Be Merciful as your Father

The call to be merciful is at the centre of this weekend’s readings. Ultimately, it talks about ensuring that we consider not only our own good but the good of the other. There is a call for epieikes or forbearance to all. This means that people in positions of authority exercise it with a consideration for those that may be affected by their decision making. This is central to the call of Pope Francis for people to be missionaries of mercy. There is an expectancy that we develop an attitude of epiekeia to each other. Drawing people to God through the manifestation of our life. We are called to be people who not only preach mercy but pray mercy, live mercy and be merciful as our heavenly Father.

Over the next year there will be opportunities for us to discover the importance of this. In many instances this could be as easy and as difficult as the constant praying of the Jesus prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner!” This prayer has always been close to my own life as I recognize that God calls me to a life of mercy not sacrifice. I am called to enter into a life which entrusts myself totally to the life of God.

Reading the map

Often as we are travelling we have to wait at roadworks. These are important points in which are called to pause and reflect. The roadworks are conducted not only to make our travel safer but also more direct. When corners are taken out and the ways are leveled it is easier to see the way ahead. This is a good parable for Advent. It reminds of not only of the importance of work undertaken on our behalf but also a reminder that for it to last it should not be done quickly. The work of preparing for Christmas should be undertaken with the same care and attention for the detail of our lives. What paths need straightening, how is our vision impaired, what do we listen to but not take in, who is walking this path with me? In taking time each day to pause and reflect we start on that important work of being attentive to God in our daily life. Our journey does not start at the place we are seeking to reach but at our point of departure. In seeking to discover God's divine life we need to discover that it all begins from the point we are now.

Being so busy preparing for Christmas that we miss Christ!

Our preparation for Christmas are important as they call us to centre on an encounter with the person of Jesus Christ and the life he offers to us. This can often be crowded out by Christmas parties, Christmas shopping, Christmas Parking, Christmas Travelling and even Christmas carols. They can give us a feel that something important is about to happen but can swamp us with too many experiences. As we approach Christmas we can often feel tired, lethargic and exhausted. So much of our time goes into the activity of preparation that we may find that we have not prepared ourselves. It is important that we make room for Christ to be in our hearts. This is about being a person of prayer who reaches out to others in need. It is a prayer which allows us to come to a still place where we are present to the people who are important in our lives. It is also important that we find not lose ourselves. I pray that during this season of Advent the focus could be on our preparing ourselves for Christmas Day and not becoming dissipated by too much activity. This is a time of joy, not sadness, of hope not despair, of charity not greed. May people see in us the face of Christ as we seek to discover the face of Christ in others?

A Kingdom not of this world.

The last week has witnessed tensions rise around the world as the results of attacks in Paris, Beirut and on the Sinai Peninsula. The atrocities which have been carried out cause us to question what is the best way to respond to terror. There are many people who are far more qualified than I am to look at the global and national ramifications of the circumstances in which we now found ourselves. However, at a personal and communal level we need to reflect on whether these events should change how we live and what we believe. There can be a tendency to respond with equal or greater force, to seek revenge and to allow our opinions to coloured by mistrust and suspicion. As followers of Christ we are not immune from the events present in the world but we are called to be formed in the image and likeness of God. We are called to be people who create life, facilitate hope and act with charity.  We are called to be people who in our earthly life seek to honour the commandment given to Jesus to love the Lord our God with all our heart, all our mind and all our soul and to love our neighbour as ourselves. This is central to our Christian faith and the way we are called to live. This cannot be taken as an optional extra it is foundational to how we are called to live in relationship with others especially at times when our hearts seem to be torn in two.

Trusting our lives totally to God

We can often have an image of God as the divine accountant who measures out whether we have a credit or debit balance. While we may not articulate this in what we say, it can be displayed in the way we choose to live. We can tend to hedge our bets and believe that as long as we live with a credit balance that we are on the inside track. This weekend’s gospels tell a very different story. It is not about giving God what is left over but an offering of our whole lives. What God wants is not just what we choose to give he wants everything. This can seem too much, too radical and too demanding. If we give God everything what will be left for us? However, this is what lies of Elijah’s discussion with the widow. She believes that she can just provide enough for one last meal for her son. She is barely in a position to share anything. Similarly the widow who puts all that she has to live on into the Temple treasury. Both of these women rely totally on God’s word and discover that in offering everything that nothing is lost. They discover a God who can make more out of their offering than they can do solely by themselves. This is a surrender which places complete trust in God. It is not easy to come to that place, it takes prayer, it requires trust and it requires an acceptance that God can do more with our lives than we could do on our own. 

How can loving our neighbour be a catastophic error?

I am writing on the eve of All Saints Day which presents the Beatitudes as the manifesto of Christian Life. These words turn the world upside down because they seek to discover a God who is the living heart of our world. It is at the heart of our Jewish and Christian heritage that we are called to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our mind and with our strength and to love our neighbour as ourselves. This is more than a noble sentiment which cannot be applied to daily life. However, this the radical challenge which Jesus presents to us. He is not a misguided prophet or an altruistic do-gooder, he is the person who gives substance to our lives and the way we are called to be present to God and each other.

What can we discover about God in the beatitudes?

                That people who seek to find God out of their own poverty of spirit will find the Kingdom of heaven. This is not seeking poverty for its own sake but discovering that are lives are only complete when we surrender them to a God who will walk with them in the difficulties, questions and sinfulness.

That people who confront their own violence in actions, thoughts and deeds discover the gentle spirit of God which brings people together rather than driving them apart.

That people who are able to show compassion for others at time of great turmoil and loss experience a way of being present to others which brings comfort and healing.

That people who are able to feel the deep hunger of humanity rather than stand in judgment over it will find a way of being present to others with integrity and truth.

That people who reach out to others with their time and resources will find that the well is never spent.

That people who seek to have a genuine desire to walk with God will see the face of God in others.

That people who seek to bring reconciliation and healing will be changed into being co-creators with God.

That people who walk with Jesus will seek to work with others because they are people created in the image and likeness of God.

That people are called to be the authentic witness of how Jesus walks with them in spite of the many people who would claim that they do not live in the real world. The Gospel calls us to view the whole of creation not as a problem but as a gift, not as a mystery to be solved but a mystery to be lived, as a way of being present to creation with generosity and grace.

What is happening with our life?

When we come to a place of pray we are called to turn up as we are not as we think we should be. Each Sunday allows us to stop a moment and listen to what is happening in our lives. In lives which can be driven by endless activity it is hard to know what to ask for. However, what is most pressing on our minds or our hearts would be good place to start. It is the place of which we are most conscious of and can occupy much of our time. This becomes the most obvious point in which we need to make a faith response. It calls for a surrender of that concern to the person of Jesus. It is not that it will be magically resolved but it will allows to become aware of how Jesus can walk with us in what can often seem complex and difficult situations. Jesus' life always touches what is at the heart of our own and draws forth what is needed for this moment and this day. Just remember: Jesus stops, Jesus Listens, Jesus Asks, and Jesus is present to our faith

Can we do this on our own?

It is easy to recognize that we live in a world where self-service becomes the norm. We witness this not only when we fill up our cars, shop in our supermarkets or even phone up various companies with the push button options. There is a sense of convenience in being able to do it for ourselves and allows us to choose who is in control. However, there is also a sense that we lose that important sense of relationship with the person who provides the service on our behalf. We can tend treat the person as a convenience or a utility which is provided for us. We can also lose a sense of self in relationship to the other.

When we witness Jesus’ talking about servant leadership we discover someone who is willing to put himself in the shoes of another. He recognizes that we often belief that the leader is the one who calls the shots and makes all the decisions. The challenge he provides for the disciples is to take the place of the person who is suffering and to take that suffering upon themselves. Jesus seeks to ransom us from our sin, our suffering, and our belief that we can do this all on our own. Jesus does not call for self-sufficient Christians who look out solely for their own interests but disciples and who can enter into a relationship with God who loves them into life.

Who would we surrender our life to?

The gospel this weekend talks about the difference to living according to the commandments and the living in accord with the spirit of God. Sometimes it is easier to live by the letter of the law and not the spirit of the law. Jesus challenges the young man in the Gospel to completely trust God in a very radical way, he asks him to sell everything and give the money to the poor. His reaction of the young man is one of sadness. It may be good for us to reflect on what is happening in the life of this young man. We already know he is a man who takes his faith seriously, he obeys the commandments, he seeks to follow the way of God and he seeks out the person of Jesus. Even the disciples are shocked by the words of Jesus when they say, who then can be saved? However, I think the central message is that salvation is not initiated by us it is initiated by God. It calls us to open to God’s grace and surrender our lives to the reign of God. Often we can feel that such a surrender will diminish us. The truth is that when we come to those moments of surrender, God enables us to be more richly blessed. These can be life changing moments that change the direction of our lives. The central question is what moves us to become disciples of Jesus Christ and what holds us back?

How do we treasure the sacramental life in marriage

The fruit of marriage is not just for the good of the couple but for the good of the whole community. Jesus’ teaching this weekend reflects not just on the reality of daily living but that a sacramental life reflects the glory of God present in flesh and blood. It is a sign that God does not abandon his people but allows them to encounter his blessing in our own lifetime. We see that each person is given a commission which enables them to be sacramentally present to the other. This is never more clearly seen in the love of a man and a woman in sacramental marriage. It is not a blessing just reserved for the couple but it allows others to encounter the blessing of God in the way that couple become missionaries of God’s grace to their own children and to the broader community.

Yet we also know in our own community the difficulties that people face when couples divorce. This not only effects them but also their children and the broader community. The ripples of this are felt very deeply by people who have hoped for a relationship which would be lifelong, faithful and exclusive. As a Church community it calls us to walk with people who have experienced divorce who are often feeling not only deeply hurt but also who discover their own frailty. How can we assist people not only to encounter God but also encounter a Church community who is willing to walk them? Also how do we help young people to discover the reality of a sacramental life in a world which is often jaded and whose confidence in a lifelong relationship of love and mutuality is so badly shaken?

God's grace is not a scare resource!

It is easy to cheer for your side when they are winning but it is much more difficult to voice the same support for another side who seem to be competing for the same prize. There can be a sense in which the competition to seek after something good means that we exclude another. We can recognize this even in economics where prices are set by the scarcest resource. There is a temptation to transfer this belief in scarcity to the realm of God. We hold tightly on to hard won victories, we can restrict our prayers to those we know and limit our support to people who seem to be on the same side as ourselves. However, the God’s providence love and mercy does not show the same partiality. It is extended to all people in every generation. It is a spirit of creativity and life which is over abundant.

As Christians we are called to recognize how our lives are called to resound with the same sense of creativity and thankfulness. This is demonstrated not just in how we pray but also in how we live. This is never truer than when we reflect on how we welcome people who flee persecution and war. While we seek peace for them, we also should not turn on backs on those in desperate need. We recognize that it is the corporal acts of mercy that we see the miracle of God’s grace evident in our actions for the good of all.

What makes for a good leader?

What makes for a good leader? The people were following Jesus because they were attracted to what he was doing and the things he was saying. Like the disciples we are often called into embarking on a faith journey by the example of someone else. Whether it is through our parents, a teacher or a close friend each of us can probably name that one person who believed in us and was prepared to walk with us. Like the disciples we can tend to believe that to be a leader you have to be the greatest and most competent person.  However, what makes a good leader is a person who has come to peace with themselves and can create room for others. This means that we need to discover that inner place where all the wars started inside us are brought to silence. If we believe that leadership is discovered solely in what we do rather than in who we are we start from the wrong end of the stick. Cardinal Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan said “I accept my cross and I plant it, with my own two hands, in my heart. If you were to permit me to choose, I would change nothing, because you are with me! I am no longer afraid, I have understood. I am following you in your passion and in your resurrection. (Five Loaves and Two Fish, 48)”

We need to discover that inner strength and resilience which allows us to bring out love instead of hatred, peace instead of war, and compassion rather than partiality. By reflecting on the conflicts that can rage in our own hearts we can discover a healing power which is not centered upon ourselves. By being reconciled within ourselves we can bring hope of salvation to others. This is the leadership that Jesus offers us to be at peace with ourselves so that we can be of service to others.

Creating a contemplative heart that reaches out to the world

Our faith calls us to become reflective people. There is a need to have a contemplative stance which places us at the heart of the world and in the heart of God. We are called to quieten out the static which can surround us so that we can engage in the particular work that has been entrusted to us. In a world where we are called to process more information and images than ever before we seek a way which engages our hearts and minds. This is never clearer when we are called to respond to people in great need: the refugees fleeing persecution; people seeking to rebuild lives after natural disasters; young people seeking to build lives of hope and the list goes on.

As Catholics we are called to be people who are moved into action but this needs to be more than a reactive response. We are called to engage with our experiences of the world. This is the first stage of wisdom. However, we also need to learn more about the situation and what resources we have to respond to those events. By looking at our own experience and our ability to think through the issues we are able to prayerfully consider what is the right response for this moment both for ourselves and our community. Lastly we can consider what it is that we can practically do to help others. It takes our heart, our mind and our soul to be all engaged in any work we undertake. We need to be people who see, judge and act. This never occurs once only but allows us to grow in our understanding of how our faith informs our actions and our actions inform our faith.

How do father's help shape our lives?

Our relationship with our fathers shapes not only our biological makeup but also our social, intellectual and spiritual well being. Their presence in our lives can have profound influences about how we view ourselves and the world we live in. They can leave an imprint on our minds and hearts which help to shape the person we become. Today we celebrate the contribution that fathers make to our own lives.

When we come to pray we are called to a relationship which was central to Jesus’ own identity. He saw this as shaped as a relationship between father and son. In order to live out of that relationship we are called to reflect on who are fathers are for us. How they help us to make sense of our lives and how they draw us to live with authenticity and faithfulness. Jesus saw his whole life as lived in relationship with God the Father. This was a call to be truly who he was called to be and how his life shapes the lives of others. It is by encountering and entering into this relationship that we start to discover the dynamic nature of God’s relationship with us. It is a relationship which calls us to be wholly ourselves. It is a call to be holy.

Empty hearts and empty wallets!

The change of weather often causes us to have a bit of a spring clean. We open up cupboards that have been closed up for winter to look at what is inside. This can cause us to go on a bit of a binge in throwing things out right, left and centre. We can wonder how we end up with so much so stuff and whether it actually achieves the purpose for which it is intended. After we have gone through this period of frantic activity there can be a tendency to return to patterns that were there before.  We can often buy things too quickly and spend money too easily believing it will bring is satisfaction. After the splurge we can be left with empty hearts and empty wallets.

Could I suggest that just as we undertake a Lectio to listen to God’s word spoken to us through scripture we can adopt the same approach to our purchases? If we feel empty inside there can be a tendency to fill that emptiness with a product which seems to feel our greatest desire. Advertising can seem to speak a language of fulfillment rather than engagement. It is good to sit for a while in prayer for the word or the product which seems to want us to buy something new. However, when we come to a place of stillness we can see what can truly bring us joy and hope. Sometimes we already have the resources close at hand in our own minds and hearts. The truth emerges from the inside out and allows us to seek what is truly needed for this day. God can speak to us in our everyday activities and what will truly bring us life.

Man proposes, God Disposes

In the “Imitation of Christ” written by Thomas A Kempis he says, ‘For the resolutions of the just depend rather on the grace of God than on their own wisdom; and in Him they always put their trust, whatever they take in hand. For man proposes, but God disposes; neither is the way of man in his own hands.’

In our own time we have become very reliant on our own ability to make decisions. There is a sense of personal autonomy when we are responsible for the decisions that we make. However, there is also a sense in which when we make decisions solely for ourselves we can lose a sense of corporate responsibility for each other. If we only make decisions for ourselves how do our lives have an impact on each other? If our moral sense is based solely on what we decide is good, how can we allow room for others? Where does God fit into the picture?

In the encounter with Jesus that we have experienced through the readings of John 6 we are left with the question hanging about who it is will lead our lives. Many of the people who heard Jesus speak were confronted by a reality which we encounter each week in the Eucharist. A person who calls us to enter into relationship with him. This is not about us forming Jesus in our own image and likeness but allowing us to be fashioned into God’s image and likeness.

The greatest gift that we can receive is one that is freely given

The greatest gift that we can receive is one that is freely given. In a world we are often told the price of everything but the value of nothing. Where everything is reduced to an economic price we can miss out on what is central to life. We can start to worship the means of exchange rather than what is exchanged. Our lives become increasingly cluttered up with information and with stuff we have accumulated. What we are offered in Eucharist is so simple and so direct we can be tempted to ignore what is on offer and who it is that is being offered to us. In Eucharist we are called to a direct and personal relationship with Jesus. As St Francis de Sales says, “Prayer is the means by which we ascend to God; the sacraments are the channels by which God descends to us.” We are invited to enter into that personal and direct relationship through going to Mass each week, by receiving communion and by spending time in quiet adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. If we allow Jesus to be at the heart of all our relationships then our life can be transformed by his real presence which brings life to the heart of the world.

Who do I believe?

There are times in life when we are called to believe in something or someone. It can emphasize what will shape our lives and how we will spend our waking hours. The relationships that we develop out of that believe impact on our families, our community and our world. However, so often our relationships are shaped by the opinions of others rather than a carefully considered dedication of ourselves. In busy lives this can be quite easy because we are moved too easily by soundbites and by catchy headlines. However, to develop any relationship means that we have to risk something of ourselves for the good of the other. It is not just about what I want but what assists all people to grow in relationship with each other.

Jesus challenges us to see God as wanting to develop a relationship with each of us and to grow communities which are life giving and wholesome. Communities which are built on a life giving relationship developed in prayer and action. He calls us to walk with him and accompany each other on the journey. Each day we are called to reflect what provides food for the journey. In our Christian lives we are called to hear Jesus speak to us through scripture and through our own experience. To reflect together as a community on the way we live that for the good of others and not just ourselves. Are call to believe in the Creed is a missionary statement which sees God send us out with Good News to our world.

What do you do for a living?

When we first meet a person often one of the first questions we ask is what do you for work? It is a reflection of our culture that in order to know a person we need to know what occupies most of their waking hours. Often it can relate to a person’s paid employment and there can be a reticence to give an answer which may diminish us in the eyes of the other. When we find out what a person does for a living we can also start to make assumptions about the person without really becoming familiar with who they are.

The same dilemma is present when people encounter the person of Jesus. They want to believe in what he does rather than in who he is. They seek to discover the works of Jesus rather than the person of Jesus. They miss the substance of who he is and what he offers. Rather than looking for the quick fix and the instant gratification of people’s hunger he offers a relationship which will satisfy their whole life. At the heart of our lives is an offer of discovering a person who promises eternal life and who sees our lives as having eternal value. We are not just called to know about him but to believe in him and live in relationship with him.

How can I share my life with so many?

There is often a feeling in our lives that we only give of ourselves when we receive positive feedback. There can be a tendency to seek a pay off or reward for all our efforts. We can see our lives as limited to what is immediately in front of us and so we tend to dish up to people from what we believe we have available to hand. This is not only present in how we distribute our own money but also how we distribute our own time. We become used to scheduling and prioritizing. We start to indicate what we consider important by the use of limited time. We live in a world which sees our resources as scarce and limited. When we adopt this stance in lives we can also apply it to our own lives, so many things to do, so little time to do them in.
This stress of modern day living can cause us to not see how each day is precious and open to the grace of God's abundant love  and provision. This is not a scarce resource or a limited commodity but rather a way of life. It does not see our life as dissected into discreet moments in which we share our life with others. It seeks to give the whole person in whatever we do. This allows our lives to have value in whatever situation we find ourselves. It is a way of being present to the world as ourselves. It does not see our life as limited but rather as gift. It flows naturally from a relationship with God and our relationship with others. Each day we are called to be present to a God who gives thanks for our lives.

Who do you follow?

We live in a world of ideas and opinions. This constant stream of information seems to besiege us and force our hand. It can cause us to make instant choices and instant decisions about how our life will continue to develop. In such a pressure cooker of a situation we are often called to react rather than reflect. Our lives can be shaped and coloured by the thoughts of others. It can catch us in a stream of consciousness rather than a way of being present to who we are called to be.
The importance of entering into the mystery of God and coming back to ourselves is important. There may be times when we need to sit back and switch off the television, log off the computer and go for a walk. This can be valuable time in which we can look at what actually brings us life, what do we truly value and who it is that we follow. We are called to ensure that Jesus is not just a cardboard cutout figure who is made in our own image and likeness. He is a person who challenges us to be authentic to God and to each other. He calls us to listen to his voice and at times be disturbed into action. Prayer is not just talking to ourselves but is an encounter with the God who dwells and walks with us. We discover that we walk in way in which helps us to learn, respect and celebrate that we all stand on sacred ground.

Am I sick of being sick?

The relationship we have with doctors and other medical professionals is crucial to our ongoing health. However, there is an important unseen element in this relationship which is built on how we believe the treatments that they provide will have a positive impact on our lives. This is not just a matter of positive thinking, although that certainly helps, but an engagement with the process of our own healing. There is not only a degree to which we are called to trust our doctors but do we trust ourselves? It is important that we talk and ask questions about how a treatment will assist us. We also need to listen and understand how the treatment will be effective. The more we are engaged in the process of our own health care the better the likely outcomes.

There is also the recognition that we are not just our bodies. There is a spiritual impact of illness upon us which can separate us from loved ones and also turn us in on ourselves. The need for the healing of the psychological and spiritual elements of an illness are also important. There can also be an impact upon on our own worth and dignity as a person. This isolation from others can also cause us to feel separated from God. The sacrament of anointing of the sick allows us the opportunity to ask God to be present to us in our bodies and spirit to discover a person who walks with us even at our lowest ebb. Jesus always wants to walk with us and provide what is needed for us in our illness.

How do we know Christ?

How do we know Christ? This is the central question of the readings for this coming Sunday. There are signs that this is not only knowing him by stories told about him but by experiencing him in the flesh. Each person is called to be open to his life changing presence which draws people to him. This is not just wishful thinking where it is our willing God to be present to our situation but a desire planted in the human heart to seek the person of Jesus.

When the situation appeared hopeless people turned to Jesus in the storm tossed boat. Their heartfelt pleas went out to him to save them from impending destruction. It was not that he was asleep on the case, as the disciples assumed but that in even the most violent storm he was present. In fact the calming of the storm raised more questions than it answered. There was a sense in which the dead calm was more disturbing than the storm itself.

In our daily prayers we can turn to Jesus in many ways but it is by reflecting on what does bring life to situations which seem lifeless, to bring hope to situations which are hopeless and to bring faith to situations that are faithless. God touches us where we are not where we think we should be. Each day have the confidence to step out and say Jesus walk with me!

Let the dice fall where they will!

Let the dice fall where they will! There seems to be an element of chance in what is read to us today. It seems as though God scatters the seed and then sits back to see what happens. However, it is not as willful as it sounds. God is prepared for the seed to grow at its own rate and to produce the fruit that is intended. There is also an anticipation that great things can happen.

In our lives we can witness that often it is in the simplest act of kindness and generosity that God can be present. There is also a divine initiative which wishes to generate life changing results not just for the person who receives the gift but in the way they can share that gift with others. God calls us to be open to how we are present to his life and love and how we allow ourselves to be open to share that with others.

Fruit of the earth and work of human hands

The call to participation in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus is at the heart of Eucharist. The call is not just a remembering of a past event but actually being present to his saving action in the world. This is why the celebration of Mass is at the heart of our Catholic life. It is the summit and source of our Christian life. It draws us into a reality which is greater than ourselves and then sends us out on mission to be present to others with the Good News.

This transforming presence of Jesus in the Eucharist enables us to see just beyond the ordinary events of everyday life and looks at the sacred underpinning of all creation. Each day we are called to see how our lives are embraced by God and enriched by God. We carry with us a treasure unseen but powerfully at work in the world. This is recognized in the very words that we pray at the preparation of the gifts where we acknowledge the fruit of the earth and work of human hands. We are called to see God present in even the simplest act of our daily lives and how we are called to cooperate with God’s creative plan.

Marriage Equality and Relational Justice

The decision to legalize same sex marriage in Ireland has started to resound around the world and has reignited the discussion of marriage equality in Australia. Currently in the Marriage Act of 1961 marriage is defined as, “means the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life”. What seems to be most at question is whether we are discussing marriage equality or relational justice? Equality of its essence means having similar status, rights opportunities as other citizens, justice on the other hand has elements of respect that each person should be treated the same. There is an equivalence to these two essentials to human life but they also have distinct differences. A person can be recognized as a person’s equal in their rights before the law but unequal in their opportunities to express that equality. Law of its essence can do so much, it can recognize inequality and seek to remedy it but it does not ensure justice. Justice is essentially an element of humanity which provides respect and dignity to the other.

What appears essential to this discussion is not only the equality and justice for the couple with same sex attraction but also the equality and justice for their children. We know of the difficulties that have been present in other marriages where the rights of parents need to be balanced with the rights of children. This is especially evident in cases of divorce and remarriage. There is also the need to balance the rights of the third party who either through surrogacy, fertility programs or adoption have rights which also need to be respected. What is evident is not only a spirit of equality between two people but also a spirit of justice. In all relationships, law can be a blunt instrument which can only state what it intends. What is needed is also a spirit of justice which seeks to balance these competing goods between all the parties to a marriage.

As Christians how can we value the dignity of sacramental marriage between a man and a woman which seeks to naturally preserve the good of the couple and the goods of children while also showing our respect to couples with same sex attraction? There are no easy answers to this question as it touches on belief, tradition and practice. Many of the images of marriage speak of the relationship between God and humanity. There is also an essence of the Trinity in which all relationships are called to be mutually faithful, creative and productive. A giving and receiving of one for the other. How can we preserve the dignity of sacramental marriage when it could potentially differ from marriage recognized by civil law? Can we live with difference and diversity? What impact would this have on how religious celebrants preside at marriages which are currently both civil and sacramental celebrations?

Called to walk with Jesus not work for him

I think sometimes in our ministry we can fill a little bit like Phil in Groundhog Day. We can seem to repeat the same day over and over again and seem to make little progress. We can often work hard in our parishes to make a difference to people’s lives. We are active in our schools, we celebrate the sacraments, and we seek to live the liturgical year. But are we caught up in a time loop which seems to keep bringing us back to the same starting point. There is a sense in which our lives can become if we let it to be an endless line of activities. In our own lives as Diocesan clergy it can be easy to see how we can be tempted to become managers of God’s graces rather than participants. We can start to care more about buildings and processes rather than about people. We can know more about policies than the Gospel. We can become more concerned about numbers rather than hidden wealth. We can speak from what others have told us rather than living it for ourselves.

Yet at the heart of our lives Jesus seeks to guide us to become closer to God the Father. He seeks to consecrate us by his word that we may live no longer for ourselves but for him. It is a deeper truth that seeks us out and seeks to enliven our lives. As Pope Francis said those given leadership in the church are not called to be managers but servants that imitate a Jesus who deprived himself of everything and "saved us with his mercy." In many ways he gives us the contrast presented in every life where, on the one hand each person can struggle to think only of himself and seeks to take advantage of his situation as opposed to the considering the needs of those around him and gives of himself. Pope Francis stresses that Christ the pastor is a thoughtful guide that participates in the life of his flock, not searching for other interests, not having other ambitions than those of guiding, feeding, protecting his sheep."

In our own life and ministry we are called to search for this deeper truth which will allow us to become people of mercy not sacrifice; to become people of Easter Sunday not Good Friday, to welcome people by discovering the one who welcomes us. Our pilgrimage of faith is one which seeks the truth of the matter that our lives have eternal value and in living from that truth we discover Jesus who calls us to walk with him not work for him.

Be a light for the world

At night time it is possible to ponder the stars and to be amazed by the immense beauty of creation. We can sit back and contemplate the light that is received. Yet scientists would tell us that this light that we see now actually puts us in touch with a history which has since passed, It is the paradox that we can present to a history which is alive and active in our present. This is actually the reality that we experience in the story of the ascension. It is a historical event which touches us deeply in the present. It would be easy to become paralyzed by this very realization much as the disciples were. They became present to the resurrected Christ but wanted to pin him down to a certain point in history whereas his mission was for all ages. The light he shines on the heart of creation reaches out to the cosmos. We are called to be in touch with his creative life which transforms our own. It calls us to become those pinpricks of light which are called to bring beauty and life to our world. We are called to radiate and magnify that life to others. We are called to be a people on mission who proclaim the Good News to our world by the lives we live.

We become what we love!

The Gospel message from this coming weekend talks to us about remaining in the Father's love. The reality of falling in love is one of the greatest dimensions of human life. It allows us to be fulfilled and creative at the same time. The importance of choosing how we love and whom we love marks out our existence as human beings. It allows to give expression to a deeper sense that we have been called into existence by somebody who has loved us into being. This weekend we give special recognition to our mothers who have carried us and walked with us. They have helped at the most intimate and fundamental part of our lives. They have helped to shape and form us into those early years of our life. The fact that we are here today allows us to give thanks for the lives that we can share with others.
Today we can give thanks for our mothers and our ability to shape the lives of others. They help us to understand more deeply the love of God which forms us to be people capable of loving others. As Christians we are called to be people who are shaped by that Word which creates and recreates us each day. May we follow that commandment to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbour as our ourselves.

What would I love to spend my life doing?

We can never rest on our laurels! Where there is life there is growth! The main question in today’s gospel is not whether we will grow but how will we grow. What will our life be like? The essential question today is how will my life display God’s glory and beauty to the world? Will my life become fully alive with God’s dream for me?

We live in an age of self-made people. You can do anything if you set your mind to it! However, while there is a truth to this will it actually be the one thing that displays God’s life for you. Will it allow you to be truly free or a prisoner to experience? There is always a belief that we will have finally made it when we have achieved a certain goal or completed a certain project. But at the end of each goal there is a sense of achievement and disappointment. There is a satisfaction that something has been completed but also a wondering about whether this is all that life has to offer. When we invest our lives in a project we would want to make sure that it is one which still keeps giving life to us and to others on an ongoing basis. What would I love to spend my life doing? What will bring hope to others and to myself? What helps me most easily to see God’s beauty in the life I live?

Laying my life down for my friends!

Laying down my life for my friends! This Gospel talks about how we are called to present to others with the love of God. In a society which actually shapes the world in our own image and likeness we are called to delve deeper to find how God wishes to shape of world in his image and likeness. There is a need to discover the bedrock that can sustain others with life and hope. God does not call us to be superhuman but fully human. This is the call which is placed on each human heart to be present to to each other as we can. Often we can think or feel that God's call is beyond us or demands too much off us. In fact it is far simpler and more direct than we can imagine. It calls us to be our best self in relationship with God and with each other. It calls us to offer the whole of ourselves and hold nothing back. Our lives are called to be given away for the good of others. The paradox is that as we give our lives away we have more life to give. We become the person we can be. We can become saints. May we discover this day what it is that will bring life and hope to the another person. 

Am I just imagining this?

How do we meet Jesus in these days of the resurrection? Often there can be a sense in which these days have a sense of unreality. After all the build up to Easter Sunday there can be a natural sense of asking what is next? The disciples had a similar view. They knew Jesus during his life and ministry and had witnessed the passion. What did they need to do now? Easter is a time in which we are called to allow Jesus to find us and reveal himself to us so that we may bear witness to his presence to the world. How can we do this?

I think there are four simple ways. The first is to become silent in our prayer. We need to spend as much time listening and waiting as we do talking. The conversation has to be two way. The second is to become people who reflect and meditate upon scripture. We need to allow the word to find a home in us. The third way is to become conscious of those graced moments in which God does become present to us in our daily lives. The moments where we can give thanks for the action of God in our lives. Lastly, we need to encourage each other to witness how we see God at work in each other’s lives and how they help us to build up a vibrant faith filled community. 

Seeing is believing

Seeing is believing. We live in a very visual world. Our access to situations around the world can both strengthen and challenge our humanity. It allows us a medium in which we can connect almost instantly with people all around the world. This instant communication challenges us to respond to situations with the same speed. However, what we view can help determine the world we live in. There are so many choices that we can find ourselves connected solely with people as the same interest as us. We become selective in what we view and who we connect with. There is also an element in which the visual reality can determine what we consider to be true. If we have not seen it we may believe it has not happened or that it does not have an immediate effect upon us.

Thomas has the same dilemma he wants to see and experience what other people have told him about. There is a desire to believe but he wants concrete proof. When he sees and experiences the presence of Jesus his life is transformed. The same can be said of our own life when we see people who help us to encounter the person of Jesus by what they say and do. They help us to engage in a reality greater than ourselves. The challenge of Easter is to help us encounter the person of Jesus in our daily live. This encounter will always transform us and help us believe that he is truly risen!

Sugar Hit

We all know the dangers of taking too much sugar all at once. There is a sense in which we can gain a sudden burst of energy and then exhaustion quickly follows. After a long period of fasting and abstinence there can be a sense in which we have run a marathon of 40 days and then can see the sudden burst to the finish line as our goal. It is almost all the preparation and training for Easter is all exhausted in one day. However, Easter is not just a flash in the pan: here today and gone tomorrow. In fact Easter lasts for 50 days! It is a time in which we allow Jesus to find us and lead us closer to the Father. While the season of Lent is more about looking at what prevents from seeing God at work in our lives, Easter is more about allowing ourselves to be more open to God's promptings. It is a time when we are called to be open to God's spirit working in and through us. This culminates at Pentecost where God sends his spirit upon the disciples. This is not just a private gift reserved to the lucky few, it is a commissioning to live that life of grace for others. During the Season of Easter we need to be open to the gifts of living this grace for others. We are called to be disciples who walk with Jesus. To be more comfortable with the life entrusted to us as members of a Christian community. Each person has gifts given them for the good of others. 

Going along with the crowd

All of us want to be cheering for the same team or at least be on the winning side. There is a sense where a sporting event, a concert or even an election can engage us completely in the moment. Something happens on these occasions which connects us not only to each other but also to a deeper sense of what it means to be alive. We want to be present and experience what is going on and to be changed by that occasion.
The question, however, are we there as spectators or participants, as tourist or as pilgrims? An experience can be life changing if draws us into a place where we can reflect upon it more deeply. No longer is it just something that just happened but it calls us to live differently now. This is how we are called to move into Holy Week. We can become aware that in many ways that this is a time of awful injustice, cruelty and torture. We can observe how the crowds, the authorities and even his own disciples abandon Jesus and the time of his greatest need. But this is more than just a human reality. It calls us to ponder on how God's love transforms this event rather than just be amazed by it. We are called to relate deeply with the person of Jesus whose life, death and resurrection reaches out to us. It changes us from the inside out. It allows us to encounter, struggle and become in communion with the God who walks with us even in our darkest night!

How will my life bear fruit?

Unless a grain of wheat dies it remains only a single grain. This is one of the constant dilemmas of modern life how do I gain what I want without losing what I already have. There is a sense in which we are told we can have it all without making a commitment to something or someone. The central question in the midst of competing demands is whom would I want to risk everything for? Jesus is struggling with this question as he knows people are attracted to his life and ministry. Yet he is not sure whether it is because of who he is or what he does that attracts them. It is probably easier to describe a person by what they do rather than who they are. We watch a person’s actions as articulating a sense of what they truly value. Yet this is what Jesus’ tries to draw the disciple’s attention towards. It is not the miracles that make the difference to a person’s life even when they can restore a person to health, it is being drawn into a living relationship with God that makes the difference to how a person views the world and lives in it.

Our surrender to God’s loving presence makes all the difference. Yet we are reluctant to surrender ourselves to God because we fear that we will lose control over our lives and direction. Yet the very act of surrendering to God’s loving guidance actually involves us more in discovering our own hidden potential to bring life to others. This is certainly the experience of the saints. When they lost everything they gained everything and their lives burst open in joy towards God. This is not about working harder or longer but discovering that God’s wisdom and love at the centre of our living can be the most life giving thing we can help us to be present to others. What seems like a waste of time can be our most productive moment. It is important to discover that God seeks only the best for us which is when our lives bear fruit.

What bites us will heal us!

What bites you will heal you. This principle is often used in medicine to help the immune system trigger a response in the body to fight against the very thing which threatens to kill it. There is something counterintuitive about this because are natural instinct is to run away from that which will threaten to kill or destroy us. We become fearful of the things which seem to threaten our existence be they on the land or in the sea. We are familiar with stories about snake bites and shark attacks. Yet the main question is how we live in a land where we know that this is part of our natural fauna. How do we protect ourselves from that which can threaten to destroy us?

This is the question which Jesus puts in the scriptures when he talks about examining the things in life that can destroy our relationships with God and with each other. Last weekend this was examined in the light of the Ten Commandments and the actions which can undermine these relationships and make them toxic. Today’s Gospel is about bringing these actions into the light so that we can grow in our relationship with God. However, there can be a natural resistance to do this for fear that in exposing the sin we expose something of our own vulnerability and frailty. The fear is that if we acknowledge that which has damaged our relationships we will further damage ourselves.

The truth is that if we do not acknowledge the evils present in our society and the fact that they exist we cannot find remedies for these evils. Surely this is true in the stories we have read about over these weeks of Lent: the pleas for clemency for those convicted of drug trafficking, the need to face the reality of domestic violence, the dangers of homelessness, the effects of PTSD on troops returning home from active service and also the issues of child abuse within institutions. The acknowledgement that these things happen is the first step in seeking healing for people who have been bitten by these evils. By acknowledging the truth and bringing it light we discover it will not destroy us but it will provide healing to some of our most vulnerable people.

3rd Sunday of Lent

Touching on the sacred is at the heart of today’s Gospel. There is a need for people to encounter the living presence of God directly. The turning over of the tables in the temple is one of the most dramatic events in Jesus’ ministry and can be easily misunderstood. There is a sense in which the mediation between God and humanity had become distorted. More attention was spent on the transaction which exchanged a secular currency for a sacred currency in which sacrifice could be offered. Like any transaction there was an ability for people to make a profit at the expense of those who could least afford it. This exploitation of a person’s desire to enter into a wholesome and holy relationship with God was at the centre of these ritual practices. There was a sense in which the ritual practice kept God at arm’s length. Jesus recognized the importance of offering these sacrifices but also wanted people to enter into the relationship with God which was personal, intimate and life changing. Jesus wanted to say it was by offering himself that he opened a door to the sacred presence of God which others could follow. He was seeking to be the atonement which could make peace between people by offering what we could not do on our own. He was calling people to be at one with God.

In our lives we know this can be seeing in many aspects of life. There can be a sense in which people can make money out of what appear arcane areas of knowledge. It is one of the great challenges of our modern age for most professions. The introduction of the internet has made medical, business, academic and political knowledge more widely available. No longer can people be guardians of this knowledge because it can become available through a computer program or on google. There can be a similar recognition that the door to the sacred is wider now that it has ever been. Many people can offer their own interpretation or insight into the divine presence. In such an age there can be elements of truth which are present in what people write and say. But it can be confusing and people can be pulled in many different ways at once. There can even be a sense that when someone seeks to speak with authority on a certain topic and especially about God it can be treated with immediate skepticism.

How, therefore, are we called to discern where God’s spirit is leading us?

The first question is what do we consider to be our sacred space? This may well be a Church or a chapel but it could also be the place where we find ourselves able to open our hearts to God. It is important that this does not become too cluttered or complex. It should be able to be a place where we can be open to God and where we can be still.

The second question is how do we see ourselves as sacred space? This allows us the opportunity to understand that we are a temple of God’s Holy Spirit. We need to find a time when we can be open to God and a posture which allows us to be present. This may be sitting, kneeling, standing, lying face down or walking. We are human and we pray with the whole body.

The third question is how do we enter into the sacred space? The form of prayer can be as different as personalities. Some find an image can be helpful, others that a piece of scripture can lead them deeper, or even gazing upon a beautiful part of nature. Still others need to shut their eyes and come to a place of silence with a prayer word.

Having considered these questions we need to understand that we are entering into a relationship with the divine. It is important that we do not have preconceptions of what may happen but God we always open is heart to us which are consistent with scripture and with previous generations. God may not say much but he will always seek to bring life out of death, light out of darkness and hope out of despair.

2nd Sunday of Lent

Mount Arbel overlooks the Sea of Galilee and on a good day gives views to Mount Hermon and the Golan Heights. The view is not only spectacular but it is also a difficult mountain to climb. It allows people a way of overseeing the world and experiencing a moment when you can be close to God. In addition to this experience I have also climbed to the top of Mount Kosciusko. The journey up by the cable chair for a person does not like heights was not too traumatic. You face into the hill and it does not look too far to fall. On the way back you have a view which takes in the whole of the valley. Just as we took off from the top of the station the chair behind us stuck and we suspended between the edge of the ramp from which we had departed and were swinging back and forth between heaven and earth. There was a sense of fear that we could be here all day before the chair started again. What seemed like eternity was probably only a minute! I think we can grasp how Peter, James and John may have felt when they seemed to be so close to heaven!

Today’s Gospel allows to touch that eternal moment

                When Jesus is seen as the completion of the Law and the Prophets

                When the voice in the cloud speaks of him as a beloved son of God

                That we are called to listen to him.

In reading scripture we can often become confused by the many stories that we read and believe that the story of the original testament is different from that of the new. However, what the story of the transfiguration tells us is that there is a continuity of life and faith in God. What Jesus draws us to is an understanding of the heart of God who always reaches out to people. There is a divine will for us to encounter God.

The encounter with God on the mountain can often frighten us because it can seem that in an instant our life is placed in a new context. We can be unsure what to do next and where to turn we can fall back on activity to distract us from this fundamental relationship. The journey down the mountain is probably just as difficult if not more difficult because everything else seems to pale in significance compared to this experience. Also Jesus talks about his dying and rising. This can seem deeply confusing but we know that this is the mystery of the life we live. When we experience this reality for ourselves we start to discover that death is not the end that we thought it would be. There is a mystery of life that continues and draws us together. We see this not only in the many charities that make sense of people’s deaths but also the ability to rebuild after disaster. There is a sense that the transfiguration helps to recognize the God who does not abandon us but calls us to a deeper sense of the paschal mystery present in everyday life.

Receiving the message

In our modern age there is often much angst about communication. When we have multiple means of staying in touch via Email, Twitter, Facebook, Blogs, Websites, Radio and TV it is a struggle to see whether it the problem is actually with the amount of communication channels as the ability to receive the message. I think this is part of the struggle that we face in our current age, it is not that people are not trying to communicate but that too much information comes our way and we start to filter out what we do not think is immediately relevant to us. Our lives become ruled by sound bites or by other peoples opinions. There is a need to discover how we process the information that is relevant to us without becoming overwhelmed and being isolated in our own private realm. There is a need to listen to what is important rather than what seems most urgent. We need to be a people who pray and open our hearts to the people around us. I think the problem with the information we receive is not that it is broadcast but often we fear that it will pull us in too many directions at once. Often we can blame the people who produce the information for not providing us with a way through the forest of opinion that has grown about us. How can we stay in touch and not be overwhelmed. I think that at the end of each day we need to look back at what brought us life and hope. What led us away from our central mission and reason for being. What can we do tomorrow to bring us back. I believe that this examen prayer becomes more vital each day to allow us to listen to the voice of God which is spoken to us each day and whose message we need to receive.

1st Sunday of Lent

In Odette Churchill’s book based on her experience of the concentration camp at Ravensbrook reflects on how the presence of evil so present in war can infect those people who survive the war. She likens it to a parasite which can infest the person who seeks to destroy its host. It transfers from one to the other.

These sobering words always remain with me when I reflect on my own life. It is easy to see how the evil of another can lead you to respond to the person in kind. Evil can breed evil. Often when we confront this reality in our own hearts it can deeply disturb us. First, that we have discovered these tendencies inside ourselves but also to how we seek to resolve them.

This is at the heart of what we discover in the Gospel today.

                Two things are present:

                                The wild beasts that threaten to tear us apart

                                The angels sent to tend us.

We need to recognize the two realities which Jesus talks about when he goes into Galilee preaching repentance and believe in the Gospel.

It recognizes that unresolved sin can tear us and our community apart but also he recognizes this is not undertaking simply by a solitary gritting of teeth and facing the problem ourselves. It is an opening of our hearts and minds to a God who reconciles and forgives.

We know only too well when we face these temptations. It is almost like a beast seeks to devour us and have us for supper. It can consume all our thinking and actions. It can drive us in directions where our lives seem out of control.

These is one of the reasons why the three disciplines of prayer, fasting and alms giving our so valuable. It allows us time to spend with God to get our hearts and minds straight. It allows us to acknowledge the desires or appetites that can consume us and lastly it allows us to see how our lives can be open to the needs of others.

By this threefold discipline we can bring ourselves before God in reconciliation both acknowledging the difficulties we live with and also seeking healing. The two go together to help us live Christian lives for our own good and the good of our community.

Snowing in Israel

It is snowing in Israel

Putting aside some time to be with God allows us to centre our world and all our activities. Often the scariest part of beginning a journey is the first step. We can have an understanding of the destination and the path we are going to take. This is often part of our planning if only to know that we have a calendar or map which can chart our activities. However, while we can chart out our journey we need to engage with the reality of what it means to follow through step by step. There can be a temptation to keep looking at the calendar or map if only to make sure we are on course. However, if the map or the calendar become our reality we miss being in the present moment. Maps and calendars can assist us but should never dictate to us what is going to happen. The Lenten journey is becoming aware of what is happening within and around us. Coming closer to God opens not only our eyes and ears but also our hearts. May this Lenten season help you to discover a God who is passionate about you!

Preparing for Lent

I will be revisiting my experience of the spiritual exercises in my preparation for Easter. I believe the important thing about Lent is that it is not an endurance test but a way of helping us to encounter God. The essential ways of doing this are very traditional but also very profound. We are called to pray, fast, and give alms. These are not simply external actions they are called to flow from our own encounter with God. How we imagine God to be will shape these three actions. We are called to encounter God as God  is. This encounter needs to be honest and it calls us to reflect on how our lives seek to respond to God. Our prayer, therefore, needs to come before God as we are not as we think we should be. There is no point in putting masks on before God. We need to be honest and true about where we are up to in our lives. I hope that during this Lenten Season I may be able to share some of the ways that I have prayed that help me to take off those masks.
We also need to recognize those things that draw us into the light. Too often we can lives which are not reflective, where we just move from pillar to post. The call for fasting helps us to recognize those things or activities which do not bring life to others. It calls us to be people who are able to acknowledge the things that we do that can lead to dead ends and which lessen our ability to understand how God is present in all things.

Lastly, we are called to be people who do not live lives which are directed solely to our own interests. We are called to be people who share lives for the good of others. We are called to be people who live out the commandment to love God with all our hearts, mind, soul and strength and love our neighbor as ourselves. We are called to be people who share our lives for the good of others. Always remember that Lent is not a solitary activity it is part of the mission of the Church. We are called to travel together.

Landing

Difficulty in landing in bad weather