How do we discern between good and evil?

 

How do we discern between good and evil? This was the request of Solomon when he was entrusted with the leadership of the people.

As we look back over the last three weeks we can start to notice three things.

That God still seeks to scatter the Word of God among us. This scattering is not just a random gesture but a genuine desire that this Word will bear fruit within us. We are told that three things prevent it from taking root. The first is that we only hear the word pass us by. It is just one word among many words, and we find that it can quickly vanish. The second is that we have an experiential response where we become excited by what we hear but then we move on to another experience and then another. Nothing can seem to satisfy us. The third is that we can have this long list of things that we have to attend to that we have no time to sit with the word.
It takes time and patience to provide us with the opportunity to be touched by the word of God. We need to make appointments with God and ourselves to be present and to turn up.

Last week we heard how easy it is for us when we have taken the time to pray and start to live the Gospel that we find that we live in an age that does not want to listen and reflect. We become moved by opinions and ways of living that seem to be at odds with what we hear. This can be distressing because it is easier to be caught up with the mob than discover our own calling to live the Gospel. The temptation is always to notice what is fashionable, powerful and relevant so that we can fit in.

This week we start to notice how the parables that Jesus teaches look to our own foundations. He talks about a pearl of great price and field with a precious treasure. What he is drawing us to consider is what is our own worth in the eyes of God. This is where we can discover how we are created in the image and likeness of God. Where we can become people who discern what is the next good thing that we must do.

The practice of meditating upon scripture allows us not just to hear the Word of God but to listen to it penetrating our own hearts. This encounter with God is not just words written on a page but on our lives. By chewing over the Word not just during our prayer but we discover that it can touch the context and environment in which we live. By allowing it to add savour to our day we can start to notice what we need to attend to and what we can let go. The Word of God is alive and active and as we have heard before it does not return to God without achieving its purpose.

St Paul stresses this in his letter to the Romans where he says, “we know that turning everything to good God cooperates with all those that he has called according to his purpose.”

As Christians we are called not only to encounter the person of Jesus but to notice how he accompanies us to become people who seek God. This is through our celebration of the Word of God and Sacraments. In meeting him we are drawn to a deeper communion. To find a God who sustains us and encourages us to find what truly brings life. We discover a wisdom that is ever ancient and ever new. Where will we find time over this week to listen to God’s Word and allow it to sustain us during the day?

In our own age where do we go seeking to find life?

 

We celebrated the Feast of St James on 25^th July. This is the person who was the first apostle to be martyred for the faith. He was taken by legend by two of his disciples and buried in a field in Northern Spain. In 823 a peaceful hermit, known as Pelayo, lived in his house in the Forest of Libredón. In the evenings, mysterious lights, coming from the forest, began to capture his attention. Surprised at the strange radiances, Pelayo decided to share his restlessness with Teodomiro, the Bishop of Iria Flavia, at that time. Both men came to the place where the flashes came from and discovered the Marmárea Ark, which was buried. So, the lights were interpreted as divine signs.

Inside it, rested three bodies. They were quickly attributed to Santiago the Apostle and the two disciples, Anastasio and Teodoro who guarded his remains until their death. The bishop immediately informed the King in those years, Alfonso II, of the surprising discovery. It was this discovery that initiated this place of St James Tomb as a pilgrimage place that is now known as Santiago de Compostella, or literally St James in the field of stars.

So why do millions of pilgrimages journey to Santiago in our day. This has become popular since Pope Pius XI and later Pope Pius XII saw it as an important place of pilgrimage for our modern age as it sought to reunite Europe after the ravages of war. Many movements that were birthed at that time took up the challenge to provide leadership to the Christian World including Cursillo, Opus Dei and the Neo Catechumenal way. But it recognised how the Christian faith was born at a time where destructive conflict had been ever present in people’s lives. There was a call to find a new way that sought to look deeply within their own hearts for a rule of life that could sustain them in a world that sought to rebuild hope. This includes such movements as Taizé, Focolare and Young Christian Workers among many others.

There was a desire to find life that allowed people to build on solid foundations.

In the gospel today we hear the same movement arising in people’s hearts the seeker, the finding, the joy and the seeking to invest everything in this treasure. In our own age this goes against the smorgasbord approach to life that seeks to find a little bit of goodness in everything.

We are called to develop a discerning spirit as we have heard over the last week that seeks to find good seed in our lives. It is where we are called to listen to the voice of God in scripture, in our sacramental celebrations and in our daily lives. Father Brendan Byrne SJ notes that in The First Reading, 1 Kings 3:5, 7-12, “comes in here in the sense that what Solomon prayed for – and received – was a discerning heart, a heart that, amid all the wealth and opportunity with which he was surrounded, could tell what was of true and lasting value.”

As Father Brendan Byrne SJ comments: “The two brief parables encapsulate the essence of Christian spirituality. Christian life requires a measure of detachment. It requires freedom from being completely absorbed and immersed in the attractions, pleasures and concerns of this world – not because these are bad in themselves but because we have been 'captured' by a sense of God’s love and God’s future for us that relativises all these things and puts them in their place. We do not yet possess the treasure but the prospect of it, unseen but grasped in faith, is already working transformation.”

So, in our own age where do we go seeking to find life? What will sustain us in on journey of faith? Who do we discover that will help us discover the kingdom of God that is ever ancient and ever new?

We stand against violence and hatred, but we should not become violence and hatred

 Over the last week it has been possible to witness the things that can divide us.  It has also drawn much commentary which seeks to understand what is happening and the potential fallout for the rest of the world. During the week I have been revisiting my reflection on Jacques Philippe’s book on the Beatitudes, The Eight Doors. In it, he talks about when choosing a response between force and love we should always choose love. This is not because we are doormats but because we seek to recognise the dignity of each person and it is only by loving what we consider unlovable that we can restore and reconcile the other. As we know hate breeds hate and violence breeds violence. As Odette Churchill noted after her incarceration at Ravensbrook it is easy to see how the parasite of evil can transfer between hosts to infect the whole world. While we are called to stand against violence and hatred, we should not become violence and hatred.

The three parables for this weekend start with the words the Kingdom of God is like. This continues to draw on the image of the Sower that we heard from last week but also shows the reality of how an enemy will sow darnel in the field. This is often the contradiction that we see in our world today where people are quick to sow the words of hatred, suspicion, and division. Words that seek peace, hope and charity are often lost in the crowd. This is where we need to have a discerning heart because the voice of Jesus and the voice of the enemy can seem similar but are distinct.

The word of Jesus will show itself in the fruits it produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control whereas the fruits of the evil one lead hatred, despair, conflict, impatience, cruelty, malice, betrayal, lack of self-restraint and harshness. When we become aware of these conflicting voices in our lives there is a tendency to try and root them out. Yet it is through faithful listening that God is present and helps us to recognise the different voices. We are called to follow the voice of Jesus who will bring us to life and live it to the full.

As St Paul says to the Romans the Spirit comes to help us in our weakness. Our prayer is not about finding the right words but a heartfelt desire to encounter the mind and heart of God. We see this in the Gospel that even the smallest act of kindness can provide shelter and comfort to others and can provide the leaven that produce a way of being present for the good of others.

How then can we live Christian lives in times of uncertainty and fear? It is easy to see how we can be caught up in a polemic which only increases tensions and divides people one against another. It can be seen too easily in racism, nationalism or sexism. The ability to take sides seems to be somehow too easy. Rather than seek to build bridges it is easier to build walls. These shuts people out not just in manmade structures but also in the barbed wire we wind around our hearts which stop others from coming too close.

So, when we look at the readings for this weekend there is a sense of a search that distinguishes power and authority. Wisdom helps us to witness how God’s Holy Spirit guides us to make good choices not just for ourselves but for the common good. A virtuous person seeks to discover an equanimity that seeks to grow in a healthy and lifegiving relationship with another person. What we see is not an attitude of retribution that seeks to judge or harshness on the other person. Rather it seeks to face the truth with faith, hope and love. In this way we do not allow one evil to breed new evils.

The Word does not return empty without achieving its purpose.

 

God seems to be a carefree gardener some might even verge on saying he is careless where the seed is thrown or even wasteful. This is not how we are taught to approach projects in our own gardens or in farming some land. The focus is on producing something that is useful or beautiful. We start to plant with the hope that we give the best opportunity for something to benefit others and ourselves.

Jesus uses parables that help us to notice where God speaks to us in our daily lives. The parable of the Sower of the seed is no different. The Word of God is called to take root in our lives. Lectio Divina helps us to notice how the Word needs to take root in our lives. This way of prayer allows for a gentle repetition where we are called to first notice what calls us to raise questions about where that Word touches our lives. When we repeat it for the second time, we can start to notice how the Word touches our hearts and helps us to listen with our hearts. When we repeat for the third time, we start to notice what nourishes us and feels like real food, by taking the Word into our daily lives we can start to have something that can sustain us through the day. By gentle repetition we become aware of what allows to provide good soil in which the Word can take root.

Yet in Isaiah we hear that the word from my mouth does not return to me empty without carrying out my will and succeeding in what it was sent to do. This can change our perspective from looking solely at ourselves towards what the Word of God seeks to achieve. If it falls on the path birds are fed, if it lands in little soil it can hold tenaciously before final wilting for lack of nutrients, if it falls in the brambles it seeks to compete for the attention it deserves and if it lands in good soil, it can flourish and grow.

This echoes of the words of St Paul to the Romans. “It was not any fault on the part of creation that it was made unable to attain its purpose, it was made so by God; but creation still remains the hope of being freed, like us from its slavery to decadence, to enjoy the same freedom and glory as the children of God.”  There is a tension in listening to the Word that it seeks to bring about what it is sent to achieve.

So, in the heart of the teaching that the disciples are contained in the following phrases.

·      You will listen and listen again, but not understand

·      See and see again but not perceive

·      For the heart of this nation has grown course,

·      Their ears are dull of hearing

·      And they have shut their eyes, for fear they should see with their eyes

·      Hear with their ears

·      Understood with their hearts

·      And be converted and healed by me

This is where we seek to allow the Word of God to be heard and lived in our lives. We need to notice where the Word of God can flow off us like Teflon. The Word can be carried away by another stray thought of something that seems more urgent. There are times when the Word gives us temporary consolation but then drifts away like the mist. Then there can be many things that can keep us busy during the day that rob us of our freedom. Yet the practice of Lectio Divina can stay with us throughout the day. When we notice those moments that rob us of peace we can gently focus back on the Word or phrase that we have received for the day. And at the end of the day give thanks for the fruits it has produced in our lives. The Word of God does not return empty without achieving its purpose.

Sharing our stories

 

A little child is always open to the other person they encounter, especially their parents who have loved them into life. For the Parents, their lives are filled with joy and hope with their little child. We witness this in the dedication that are placed on the child who can for the first few years becomes the focus of the parents’ life. Children often teach their parents how to be good parents. This can be assisted by the teaching of others, but it is the day-to-day contact with each other that bonds them together. We pray that the yoke is easy and the burden is light!

As we celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday, we can learn how to be a still presence in this land. In his address to First Nations People in Alice Springs in 1986, Saint Pope John Paul II said “The silence of the bush taught you a quietness of soul that put you in touch with another world, the world of God’s spirit. Your careful attention to the details of kinship spoke of your reverence for birth, life and human generation. You knew that children needed to be loved, to be full of joy. They need a time to grow in laughter and to play, secure in the knowledge that they belong to their people”. We become part of the story as we see our lives interwoven with their own.  

Pope John Paul went on to say, “The Church herself in Australia will not be fully the Church that Jesus wants her to be until you have made your contribution to her life and until that contribution has been joyfully received by others. Christian people seek to be people of hope and joy. Remember always the simple joy of the little child, remember Jesus Christ bears the same yoke guiding us to opening our hearts rejoicing in the gift of the ancient cultures and traditions that have shaped our land and country for more than 60,000 years. Our country will become a nation of hope and light in the world that is in desperate need of peace. This is a peace that is not just an absence of conflict but an abiding presence of God that dwell deep within.

Echoing the words of Zechariah in Magnifica Humanitas, Pope Leo says in section 222, “The people of the world desire peace, and to their leaders I appeal with all my heart: Let us meet, let us talk, let us negotiate! War is never inevitable, Weapons can and must be silenced, for they do not resolve problems but only increase them. Those who make history are the peacemakers, not those who sow seeds of suffering.” In St Matthews Gospel, we notice this call for peace and humility is taken up by Jesus in revealing the truths of resolving conflict are often found in the youngest members of our community. To learn to trust another is to know them by knowing ourselves. This way of knowing is deeply intuitive and helps us to be at one with each other.

This is where we need to learn peace rather than live at a pace that is often driven by the circumstances of life. To discover a humility that reaches out with a gentleness that does not overburden us but gives us rest.  By learning to nurture our spiritual self we discover how we can be of service to our sisters and brothers. To be able to sit down and share our stories.

Be Holy

 

How we recognise holiness in another is developed through recognising holiness in ourselves. This helps us to notice what draws us closer to God in our daily lives. It calls us to become people who can listen to what brings us life and joy. This is explored in the Ignatian Examen where we can notice that God speaks to us in a language we can understand. The first act of the examen is to give thanks to God for this day. This allows us to then review where we have been given our full attention to the matters at hand and the places where we have become distracted from our core activity. By allowing ourselves these pauses through the day we can start to notice what brings us life and what brings life to others. This attentive listening to God in our daily lives then lets us notice the next step that we need to take. What will help others and myself grow closer to God. This is where we discover what it is to be holy by being prayerful and present to the possibilities to meet God.

In scripture we notice how people witness to the goodness in others that draws out the goodness in themselves. When Elisha breaks his journey for a meal when a woman of rank pressed him to stay with them. Her first instinct went beyond just sharing the table but providing a place for him to rest. This was not a once off invitation. This in return draws a response from Elisha when he sees her need for a son even though her husband is old. She can draw the goodness within Elisha to respond to her heartfelt need.

The Gospel of Matthew draws on this similar reciprocal nature of holiness. When he says anyone who welcomes you, welcomes me; and those who welcome me welcome the one who sent me. This again recognises the goodness in us that can notice the goodness in others. Thus, a person who welcomes a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, the person who welcomes a holy man will receive a holy man’s reward, and even the simple task of giving a cup of water to a disciple will not lose their reward.

This stands in contrast to the open lines of the Gospel that talk about where our preferences are directed. This is not to say our families are not important as they nurtured and supported us into life. Yet one of the hardest things I hear parents say is letting their children follow their own way of life even at times when it breaks their hearts. What Jesus says is that we need to prepare them to make hard choices in living their faith and finding God amid a world that wants to silence them.

St Paul notes this in his letter to the Romans where he sees baptism as a dying to self so that we can rise to a new life in Christ. This new life looks to liberate us from the forces that deaden us inside. We start to discover what brings us true life that we are no longer focussed on our sins.

This is where we return to the beginning of discovering that we are called to become holy by discovering how God is at the centre of our lives. By being centred not just in our prayer, but in the environment, we live and the mission entrusted to us we reveal God to others. These simple steps help us to know that holiness is not just entrusted to a few select people, but it is at the heart of Jesus mission to say that the kingdom of God is close to you. It is in your hearts, and on your lips that you may proclaim that truth with your life.

 

How do we see with 20/20 vision

We are on the alert for dangers that may present themselves in our daily lives. Every day there is something new that we are called to focus our attention upon. Amid the things that can distract us from being authentic to our own calling how do we live amid a world of contradictions? This can become a pressing issue when we feel exposed to the temptations that confront us each day: to be powerful; to be spectacular and to be relevant. They can be like those that faced Jeremiah when his friends watch out for any mistake he may make. Jeremiah has the desire to meet God who probes the depths of his life. This is not just about having the right answers but the willingness to ask the right questions. Jeremiah wants to know how a God of justice will deliver the souls of the needy from evil men.

The theme of being a light on the hill seeks to uncover not our wrongdoing but the reality of God’s glory. The desire of God is not for us to be lost in darkness but to be drawn into the light of the day. Jesus encourages his disciples not just to focus on the material realities of life that if taken from us can feel like death. He looks at a more fundamental loss of losing our sight of God who walks with us in those losses. So often when evil befalls us, we can start to doubt our own worth and yet Jesus proclaims that we are worth more than thousands of sparrows. He allows us to invite God close and to declare God’s presence even in our darkest night.

So how do we acknowledge our need of God even in this darkest night. Paul grapples with the reality of the sin of Adam and how there was something deeper than just breaking the law but the breaking of a relationship with God. We can recognise the reality of the sin can cause a people to separate themselves from a God who seeks them out. This is why it is important to confess mortal sins not to draw attention to the sinful act but to address the injury caused by the act. This can be like a mortal blow that threatens death to the soul.

This is not easy to confess because in many ways the evil spirit seeks to play a three-card trick: to tempt us into wrongdoing, then to keep it secret and then pretend that he is more powerful than God in keeping us hostage to the effects of the sin.  This is acknowledged in the rules of St Ignatius in the first week of the spiritual exercises where he recognised the goodness of God and the reality of the effects of sin. St Ignatius helps to understand the internal movements of consolation and desolation that seek us to encounter God rather than leaving us isolated from the grace that we need to overcome sin. This is not to remove us from the world but so that in the world we seek to be people who can heal the wounds of sin and division.

Thus, we seek to draw confidence that allows us to adjust our vision to see God more clearly. The focus here is not on our sins but on the person of Jesus who seeks to meet us. It is this encounter that transforms us that brings life into focus so that we can see with 20/20 vision.

I will carry you on Eagles wings

In the Hobbit, Eagles seem to turn up at the right time to rescue Gandalf and his friends from danger. Tolkien often imagined that the Eagles would carry you towards the dawn of a new day. He said in reflecting on the Eagles, “May the wind under your wings bear you where the sun sails and the moon walks.” It echoes the word of God calling to Moses on the mountain, “How I have carried you on eagle’s wings and carried you to myself. There is a deep bond between God and his people in which he seeks to embrace the themes of hope, freedom, and connection with the creative power of God.

This is where Paul writing to the Romans also emphasises how God seeks to rescue us even when we seem to at odds with him and might even be considered God’s enemies. It was this desire of God that sought to cover the distance between us through the profound act of reconciliation. This was the giving of a life for the sake of another so that they could experience the joy of God that makes us a priestly people and a consecrated nation. We are filled with a joyful trust in God through Jesus Christ, through whom we have already gained our reconciliation.

This is a continuing event that hear described in the Gospel of St Matthew where the twelve disciples are called to cast out unclean spirits and heal people. The naming of the disciples whom he commissions to proclaim that the Kingdom of God is nearby. This saving mission is initially reserved to the lost sheep of the House of Israel where we notice how Jesus commissions them to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, and cast out devils. This is considered a gift that they have received to pass on to others.

St Anthony of Padua reflected on this Gospel passage by saying, “So the religious soul finds in the heart of Jesus a secure refuge against the wiles and attacks of Satan, and a delightful retreat. But we must not rest merely at the entrance to the hole in the rock, we must penetrate its depths. At the mouth of the deep hollow, at the mouth of the wound in his side we shall, indeed, find the precious blood which has redeemed us. This blood pleads for us and demands mercy for us. But the religious soul must not stay at the entrance. When she has heard, and understood, the voice of the divine blood, she must hasten to the very source from which it springs, into the very innermost sanctuary of the heart of Jesus. There she will find light, peace, and ineffable consolations (https://www.azquotes.com/quote/893390).”

Yet he also cautioned those who listened to him when he said, “Men will surrender to the spirit of the age. They will say that if they had lived in our day, faith would be simple and easy. But in their day, they will say, things are complex; the Church must be brought up to date and made meaningful to the day's problems. (https://www.azquotes.com/quote/893390.)” This was said eight hundred years ago and yet we face the same challenges of proclaiming the truth with joy and simplicity. We seek to be the person that God called us to be rather than trying to imitate someone else.

Each of us in our own ways are called to be drawn closer to God. This is not by striving to be powerful, spectacular, or relevant but seeking to allow the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to form us and guide us. The Kingdom of God is within you it is in your heart and on your lips that you may live the truth with joy and peace.

Everyone is born as an original, but many people end up dying as photocopies

 

When I travelled the Camino back in 2003, we entered a small village called O Cebreiro. This is a place where one of the Eucharistic miracles took place. The story goes that in 1300 that on winter night with a blizzard raging a farmer attended the Church for Mass. The priest who had to travel up the hill from the valley below had grown cynical over the years and doubted the real presence of Christ. He wondered if it was worth braving the elements to celebrate Mass for just one person. After he prayed the words of consecration the bread became actual human flesh and the wine became blood. It is said that the statue of Mary bowed in adoration of the miracle. Both the host and the chalice were preserved and Queen Isabella commissioned reliques in which they could be venerated in 1486. The miracle was recorded in two Papal Documents (known as a bull) by Pope Innocent VIII in 1487and Pope Alexander VI in 1496.

Whenever we celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi, we are called to reflect on the statement made by Jesus where he states that “if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his blood, you will not have life within you.” This is a statement about how Jesus is present in the bread and wine that are offered at Mass that becomes His Body and Blood. This is not just a metaphor but a reality of how intimately he desires for His life to become our life too. Much as when people give blood at the blood bank it is given freely for us to be drawn into a deeper communion with the Body of Christ. This is not taken by force but out of his total self-giving for the life of the world. His desire is that as we receive this food for the journey, we seek to draw life from Him that draws us closer to eternal life.

It was this desire of Saint Carlo Acutis to not waste time where he wished to apply his skills of information technology, computers, and the internet. He was inspired by two inspirations from reflecting on the book of Job. “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living the life of someone else.” And “It is only by saying ‘no’ that you can concentrate on the things that are truly important.”

Pope Francis echoed these sentiments when he said in Christus Vivit (Christ is alive) when he addressed young people. He saw that many young people, wanting to be different, really end up being like everyone else, running after whatever the powerful set before them with the mechanisms of consumerism and distraction. In this way they do not bring forth the gifts the Lord has given them; they do not offer the world those unique personal talents that God has given to each of them. As a result, Carlo said, ‘Everyone is born as an original, but many people end up dying as photocopies.’ Do not let that happen to you! (Christus Vivit 106).

He also understood that not all goods are equal but present themselves to us in a hierarchy of greater and lesser value. Only by saying ‘no’ to a lesser good can we say ‘yes’ to something greater. In the light of the rapid expansion of AI, Pope Leo has written the encyclical Magnifica Humanitas. At its heart is the discovery of Jesus, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. In him, the grandeur of our humanity is safeguarded and brought to fulfilment. True progress always springs from a heart open to others, an intelligence willing to listen, and a will that seeks what unites rather than what divides. For Carlo, information technology was to be seen for what it is: a tool to share the Good News, to connect, and to do good. In this way, he stands as a model for young people, and indeed for all of us, in how to use technology without being manipulated or controlled by it. Carlo saw the Eucharist as the stairway to heaven through his faithful participation in Mass and Adoration. He often said, “The more Eucharist we receive, the more we will become like Jesus, so that on this earth we will have a foretaste of Heaven.” And again: “If we get in front of the sun, we get sun tans, but when we get in front of Jesus in the Eucharist, we become saints.” It also inspired him to create a website that documented these Eucharistic Miracles.

As we prepare for the Eucharistic Congress in Sydney in 2028, may we open our hearts ever more deeply to the real presence of Christ in our midst. May he draw us closer to himself, renew our hope, and make our lives a living witness to the joy and promise of heaven.

From a distance

 How we imagine God has a profound impact on how we see ourselves. I am reminded of Bette Midler’s Song, “From a distance God is watching us” This may be a popular image of God who is portrayed as one who seems to leave us to our own devices and notices the distances between us even though we hope for peace. In this song we can notice how this may be our common experience of seeking to cross the divides that can separate us from each other.

The Trinity calls us to ponder more deeply how God seeks to communicate with us daily. While this tells us that God is three distinct persons (hypostases) but one in essence (homoousion) that was declared at the Council of Nicaea in 325. Yet we can be left scratching our heads about what impact this has on our own lives. We can seem to be placed at a distance from the God who seeks to draw us closer.

Yet at the heart of the teaching on Trinity is the proclamation that we are all called to be in a life-giving relationship with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. How we enter this mystery of this relationship lies at the heart of our lives. The image that stays with me is that we are invited into a Divine Dance. This invitation notices that there is a dance, a dancer and a dancing. When we are caught up amid this movement it is important to notice the dynamics at play. We are caught up in a divine embrace that calls us to enter this movement in our own lives. No longer do we just sit as passive observers on the sidelines we are called to step forward and join in the dance.

We can see this in St Paul’s letter to the Corinthians where he notices that we are called to grow in a happiness that will draw us into the heart of this relationship where he uses the greeting that we hear so often at the beginning of Mass, the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all and we respond and with your spirit. This shows us how we are called to grow in the perfection of the love of the Trinity by helping one another. There is a call to be united in peace that will sustain us.

Moses encounters this when he holds the ten commandments in his hands that we are called to enter a relationship with God that does not just focus on the Law but to seek the heart of the Lawgiver. As Moses, says, “A God of tenderness and compassion, slow to anger and rich in kindness and faithfulness.” This is where we are called to respond not by pointing to each other’s sins but as God’s desire to adopt us sons and daughters in faith.

God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost but may have eternal life. For God sent his Son not to condemn the world but so that through him the world might be saved.

Over the next week every time we make the sign of the cross, we can start to notice how God desires to meet us at our meals, in our work, in our relaxation, in our prayer and in our homes. God seeks to cross that divide. We seek to be people of faith who are drawn to the heart of the Trinity as we say, “Glory to be the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.”

Come Holy Spirit fill the hearts of your faithful!

 When we turn on a tap, we expect the water to flow, when we turn on a switch, we expect the light to shine, we tap a card and we expect the transaction to be paid. Yet what happens when the water does not flow, when the light does not shine or the payment is declined. We can be left feeling thirsty, in the dark and penniless. The loss can be felt more acutely not just in not being able to rely on utilities that we can take for granted but it can also be internalized into a sense of being alone, afraid and worthless.

As we join the Apostles in the Upper Room, we notice how they closed the doors and locked themselves in for fear of what may happen next. They were all too aware of the death of Jesus and the hostility that surrounded his arrest, trial and execution. They shut themselves in for fear that they could be next and that they did not have the physical resources to sustain themselves. They felt alone, isolated and besieged. Yet into this reality Jesus comes and stands in their midst. The first words he says are peace be with you. These words are not just a throwaway line but an invitation to enter a living relationship with Jesus who has risen from the dead when he showed them his wounds. They are called to meet him amid their anxiety and isolation with joy, hope and trust. The mission entrusted to them was to be present with the same peace with the Father’s love. They are called not to be caught up in the past by holding on to past hurts and grudges but discovering that they can forgive with their hearts, their minds and with their words.

Each of us is entrusted with the gift of the spoken word in how we see ourselves and others. We are gifted in many ways to undertake various tasks for the good of others and for the common good. St Paul talks about how this is given to us like water poured out for the good of others, like the light being switched on and discovering our own essential worth. St Cyril of Jerusalem uses this image that the water I shall give him will become in him a fountain of living water, welling up into eternal life. Water comes down from heaven as rain and although it is always the same it produces many different effects. It adapts itself to the needs of every creature that receives it.

We notice how the apostles are caught up by a divine fire that seems to descend like tongues of flame, that the room is filled like a rushing wind or a crashing wave, all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak foreign languages as the Spirit gave them the gift of speech. From a place where they believed that the water had run dry, the darkness had engulfed them and caused them to close the world against a hostile world, they became conduits of God’s grace, people who shone the light in a world encased in night and to proclaim God news from the person who created the world.

How in this week will we seek to encounter the person of Jesus who will quench my thirst, enlighten my heart and become a person who proclaims the Good News of peace to our world? The Spirit comes with the tenderness of a true friend and protector to heal, to teach, to counsel, to strengthen and to console.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and we shall be created and you shall renew the face of the earth. O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit instructs the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit, we may be truly wise and ever rejoice in His consolation, through Christ our Lord. Amen

Why are you looking into the sky?

 

 

We stand in a moment of transition between the Ascension and Pentecost. It appears that we have been waiting for the season of Easter to come to an end so that we can return to business as usual. Yet this is not the message that we hear from the angels who speak to the disciples, why are you standing there looking into the sky?” In other words: don’t remain stuck in this moment. The same Jesus who ascended will return—but in the meantime, there is work to be done.

This calls us to reflect on how we grow in our understanding of the mission and how it is about a person who will accompany us on our journey. The contradiction that we are often presented with is both the proximity and the absence of Jesus at the same moment. No wonder the disciples were confused as their usual reference points were taken from them.

In the Ephesians we start to hear about the wisdom that we help us to grow in full knowledge of him. This wisdom allows us to notice the practical steps in our daily lives that aid our growth in relationships with God and each other. This is more than just an academic exercise but rather a chance to encounter the person of Christ who gathers us together.

We sense this in the disciples throwing themselves down at the feet of Jesus in an act of worship rather than subjugation. Even though some hesitate they are drawn into the conversation that calls them to ponder more deeply where God is at work in their lives.

This should encourage us. Faith is not the absence of hesitation; it is the decision to trust despite it. And it is to this imperfect group that Jesus gives the Great Commission: “Go, make disciples of all nations; baptise them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all that I have commanded you.”

Thus, in our own community we are called to have hearts set on fire for mission. This calls us to notice how our prayer calls us to look within ourselves and be prepared to ask for what we need to be to live out this mission. This is not through just thinking pious thoughts but rather noticing the graced moments in our lives and the promptings that we resist. We are called to be people who become aware of the moments in our lives when we can be present to others with the spirit of Jesus. These graced filled moments allow us to become people who read the signs of the times in our own time and space. This also calls us to be people who seek to take the next obvious step in proclaiming the Gospel with our lives.

So, we are left with three invitations today.

First, to trust. Like the disciples, we may not know the times or seasons of God’s plan. But we are called to trust in his promise and his providence.

Second, to be enlightened. We need that spirit of wisdom Paul speaks of—hearts open to God, eyes capable of seeing the hope and dignity of our calling.

And third, to be sent. Each of us, in our own way, is called to be a witness—to carry the love, mercy, and truth of Christ into our families, our workplaces, our communities.

We are not alone in this mission. The same Jesus who ascended into heaven remains with us. The same Spirit who empowered the first disciples is given to us. And the same promise holds true: that through our faithful witness, the Gospel will reach to the ends of the earth

Especially in this week we also prayer for Christian Unity as we say:

Heavenly Father, you call us to be one, as You are one—
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Perfect in love and communion.

We confess that too often we allow division, pride, and misunderstanding to separate us.
Forgive us, Lord, and soften our hearts toward one another.

Pour out Your Holy Spirit upon all Christians,
That we may grow in humility, patience, and charity.
Help us to see Christ in one another,
And to recognise the gifts You have given each part of Your Church. Unite us in the truth of Your Word,
In the love of Christ, and in the mission, You have entrusted to us— To proclaim the Gospel to all the world. May our unity be a living witness, So that the world may believe in Your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You,
In the unity of the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever. Amen.

Let all the Earth cry out to God with joy!

When I was on hospital call out a couple of weeks ago, I was called to attend the neonatal unit. The first time was to baptise a premature baby, and on the second occasion to pray with two couples who had lost their children in childbirth. In the mixture of the celebration of a new life and the loss of an innocent child, what do you say to the families who experience this mixture of emotions? What stays with me is how the nurses talked to the newborn in the humidicrib and how they gave a couple the chance to remember and treasure the memories of a child they could name. In the mixture of joy and sadness, we trust that God will lead us to a deeper appreciation of how we go with others as people of prayer.

As we celebrate the Motherhood of Mary, we listen to some of the titles that are given her in the Litany of Loreto: Mother of Christ; Mother of the Church; Mother of Mercy; Mother of Divine Grace; Mother of Hope; Mother most pure; Mother most chaste; Mother inviolate; Mother undefiled; Mother most amiable; Mother most admirable; Mother of good counsel; Mother of our Creator; Mother of our Saviour. In Australia, we also add the title Our Lady, Help of Christians. As we honour our mothers, both living and born to eternal glory, we acknowledge that Motherhood is not just a physical bond but a spiritual and psychological bond that connects us with our mothers throughout our lives. As we pray with Mary this month, may we see in our community the importance of the women who walk with us on our journey of faith.

The disciples also see this when they send St Peter and St John to Samaria to meet new disciples who have just been baptised. This brings memories of the woman at the well and wonder whether it was that community at Jacob’s well that welcomed them. They had already met the person of Jesus, but now they were called to enter a deeper communion with him through the Holy Spirit and the laying on of hands. This is where we see the first signs of the sacrament of confirmation that acknowledges that we are called into a living relationship with God as a community of faith. This living relationship recognises how, as a baptised people, we are called to enter a deeper relationship with God and with each other.

St Peter reflects on this in his first letter, where he says, “reverence the Lord Christ in your hearts and always have your answer ready for people who ask the reason for the hope that you all have.” This is not just about having the ability to think about Jesus, but about allowing it to enter more deeply into our being. We are called to be people in prayer who think, feel, and digest the Good News into our own bodies. This is the most profound part of Easter, as we are called to become people who open our hearts to God, not by concentrating on our sins but by discovering how we are called into a living relationship with Jesus through the Holy Spirit. He died once for sins, died for the guilty to lead us to God. In the body, he was put to death; in the spirit, he was raised to life.

This is where Jesus leaves us with the two commandments: love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength and love your neighbour as yourself. We do not achieve this relationship through our own efforts but through an active engagement with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. He is with you; he is in you. We echo the proclamation of the Kingdom where Jesus says that you are in me as I am in you. As we enter prayer, we begin to recognise what feeds and guides our thinking and feelings, and what provides true nourishment for our souls. We see that our faith is a living encounter with the person of Jesus Christ, who guides us, walks with us, and enters a deeper communion with us. In this, we sing with the psalmist, “Let all the Earth cry out to God with joy!

We are in the midst of a spiritual housing crisis!

We are in the middle of a housing crisis. People long to find shelter and a stable place which they can call home. We have witnessed many governments and individuals seeking to address this issue, especially in a time when it is difficult to raise sufficient funds to make a deposit or afford the monthly repayments. How do we assist people to build on solid foundations, not just for this generation but for future generations?

It is against this background that we hear St Peter encourage people to build on the person of Jesus Christ as the living stone on which it is possible to create a living relationship with God. If you ask any builder, it is important to deal with a building's foundations before you let it take shape. This means that the sewer lines, electrical cables, and other essential items must be installed before a frame is ever created, bricks are laid, or a roof is set in place. This is where we start to realise that it is in baptism that we first encounter the person of Christ. We build on this foundation to continue to meet him daily. It provides the living encounter that forms us in our relationship with a faith community, where we can build our lives. This allows us to be reconciled, healed, and nourished and provides the sacramental witness of how people witness to their faith through marriage, ordination, religious life, and single commitment. You are a chosen nation, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation set apart to sing the praises of God.

This living presence of Jesus Christ is also affirmed in the passages from John. Amid all the uncertainty we face, sometimes daily, we are called not to let our hearts be troubled. This may seem easier said than done, but it calls us to recognise the principle and foundation that becomes our touchstone for our faith. What scripture passage can we call to mind that will sustain us through each day? This is at the heart of Thomas question when he hears Jesus say that he will prepare many rooms for us so that we can be with him. This is not just about careful planning for a future event, but about a present reality in which we meet Jesus as the Way, the Truth, and the Life. It also leads to Philip’s deeper question about how we see Jesus in the events of this day. This can at times seem very abstract, but it is where we are called to be together as a prayerful community. We are called to witness to others through our presence that God is with us. This allows us to study the environment in which we work, noticing the graced moments when God is at work and when we are called to act. At the end of each day, we can examine how we have both cooperated with God’s grace and resisted it. This gentle art of reflection allows us to surrender each day to receive and give thanks for how God is at work in our lives.

We also know through the Acts of the Apostles that people can be moved to focus on aspects of community life. At the heart of synodality is the need to listen not just to the loudest voice but the living heartbeat of Christ that draws people together. Where there are differences of opinion, we need to ensure that all the charisms are at work to build up a community of disciples who preach the Good News with their lives. At the heart of this is also a recognition that certain people are set aside for prayer and service of the Word. Yet a community is not just built on the work of one person but on the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, who fills us with wisdom to spread the Gospel in our times.

A faith community builds on solid foundations, not just the priests' but also the baptised's, who have formed a community. People in our own age are looking for a place where they can belong and call home. There is a spiritual housing crisis! This is not just about finding any place, but about seeking a continual renewal of faith that calls each of us to be disciples. This allows us to become people of prayer, reflection, and action who embody the words of the psalmist: "Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you."

What do we look for in a Good Shepherd

  

What do we look for in a Good Shepherd? This question comes to mind as we reflect on the weekend's readings. There is a diverse amount of commentary that seeks to guide our understanding of how we form young men for the priesthood. We are called to help form people into shepherds of souls. Yet this is not something that can be done in isolation from the people whom they will be called to serve.

The Vatican study group that reflected on priestly formation emphasised the important role that women undertake in that formation process. This recognises that women and men have an equal dignity in sharing their charisms in building up a community of faith. Those in formation for the priesthood need to grow in maturity and confidence through the mentorship of those they are called to serve. They need to be immersed in people’s lived realities. This shifts from a purely academic, insular training to one that seeks to build communities of faith through active discernment of God's voice in their daily lives. This engagement seeks to explore how, in a digital age, we can be cluttered by the many things that seek to draw our attention away from Gospel living. As Pope Francis says, they need to have the smell of the sheep. They need to be familiar with walking among them and listening to their voices.

We can see in the readings that everyone needs to encounter themselves as beloved by God and to bear faithful witnesses to that abiding love. We cannot share with others what we have not received ourselves. They need to hear the voice of God that speaks to our hearts as we hear St. Peter stress the need to die to our own faults and live for holiness. It is through our wounds that we are healed.

This is stressed in the Acts of the Apostles: we are called to repentance, forgiveness of sins, and baptism. This movement, stressed by St Peter, calls upon people to have their broken hearts healed. In this, we start to see that the sacrament of penance is not just a ritual to be undertaken but an encounter with the risen Lord. As we seek to recognise what ties us up in knots, we are called to an honest evaluation of what burdens us so that we can speak it aloud. This allows the Lord to meet us when we are in deepest need and when we carry a load that is too heavy for us. The weight of our sins is not just a quick fix for all our problems; it addresses the inner darkness that threatens to destroy us.

The psalmist stresses how God seeks to lead us to good pasture, guides us by restful waters, and revives our drooping spirits even in the darkest night. The psalmist also sees this as leading us to a banquet that will be prepared even in the sight of our foes. This is to seek goodness and kindness that allows us to dwell in the House of the Lord. What appears essential is that we do not need to be perfect when we set out on the journey, but we need to trust that we are heading in the right direction. We care to encounter the person of Jesus as the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

The Gospel stresses the need to hear his own voice. This calls us to be close to the shepherd who leads us in and out safely. We are awoken to an awareness that Jesus seeks to walk with us on our journey of faith. God will always be faithful if we open our hearts, especially at moments of brokenness, grief, and sadness. Thus, a shepherd is a person who can bear his own wounds so that he can shepherd and guard others. Thus, the person called into ministry needs to recognise themselves as a wounded healer.

So, this poses a deeper question for us: how do we recognise the Good Shepherd who walks among us and calls us to nurture people in their vocation? It draws us back to take our baptismal calling to be disciples to heart. Priests do not appear by magic; they emerge from communities like ours. They seek to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd that will help others to be guided to be healed, nourished and forgiven. As we pray for those discerning this call, we also seek to nurture our own baptismal vocation to be priest, prophet, and king, helping others to meet the risen Lord.

 

 

 

 

How do we find our way home?

 How do we find our way home? This only makes sense when we are away from home, when we start to notice the absence of what is familiar and everyday. People leaving on a journey or taking a step into a new environment often feel this sense of separation. They are open to new realities, but eager not to lose contact with the people they love. Often, this deep longing can feel like a sickness, weighing heavily on a person as they feel disoriented by a new reality. They often need to talk to another person on the journey to find what makes sense. This can even be seen in people posting on social media or by making telephone calls, if only to have a familiar presence who helps us make sense of what we are experiencing.

When we encounter the two disciples on the walk back to Emmaus, we encounter the same reality. They are all too aware of all the events leading up to Jesus’ life and death, but struggle to make sense of the empty tomb. This is not just idle chatter; it is a faith conversation about how their hearts have been broken and their hopes dashed. The supreme irony in this story is that they are unaware that Jesus walks with them and seeks to make sense of who he is, which is more important than the events that have unfolded. Jesus listens to what is most disturbing them and then guides them to understand the scriptures that speak about him. Then, when they reach their destination, he takes bread, blesses it, breaks it, and shares it. These show how this Eucharistic action is mirrored in our celebration whenever we gather for Mass.

What is central to this Eucharistic moment is that Jesus shares himself both in Word and Sacrament. Saint Peter points to this when he notes that the tomb cannot contain him and that he has freed us from the corruption of sin and death. This allows us to understand the fulfilment of the promise that he would sit at God’s right hand and that we would experience the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

We start to discover that our true home is in heaven and that God walks with us on the journey. This is not just an abandonment of our day-to-day encounters, but a call to accompany each other, especially when we walk together. This shows that true happiness does not come from our own efforts but from our willingness to meet the person of Christ. We recognise that we cannot meet God on our own or manufacture grace. We are called to a point where, especially when we are besieged by the events of life, God will meet us there. Where two or three are gathered in His name, He is present in their midst.

As we continue our journey together, Jesus makes himself known to us. These may be fleeting moments, but they help us to glimpse the truth. This is the reason we gather each week to celebrate the Eucharist. To listen to the Word broken open for us and the bread taken, blessed, broken, and shared as the precious Body and Blood of Christ. Jesus does not abandon us but walks with us, often unseen, as we share our stories of faith. He enkindles the fire within us so that we may notice his footsteps alongside our own. 

From the darkness of doubt to the light of faith

 In Caravaggio's painting of this encounter between Thomas and Jesus, we see how Thomas is drawn from the darkness of doubt into the light of faith. The intensity of this encounter can often raise questions for us about why Thomas was not with the disciples in this first encounter with the risen Christ. Yet it is not about who was there and who was not. Jesus makes the same proclamation when he says peace be with you. The drama of the scene is often not lost on me as I notice that the invitation to put your hand into the side of Jesus is to touch the living heart of Jesus. This most intimate of encounters touches our own reality, especially on Divine Mercy Sunday. We are not called to faith in the abstract events of daily life but to learning to be agents of forgiveness. This is the recognition that when we celebrate the sacrament of penance, it is not just about cleaning up our own sins but about adopting the forgiving nature of Christ. This profound shift is what we pray in the Our Father, forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who have trespassed against us.

As we enter this Easter season, there is also a call to recognise that, as a Christian community proclaiming the Catholic faith, we should notice how our actions mirror those of the first community.

·      Being faithful to the teaching of the apostles

·      Gathering in common

·      Sharing in the Eucharist

·      Becoming a people of prayer

·      Sharing generously with others

This allows us to become a people of faith that acknowledges that our faith is to be proclaimed to the world in which we live through the community we are.

We can see glimpses of this in how we engage in our own communities of faith. We celebrate how, as a faith community, we have gathered together as a Church. This is an important foundation where we acknowledge the many ways that Christ has touched our own lives and how we share that with each other. I also know that many of you have shared your reflections through our prayer, study and action on how we build on these foundations. What is central are the words we hear where we are encouraged by the words of St Peter, “You did not see him yet you love him; and still without seeing him you are already filled with joy so glorious that it can not be described, as you look forward to the salvation of your souls.”

As people of faith, we too are called to move from our fears, doubts, and anxieties, which can be present in our own lives, into the light of faith. This is not to make light of our daily struggles but to know that Jesus will meet us there, both as individuals and as a community gathered in faith. As we journey together through this Easter, may the Risen Lord meet us along the way and encourage us to open our hearts to His most divine heart of mercy. May his life transform our own as we seek to become missionary disciples for our own age.

 

How do we become people of discernment

 Joseph shows us the importance of listening to the voice of God. He was a man of honour who sought to live in accord with his Jewish upbringing and in relationship with his betrothed, Mary. The Annunciation and Mary's yes to the angel raised questions in his mind and heart. The central question seems to be how he could be faithful to both God and Mary. This would have caused him some sleepless nights about how to show his love for both without being untrue to what he knew to be right. 

This is where Joseph is a person who can pray with us when we face difficult choices. In the midst of his dilemma, he opened his heart to God and, in a dream, was prompted to be faithful to God by taking Mary home as his wife. This is at the heart of our prayer whenever we feel fearful. God works with us so that our prayer guides us to reflect on what is the next obvious step.

As we approach Christmas, we may have many things on our minds and hearts. There is hope that all things will turn out for the good and that we will have a peaceful time. May any of our sleepless nights be calmed by God, who shows us the way to be faithful in our daily lives. 

Do not lose heart

 There can be impatience that builds into our activity, making us want Christmas to happen too quickly. Yet this is a time when we can take even a few moments each day to notice how the regular events of the day can refresh and renew us. This waiting helps us treasure the moment we are in and the way God speaks to our hearts. 

How do we translate the messages that we hear every day? There can be an emphasis on bad news and how people can be so allured by money, power and success. Yet John the Baptist seeks to discover whether Jesus is the one we are waiting for. Jesus answers that the blind see, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, lepers are cleansed, the lame walk and the Good News is proclaimed to the poor. This is what we hope for: that God will meet us in our most profound need. 

As we approach Christmas, may we return to the source of all life and accompany each other along the way. May we hear the words, Courage, be not afraid. That we discover the joy that is not counterfeit but restores the soul to life. 

How do we judge things with integrity?

 There can be an urgency in modern culture to have an opinion about everything. This calls us to make instant judgment based on limited information and marginal engagement with the people involved. Yet into this situation, Isaiah shows us how the Spirit of God is called to rest upon us. A spirit of wisdom and insight, a spirit of counsel and power, a spirit of knowledge and awe. This calls us to be people who seek justice with an integrity of heart that sees the person first and does not seek to make premature presumptions based on what others may say.

St Paul develops this theme when he says that we need to follow the example of Christ in giving glory to God with our lives. This is reflected in how we treat each other in the same friendly way that Christ treats us. This calls us to become people who seek to follow God in all things without making anything into God. John the Baptist wants to discover that the Kingdom of God is close at hand, inviting us to make our paths straight. 

There, in the midst of car parks that are full to overflowing, we are called to become people who witness to the glory of God. The kind word, the consideration for people overwhelmed by the simple act of shopping, the person who needs to reverse out of a parking space into a line of traffic. There are numerous ways in which we can show this maturity of presence by seeking what is for the good of the person. We build a kingdom not made of stone but one that abides in the person of Jesus Christ.

Stay Alert

 These words echo as we begin the season of Advent. The challenge of staying alert and awake to the reason for the season can often elude us amid the hustle and bustle of modern-day life. There can be many things that demand our attention and divert our attention. This does not just include preparing for Christmas, but it is also the act of remembering the people who are important to us. There can be a sense, when we are drawing up Christmas card lists, about whether we will send a general email, an ecard, or trust our greetings to an actual card. How do we stay in contact? What do we say, will this sustain our connections, and who will we respond to? This is more than just an obligation; it is a way to notice and pray for those who have influence in our lives.

By way of suggestion, as you are drawing up the list, consider what our prayer intention for them may be this year. This will allow us to go beyond a generic greeting towards a heartfelt invitation to allow God to touch their lives. This could address the environment in which they live and how they could make a difference. Then write the card. Hopefully, this should not take much time and will help make writing Christmas greetings not another task to be ticked off. 

It helps us to notice what intentions we have for each day of Christmas. Make an intention list for each day and pin it on the fridge. These can serve as reminders of what we need to pray for each day. It also allows us to see how we can touch people in our own square metre by making a conscious effort to act justly, walk humbly and love tenderly as we journey towards Christmas.

Christ knocks at the door and waits

 William Holman Hunt drew a picture of Christ the King knocking at the door. The door is overgrown by ivy, and Jesus stands outside in the garden with a lantern. This image invites a more profound reflection: when people viewed it, they noticed there was no handle on the outside of the door. While Jesus knocks at the door, he gazes out into the world, inviting us in. This profound invitation lies at the heart of this solemnity. Christ looks out to us and seeks to enter. What holds us back?

The Gospel reading may hold some clues for us. Jesus presides over the people from the Cross. It is almost like the picture drawn by William Holman Hunt he is frozen in place. We witness people throwing scorn on Jesus. The leaders and the soldiers both misunderstanding this saving act. They understood salvation as a remedy for present ills rather than a divine embrace. It is only the good thief who is able to perceive this embrace when he prays to be remembered in the  Kingdom. 

So our hearts and minds are pierced by this reality that seeks to transform how we see God entering into a relationship with us. This is not a salvation that overlooks suffering but one that seeks to transform it for the good of others and the whole of creation. The answer to the paradox of the Cross is not outside us but how we open our hearts to let Christ enter in.

The coming of the Lord

 Having just started the thirty-day retreat, I am taken back to the experience that I had during my time as spiritual director at the Seminary. I was returning from a rest day in the exercises and as I drew closer to the retreat centre, I could see an ominous cloud of smoke on the horizon. As I drew closer, this only seemed to intensify the sense of danger. When I pulled into the car park, there was a smell of ash and smoke in the air, and all the cars had disappeared. I then found the seminarians happily playing volleyball at the bottom of the hill. Yet the danger remained throughout the retreat; we had evacuation plans in place and times when we had to stay put, awaiting advice from the SES. In the midst of this, the seminarians maintained the silence and more deeply encountered the Lord.

The reality is that, in everyday tasks, we often become overwhelmed by real threats to our lives and livelihoods. Yet in the midst of these adversities, we are called to trust in the Lord who comes to rule the earth. This is so that rather than being distracted by whatever everyone else is doing, we are called to remain focused on what has been entrusted to us. In this way, we quietly go on working and earning the food we eat. 

Jesus echoes this reality when doomsayers emerge in our midst. Calling us to fear the future based on the fact that we know at the moment. Yet we are called to build on firm foundations, knowing that it is in discovering Christ that we make a person who can sustain us against our deepest fear and our greatest peril.  He seeks for us to endure even when we do not know what to say or do. He provides the courage to take the next obvious step.

Crossing the threshold of hope

 Over this last year there has been a pilgrimage of hope that has seen millions of pilgrims pass through the Holy Doors that have been opened for this jubilee. In the city of Rome, there are four major basilicas each of which opened a holy door for the Jubilee of Hope. These are the basilicas of St Mary Major, St Paul outside the walls, St Peter’s Basilica and Archbasilica Cathedral of the Most Holy Saviour of Saint John the Baptist and John the Evangelist, also called St John Lateran for short, it is oldest and is the mother Church of Rome and the whole world.

As we honour the mother Church of the whole world, we are called to ponder the importance of a Church building that is dedicated to the worship of God. It is the Pope’s cathedral and was dedicated in 324. We are called to prayer for how these sacred places shape us into places where we encounter God in a profound way.

Yet it is the liminal space where we stand at the lintel of these holy places that we are called to notice the transition that takes place. We move from the outside to the inside and are often stunned by the beauty that has been preserved over the years. Yet do we notice the beauty that we encounter within ourselves. Any pilgrimage is more than taking photos or record experiences it looks to what lasts rather than what is transitional. As people return home from entering these four buildings and praying there what remains of the experience that is foundational for our Christian life.

St Paul hints at this when he says, “you are God’s building”. Building on the foundation of Christ we are called to discover the sacredness not just of Churches but of people who gather in them. The building in its essence helps us to discover how the Spirit of God is living among us. As he says the temple of God is sacred and you are that temple.

I think this is what provokes Jesus into a rage where he overturns tables, scatters coins and drives out animals. It is trying to block the person’s encounter with the sacred through trading in spiritual goods. We should always have this in our consciousness of how we make it easier for people to develop the sacred space within them.

Ezekiel when he points to how a stream of water flows eastward from the temple. This water seeks to make the sea wholesome. It also allows fruit trees to flourish, produce fruit and leaves that are medicinal. The essence is that what flows into the temple also flows out into the world.

We are called to be people who have the mind of Christ and look at what helps people to thrive. To allow people space to discover holiness and listen to how God is moving in their lives. This is a slow patient process that allows them to be nurtured and watered with life giving water. We are called to become people who proclaim a jubilee of hope.

Called to remember!

 Unusually, we celebrate All Saints Day and All Souls Day over this weekend. We remember our call to be saints, as well as those who have died. This dual call embodies the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. The recognition that our external actions mirror our internal sense of who we are called to become. This call to be saints and to pray for others is at the heart of these two commemorations.

  When I read CS Lewis' book A Grief Observed, he noticed that in the midst of his sadness, whether it was directed to prayers for his deceased wife or towards himself. This can be our own experience of loss, where we feel like people standing in an empty cave, shouting into the dark. As we speak the person's name, we start to hear the echo of our own voice. This echo can disturb us because we wonder how deeply the wound that we feel may be healed. We don't want to just be people who become enveloped by the silence that can settle upon us. Yet the very act of remembering the person can lead to noticing that this same place of silence contains a wound of love. It is from this place of love that we feel the bittersweet taste of what it is to grieve the loss of someone we love and who has loved us.

As people called to become saints, we also notice how we reach out to others with this emptiness. This is not just to fill our emptiness with activity but rather to offer our availability for the good of another. It is the paradox of our faith that we surrender everything so that people may discover a space in which they can become themselves. By offering even our poverty of emptiness we can discover a God who can meet us even at the time when we feel most bereft of answers.