Fr. John Ryan. C.C

 

The Fourth Sunday of Advent.

18th December 2005

0 come, 0 come Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
Who dwells in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel
Shall come to thee 0 Israel.

The popular Advent hymn quoted here captures the essence of our wait. We are insistent in our singing that the Promised One will come. The imperative of the opening and the definite nature of the last two lines, combine to instil our waiting, our expectancy with a sense of conviction. We can rejoice in Advent, because we know the Lord fulfils his promises. We know the Lord will come again, because he said he would and he is the Truth.
It is in the light of his first coming and the nature of his ministry that we can place this sense of realized hope.
Using the term from Isaiah, "Emmanuel", the fulfilment of the Old Testament prophecy is seen in the Christ, born of the maiden, who promised to be with us to the end of time. Emmanuel means "God is with us" and Christ begins that togetherness with us as a child in the stable at Bethlehem, continuing to be present in the sacramental mystery of the Eucharist and in the inspired Word of Scripture. Let us remember the words of Paul to the Philippians - Though he was in the form of God, Jesus did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped. He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant being born in the likeness of men." That emptying, the "kenosis", is the deliberate choice of the Son to become as we are in all things but sin, so that the kingdom could be made present, and all would be reconciled. And so we should rejoice!
The "Holy Night" when we celebrate the beginning of the universal contact with the Saviour, draws so close. It is that Saviour who is the light shining brightest, is the light that never dims, remaining the God is with us.
A week remains. Are our spiritual preparations on a par with our secular, material ones? Is it the light of Christ which will shine strongest for us or the "icicle lights" decorating the front of our houses? Will the Crib have the prominent place in our homes or the "Coca-Cola Santa Claus"? did the cards we send in greeting glisten with snow-covered scenes of Victorian England or feature the Mother of God and her husband Joseph in watchful care over the Christ-child, the God is with us? Will the centre of our celebrations be the turkey and ham with all the trimmings, matched with the 'right' choice of wine or will it be the celebration of the mystery of the Christ present in the Eucharistic meal, the bread of life and the cup of eternal salvation? These are the burning questions for us during the coming week. In answering them we can see clearly where our priorities lie.
Let us ensure that we give Christ his rightful place in Christmas

 

 

 

The Third Sunday of Advent.

11th December 2005

 

Last Thursday, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, marked a very important anniversary for the Church. Forty years ago, 8th December 1965, saw the closing of the Second Vatican Council, an event of great import for the Church. Described by both Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict as the most important event in the Church's life during the twentieth century (this statement was made by Pope Benedict on Thursday during the public praying of the Angelus), many would see it as a watershed in the Church's self-understanding, marking the transition from a model of Church rooted in the strife of the Reformation period to a model which focuses on a deeply pastoral understanding of the Church's mission, based on Scripture and the testimony of the early Christian communities.
Opened on the 11th October 1962 by Pope John XXIII (now Blessed), it saw a full programme which touched on all aspects of the life of the People of God. In his opening address to the Council Pope John described its task as follows: "The greatest concern of the ecumenical council is this: that the sacred deposit of Christian doctrine be guarded and taught more effectively... The Lord has said: 'Seek first the kingdom of God and his justice'. The word first expresses the direction in which our thoughts and energies must move." Planning and preparation had begun in January 1959. A huge event, the Council drew massive media coverage, immense speculation regarding its content and direction and was at the centre of ecclesial life for its duration. Some of you will remember praying for the success of the Council during those years. It was to the fore in people's consciousness.
The results of the Council were described by Pope Paul VI in his address to the Council on the 7th December 1965:
"Men will realize that the Council devoted its attention not so much to divine truths, but rather, and principally, to the Church - her nature and composition, her ecumenical vocation, her apostolic and missionary activity. This secular religious society, which is the Church, has endeavoured to carry out an act of reflection about herself, to know herself better, to define herself better and, in consequence, to set aright what she feels and what she commands… But this introspection has not been an end in itself, has not simply been an exercise of human understanding or of a merely worldly culture. The Church has gathered herself together in deep spiritual awareness, not to produce a learned analysis of religious psychology, or an account of her own experiences, not even to devote herself to reaffirming her rights and explaining her laws. Rather it was to find in herself, active and alive, the Holy Spirit, the word of Christ, and to probe more deeply still the mystery, the plan and the presence of God above and within herself, to revitalize in herself that faith which is the secret of her confidence and of her wisdom, and that love which impels her to sing without ceasing the praises of God." The fruits of this self-reflection are the 16 documents outlining the Church's understanding of itself in the midst of the modem world and recognizing its continuing mission to spread the message of Christ's kingdom and effectively putting this into practice. Forty years on, these documents form one of the foundations for theological reflection and debate. Their contents permeate the thought and activity of the Church yet so much remains to be done and put in place. We pray today for the grace to implement the Council fully and effectively.

 

 

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

8th December 2005

The dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Mary was decreed in 1854 after a very long process of theological reflection and debate. Understanding Mary's conception as being of such a nature was part of the devotional life of the faithful for many years and this sense of the faithful played a part in the eventual recognition of the Mother of Christ as having being redeemed by her Son from the moment of her conception in the womb of her own mother.
Mary is seen to be without sin. St. Ephraem describes her as being more holy than the cherubim, more lovely than the seraphim and considers the angels as inferior to her in terms of purity. In one of his prayers addressed to the Lord he says: "Indeed you and your mother alone are beautiful in every respect. In you. Lord, there is no stain; in your mother there is no spot." This comparison with her Son leads to the development of the analogy of Mary as the New Eve. As Christ is the antidote to the actions of Adam then Mary is seen similarly with regard to Eve. Central to this understanding is faith.
St. Ireneaus contrasts Mary and Eve through obedience and faith: "And so it was that the knot of Eve's disobedience was loosed by Mary's obedience. For what the virgin Eve bound fast by her refusal to believe, this the Virgin Mary unbound by her belief." This image is used 1600 years later by the Council Fathers at Vatican II when they state in Lumen Gentium (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church) no. 63: "Through her faith and obedience she gave birth to the very Son of the Father, not through knowledge of man, but by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit, in the manner of a new Eve who placed her faith not in the serpent of old, but in God's messenger without wavering in doubt."
Mary's response to the Father, in faith, is the beginning of a journey of faith for her. In obedience to God's will she goes through the time of expectation, discipleship, suffering and rejoicing, always with her Son at the centre, always with her focus on the role of the disciple. In God's wisdom the Immaculate Conception sees Mary redeemed by the grace of her Son's passion, death and resurrection, even though her conception precedes in time, the redemptive acts. She is pre-redeemed, by the grace of God and through faith.
Described as holy, all-holy and spotless, she is the paradigm of discipleship. Called to holiness we must aspire to the same level of discipleship inspired by her response to the Father - behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to your will. Reaching out towards this holiness, we see in the sacrament of reconciliation the link to spotlessness and readiness, and we can see in the light of this, the suitability of this feast to the season of Advent. We are called to be expectant, as Mary was expectant. We are called to be holy as Mary was holy. We are called to full discipleship as she lived full discipleship. We are called in this season to conversion so that we will mirror the New Eve and the old, placing our trust in God's word and not in the serpent of old.

 

 

The Second Sunday of Advent.

4th December 2005

John the Baptist is seen as the fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaiah. He is the voice crying out, calling people to prepare for the Lord. His baptism of repentance was a preparation for the welcoming of the Messiah. In relation to Jesus, the Messiah, He acknowledges immediately that Jesus is the important one. I'm not fit to kneel down and undo the strap of his sandal. The people of Judaea and Jerusalem made their way to John and they were baptized and confessed their sins. Jesus will bring that forgiveness to completion in his own actions. He atones for our sins and we rejoice in that. Isaiah says that the messenger who brings the good news of the atonement is a joyful messenger who is to shout with a loud voice and without fear that our God is here.
As part of our preparation for the celebration of Christ's birth and our continuing action as we try to "stay awake" for his coming to us, we will celebrate a parish penitential service on the Sunday before Christmas, the 18th, in Milford Church. To highlight the importance of this aspect of our preparation, exposition of the Blessed Sacrament will begin after the 11.30 Mass and the penitential service begins at 3pm. The first part of the service is a community preparation that will include a reading from scripture, an examination of conscience and prayers of intercession. This will be followed by individual confessions and the service will conclude with Evening Prayer and Benediction. This rite of Reconciliation is designed to highlight the two major subjects of unity: with God and with the community. We would encourage as many as possible to join in this service so that together we may celebrate the love of God for us as it is offered in the forgiveness of sin and acknowledge in each other's presence our communal need for the grace of God in our lives.
Sometimes I find that people ask about the possibility of general absolution in these situations. It is important for us to realize that the possibility of general absolution is reserved for very serious situations such as times of war and natural disaster and always holds the proviso that at the first available opportunity the penitent is obliged to avail of individual confession. Hence the provision of full, individual confession during the penitential service.
The unity of the community is also expressed in the praying of evening prayer together. The Prayer of the Church is the universally prayed liturgy of the hours or Divine Office. All the faithful are encouraged to use this prayer so that the bond with God, which we share, is strengthened as the whole Church raises its voice in unison to the Lord. By praying it together at the end of the penitential service we do so in thanksgiving for the reconciliation God has brought into our lives through his Son Jesus Christ.
So, we look forward to gathering for an important part of our preparation for Christmas. May be ready to worthily celebrate the coming of Christ and fulfil the intention of last week's opening prayer at Mass; that we may take Christ's coming seriously.

 

 

 

 

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

27th November 2005

In the Liturgical Calendar for the new Church Year that begins today it describes the Advent Wreath and give an explanation of it. One of the points it makes is that the Advent Wreath is "a symbol of the prophetic light gradually illuminating the long night prior to the rising of the Sun of Justice". The gradual lighting of the five candles over the weeks of Advent culminating in the white candle of Christmas night represents the revelation of God through the prophetic teaching and the fact that the complete revelation comes to us in Bethlehem in the Word made flesh. The long night is the time of unknowing. Before the coming of Jesus Christ that long night saw the prophets break through the dark with their insight into the plight of God's people and their responding on behalf of the Lord to the difficulties and trials the people faced (sometimes drawn on themselves).
Today we listen to Isaiah, and indeed throughout this season of preparation we will hear a lot from him. Speaking over 2500 years ago he outlines the level of the relationship that exists at that time with God. The general response to God was poor. "No one invoked your name or roused himself to catch hold of you." The people of Israel were taking little notice or giving little time to the Redeeming God who had brought them to the Promised Land. In a way the Lord of the Exodus had been exiled. Isaiah does not leave it there though. He also acknowledges the clear dependency we have on the Lord. "And yet. Lord, you are our Father, we the clay, you the potter, we are all the work of your hand." For the prophet this fact cannot be ignored and even if the people have failed to acknowledge the Lord's presence and role they cannot alter the reality of God's existence, presence and loving care. "Our Redeemer is your ancient name" he says and we can virtually hear the corollary - and will be forever.
The Sun of Justice, Jesus Christ, breaks through the long night. His birth, "the rising" sees heaven and earth touch intimately. Advent is the time when we both commemorate the preparation of the people of Israel through the Law and the prophets for that moment of rising and also actively prepare ourselves to celebrate his coming as Saviour and for his second coming as the universal king. It is a double preparation, a double waiting. This waiting is not a sedentary, do-nothing, waiting but an active one, fuelled by prayer, reflection and a re-awakening of charity as we open our hearts to the Spirit of "metanoia", or active conversion. While we think of what we are going to do for Christmas, what gifts we are going to buy and for whom we are going to buy, let us put it all in context. The gifts we present to others are symbols of the gift of redemption which is given to us all in the Christ-child. As we light the first candle and contemplate the prophetic light let us ask the Light of the World to open us to his renewing love so that we can joyfully welcome the Sun of Justice on Christmas night.

Pope's Intentions for the Month of December:
General: For all men and women: may they come to an ever deeper understanding of their dignity, granted them by the Creator in his plan.
Missionary: For people all over the world searching for God and truth: may they encounter the Lord Jesus.

 

 

FEAST OF CHRIST THE KING

20th November 2005

Christ is the source of all and all returns to him. During the past week a faithful servant of Jesus Christ returned to the Saviour. On Wednesday Willie Larkin passed away; the Lord has called him to himself. Tullylease won't be the same without his presence and the numbers who paid their respects are testimony to that.
A quiet and unassuming gentle man, Willie peacefully went about his daily tasks. Working on the farm, going to the bog, looking after the Church in Tullylease were the main tasks and consistently he carried out those tasks gently and without fuss. A former curate in Tullylease spoke of the provision of turf - the garage was never empty of it. Willie, in his generosity and support, ensured that the garage was full and the curate was never cold. Quietly done, but effective in his display of friendship and concern, it is only one small example of the kind nature that was Willie Larkin We all have our own memories of Willie and all those memories, I have no doubt, are good ones.
Arriving in the sacristy in Tullylease for Mass on Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings won't be the same again. Ever-present, Willie was part of the place. Since his father passed away on the 11th October 1963, Willie filled the role of sacristan. 43 years of service to his Church, a wonderful level of service that we are so thankful for. In that time he has played a role in the major moments of so many lives. Present for Baptisms, Marriages, and funerals he was a living link in the community. Last April 18th, on the day of the Confirmation, the first Confirmation ceremony to be celebrated in Tullylease since Willie's class received the sacrament nearly 60 years ago, that living link, that wonderful service was acknowledged. Bishop Magee presented Willie with the Papal Medal, the Bene Merenti Medal, for his service to the Church. He was so proud that day, his face flushed with happiness and all of us were so happy for him, extremely glad that his service was fully recognised.
Now we pray that his service is receiving the ultimate reward. The time has come for him to return to the heavenly home. We hope and pray and, I have to say that I firmly believe, he is receiving the ultimate accolade - a place at the heavenly banquet, the place of glory the prophet Isaiah speaks of. Having prepared the table of the Lord for so long and so diligently, we pray that the Lord is saying, 'Good and faithful servant, welcome home. Sit and eat your fill at my table.'
Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord. Let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen

 

 

THIRTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

13th November 2005

 

Last weekend we visited the graveyards of the parish and honoured our dead, praying for them, asking God to grant them the peace of his Kingdom. Moving from Knawhill to Tullylease via Kiltane I couldn't help but be struck by the great sense of history attached to the afternoon. There was a sense of personal history - seeing people move off to their own family graves and praying privately reminded of the fact that none of us are isolated, we have a past as well as a present and that past saw times of sorrow and times of joy. The personal connections which we all have with others are the strengthening relationships which build us up, shape and form us into the people that we are. Learning from the experiences of others as well as learning through experiencing others is probably the greatest form of education.
As well as the personal sense of history there was also a sense of community history. In Knawhill and Tullylease there are reminders of the monastic settlements that in their day would have been focal points for those who lived in those areas. Centres of worship, education and commerce, they were the dynamic forces of their hinterlands and signs of benevolence and protection for so many.
The burial ground in Kiltane is much more hidden. Marked now simply by a grassy mound, it was the site of a church and a graveyard and is the clearest indicator out of all three places that time moves on and with its movement comes change. Those who were buried in Kiltane are long gone and are forgotten. Many decades have passed since the place was officially marked as a religious, sacred spot. Official rounds at the well that was there haven't taken place in over 170 years. When we see the ruins of what were fine sites one cannot help but wonder what our area will be like in 100 or 200 years time. What changes will have taken place? The role fulfilled by the old monastery chapel in Tullylease has been moved to the Church of St. Berehert further up the village while Knawhill has no vestiges of the chapel left at all, only its shape can be discerned. The present Church in Freemount, St. Michael's (formerly St. John's - the reason for the change in patron is unclear) is regarded as the successor to the church that stood in Kiltane. Again a change of location while the role remains the same.
To look at the history of our place is a fascinating exercise. Trying to tease out the concerns of our ancestors is a wise thing - we can learn still how the dealt with situations and from that we can gain insight into our own situation. A group interested in exploring the history of the Freemount area will begin meeting on Thursday next the 17th November in the Heritage Centre, Freemount at 8pm. Anyone interested in the history, heritage and traditions of the area are more than welcome to attend.

 

 

 

 

MISSION SUNDAY

23rd October 2005

For Mission Sunday this year the theme chosen for us to focus on is "witness to the faith. It opens the understanding of mission to a broader context than the traditional focus on the missions. Evangelization has a double side - new evangelization, where the Gospel is brought to those who have never had contact, or had minimal contact with the message of Jesus of Nazareth and re-evangelization, which deals with the renewal of faith in situations where the message is nopt new but the response is poor, or a type of religious or spiritual complacency has set in.
The call to mission is extended to all - the need to witness is, or should be, made real by all who profess faith. On Easter Sunday morning when we hear the account of Mary Magdalene s encounter with the Risen Christ, we see her run to tell the apostles Urgency is the key to understanding the level of response she makes - and urgency is the level of response we are asked to make in keeping with the witness of Mary Magdalene and the apostolic witness of Peter and the rest of the eleven.
A sense of urgency strengthens our hope which, in the second reading today we are encouraged to verbalize even when the situation is really challenging - "Reverence the Lord Christ in your hearts, and always have your answer ready for people who ask you the reason for the hope that you all have." Being ready with our reply - that is expected because our readiness and conviction, immediately professed, in itself shows the level of importance with which we treat the Lord. A ready reply implies reflection and conveys the urgency of Jesus proclamation of the Kingdom while also bearing witness to the contents of his message.
However mission is not just verbal testimony. It is action rooted in the great commandments of love; it is action inspired by the great commandments in their simplicity and radical challenge. We can tease these out regarding the activity required by exploring the themes of justice, fair treatment and dignity seen in the Lord's message to Moses. Still, today, the same problems and injustices rear their heads. In the light of this reality the need to witness is even more urgent and pressing. Our world seems not to care; we are called to bring the kingdom of God into it - to bring the caring nature of the Father to the fore - we are called to be witnesses to the faith and counter-witnesses to the crushing greed and selfishness of the secular, materialistic world It is that mission which is entrusted to us by Christ and highlighted at the very end of the Eucharist - "Go in peace to love and to serve the Lord" It seems such a pity that some who gather for the Eucharist lose out on this powerful moment of unity by leaving before the missionary aspect of our celebration is brought to the fore. May we remember today all who have travelled far afield to "the missions" and for ourselves that we may be true witnesses to the faith, true missionaries.

 

 

TWENTY-NINTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

16th October 2005.

 

 

The Pharisees and the Herodians try again. If nothing else they were persistent. Adamant that Jesus would not have the upper hand, they try another tactic in order to walk him into trouble. This time they focus on temporal matters. The introduction of the question of taxes brings the presence of the Romans in Palestine into the equation. Having failed on a number of religious or spiritual issues the goal posts are moved a bit. Yet Jesus remains totally focused and aware of what they are doing. He answers their question and, while doing so, includes a basic part of Good News.
Is it permissible to pay taxes to Caesar? If Jesus answers with a no then the accusation of, at least, antagonism against, if not downright defiance of, Roman rule will be levelled. If he answers with a straightforward yes then the accusation will be disloyalty to the Jewish nation and the placing of Caesar before the only Lord which the Jewish people are called to acknowledge. God, the Lord of all. But by answering the way he does he highlights that there is a responsibility on all of us to respond to the political, social, economic spheres within which we are immersed while acknowledging the presence and reality of God.
"Give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar - and to God what belongs to God." Responsibilities are given to us in both spheres. Living our lives while fulfilling those responsibilities is the challenge. The political, social and economic fields are part of our reality. We have to obey the law of the land, interact with our neighbours and earn our living. But while doing all that we must acknowledge that God is present and his will must be part of our living too. In the first reading today we see Cyrus, a gentile, a non-Jew, in the light of the nature of God. Isaiah records the message to Cyrus - "It is for the sake of my servant Jacob, of Israel my chosen one that I have called you by name, conferring a title though you do not know me." The Persian king has his title in order to be of service to the universal Lord and king. Earthly power is at the service of divine love and the objects of that divine love, the People of God. Reflecting on these points from today's readings we can see that we are all called to acknowledge the earthly powers and fulfil our duties but those earthly powers are called to respond to the fact that all true power comes from God himself. In relation to that earthly power we can ask - do those who possess it or have been entrusted with it see that God is the Lord unrivalled and act'in the light of the will of God? Decisions in the political, social and economic spheres cannot ignore God's will. Such decisions should be in keeping with the Good News of Jesus Christ - so, a just, forgiving, freeing intention must be part of the reasoning. Even Caesar has to give to God what belongs to God.

 

 

TWENTY-EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

9th October 2005

Isaiah proclaims a vision of heaven where the needs of all are more than adequately met, the human condition is transformed and the emotional state of all God's people is lifted up to the eternally positive. The heavenly banquet, the elimination of his people's shame and the exultation and rejoicing of all in God's presence are the images of what we shall experience and become. Our lot will be a fruitful, happy one. Called in from the crossroads we will enjoy the fruits of God's love.
For Catholics the presence of the Eucharist is that banquet here on earth. As the Son of God became incarnate and entered the world, so now does his presence remain with us in the banquet of the eucharistic table. Heaven touches earth at the altar so that as we pray for the angels of heaven to take our sacrifice to the altar in heaven we can be fed with the body and blood of our Lord. The Eucharist is banquet, sacrifice and memorial all at once,
Jesus' sacrifice takes place in our midst. The breaking of his body and the shedding of his blood on Calvary are perpetuated, while the memorial of the Last Supper that anticipated the sacrifice is celebrated. We offer the bread and wine in memorial and it becomes the body and blood is sacrificed for us so that our sins can be washed clean in the blood of the Lamb. The memorial and sacrificial are presented in the form of a banquet, the eucharistic meal.
In the Second Vatican Council this is summed up in the following way: "At the Last Supper, on the night when he was betrayed, our Saviour instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice of his Body and Blood. He did this in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the Cross throughout the centuries until he should come again, and so to entrust to his beloved spouse, the Church, a memorial of his death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a paschal banquet in which Christ is eaten, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us." In our celebrating the Eucharist we should see the prefigurement of the wedding feast - the heavenly banquet of Isaiah. As we come to the altar to receive the Body and Blood of Christ we should find strength in him who has died, is risen and will come again. We should feel renewed in mind and heart re-invigorated in the spiritual life, and ready to extol the virtues of God as we take up the missionary, apostolic task entrusted to us - to go in peace to love and serve the Lord. Clothing ourselves in the garments of apostolic witness we will be ready to enter the ultimate wedding feast, the heavenly banquet when God calls us to join him in the eternal rejoicing.
The Eucharist is the centre, the source and the summit. All should revolve around it, all should find root in it and all should discover fulfilment in it. May it be that in the lives of all of us in this parish.

 

 

TWENTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

2nd October 2005

The prime image in today's readings is that of the vineyard. Isaiah, the Psalmist and Christ himself use the image of the vineyard to teach about the God-humanity relationship. The vineyard for Isaiah is the People of Israel. Planted by God in the Promised Land, nurtured and cared for by him, the People of Israel turn away from the nurturer and the fruit they produce is below par - "He expected it to yield grapes but sour grapes were all that it gave". The sour grapes refers to the ingratitude and the infidelity of the People of Israel, a theme which recurs in the writings of the prophets as a whole and not just Isaiah. The Old Testament is an account of the relationship existing between God and Israel. At times that relationship was healthy and strong and at other times it wavered and grew lukewarm on Israel's part. In their humanity, when things seemed to be going well the tendency of the people was to see God as unnecessary. Right through the ups and downs God reminds that he is still there and is constantly ready to weed out and renew the vineyard. When the realisation of what they had done hit the people we see their expressions of remorse. In the psalm today we see a great example of that.
"God of hosts, turn again, we implore, look down from heaven and see. Visit this vine and protect it, the vine your right hand has planted." This is their prayer and the go on to promise that they will change and never forsake God again. But they did forsake again. Yet God continued to reach out. In Christ we see the ultimate gift of God to his people. He sends his own Son in order to effect a true and full reconciliation. Even then he is rejected and is still rejected by many in our own time. In our own self-sufficiency we don't see the need for God and so fail to recognise in Christ the foundation of all life and meaning. Because that is what Christ actually is -the foundation of life and meaning, as well as the full revelation of the Father who allows us to see that the God of Israel is the God of all and that we are the vineyard which needs his care, his love and his forgiveness.
The intended reaction is for us to bear fruit that will last - the fruit that comes from reflection on the Word, and the living of that Word in our daily lives. We are to be people of truth, nobility, goodness, purity, love, honour, virtuous and worthy of praise. It is a worthiness that fundamentally has its root in God's love for us. We become worthy of praise in our response to the Son who has been sent into the vineyard. Treating the Son with the respect he is due as Son casts us in a good light. And it leaves us with the question - do we give the Son that respect or do we leave him on the sidelines?

 

 

 

 

TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

25th September 2005

Over the last few days you may have spotted a few tired parishioners who were walking at a slow pace. After walking miles in Rome while on the parish pilgrimage they were experiencing the recovery period, allowing the body and the mind to return to more natural states. Yes, I have to admit that I pushed them a little bit - but the only way to see Rome is to walk and soak up its atmosphere. Amid the noise and chaos of the Roman traffic there are so many things and places to see that the feet have to be put to the test. On a pilgrimage add the spiritual dimension and the heart and mind are put to the test. Some will remind that the knees were tested as well. After spending a week in Rome the pilgrims had many and varied experiences. All will have their own highlights. For some it will be the catacombs, for others the papal audience, another will be the Mamertine prison where Peter and Paul were chained before being put to death. Whatever the highlight was the common strain is that in some way the place spoke to the person who remembers it. Maybe it speaks of the past, reminding us of people who have gone before us. It could be the awakening of a reality - the apostles and martyrs endured so much in order to proclaim that Jesus is Lord. Or maybe it struck a chord within, bringing to life a deeper sense of faith in God nourished by reflection on the faith of others. Being the first time that I brought a pilgrimage to Rome it was definitely a new experience of the city and all it entails. Everywhere we went I had already seen. But placing it all in the context of the parish and who I was leading around the city it made me reflect on a lot of things varying from the faith community with which I share my own sense of hope to the need for constant renewal. What was my highlight? Well. It is hard to choose really - but a couple of things come to mind. First of all, seeing the way everyone said goodbye when we got off the bus on Wednesday night. That may seem like a strange moment to choose, the very last moment. And it isn't because it was the end, but because I see it as a new beginning. The time and experiences shared I think have opened up new possibilities for those who travelled, who 'pilgrimaged' together. Another highlight was the deep feeling of closeness as we celebrated the Eucharist in the catacombs of St. Callistus. Gathered around the altar in a small chapel over 12 metres below ground I felt that as we prayed we were close to all we prayed for, both the living and the dead. And a third highlight was a more personal one. As we offered the Eucharist for our young people I was reading from a letter of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, the patron saint of youth, written to his mother and was struck by the immense faith of the young saint and the possibilities which lie open for our own young people. Although I had read the passage many times before I saw it in a deeper light and prayed that the level of faith and trust in God expressed within it would be present in my own soul and would grow in our community. I think all who went to Rome can speak of times when they experienced such things and if asked will speak of them. I finish today by thanking all who travelled for helping me to see a place I am so used to take on a whole new dimension and meaning for me. May God bless all who prayed, walked and climbed in the places of the martyrs and pour out his blessings on all those for whom we prayed.

 

 

 

Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

18th September 2005

"Christ will be glorified in my body, whether by my life or by my death." Paul's faith in Christ shines through this verse from the letter to the Philippians From the moment of his conversion to the moment of death, Paul trusted completely in the Lord and dedicated his every thought, word and action to the spreading of the message of the Risen Lord. For him to live is Christ, to die is gain. In life we are to be Christ-like, everything based on him, and in relation to death, Paul lived in the hope of the resurrection of the Lord which brings eternal life to all who proclaim His name.
As you read this, please God, the parish pilgrimage to Rome will be at the halfway stage. Central to the pilgrimage is the visiting of the tombs of Peter and Paul both of whom witnessed profoundly to the reality of the Saviour Jesus Christ. In giving their lives in service and surrendering their lives in martyrdom they brought the person of Christ to many. Even in death they point to the glory of God - as one went to the upturned cross and the other faced the executioner's sword, they did so believing completely that they were loved by God and would be received into his presence.
Numbers-wise, it is a small percentage of the parish that has travelled but as we pray at the tombs of the two great apostles, we are united with the whole parish bringing your intentions with us as we ask Peter and Paul to intercede with the Lord.' A pilgrimage is much more than a holiday or a time of relaxation. It is a time of reflection and searching, a time of prayer and discovery. Everyone in Milford, Freemount and Tullylease is part of our pilgrimage because you are subjects of our prayer and reflection. As you celebrate the Eucharist today pray for us as we pray for you. United in that prayer we can call on the Lord to bless all that we do over the next few months.
As we explore the Eternal City this week and experience the places where Peter and Paul ministered and gave their lives, we will be praying for the sick of the parish, the lonely, the worried, the anxious, the suffering, and in a special way for the young people of the parish. Central to our prayer will be a call for the deepening of our faith so that we can continue to grow as a Christian community with Christ as the centre, his Gospel the blueprint and his sacraments as our strength. In other words, we pray, in Rome and at home, that Christ will be glorified in our bodies, whether by our lives or by our death. Amen.

 

 

 

 

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

11th September 2005

 

The writer of Ecclesiasticus poses a number of questions in today's first reading. He asks: If a man nurses anger against another, can he then demand compassion from the Lord? Showing no pity for a man like himself, can he then plead for his own sins? Mere creature of flesh, he cherishes resentment; who will forgive him his sins? The reason for asking the questions is not to spur discussion or debate - the answers to the questions is already decided by him. If we allow resentment and anger to build up, refusing to forgive then we have no right to ask for forgiveness ourselves. The fact that the Lord is compassion and love slow to anger and rich in mercy tells us that God is a loving, merciful, forgiving God, but it does not mean that we have carte blanche in how we deal with our fellow men and women and then have the right to be treated differently by the Lord. In the Gospel Christ points out through he parable the importance attached to our acting as the Master acts. He forgives - then we should forgive. The sacrifice entailed in letting anger and resentment go; the pain of living with hurt while trying to open up in forgiveness, are difficult things for us to do in our human weakness. Yet the call to holiness includes the call to forgive the direst of hurts. The greatest image of such forgiveness is the thought of Jesus, hanging on the cross, praying for those who have condemned him to death, nailed him to the cross and rejected the loving, merciful message of the kingdom. When St. Paul writes to the Romans saying The life and death of each of us has its influence on others not only is he speaking of those around us with whom we have shared this world, but also included is Jesus himself. The life and death of Jesus has its influence on us. Within this we see the possibilities of true and complete compassion, humility, service an forgiveness. We are called to learn from his example and from the example of all who follow his message. The main element of Church is the people of God gathered to listen to the Word and share in the Eucharist. Nourished by both we are strengthened to go forth and let the influence of Jesus' life on us have an effect in our lives. The lived witness of the Body of Christ, his people will then influence others letting them see that this crucified Lord is relevant, is working, is risen helping and encouraging us to rise from the mundane expectations of the world to the transcending expectations of the kingdom. On Wednesday we will celebrate the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross - the willingness of Jesus to embrace the cross is the ultimate sign for each of us to embrace the need to forgive and let go. Harbouring resentment and anger means that both feelings will simply fester inside, twisting our hearts and tearing our spirits in two. The ability to let go allows for a true freedom whereby we live in contentment and unity with the compassionate God who is slow to anger and rich in mercy.

 

 

Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

4th September 2005

 

In the light of catastrophe or disaster there is a tendency to turn and question the role of God. Where was he when... what was he doing while so many suffered? The questions are repeated and repeated and the mind does somersaults trying to make sense of the situation. Over the last few days the images and descriptions of post-hurricane New Orleans have been placed before us and allow us to ponder on the terrible things that can happen in the world. On top of the natural phenomenon of hurricane and its raw power we can also look at the actions of those who murdered and raped in the midst of the chaos and brought a whole city to the brink of total anarchy. We wonder in the midst of it all where God was while all this was happening.
At the risk of being too simplistic the dual nature of the disaster encapsulate the worst of nature and the worst of human frailty. Nature is a powerful force - we do not have the ability to control it the way we might like to. Hurricanes happen. Hurricanes of this strength are rare - but happen. The city of New Orleans was not prepared for anything like it. But can we blame God for the hurricane? The forces of nature are known by humanity and have been known for generations. It is not a new experience. But because it takes away all that is important to modem mankind we blame God. Likewise the evil actions of those who inflict pain, even to the point of death are not God's actions but the freely chosen actions of people - albeit depraved in their reaction to an already difficult, traumatic situation.
Our prayers today are with all who have suffered so much in the southern USA. We ask the Lord to allow them feel his presence, a loving presence that will bring strength to face a challenging future. It will challenge as they come to terms with the loss of loved ones - family members, neighbours and friends - and will challenge as they begin to rebuild their own lives in the shadow of the memories of a devastating time. We gather in community, we are more than two or three gathered in the name of Jesus Christ, we pray that the words of the Lord in today's Gospel will be fulfilled as we speak - that he is here with us, listening to our prayers for those in need. We pray also that those who are suffering at this time will see a God who strengthens and not a God who abandons. May they hear the voice of God guiding them into the unknown, into a newness, rather than shutting out his word of consolation and strength. Let the second stanza of today's psalm be their response rather than the third. May they pray
Come in; let us bow and bend low
Let us kneel before the God who made us
For he is our God and
We the people who belong to his pasture
The flock that is led by his hand. And allow themselves recover immersed in the consolation of Jesus Christ and the Father in heaven.

 

 

TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

28TH AUGUST 2005

In the rite of baptism of infants, after the reception of the child we celebrate the liturgy of the Word. The choice of readings focuses on faith, baptism, reconciliation in Christ, God's love for us and re-birth in Jesus Christ. The sacrament is grounded in Scripture with its consequences and importance brought to the fore. St. Paul tells us that there is one faith, one baptism, one Lord and Father of all. In Baptism we become linked to that one faith, in that one baptism, professing our belief in the Lord and Father of all, and placing our trust and hope in the person of Jesus Christ who has died, risen and ascended to the Father in heaven. Death no longer has dominion over him - and in baptism we enter into his death so that we too might enter into his glory. We go into the tomb with him - dying to sin and rising in the reconciliation he has won for us.
Baptism is a sacrament of immersion. Full immersion is the complete symbolic expression of our connection with the crucified Lord. We are immersed in the love of God poured over us in the sacrament; grace-filled people intrinsically linked to he who created us, the Son who redeems us and the Spirit whop dwells within us. The readings for the celebration highlight the deep relationship into which we enter, bonding with the divine. It is a new birth, in water and the Spirit, and we are immersed in the unfathomable relationship of the Trinity and begin our spiritual journey that calls us to mirror the Trinitarian relationship of love in our own lives. The faith journey that begins with baptism is a journey which should have scripture as its guide. In the Word of God we encounter the message of hope, the Good News of the Kingdom of God. Our lives should find their meaning and expression through deep reflection and contemplation of this message and all it entails.
Our faith needs to be nourished. We fulfil this need in through word and sacrament. The two are important. To know Jesus is to experience his love but we are also called to live by his word and example, that word and example which is placed before us in the inspired Word of Scripture.
The reading of and praying with scripture is something we tend to neglect, allowing the readings at Mass (or at Baptisms) be the only encounter we have with Jesus Christ in his word. In order to see what Christ offers to us in its fullness and to truly appreciate what he asks of us we should make ourselves completely familiar with all he gives as a guide. Regular time should be allotted to exploring Scripture, allowing God to speak and us to hear what he wishes of us.
In the document on Divine Revelation promulgated by the Council Fathers in November 1965, Dei Verbum, we read the following: So may it come that, by the reading and study of the sacred books 'the Word of God may speed on and triumph' (2 Thessalonians 3: 1) and the treasure of Revelation entrusted to the Church may more and more full the hearts of mankind. Just as from constant attendance at the Eucharistic mystery the life of the Church draws increase, so a new impulse of spiritual life may be expected from increased veneration of the Word of God, which 'stands forever'.

A suggestion for us all this week is to try and give some time to sit with God in his Scripture and allow him to speak to us

 

 

Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

21st August 2005

Last week we looked at the first three requirements for admission as a godparent. The last two are as follows:
4° not be bound by any canonical penalty legitimately imposed or declared;
5° not be the father or the mother of the one to be baptized.
The second of these is straightforward. The parent already has a responsibility to the child in relation to the spiritual life. Being the first teachers in the ways of faith, custodians of the 'domestic church' of the family, they cannot take on another role which is directly, explicitly involved in the sacramental life. They are called to focus on the role of parent and allow the role of assistant to this be granted to another, thus ensuring a support structure for the faith development of the child being presented for baptism. Thus within the Catholic faith community there are a number of people who have specific responsibility for the spiritual welfare of the child - his or her parents, his or her godparents, other members of the family, the parish priest and curate of the parish, who act as mediators between Christ and his people, and, indeed, the whole Christian community with whom the newly baptized will walk in faith and worship the God of Jesus Christ in assembly.
Canonical penalties include excommunication, interdict, prohibition of place, deprivation of power penal transfer or dismissal from the clerical state. Being relatively rare we will not discuss these in the present context but merely draw attention to the fact that they exist.

In the light of the requirements for admission to the role of godparent what strikes me is that the requirement of sacraments and quality of life are placed right in the centre of the lsit (number three of five). It strengthens the idea of the centrality of the sacraments and the lived experience of God's grace in the Christian life.
When choosing the godparents for their child, parents should take this into account, otherwise the understanding of the sacrament of baptism and its consequences may be compromised and the function of the godparent becomes a social function rather than a spiritual one. There is a great need in today's climate to stress this. The sacraments are not merely social occasions. They have a social dimension; after all, they take place in the midst of the assembly. But primarily they are the expression of a relationship with God who pours out his love on us, fills us with his Spirit and unites us with our brother Jesus Christ the Lord, Redeemer and Saviour. To fully appreciate this we need to constantly re-visit our attitudes to the sacraments we celebrate ensuring that we take nothing in relation to them for granted and acknowledge that God, who loved us first, calls us to respond in true, committed, faithful love to him.
In presenting a child for baptism, parents and godparents are called to acknowledge that love in a special way, commit themselves to responding personally to that love and witness to it in a special way as they share the life experiences of a loved one. Faith is dynamic and organic - it needs to be nourished, challenged, deepened and shared.

 

 

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

14th August 2005

The second canon dealing with godparents, canon 873, is a straightforward statement of number. It says: Only one male or one female sponsor or one of each sex is to be employed. The norm here in Ireland is the latter: we usually see one of each sex being chosen - a godmother and godfather. I am not going to dwell on this canon bu instead will move on to the third canon which speaks of the requirements to be admitted to the role of godparent. Canon 874 is divided into two sections. The first section outlines five requirements.
The sponsor must be:
1° be designated by the one to be baptized; by the parents or the one who takes their place or, in their absence, by the pastor or minister and is to have the qualifications and intention of performing this role.
This states who is responsible for naming the godparents. The norm for infant baptism is that the parents choose the godparents. Te other possibilities are tied to circumstance. There could be situations where the parents are not present for whatever reasons and in this case the law provides for the situation. Either those appointed by the parents to choose or in the case where this is not done the parish priest will choose. It is a norm that allows for situations which we would not wish for but which unfortunately do occur.
The godparent must
2° have completed the sixteenth year, unless a different age has been established by the diocesan bishop or it seems to the pastor or minister that an exception is to be made for a just cause.
Again, this is self-explanatory. It caters for the age limitation in place. To be admitted as a godparent the person must be 16 years of age. There are situations where this may be dispensed with. Probably the main 'just cause' would be the spiritual life of the individual. Someone under sixteen years of age could show a lively faith and be a genuine inspiration to the child or indeed to the adults around him or her. In a case like this the parish priest or the minister of the sacrament can decide to admit the person due to the value which their Christian witness would have for the spiritual life of the one to be baptized.
3° be a Catholic who has been confirmed and has already received the sacrament of the Most Holy Eucharist and leads a life in harmony with the faith and the role to be undertaken.
Godparents must be Catholics. With the child being baptized into the Christian community as a Catholic then the requirement of Catholic godparents makes sense. If the godparent is asked to walk the faith journey with the child then the faith journey must be founded on the same principles and creedal statements. The fact that the godparent must be fully initiated into the Catholic faith tradition highlights this. The three sacraments of initiation are Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. When all three have been received we are fully part of the worshipping community. Having received all three, and by virtue of living what all three entail, is the godparent seen to be suitable for the role. In other words the godparent should be one who practices the faith in all its dimensions - sacramentally, liturgically, and morally. Otherwise the faith journey in its Catholic expression will not be a rounded, balanced journey nourished by the sacraments and a healthy prayer life and not expressed in a way of life in keeping with the commandments of God.

 

 

NINETEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

7TH AUGUST 2005

I would hazard a guess that the majority of you reading this reflection today are godparents. A certain pride usually rests on the title, especially when the godchild refers to it in public and highlights a bond between godparent and godchild. And rightly so - because the role of the godparent is a very important one indeed and not just from the point of view of present giving on special occasions. To see the importance of the role let us look at what Canon Law regarding godparents or as described in the Code, sponsors.
There are three canons in total regarding sponsors. Two of them are single norms while the third has subsections within it. The canons in question are numbers 872 to 874.

Canon 872 reads as follows: Insofar as possible one to be baptized is to be given a sponsor who is to assist as adult in Christian initiation or, together with the parents, to present an infant at the baptism, and who will help the baptized to lead a Christian life in harmony with baptism, and to fulfil faithfully the obligations connected with it.
This intention is liturgically present in the fourth question at the reception of the child which asks the godparents are you ready to assist the parents of this child in fulfilling their Christian duty? The role of sponsor or godparent is definitely an active one. As assistant to the parents, he or she is called to actively participate in the faith development and catechesis by virtue, primarily, of their own Christian witness, sharing their faith experience and journey with the one they have sponsored. Christian witness incorporates way of life, liturgical expression, prayer life and firm hope in the death and resurrection of Christ. Being called to assist the parents of a child in fulfilling their Christian duty means that they have a responsibility for the growth in faith of the child as outlined last week in relation to the parents. In other words, what the parents are called to be in relation to faith is also expected of the godparents who act as helper, assisting the parents as they fulfil their duty as the first teachers of their child in the faith. We could say that the godparents should be the second group of teachers.
As godparents we should ask ourselves regularly are we fulfilling the duty which we accepted on the day of our godchild's baptism. When we said I am, we took it on board to be actively involved in someone else's faith journey. It is a great responsibility and a wonderful privilege and so we should look seriously at the role and how we approach it. The bond we have with a godchild should be a spiritual bond fed by a shared relationship with Jesus Christ. Towards the end of the baptismal ceremony the baptismal candle is lit from the paschal candle. The words Receive the Light of Christ are said as it is lit and then the parents and godparents are told that it entrusted to them to be kept burning brightly.
Have we or do we keep that light burning brightly in our own hearts and in relationship with our godchild? That is the question I leave us all with today.

 

 

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

31st July 2005

The third question in the Rite of Baptism during the reception of the child is prefaced by an address to the parents. The text supplied goes as follows You have asked to have your child baptised. In doing so you are accepting the responsibility of training him (her) in the practice of the faith. It will be your duty to bring him (her) up to keep God's commandments as Christ taught us, by loving God and our neighbour. Do you clearly understand what you are undertaking? There are two major statements contained in the address. The first mentions the acceptance of a responsibility by the parents. The fact of presentation for baptism brings this responsibility into place. In Church Law there is a section which deals with the rights of the faithful. One right is to receive the sacraments. In the liturgical celebration of the sacrament of Baptism the call for the right to the sacrament is directly linked to the responsibility attached to the choice. On behalf of the child, the parents take on the responsibility of facing the world with faith and trust in God and passing that on to their son or daughter. From the very beginning of the ceremony, therefore, the essentials of the sacramental meaning of the celebration is brought to the fore. It involves practicing the faith - not just a nominal attachment, but a lived expression of the relationship with God which comes into place through water and the Spirit. The second statement sees a further teasing out of what is meant by the practice of the faith. The parents have a duty to bring their child up to keep God's commandments as Christ taught us, by loving God and our neighbour. The dual commandment of love is introduced. The practice of faith rests on these two pillars of action. Living in relationship is something which is central to the life of humanity. The early Greek philosophers acknowledged this. Man is a social animal - the words of Aristotle in Book One of the Nicomachean Ethics. The social nature of humanity is rooted in the Trinity. We who are made in the image and likeness of God live as the Trinity dos -in relationship. We mirror the relational dynamic of Father, Son and Spirit. And for us the dynamic goes in two directions - vertically, directed towards the loving God, and horizontally, directed towards who share the human condition with us. Parents have a duty to explain and witness to this dual expression of love. It is important to highlight the double role here. The duty or responsibility is to explain - later in the ceremony, the parents are called the first teachers of their child in the ways of faith - and to the witness - the best way to teach is to show by example. The living of the Christian life is the best explanation which anyone can receive. Witness is the best teaching method when it comes to the great commandments of love. This raises a question though - what does it mean to love God or to love our neighbour? In the gospel of Matthew this commandment is developed with the addition of with all your heart and all your mind and all your strength and all your soul. Every fibre of our being is caught up in our relationship with God. It is not something isolated but it permeates every aspect of our lives. And Christ gives the best example of loving our neighbour - the parable of the Good Samaritan is the guide fore us. After the address the question is posed in the rite: Do you clearly understand what you are undertaking? The responsibility to live, to witness to and explain the commandment of love are central to this and the practice of the faith in its fullness is the context in which these commandments find their mil expression. When parents say we do at this point they are making a commitment which is a serious one.

 

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

24th July 2005

Continuing from last week we look at the beginning of the Rite of Baptism for Infants. The ceremony begins with the Reception of the Child. This part of the rite contains four questions, an instruction and a blessing. The first two questions are straightforward. What name do you give your child and What do you ask of God's Church for (the name of the child)?
Naming is important. In the Jewish tradition the name given to someone was of importance either because of the family itself, the circumstances of the child's birth or the hope which the parents' placed in the child's future. Every name had a meaning. When John the Baptist was brought for circumcision and his mother asked what he was to be called, Elizabeth answered John. Those present at the circumcision were surprised, no-one in the family had ever been given the name. But Elizabeth was holding firm - it was the name Zechariah had been told to give him. When the dumb Zechariah was asked to confirm the choice he wrote down 'his name is John', which means God-is-gracious. It highlights the fact that Elizabeth was barren and the couple were advanced in years, past the stage when a child was a possibility for them. The name has significance. The Christian tradition was to give the name of a martyr or saint, highlighting the re-birth into the death and resurrection of Christ. The martyr gives his life for the sake of the Gospel, the saint dedicates him or herself to the service of god, in the spirit of their vocation in life. The naming of someone after a saint or martyr re-creates the bond of faith which is exemplified in the role-model chosen and expresses a hope that the child being baptised will in some way take example from the one after which they are named. Thought should go into the naming of a child. And in the light of the understanding of the sacrament of Baptism it is fitting for the child to be given a name which is saintly. It invokes the intercession of the saint as well, asking for guidance and protection for the child as they begin the pilgrim journey towards the kingdom of heaven.
The deliberate asking of the purpose for coming to the Church should draw us into the reality of what is about to happen. It is a concrete statement of fact which leads to the concretization of a relationship, what are you here for? Baptism. Who are you asking for it? Of God's Church. The mention of God's Church in the question immediately brings to the mind two important features of the sacrament. It is God-given and it occurs through the action of the Church. And secondly it creates two levels of relationship - the relationship of the child with the Trinity, Father, Son and Spirit and the relationship with the Body of Christ, the people of God, the Church. Because of this latter relationship, the sacrament is best served as a public celebration - in the midst of the faith community rather than a private affair for chosen guests. The child will become a new member of the Christian faith community.
It always seems so incongruous that Baptism takes place in a context which excludes the greater faith community. Maybe we need to look at this way of celebrating the sacrament in order to highlight its great importance for the Church as a community of faith.

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

17th July 2005

In last week's 'Comment' we looked at the seven sacraments and their fundamental purpose, the nourishing of the holiness of the believer through the saving action of Jesus Christ's Passion. This week we stay with the Decree for the Armenians from the Council of Florence and look at one more point made in that Decree.

It states:
Among these sacraments there are three, Baptism, Confirmation and Order, which imprint on the soul an indelible character, that is a certain spiritual sign distinguishing (the recipient) from others. Hence these are not repeated for the same person. The other four, however, do not imprint a character and may be repeated.

The sacraments named. Baptism, Confirmation and Order are given once. Because of this there a re inherent dangers in how we live the sacramental grace which is bestowed in them. There is the danger of treating the day of reception as a special day and then forgetting the fact that the sacrament received is one which lasts. It isn't given and then disappears. It has an ongoing role in the life of individual who receives it. In a sense, the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Order are given once but are forever. The fact that one is baptized and confirmed marks the person for life; marks them in the sense of linking them to Jesus definitively. The character which comes with these sacraments is the character of active Christian, active brother or sister of Christ, and binds one in the familial sense of Christianity. In Baptism we become children of God, encountering the new birth by the living water. A new life is granted to us, one graced by the Spirit, founded on the unity of Trinity and mirroring the love which the Father has for the Son. Or, as Saint Paul says in Romans chapter 6, When we were baptised in Christ Jesus we were baptised in huis death; in other words, when we were baptised we went into the tomb with him and joined him in death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the Father's glory, we too might live a new life. For Saint Paul the fundamental understanding of Baptism rests on the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The redemptive and salvific acts of Jesus Christ are intrinsic to the Christian. The character of the Christian from the moment of Baptism is inextricably linked to mysteries of Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday,. The Paschal Mystery becomes the pattern of our own lives. Given once. Baptism is meant to be lived by us for ever. We are called to give daily witness to the Death and Resurrection of our brother Jesus Christ and to the glory of God the Father who raised him from the dead. .
On the basis of such an understanding it is vitally important to look at the rite of baptism for infants because it should have a bearing on our attitude to the sacrament and to our own way of life. Whether we are parent, godparent, family member, member of the wider faith community or officiating priest, our understanding of what happens on the day of a child's baptism is dependent on the understanding we have of the role of Christ's death and resurrection in our lives. If it is tangental, then the after-christening party may be of more importance to us than the baptism itself.

 

 

 

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

10th July 2005

"Many Irish Catholics have been socialized into expecting an automatic admission to the sacraments and that it is not always clear whether they see an intimate link between them and the person of Christ. If they are not seen as an intimate connection with Christ, then why seek them?" I want to continue teasing out the ideas expressed in last week's reflection. In order to look in time at the ramifications of present-day sacramental practice let us explore some of the Church's understanding of the sacraments. We head back to the Council of Florence in 1439 and its Decree for the Armenians which is still relevant for today. In the decree it lists the sacraments and their role in the spiritual life. It states: "There are seven sacraments of the New Law, namely. Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, Penance, Extreme Unction, Order and Matrimony; and they differ greatly from the sacraments of the Old Law. For these did not cause grace but were only a figure of the grace that was to be given through the Passion of Christ; but our sacraments both contain grace and confer it on those who receive them worthily." Here we have the basic naming of the sacraments, all of which we are familiar, even though extreme unction is now administered under a new title, the Anointing of the Sick. The decree highlights the fact that the grace of the sacraments finds its roots in the Passion of Christ. So immediately the connection with Christ is to the fore. They bring Christ's grace with them and bestow that grace on us who receive them - and this is a very important qualification - worthily. We have to be open to the grace of the sacrament and prepared to receive the sacrament. They are not to be taken lightly and without preparation. Otherwise there is an absence of worthiness. In a sense none of us are ever worthy enough to receive the sacraments. Out of God's infinite love they are gifts offered to us so that we can participate in the divine life of the Trinity and be strengthened in order to fulfil the mission given to us by Jesus Christ. The decree then goes on to outline the fundamental effects of the sacraments: The first five of these are ordained to the interior spiritual perfection of the person himself; the last two are ordained to the government and the increase of the whole Church. For by baptism we are spiritually reborn and by confirmation we grow in grace and are strengthened in the faith; being reborn and strengthened, we are nourished with the divine food of the Eucharist. If by sin we become stek in soul, we are healed spiritually by penance; we are also healed in spirit, and in body in so far as it is good for the soul, by extreme unction. Through Order the Church is governed and receives spiritual growth, through Matrimony she receives bodily growth. Since we are called to holiness, the sacraments are given to us so that we can attain that holiness with the help of Christ himself. Holiness is not something reserved for the few, but offered to all and nourished by our constant recourse to God in the grace-filled sacraments and prayer. In approaching any of the sacraments this must be in mind so that we will be prepared adequately and ready to receive them in the pirit in which they are intended.

 

 

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

3rd July 2005

 

When Paul addresses the Roman community in this morning's second reading he makes a statement rather than issuing a directive. He does not say your interests should be in the spiritual but says your interests are in the spiritual. He sees the Christian community as being actively spiritual. It isn't something which has to begin from scratch although constant development of the spiritual must take place. Paul sees the root of the spiritual in the Spirit of God. We are not he instigators of the spiritual life - we react to the Spirit dwelling within us.
What would be of great interest today would be Paul's reaction to the Christian communities of Ireland. Would he begin this passage the same way if it was addressed to the Irish? The reason I propose this question is born out of the sacramental understanding, or lack thereof, which has crept into the minds and hearts of so many. The sacraments do not seem to have the same resonance in the psyche of modern Ireland as they did in the past. Emphasis is put on the unspiritual side of the time rather than the spiritual. The sacrament of reconciliation seems irrelevant to many, even though sin is a great reality. The Eucharist is not given the priority of place and time in the lives of many and understanding of the miracle of the Eucharist is quite limited. It always amazes me when Catholics talk of receiving the wine from the chalice. And it leads me to wonder how many really and truly believe that what is received is the body and blood of Christ. Is First Holy Communion viewed as an important step on the faith journey or just a social convention and excuse for a family get-together when another member of the family arrives at second class in Primary School. Is the sacrament of Confirmation another such excuse as the young person involved reaches the end of Primary School and prepares to head into the Secondary school system? Or is it a crucial moment of grace, where God pours out his Spirit and makes his home in us? Has Baptism or 'christening' been reduced by many into a superstitious empty ritual after which the child will get stronger and settle; a performance to keep the grandparents happy; or a vibrant. God-filled moment when the newly baptized is bom again in water and the Spirit, linking them with Jesus Christ and his Church? And is Marriage a conventional, convenient, social outlet for the expression of a bond which is, at worse, transitory and, at best, 'the done thing' or is it a genuine call on God to bless the union of man and woman, fulfilling the natural order and allowing true, sacred participation in the creative process of the Father in heaven? The answers to these questions are not merely academic - they are crucial for a dynamic, living faith development of the Christian community. They are central to the life of the Church. Basically all these questions can be contained in the following statement from an article in the Furrow periodical written by Dr. Niall Coll - many Irish Catholics have been socialized into expecting an automatic admission to the sacraments and that it is not always clear whether they see an intimate link between them and the person of Christ. If they are not seen as an intimate connection with Christ, then why seek them?

 

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

26th June 2005

 

We, Irish, have always been considered a hospitable people, a welcoming people. At times I wonder are we beginning to lose that. Have we moved away from the person-centred to the diary/clock-centred way of living. We seem to be more like a turbo-charged race - running from A to B with no sense of stillness or quietness, no sense of real relaxation either on our own or with company. Even the pub culture has seen a change. The new generation of pub-goers, especially in towns and cities tend to flit from one pub to the other, apparently incapable of setting down roots in a 'local'. We are in one made rush and it leads to forgetting others around us.
A hospitable culture is one which is person-centred. It is not about instant gratification or mere profit-making. It implies service at the highest levels possible as the goal - a happy customer, a relaxed neighbour, a contented family comfortable in self-knowledge, healthy in relationship and willing to spend valuable time together. To perfect the sense of hospitality we need to look at attitudes. How we approach something or someone tells a lot. In Italy, there is no such thing as a second booking time in a restaurant. Once you have a table it is yours for the night and there is no rush to get you out. Attentive service during the meal is the norm, time between courses allows for good digestion but the real telling point in relation to attitude is the time for the bill. During the meal it is quite easy to get the attention of a waiter - he is very aware of how the table is progressing. However, the hardest time to catch his eye is when you are looking for the bill. It is as if his attention no longer focuses on you because he is provided the service you needed. You have eaten and his job is done. There is no rush to bring the docket from the till as you place the last piece of dessert in your mouth or you take the first sip of coffee. Time is not an issue. Getting you out the door is not the point. Ensuring that you eat well and are content with what you receive is number one priority and that is it. Attitude makes the difference. At times you feel as if you are in an extension of your own dining room - except there is no washing up to do.
True hospitality is about attitude - prioritising makes a difference. In today's scripture readings the sense of true Christian hospitality is put before us. It is the welcoming in the name of God and Jesus Christ which makes the difference. Christian hospitality is not just being nice and fitting someone in between appointments, but allowing the other person BE in our presence. It is a question of openness, acceptance in the spirit of Christ-founded love. Our attitude to someone arriving at the door of our homes should be to welcome them as Christ with their needs, concerns, chat, and laughter as being Christ's. After all, these are moments when Christ speaks to us, teaching us his way.

10th Sunday in Ordinary Time

5th June 2005

Fr. John Ryan, C.C.

St. Jerome was renowned for his knowledge of Scripture and his insight into the word of God and its message for all believers. He said that to know Scripture was to know Christ. The Word of God as found in the Old and New Testament reveals God to us, allowing us to see his nature and be encouraged by the message of love and faithfulness which constantly rings through the words of the Law, the Prophets, the Wisdom literature and ultimately in the Gospel of Christ himself. How familiar are we with Scripture? Do we know what forms the basis of the deposit of faith? On Thursday nights in the sacristy in Freemount Scripture and the Catechism of the Church are discussed in a relaxed setting, the purpose of the discussions is not to weigh down with heavy theological discourse but to reflect on the word of God and how it can be applied in our lives. The discussion is born out of the Word and expresses the experiences of those present. If you are interested in seeing what it entails then feel to come along any Thursday night. The programme for the next few weeks is as follows:
9th June Scripture (Paul’s 2nd Letter to the Thessalonians, chapters 1 and 2).
23rd June Catechism of the Catholic Church.
30th June Scripture.
7th July Catechism of the Catholic Church
14th July Scripture.
21st July Catechism of the Catholic Church.
28th July Scripture.
4th August Catechism of the Catholic Church .
After the 4th August there will be a break until the first week of September. I would encourage you to come along if you are free and see what the evenings are like. It is in the exploration of the words of Jesus and reflection in the light of those words that we truly come to know ourselves and the gifts which God has given to us. In the light of the truth which is Jesus Christ then the basis and consequences of how we live can be seen and appreciated fully. Scripture forms the foundation for our relationship with God and allows us to understand where the teachings of the Church come from. Without a root in the Word of God the teachings of the magisterium are in danger of being empty shells. If recognised as scripture based and inspired they take on a life and vibrancy which can only but refresh the relationship between God and mankind. Ultimately we are called to respond to the love of God which has been freely offered to us. To get a full grasp of that love we need to delve into the aids that God has given us -word and sacrament and 2000 years of reflection on those two great pillars of Christian living.

 

TRINITY SUNDAY

22nd May 2005

Fr. John Ryan, C.C.

"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."
This greeting is one of the more common used in liturgical celebrations. And today we see it in the second reading. Paul finishes the second letter to the Corinthians with it. The fact that it is seen here highlights the long tradition of our prayer and the deposit of faith. The early Christian communities were very aware of the nature of God as three in one and all was done in the name of the Trinity.
Of course the most common expression of this is the sign of the cross. We begin and end our time in prayer by blessing ourselves in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, calling God to be with us in our prayer but also stating that everything we say or do in that prayer is being said and done in their name. By doing so we acknowledge the intimate link which exists between ourselves and God, the God of Moses, the God of Paul, the God of Jesus Christ.
In the first reading we are presented with a dialogue between God and Moses. God speaks to Moses, outlining the divine character - a God of tenderness and compassion, slow to anger, rich in kindness and faithfulness. Moses reacts to this. He calls on God to be with the people of Israel as they prepare to leave the slavery of Egypt - "Let my Lord come with us, I beg. True, they are a headstrong people, but forgive us our faults and our sins, and adopt us as your heritage." God does travel with them. They do prove to be a headstrong people and at times God, who is slow to anger, is brought close to the edge of patience. But the people of Israel are adopted as his heritage. It is to the people of Israel that the Father sends the Son. In the Gospel John tells us that God loved the world so Much that he sent his only Son. He sends Chrsit to the world. The point of entry in history is as a member of the Jewish people, fulfilling the promises made tot eh people of Israel, but with a universal message and mission.
Acceptance of God's Chosen One leads to the extension of the adoptive relationship. Jesus Christ is the only Son, those who profess faith in Christ are adopted children linked to God through Baptism and empowered to continue the mission of Christ. This empowerment is effected the Spirit, sent by God to inspire his people in truth.
The bond of love which exists within the Trinity is therefore shared completely with us. Father, Son and Spirit all have a role I the slavation of humanity and we acknowledge that fact in our blessings, greetings as well as our prayers. The doxology at the end of the Eucharistic Prayer is the great expression of the Trinitarian God and our need for all three Persons. "Through him (Christ, the Son), with him, in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honour is yours almighty Father, for ever and ever." This prayer of praise can also be used by us as a prayer of dedication whereby we place all our actions at the service of God's glory acknowledging God's presence in all we do.

PENTECOST SUNDAY

15th May 2005

This Sunday 27 of our young people are receiving Holy Communion for the first time. It is a special time for them and one for which they and their families have been preparing a while. It will be a long day with much to be done before leaving for the Church and with celebrations afterwards no doubt. But the fulcrum of the whole day is the celebration in the church, the actual receiving of the Body of Jesus Christ the Lord, the Good Shepherd who guides, protects and nourishes us on our journey through life. For the first time these children will receive the bread of life, Jesus' flesh for the life of the world.
Why on a Sunday some may ask in the light of previous tradition of Saturday morning celebrations of First Holy Communion? Well, the main reason is to highlight the central role of the Eucharist in the life of the worshipping community. The Eucharist, being source and summit of all Christian living, is the great sign and sacrament of union with the whole Church, the Christian community. By receiving First Holy Communion during the community's Sunday celebration it brings to the fore the importance of the Sunday worship in which we are all called to participate. It also highlights that it is the first of what should be many, and even though a special occasion in itself, it stresses the fact that it is the beginning of the full journey of Christian faith expression.
Even though Pentecost Sunday is predominantly the feast of the giving of the Spirit to the apostles and associated with the sacrament of Confirmation, it is also a fitting day for the celebration of First Holy Communion due to its being seen as the beginning of the Church. The Church, the Body of Christ, the People of God, is strengthened by the life-giving properties of the Word made flesh who is received sacramentally in Communion. Jesus promised that he would be with us always, yes to the end of time. The intimacy of his relationship with us, the full expression of his presence with us, is the Eucharist and so we are called to celebrate it and rejoice in it.
Not just the 27 first time recipients of the Eucharist today, but all of us are called to celebrate and give thanks for what we receive. In this year of the Eucharist maybe we can all see today as a new beginning in our understanding what we receive. This could be an opportunity for us to reflect on the meaning of the Eucharist and to see in our Sunday celebration not just a duty to be fulfilled but a necessary part of our lives which we wholeheartedly wish to celebrate together as community acknowledging our love for the God who loved us so much that he sent us his only Son that we nay have salvation.
So, let us pray today that the Spirit of God will be with our children who celebrate this wonderful day in their lives and with all who live in our parish and that the essence of our Sunday gathering will be recognised for what it really is - the realisation that Jesus is with us teaching us through the word and nourishing us with his body so that we might have life to the full.

 

 

FEAST OF THE ASCENSION

8th May 2005

"We can have the benefits of the first world but realising the truth of the Gospel will help us to relativise the bricks and mortar of the structures of modern living in the light of the eternal truths of God. Emphasis will then fall on the 'who we are' rather than on the 'what we are' or 'what we can become'." Continuing from this line taken from last week's reflection we contemplate the Ascension of the Jesus Christ. The truth of the Gospel includes the actions and the teachings of Jesus. Today we celebrate the end point of Christ's time on earth. Before the passion, death and resurrection Christ told the disciples that he had to leave them and return to his Father. Today marks the fulfilment of that. Ascension - action - fulfils the words spoken. The fact that he also promised that he was to prepare a place for us and that he would return for us hinges on this great moment of Ascension because it draws our attention to the fulfilment of one statement and the hope that rests in the other. The challenge of today's celebration is for us to see in the action of Christ, to see in his ascension, the eternal truths of God being offered fully to humanity. All that Christ had said about himself took place - the remaining one is the promise we now rely on: that he will come for us and take us to the place he has prepared. While we wait and witness to the goodness of God we also see in the Ascension the means of making the structures of modern living a relative good rather than ends in themselves. Christ ascends, body, soul and divinity and in the ascension humanity is glorified. The human nature of Christ ascending to the Father glorifies our human nature, making it sacred and confirming that all human life, every human being, ranks before any structure or system. In his letters to the early Christian communities St. Paul addressed the people as the holy ones of God, or the saints. We are made hoty by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and we are glorified in his ascension. The dignity we have as human beings is sacralized by the actions of Jesus lifting our humanity to new heights and making the words of the psalmist ring true: 'You have made us little less than a god'. However we must always avoid the danger which lurks behind this understanding of our glorification. It is not through our own merits that we have this. It is through Jesus that we are raised to these heights and it is by a gift of the Father that we have the faith to recognise it. If we fail to see that then we quickly fall into the trap of making ourselves as God rather than little less than a god. The secular understanding places mankind first - we are called to place God first and see our existence, actions, hopes and achievements as resting on the foundation of his Son Jesus Christ the Risen and Ascended Lord of all.

 

The Sixth Sunday of Easter

1st May 2005

Fr. John Ryan, C.C.

 

The Russian novelist Dostoyevsky wrote that it can be an adventure to build a palace, and a nightmare to live in it. Planning and forging ahead with the construction of any dream inspire hard work, sees the adrenalin flowing and on fulfilment, results in the warm glow of satisfaction at a job well done. The image of the palace can be used in many instances. After all we see so much ambition fulfilled and so often in the after glow of the fulfilment we see the slow disintegration of the ideal hoped for and won. Celtic tiger Ireland experienced an incredible drive to build a palace. Development of a strident economy and increased wealth for the majority of the citizens was coupled with the opening up of the liberal agenda and the emphasis on self-fulfilment. However, the marriage of the two seemed to equate self-fulfilment with material well-being and at times resulted in a distinct 'myself at all costs' mentality. An emphatic decision to reduce happiness to pleasure was seen and gradually the interior life sor so many people became eroded and nightmarish. In Ireland, and indeed so much of the "first world" we have constructed the palace but more and more we are discovering that the living in it can be so difficult. Rehabilitation and forgiveness are no longer seen as important reactions when people get things wrong - the response so often is to condemn outrightly and look for the metaphorical blood, either resignation, humiliation or compensation or a combination of some or all of the three. There appears to be a compulsion for external, material redress without thought for the internal, spiritual renewal and purification. It would appear that in our world when we get things wrong then we are treated in a way analogous to the dog that bites - we are put down, consigned to a living death. In such a world recognition of the Spirit is absent. Jesus tells us in John's Gospel that he will "ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you for ever, that Spirit of truth whom the world can never receive since it neither sees nor knows him; but you know him, because he is with you; he is in you." Enlivened by this Spirit of truth we can build the palace and ensure that it brings pleasant dreams. We can have the benefits of the first world but realising the truth of the Gospel will help us to relativise the bricks and mortar of the structures of modern living in the light of the eternal truths of God. Emphasis will then fall on the 'who we are' rather than on the 'what we are' or 'what we can become'. Only then will the true work of the Spirit be seen. Last week we read that we can be living stones making a spiritual house if we remain close to Christ. The palace of our world can only be the dream palace if we welcome the Spirit of truth inside its walls and if it is built with Christ as the keystone.

 

 

Pope John Paul II

3rd April 2005

Fr. John Ryan C.C.

The Redeemer suffered in place of man and for man. Every man has his own share in the Redemption. Each one is also called to share in that suffering through which the Redemption was accomplished. He is called to share in that suffering through which all human suffering has also been redeemed. In bringing about the Redemption through suffering, Christ has also raised human suffering to the level of the Redemption. Thus each man, in his suffering, can also become a sharer in the redemptive suffering of Christ.
These words come from paragraph 19 of the Apostolic Letter Salvifici Doloris written by John Paul II and promulgated on the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, 11th February, 1984. words written 21 years ago when he was in the prime of health, have been lived by him over the last number of years and so visibly to the world. the Holy Father has borne and lived his suffering ion the full spirit of his words and the last two months especially have been a poignant expression of his deep faith in Christ and his adoption of all aspects of the Lord's service . In priesthood, episcopacy and papacy the Pope has done all possible to serve God and the People of God. The vain attempt to speak last Wednesday morning to the people gathered in St. Peter's Square was vain in physical terms but spiritually was another indication of his love for his people as he tried to impart his thoughts and prayers for them. In the midst of his own suffering he gives witness to the constant call to the Christian to reach out and share the good news of the resurrection.
Suffering is not something we all want. But it is a fact of the human condition. Christ transforms that suffering. It becomes a redemptive experience and our suffering, when seen and lived in the shadow of the cross, intimately links us with the Saviour and his realised mission. The effect which John Paul has had on so many during his illness has been phenomenal. In his eighties, suffering from Parkinson's, its side effects and severe arthritis, he has carried the burden of his office with great dignity showing to the world that there is a value in the weak, the ill and the elderly. The Pope who has spoken so much about the dignity of the person and respect for life from conception to death has borne witness to his teaching through an active living of them. On the day when the Vatican press officer spoke of his grave condition and his approaching death the Holy Father approved the appointment of 17 bishops: a final testimony to the fulfilment of his vocation. Called to serve as the Vicar of Christ, the Servant of the Servants of God, he continues to serve to the end.
On news programmes over the last 24 hours one of the questions being asked of commentators and experts is what legacy will John Paul leave behind? There are many aspects of his papacy and teaching which will bear much fruit, however, I feel that the last moments of his life will bear fruit a hundredfold and is already doing so. Showing a world which fears and runs from suffering that suffering is formative and Christ bearing transforms the lifes of many who do suffer. In his second letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul writes: we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.
As I write I obviously do not know what the next few hours will see. Maybe by the time you read this the Pope will have breathed his last. Whatever the situation as you read, pray for him who has served so faithfully - may the Lord grant him a peaceful end and welcome him home into the kingdom of light, happiness and peace. I finish with another quote from the Letter on Human Suffering, Salvifici Doloris.
Those who share in the sufferings of Christ are also called, through their own sufferings, to share in glory. May Pope John Paul II share in that glory. Amen.

 

 

EASTER SUNDAY

27th March 2005

Fr. John Ryan, C.C.

Alleluia! The Easter call awakes us this morning to the reality of the salvation won for us by Christ. The women went to the tomb to perform the anointing rites of their tradition and when they got there they were taken completely by surprise - the tomb was empty. The place where the body of Jesus was placed contained nothing but the cloths which had contained his body. The slow realisation of what had happened is understandable in the light of the shock which they had experienced. In the light of Jesus' life and teaching the empty tomb was to be expected. The prophetic Jesus' words had been fulfilled. That empty bore witness that morning to a number of things - the fact that Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life, had opened the way to eternal life as promised, his words had been truthfully spoken and now realised, and he had brought new life.
New life - the Easter message of life is promised, realised and given to us all this morning. Today and the rest of the Easter season is a celebration of this promise, its realisation and the life given. When we speak of the death and resurrection of Jesus and what it does for us we need to look at it in two ways. There is the eschatological view: when our journey in this life is over we have that hope of entering the kingdom, and there is the "Easter in Ordinary" experience; we are called to make the passion, death and resurrection of Christ real in our daily lives. The movement of life mirrors the journey of Holy Week and Easter morning. Living in the light of Jesus Christ calls us to be receptive to his love and forgiveness, embracing of his passion and death and rejoicing in his resurrection. The theological virtues of faith, hope and love are encapsulated in the Easter Triduum and by living in faith, with hope and guided by love, our ability to live the mystery of Christ's passion, death and resurrection becomes actualised.
When we place the resurrection before the backdrop of Jesus' self-understanding we can see that it is the completion of the mission and for us, becomes the purpose of all living. The Jesus who came to serve and to be served, who came to be a ransom for many, conquers the claim of sin and death over humanity. His service has its reward. And we should see our service, no matter how difficult it may be at times, as something which results in resurrection. When we enter the Christian spirit fully and wholeheartedly, giving our energy to the fulfilment of the Gospel message, we bring resurrection moments to those we help and encourage and also to ourselves. The need for us all to see that the love of God penetrates the darkness of life is a need fulfilled this morning. It is a need which we address only by acknowledging the risen Christ and seeing his light break into the world. We can and must be light-bearers. This light has been given to you be kept burning brightly. The onus is on all who renew their baptismal promises to make them real and active and thus ensure that the light of Christ is kept burning brightly in the world, thus allowing the kingdom to break through the ordinariness of our days.

 

5TH SUNDAY OF LENT

13TH MARCH 2005

Fr. John Ryan C.C.

The Lenten season is moving along and drawing towards its close. The climactic week which is called Holy is drawing near. Our thoughts are beginning to change focus and the sight of the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus is entering the mind. Today's Gospel awakens it fully. The raising of Lazarus from the dead and the interaction between Jesus and Lazarus' sisters firmly point to the Easter mystery and without doubt highlight the full mission of Christ. In John 10 he tells us that he came that we may have life and have it to the full. In living his word we have a fullness of life in this world. the living of his commandments of love and the eating of his flesh nourish, sustain and complete us in our humanity both as individuals and as community. With the raising of Lazarus we are directed towards the resurrection and the fullness that comes from that great mystery of our salvation. The fullness which we all aspire to is that fullness of God's total presence and it is through the resurrection of Jesus Christ that it opens up as a real possibility for us all.
Jesus says that he is the resurrection and the life. The life which he promises is eternal, a return to the life of paradise which was lost through sin. The Lenten season is a time when we remind ourselves of our need for God. The experience of self-denial, the deser