A happy new year to one and all - health, peace and contentment in 2017.
Saturday, 31 December 2016
A year of mercy in hindsight
Here is a quick index with links to the weekly 'Sunday Blog' in the course of 2016 (starting in Advent of November 2015). Most entries are based on the gospel of Luke (Year C).
A happy new year to one and all - health, peace and contentment in 2017.
A happy new year to one and all - health, peace and contentment in 2017.
Tuesday, 27 December 2016
Unusual families
‘…remain there until I tell you....’ (Matt
2:13)
Matthew 2:13-23 (Year A: 1st Sunday after Christmas Sunday 1st January 2017)
The gospel of St Matthew opens up the New Testament. Joseph, the spouse of Mary, is something of a
dreamer. He hears angelic messages in
his dreams. More to the point, he acts on those divine inspirations and
communications knowing in his heart that he must act decisively and urgently. Dreams
are a key part of the story in this passage from Matthew because it is through
this medium that God sometimes speaks to the key actors in the story. Hanging around was not an option for Joseph
or Mary.
- That Joseph received messages in dreams indicates that he listened to his heart and pondered his situation.
- That Joseph took the appropriate action based on sound judgment and analysis of the situation he and Mary found themselves in indicates that he sought, only, what was best for his family to which divine providence had led him.
- That Joseph waited and stayed the course in that place where he arrived until further clear indications were forthcoming indicates that he did not presume to know when or how the future would turn out. Rather, he stayed the course in patience and in waiting.
In this passage Joseph, the ‘man of honour’, does the
honourable thing; he defends those in his care and avoids what is evil by
removing them from immediate danger. A
romanticised and nostalgic picture of the Christmas crib gives way very quickly
to a picture of violence and the threat of violence and the human response to
this. According to this Gospel story the
first Christmas did not leave a trail of peace in ‘Bethlehem and its vicinity’
especially if you were a family with an infant boy under the age of 2. The consequences
are harrowing and deeply troubling (Matthew
2:18) and echo through the ages to the present day:
‘A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.’
In a world of violence, power struggles and hatred, families
and small communities on the margins of society continue to survive. For some
it means fleeing and ‘staying the course’ wherever they find themselves after
fleeing. There are no other options or choices when it comes to survival in the
face of death.
And this is the daily lot of 100,000s of refugees right now,
this Christmas, in the Middle East – in ‘Bethlehem and its vicinity’. There are
lots of Mary’s Joseph’s out there still ….and some of them might be nearer than
we think.
How did the flight into Egypt impact on Joseph, Mary and
Jesus? We do not know how long they
stayed in Egypt (see postscript note 1). Is it possible that Jesus was old
enough to learn something of the local language? Did he play with other African
children? How did Joseph and Mary make a
living? Were they accompanied by other family members? And, did they integrate
into a Jewish community settled in Egypt?
My guess is that they were a pretty normal and typical refugee family
for the times they lived in. Many people were crossing to and from on the
highways of what we call, nowadays, the middle east.
The return to Palestine
Joseph returned with Mary and Jesus to the region we know as
Palestine today but did not settled in Judea where, presumably, his extended
family and closer friends resided. Instead, for fear of Herod’s son who had now
taken over from Herod as ruler of Judea, Joseph settled his family in the
relatively obscure region of Galilee in an even more obscure town called
Nazareth out of which many thought no good could possibly come (John
1:46).
In summary we have:
- A pregnant unmarried woman in the first place.
- An apparent father as far as society and immediate family were concerned.
- A birth in outcast settings to a homeless and poor family.
- A major rumpus and massacre of young children in and around Bethlehem.
- A flight of a refugee family into Egypt where they were foreigners for some time.
- A return by the same family from Egypt but, still, as refugees from their normal and original place of abode (which remains unclear in the synoptic gospels).
- A life of hidden obscurity for approximately 30 years following which an extraordinary preacher, healer and disrupter appears in Galilee and finds his way to Jerusalem where he was put to death for his outspoken words and scandalously irreligious acts.
Now who said that God does not work in very strange ways and
using very strange locations and circumstances to achieve his purposes? (see
note 2, below).
Modern day ironies
Is it not just a little ironic that this story of a family
fleeing danger and facing untold hardships through the desert to a foreign land
has echoes of journeys undertaken over land and by sea by tens and by hundreds
of thousands of women, children and men fleeing the same diabolical forces that
elevate power and control above human dignity? Is it not ironic that Joseph
takes Jesus and Mary to a country called Egypt where, today, a large minority
of that population is persecuted and attacked because they bear the name of the
saviour who was taken there for refuge? Is it not ironic that the focal point
of this feast of Christmas is the scene of a crib housing a homeless family when
thousands of families are accommodated in ‘emergency’ accommodation across the
capital city of Ireland? And, then, there is the historical legacy of Palestine
and Israel as two competing narratives of victimhood and human rights (though
different from but not that different to the historical legacies of Ireland).
The causes of homelessness, migration and persecution are
not unrelated. At some point someone, somewhere decides and acts on the
principle that some goal of power or wealth or pride comes before the most
basic human rights to life, shelter and sustenance. It seems that rich societies (at least those
with high levels of GDP per capita adjusted for tax distortion) are
particularly prone to social breakdown and extremes of homelessness and
poverty. Opulence and pressure of affluence coupled with a shortage of
accommodation is driving the cost of renting as well as purchasing living space
to levels well beyond the capacity of the poorest. The problem is exacerbated
and augmented by problems of addiction and ill-health of mind and body to a
point where people end up sheltering in cardboard and blankets in doorways of
well known public buildings and shops on some of main thoroughfares of our
cities.
Food and shelter is provided by a combination of state and voluntary
effort. But, we must understand better the causes of homelessness, poverty,
addiction as well as the power of unregulated markets to wreck havoc on
people’s lives. The Christmas story is not, for us, just a comfortable and
comforting nice story. It is a call to action for justice in a world pulled
apart by war, terror, poverty and homelessness. The feast of Christmas Day is
followed – immediately – by the feast of St Stephen ‘the first Christian
martyr’ (26th December) and the slaughter of the innocents (28th
December). There is a message somewhere in there for us today.
Postcripts
1 Did it really happen (and so what)?
Some academic theologians and biblical scholars might
question the historical nature of the birth stories in Luke and Matthew
including the flight into Egypt which is unique to the gospel of St Matthew.
What matters, in my view, is the key message or messages in these stories that
form part of a living tradition of transformative faith and love. As for the
literal historical truth of these stories and the many details therein
(sticking with post-enlightenment terminology and understanding of terms of
like ‘history’ and ‘truth’) I reckon that unless there is convincing evidence
to the contrary (which there is not) then one may assume that the stories link
to events that ‘actually happened’ as narrated give or take a few details. I acknowledge that this view may be viewed
with some disquiet by some our illustrious and learned academics.
2 Dysfunctional
families in the bible?
Egypt is mentioned a lot in the Bible. The patriarch,
Abraham, went there to avoid a famine in the land where he came from (Genesis
12:10). Joseph the son of Jacob ended up in Egypt after a foiled attempt to
murder him triggered slavery for him (Genesis
37:12-36). And Jacob pulls a smart one on his brother Essau by means of lies and trickery. All of this suggests that
dysfunctional families are not a modern day invention! In Genesis
46:1-7. Jacob goes to Egypt with his family
on a mission of mercy to rescue Joseph. We may note that this same Jacob had
twelve sons (who gave rise to the 12 tribes of Israel) and at least one
daughter – all by two concurrent wives, first cousin Leah (the one with the
‘lovely eyes’ according to Genesis 29:17) and her younger sister Rachel (the
one actually preferred by Jacob who had special taste) and by their handmaidens
Bilhah (referred to Jacob by Rachel for additional procreation) and Zilpah
(referred to Jacob by Leah for yet further procreation). That could pass for a 21st century
soap based on the Tudors! (If you think this is all dodgy check out Genesis
29:1-30:24).
Tuesday, 20 December 2016
He pitched his tent among us
‘…And the Word became flesh and lived among us....’ (John 1:14)
John 1:1-18 (Year A: Christmas Day Sunday 25th
December 2016)
The Gospel of St John is different from the ‘synoptic’
gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. Where
Matthew opens up a long Jewish genealogy and Luke opens with pregnancy and
birth stories, John opens with a high-theology, contemplative genealogy of the
Divine. ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word
was God..’ – so begins this gospel. It starts with something like a hymn to the
Logos – the very utterance of
God-who-is-love. Eastern, Asiatic mysticism could see, here, the manifestation
of the Seed which gives life to many, many other seeds. John knows how to tap into a Jewish audience
and, for that matter, a Hellenistic-Greek one too. The Logos (Word) is identified with Sophia
(Wisdom) and is our life, our light and the very ground on which we are rooted.
The Word is also identified with the Torah
or Law given by God through Moses. However, the Word – or New Law – will be a
key point in the writings of John including the Letters attributed to John
which are read at the daily Eucharist in the closing days of this troublesome
year of 2016.
We are because the Word is. In him we have life because the
Word is not some philosophical idea or code of behaviour. The Word is deeply
personal and relational in a way that is more personal and more relational than
we could ever guess or imagine in our little worlds. The Word is not some mere
manifestation or by-product of the Divine however me might conceive it. The
Word is, as John writes, God without beginning or end.
As with the other evangelists, John has his own emphasis
reflecting his community’s experiences and transmission of the living tradition
of faith and first century Christian discipleship. The very opening of this
majestic and contemplative gospel introduces the reader to the key themes of
what will follow. Already, in the first 5 verses we hear of the ‘Word’, ‘Life’,
‘Light’ and, of course, ‘God’. The first 18 verses of John are referred to as
the ‘Prologue’ and provides a key gospel reading for this Christmas Day which,
also, falls on the Day of Resurrection – Sunday. The significance of the
bringing together of the birth of our Saviour with the day of our liberation in
the rising of the Christ from the dead once every 7 years should not be lost.
John gives a panoramic contemplation of the mystery of
Christ’s coming amongst us. John’s
gospel is one long hymn to the Word or the Logos – made flesh and in whom the
Glory, the life, the light and the saving of this world has appeared. It is
fitting that on this very special day we hear again the good news of God’s own
son made flesh and raised up in glory. Our resurrection is closer at hand every
year that we recall the birth of the baby saviour. In the glory of God
manifested in the ‘house of bread’ which is Bethlehem we see a homeless family
about to be pursued to another country from where they will watch and wait.
Today, we see thousands of people watching and waiting on street doors and in
occupied buildings. A deed of kindness to one of these is done to Jesus.
However, we must see the signs of our times and join with others in struggle to
abolish the very structures, institutions, laws and practices that allow
thousands to go homeless in one of the richest countries in the world.
And so the Prologue of John’s gospel, as the summary of the
entire gospel of John, is our hymn this morning. I have a simple formula that
works for me as a summary of this sublime summary and it goes like this:
In the beginning was the Word / And the World became flesh / And that flesh became bread / Which has now become us / Broken for a united world / At peace and returning to the source from which it came.
Tuesday, 13 December 2016
Mindful and ready to receive
‘…Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly.....’ (Matthew 1:19)
Matthew
1:18-25 (Year A: Advent 4 Sunday 18th
December 2016)
Another week to go! Those cards, those presents, those
visits, hiding the toys in the attic or with the neighbours, those last-minute
things…
Or maybe ….
Another Christmas with mixed feelings, family politics,
tipsy uncles, that awkward visitor once a year and the silent, deadly dread of
what a new year is likely to bring by way of developing illness, personal
financial debt, job uncertainty or some other impending reality.
Whichever speaks most (or something of both?) we can find
rest in the story of God-with-us or Emmanuel. The name Emmanuel
might sound more like the name of some impossibly impressive film star than the
original Hebrew meaning in the prophecy of Isaiah (chapters 7-8). (See here
for a chapter by chapter reflection on the Book of Isaiah.)
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin [young woman] will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel [God with us]
Hidden in
the 7th chapter of Isaiah towards the beginning of the ‘Emmanuel
chapters’ from 7 to 12) is a little precious gem – for us who read this
prophecy as Christians with the light of faith and experience of those who went
before us. And if some should doubt or
not believe let them be open to the mystery and beauty of these chapters
interspersed as they are with warnings and cries for change.
Line by line:
‘Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.’ (v. 18)
To be unmarried and pregnant was a source of scandal and
severe punishment in relatively primitive societies. Such scandal and severe
punishment was widely practiced until very recently in these parts of the
world. The great irony of this passage
is that, were Joseph to have carried out the ‘letter’ of the Law he would have
publicly denounced Mary and had her put to death and Jesus also. (See Chapter
22 of the Book of Deuteronomy, for example.)
The bible tells us that Mary was ‘found to be with child
from the Holy Spirit’. We do not know
exactly how but we believe that Jesus – the Son of God – was born of the
‘Virgin Mary’ and that this was by the power of the holy spirit. This is a key
and essential part of our ‘creed’.
‘Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly.’ (v. 19)
Some translations render the first part of this verse as: ‘Because
Joseph her husband was faithful to the law’.
Two vital components sit side by side in this verse:
- The faithfulness of Joseph to the spirit of the ‘Law’; and
- Joseph’s strong love and care for Mary and his motivation to not ‘expose her to public disgrace’.
‘But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.’ (v. 20)
Joseph listened to his ‘dreams’. Put another way, he
listened to his very own heart and, there, he found the calm voice of Love
speaking through ‘an angel of the Lord’ and gently inviting him to not be
afraid but, rather, take Mary as his wife.
This was going to be a crucial moment of decision and trust on the part
of Joseph. He could have doubted what he
heard. He could have run way and still let Mary go without a public fuss. No,
he said yes to God’s will in a way that made a huge difference not only to Mary
but Jesus who was growing in the womb of Mary.
‘She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ (v. 21)
Had Mary already told Joseph that the angel who visited her
recently had also given the name of Jesus or Jeshua (the one who saves)?
It looks as if Mary kept all this to herself at least until Joseph had
received the name of Jesus in his dream.
‘All this took place to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: ‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel’, which means, ‘God is with us.’ (v. 22-23)
The
passage of Isaiah
7:14 is taken up in the Gospel of Saint Matthew and is applied directly to
the birth of Jesus Christ. The travails of the people of Israel across the
centuries and books and prophecies find their fulfilment in the promise and
coming of the One who will save not just the chosen people of Israel but all
peoples who turn to the Source of Salvation.
What a gem. What a precious pearl. A pearl of great price. (Matthew
13:44). Later Isaiah will write (45:3):
‘I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.’
‘In man
there is a deep so profound, it is hidden even to him in whom it is’. St Augustine
(Exposition on the Book of Psalms)
‘When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife,’ (v. 24)
Joseph was more than a dreamer and recipient of divine
instruction. Joseph was a doer and a doer who would bring upon himself much
adventure, hardship, dislocation, travel and wonder. We do not know much about Joseph except for
those rare occasions when he steps in and steps out again from the gospel
stories. Yet, his role is crucial to the
unfolding of the story in those early years of Jesus’ life. Assuming that Joseph had died before Jesus
began his ministry could we surmise that Joseph’s passing deeply impacted on
Jesus in some way? Might the commencement of Jesus’ ministry have been
triggered by the death of Joseph? Death can have many impacts on those who are
extremely close.
‘…. but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.’ (v. 25)
For some reason the liturgists cut short the gospel
extraction for this Sunday half-ways through a sentence crossing verses 24 and
25. Perhaps they thought that this particular part of a sentence did not ‘add’
anything to the key storyline for this Sunday? Some exegetes have been quick to
rush in with an explanatory footnote that nothing can be read into ‘had no
marital relations with her until she had borne a son’. Whatever interpretation
is held we know that (a) the conception and birth of Jesus was ‘from the Holy
Spirit’, and that (b) what happened after the birth of Jesus is not addressed
by the gospel writers because (c) it is not relevant to the key message of the
Gospel.
The situation that Joseph faced when he received Mary was
one of uncertainty, doubt, a gradual revealing, a struggle and acceptance. He received Mary – and Jesus – into his heart
and home. He welcomed God’s ways which are not our ways and can, sometimes,
stand in quiet defiance of the norms, prejudices and petty judgments of
society.
Tuesday, 6 December 2016
Mindful and ready to witness
‘…And blessed is anyone who takes no offence
at me....’ (Matthew 11:6)
Matthew
11:2-11 (Year A: Advent 3 Sunday 11th
December 2016)
On this the third Sunday of Advent we are moving closer to that great feast of the Saviour’s birthday. However, the warnings and unedited declarations of John the Baptist gave way to a new phase in our history of salvation. Now, the focus turns towards the cousin of John. In terms of the Gospel story we skip forward from John at the river Jordan preaching, warning, baptising and clearing the way for someone who is to come to John who is in prison awaiting trial and, presumably, execution.
There is no evidence, on this occasion, that Jesus organised
a protest or a petition to have his cousin released. News of what was happening
outside the prison got through to John.
He had his networks and supporters and, so, he sent messengers to check
out who Jesus really was and what his goal was.
John surely knew Jesus to some considerable degree. After all, their
mothers were closely bonded from at least the time of their pregnancies. John had even leapt in his mother’s womb when
Mary, carrying Jesus, greeted John’s mother, Elizabeth. As they grew up (and they were, of course, of
the same age) did John wonder who this cousin, Jesus, really was? At the end of Jesus’ life (the last 10% of
his total life span, we might say) something extraordinary started to emerge in
Galilee where Jesus commenced his ministry. Down south in Judea a whole ‘movement’
had been generated around John the Baptist. The two ‘movements’ were about to
be joined up. Something new was about to happen.
In his reply to John, Jesus spells out what is happening in
verse 5:
- the blind receive their sight,
- the lame walk,
- the lepers are cleansed,
- the deaf hear,
- the dead are raised, and
- the poor have good news brought to them
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.
When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he
sent word by his disciples.
The Gospel of Matthew places a strong emphasis on the
Messiah (or the Christ). This emphasis
would not have been lost on his Jewish audience since the transition from a
baptism with water and prophecy as with Elijah must now, decisively, give way
to a new baptism in the Spirit and a new definitive revelation of God. All of history leads to this event, this era,
this teaching, this prophecy. It was no longer just a question of Jesus the
extraordinary and ordinary cousin of John but it was a matter of Jesus Christ
the ‘he-who-saves’ (Jeshua in Aramaic)
and the Christ or Messiah (Christou
in Greek).
Who were the ‘messengers’ sent by John the Baptist? The old Greek version of Matthew 11.2 has: Pempsas dia tōn
mathētōn autou (πέμψας διὰ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ)
or ‘Now when John had heard in the prison
the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples’ (King James
Version). So, the original text
indicates that two were went and not just one. And these were disciples and not
just any two messengers. Although not
elaborated on we could surmise that these two witnessed together the work of
Jesus and brought this news back to John before his execution. Moreover, these two joined the band of
disciples beginning to crystallise around Jesus. In witnessing to the love of God we never
travel alone. For where two or three are gathered in his name there is the
Spirit of freedom and the spirit of God and the real sacramental presence
of Jesus the Christ.
Here lies the test for us listening to these gospels texts
year after year. When we gather in His name or when we witness, together, are the
‘blind’ given sight as a result? Do the
‘lame’ walk? Are ‘lepers’ healed? Are
the ‘dead’ raised to new life? Does our
message and the way we live set others free let alone on fire? Are the poor,
marginalised and oppressed set free? Does it make any difference? Who are the
‘blind’, the ‘lame’, the ‘deaf’, the ‘dead’ anyway? Could we be counted among
these already?
Sometimes, church-going folk worry and fret a lot over the
decline in ‘religious practice’.
Particular concern is expressed about the free-fall in ‘vocations’ (at
least in the post-modern, post-truth, post-industrial, post-Christian,
post-anything world). Particular
concerns are also expressed about the sharply ageing profile of church
congregations in many places and denominations (some more than others). What’s
going on? The answers, just like the
reasons, are complex and many faceted.
Various zealous returns to ‘orthodoxy’, ‘discipline’,
‘evangelisation/catechisation’ and a host of local innovations do not seem be
able to turn the tide let alone arrest it.
Religion is dead and countries like Ireland are just aligning with this
new post-faith world, so it is claimed by many among the de-churched or the
non-churched. Is ‘religion’ really dead in this part of the world? And what is
‘religion’ anyway? Might it be helpful
to raise two questions at this stage of what might seem like terminal decline in the fortunes of many
mainstream Christian Churches in Ireland (and I am sure the same could be
applied elsewhere):
- Does Christianity need to be rediscovered and re-presented in today’s world as an invitation to relationship, meaning, trust and growth? (people have not given up searching for ways of life).
- Would a truly radical and heart-full return to Orthopraxis release a wave of energy and life that would be so credible, authentic, attractive and new that many are drawn in?
As Pope Francis
tweeted so elegantly the other day:
We are all called to go out as missionaries and bring the message of God’s love to every person in every area of life.
Tuesday, 29 November 2016
Mindful and ready to change
‘…Prepare the way of the Lord....’ (Matthew 3:3)
Matthew
3:1-12 (Year : Advent 2)
The approach of Christmas is associated with a time of preparation,
waiting and renewal. Here, in the northern hemisphere, we are closing in
rapidly on the shortest day of the year, circa 21 December. When steering the
liturgy of the young Christian communities in the first centuries after Christ,
the disciples of Jesus were very much conscious of pagan myths and rituals
especially around the times of the winter and summer solstices and spring and
autumn equinox. In the advanced religion
of the Jewish people the Festival of Lights, Hanukkah , has a special place in the Northern winter around
this time of the year. A festival of lights is also found among other religions
including Hinduism and Buddhism. When it is darkest there is a natural human
desire to witness some light. In a
striking way, this innate human desire is illustrated in a spectacular way in
the construction of Newgrange some
5,000 years ago.
For us, today, Christmas stands at a secular crossroads with
many roads leading to and from IKEA, B&Q, Tesco and others leading in other
directions among which are counted (if we are fortunate or not) office parties,
drinks, meeting up, trip back to Ireland or somewhere else, Mass once a year
with the grandparents, family get-together, walks by the sea or mountains, the
sales on ‘Boxing Day’ (it is still called St Stephen’s Day in Ireland), back to
work, January bills etc. This time of year brings many memories to people –
mostly happy and wonderful but sometimes not since a place at table is vacant
or some other reminder of less than happy things in the past associated,
somehow, with Christmas time. Whatever
representation Christmas presents to us we do well, I suggest, to take a trip
into those dark places within us as we tread gently there with candle in one
hand and an anam-chara in the other.
We may stop our searching and striving for a while each day and stay there in
that silent and not so bright place. Waiting and ready to receive in God’s own
time and way.
This Sunday’s passage from the Gospel of Matthew might
provide a short piece of text to stop and think about in that not so bright
place. It speaks to us of someone who stood apart from the crowd and was not
afraid to speak truth to power. Moreover, it speaks of someone who is a sign of
contradiction. John the Baptist, the cousin of Jesus, points to a new way of
life and a new order of things which is already breaking in our world. He was
no ordinary person. Clothed in ‘camel’s hair with a leather belt around his
waist’ and with ‘locusts and wild honey’ as his food we are picturing, here,
not some finely clothed priest in the Temple or some man about society and the
synagogue. Here was someone who was a reproach to the social norms of the
time. Yet, people came to him. There was something about his message and its
impact. However, the cousin of Jesus plays something of a very backseat role in
the gospel. Just as Jesus emerges on the scene, the Baptist fades away. Yet,
his role and ministry is hugely important – like of that of Mary the mother of
Jesus. John the Baptist helped made the
gospel welcome just as (though in a completely different way) Mary made the
Gospel possible through a free given yes (she could have said no in which case
a Plan B would have to apply as God was/is/will save as many as possible).
What do we know about John? He was a rugged, outspoken and
uncompromising sort. He spoke truth to power and for this he lost his head
(literally). We are familiar with the phrase ‘He/she is no shrinking violet’. Well, John, or Yochanan (God who is gracious) as he would have been referred to, was
no shaking reed in the wind as his cousin Jesus, or Yeshua
(the one who rescues) put it (Matthew
11:7). People came to him and
listened to him because he stood out from the religious and political
authorities of his day. There was something about John that marked him out. For
his troubles he met a violent end after a spell in prison (Matthew
14:3-5). We are told that the executioner, Herod, ‘feared the crowd,
because they regarded him as a prophet’. And so he was. But, that did not stop,
ultimately, Herod and his consort taking his life away. Jesus had no illusions
about what lay ahead of him. I strongly suspect that Mary had a pretty good and
intuitive sense too (how much did Jesus tell Mary during those last three years
of his life?). As for the apostles – God
help us!
When the Pharisees and Sadducees presented themselves for
baptism, John in characteristic mode was not operating from the manual ‘How to win friends and influence people’
in declaring:
‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath
to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Do not presume to say to
yourselves, “We have Abraham as our ancestor”; for I tell you, God is able from
these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the axe is lying at
the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is
cut down and thrown into the fire.
This declaration is a direct assault on a religion of show,
power and entitlement. Its purveyors miss the key point of real religion which
is to bear good fruit born of a loving relationship with a God who is no more
or no less than love. This is the meaning of true repentance – a decisive
turning away from what is wrong and harmful and a turning towards what is good
and wholesome. Such a dramatic change of
mentality and heart may be gradual or sudden as the case may be. For most of us conversion – in the true sense
of the term – is a slow, painful, two steps forward, one back (or one forward
and two back at times) process. To be
saved is to know that peace and freedom that comes from a life well spent. It
is the total of our actions and abandonments to God’s providence. In this
sense, we live our baptism throughout our lives and not just at one special
moment of decision (although this may also feature in the disciple’s
journey). The Baptism of John was an
important sign and challenge for the people of his time. The Baptism of Jesus
would not be revealed until after his death when he poured his Holy Spirit on
the those who believed in him. This latter baptism is witnessed today by
countless millions starting with a once-off sacramental event but not stopping
there because our baptism in the Holy Spirit and in the fire of God’s love is
never finished until we have run life’s course.
This advent is a time to be refreshed and to experience,
again, the fruits of our own baptism. Advent is about waiting. But, it is also
about openness to change. Change is possible no matter who we are and where we
are at.
Tuesday, 22 November 2016
Mindful and ready (stop and notice)
‘…Therefore you also must be ready; for the
Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect.,....’ (Matthew 24:44)
Matthew
24:37-44 (Year : Advent 1)
This Sunday marks the beginning of a new ‘Church year’. The
first Sunday of Advent triggers a new cycle of Sunday Gospel Readings and since
this ‘year’ of 2016/17 is Year A we are back to the gospel of Matthew. As far
as Sunday readings go, it is a case of bye bye Luke until 2018/2019 – God willing
health and life for each of us.
Advent – as the word indicates – focusses on the coming of
the Saviour. He is here already but, at the same time, is yet to come. Many of
us look forward to a secular break at Christmas time when we take time off from
work, catch up and meet up and, perhaps, indulge the senses a little. Spiritually, the notion of a time of special
preparation including prayerfulness, self-denial, repentance and exercise of
compassion are not exactly to the fore in the TV adverts, toy shows, glitzy
lighting and bulk shopping. But, there
is an opportunity to stop and notice life.
- To stop and notice our breathing.
- To stop and notice our bodies.
- To stop and notice our thinking.
- To stop and notice our feelings.
- To stop and notice nature all round us.
- To stop and notice the person next to me in this moment of time.
- To stop and notice something afar or not seen but in the mind’s eye and heart’s ear.
Perhaps we need to take extra ‘time out’ this season and
relish simpler fare of life? For some
reason I am reminded of the poem, ‘Advent’, by Patrick Kavanagh (was it on my
Intermediate or Leaving Certificate course? – I can’t remember):
We have tested and tasted too much, lover – Through a chink too wide there comes in no wonder. But here in the Advent-darkened room Where the dry black bread and the sugarless tea Of penance will charm back the luxury Of a child’s soul, we’ll return to Doom The knowledge we stole but could not use
‘We have tested and tasted too much’. Indeed.
Over a year ago, I participated in a retreat given by a
kind, gentle, witty, compassionate and ‘grounded’ person more than familiar
with palliative care and ageing. At one
point in the discourse – following some banter and chat – participants were
asked if:
- They had a made a will
- They had planned their own funeral service
- Discussed ‘end of life’ treatments and arrangements if one were to lose full capacity.
The question of ‘are we ready?’ is central to this passage
in the Gospel of Matthew just as it is in the Gospels of Luke who seems to be
following the same source used by Matthew.
The end-event in the life and ministry of Jesus is very much
at hand in the carefully ordered and scripted Gospel of Matthew. A great trial
awaits – the final one in the life of Jesus and He will be revealed as the
Messiah – the one who was to come – to the Jewish people who had a special
place in the audiences of Matthew.
The year 2016 was one of unforeseen (at least to some
extent) shocks in the global politik.
None of us thought too much, this time last year, about what would really lie
ahead in 2016. But of three things we can be certain:
- We are, all, one year older than we were on 27th November 2015;
- Our particular total unknown life span is, today, less by 12 months (a logical deduction from the first thesis!); and
- Death preceded by a sudden or protracted illness is 100% certain (there aren’t that many things, in life, that can be said to be ‘certain’!).
In his letter to the Christians at Rome Paul provides timely
advice relevant especially in the run-up to Christmas each year (Romans
13:11-13):
Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armour of light; let us live honourably as in the day, not in revelling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarrelling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
The questions of when
and how are beyond our knowing. The
question of why must be approached
through a humble mind and open heart. The question of what might lie beyond the horizons of this small world and life is
for God alone to show us in his time and in his way.
They concern our worries – our very real worries about:
- Getting old (eventually)
- Facing ill-health of mind or body now or in the future
- Having lost or possibly losing income or employment in the future (it happens to people who retire for example)
- Relationships past, present or future where wounds may run deep
- Facing some external dangers to body, mind or person (not untypical for many millions of people across the globe).
We find distraction in sundry indulgences from substance
attachment to constant affirmation seeking on social media to projects that
demand our all and we wonder why we are still missing something. But, in the
midst of all this clamour and un-ease
(or should we say dis-ease) we are
reminded of what Jesus said according to Luke
21:28:
When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.
When faced with uncertainty and, perhaps, a load of concerns
and worries we do well to:
- Stay calmly grounded in the here and now
- Remain steadfast in love because this is the only thing that matters
- Keep moving forward towards some goal or destination no matter how dim it seems.
I have spread my dreams under your feet
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.
And closing
with that final part of Kavanagh’s poem:
O after Christmas we’ll have no need to go searching
For the difference that sets an old phrase burning –
We’ll hear it in the whispered argument of a churning
Or in the streets where the village boys are lurching.
And we’ll hear it among decent men too
Who barrow dung in gardens under trees,
Wherever life pours ordinary plenty.
Won’t we be rich, my love and I, and
God we shall not ask for reason’s payment,
The why of heart-breaking strangeness in dreeping hedges
Nor analyse God’s breath in common statement.
We have thrown into the dust-bin the clay-minted wages
Of pleasure, knowledge and the conscious hour –
And Christ comes with a January flower.
Tuesday, 15 November 2016
A royal republicanism
‘…Jesus, remember me when you come into your
kingdom....’ (Luke 23:42)
Luke 23:35-43 (Year C: Christ the King)
One upon a time there were lots of kings in Ireland and
across the known world (known, that is, to the cultures and institutions of the
‘West’). Today, a number remains largely
in ceremonial and figurative roles as custodians of national identity and
constitutional stability ‘just in case’.
It is hard to think in royal terms or use royal language in 21st
Century Europe. Certainly, in France, the trappings of royalty have long been
thrown off though a very small band of eccentrics hanker for a
restoration. British royalty is a
different matters and excites a diversity of emotions (largely positive). In
southern Ireland the term ‘Royal’ still lingers as a historical addition to the
title of a few venerable institutions. Prejudice notwithstanding folk, there,
sneak in a read or peek at ‘Royal news’ when they think others are not
looking.
Transposed to religious imagery and terminology the idea of
Kings and Queens sits uneasily with popular sentiment in many political
tendencies nowadays from liberal to socialist to particular forms of
nationalism. Even in terms of private religious devotion the image of the
crowned suffering servant on the cross outweighs by far the image of a High
King sitting and judging in the heavenly courts. Even still, we recite the Our
Father daily without thinking too much about the implications of the phrase
‘Thy Kingdom come’. If God has a Kingdom
then God is a King and if Jesus is God then Jesus is, also, a heavenly King
just as he affirms it in this passage from Luke as well as in many other places
in the Gospel accounts.
The reality is that Jesus’s kingdom is nothing like
‘earthly’ kingdoms. It took a long time for the first disciples and apostles to
figure this out and, it could be said, some disciples today struggle with the
notion in the sense that they seem to think that latter-day accommodations to
popular democracy and universal suffrage are somehow inconsistent with the
reality that Jesus Christ is King in all and over all. Another way of
approaching this ‘kingly power’, to borrow one of the English translations (for
example the RSVCE take on Luke
23:42 in the English language), is to acknowledge that having been born, and
having grown up in relative obscurity for about 30 years, and having ministered
for 3 years through preaching and healing and then having faced torture and
slow death to be followed by resurrection we are faced with a new kingly
reality. This reality is the deliberate, chosen and completely unworldly
rejection of normal, ‘this worldly’ kingly power. It was not for lack of
kingship or power that Jesus allowed himself be raised on the wood of the
cross.
Line by line
“The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.’” (verse 35)
The irony of all this is that Jesus was and is God’s
Messiah, the Chosen.
“The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, ‘If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.’” (verses 36-37)
The irony of this is that Jesus had come to save everyone
else including those who ‘came up and mocked him’.
“There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the Jews.” (verse 38)
The irony, here, is that Jesus is King not only of the Jews
but everyone who comes to him in trust.
Hidden from the eyes of those who scorned him is the scandalous and
un-royal reality of crucified love.
“One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: ‘Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ But the other criminal rebuked him. ‘Don’t you fear God,’ he said, ‘since you are under the same sentence?” (verse 39-40)
Two criminals and one would-be criminal. Thee in all. One criminal gets it; the other doesn’t. The reality is that all three were under
sentence but only one volunteered to undergo sentence for the other two. The two criminals typify the range of
responses to grace. We note that, whereas in Matthew and Mark, the criminals
were described as thieves and both mocked him, in Luke, there was a moment of
grace and exception. Luke is big on mercy and his gospel is written with this
very much to the for his audience then and today.
“We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.’” (verse 42)
The Law of punishment was cruel and undiscriminating. How
ironic that these criminals, who according to Matthew and Mark were robbers,
face crucifixion but the occupying army, hangers-on and extortionate tax
collectors who were ‘making the rent’ were not called to account.
“Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’” (verse 42)
One of the robbers robbed heaven that day. An act of deep
faith transformed his relationship. He
had not complied with the 600 laws plus. We may assume that he had not prayed
and fasted as custom dictated. He had not engaged in prescribed penitential in
a this-wordly purgatory set aside for people who, though forgiven, had to
undergo a retribution of further suffering. No, he stole heaven through grace.
True, he continued to suffer greatly but he knew salvation that very day.
“Jesus answered him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.’” (verse 43)
Just imagine meeting Jesus some day and being told this.
In answer to the request of the ‘good thief’ (‘Jesus,
remember me when you come into your kingdom’ verse 42) Jesus answered him: ‘Truly
I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.’ (verse 43). The promise to
be with Jesus is to sit with him in heaven. In a manner of speaking we could
claim that Jesus promises us a share in royalty. In other words, we become
kings and queens with Jesus. Now that is a radical claim and one that utterly
undermines ‘earthly’ royalty to a point of asserting a ‘republic’ in which the
‘subjects’ of the King are, at the same time, sharers in the kingdom of peace,
joy and love. Does this sound a tad too
unorthodox? Not really. Consider the letter of Saint Peter – the ‘first bishop
of Rome’ as many would hold (1
Peter 2:9):
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.
There is, according to custom and long tradition, the
ministerial priesthood in which men and women are called to serve at the altar.
Then there is the ‘royal priesthood’ of all the faithful that belong to God or
‘a people for his possession’ as one translation puts it. Since we, all of us, lay people, religious,
deacons, priests and bishops fully belong to the ‘royal
priesthood’ there is no hierarchy of grace or dignity.
Republican, other-worldly royalism rule is one based on real
love. It is a reign of profound gentleness, utter kindness and a loving and
free invitation. In other words, it is a type of reigning with which we are
very unfamiliar. However, there is a
chance that we can find the spark within us where the Risen Jesus is
mysteriously present ever and always.
The first in-breaking of the Kingdom starts with its out-breaking in my
heart and your heart and someone else’s heart. Where two or three are sincerely
gathered in his name and united in his love there is the Kingdom right now, in
our midst.
We have one sure goal - through all the twists and turns of
life and through the experiences of earthly kingdoms that oppress not just in
palaces but, sometimes, in places of gathering, of worship and at family
tables. That light, that truth and that goodness is for each a possibility of
witness and life fulfilment. Everyone without exception has some light, some
spark of truth and some unique gift to make. Let’s not put obstacles in the way
of others so that, truly, at the end of each person’s life they can say:
For this I was born and for this I came into the world.
Regardless of sex, age and religion is everyone’s unique
talent acknowledged, affirmed and put to good? This is the call of radical
discipleship which, alone, is consistent with the heavenly republic of equals.
A troubling question
Holocaust survivor, Elie Wiesel, who died earlier this year
provokes a troubling question about God in general and Jesus in particular
though he never mentions the latter:
Then came the march past the victims. The two men were no longer alive.
Their tongues were hanging out, swollen and bluish. But the third rope was
still moving: the child, too light, was still breathing...And so he remained
for more than half an hour, lingering between life and death, writhing before
our eyes. And we were forced to look at
him at close range. He was still alive when I passed him. His tongue was still
red, his eyes not yet extinguished. Behind me, I heard the same man asking:
"For God's sake, where is God?" And from within me, I heard a voice
answer: "Where He is? This is where--hanging here from this
gallows..."
― Elie Wiesel, Night
― Elie Wiesel, Night
Tuesday, 8 November 2016
A time of testing and waiting
‘…Stand firm, and you will win life.....’ (Luke 21:19)
'Opening of the Sixth Seal' by Francis Danby (1793-1861) - National Gallery of Ireland
Luke 21:5-19 (Year C: Advent-2)
November is one of those months – with dark evenings, foggy
mornings and the arrival of frost, in between the secular feasts of Halloween
and Yule-Shopping Tide. And then there is the political and economic fall-out from the US general elections not to mention closer to home the endless nightmare for the inhabitants of the Middle East and those battling sea, camps and lost children in fortress Europe. The 'End Things' come to mind as the painting of the 'Opening of the Sixth Seal' in the National Gallery in Dublin shown above suggests.
Christians learned, at an early stage, to link November with the ‘end things’. It is no accident that All Saints is marked on the 1st November (or the 6th in the case of All Saints of Ireland in some traditions). The Sunday Gospel readings are full of the ‘end things’ like death, wars, destruction, trial, tribulation, judgment and the hint of a new Kingdom breaking in or breaking out from within. For those who still see Christmas as primarily the second most important feast in the annual Christian calendar (the first being Easter) marking, as it does the birth of our saviour, November is a time to consider and get ready for the approaching winter (or Spring if you live in the southern hemisphere). In some cultures ideas of ‘thanksgiving’ or ‘Harvest thanksgiving’ (a relatively late addition to custom) or, indeed Remembrance Sunday to remember those who gave their lives in recent wars (an occasion for commemoration in both parts of Ireland among some traditions). Even the very symbols of remembrance be it a poppy or a lily assumes cultural and political significance because the way communities remember and look forward is connected to who they see themselves as. We remember from a narrative of history, belonging and aspiration whether we consciously know it or not.
Christians learned, at an early stage, to link November with the ‘end things’. It is no accident that All Saints is marked on the 1st November (or the 6th in the case of All Saints of Ireland in some traditions). The Sunday Gospel readings are full of the ‘end things’ like death, wars, destruction, trial, tribulation, judgment and the hint of a new Kingdom breaking in or breaking out from within. For those who still see Christmas as primarily the second most important feast in the annual Christian calendar (the first being Easter) marking, as it does the birth of our saviour, November is a time to consider and get ready for the approaching winter (or Spring if you live in the southern hemisphere). In some cultures ideas of ‘thanksgiving’ or ‘Harvest thanksgiving’ (a relatively late addition to custom) or, indeed Remembrance Sunday to remember those who gave their lives in recent wars (an occasion for commemoration in both parts of Ireland among some traditions). Even the very symbols of remembrance be it a poppy or a lily assumes cultural and political significance because the way communities remember and look forward is connected to who they see themselves as. We remember from a narrative of history, belonging and aspiration whether we consciously know it or not.
The scene is set in this Sunday’s reading from the 21st
chapter of the Gospel of Luke by the dire circumstances in which the community
for whom and from whom Luke wrote. Luke was writing for a community under fire,
persecuted, harassed and placed in the most horrendous of circumstances by
virtue of war, famine and disease. Moreover,
scholars attest that the gospel of Luke was written some 10-15 years after the
destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 A.D. The siege and destruction of Jerusalem was a
major traumatic event for the Jewish people in which huge numbers died and the
remainder was scattered across the Mediterranean world. How ironic that 2,000 years later the
followers of Jesus and their sisters of brothers in the surrounding areas face
the very same challenges? Further to the
North West a fractious community of 500 million does not know how to cope with
a trickle (because that is what it is relative to total population) of
desperate refugees. Further to the West a large and relatively prosperous
country is deeply divided by fear, prejudice and hatred.
We live in a troubled world no matter which corner of it we
inhabit. Just as Luke, Paul and Peter were associated with warnings and
encouragement to the young and scattered Christian community in the first
century so, today, we can take courage and strength from the first letter of
Peter (1
Peter 4:12-14):
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.
Does this convey ideas of gloom and foreboding? Not at all! Later in this chapter Luke will
cite Jesus as saying (21:28):
When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.
Line by line
Worshiping God and not buildings or persons:
Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, ‘As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.’(v. 5-6)
Christians can be fond of their little treasures –
cathedrals, country churches and places of pilgrimage. This is only human. Be
it forbidden that a sacred memorial or pew be moved from where it has been
located since 1869 in memory of the blessed and good. We do well to cherish,
preserve and respect these outward and visible signs of goodness, wisdom and
example. Indeed, the sheer beauty and
artistic value of places of worship down the ages is an important part of the
‘scene’ in which we gather today (or as it often happens ‘visit’ as
tourists). And, moreover, the use of
icons, crosses, statues, fonts, altars, candles etc. have their place depending
on local custom and order (not to mention theology).
However, we need to be careful not to confuse worship of God
with worship of buildings (or indeed our ancestors). Buildings don’t last
forever (but may for a good many thousands of years if well looked after and
well designed and constructed in the first place). Neither do their inhabitants
on this side of death and resurrection. Perhaps we need to create more ‘empty
spaces’ and ‘times of silence’ in our places and times of coming together as a
listening, singing, serving and worshiping community?
‘Teacher,’ they asked, ‘when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?’ (v. 7)
Recently the Prime Minister of one country speculated on when
the Prime Minister of another country would ‘trigger Article 50 of the European
Treaty’. The print, broadcast and social media were buzzing for all of 6 hours
following this until some other matter moved to top trending. Ever and always we like to know seasons and
times in advance. Certainty, predictability and measurability give a sense of
security. However, that’s not the way
the world works and it is not the way God works. There is no ‘sign’ that something major will
happen. Rather, the ‘signs’ are the seeds of possibility latent in all
situations, relationships and structures.
It is after something happens that we say ‘Yes there were signs that was
going to happen and I can see it now’. But, the truth is that we ‘see’ it now
because it has happened and we have joined up the dots backwards. Another outcome might have emerged.
He replied: ‘Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, “I am he,” and, “The time is near.” Do not follow them. When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.’ (v. 8-9)
The seductions of a certain dogma and a pseudo-scientific
mind-set are there. Many a rogue and a
demagogue using religion or politics has mislead others. We, too, can be misled
if we allow others to do our thinking for us and, thereby, capture our minds
and hearts.
Then he said to them: ‘Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven. (v. 10-11)
Not a lot has changed in two thousand years except that news
about these things travels faster.
‘But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. And so you will bear testimony to me. But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. Everyone will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. (v. 12-18)
Anyone – anyone – who decides to follow Jesus without
compromise will face opposition, disdain and misrepresentation. And if we don’t
follow Jesus without compromise we will face opposition, disdain and misrepresentation. Take your pick!
In the face of adversity and opposition we might worry about
what to say or how to respond. This is not important. It is enough that we stay
in an attitude of love towards each one. This is not the same as agreement with
those who are hostile. Rather, by
staying in peace and compassion we will find a strength and wisdom deep from
within us. This enables us to walk away sure in the knowledge that we have done
what we can and our peace is intact. Like Stephen in Acts
6:10 who kept courage in the face of fierce opposition:
But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.
The Holy Spirit – the Spirit of Jesus and the Father – is
never far from us in times of intense stress when we seem to be lost for the
right words and gestures. It is precisely when we feel weakest and most
helpless that the Holy Spirit moves powerfully within us.
Stand firm, and you will win life. (v.19)
A pithy and powerful phrase. Standing firm and enduring in
patience and compassion will be our way forward and this is how we ‘win’ life.
Half a century ago when I was learning by heart from the
‘Green Catechism’ in preparation for first holy communion I recited, as did
other Irish children, the response to the question “What are the last four
things?”:
- Death
- Judgment
- Heaven
- Hell
It so happened, around that time, that 116 children and 28
adults perished in the Aberfan
disaster in Wales. I also clearly recall, around that time, reading in the
Evening Press (or was it the Herald depending on which side of the civil war
your parents associated with) that ‘Dublin is doomed’ across page 1 as some
quack claimed that he had seen a vision in which Dublin would be ‘punished’ for
its ungodly behaviour. On the extreme
fringes of Christian faith – as with any other faith or way of life – there are
those who take core truths and distort them. In this case, God is portrayed as
a vengeful Power who knows how to punish people who go astray. And, the
Literalists, the Biblicists and Traditionalists know how to locate just the
right phrase or just the right paragraph or citation from the Bible or from the
Catechism or the Articles or the Confession, etc., to prove what they want to
claim and to defend with claimed certainty their own insecurity of faith and
relationship to a loving God.
Now, death is certain and so also a judgment in which we
will be held to account for the way we have lived our lives. In the end what matters is Love. This is and
this will be the great test. And we chose our own fate to the extent that we
have the freedom to love or not to love and we are children of a loving God who
has loved us in the first place.
In a time of testing and waiting how do we behave and
think? From the beginning Christians
stay rooted in
- faith,
- hope
- love.
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