St Michael’s Church, Lane Cove, 21 June 2026
In the spring of 1905, the hymn-writer Civilla Martin and her Baptist-minister husband Walter befriended the Doolittles, a Christian couple who had known more than their share of suffering. The wife had been bedridden for twenty years, and her severely disabled husband had to make his own way to and from work in a wheelchair. Despite this, the Doolittle household was not stressed or anxious but serene and hopeful. When the Martins asked what their secret was, Mrs Doolittle’s answer was simple: “His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me.”
That night Civilla wrote a poem, His Eye is on the Sparrow, and mailed it to the composer, Charles Gabriel, to set to music.[1] The refrain of the hymn offers an apology for singing: “I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free, for His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me.” The theme of solace amidst sorrow and confidence in God’s watchful care made it a favourite of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. It was also recorded by gospel singers and sung by many congregations.[2]
His Eye is on the Sparrow is, of course, inspired by two Gospel verses. First, in Matthew’s account of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, “Consider the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not more valuable than they?” (Mt 6:26) And then, in today’s Gospel passage (Mt 10:26-33), Matthew’s Jesus continues: “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father knowing… So be not afraid; you are worth much more than sparrows!”
Sometimes it is challenging to believe in a good and powerful God guiding events, when things don’t go our way or we witness innocent suffering. Illness and pain, misfortune and injustice, disappointment and grief—we can wonder whether God sees or cares.
Currently showing in Cathedral Square is the Sistine Revelations immersive exhibition: I trust you have all seen it or have booked tickets! Michelangelo’s extraordinary frescoes on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel include ones of the prophets Jonah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Joel, Zechariah, Isaiah and Daniel. They are beautiful images, and we might expect that such favourites of God had beautiful lives. Well, Jonah was thrown overboard a ship in a storm, swallowed and then spewed up by a whale, got sunstroke and wished he was dead.[3] Jeremiah was imprisoned, beaten, thrown into a well, and exiled; he went around crying ‘Woe is me!’; and was ultimately stoned to death.[4] Then there’s Isaiah, whose famous “Suffering Servant Songs” about Jesus likely drew on his own experience of being despised and rejected, bruised and beaten; he was eventually martyred by being sawn in two![5] Daniel had it easy by comparison, as a royal courtier and interpreter of dreams, but even he was thrown to the lions and eventually killed by a wicked prime minister.[6] So much for being God’s favourites! As Teresa of Avila once famously said to God, “If this is the way you treat your friends, no wonder you have so few!”
In today’s first reading (Jer 20:10-13), Jeremiah is mocked by his enemies and surrounded by terrors on every side. After preaching against idolatry in the land of Judah, even his friends turned against him. Somehow, as we heard, he still trusted in God.
According to the most recent estimates, 388 million Christians—one in seven of us today—face high to extreme levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith. That’s eight million more than a year ago, making Christians by far the most persecuted religious community on earth.[7] In the past year alone, around five thousand have been added to the roll of Christian martyrs, or 13 every day. Most of us, thank God, will never be tested so severely. Yet we all face trials and tribulations of some sort, some time, and sometimes for our faith. In safe and tolerant Australia there are more subtle ways of marginalising or silencing believers.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells His closest companions three times to “Be not afraid.” It is in fact a refrain throughout his preaching.[8] It’s not that Jesus denies there is danger or hardship; today we hear Him acknowledge that there are those who kill the body and those who would kill the soul as well. Fear is reasonable here. But we must moderate and order our anxieties. By keeping our eyes on the prize, we put our present worries in perspective; by trusting in God, we can have the confidence of Jeremiah amidst our difficulties. For the One who fashioned all of existence out of pure love and still holds it in being cares deeply, even for the smallest things, the sparrows, the hairs of our heads—if we have any Fr Ben! Where the first Adam’s sin brought death, the second Adam, Christ, brings life; where the first wrought separation, the second brings us back together; and the Redemption far outweighs the Fall, as Paul says (Rom 5:12-15). We can be quite certain, he says, that in Christ divine grace is poured out as “an abundant free gift.” And this has allowed Christians through the ages and all over the world to face trials without despair, to persevere in faith and prayer, to keep up their mission of witness and charity, however costly.
An example of that abundant grace is God granting a shepherd today to this faithful community of Lane Cove. Fr Mark will now be responsible on my behalf for the worship, evangelisation and service in this parish. In his priestly service, he must sanctify you by prayer and sacrament. In his shepherding, he must lead and serve as Christ did. In his prophetic ministry, he must proclaim the Gospel and Church teaching in season and out. But he cannot do this all by himself. Together, priests and people achieve far more than any one of us could do alone. To strengthen him in this task, we now have the formal Rites of Installation of a Parish Priest. They are a useful reminder to us all, not just of his mission but of ours, as brothers and sisters in the Lord. I ask you, of your mercy, to keep supporting Fr Mark—and Fr Jorge—as they pray for and serve you.
[1] C. Michael Hawn, “History of hymns: His Eye Is on the Sparrow,” Discipleship Ministries 25 June 2013; Joanne Sloan, “Heroes of the faith: Civilla Martin, Canadian-American hymn writer,” The Alabama Baptist 2 April 2024.
[2] An example of a recording: https://www.facebook.com/61579244338014/videos/his-eye-is-on-the-sparrow-written-by-civilla-martin-in-1905-civilla-was-married-/772884798773136/
[3] Jon chs 1-2; 4:8-9.
[4] E.g. Jer 11:18-19; 15:10ff; 20:7-18; 25:9-12; 26:8-11; 37:2,11-16; 38:4-6. His stoning is not recorded in the Scriptures but reported in the Talmud: Sanhedrin 104a; cf. Heb 11:37; Tertullian, Scorpiace, ch. 8; St Jerome, Comm. Jer. 43:7 and Adversus Jovinianum II, ch. 37; Isidore of Seville, De Ortu et Obitu Patrum.
[5] E.g. Isa ch. 53. Again, his death is not recorded in the Scriptures but reported in the Talmud: Yevamot 49b:8; cf. Heb 11:37.
[6] Dan ch. 6. His death is also not recorded in the Scriptures, but reported in the Tagrum Sheini on Esther 4.11.
[7] Choe Brereton, “Latest trends in persecution,” Open Doors, 14 January 2026; Isabella de Carvalho, “Holy See: Christians are most persecuted religious community in world,” Vatican News, 5 March 2026.
[8] E.g. Mt 10:26, 28; 14:27; 28:10; Lk 12:4,32; Jn 14:27; cf. Mt 1:20; 28:5; Lk 1:13,30; 2:10; Jn 12:15.
INTRODUCTION TO MASS OF THE 12TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR A +
INSTALLATION OF FR MARK ANDERSON AS PARISH PRIEST OF LANE COVE
St Michael’s Church, Lane Cove, 21 June 2026
Welcome friends to St Michael’s Lane Cove for Mass of the Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time. It is my joy today to install Fr Mark Anderson as Parish Priest of Lane Cove, after his time on L-plates as your Assistant Priest and on P-plates as Administrator of the Parish.
This parish is, of course, very dear to my heart. It was in this parish—though in the old church, now the hall—that I made my First Confession, First Communion and Confirmation, and where I served as an altar-boy to Monsignor Hughie McGuire and his assistants, little imagining that one day I would be installing his successor. In that old church and this new one, I worshipped alongside my family and my schoolmates from St Michael’s and Riverview. One of the assistant priests in my youth was Fr Gary Rawson, whom I am pleased to acknowledge concelebrating with me today. It was here that I returned as a newly ordained Dominican priest to celebrate my ‘First Mass’.
I’ve been back, of course, on many occasions, to celebrate anniversaries and confirmations. But having stolen your last parish priest to be my Vicar General, it was my duty to find you a fitting replacement and I do believe that in Fr Mark you have a priest who will lead this community with wisdom, zeal and a shepherd’s heart.
I am pleased to salute him along with the Assistant Priest Fr Jorge Mairena.
I also salute my brother Dominican bishop Bernard O’Grady OP, who was my prior when I was a novice and first clothed me in the white wool of St Dominic, who co-consecrated me a bishop, and who is now a parishioner of St Michael’s.
I acknowledge Ms Nicole Hudson, Principal of my old school of St Michael’s, where the Sisters of Mercy and lay teachers taught me and my siblings many things.
A warm welcome to Fr Mark’s parents, Brian and Gayle, as well as family and friends here today.
While you might think it comical for me to be introducing Fr Mark to the doors, tabernacle and altar of a church in which he has already been serving for some time, the Rites of Installation of a Parish Priest are an opportunity for us all to reflect on the various stages of our own faith journey. And so we begin this Mass giving thanks for the gift of Catholic faith and repenting of our failures to live it as we ought…
