Newsletter Resources March 2018
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Sunday, 4 March 2018
SEEING YOUR LIFE THROUGH THE LENS OF THE GOSPELS
John 2:13-25
- In the Old Testament the privileged place of God’s presence was the Temple in Jerusalem. In the New Covenant, this was replaced by the person of Jesus. This is the symbolism of the action of Jesus in the Temple. Recall how Jesus has helped your relationship with God and give thanks for this.
- But we are the body of Christ. When have you been particularly aware of the sacredness of people (yourself or others)?
- There are many ways in which people, the temples of God, are being profaned today. Where are you aware of the sacredness of the human person being violated? Who are the people seeking to cleanse the temple, by promoting respect for the dignity of every human person? Perhaps in ways you have done this.
- We may also think of institutions as in some way temples of God’s presence. In this time when aspects of our institutions are crumbling we can perhaps identify with the Jews who were horrified at the suggestion that the Temple would be destroyed. What is it like for you living in a time when some of the things you have taken for granted are collapsing? Where do you find hope in such circumstances?
John Byrne osa
Email [email protected]
MUSINGS
‘No family drops down from heaven perfectly formed; families need constantly to grow and mature in the ability to love. This is a never-ending vocation born of the full communion of the Trinity, the profound unity between Christ and his Church, the loving community which is the Holy Family of Nazareth, and the pure fraternity existing among the saints of heaven. Our contemplation of the fulfilment which we have yet to attain also allows us to see in proper perspective the historical journey which we make as families, and in this way to stop demanding of our interpersonal relationships a perfection, a purity of intentions and a consistency which we will only encounter in the Kingdom to come. It also keeps us from judging harshly those who live in situations of frailty. All of us are called to keep striving towards something greater than ourselves and our families, and every family must feel this constant impulse.’
Pope Francis, Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love), 325
THE DEEP END: Who do you think you are?
‘A certain fiery and starry light shone from his eyes and the majesty of Godhead gleamed in His face.’
St Jerome
What gives you the right? Who do you think you are? In our world, it can be difficult to work out who has authority to speak on certain issues. There are ‘experts’, both qualified and unqualified, at every turn, telling us how we should spend or invest our money, how we should bring up our children, how we should eat, exercise or dress. We usually manage to tune a lot of it out. But when unsolicited advice or criticism is aimed directly at us, we can feel under attack and react accordingly. ‘What gives you the right to tell me how to live my life?’ is a common response. We sometimes need to hear someone’s credentials before we are willing to give them a fair hearing.
The Temple scene in today’s gospel sparks a debate about Jesus’ authority. When the Jews question him, asking for a sign to justify what he has done, it is as if they are saying ‘Who do you think you are, coming in here, criticising our activities and telling us how to run things?’ In calling the Temple ‘my Father’s house,’ Jesus has already identified the source of his authority, but his interrogators do not seem to understand, nor indeed do his disciples. This scene offers much more than an angry Jesus and a clueless audience. It is a public revelation by Jesus that he is the authoritative Son of God, and a foreshadowing of his death and resurrection.
Tríona Doherty
Athlone, Co Roscommon
Email: [email protected]
Sunday, 11 March 2018
SEEING YOUR LIFE THROUGH THE LENS OF THE GOSPELS
John 3:14-21
- Jesus speaks of himself being lifted up, a term that can mean a physical lifting, or also exaltation. By this play on words the evangelist explains to us that Jesus’ gift of himself in the passion was a glorious revelation of love, despite all its injustice and brutality. Bring to mind occasions when the love shown by Jesus in his passion was a sacrament of God’s love for you.
- It would be very cushy for us if we could be a source of life to others without cost to ourselves. True life-givers know that they need the generosity of being lifted up by giving their lives so that others may have life. Recall when you have had that generosity and give thanks for others who have been like that for you.
- We receive life from God when our faith enables us to trust in God’s love for us. We give life to one another when the love between us is trustworthy. Recall memories of that kind of trustworthy love. For whom have you been able to be a ‘Jesus person’ and give a love that another could trust? Who has shown that kind of love to you and been for you a sacrament of God’s love?
John Byrne osa
Email [email protected]
MUSINGS
‘A society without mothers would be an inhuman society, as mothers always know how to show tenderness, devotion and moral strength, even in the moments of greatest difficulty. Mothers often also transmit the deepest sense of religious practice … It is a message that mothers who believe know how to transmit without much explanation; this arrives later, but the seed of faith is planted in those first precious moments. Without mothers … faith would lose a good part of its simple, profound warmth.’
Pope Francis (General audience, 7 January 2015)
THE DEEP END: Rejoice!
Today, the ‘middle’ Sunday of Lent, is known as Laetare Sunday. The name comes from the opening words of the entrance antiphon of the Mass, ‘Laetare Jerusalem’ or ‘Rejoice, O Jerusalem’. We tend not to think of Lent as a time to rejoice, but a few small signs of joy are permitted at Mass today, such as the use of flowers on the altar and rose-coloured vestments for the priest instead of the Lenten purple. The shadow of the cross still looms large, but we look forward with hope to Easter, when light will conquer the darkness.
We are offered an opportunity today to pause and reflect on our Lenten journey. Listen to the words of St Paul: ‘You are God’s work of art, created in Christ Jesus to live the good life as from the beginning he had meant us to live it.’ Many of our efforts during Lent are aimed at improving ourselves, being more generous with our time or resources, more patient, more attentive to the needs of others – living as true followers of Jesus. What changes do I need to make to be ‘God’s work of art’?
And in John’s Gospel we hear: ‘The [person] who lives by the truth comes out into the light, so that it may be plainly seen that what he does is done in God.’ One question we might ask this Lent is: Am I living a truthful life? Am I honest in my dealings with others, trying always to choose what is right and just, or are there things I think or do in secret that are unkind or dishonest? How might I step out into the light this Lent?
Tríona Doherty
Athlone, Co Roscommon
Email: [email protected]
Sunday, 18 March 2018
SEEING YOUR LIFE THROUGH THE LENS OF THE GOSPELS
John 12:20-30
- The parable of the grain of wheat reminds us of a truth that any parent can testify to, namely that it is in dying to ourselves that we can give life to others. We will never be of benefit to others if we remain wrapped up in ourselves. In what ways has your dying to yourself brought life to another? How has the generous giving of another brought life to you?
- Sometimes our emotions rebel at the thought of what lies ahead and we feel like praying Father, save me from this hour. Then a realisation may come for you as a parent, a teacher, a spouse, a friend: No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Recall times when you have accepted pain or hassle and been a source of life to others for doing so.
- The story presents the death of Jesus as the moment of his glorification by God. We are also glorified when the grace of God enables us to give generously of ourselves. When have you experienced this in yourself or in another?
- ‘This voice has come for your sake and not for mine.’ The angel spoke that we might recognise the love being shown to us by Jesus. Sometimes it requires the voice of another to draw our attention to love that is being offered to us. When was this your experience?
John Byrne osa
Email [email protected]
MUSINGS
‘You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting –
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.’
Mary Oliver (Wild Geese)
THE DEEP END: We should like to see Jesus
Those poor Greeks. Did you notice that they never actually get to meet Jesus? At the start of today’s gospel some Greeks who are followers of Jesus come to Jerusalem. They are travellers, outsiders, and would like to meet Jesus in person. But when Philip and Andrew relay the request, Jesus begins to talk about how his ‘hour’ is coming. It is the last we hear of the Greeks, who disappear from the story altogether.
But they are important nonetheless. Firstly, they indicate that word about Jesus is spreading, that in the words of the Pharisees, ‘the world has gone after him’. More importantly, they prompt Jesus to reveal that, when his hour comes, he will draw ‘all people’ to himself. In the space of a few short verses, we go from a brief mention of a group of foreigners seeking Jesus, to Jesus making it crystal clear that his saving mission is for all people, of all nations, both Jews and Gentiles – including those Greeks! There is no suggestion from Jesus that some groups are ‘in’ and others ‘out’. All are included. All are invited. All are welcome.
I remember once hearing someone describe their home as a domestic church, a place of ‘indiscriminate welcome’. As we continue our journey through Lent, and soon into Holy Week, let us listen carefully to these words of Jesus. He came for all. He wishes to draw all people to himself. Are our churches, parishes, communities and homes open to all, outsiders included? Are they places of welcome and inclusion, where all who enter experience God’s love?
Tríona Doherty
Athlone, Co Roscommon
Email: [email protected]
Sunday, 25 March 2018
SEEING YOUR LIFE THROUGH THE LENS OF THE GOSPELS
Mark 14:1–15:47
- The injustice and brutality of the Passion of Jesus make it a difficult story to read as good news. Yet in the midst of that cruelty the courageous, faithful and self-sacrificing love that Jesus showed for us shines through. Recall moments when the account of the Passion has moved you in a special way. How have you experienced blessing through it?
- Human love can also be painful. When have you experienced the courage, fidelity and self-sacrifice of others in their love of you? When have you shown that kind of love to others, as a parent, a spouse, or a friend, or in some other relationship?
- We read the Passion story in the light of the resurrection. What seemed a humiliating and shameful failure for Jesus was not the end of the story. Perhaps with hindsight you can look back on something in your own life that seemed like a tragedy at the time but out of that tragedy new life and new possibilities followed for you.
- For each of us there arise situations in which we feel things are outside our control and we are utterly helpless and powerless. We are not alone in this experience. In his Passion Jesus is one with us in this human helplessness. When have you found that the presence of another with you helped you through a crisis? When have you been able to help another with your presence?
John Byrne osa
Email [email protected]
MUSINGS
The Christian home is the place where children receive the first proclamation of the faith. For this reason the family home is rightly called ‘the domestic Church’, a community of grace and prayer, a school of human virtues and of Christian charity.’ (CCC 1666)
Give us wisdom and courage, joy and faithfulness in responding to our special vocation as a Christian family, so that we may help each other to grow in grace and love to the Glory of God. Amen.
Musings between now and the World Meeting of Families are kindly being provided by Brenda Drumm of WMOF2018.
THE DEEP END: Fair weather friends
Now to the gate of my Jerusalem,
The seething holy city of my heart,
The saviour comes. But will I welcome him?
Oh crowds of easy feelings make a start;
They raise their hands, get caught up in the singing,
And think the battle won.
So begins Malcom Guite’s sonnet ‘Palm Sunday’ (Sounding the Seasons, Canterbury Press, 2012), capturing the elation of the crowds that line the streets of Jerusalem to welcome Jesus. But their loyalty is short-lived, as we discover in our reading of the Passion. Jesus is soon deserted, betrayed, denied, and left to face humiliation and death alone.
Too soon they’ll find
The challenge, the reversal he is bringing
Changes their tune.
We can all see ourselves in the Passion. There are times, when things are going smoothly, when it is easy to praise God and shout ‘Hosanna!’ There are days when we struggle, when we are confused or upset and do not know what God expects of us. We can even turn our backs on him when the going gets tough, or when we cannot find the courage to stand up for our beliefs. This week we are the disciples walking with Jesus, on a journey that leads to the cross, and beyond.
Tríona Doherty
Athlone, Co Roscommon
Email: [email protected]