Where do we find the oasis in our life?

There is often a desert of good news stories in our lives. The impact of the bushfires and the recent outbreak of the coronavirus have served to identify the places where we are most vulnerable. They cause to focus on situations which seem beyond our control and which can overwhelm us. This is not just in addressing the physical and psychological impacts on our lives but also where we find the wellsprings within us. There can be a sense in which these events can cause us to retreat into ourselves and isolate ourselves from the world. We start to view each other with suspicion rather than friendship. We are called to take precautions for our own health and the health of others but we need to examine how our behaviour can shift us to become more self-centred rather than other centred.

During Lent, there is the common discipline of fasting, almsgiving and prayer. The question is whether we are ready for the situation when this may be forced upon us due to compulsory quarantine restrictions as in Italy or whether we become used to these quiet pauses in our day where we can reflect on where God may be at work. This is a time where we are called to see what is the true wellspring of hope, faith and love.

The power of intercession at this time for the communities directly affected by the virus is important but it is equally important that we notice how our own response may be life-giving. There is a need for us to develop a common purpose to develop ways which identify and support what is needed within communities. What are the creative ways in which we can help people to identify the wellspring of life which dwells with them? How do we listen to their stories and help them to become part of the grand story of eternal life?

Will my name be a blessing

When people speak our name does it bring a blessing to others? There is importance to being recognised by name. There is a sense in which the use of the name is not just the sound but also the tone with which it is used. What we notice is that our response to the other is often guided by how we are drawn into a relationship with the other. The name is something deeply personal which shapes our own identity and helps us to notice our own self-worth. When our name is associated with something positive we feel good about ourselves. In the same way when it is used in a negative way we can feel the world collapsing in on ourselves. What is important is that we need to hear our name called out as a blessing by God. That what we have been created for is for something good and that we have been loved into being.

When we encounter this for ourselves we start to use the name of others not just as a way of identifying them but as a discovery of how they too have been blessed into being. This willingness to use another's name is not just about recognition but it is a desire for a relationship to be formed between two people. This is the smallest of communities which are echoed in Jesus' call that where two or three are gathered in His name He is present in their midst. This daily encounter with others causes us to reflect on a world which would often prefer we were nameless rather than discovering our true self. 

The use of the name is, therefore, central to our daily life. It says that this other person has intrinsic value and worth. Often this can be a difficult discipline to remember each person's name and some of us need prompts to call them to mind even it is writing down where we met them and with whom. Yet when we bring that person before God in prayer we seek a bond which is deeper than words. It becomes a place where each person's name is called to become a blessing.

Walking with Jesus

Our Lenten discipline is not so much an obligation but rather a time of formation when our hearts can be more open to Jesus in the concrete events of our daily lives. Our prayer is not called to become a recitation of words but rather a movement of the heart which seeks to live out a relationship which can sustain and transform us. This transformation is not solely for our own good and merit but rather to engage us in the daily mission of being present to Christ in others. This opening up of our lives allows us to see with the eyes of God which acknowledges that each person is made in the image and likeness of God called to be a steward of creation.

As good shepherds it is important to recognise that the world does not revolve around us. Thus our fasting from food or behaviour is not just a self-improvement exercise, even though there are elements of this in any penitential action. Rather it is about an opening up to those areas of our lives when God's light is called to shine more clearly. It is where we need to move from a life which focusses solely on what I want towards a life which is responsive to God in surrendering that which draws us into a deeper relationship with the whole of creation. It recognises that each action has consequences which either seek to centre the world upon ourselves or on sharing the good that we have received with others.

This is where the third discipline comes in. It is about establishing relationships which focus less on a person's poverty than on our common humanity. It is about enabling the other person to develop the essential elements of their lives which can bring hope and love to their community. The charitable giving is about sustaining a relationship which is not just transactional or feels good but rather transformational. The giving is not just one way but rather calls us to receive the life of another as important as our own.

What is Lent about anyway?

As Catholics and increasingly among many Christians there is an intentional desire to come closer to Christ and to understand His mission among us. This is not just about accumulating a certain amount of information about his life, death and resurrection but rather an immersion in the vision of God's Kingdom being lived among us. There can be a sense that this life is an apprenticeship for a "real" future life with God. The fact that Jesus walks amongst us and with us should quickly help us to see that God is with us in an eternal now. We are not just seeking a get out of jail free card to enter heaven and avoid hell. Jesus wanted for us to encounter the same living and loving relationship with the Father which sin can often obscure. There can be a sense that if only we tried hard enough we would be able to see and hear clearly. Yet often the obstacles that we face dwell deep within us and cause us to dissipate that natural energy entrusted to us by God in follies of our own creation which distract, fatigue and diminish us. This is not God's plan for us. There is a desire in God's hearts for us to encounter a relationship which is so deep and so sustaining that even our worst sin cannot remove the fundamental truth that God has loved us into existence for a good purpose.

Yet Lent allows us to notice more clearly those things that burden us on the journey which God wishes us to be free from. This is not just a stoic exercise where we choose what to give up but rather a relationship which helps us to examen each day those areas in our life which help us to come closer and those things which feel like death to us. Ultimately, it calls us to fast from the things which have an addictive and counterfeit hold on us. Those things which scream at us and say you cannot live without this and still be normal. Yet Lent allows us to become more simple to notice what actually brings life and what frees us to enter into a life-giving relationship with God, with others and with ourselves. Thus when we fast it is not so much what we do but rather our intention to become a person who falls more deeply in love with God, with others and with ourselves. The penitential acts we undertake are not to centre attention solely on ourselves but rather on God. This will decide what we need to be free from (fasting) and what allows us a greater level of generosity (almsgiving). These are not acts undertaken solely on our initiative but out of a daily relationship with God and with our community in prayer. We cannot do this on our own. We need to journey with each other to discover the degree which God loves. Ultimately, he loves us unto death so that we may discover a new life. This is the whole journey not just a matter of routine or a "Catholic" thing. What we are seeking is to trust that our lives matter to God and that we are prepared to surrender every aspect of our lives to God so that we can live more fully.

Wisdom: Learning to say yes and no!

I remember in reading one of Brene Brown's book "Braving the Wilderness p33-36" she emphasises the importance of belonging more than just fitting in. The emphasis that she placed on belonging was the confidence in ourselves and what we believed in. When we just tried to fit in we surrendered our motivations to the person who we wish to please or at least not annoy! Our lives can become one of becoming tentative where we look for threats to our autonomy and those things that may harm us. Of course, there is a place for caution and considering our own safety but when it becomes exaggerated then we become imprisoned in a world where we become too scared to be ourselves for the good of others.

In the readings this weekend we are called to be wise in considering what brings life rather than death in our actions. This daily consideration looks to see how the Lord leads us into life and gives the ability to work for the good of others and not just for ourselves. This is a process of discernment where we learn what sustains life and what enables us to become wholesome and holy. This looks inside for our own motivations or interior disposition, not to judge the inner self but to discover what leads us to become our best self. Often our primary motivation, if we look at first glance, is the attitude of what is in it for me. There is a tendency to value things to the degree which they have benefits for myself. Yet to become wise we need to enter into a prayer which seeks values which are universal and serve the common good. The world is not centred solely on what I consider good but rather on how we are called to live in a way which brings about the greatest good. Each day we are called to consider what we say yes and no to. This will shape our lives either on the false self which seeks to preserve what little we have or the true self which seeks to the greatest good for me, for others and for the greater glory of God. This is how at the end of each day we can examen what we said yes and no to and how it is leading us into life!

Actions speak louder than words

We live in a world which is fed by a 24/7 news cycle which informs us very rapidly what is happening in our world. This can be both a blessing and a curse as it can move us into an attitude where we are consumers rather than participants in the world that affect our whole world. There can be a sense of passivity or worse still apathy or indifference which can descend upon us if we are exposed to too much pain, We know, however, that the reverse can be true when people responded generously around the world to the recent bushfire crisis. The donations have caused many organisations to be overwhelmed not only to act quickly but also justly in reaching out to those in most need. Yet how quickly the wheel turns and now our focus is on coronavirus and what may threaten our own health. There is a sense in which we can feel like a pinball machine where the machine lights up when the ball hits various buffers. Our attention is dissipated by events which are beyond our ability both to understand and control. This sense of powerlessness can seep deep within us and if left unacknowledged can spread like cancer through the soul. 

There is a need that often we can like our lives vicariously through the life of others. Their immediate need seems more urgent and pushes aside the important areas that we may need to attend to. When our world becomes driven by ongoing crises we don't find ourselves able to focus on what part we can play. We begin to transmit the pain of these crises on to others not only in our attitudes but also in how we carry ourselves through the day. Yet what is necessary is that we need to find a resonance between our felt sense and how that translates into action. This is not about saying many words but finding the Word that we are able to live by.

Our principle and foundation of what moves us into action help us to reflect each day on what is most important. It causes us to notice what brings life and hopes to others. Rather than becoming overwhelmed in trying to process how others react, we are called to notice how we can transform situations by listening to others and responding with care and compassion. During this week look at how your actions show you what is important in your life and how that speaks louder than any of the words we may say.

Offering ourselves to God

The celebration of the Presentation of the Lord known more popularly as Candle Mass allows the opportunity to notice how Christ brings light to our world. Often this happens at Baptism where we are immersed into the Christ-life and called to allow His life to be the guiding light of our lives. The focus of this feast is how our attention is drawn in anticipation that we will meet Christ even when he comes disguised as a little child totally dependent upon those around him. It is probably good to notice the characters who form part of this story.

First, there is Mary and Joseph who undertake what the law requires in bringing their child before God to be consecrated to Him. There may be a slight sense of irony here in that the one who imparts the blessing is the one they offer to be blessed. Yet in this mystery, we see how fully Jesus enters into our human life. He calls a blessing down upon us that we may allow Him to be at the centre of our lives. That he holds our attention and focus on who He actually is for us and with us.

Second, Simeon lays out how fully this life is missionary in character by the way he is called to bring light to all nations and gather people to Him. There is a recognition that his life enters into our most secret thoughts. There is nothing human that cannot be revealed and opened up before God. There is a sense of confidence that His life will allow others to rise from the oppression which can weigh down on them and love them into a deeper relationship with God. This is like a sword being plunged into us that we may lay our vulnerable selves before God without pretence.

Lastly, there is Anna who praises God with her life. One which is focussed on fasting and prayer so that her heart may be aware of how God is here with us. There is a sense of what she said about Jesus was pondered deeply by those who heard it.

For us, we are called to see how we make each day an offering to the Lord. How we are aware and attentive to where we meet Him. Where do our lives shed light and bring light to others? How do we help others to share what is most important to them and help them to gain the confidence to bring their secret life before God? How do we seek at the end of the day to give thanksgiving for who we are? Each day is an opportunity to meet Christ. Where will we meet Him today?

What makes us who we are?

What makes Australian? Is it the fact that we were born in a particular country or that we chose to migrate to this wide dry land? Was there a common bond that drew us to settle in this land and to share both in the benefits and challenges? In our current climate we are called to study the environment in which we live. This is not just about an analysis of the changing nature of our weather but also a deeper reflection on how we are called to listen to what will make a difference to the way we are present to this land.

Whatever happens we can no longer be passive observers of the world around us. The changes of the last few months have devastated communities and have caused widespread suffering. In the moment we reach out to those seeking to rebuild lives but also rediscover hope in the aftermath of this destruction. Yet there is also a deep felt need to engage with the reality in which we now live. The call is to discover what will shed light and not just heat on the situation. This is about what engages us mind, body and soul in working together. What will bring Good News to the situation. How do we live in a way which incarnates the Gospel which walks with people? This is what seems to capture us most that we are all in this together. Go gently over the coming weeks and months ahead.

Proclaim the Gospel with your lives!

Where do we see Christ at work in our lives? Our prayer and our actions are called to raise our awareness and attentiveness to this question. This is a sense of anticipation that Jesus walks in our midst often unseen and prompts us to notice where we bump into him on a daily basis. This openness to discover how God is present in our daily lives allows us the possibility to notice what truly centres us as people of faith, hope and love. It changes our outlook to see as God sees and to notice what God notices in our daily lives. It calls us to become people who become co-creators with God by enabling moments of grace which transform our lives and the lives of others.

Particularly as we live through one of our worst bush fire seasons we hear many stories of heroism and generosity. There is a resilience in the human spirit which naturally reaches out to the other in a way which seeks to bring life to another. This daily call allows us to notice how God is at work in our midst on a daily basis and allows us to be open to the promptings of the spirit. On 26th January we will commemorate the effects of the bush fires on our communities and how this can be a moment of solidarity which seeks to bring life out of the ashes.

Yet we also need to pause to reflect on what deeper issues bind us together for the good of God, the good of others and the good of ourselves. How does this experience shape our nation and our souls? What is it that we seek together and what is God calling us to listen to? These questions are the backdrop to our current experience and speak to us of our how the Plenary Council helps to become more responsive as individuals and communities to the prompting of God's spirit. May we journey together in faith, hope and love bring the light of Christ to our world.

Baptized into Christ

One of the most significant events of the Christian life is one that many people will not remember unless they have been baptized later in life. As we know baptism is efficacious, that is that it achieves in the life of the person what the sacrament intends. A person becomes one with Christ and one with the Christian community. This often has the fancy title of bringing about an ontological change in the life of the person. Yet I am struck that this choice often made by the parents of a child when they were a baby needs to be affirmed in the life of the person as they grow older. It is part of the reason why we celebrate the sacrament of confirmation when a person is a young adult and they are able to start adopting the Christian life for themselves. Yet we know in reality that the celebration of a sacrament can be mired in many other expectations not chosen by the person being baptized or confirmed. They can be the pressure to please older relations, to ensure a place in a good school or even because it is a tradition which keeps us  connected with the spiritual side of our life even if people do not regularly attend Church.

The question that raises its head at the baptism of the Lord is what is actually going on? I believe fundamentally it is an invitation made by God into relationship with his Son. There is a witness that God cares so deeply about us that Jesus enters into our human story. This is not just a repentance of sin and dying to self but rather the planting of desire deep within us to grow in a life giving relationship with God. In this way baptism is not just a ritual action which happens once in a person's life but rather an opening up of the gates of heaven to how we are called to live in our everyday lives. There is a realization that there is now no separation between us and God. This changes how we relate to God and each other. It allows us to be seen by God and to be transformed by grace. It allows us to see the world from God's point of view and allows us to become people who grow in relationship with God and each other. We are transformed by grace so that we can live with hope, faith and love. Our lives are now no longer solely our own but immersed in the person of Christ who seeks us out. In this way we become people who cooperate with God's grace in our daily lives.

How do we use our time and money?

With the Feast of the Epiphany approaching we are able to notice how the wise men lay down their gifts at the feet of Jesus. What I particularly notice about this story is not just their generosity but also their gentleness to give thanks to God in the place they had not expected to visit. They had thought that their wisdom and knowledge would have been acknowledged in the halls of the powerful but instead were led to a stable. They thought that their gifts would win them favor by appearing appropriate to celebrate the birth of a King yet they found that they knelt at a crib. They thought that they would do the most appropriate and relevant thing but found that they need to return home by a different way never to be heard of again. The urge to be powerful, spectacular and relevant can linger in our own hearts. Yet often we find that we can appear powerless, ordinary and mundane. We do not have all the answers but we can seek to live the question of where do we find Christ in our everyday lives?

The three gifts that we bring before God each day are our money, our treasure and our concerns. This may seem pretty obvious but our bank accounts, our diaries and our priorities shape who we become and what we consider important. They are a visible record of who we are becoming and what we notice. Then can be a useful guide to observing what we say is important and how we actually place the emphasis of our lives. They become a theological statement of how God is present at the heart of our lives and who we truly follow. Each day presents the opportunity to notice what is enlivening our hearts or what is consuming us. We do are called to live our lives in a way which allows us to centre on the direction that God wishes us to follow.  We discover that our lives can be Good News for ourselves and for others. We start to become aware of how God shapes our world and invites our response in a way which seeks faith, hope and love.

My thoughts at this time go out to the many communities who have been effected by bush fires. I am very conscious of the fires on the  coast of  Victoria and New South Wales. Having lived through the fires that ravaged Canberra in 2003 I am aware of not just the immediate impact of loss of homes but also the trauma which lingers longer than the smoke.  The devastation that has occured around Lake Conjola, Mallacoota, Batemans Bay, Mogo and Cobargo is hard to comprehend. The rebuilding of infrastructure and the rebuilding of lives go hand in hand. The next week will not be easy as many of the things we take for granted like shelter, power, food, and water will need to be reestablished. We pray for those men and women who often perform this work often unseen and in difficult circumstances. We pray for their safety and for the communities they serve. Often it is this dedication which defines the human spirit to live your life for others. May we all be able to notice that our lives are built on a solid foundation of seeking out the good in all things especially when immediate circumstances can seem to render us powerless. As we enter into 2020 may we review where we spend our money and time which indicate what we consider most important.

Resolutions

After Christmas we have time to review what is important in our lives. So often we seem to be driven by what is urgent. This can cause us to wonder what direction our lives are taking. What do we consider most important for the way we live. I think this is the essential starting point for any new resolution. How we would like to be gives substance to what we focus on. 

So these may be some suggestions for the next few days as we approach the new year. Spend some time each day considering what fills us with life and hope? Where do we find ourselves undertaking something we love doing? How do our lives encourage others to be their best? Where do we notice God at work in our lives and in the life of our community?

When we look at these questions what we decide to focus on each day is more than just achieving a goal but rather discovering who we are called to be. May this year be blessed and guided by a God who seeks us out. To discover that we can be open to God in all things.

So many signs!

Around the world our attention is drawn to what is happening in our immediate neighbourhood. Whether it is particular natural disasters like bush fires or floods, local protests or even just the difficulties of daily life it all seems like bad news. It is easy to see how people can become beset by events which seem to be out of control and why our focus becomes on solving our immediate needs. We want to discover why these things are happening and what we can do to solve our current troubles. This immediacy can start to influence how we live our lives which can become more food to mouth. We look at what we help us to survive one more day rather than looking at what will feed us for a lifetime.
Yet at Christmas we are called to see our world differently. This is not that Jesus was born outside of the daily problems of life. After all the reason why Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem was to meet the requirements of a Census. They knew the difficulties of travel often through hostile territories and what it was to leave everything familiar behind to travel to a new land. Yet in spite of all these difficulties they discovered that they were called to see things differently. To discover how God is with us and does not just abandon us to our own devices. God actually encounters us in our fears and wants us to discover that our lives have eternal value.
This does not remove us from the world but is does allow us to see our world differently. It does not ignore the difficulties of life but it does help us to seek a God who seeks us. The sense where our lives have a deeper meaning which calls us to work with each other for the good of all. The sign of Jesus entering into life out of poverty, in a world beset by a loss of hope and doubting everything calls us to be renewed by a spirit of charity which recognizes that our lives are not of just striving for the immediate wants of today but rather a seeking of what we truly desire. The person of Jesus comes to our lives when we least expect it and transform them for good. May the peace of Christ disturb us!

Watch and Act

With all the smoke and raging bush fires surrounding Sydney, Brisbane and many of our regional centres, the impact on daily life has been sorely felt. This is not only waking up to a day when we can't clearly see the sun or when we feel oddly out of sorts as we struggle with the effects of the inhalation of the smoke. There is a sense in which our anticipation for Christmas seems to be postponed or put on hold as we consider what is going to happen at this moment. We are called to be on alert and to have a plan about what will happen if the fire comes too close. If we leave where will we go where we know we will be safe? If we stay are we fully prepared to fight the fire? These are life-changing choices which need to be carefully considered not just for ourselves but for those we care about.

So in this context how are we called to watch and act when the fires do not threaten us? There is a necessity that we do understand our environment in which we live and the fragility of our own lives. This does not mean we are called to live in fear of creation but rather to consider how we do not live apart from creation. We are called to be people who act responsibly not just for the moment but also for every moment. There is a need to recognise that we are gifted with the place we live not just for ourselves only but so that we can be stewards who are able to pass it on to future generations. This allows us to understand the simple ways in which we can care for the environment and care for each other which sustains all life.

As we notice Christmas is different in Australia. Whereas in traditional scenes it would be raining snow here it has been raining ash. Yet in the face of such contradictions, we are called to encourage each other and reach out to each other. We pray with and for the firefighters who have faced overwhelming situations with great courage, skill and resilience. We pray for those who have lost their homes that they may find a place of welcome which will help them to rebuild shattered dreams. We pray for our politicians and public servants that they may have wisdom in guiding people to act in the common good. We pray for ourselves that our fears may not overwhelm us and that our hopes may transform us into people who bear witness to Christ with our lives.

Prepare the way

The immanence of Christmas can cause us to start to plan with the end in mind. Our activity while being focussed on that event can distract us from what is happening at the moment. The preparations can all seem present to something that has not yet happened but which we anticipate. It is in this sense of anticipation that we can miss the everyday events which make the journey worthwhile. When we hurry towards the destination we can forget who we are travelling with and why we are seeking to arrive there quickly. Maybe it is time to hasten slowly!
Each day is not just to be struck off the calendar as one day less to go. We are called to see what is happening within us as we search for who we long for. What brings meaning and substance to our life? This is a time where we can look at what Christmas and the coming of the Christ child mean for us. What is it that we are looking for and how do we see ourselves more clearly?
With John the Baptist this is a time when we are called to notice what holds our attention and whether this assists us along the way. We are called to be people who are open to the promptings of God and to let go of the things that bind us too strongly. May we become people who travel lightly and freely towards God. May the joy which rises in our hearts disturb us with a peace the world cannot give.

Beginning at the end

We start the first Sunday in the same way we finished the liturgical year. We are called to be aware and awake of how God is present to us in our daily lives. This can be especially important as we journey towards Christmas. The season of Advent often becomes lost in a relentless sense of activity which seeks to wrap up the year with attention to exterior activities. I start to lose myself in attending to expectations and pressures which call me to attend to things that seem to be outside our control. It could be as simple as trying to find a car parking spot close to the place we will make our next shopping expedition. It can be the dilemma of knowing who we should send cards to and whether are greetings are truly heartfelt for the good of the person. There can be a variety of pressures which cause us to overcommit and overspend.

What may be a useful practice is to consider where the Word of God is called to read our lives. Maybe as a small group or even on our way to work, we can listen to how God wants to plant seeds in our hearts. This allows us to make room for the variety of ways in which God wishes to greet us along the way. It may allow us to pray for the person for whom we will shop or send a card. The consideration that allows our hearts to become attentive and alert to what is happening rather than what we think should happen. It calls us to allow the opportunity to notice what will bring life.

Then at the end of each day, we can review our lives to see what brings life and what overwhelms us. By attending to what is happening in the everyday. By allowing how God meets us disguised as our lives we notice how we always begin at the end!

Who will lead us to the truth?

This weekend we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King. In a world where the idea of the monarchy has diminished to a ceremonial role and leadership is found in the form of democracy, dynastic rule or in the cult of personality we can lose sight of who we are called to become in Christ. The form of leadership that is put forward talks about being in power, being spectacular and being relevant. The focus moves off the office and onto the person occupying the office. We are then bombarded by opinion polls which tells us to the degree to which that person's leadership is acceptable rather than a consideration of how they are called to be at service. When this focus shifts significantly we start to recognise that no one person can fulfil all our desires which are beyond their human capacity to achieve in their own lifetime!

It is against this reflection on leadership that we start to notice how Christ leads from the midst of people and their everyday lives. He seeks us out first that we may discover the truth of who we are called to become. The Kingdom is not something to be discovered and established outside of ourselves but rather a gentle invitation to be at home with him and him at home with us. This desire to enter under our own roof as we so often hear at the time of communion is a recognition that we are worth the effort. This means Jesus meets us in our failures as much as our successes, in our sickness as much as in our health, in our wealth and in our poverty. This meeting is not just focused on our circumstances but on the heart of our life which meets us with an intense desire to be present in all things and in all situations.

So in our own time what is the leadership we seek? Many issues seem to come to the fore as things which compete for our attention. Even over the last week, the relationship to the environment we live has been debated and many have called for fresh vision and insight. We hear many competing voices which speak about the information about how the climate is changing and we struggle to respond in a way which balances our own needs with the impact that we do have on the world around us. In many cases, the emphasis is on how our intervention is needed to provide remedies to a world which has the perception of falling outside our control. However, I believe that the leadership that is needed is to recognise that we are called to be stewards of creation not masters of the universe. We are not called to dominate the world around us and conquer it by force to bend to our will. Rather we need to listen to how our we are called to become at one with each other and with God in cooperating with the natural world. We are called to be co-creators with God. Since we have received all things as a gift we should treasure what has been entrusted to us. Not to be exploited solely for our own ends but rather used wisely with respect for all creation of which we are part.

A rule of life

We live in a world where the opinions of others matter deeply. We can become fascinated by the latest developments whether they be about finance, politics, fashion or sport. Part of the fascination can be motivated by a deep interest in a particular aspect of life and how it can help us to give expression to who we are. Yet too often the opinions can just become chatter which prevents us from becoming more deeply engaged either with the person who is speaking or what they are speaking about. It just becomes background noise to an already crowded world vying for our attention. What is more difficult is the intrusiveness of technology which can start to notice what we are paying attention to and give us more of the same. Whether it is a search engine, an electronic device or a social media page we can find our direction being channelled into unexpected avenues and our ability to reflect being influenced by the amount of material on offer.

In such an information-rich environment how do we choose what to listen to? There can be a constant diet of bad news or misinformation that we find it hard to filter out and reflect on what is truly important and valuable. We find that people play with our emotions in ways which can cause us to react rather than reflect more deeply on what actually brings us life. We can be fed with a diet which is not truly nourishing and which does not settle well in our stomachs. There is a sense that we are become consumed by what we hear rather than listening to a deeper truth.

This is where we need to look at what brings life and purpose to us. Where do we find meaning which is substantial and life-giving? This is where we need to work for that which brings hope, faith and charity into our life. This is called a rule of life which is not about rigid discipline but rather a way of reflecting on who I am and what I seek to become. The simplest example is the ancient command echoed by Jesus as the golden rule, "Love the Lord with all your heart, all your mind, all your strength and all your soul and your neighbour as yourself." This allows us each day to reflect on how we live this ancient truth which reflects that when we come close to God we come close to others and close to ourselves. We become people who live in a communion which seeks to be present to the God of all creation not the gods of our own creation.

A God of the Living not of the Dead

During the month of November, we are called to remember those who have died and to offer prayers on their behalf. This is not just a way of overcoming our grief but is an expression of how we still hold them in love and affection. This mirrors God's love and affection for the person.  There can be a tendency to believe that it is through our prayers that a person is saved and drawn into deeper communion with God. However, I believe that God prompts us to cooperate with being lovingly present to the person and seek out what is best for them. Thus our prayers for those who have died are not based out of just our own initiative but out of God's loving desire for all things to be at one. This overwhelming desire wells within us and seeks to give voice to what God wishes for all people.

This allows us to notice that God is at the centre of all things and wishes all things to discover the freedom to have our hearts turned towards God and be fortified in Christ. This divine desire helps to strengthen us against even those forces which threaten to destroy us and would rob us of the liberty of being children of God. Those forces which seek to emphasise the utility of things rather than the relationship with people. In this way, we can see a false message which treats temporal things with greater respect than eternal relationships. This is where God prompts us to notice that in praying for the dead we also pray for the living. We seek to discover what brings life and hope to our age and where the meaning in our life resides. What do we work for: power, status and influence or do we seek to allow life to unfold in beauty, surrender and giftedness. One seeks to rest the control of life to possess it and hold on to it while the other seeks to discover God in all things. This is where especially in these last days of the liturgical year that we are called to reflect on which voices hold the greatest sway over our lives and to at whose feet do we lay down our gifts.

A God of mercy and justice

When we encounter situations which cause us difficulties which cause us to suffer or which cause us harm our immediate cry can be for justice against the person who has caused this event to occur in our lives. We want to see external resolution before we can internally forgive a person. Justice not only has to be done but has to be seen to be done. Yet what we discover is a God of mercy and justice. The ordering of the phrase is important as it helps us understand how God draws us into a life giving relationship. We need to experience ourselves as loved sinners rather than as redeemed servants. The first recognizes that God reaches out to us when we believe that we are of little worth and want to hold God off at a distance. The second is often more attractive because if someone pays the price at least we can try and work off the "debt". The difference is that if we rely solely on God's mercy we start to see every aspect of our life being viewed through the vision of God who seeks the best for ourselves even when we do not choose it. In granting mercy we can start to see that we are not the centre of the universe and it allows us the opportunity to see how our lives matter to God and to others. No longer do we try to privatize our relationship with God or with others in the terms of a divine transaction or earning credit points to salvation. Rather it is a more radical shift which recognizes that all good things come from God and all good actions are prompted from that life giving relationship. Our life moves in and out of this communion which notices that every action seeks to build the kingdom of God.

In this way we can approach life not as paying off a debt which has already being paid but rather a sustaining and life giving relationship which calls us to abide with God each day. No longer do we focus solely on what we are doing but rather on who we are called to become in Christ. It is through this life giving relationship that God sits down with us even when we notice we do not live up to our own expectations of "holiness". God spends time with us so that we can capture his heart as he captures ours. It is about a constant surrender and yielding to that divine touch which prompts us to respond tenderly and justly to those in greatest need around us. It's focus is that every action seeks to embody that presence of the person who walks close by our side. 

To be good or to do good

One of the temptations of the Christian life is to believe that we win God's love by what we do rather than who we are called to become. If we believe that our goodness is judged by the number of good acts that we perform then we will only be judged by our last good act. We will also start to believe that our relationship with God is based on transactions rather than relationship. We become hooked on a spirituality which is as transparent as our fly buy cards or the number of reward points that we have collected. We can start to treat God in the same by bargaining our way through life by saying something like, " I have done all these good things now I would like this to happen in my life". We also start to make comparisons with others especially when from outward appearance their life does not appear to be as holy and devout as our own. We can start to see God as our own personal friend who deals with us exclusively on our own terms.

Yet the reality that we discover is that we are called to be good in spite of all the struggles that we encounter in life. This includes our own internal struggle to live a life which response to the grace of God in a way that does not just focus on my own goodness. The heart of the spiritual life is to recognise that it is God who loved us first and who wants to enter into a relationship as we are at the moment. This is especially true when we experience our own failures, sinfulness, addictive behaviour and lack of vision. We come before God not because we are perfect but so that we can be perfected in God's love for us. This calls us to notice that our holiness does depend solely on our good acts as though it can be achieved through our own effort. Rather it is a discovery that God wants to work with us each day in strengthen a relationship which enables us to undertake good actions which flow out of that enduring relationship. In this way, we discover the freedom to be ourselves and creativity which glorifies God with our whole life.  No longer do we engage in God acts because they will bring rewards in the future which guarantee our salvation we engage in God acts because they are an expression of God's love for us and our love for God and for others. 

In this way, we discover a humility which does not diminish us but enlivens us to walk with God each day. It allows each day to be a gentle surrender to God's providence to provide what is needed and how we can be present to others. It is an open-hearted response which says yes to each day to the people I meet and the work that I undertake with love and compassion. 

God give me strength!

In this weekend's readings, we can see the image of Moses combating the Amalek's. When he raised his hands up they were victorious but when he became tired they started to lose heart. So Aaron and Hur sat him down and kept his hands raised. In a similar way, the poor widow keeps coming before the unjust judge demanding justice where he seems to be worried almost to death! Lastly in his 2nd letter to Timothy, Paul insists that we reflect on Holy Scripture for refuting error, guiding people's lives and teaching them to be holy both welcome or unwelcome.

Often this is the dilemma that we confront in our modern world where we are called to accommodate our teaching to suit the audience that we are addressing. Preaching one Gospel to one group of people and another Gospel to the other. What we are called to preach is the same person who is Jesus Christ who leads us into a deeper relationship with God through him. This is where we are called to be people who respond in faith to His voice. This means that what we read in scripture may well challenge us to understand how God draws us into a life-giving relationship which sustains all our relationships. This Good News is not of our making but rather a living Word which draws us into a way of life which builds up the reign of God. Each day we need to turn to scripture which is not a dead letter but a wellspring of hope from which we can draw strength and encouragement to be sustained on our journey. 

As I read during the week in 1 John 2.3-6, "Anyone who says, I know him and does not keep his commandments is a liar, refusing to admit the truth. But when anyone who does obey what he has said, God's love comes to perfection in him. We can be sure that we are in God only when the one who claims to be living in him is living the same kind of life that Christ lived." What strikes me about this passage that I have often thought this passage was about intellectual or emotional assent to the truth of Christ rather it is a surrender to the truth of God's strength which we allow to enter in. When we hold up barriers against the truth of God's love we try to do everything under our own strength. Yet when we turn in our weakness to God and make this honest prayer, "God give me strength" we open the door to the grace which floods in and allows us to see our life with God's eyes which is more loving and transformative than our own. We are not called to be self-reliant but rather people created in God's image and likeness.

Praying for healing and mercy

Even in an age of greater levels of medical care, there can still be a feeling that sickness isolates us from the rest of the community. We start to recognise that our priorities shift and that we start to wonder how this will change the way we live and interact with others. Much has been done to recognise that the way we live with an illness is not just about the treatment provided but the way that the treatment allows the person to be treated with dignity and engaged in the healing process. We are not just worked on as though we are a car going in for a service but rather as a person who has inherent worth which allows them to discover who they are called to become even in the midst of suffering.

This is part of our prayer which deeply engages with who we are and who we wish to become. There is a desire for wholeness and integration which helps a person to recognise who they are in spite of the suffering they may experience. There is a call to holiness which does not just endure suffering but which seeks to assist the person not to become their illness or condition. Just as we see people being labelled as lepers causing them to be excluded from the heart of a community we need to see the person not just their illness. Once we actually see them they discover that even in the midst of great suffering they can still be loved and accompanied as a person with inherent dignity and worth.

This is a call where the gifts of both healing and mercy come to the fore because they seek to help the person discover God's compassionate face through human hands. They help people to discover that even in the most difficult circumstances that they can experience the healing touch present in a person's expertise but also in their attitudes. Far from being isolated from the community, they are surrounded by people who look out for their welfare and wellbeing. In being accompanied they discover their true identity in God who seeks them out with grace and mercy. Our whole system of welfare is based on this fundamental dignity of the human person which sees people created in God's image and likeness. This changes how we see ourselves and see others in great suffering as people who we hold in prayer.

Listening for the still, quiet voice!

Our faith starts from where we are and the place where we encounter Christ. This call to follow him is not just a private endeavour or a personal preference but rather a living response to how Christ calls us to follow. Often we can feel that when we are perfectly formed, well educated and have our lives together that we will meet God. Yet the contrary is true. God meets us in the midst of our daily lives when we are working hard when we are finding it difficult to find spare time to be by ourselves and when the demands of daily living seem to mount up like a wall of water around us. The focus on the immediate and our availability is tested by many things. 

However, the still quiet voice of God rings out in the midst of this seeming never-ending activity. It calls us to bear witness to the Good News not at a time when it is convenient but in the middle of what seems to hold our attention. This is not one of compulsion but rather a loving voice which creates a response in a way which is present to people with grace and power. This is the ability to respond with a loving heart. Nothing is foreign to God yet in all situations he calls us to hear his voice and not harden our hearts. 

This level of faithfulness is not just generated by a stoic resistance to the events of life but rather slow, patient anticipation of the unfolding of God's vision. Even when world events proclaim doom and disaster we are called to respond with mercy and grace. In an age where we can be provoked to make a response based on the latest headline or the most recent news report. This steady and careful gazing at what is real allows us to be contemplatives who take action for the good of others, for the good of ourselves and the good of God. In all things, we seek to be people who seek silence, stillness and solitude which touches that which brings life and Good News to our world.

The climate is changing!

In our post-modern age, we often live as though our world is empty and meaningless and where we are called to define our own meaning. Things become what we want them to be rather than what they are. There is a sense in which this retreat away from reality stands in stark contrast to even our understanding of the natural world which underpins much of our scientific research and our theological thought about the source of all life. Things, when viewed solely by their utility rather than by their essence, leads us into unchartered waters where we start to view something as having value and worth if it is useful to ourselves. This causes us to act in a way which is centred solely on what we need for this moment and this day and ignores both the physical and spiritual reality that at the heart of life we have a connection with God which shapes how we become stewards of all creation.

Hence, when we close our hearts and our minds to the reality of the world we live in and focus solely on what we need for the moment we can rob others of the vitality with which they need to live. It can cause us to look for what will make us wealthy, successful and relevant at the expense of others and future generations. We can become driven by immediate concerns rather than looking to that which can sustain life in all its beauty and diversity. When we look solely at what we own, the power that we possess and the status we have achieved we have an ability to divide people into categories: rich and poor; liberal and conservative; citizens and refugees; the haves and have nots. Such divisions are based on artificial constructs some of which are based on birth, opportunity and identity. They can cause us to see others solely through the prism of the label we put upon them rather than as people equal in dignity and worth. When we lose our sense of humanity we live on shifting sand for it would be too easy for us to lose what is essential to life the fact that we are created in the image and likeness of God. Wealth, power and success can become illusory and can be stripped from us by sickness, unemployment, failure and ultimately by death. We can actually construct a philosophy devoid of hope, which lacks faith and denies charity rather than a philosophy which proclaims life in all its wonder and diversity.

In seeking to discover who we are called to become we need to listen to the heart of God which beats through all creation. This is a recognition that we are not called to just use our environment as we please but rather as a stewardship entrusted to us by God. This starts not only with how we treat each other but how we seek to care for the environment in which we live for the good of God and the good of each other. We are not called to live as aliens in a strange land who seek escape from reality either through denial or apocalyptic rhetoric. We are called to be a living witness that God created all things and sustains them in being. We are called to be co-creators who seek to live that vision which we encounter in the person of Jesus Christ. This way of life seeks us to be present in our current situation with grace. We seek the truth of life by reflecting on what challenges we face and what moves us into action. We seek to discover how our life changes through these encounters in a way which lies at the core of who we are. As people on a pilgrimage, we are called to travel with each other by acknowledging that each of our stories interweaves with the divine story. We are not called to be people removed from our current reality but people who live an incarnate faith which engages with the way we live in our world and creates a way of life which professes what we believe.