If today you hear God's voice harden not your hearts!

 The words of the psalm echo through the readings today. Especially as we celebrate the feasts of the Guardian Angels and the feasts of St Jerome, St Therese of Lisieux, St Francis of Assisi, and Sts Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel we reflect on where God speaks to our hearts in daily life. Each saint calls us to look at the office entrusted to us to proclaim the Good News in daily life. This is not just an allocation of a work schedule where we tick off the boxes but rather a way of life in which the Holy Spirit guides us to be faithful to the gifts entrusted to us. Our witness proclaims that we share our lives for the good of God and the good of each other with power, love, and self-control. The Gospel is not just our private possession that we preserve solely for our own use but rather a living truth of the relationship that sustains us in life.

We are called to have faith that can grow into more than we can imagine. This is where it may be useful to do a short precis of the saints I mentioned. St Jerome had a passion for the Word of God which called him to study scripture. His passion for the Word was to reveal to others the revelation which touched him as a way of life that would inspire others to read, reflect, and be transformed by scripture. St Therese of Lisieux was inspired to live a life of simplicity and dedication to God where she saw her life doing good on earth. In many ways, she was an apostle of God's love for others in drawing people into a living relationship with God. St Francis of Assisi heard the words to rebuild my Church and realized that this was not just about bricks and mortar but about encountering the heart of God who was at the heart of creation. In our own times, we are called to be cocreators with God in caring for all that sustains life. St Michael seeks to focus our attention on how it is God at the heart of our lives, St Gabriel who invites us through the Virgin Mary to be part of God's way of salvation, and St. Raphael who seeks to heal and strengthen us both from our physical and spiritual blindness to see God's action in our life. In all these situations our Guardian Angels are not cute addendums who watch over us but people who pray with us and for us in our daily lives. 

In all these Saints' lives, the focus was on how we can cooperate with God's grace not solely for our own good but for the good of all of God's creation. It calls for our hearts to be enlarged by our prayer, reflection, and isolation. As Christians, we are not called to live in splendid isolation but people who witness to the heart of God who speaks to every generation with a voice that burns deep within us.

Afflicting the comfortable and comforting the afflicted

 At the heart of the Gospel is the Word of God that converts restores, and forgives. We live in such a literate age that we find it hard to see beyond the print that is in front of us. We become used to reading things quickly so that we are informed and up to date. In many ways, we are an information age where messages can be communicated quickly. Yet in the midst of all this information, we are called to adapt and consume what we receive and act in a way that provides an appropriate response for the moment. Thus in the very act of consumption, we become flexible to the moment and present to the immediate which is necessary to reach the end of this day.

Yet the Word of God is not just called to become a banner headline but rather a subtext to who we are called to become. It calls us to recognize that we are not just consumers of God's Word but rather participants in a world of grace. God's Word is called to read us and help us to discover that it calls us to a deeper communion with God and which other. What impoverishes one, impoverishes all. Especially on this Sunday, we are called to be people who are not blind to what diminishes the dignity of another and pushes them to the margins of society. This is a daily reality in our own community when we see issues of poverty, homelessness, and slavery afflict people both materially and spiritually. 

The  Word of God invites us to a deeper sense of what transforms us from feeling the pain of others to a conversion of life. This way of life seeks to integrate and transform our society from being self-centered to being holistic of all. This is not just assuaging our guilt when we walk past a beggar in the street but rather discovering what builds a humane society that acknowledges the dignity and worth of each person. Our prayer is not just a private relationship with God but rather an obligation to see everything with the heart of God. This becomes our rule of life which seeks to develop an environment in which each person can thrive and act in a way that seeks to build a just community. This calls us to discover a way of life that is truly incarnate. We are called to act justly, walk humbly and love tenderly with our God.

Who directs our hearts

 Each day in the evening we see our priorities laid out in attending to international, national, and local news followed by a commentary on finance and sport and then the weather. Often this can relate to important events which can have significant impacts on our lives. We need to be aware of the environment in which we live. The question that is often raised in my life is does this just inform me or form me? So often I can be informed about the opinions of others and circumstances which deeply affect the lives of others. Yet this can go more deeply than the style of broadcaster we prefer or the medium of communication that we access. It rather strikes at the heart of what we are called to reflect on and what moves us into action.

We see this, especially in St Paul's letter to Timothy. In this, he notes that we should pray for those in leadership so that we can live religious and reverent lives. Especially in the light of discussions about the future of the monarchy, we can see the discussion focussing on what pleases us rather than what embodies our life of faith. This should be the question that we need to dwell on about who forms our hearts and direction. I believe this was the question that lies at the heart of the plenary council and synodality. It is not about shaping the Church in our own image and likeness but rather how God shapes our hearts and minds so that we can bear faithful witness to the life of Jesus Christ in the Church.

Yet so often it is the pressing issues of finances and resources which engage us first rather than seeing how these are a means rather than an end. We are called to reflect on what God desires for us and how our mission is shaped by that consideration. By prayerful reflection on scripture and the voice of the Church over the ages, we notice how God's voice becomes manifest. We start to notice the environment in which we live and what transforms the lives of people. Then we are called to act in a way that brings compassion to the centre of what we do. We start to see the world, not as a way of making money but as a gift that shares with us the goodness of God's creation.

A life of service

 Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was known by Christ long before she became Queen. In her baptism on 29th May 1926 her parents, Queen Elizabeth and King George VI entrusted her to God.She always placed her trust in God, especially at the most difficult times of her life. On the death of her sister, Margaret in 2002 she said in her Christmas address, 

“All great religions have such times of renewal, moments to take stock before moving on to face the challenges which lie ahead. Many of you will know only too well from your own experience, the grief that follows the death of a much loved mother or sister. Mine were very much part of my life and always gave me their support and encouragement. But my own sadness was tempered by the generous tributes that so many of you paid to the service they gave to this country and the wider Commonwealth. At such a difficult time this gave me great comfort and inspiration as I faced up both to my own personal loss and to the busy Jubilee summer ahead. Anniversaries are important events in all our lives. Christmas is the anniversary of the birth of Christ over two thousand years ago, but it is much more than that. It is the celebration of the birth of an idea and an ideal. In a different way I felt that the Golden Jubilee was more than just an anniversary. The celebrations were joyous occasions, but they also seemed to evoke something more lasting and profound - a sense of belonging and pride in country, town, or community; a sense of sharing a common heritage enriched by the cultural, ethnic and religious diversity of our twenty-first century society.

I hope it also provided an occasion to acknowledge the progress of the past fifty years and the contributions of those who have done so much to make this country what it is today - their leadership and example, their achievements in science, the arts and many other fields. These celebrations also gave opportunities to recognise the valuable work undertaken by so many people in service of their communities. It was a time to remind ourselves, as the Christmas story does every year, that we must never forget the plight of the disadvantaged and excluded, that we must respond to the needs of those who may be in distress or despair.

Our modern world places such heavy demands on our time and attention that the need to remember our responsibilities to others is greater than ever. It is often difficult to keep this sense of perspective through the ups and downs of everyday life - as this year has constantly reminded me. I know just how much I rely on my own faith to guide me through the good times and the bad. Each day is a new beginning, I know that the only way to live my life is to try to do what is right, to take the long view, to give of my best in all that the day brings, and to put my trust in God.

Like others of you who draw inspiration from your own faith, I draw strength from the message of hope in the Christian gospel. (https://www.royal.uk/christmas-broadcast-2002)"

May her life of faithful service be commemorated as both a fellow Christian, a leader of faith, a guide for a nation, and an inspiration to the world. May we pray and dedicate her life to God who in all things guided her love for her family,  nation, and  God.

May she rest in peace.

Who shapes our lives?

 Each day we can be inspired by others to seek out a grand project which will add meaning to our lives. Many of the programs seek to marvel at the cooking abilities of others, their ability to renovate a home, or even to undertake a trip of a lifetime. We long for experiences that give us a greater sense of being worthwhile. Yet when one series end there can be a sense that all that we have gained is a longing for the next things and the next experience.

Yet what we are called to become is a person who dwells in union with God and the work that we have been entrusted to undertake. This may not make the top ratings of a television show but it gives expression to who we are and what we value. There might even be a tangible outcome other than a life well lived. It is here that we need to consider the foundations on which we build our lives and what gives the best expression to who we are. We are formed into a person who is made in the image and likeness of God.

This is the relationship that will sustain us even when things become unpredictable and uncertain. We start to be known by who we are not by the things we own. Our eyes are turned towards what brings life to the full. Our path becomes straightened by God who seeks us to grow in wisdom.