Reflections

Be not Afraid Once upon a time … not too long ago … it took courage of a sort not to go to church in holy Ireland.  People who did not go to church were regarded as odd, or maybe worse.  They swam against the social tide which equated church attendance with respectability.  How things…

A God of Relationships A diseased bird was sold in the market place and months later every country in the world is suffering.  If ever we needed to be reminded that everything in this world is related to everything else, we’ve got the message.  Nine hundred years ago a mystical nun, Hildegard of Bingen, wrote…

Birthday of the Church Pentecost celebrates the birthday of the Church.  Jesus once compared himself to a seed dying in the earth so as to produce multiple grains.  In Saint John’s account of the death of Jesus his last words were “It is accomplished”.  Job done.  Then bowing his head, he “gave up his spirit”,…

The Ascension of the Lord Some of the doors that have kept people locked in have been opened in recent days.  But there is still a long wait until all doors will be opened.   Religion has a huge role to play in sustaining hope by remembering the bigger picture of life. We are celebrating…

God with us and in us We may be irritated by restrictions on our movements, anxious about the future of jobs and business, or disappointed by no sport.  We continue to need our regular doses of the Good News. Sunday by Sunday we are moving on from the Resurrection of Jesus towards Pentecost.  The forty…

The Way, the Truth and the Life Many of us are disappointed that very few of the restrictions on our movements have been lifted.  Return to any normality will take time.  Long term worries remain about unemployment, closure of businesses, national and personal finances. Can we draw any hope from the Gospel for this Sunday,…

Our Companion on the Road How are you coping with the restrictions at this difficult time?  Many people are heroic in caring for the sick. Neighbourliness has returned.  But there is great anxiety about business closures, jobs lost, timing of exams and so on. Can we learn anything from Sunday’s gospel story of the Risen…

In Time of Lockdown Lockdown is a new word for most of us.  In the days after the crucifixion of Jesus, the disciples were in lockdown behind closed doors, paralysed in fear and anxiety. When tyrants start killing it rarely stops at one.  Violence is a highly contagious virus. It is understandable that the disciples…

Christ is Risen I like the story about an ageing flower-lady with an outdoor stall.  Her clothes were old and shabby, her face weather-beaten and wrinkled. A regular customer asked how she was always in good form.  “It’s my friend Jesus”, she replied. “Good Friday was the worst of days.  Three days later, Easter Sunday,…