Visitation

 Travelling overseas I have witnessed how many families are travelling with young children. This mass movement of people reflects much of what we have seen at the first Christmas when Mary travelled with Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem. We know that travel brings its own difficulties and trials along the way. The same is true whether we travel vast distances or just next door. We need to be prepared for what we may encounter along the way. We need to look out for fellow travellers who may experience difficulty. Ultimately, we also need to practice patience to arrive in a way that benefits others.

As we celebrate this Holy Season we ask that God may bless us with peace, hope and joy. Especially for those who cannot travel freely, those who find themselves homeless at this time and those who struggle to afford the necessities of life. Christmas calls upon us to refocus our lives on the person who seeks to bear poverty, rejection and isolation with an anticipation that every human life has dignity. Our hearts need to be open so that we can direct efforts that produce ways in which people can discover freedom of movement, shelter for their families and meaningful work that provides a living wage. 

As we celebrate another Christmas may we remember the peace of Christ that disturbs us!

Make the Paths Straight

Once again we listen to the teaching of John the Baptist. He reminds us to reach out to those in need and not to exploit our positions for personal gain. As we come closer to Christmas I pray that our hearts not be corsened. Have a peaceful preparation for the remainder of Advent.

From here to there

 I remember reading a book from Here to There, a story by Jon Faine about his travels with his son Jack overland from Australia to England. It related their real-life experience and encounters along the way. Often the countries they visited are ones that we would not normally overfly as they went through China, the "stans" and Iran. As we journey along the way we can often see the hassles of modern-day life that seem to beset us. Usually, there are many forms to fill out, tasks to be undertaken, and opinions to be taken into account. There can be a growing impatience that arises within us that wants to speed up the journey to our destination. But when we arrive we wonder what happened along the way?

As we continue on our journey to Christmas we are called to make the paths straight. This may be noticing where we try to cut corners or seek preference paths that have been marked out by others. Yet we need to find where we are called to be truly present to God who walks with us in these daily encounters. What gives us a clearer sense of purpose that enables us to see people as God sees them.

In reflecting on the news cycle we can often gain a sense of deja vu that we have been here before. Often many old conflicts can reemerge in new guises and new forms. We are called to hear again the voice of John the Baptist make the way straight to allow God to guide us truly along the way we are called to follow.