advent in 1896, aged 33. She had worked with the poor in England, and accepted Bishop Webber’s invitation to manage an orphanage, a home for women and babies and the Eton High School for girls …St Eton’s became St Margaret’s School for girls. She was professed into the Society of the Sacred Advent in 1897.

It was her work, and being made principal, with Eton High School that paved the way for the SSA to become involved with founding schools through Queensland. She founded an industrial school for girls in Brisbane, St Catherine’s in Warwick and then, during World War One, set up boarding schools in North Queensland – St Anne’s Townsville, St Mary’s Herberton, St Gabriel’s Charters Towers. In 1922 Sister Emma then was invited to be in charge of St Martin’s War Memorial Hospital in Brisbane – now Diocesan central office. In 1929 St Aidan’s Anglican School for girls, in Corinda, was founded.

As I write this, it is International Women’s Day - what an extraordinary woman was Mother Emma! And how significant for the Anglican Church to have a living religious order that moves into areas independent of the church, and still part of it. I am a proud St Aidan’s ‘old girl’, and currently on the St Margaret’s School Council as the SSA representative. Whilst women in leadership is still very much a minority reality in this Diocese and the Anglican Church as a whole, the women of the Society of the Sacred Advent have, and continue, to nurture and encourage young women in believing and knowing they can be leaders wherever God’s call takes them. We thank God for Mother Emma.

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FINAL PRAYER: “Australian Anglicans Remember”, Charles Sherlock

Almighty God,

you gave your servant Sister Emma special gifts of grace

to manage Christian places of learning for girls,

and teach the truth in Christ Jesus.

Grant that, receiving the heritage of her ministry,

young women may know you, the one true God,

and live in the freedom of the truth

through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Amen