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. 

What prayers are heard by God?

 There is often a temptation to pray in a particular way for our prayers to be heard by God. This can cause us to put more effort into our time of worship, looking for the right words, the right actions and the right intention if it is to be "successful". The aim is simple: I need to receive from God the effort I put in. Yet often our prayers focus on who we think we should be rather than who we are. God listens to the heartfelt prayer that simply meets us in our poverty, neediness and dependence.

This is evident in the parable about the Pharisee and the publican. This is not just by an exterior display of piety but an inward conversion of heart. This involves a surrender of our whole self to God, recognising our deepest longing and our utter dependence on God. We see it too in the reading from Ecclesiasticus, where it is in allowing our story to be heard that our hearts may be read. This listening heart of God is like an arrow that pierces the clouds with a pure intent. God listens to what is most heartfelt.

This is the race we are called to be part of, seeking God daily. This is a perseverance that sees our effort in prayer as an encounter with God standing by us in power. This is not just focusing on myself, but seeking God who runs with us in the race of life.  Stay in the race and pray as you can.

Persistance in prayer

 The image of the unjust judge and the persistent widow seems strange for our relationship to God. We often find that our prayer transforms how we relate to God and to others as ourselves. What might start out as an actual need to see justice and a remedy to our problems develops into a faithfulness that purifies our intention. We no longer just seek a particular outcome, but we strive to deepen a relationship that will resolve the heart of the problem. The aim is not to bend God to our will, but to notice how it helps us grow in faith. This is a faith that actually trusts our whole life to God as a way of living.

We see this in Exodus, where Moses is supported in a practical way by Aaron and Hur, who hold up his arms when he faces the assault of Amalek. In this example, it is a reminder that our prayer draws together a community of faith that stands with and supports us. They help us persevere in the face of odds that can seem overwhelming if we try to tackle them on our own. This practical intercession reminds us that where two or three are gathered in prayer, God is with them. 

St Paul also encourages Timothy to be guided by the living Word of Scripture. This helps us notice what builds community by being guided to live wholesome lives. This way of life, or holiness, prepares us to perform good works out of a desire to manifest the love of God to others. The good works are not an end in themselves but an expression of how God works through us. This obedient listening to God allows us to be patient with others in gently correcting and guiding them to learn the truth of the Gospel. May God guide us to discern what brings life, love, and hope to our world. 

Were not all ten healed (28th Sunday)

 When we are sick and need it, it is easy for us to seek the aid of another. We are aware of our own helplessness and poverty, especially when we are beset by our own weaknesses. Yet in the midst of this petition, we are called to be open to the one who can heal us. Many studies show that our healing from both sickness and poverty means a belief that the person who walks alongside us speaks the truth to our condition. We see this in the ten lepers who came for healing. They had faith that Jesus could heal them, but it was only the Samaritan who saw his life transformed and thanked him. This faithful response is that it is not just about a physical healing but a spiritual reshaping of his life.

This is where the faith can lead us to recognise how our choices in life need to be examined in the environment in which we live. We do not wish away our troubles, but in the midst of these difficulties, we seek to encounter the person of Jesus who walks by our side. We notice the way of life that addicts us to specific patterns of behaviour that prevent us from living in a way that is life-giving for God, others and ourselves. By surrendering ourselves, we discover that Jesus cannot disown his own self. It is in realising this that our lives can change for good. It calls us to hold firm even when faced with these difficulties to acknowledge how we resist that grace and to surrender our whole self in thanksgiving to his life.

Naaman is challenged by this revelation when he is called to bathe in the Jordon. He has to overcome his own pride and attachment to power to allow God to not only heal his leprosy and his resistance to accepting a gift without price. He notices that he is called to become a person whose life is offered wholly to God. In this, we discover that holiness comes when we surrender ourselves entirely to God's healing touch. 

Increase our Faith (27th Sunday)

 The belief that faith is an external product that can be obtained is contrasted by Jesus' statement that if our faith were the size of a mustard seed, it could move a mountain. This is more than wishful thinking or magic but rather a willingness to hear his voice and not to harden our hearts. We discover that we are part of the transformation process. In being called to the table of the Lord, this is not just about indulgence but rather participation in preparing the meal. We are called to be people who are ready to see our whole life as an act of service born out of love. 

This is not a spirit of timidity but rather a spirit of power, love and self-control. This is not just about having the strength of our convictions, but also about a willingness to witness to the Lord, even though we may face many difficulties in life. This is where the flame of faith is called to burn deep within us so that we may share the goodness of the gift that we have received.

Being people of justice and compassion is not just about acknowledging that we are powerless against the things that oppress us and others. When we look at the violence and outrage in the world, it is easy to become overwhelmed. To believe that this is the way of the world rather than the way we have made this world. We are called to be faithful and be eager for the fulfilment of the vision of God. That no one is abandoned to their own failures, but that God reaches out to heal, reconcile and nourish those who do not harden their hearts to the voice of God. 

More than skin deep

 I remember once attending the musical 'Les Misérables' that deeply touched my life. This modern-day parable touches the reality of both justice and redemption through compassion. The way the story unfolds invites the person to notice the contrary forces present in the human heart. This story is told by Victor Hugo as a way of seeing how the good news touches every human life and invites a response about where we find hope and meaning.

Yet at the end of the performance, we can walk out of the theatre into the reality of our daily life. We can observe the contradictions of our own day, where we are free to attend such moving performances, yet also witness the unfolding tragedies in the world. The stark reality is that these events do affect who we become both as individuals and as a global community. We are called to be people who prayerfully consider how what happens to another does influence how we respond. We cannot close our eyes and ears to the suffering of others. 

The question then is, how can we respond with hope? The call by Pope Leo to pray for peace in the world during October by praying the rosary is a crucial opportunity to hold this intention in our hearts. There is also an opportunity to explore ways to alleviate the suffering of others. This may be achieved by making a donation to charity or by being informed about what can bring peace to a part of the world experiencing conflict. Lastly, we can consider what first step we may take to become people who nourish, forgive, and heal others that we encounter each day. 

How do we spend our time? How do we spend our money?

 When we spend time in prayer and reflection, do we consider what God may be guiding us towards? So often, we can focus on how much money we have and how little time we have in which to spend it. The pressure can cause us to spend more of our time seeking greater wealth so that we can relax and take it easy! Yet there are only 24 hours in a day!! This calls us to consider what is most important to us and what actually brings us life.

In an age where we face the reality of being able to afford the necessities of life, it is easy to see how our focus can be on earning a decent wage. People need to have the security to make good choices. Yet when we stake everything on money, we can start to lose a sense of our own worth. If we measure our success or our status on something that is here today and gone tomorrow, we can start to feel like we are victims of circumstances beyond our control.

What we value and treasure can more easily direct our choices. This will allow us to become wise and good stewards of the gifts that we have been entrusted. Such an approach enables us to recognise the value and worth of each life and person. When this is at the heart of our living, we can start to be people who transform the community in which we live.

In Coventry Cathedral in England, they pray the following Litany of Reconciliation each day at noon.

Litany of Reconciliation

All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

The hatred which divides nation from nation, race from race, class from class,

Father forgive.

The covetous desires of people and nations to possess what is not their own,

Father, forgive.

The greed which exploits the work of human hands and lays waste the earth,

Father, forgive.

Our envy of the welfare and happiness of others,

Father, forgive.

Our indifference to the plight of the imprisoned, the homeless, the refugee,

Father, forgive.

The lust which dishonours the bodies of men, women and children,

Father, forgive.

The pride which leads us to trust in ourselves and not in God,

Father, forgive.

Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

(https://www.coventrycathedral.org.uk/reconciliation/reconciliation-ministry/litany-of-reconciliation)

Encountering the Cross

 Each of us will face challenges in life. This can often confront us with the reality of suffering and sin. We can start to ponder what has caused these events to occur and what remedies will lift this cross from our shoulders. Sometimes what we struggle with is the bad choices that we make in life, and how we tend to believe that the world revolves around us. This can especially narrow our perspective on things to what influences those choices and how we need to change our lives. It can tend to shut out other people and even shut out God. How can I be transformed in these moments?

Part of the mystery of the Cross is how we seek to live it out in the midst of our own suffering and sin. We often see the cause of our suffering as something to be eliminated from life. This can be especially prevalent when we seek out a priest for confession. We can often notice what burdens our hearts and what seems like a deadweight in our lives. We seek to confess our sin and change our lives, but we are usually drawn back to those short-term fixes that take away some of the pain. Yet we also notice how we can become addicted to these remedies that often seem hollow and counterfeit. We are called to confess our sins, not to create extra burdens, but to discover how God meets us in our struggles. This is also linked to our celebration of the anointing of the sick; God meets us in that suffering, not to condemn us but to share our burden. Thus, our lives are not called to be lived in frustration and despair but to discover how God meets us even in our darkest night.

I believe this is where the feast of the Triumph of the Cross helps us to encounter God. In the midst of the suffering, we discover a God who is willing to give everything for our good. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus notices this meeting of what it means to be fully human and fully divine. It is not by walking away from suffering, but instead by allowing us to meet God in a rawness that reveals the reality of how deeply we are loved. This is not just calling us to a stoic resolve or a fatalistic resignation to the truth of sin and suffering. Rather, it seeks to notice how God does not abandon us at these moments. He became incarnate for us not because of us. This helps us to acknowledge that we are accompanied, especially at times of our greatest need.

As a Church community, we acknowledge how we seek to be people of justice and mercy. This is especially true when we seek to become communities that safeguard our most vulnerable, who can be so burdened by the reality of the sins of others and the suffering that they continue to endure. The fact that this feast is also commemorated as Safeguarding Sunday acknowledges that we can not take the Cross for granted. We learn ways not only to build communities that care for the sick and suffering but also seek to be places that heal and reconcile the darkness that can so easily affect our lives. In entering into the mystery of the Cross, we strive to be people who discover that our lives meet a God who sacrifices everything for our good so that we can find the reality of compassion. A God who does not abandon us to suffer or feel powerless against the cause of the suffering. We can be seen even when we feel lost, resurrected even when we feel close to death, and to discover that it is in our wounds that we are healed by Christ.

Knowing the mind of God

 I remember hearing an interview with Paul Davies, an English Physicist who had just a book called "The Mind of God. I remember the interviewer being enthralled by the discussion so much so that at the end of the hour that he apologised for going through the usual interludes for time checks, the news headlines and the usual announcements. What struck me in listening to the interview and later in reading the book was the author's belief that mathematics was the language with which God wrote the universe.  I hear the audible groans and memories that people may have had in learning mathematics as abstact and an arcane discipline. Yet I sense that God speaks in a language that can be understood and helps us to discover more about our universe. In fact it may well be that quantum physicists may be helping us to deepen our understanding of how the mystery of God touches every aspect of our lives.

This wisdom helps us to understand how God is our refuge. We discover that this is not as a security blanket but a discovery of how God touches our hearts and our minds. It helps to allow us insight into the work of God that is ever creative and ever new. It transforms how we view ourselves as part of the unfolding of creation and builds on foundations that are eternal. It helps us appreciate how we can participate in that unfolding. This allows us the possibility to notice how we can have a positive influence on those around us and how we can be instruments of peace.

It also notices how every day acts of compassion, justice and kindness can shape our lives. In Paul's letter to Philemon he focuses on his relationship with Onesimus. This is a practical story of forgiveness and reconciliation where a person is no longer considered as the property of another but rather as a brother in Christ. Thus we see Paul encouraging Philemon to welcome Onesimus as though he was Paul. This shapes each of our encounters because it helps us to notice how we can meet Christ in the people with whom we share our lives. If we see the other person as Christ this realigns our everyday relationships  that allows us Christ to be at the centre of our universe. In this we discover a new language that helps us to know the mind of God. 

Why do Catholics always sit at the back of the Church?

 There is often a popular myth that Catholics sit at the back of the Church so that they can be called forward and thus be recognised for their contribution to the community. However, it may be a false humility that does not want the person to be noticed, and may even mean that they can leave earlier than everybody else. It could also mean that they avoid the congestion and the rise of tensions that often can put our charity to the test when leaving the car park. Whatever the reason, this weekend's gospel could be seen as justifying why we hold back from being pushed to the front!

The question is more about how we discover how to make a home for the poor. This is not about not wanting to draw attention to ourselves, but rather recognising that God calls us to gently go about our work without fanfare or heraldry. It is the attentive ear that seeks to be present to the affairs of the heart. It calls us to be open to how God communicates in a language that can be understood by us. It says that everybody is a firstborn son and a citizen of heaven. This means that we do not have to prove ourselves worthy of God's love but rather discover how we are drawn into that love.

This is why Jesus so often proclaims the kingdom of God as similar to a wedding feast. Usually, couples spend a lot of time analysing to ensure that the right people sit at the right tables so that they may feel at home during the celebration. The invitation is to participate and be present as you are, not as you think you should be! In this way, we begin to notice that our attention is not focused on ourselves, but on how we are present to others. This is to say that it we are not we who decide who is worthy of being invited to the feast, but instead that God sees all people as welcome.

I hear you knocking but you can't come in!

 How often have we been put on hold by those messages that we navigate when calling an institution? The first thing they ask is to choose from various options that help send our enquiry to the appropriate person who can respond to it. So far, so good, we become aware that we will be directed to the right person. Then comes the difficulty, we hold on while a person tells us how important we are, and then listen to music that only adds to the tension. Sometimes, these messages are more helpful and ask for our phone number so that they can call us back, holding our place in the line. Yet the frustration we all deal with is that we want to meet a real person in real time who will unlock the door and help us resolve our problem.

This could be a modern-day example of the rich man who cannot enter through the narrow door. No matter how efficient an institution may become in responding to our enquiries, we find it challenging to have the patience to wait. Various thoughts race through our minds. Don't they know who I am? Are they not interested in what I have to say? How much longer do I have to wait? Or why is somebody else more important than me? These are commonplace thoughts that plague us with some uncertainty, but they can cause us to doubt our own worth, primarily if we have dealt with an institution over a long period.

We can feel that we are on the outside looking in, while others can enter more freely. Weeping and grinding of teeth, however, will not move us up the queue faster! So, next time when we are stuck in those trees of communication that seek to meet us, we need to find ways to stay calm, focused, and present. Our call for help is essential, but more important is that we not lose our sense of purpose while we wait. It may feel like purgatory, but it is not the ultimate test of our salvation! We are called to be people who transform painful situations of suffering into opportunities of hope. They train us not just to become people who vent their frustration, but also to seek to make the most of every chance for good. 

So next time you are on hold and feel the temperature rising inside yourself, remember to look for that which produces fruit in peace and patience. Be charitable to your brother or sister. Go out to the whole world and tell the Good News.

Each person has a story

 We have lost the ability to listen to the stories that others tell. We are often in such a rush to be understood and heard that we do not make room for the diversity of the people we meet each day. This is true even in our own homes, workplaces, and in our media. We learn a lot about people, but do we take time to know who they are? Often, we collect information about people rather than walking with them and taking the time to be aware of the story they long to tell.

In an age where we seek to gather facts about many things, we have lost the ability to engage with the fire that burns within each person. We want to know about them to stoke our own fire rather than feed the embers that glow deep within. This inability to be present to what animates a person can often lead to conflict, where we assume that we already know the person's story. We seek to rush in, advise, correct, and counsel the person about what is the right thing to do. This lack of patience and the presumption rob us and them of an inner freedom to be the person God is calling them to be. 

As we wait in prayer, we need to listen to the eternal story that gently kindles a flame within us. The longing and the desire to notice how this burns even in the darkest night. It seeks to be our guiding light, animating our day and leading others to discover their more profound truth. In a world that longs to hear stories, may we become people with ears to hear and eyes to see these inner movements of the heart.

Being found at the task entrusted to us.

 The grass can often seem greener on the other side of the fence. There can be a great temptation to view the work and responsibilities of others as more important than our own. As we reflect on what is happening in our lives, we often find that others are more gifted, more noticed, and more engaged than we are. We can become observers of life rather than participants.

Yet we are all called to play our part in weaving the tapestry of life. Our participation does make a difference that often we may not see or experience. Yet we are called to stand ready, undertaking what is ours to be present to. We are called to discover how we can be at home with God, with others and with ourselves. We search for our true homeland, and as St Mary of the Cross Mackillop would often say, we are but pilgrims here.

May we discover the joy of being the right person, in the right place at the right time. Happy the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

Giving Thanks for what we have

 We live in an age where our success can be measured by how much we consume, how much we produce, or by the influence we have on others in our lives. The appeal of being useful can influence how we make decisions and how we allocate our time. We want someone to notice that we are making a contribution that rewards our efforts. Yet in Ecclesiastes, we are called to labour wisely and to see where our hearts are present to the task at hand. In the end, someone else will inherit all our hard work, over which we have stressed and worried. As Pope John XXIII once had the response in prayer when he wondered how he would resolve all the problems that the Church faced in the modern age, he received the answer in prayer that it was Christ's Church and that he should get a good night's rest!

Similarly, we can begin to plan for a future that has not yet occurred based on what we know in the present. But how will we discern the heart of God rather than our own desire for bigger, brighter, and better? We often want to outshine and outdo what has gone before. The danger with this is that we can be driven by external forces beyond our control into a return to a golden age that we have created in our imagination. This does not mean that we don't try to improve the human condition, but we need to see what our treasure is and what makes us rich. 

God seeks to bring us to live a life that is formed by a relationship that overflows with God's love and kindness. We need to examine what brings life and hope to our age more than just fulfilling our own passions and indulgences. We are called to be renewed in the image of the creator, who does not look for artificial distinctions between people. Instead, it places on our hearts and minds to see Christ in everything and in everyone. 

Unconditional Love

 We live in a world where we are accustomed to making contracts with one another for specific goods and services. They have three essential elements: an agreement on what is to be exchanged, the time when it will be exchanged, and the method in which it will be exchanged. The difficulty with this way of living is that we can focus more on the exchange rather than the person we are called to be in relationship with. The utility of the transaction can overflow into the way we relate to each other.

When Jesus teaches his disciples the Our Father, he emphasises the personal nature of holiness, which draws us towards prioritising relationship —that is, to desire God's realm to be at the heart of our lives. This notices how we are called to be people who are nourished, forgiven and healed daily in our relationships with each other. Often, it seems that there are things that pull us away from being present to the needs of others and focus solely on our own wants.

This is where, in seeking good things, there is a persistence to ask, to seek and to desire the goods of God. At the heart of our prayer is the seeking not just a particular good or outcome but a relationship that can discern what is good. This moves us toward the heart of God, which seeks to be in an unconditional relationship with us, shaping how we reach out to God and to each other.