Saturday 31 January 2015

Cara speisialta

(Naomh Bríd, 1 Feabhra)
‘… Is méanar dóibh seo atá glan ó chroí, óir feicfidh siad Dia.’(Matha 5:8)

Is duine d’éarlaimh na hÉireann í Naomh Brid. Mhair sí sa séú aois. Cé nach bhfuil mórán eolas again fúithe, is cosúil go raibh tionchar láidir aice ar na Gaeil. Tugadh ‘Muire na nGael’ uirthi – rud a thugann le fios go raibh cáil agus clú uirthi I measca ‘cairde speisialta’ na nGael sna flaithis.

    http://www.brigidoffaughart.ie/

"Trí threoir do shearbhónta beannaithe Bríd nearaigh tú an Eaglais sa tír seo; Agus muid ag tabhairt buíochais as son a beatha de sheirbhís dhúthrachtach; Séid ionainn beatha agus solas úrnua, agus tabhair buanseasmhacht dúinn chun iomlán ár laethanta a chaitheamh I do sheirbhís; trí Íosa Críost ár dTiarna". (Ortha Naomh Bríd ón Leabhar na hUrnaí Coitinne, 2004, ln. 285)

Friday 30 January 2015

Leaving a deep impression

‘… he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.’(Mark 1:22)
Mark 1:21-28 (Year B: Epiphany+4)


Some translations of this passage refer to the fact that Jesus’ teachings left a ‘deep impression’ on his listeners. Why? Because Jesus lived what he preached. What you saw was what you got. And so it is today for you and me, dear sister or dear brother. In our day, in our little corner, in our situation which may be less than ideal, we are called to be witnesses not by threatening, flattering, manipulating or showing off but by a deep, sincere, open and respectful attitude towards others.  No matter how different others may be; no matter how wounded they or we may be; no matter how much ‘stuff’ has happened between the other and me – there is always an opportunity to be deeply truthful and deeply caring – moment by moment.

A gesture, a look, a word, an action might leave a deep impression and change the lives of others. Then again, it might not. But, we can say to ourselves at the end of every day and, ultimately, at the end of our lives: ‘I did my best’, ‘I failed but kept starting out all over again’, ‘I am glad that I tried’ …
Nowadays people look for others who are honest, open and caring. The good news is that this has an impact for the better.

Jesus is not dead. He lives through us, in us and beyond us.

Thursday 22 January 2015

In the now

‘… At once they left their nets and followed him’ (Mark 1:18)
Mark 1:14-20 (Year B: Epiphany+3)


Throughout the Gospel of St Mark there is an immediacy and urgency about the message of Jesus. The time is said to have come. It is time to repent and believe now and to follow.  When called, the disciples leave what they are doing and who they are with immediately. ‘Without delay’ Jesus calls. Our natural tendency is to wait and see, to evaluate and consider, to consult and reflect and to postpone a decision until later. Sometimes this is good to do. Others time not. When God calls we are bid to follow with clarity and courage leaving behind doubts and obstacles. We must trust that God will show us the way and enable us to follow there.


The secret in following is in the now. Answering a lifetime’s call is made in a series of steps beginning with a simple step now. Giving a full yes here and now is the only reality we can embrace. The past is a given and the future has not yet arrived. We can only live in the here and now. Nothing else is real as far action and will are concerned.

Saturday 17 January 2015

What do you want?

‘… What do you want?’ (John 1:38)

John 1:35-42 (Year B: Epiphany+2)


When did you last read an obituary (or hear a funeral eulogy) that went something like this:
‘He was a much revered person who worked all the hours God gave to become the head in this industry and organisation. He put in long hours, cut deals, fought off competitors and saved the organisation on more than one critical moment. He received numerous honorary doctorates and one real one while he wrote six books, 30 journal articles and served on many commission and boards. He had many friends and contacts but none terribly close ones. He did make time for family life and local rotary club activities.  He will be missed but life goes on and things change. It was sad to see his health deteriorate in his final years.  He did recognise the few who visited him in the very final months at St Dunstan’s Nursing Home.  His farewell was an occasion of some sadness.’
Not often I suggest. Not at all in fact!

Write your own obituary or, better still, live in such a way that others will write an obituary that you can be justly proud of because you were a caring, loving, truthful and fair person in whatever role or responsibility was entrusted to you.

Every so often we need to stop for a few minutes, or hours or even days and ask the hard question that Jesus asked the two disciples: ‘what do you want?’ What do I seek?  Above and beyond the daily toils and struggles what is my purpose and aim in life? Truly?

Sometimes there are not immediate or clear answers. It may involve some trial and error. ‘Come’ and ‘and you will see’ was Jesus’ reply when asked ‘where are you staying?’

‘The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God!’ (v. 35-36)

The two disciples who followed Jesus belonged, initially, to John’s people (was Jesus also associated with them?).  John let go of his own disciples. These disciples were prompted by John and they set off on a new and unexpected course.  We should always remain open to the inspirations and promptings of the Holy Spirit especially when they come through someone wise and someone we can trust.

It turns out that one of the two disciples was Andrew – brother of Simon Peter. What was the ‘first thing’ Andrew did? He went and told him and ‘brought him to Jesus’ (v42). The call to discipleship is pressing, urgent and appealing. In fact, irresistible. Our first and natural instinct is to share it with others and, perhaps, they too will follow.

‘So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.’  It was late in the day and as often happens in the Gospel of John light and darkness, day and night play out in a deep exchange of meaning.

And ‘Jesus looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas’ (which, when translated, is Peter)’ (v42).

There is a touch of irony here. The one to be called ‘rock’ was not quite rock-like when confronted with an opportunity for martyrdom on the night of Jesus’ betrayal.  Not even Peter could resist his human nature and betray his Lord at a crucial moment. Did this stop him from going on to witness to Jesus and, ultimately, be led to death for his sake? No.

Jesus would say to Peter much later in the Gospel of John:

‘Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.’ Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, ‘Follow me!’ (John 21:18-19)


Following Jesus is the road to freedom. But the paradox is that it leads to constraint too. This is especially so in those called to lead as Peter was. But grace is never lacking.

Saturday 10 January 2015

Bringing out the best in each other



‘… You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.’’ (Mark 1:11)
Mark 1:7-11 (Year B: Baptism of our Lord)

  pic:http://www.cslcvh.org/sermons.html

Mark’s rendition of the Baptism of Jesus is concise and to the point. There is no contestation or delay over should this be done and why is the Lord being baptised as in Matthew 3:14. Straight down, under the water and out and then into the desert to face trial and temptation! Mark is action-filled, brisk and to the point.

The pithy sentence ‘you are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased’ sums up the relationship of the Father to the Son and the love (Holy Spirit) that binds them together and flows from this relationship of persons.

There are many people in today’s world who are hunger for affirmation.  Some time – like John the Baptist – we need to minister to people around us by preparing the way for an event such as described in Mark chapter 1.

Someone needs to look straight at someone – eye to eye – and say


I believe in you,

I trust you,

l affirm you,

I rejoice in you;

I love you’.

It might save a life and restore one ….

Monday 5 January 2015

A Star goes before us on the way

‘… When they saw the star, they were overjoyed (Matt 2:12)
Matt 2:1-12 (Year B: Epiphany)


The magi came to Bethlehem in search of a King.  There may not have been three of them.  They were not necessarily all men and we have no idea where they came from except ‘from the east’. The ‘gold, frankincense and myrrh’ were, perhaps, creative additions to the story.  There might be a link, in the word magi, to a religious caste known as the Medes into which Zoroaster was born. The key point of this story is that those who search will find and the finding is not the exclusive property of any caste, tribe or nation.  Following stars is a popular modern distraction. At best it is a harmless pastime. In ancient civilisations stars had a role in interpreting events.  ‘Everyone has a little star’ as the song goes.  Following stars is for everyone if they can identify ‘a star within’. It will guide to other stars and ultimately may lead us to Bethlehem – literally the House of Bread.

How do we know that we are on the right road and where are we heading anyway? Uncertainty and doubt might arise. However, the magi remained:
-       Calm (defying Herod’s orders and may be also disregarding the advice of those they left behind?)
-       Steadfast (watching out and beyond their goal though they could not see it now)
-       Active (as they kept moving onwards and onwards).
They had to make a decision perhaps months (years?) in advance to set out on a journey. They had to face dangers of one sort or another. But they kept moving towards their goal.  And on nearing their destination the star ‘went ahead of them’.

How did they know for sure that they had arrived? Perhaps they were not entirely certain though, as the story says the star had ‘stopped over the place where the child was’. At that moment they were ‘overjoyed’. Not just full of joy but ‘overjoyed’. Some translations render it as ‘exceeding great joy’ while others have as ‘rejoiced exceedingly with great joy’. Now if there is one thing that afflicts many people even in those well off times and places it is a lack of joy. Not that life cannot be hard …. But unless there is some joy at some point we are probably on the wrong track or we need to consult our compass and maps again (or GPS!).

The truth is that a little star shines in everyone – no matter how broken, sick or beaten.  That little star can lead us forward to great joy. How do we know we have arrived? We cannot be sure but a persistent, underlying and unvanquished peace and joy  remain through all the hardships and trials. Then we can trust that we are on the right track – broadly. And this joy is supernatural not to confused with ‘satisfaction’ when people go for shopping therapy in modern cathedrals known as shopping malls or when they go to happy-clappy meeting places.  Joy is to be found at home in the Kataluma (from Greek) – “the spare or upper room in a private house or in a village […] where travellers received hospitality and where no payment was expected’ as a biblical scholar has suggested. Modern day Churches including the happy-clappy ones can surely help to guide us but the Kataluma is in our hearts here and now.

However, a tip – the magi travelled together and not alone as separate individuals. When they arrived Jesus was in their midst as two or three or more were gathered in awe and joy. 

Let’s find our stars and keep moving onwards in the good company of others!

Friday 2 January 2015

Light that cannot be overcome - ever

‘… The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.’ (John 1:5)
John 1:1-18 (Year B: 2nd Sunday Christmas)

Darkness can be overwhelming. News of conflict, disaster, threats in the world around us can add to our inner unease to create a sense of gloom. We are called to be witnesses to the light. To joy and not sadness. We must wear our faith in our attitude, faces and acts of compassion and care. That is the only way that the world will recognise in us the truth and the light and the life.
In His peace we have resolve and clarity to go forward. The following is a poem cited by the King of England (George VI) during his Christmas Message of 1939. The poem was composed by Minnie Louise Haskins (1876 – 1957).

God Knows

And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year: “Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.”
And he replied:
“Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.”
So I went forth, and finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night. And He led me towards the hills and the breaking of day in the lone East.
So heart be still:
What need our little life
Our human life to know,
If God hath comprehension?
In all the dizzy strife
Of things both high and low,
God hideth His intention.

God knows. His will
Is best. The stretch of years
Which wind ahead, so dim
To our imperfect vision,
Are clear to God. Our fears
Are premature; In Him,
All time hath full provision.

Then rest: until
God moves to lift the veil
From our impatient eyes,
When, as the sweeter features
Of Life’s stern face we hail,
Fair beyond all surmise
God’s thought around His creatures
Our mind shall fill



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