Be not afraid

 Traveling back to Sydney on Saturday afternoon, I reflected on the ordination of the two young men to the priesthood and a gathering of Cursillistas at a country retreat centre. Both were joyful encounters where people gathered to celebrate the risen Christ who seeks to bring life and hope to our world. Amid these occasions, we were all shocked by the senseless murder of innocent shoppers in the Bondi Junction shopping centre. We pray for those who lost their lives, for those who are recovering from the injuries they suffered, and for the families who seek to support them. We pray for the first responders and the many brave people who sought to support people traumatized by this event. Then just as we sought to make sense of this tragedy we heard of the fresh attacks arising in the Middle East. This seems to be a never-ending story of violence and retribution that haunts us still.

Yet amid these stories of violence and senseless killing, we witness Jesus enter the upper room and proclaim peace be with you. This paradox of his presence addresses our deeper fears that we are doomed to death and destruction. There is a fear that we can become isolated in our upper room when the eddies of destructive fear whirl around us. Jesus helps to recognize that the resurrection is actually an encounter with the divine person who seeks to share life with us. This is not an abstract concept but rather a real encounter with the person who can bring hope to our world. Who holds out the promise of reconciliation and forgiveness. This seems almost impossible to be true yet it is what we are called to witness in our lives.

Thus on Sunday morning, we gathered at St Mary's Cathedral to pray for the unborn and to witness the sanctity of life in the March for Life to NSW parliament. The gospel speaks to us that in the face of a culture of death that seeks to make the weakest and most vulnerable voiceless we are called to proclaim a culture of life that cares for them. This often means entering into the messiness of life where people confront the issues of suffering, isolation, and death. Yet we witness many Christian people who accompany these vulnerable people to make choices not just for themselves but for people placed in their care. Good stewardship is found in supporting women who have difficult pregnancies, providing palliative care for those at the last stage of life, and providing shelter to those who seek refuge and protection. As a culture, we are called to inculturate the Gospel in our current age by proclaiming that Jesus is Risen. The proclamation is made in the concrete events of our daily lives. Bringing healing to those whose lives have been torn apart and forgiveness that sends to reconcile broken hearts.