Homilies by Revd George Kingsnorth (Deacon)

God wins in the End

Homily
33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sunday 17th November 2024
First reading
Daniel 12:1-3
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 145(146):7-10
Second reading
Hebrews 10:11-14,18
Gospel
Mark 13:24-32
 
Yesterday, I met a friend for coffee and as usual we discussed much that is happening in the world, the uncertainty of life and how it appears we are entering a dark time in history. As we parted, we shook hands and he said, “George, just remember, God wins in the end.”
When scriptwriters begin a project, it is usual to work out how the story should end, how things will be resolved, then it becomes easier to plot out how the main character will journey to the end. The writer can then place obstacles in the main character’s way to make things difficult for them to achieve their goals. But no matter what they will reach the end of the story.
Stories are an important part of our everyday life, we watch news reports, play computer games, watch films and, even dare I say Korean soaps that go on for 16 to 50 episodes. My wife watched one of the longer ones, constantly wishing they would hurry up as the story seemed to linger on, then when it came to the final episode, everything seemed rushed, and disjoined, as if the writers to tie loose ends up before the finale. The episode seemed confusing, and at one point we both got knocked out of the story because things didn’t make sense.
I had better own up, yes, I watched nearly half the episodes, more towards the end. Where there were gaps, I had asked my wife for a quick summary to catch up. Whole episodes she paraphrased in a few moments, and I was up to date. I must say, it is very easy to get hooked into these Korean shows. Even with the subtitles.
It may be hard to believe but we are coming to the end of another cycle. Next Sunday we celebrate Christ the King, and the week after we begin Advent, beginning Year C’s cycle of readings at Mass. So, it is apt, this week that we reflect upon the end. The last days.
The Book of Daniel reminds us that the Archangel Michael will stand guard of God’s people during a time of distress. At the end of Mass, the St Michael the Archangel prayer used to be said, asking for him to defend us in battle, to protect us against the wickedness and snares of the devil. The prayer also reminds us of how Satan and his follows prowl across our planet to turn souls away from God.
In our news, we see horrendous destruction of people and their homes, more so in Gaza, Lebanon, and Ukraine, but there is also much destruction globally, through wars and the greed of a few who are more interested in profit than the needs of the many. The recent Conference of the Parties, know as COP29, held in Azerbaijan, has been criticised by former UN heads for being more about lobbyists campaigning for the use of fossil fuels instead of looking at renewable energies. For many poorer countries, they are frustrated with 1st World Rich Countries who have exploited much of the world’s resources and are trying to prevent 3rd World Countries from developing their own natural resources. Everything seems to have been turned upside down.
Closer to home, many Catholic bishops are encouraging their flock to express their concerns about the impending votes on Assisted Dying but are being told to stay out of politics and mind their own business. A sad state-of-affairs when the people cannot be allowed to influence the leaderships of politics, especially since most of the laws were based around bible commandments.
Unfortunately, what we are being told about the conditions being put in place to safeguard against misuse, we see in countries which have adopted Medical Assistance in Dying, such as in Canada, California and Switzerland, restrictions gradually expand leading to people who feel life is not worth living being given this option. Many doctors in the UK are concerned about the new law, because if approved, has no provision for conscientious objection.
The Catholic Herald online has many articles expressing a wide range of concerns with assisted dying, especially as one of the ten commandments is “You shall not kill.”
The Book of Daniel continues describing how eager he was to discover when the end would happen. Our Lord told Daniel this was a secret and would be kept so until the End times. However, Daniel was reassured that many would be cleansed, and made white, purged of their sins, but the wicked would continue to do wrong, not knowing their fault.
Paul reminds us in Hebrews, Jesus was the sacrificial Lamb of God, who died once for all our sins, and there will come a time when sin ends. This will happen when all sins are forgiven, and the enemies of God have been crushed underfoot.
Jesus tells us, in Mark’s Gospel, there will be a time of distress, but that this distress will also come to an end. The light coming from the sun, reflected off the moon and the light from stars throughout the universe will be darkened. Then the Glory of Jesus will shine brighter than anything ever seen before, as he returns.
This is guaranteed, and we can trust in what Jesus has told us. We should take heart, and continue to prayer for St Michael, the Archangel to protect us, to use the Rosary everyday as part of Our Lady’s shield around us and know the Holy Spirit is with us.
Each day we are permitted to live on this planet should be seen as a joyous occasion. An opportunity to be cleansed of our sins and to be filled with God’s grace. We should cherish each moment as a precious gift of life and not worry about when the End will come.
Our prayers bring us nearer to God. In happiness, let us place all our hope in the Lord, Amen, Alleluia.
 
St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

What are we prepared to give up?

Homily
32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sunday 10th November 2024
First reading
1 Kings 17:10-16
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 145(146):7-10
Second reading
Hebrews 9:24-28
Gospel
Mark 12:41-44
 
A few weeks ago, in the Gospel, we heard how a rich man came up to Jesus, full of enthusiasm, and asked, ‘Good master, what must I do to inherit eternal life? Initially, Jesus questioned him about why he had called him good? No one is good but God alone. Then Jesus told him that the rich man knew the commandments and went through them with him. The rich man said he had kept them all from he was a child. You can picture the rich man smiling at Jesus, pleased with himself. Jesus looked at him steadily with love, and said to him ‘there is one thing you lack. Go and sell everything you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, then come, follow me’.
Imagine President-elect, Donald Trump being asked to sell everything. Or Elon Musk. How do you think they might respond?
Today, the two stories given are at the opposite end of the spectrum, where someone has very little but is prepared to give all. One is in the first book of Kings and the other Jesus tells his disciples what he saw being put into action.
At Sidon’s city gate, Elijah asked a widow if she could get him a little water. Initially, the widow did not refuse, but when he asked her for a scrap of bread, she had to pause and explain her situation. She had barely enough for herself and her son, expecting this to be their last meal before dying.
Elijah, gently told her not to be afraid, encouraging her to go off and use the little oil and meal she had, to bake a small scone for the three of them, and foretold what God has said the jar of meal and jug of oil would not go empty.
However, the story does not end there. The widow’s son fell ill and died. In her distress she accused Elijah of bringing her sins home to her and punishing her by taking her son. Elijah, in turn, pleaded with God not to take the boy from the woman who had been so kind to him. And the Lord heard him, and the boy’s soul returned, and he revived. When Elijah brought her son to her, she rejoiced and proclaimed him to be a man of God and that the Lord’s word was in him and was truth itself.
What Jesus had witness was how another poor widow had given every last penny she had into the treasury, not sparing any for herself to live on. Yet, those with plenty only gave a small proportion of what they had left over. It may have seemed to be vast in comparison to the poor widow, but it was miniscule compared to what they actually owned.
King Solomon built the first temple and was aware it was not possible to house God Almighty. When the Israelites sinned, King Nebuchadnezzar destroyed this temple. Seventy years later,  King Cyrus of Persia brought the Israelites out of Babylon and proclaimed “The Lord, the God of Heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, he has ordered me to build him a Temple in Jerusalem, in Judah.” The Romans destroyed the second temple in AD70. In both temples the priest sacrificed bulls and lambs, whose blood was offered as an atonement for the sins of the Israelites. None of the temple priest offered themselves as sacrifices.
Paul reminds us Jesus did not need a manmade temple to be in the presence of God because he could appear in the actual presence of God in Heaven itself, to be an advocate, a mediator on our behalf.
When Jesus, the son of God, entered this world to be with us, he gave up everything he had. He gave up his authority and power, humbling himself to become lower than the angels, and act Satan could not agree with. Jesus gave up everything to offer himself as a sacrifice for us, to die on the cross for our sins.
So far this year, since last Christmas, we have come to Mass at least forty-five times, if we attended once a week. We may have received the Eucharist each time, but Jesus died for us only once. He is not being offered time, and time again. Only once did he die on the cross, taking on all the sins of ever human being who ever lived and who ever will.
Paul reminds us, we too only die once, and then are judged, but if we have put all our trust in him, we have nothing to fear, because Jesus promises us eternal life. What we need to nourish us will never become depleted. The Jug of Oil will not dry up. The Jar of Meal will be plentiful.
As we wait patiently for Jesus’s Second Coming, if we keep on being faithful, even if we have to die, Jesus will crown us with eternal life. Therefore, do not be tempted by what the world appears to offer because it will make false promises and tell us lies to try and persuade us away from God. Material things corrode and fall apart, nothing lasts for long. What we have to learn to do is give our lives up to Jesus, he will shoulder our burdens. If we wait for him faithfully, salvation with be our reward.
In the Beatitudes, Jesus said, “How happy are the poor in spirit: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
We say, Amen! Alleluia!
 
 
 

Our heart drives us forward

Homily
22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sunday 1st September 2024
First reading
Deuteronomy 4:1-2,6-8
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 14(15):2-5
Second reading
James 1:17-18,21-22,27
Gospel
Mark 7:1-8,14-15,21-23
 
My mum has a saying, you may have heard it yourself, she says, “If things don’t change, they’ll stay the same”. However, what I have found is everything changes, nothing stays the same. The clock keeps ticking, the sun rises and falls. The seasons change. The garden changes, the weeds grow, so does the brambles, as does the grass. There is a constant need for maintenance. And if you don’t keep up, then things do get on top of you. Sometimes it can be hard to decide where to start.
Many find the workday goes past so fast and it seems like nothing gets done. The harder you try to get through the tower of paperwork, the higher it gets. In our technological age, where everything has gone paperless, the evidence may not be littered around the office, but the email folders certainly do, bulging with hundreds of emails each day. I remember having 32,000 unread emails in the Inbox, and it took ages to delete. And they remained unread. There wasn’t enough time to go through them and take any actions.
We have become slaves to what our offices require of us, demanding more of our time, but we must be more productive and efficient. Are these the human traditions that we are clinging to now?
I heard a story of a Chinese immigrant who had fought for his faith in China, and no matter what the authorities tried to do to him, they could not shake his beliefs. Yet as soon as he arrived in the West and started to work, he could find no more time to go to Church. Where he thought he would have religious freedom, the traditions we have all succumbed to in our daily lives had robbed him of his Christian practice.
Our laws and customs, the ones we are forced to follow in our daily lives do not seem to be designed to give us life but appear to be robbing our souls of eternal life. We are conditions through our education and on into work to practice in a certain way. But our lives seem to have been robbed from us. We are constantly being encouraged to think about the future, when we can have a better life, yet like a dangling carrot, that future never seems to materialise quite as we may have expected.
If we read the Bible, quite often we will find how life was not too dissimilar to ours. The technology may be different, but people’s attitudes seem to be the same. Most want to rebel against the rule of Law, seeing it to be restrictive. Moses was given ten simple rules to follow, but the Pharisees had over complicated everything in their interpretation which seemed to tie people up in knots. From the start of the Bible to the end, the stories told are of how God had tried to lead humans into a prosperous life, if only they would follow his simple methods. But we humans tend to want to go it alone, to do things our way, and when we do, everything goes wrong.
Moses simply asked the people to observe the laws he had been given, and by following them God had promised they would have eternal life. By carrying out these laws, the Israelites would be able to demonstrate wisdom and understanding, that would be recognised by others, who would want to follow them.
In James’s letter, he reminds us that we have all been planted with the word of God, which guides us to the truth. He encourages us to make it our lives not simply listen to it and deceive ourselves into thinking we do not need to practice what the word says.
Jesus warns us not to pay lip-service, to simply practice our faith without our hearts being in it. If we are acting in automatic mode, without understanding what it is we are doing, then our worship is worthless. What is in our heart’s matters. If we are driven by our selfish ways, then we will be letting evil be our driver. Jesus tells us that it is from our hearts that evil emerges which leads to sexual relationships outside of marriage, theft, murder, sexual relationships with someone other than our married partner, greed, spitefulness, deception, vulgar behaviour, jealousy, lying about another to damage their reputation, being arrogant and scornful, and being foolish or stupid.
It is from our hearts that we are motivated. Our heart drives us forward, it is the beat we march too. If what influences us is this world, our path will lead us to death. If our focus is on following God, our journey will lead to eternal life. If we follow the Word of God, we will never wrong our brother or sister. If we keep our promise, no matter what, help others without taking interest, do not accept bribes that will allow the innocent to be convicted, we will stand firm for eternity and live in the presence of the Lord.
Your words are spirit, Lord, and they are life.
Amen.
 
 
 

What are the seven pillars Wisdom built her house on?

Homily
20th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sunday 18th August 2024
First reading
Proverbs 9:1-6
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 33(34):2-3,10-15
Second reading
Ephesians 5:15-20
Gospel
John 6:51-58
 
In the first reading from Proverbs, I wanted to know what are the seven pillars Wisdom built her house on? We are used to our houses being build on a foundation that will keep the building solid. In the new estate being built in Dromintee, the foundation came first, followed by a wooden frame and a roof. Then came the bricks, the windows and all the internal fittings and plumbing.
What the seven pillars are in Proverbs, are not individually mentioned, but the letter of James does. The first is being pure; the second being peaceable; the third being considerate and kind; the fourth being willing to yield, in other words, will accept correction and know when not to push forward; the fifth being full of mercy and being compassionate; the sixth is being impartial and the seventh being sincere. (Hopler, 2022)
Purity requires us to prioritise our lives to be holy. We are encouraged to be peace-loving so we can get on with others and build relationships. In being considerate we show our respect for others and are careful in our choice of actions and words. Being willing to yield is to be humble and sensible. By being merciful we are showing kindness, and our actions are compassionate so we can help make good things happen. Impartiality shows our commitment to being faithful, fair and just, allowing God to show us the way. Sincerity indicates we care for the truth, integrity and being genuine. (Hopler, 2022)
These are the pillars Wisdom has built her house on, and to celebrate she has prepared a banquet for those she intends to invite into her home. The people she is calling are the ignorant, the foolish and those who are filling their lives with folly. The suggestion is that the folly brings death as to leave the folly brings life.
Who are the ignorant? The ignorant are the ones lacking knowledge, the uneducated and unsophisticated, or those who are rude, ill-mannered or crude. Often these are terms used when someone who thinks they are superior passes judgment on another to belittle them.
Who are the fools? The fool is associated with the jester, the clown, the idiot and the one who has been duped, tricked or deceived. Again, these could be judgments made by those who see themselves as being above another, lording themselves over someone they see as inferior.
What is a folly? In Old French this term meant being mad or stupid. Often a person’s actions were considered to be non-sensical or crazy, when another judged them who disagreed with their point of view.
Yet, it is those who are considered to be the lowly, the humble, the insignificant, the servant, and the slave who are being called, because these are the people who are prepared to listen, who are prepared to take correction, who have no self-importance and are prepared to put their trust in Our Lord Jesus Christ, the faithful, the kind, the compassionate, the ones who are impartial and sincere.
These are the people who have not spoken evil of another, have not used deception to better themselves but have attempted to do their best through peaceful means and are prepared to take instruction when needing to be corrected, knowing this will lead to a better life.
In our world, everything seems to have been turned upside down. The term ‘wicked’ is said to mean good, or ‘sick’ meaning impressive. Then there is the term ‘tight’ used instead of meaning confined, in slang means cool.
Much of what we, as Christians see as being bad, in this world is considered good. Abortion, Euthanasia, Fornication, Divorce, Adultery, Lying, and much more. In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus is tested by the Pharisees about why Moses allowed for divorce. Jesus’ initial response was because they were unteachable. He had previously told them how the creator from the beginning had made man both male and female, which is why a man must leave his father and mother and cling to his wife, and the two become one body. What God unites man must not divide.
When the disciples quizzed Jesus about whether a husband and wife should marry, he reminded them that not everyone can accept what he said, but only those who are granted so. Jesus then talks about three types of Eunuch who cannot marry, firstly those born with physical defects, those who were castrated by others, and those who chose not to marry but to remain celibate for the Kingdom of God. To reassure the disciples he asked them to accept this if they could, but it was a choice to be made by each individual.
In this modern age, many have rejected what the Lord has asked of each of us. They have turned their back on him, accepting other ideologies, wrongly assuming that they will be free. In Ezekiel, the bride is described as someone the Lord saw needed to be purifies. The bride referred to Jerusalem, but though she was given everything, she became infatuated with her beauty, she chased fame prostituting herself for her services. She became self-centred.
Eventually, shame brings her to silence and, because God loves her, she will be pardoned. When Jesus took on all our shame and sin, the sin of his bride, the people of his church, we were cleansed in the blood and water that flowed from his side. Though because of our sins, we should die, but we are saved and can live forever because of the sacrifice made on Calvary.
We are invited to the supper of the Lord, the Lamb of God, who takes away our sins, which include pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, anger, and sloth (Petruzzello, 2024). The seven heavenly virtues are humility, charity, chastity, gratitude, temperance, patience and diligence (Petruzzello, 2024). Not too different from Wisdom’s seven pillars.
Our Lord is inviting us to wake up, to be ready to receive his free gift, the living bread which has come down from heaven. This life-giving bread is his real body and real blood, which we receive in the Eucharist. As children we are given the foundation of our faith, passed on by our parents, schools and the Church. As age takes the better of us, we become cynical, hardened by what life throws at us, and possibly disillusioned by what we have experienced. Yet, in Matthew, Mark and Luke’s Gospels, Jesus tells us that we must have the openness of a child to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Is this not what Wisdom also asks of us? Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever. Come and receive the Lord into your hearts.
Amen.
References
ACP. (2024, August). 18 Aug 2024 – 20th Sunday (Year B). Retrieved from Association of Catholic Priests: https://associationofcatholicpriests.ie/homily-resource/18-aug-2024-20th-sunday-year-b/
Blizzard, R. B. (2019). Proverbs 9:1. Retrieved from Bible Scholars: https://www.biblescholars.org/2013/05/proverbs-91.html#:~:text=Proverbs%2015%3A23%2C%20%22The,riches%20and%20(7)%20honor.
Harmer, J. (2022, March 6). A Complete List of Things Christians Can’t Do. Retrieved from Purpose in Christ: https://purposeinchrist.com/a-complete-list-of-things-christians-cant-do/
Hopler, W. (2022, January 13). What Are the Seven Pillars of Wisdom? Retrieved from Crosswalk: https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/what-are-the-seven-pillars-of-wisdom.html#:~:text=James%203%3A17%20describes%20the,seven%20often%20symbolizes%20fullness%20and
Hull, C. T. (2024, July 4). The Great Inversion of Our Age. Retrieved from Catholic Exchange: https://catholicexchange.com/the-great-inversion-of-our-age/
O'Callaghan, P. (2017, April 4). Cultural challenges to faith: a reflection on the dynamics of modernity. Retrieved from Taylor & Francis Online: Church, Communications and Culture: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23753234.2017.1287281
Petruzzello, M. (2024, July 28). Seven deadly sins -Theology. Retrieved from Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/topic/seven-deadly-sins
 
 
 

The living bread which has come down from heaven

Homily
19th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sunday 11th August 2024
First reading
1 Kings 19:4-8
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 33(34):2-9
Second reading
Ephesians 4:30-5:2
Gospel
John 6:41-51
 
In today’s first reading, we hear that Elijah has had enough and wants to die. He wanted God to take his life. In his exhaustion he fell asleep but was disturbed by an angel who woke him up to feed him in preparation for a journey. Elijah stubbornly laid down again and was forced by the angel to eat more, so he could survive a journey God wanted him to undertake. A journey of forty days and forty nights.
Up until this time, Elijah had been following what the Lord had asked him to do. The ruler was Ahab who was a follower of Baal, encouraged by his wife, Jezebel. She had had God’s prophets butchered. Not many were left but Elijah was told by God to present himself to Ahab and chastise him for abandoning the Lord.
Four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal were gathered on Mount Carmel to challenge Elijah to bring down fire from heaven on a sacrifice. The punishment for those who failed was death. The prophets of Baal attempted first but no matter what they did, nothing happened, and this went on all morning and beyond midday. Then it was Elijah’s turn.
It was a time of drought, so water was precious but Elijah, having taken 12 rocks to represent each tribe of Israel, built an altar and ordered a trench to be dug around it. The sacrificial bull was cut up and a wood pile built for this burnt offering. Then Elijah asked for the bull, wood, rocks and trench to be covered with water, so the trench was full. Wet wood is hard to light. Elijah began to pray, ‘O Lord, God of Abrham, Isaac and Israel, let them know today that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, that I have done all these things at your command. Answer me, Lord, answer me, so that this people may know that you, the Lord, are God and are winning back their hearts’ (1 Kings 18:36).
Immediately, fire fell from Heaven, consuming the rocks, the wood, the sacrificial bull and all the water in the trench. People fell on their knees shouting, ‘The Lord is God, The Lord is God’ (1 Kings 18:39). All the 450 prophets of Baal were put to death. Elijah told Ahab to eat and drink before the rain came, then climbed Mount Carmel. After Ahab finished his meal, he raced back on a chariot to tell Jezebel what had happened. Before he reached his destination a torrent of rain fell. Jezebel was furious with Elijah and vowed to have him killed, which is why he fled in terror for his own life.
Elijah had given in to his own fears, even though all the while God was showing him that He was with him, and nothing could go against him. God sent his messenger to feed Elijah, to give him the strength to carry on, even though he wanted to give up. What he was given sustained him for forty days and forty nights to allow him to complete his journey.
Jesus was baptised in the Jordan. As he came up out of the water the Holy Spirit descended upon him in the form of a dove, as witnessed by John the Baptist (John 1:32; Luke 3:22). Then filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus was led into the wilderness for forty days and nights to be tempted by the devil, who tried to encourage him to turn a stone into a loaf of bread (Luke 4:3). Jesus said’ “Scripture says: Man does not live on bread alone” ‘(Luke 4:4).
Each of us are tempted to give up as Elijah did, but in today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us we can come to him, only because God the Father calls us to do so. Our Father in Heaven called Elijah and provided him with the bread he needed to accomplish his journey. Mark’s Gospel tells us all through Jesus’s trials in the wilderness, ‘the angels looked after him’ (Mark 1:13) Matthew’s Gospel tells us it was the devil who gave up (Matthew 4:11).
In John’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us that when the Israelite’s were in the wilderness, God provided them with bread from heaven, so they would not die. Yet, we get to share, today the living bread from Heaven as we celebrate the Eucharist. The manna only lasted a day, if anyone kept some for the next day it smelt and was maggot ridden, except for on the sixth day when they were allowed to gather enough for the Sabbath, when God rested (Exodus 16: 19-20; 22-24).
However, Jesus tells us he is the living bread which has come down from heaven. And when we eat this, we will live forever. This bread is his flesh which we receive today. On the cross, Jesus sacrificed himself so that we would live.
Through our baptisms, we have been indelibly marked with the Holy Spirit’s seal, which sets us free from the slavery of this world. We are encouraged to imitate God and be forgiving, as we have been forgiven. If we continue to go our old ways, holding grudges, getting angry and shouting, name calling and being nasty toward our fellow humans, we are not walking in God’s way.
Every human being on this planet is one of God’s children. He is everyone’s creator, whether we believe it or not. Paul tells us we are to “be friends with one another, kind, forgiving each other as readily as God forgives us in Christ” (Ephesians 4:32). All through the Old Testament, the Israelites were reminded they were foreigners in Egypt and therefore must not mistreat other foreigners. If you look at anyone of our DNA, you will also find that we are strangers in the land we call home.
We still have a long journey ahead. Jesus calls us to his supper so that we can be sustained with what we need to complete the course.
Amen.

What must we do if we are to do the works that God wants?

Homily
18th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sunday 4th August 2024
First reading
Exodus 16:2-4,12-15
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 77(78):3-4,23-25,54
Second reading
Ephesians 4:17,20-24
Gospel
John 6:24-35
 
Last weekend, it was an experience to be down in the Carrickdale Hotel, near Jonesborough, to watch the All-Ireland Final. The fans were there early. They were hungry for success. It had been 22 years since Armagh had one.
As Armagh scored each point, the floorboards vibrated with the adulations and joy of fans jumping up and down in sheer delight.
It was close. Then Aaron McKay scored the goal for Armagh (Russel, 2024) (Mohan, 2024), the roar was mighty. It was still a tough game, and towards the end as the Armagh’s goalie kicked out three balls intercepted by Galway, everyone’s heart sank. After 6 minutes of injury time the whistle was blown, and Armagh was victorious by one point. All around me fans were jumping around ecstatic.
Another year over. And the journey begins, all over again next year, with all the counties chasing after the Sam McGuire Cup to be champions. All will be hungry for victory, but the memory of past victories will fade.
Like much in the world our appetite is never satisfied, our joys are only momentary. So much effort goes into preparing for these events. We are driven by the hope of success and the adulation. St Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians tells of many athletes racing for a prize, but only one wins it, a simple laurel, which quickly withers away (Paul., 2007).  He reminds us we are all in a race, but one where the prize will never wither away. He believed it was important to push himself hard, both physically and mentally so that he would not be disqualified (Paul., 2007). He knew he could still stumble.
In today’s second reading, Paul tells the Ephesians that we are not to lead aimless lives in the same way as the pagans. He urges us to listen to the truth that Jesus taught, which requires us to change our old selfish way, corrupted by our desires. If we follow what this world is selling, it will lead us nowhere. In fact, the truth be told, we can be led to despair because what this world offers can never satisfy the emptiness which often fills our hearts. We can find ourselves on a merry-go-round to be fulfilled by one ambition after another, trying to fix our lives and constantly struggling but never being satisfied. This is what Paul calls illusory desires.
For some, this could be chasing a dream to be famous as a singer, filmmaker, YouTube influencer or TIKTOK hit. Then to find that promoting yourself, there is a monster that can never be satisfied. It consumes your every moment to produce more and more content, chasing millions of viewers and subscribers but never gaining any financial reward.
Those who work in the film, games, and music industry are mostly overworked and underpaid. Even trying to get educated, now requires so much money, and once one qualification has been achieved, another is required, then another. My generation was encouraged to go to college to get degrees and higher national diplomas. I once got a job as a lecturer with a degree and postgraduate diploma, but then the goal posts changed and to teach in a university you needed a PhD.
A good second-hand car could last for years, but now we are being encouraged to consider electric cars, which cost twice as much money, struggles to cover the distances we often need to travel and may not last as long.
The world has got faster and wants us to change recent purchases, for something better, almost as soon as they arrive on our doorsteps. We are encouraged to be unsatisfied. Our cravings remain unfulfilled and empty, physically, mentally and spiritually.
In the book of Exodus, God provides everything that the Israelites needed. In the evenings, quails flew into the camps so they could eat meat, and in the morning, manna lay on the ground, bread sent from heaven. The Israelites could eat to their hearts content. In the same way, in last week’s Gospel, five thousand were fed until they were no longer hungry, and afterwards twelve hampers were filled from the scraps made from five barley loaves and two fish, given by a small boy.
In today’s Gospel the people chase after Jesus for more food to fill their bellies. Yet, they had not realised that they did not have to work for this food, because God would provide them abundantly with what they needed. All that was required of them was to believe in Jesus, who is the bread of life. He has promised that everyone who comes to him will never hunger and will never thirst. The crucial point is made in today’s Gospel Acclamation where Jesus says, “I am the Way, the truth and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through me. We are asked to put aside our old ways, our old pagan lives, which lead to corruption and to renew our minds through a spiritual revolution into a new self, created in God’s way.
Many people worry about how they will live and afford to get by. Yet, in my experience in life, our needs seem to be provided for, if we trust in Jesus. Doors will open, if we are open to receive with thanks.
Within the two weeks between the semi-final and Armagh winning the All-Ireland this year, a small group of people were inspired to produce over 80 sets of Rosary-beads to give to the team and to pray for them to win. Last Sunday their prayers were answered. The teams still need to practice, the same as we still need to practice our faith. Our prayers can open doors, especially if we no longer rely on ourselves to solve our worldly problems but hand them over to God and give him praise and thanks for helping us through.
The small boy gave his five loaves and two fish with thanks. It was a thanksgiving that fed over five thousand people and filled twelve baskets with the scraps. Today we are here to give thanks to Our Lord for giving himself to us. We call this Eucharist, which comes from the Greek word ‘eucharistia’, meaning thanksgiving and references the Jewish blessing said at mealtimes to give thanks to God (Kosloski, 2017). We are encouraged to thank God for allowing Our Lord Jesus Christ to be a sacrifice for our sins, so we can be redeemed. Let us thank God for giving us our daily bread and let us believe we can be champions in following God’s way.
Amen.
 
 
References
Byrnes, B. (2024, July 28). Homily notes: 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B. Retrieved from Australian Catholic Educational Hub: https://www.australiancatholics.com.au/homily-notes-18-sun-year-b-2024
Catholic, Y. (2024, August 4). 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B. Retrieved from Young Catholic: https://young-catholics.com/3353/18th-sunday-in-ordinary-time-year-b/
Kosloski, P. (2017, November 18). What does the word “eucharist” mean? Retrieved from Aleteia: Spirituality: https://aleteia.org/2017/11/18/what-does-the-word-eucharist-mean
Mohan, D. (2024, July 28). Armagh win All-Ireland for first time in 22 years - as it happened. Retrieved from BBC Sport: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/ckkgz5wp0n3t#:~:text=The%20Orchard%20County%20will%20have,time%20and%20they%20stayed%20there.
Paul., S. (2007). 1 Corinthians 10:24-27. In C. T. Society, The CTS New Catholic Bible Standard Edition (p. 2252). London: Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd.
Russel, A. (2024, July 28). As it happened: Galway v Armagh, All-Ireland football final . Retrieved from Irish Examiner: https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-41445361.html#:~:text=Drama%20right%20until%20the%20end,for%20just%20the%20second%20time.&text=75%20mins%20Galway%200%2D13,the%20post%20and%20goes%20wide.
Scanlon, J. (2012, August 5). Homily 18th Sunday Ordinary Time Year B - Spiritual Revolution. Retrieved from Reflections on Christian teaching and life in our parishes: https://www.deaconjohn.co.uk/2012/07/homily-18th-sunday-ordinary-time-year-b.html
Tunnicliff, J. S. (2021, August 1). 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B – Homily. Retrieved from Renewal of Faith: https://renewaloffaith.org/18th-sunday-in-ordinary-time-year-b-homily-3/
 
 

A Flock without a Shepherd

Homily
16th Sunday in Ordinary Time
21st July 2024
First reading
Jeremiah 23:1-6
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 22(23)
Second reading
Ephesians 2:13-18
Gospel
Mark 6:30-34
 
In preparing for this homily, I reviewed what others were saying. Some said keep it short and simple. Another said it’s about being lost and found. But the one point that struck me most was a comment by Father Hanly in his on-line Homily from 2009:
“Remember that. You do not convert people with your mouth, you convert them with your life.” (Hanly, 2009)
Being a Christian is not about what you say. In today’s world we see many leaders making promises which are often never kept. Much of this year has been taken up with elections of one kind or another.
Russia had one with a massive majority. With no opposition, it was a landslide victory allowing their leader to remain in power from the end of 1999 (European Union, 2024).
France had a snap election for a new prime minister. In the first round, it looked like the far-right would gain power, but various left-leaning parties rallied round to prevent this happening in the second stage. However, the president managed to secure enough votes with his centre-right party to control the National Assembly (Goury-Laffont, 2024).
The UK had its election around the same time, with a landslide by Labour with 412 seats to the Conservative’s 121 seats (Leach, 2024) but there were less people out voting than there had been in 2019. Labour had over 10 million votes in 2019, against Conservatives nearly 14 million votes (Clark, 2024). However, in 2024 Labour had around 9.7 million votes to win the election, against the Conservatives’ 6.8 million (Leach, 2024) (Cracknel & Baker, 2024).
The next big election coming up in the West is in the USA. Donald Trump was grazed by an assassin’s bullet and thanked God for being alive (Fitzgerald, 2024), while Joe Biden said in an interview it would take God to come down and ask him to step aside because of concern for his mental and physical health (Shear, 2024). The next day he was reported to have COVID and had to self-isolate (Gray, 2024). He is now considering his options (Lee, 2024).
The outcome of this election has the potential to shift world politics and change alliances at a crucial point with the war in Ukraine (Foy, 2024), China’s threats to Taiwan (Reuters, 2024) (Foy, 2024), and how the African Nations and Asian countries are realigning themselves toward Russia and away from the Imperial oppressors from the past (Banchereau, 2024).
The stories above have been referenced from a range of media outlets. The news on Friday was how a piece of faulty security software caused worldwide havoc across corporates, governments, transport and especially hospitals (Graham-McLay, 2024).
It seems that not a day goes past that something major erupts and impacts our lives. Not dissimilar to how Jeremiah reprimands the leaders of Israel in the first reading, for allowing their flock to be scattered and destroyed under their watch. God was angry because those who were in charge were more concerned about themselves and did not care about the people. Yet, in all this disaster, God promised to bring a true king from the line of David, who would have integrity to save the flock so they could live in confidence.
The psalm reminds us that the Lord is our shepherd, and we will want for nothing. Paul tells the Ephesians that those who are far apart will be brought together in peace. Barriers will be broken down that kept people apart. This has been achieved through Jesus dying on the cross for our sins, and we have been forgiven. Allowing us to be reunited with the Father, guided by the Holy Spirit.
The Gospel, tells us how the Apostles after their journey to spread the Word, cast out demons and had healed the sick, were weary when they met up with Jesus. He could see they needed rest and wanted to take them away, a kind of retreat. They were so busy they had no time to eat.
Initially, Jesus had taken the Apostles by boat to find a place to rest, but the people were so eager to be with him they worked out where they had gone and were able to get there before them. Seeing the large crowd as he stepped off the boat, he saw how they were leaderless, and needed someone to guide them.
Today, we need that same kind of leadership and guidance as our world looks fit to break itself apart, scattering everyone in all directions. Our minds have been dulled, our ears can no longer take in the roar and our eyes have been blinded by a deluge of images. We find it hard to process everything as our anxieties are being heightened. We may feel like crying.
Did you know crying is the body’s way to cope with stress? (Sinha Dutta, 2024) It helps to enhance our mood, and the deep breathing encourages us to calm down. It is a natural way to help bring our emotions under control.
I started this Homily by reflecting on how it is not what we say that brings about conversion, but how we live our lives. Each day God grants us on this planet we can share our time with others and help them along their journey. If we can form habits in our lives that can see the benefits God has brought to us, this will be reflected in our actions and the way we deal with others. If we are angry all the time, this will also ripple through to those around us who will feel it and respond in kind. But if we can see good in those we meet, greet them with respect and love them as we love ourselves, this will also be reflected in how people respond.
What I love about watching a GAA match, is that no matter how hard the game is, the players from both teams, at the end, walk across the field and shake each other’s hands. The spectators are not clumped in two separate groups, both team colours are all together, to enjoy the experience. It is a family event, and all feel safe.
If we can show people our faith and trust in Jesus, his light will shine through us. Others will want to follow, and we can lead them to Our Lord through what we do and how we act. Not through what we say. The Lord is knocking at our door and is waiting for us to answer his call. If we open our hearts to him, he will come into our lives and will dine with us.
Amen.
References
Clark, D. (2024, July 4). Number of votes won in the general election of the United Kingdom in 2019. Retrieved from Statista: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1084308/uk-general-election-results/
Cracknel, R. B. (2024). General election 2024 results. London: House of Commons Library. Retrieved from https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-10009/CBP-10009.pdf
European Union. (2024, March 13). Russia's 2024 presidential election: What is at stake and what is not. Retrieved from Think Tank European Parliament: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2024/760358/EPRS_BRI(2024)760358_EN.pdf
Fitzgerald, J. (2024, July 19). Trump recounts shooting in marathon Republican convention speech. Retrieved from BBC NEws: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4ngwmjedm3o
Goury-Laffont, V. (2024, July 18). Macron wins shock vote to keep coalition hopes alive. Retrieved from Politico: https://www.politico.eu/article/emmanuel-macron-france-shock-vote-coalition-centrist-thursday-president-elections-2024-nfp/
Gray, F. (2024, July 18). Joe Biden has caught covid at the worst possible time. Retrieved from The Spectator: https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/joe-biden-has-caught-covid-at-the-worst-possible-time/
Hanly. (2009, 7 19). 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B. Retrieved from Father Hanly.com: https://fatherhanly.com/journey-with-father/year-b-16th-sunday-in-ordinary-time/
Leach, A. e. (2024, July 5). UK general election results in full: Labour wins in landslide. Retrieved from The Guardian Newspaper: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/ng-interactive/2024/jul/04/uk-general-election-results-2024-live-in-full
Lee, C. E. (2024, July 19). Biden's family starts discussing his possible exit plan from the 2024 race. Retrieved from NBC News: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/joe-biden/bidens-family-starts-discussing-exit-plan-2024-race-rcna162658
Shear, M. D. (2024, July 7). A Defiant Biden Says Only the ‘Lord Almighty’ Could Drive Him From the Race. Retrieved from The New York Times: Biden's family starts discussing his possible exit plan from the 2024 race
 
 
 

Just a simple shepherd.

Homily
15th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sunday 14th July 2024
First reading
Amos 7:12-15
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 84(85):9-14
Second reading
Ephesians 1:3-10
Gospel
Mark 6:7-13
 
At this time of year, many students are beginning to settle into their summer breaks. The end of year exams is over, and they can breathe a sigh of relief because they can focus on more leisurely activities and put the grind of education behind them. Some students will be nervously waiting to hear their results which come out in August, and they will be worrying about whether they achieved the passes, merits, distinctions, distinction stars, A stars or so many points that will allow them to go on to study at college or university.
Some will be concerned that even if they get their desired results, will they be able to get the student loan or manage to get a scholarship so they can afford to take the next step. A lot of effort has gone into getting to this point. Long nights studying and revising, anxieties about whether they have it in them to sit the exams or write the assignments to a level that demonstrates their mastery over the subject they are studying.
In this world, so much effort is put into achieving a set of exams that will lead on to another set of exams, from GCSE and A level courses in Northern Ireland, to Junior Certificate and Leaving Certificate in the Republic. Diplomas, Degrees, Master and PhDs.
All this to prove to a potential employer that we have reached a level of education to earn a reasonable living based on knowledge achieved.
I remember while studying, someone said look after those who get A stars, they’ll be the ones who will get PhDs and lead research into new science, technologies and everything else you can think of. Look after those with Bs and they will get the Degrees and Diplomas, they’ll be the managers. Look after the Cs and Ds, they will be your workers. But those you need to take care of most are those who fail the courses. Why?
It's simple, they will be the ones running the companies that employ all the others. They will be the shepherds, the ones who think outside the box. The ones who are not frightened to dream and see all kinds of possibilities, having the courage to make things work where others did not believe it could be done. They are the ones who will listen to the call, where others have doubts, they will believe.
Amos was considered a nuisance by Amaziah, the priest of Bethel. Amaziah wasn’t interested in prophets. But Amos was just a simple shepherd looking after a flock of sheep. Yet, his mind wasn’t clouded by what the brotherhoods of prophets were taught. His mind was open and heard the Lord call. And he trusted in him and obeyed. He was simply asked to “Go, preach to my people”.
The Psalm reminds us that if we are faithful, show mercy, bring justice and peace, the world will become faithful, and justice will come down from heaven. Those who trust in God, will prosper, the earth will be fruitful and there will be peace.
Paul tells the Ephesians that each one of us has been chosen by Christ before we were born, we are his adopted brothers and sisters. Through his death we have been saved, and his purpose will no longer be a mystery to us. God’s grace will bring us wisdom and we will know the right path we have been called to follow.
Jesus chose his Twelve disciples and then sent them out in twos. They preached repentance and Jesus had given them authority to cast out demons. They were able to cure many sick people. They were told to simply trust in God, to not prepare for the journey, to bring no provisions, no money and take the charity offered to them. If they went into a home and they were welcomed they were to stay there until their work was done, but if they were shunned, they were to brush the dust off their feet. God would provide them with all their needs, all they had to do was follow his instructions.
In today’s world, if God has called you to read for a doctorate, he will make this path clear for you and provide for all your needs. If you find that you have not achieved the qualifications you had hope for, know that your path has a different journey, and your education will take a different route but is just as important as anyone with a PhD.
Each one of us has a purpose in this life and we will be provided with all we need when we need it, if we put our faith in the Lord. The journey will have it’s ups and downs. Yet, if we have the courage to admit when we have gone wrong and can learn from these mistakes, especially when we realise how we have journeyed away from God, we will see our lives improve. God will allow us to prosper, will shower us with wisdom and give us the authority we need to fulfil his purpose for our lives. When we examine our own conscience and listen to what God asks us to do, the results will be the highest grades we need.
Amen.
 

Full of contempt, full of scorn for the rich and the disdain of a proud man.

Homily
14th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B
Sunday 7th July 2024
by Reverend George Kingsnorth (Deacon)
First reading
Ezekiel 2:2-5
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 122(123)
Second reading
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Gospel
Mark 6:1-6
 
Today’s psalm talks about us being full of contempt, our soul full of scorn for the rich and with the disdain of a proud man. The Cambridge Dictionary defines the word contempt in two ways. The first meaning “a strong feeling of dislike and having no respect for someone or something” (Press, 2024). An example given is a pupil having complete contempt for every one of her schoolteachers, they were beneath her. A second definition is “behaviour that is illegal because it does not obey or respect the rules of a law court” (Press, 2024). The example here is a corporation being guilty of contempt of court for refusing to produce requested documents.
In today’s politics across the globe there are many instances of contemptuous leaders sending ordinary people to fight in their wars. On the BBC there was a report about how Ukrainian soldiers were getting exhausted having to machine gun waves of Russian troops to defend their position (Corera, 2024). In this situation, there was a sense of contempt from how the Ukrainian soldiers saw their Russian foe, but also how the Russian leadership believe their own people are simply cannon fodder, and if you throw enough of them at the enemy you will win. This assumption is based on the belief that there are plenty more to send wave after wave.
In the early part of this new European war, many Russian soldiers were led to believe that every Ukrainian was a Nazi. This was the reason for sending an occupational force. The memories of how SS Troops had brutalised Russians during the Great Patriotic War, where Nazi Germany attempted to annihilate the Soviet Union with 3,500,000 soldiers (Dawsey, 2022). Soviet prisoners were seen in such contempt by the invading forces, they were treated savagely as sub-human. This is a tactic used by leaders to vilify their enemy so their armies would slaughter the foe.
The “General Plan for the East” was to decimate the population of Russian cities and to starve up to 30 million people (Dawsey, 2022). Thankfully, this plan was never enacted.
Ukraine came under German influence in 1941, with 17 million people coming under their rule (Dawsey, 2022). Initially, Ukrainians saw the Germans as allies against the Soviets, but the Nazis forced Ukrainians into servitude (Hajda, 2024). Approximately 1.5 million Ukrainian Jews died in mass killings, and 2.2 million Ukrainians were sent to Germany as slave labour (Hajda, 2024).
When the Soviet Union began to push back in 1943 (Hajda, 2024), the cost to the USSR was 1 million soldiers to remove the Germans from Ukraine (Dawsey, 2022). At this time, the 14th Division of Ukrainian SS was set up made up of Ukrainian volunteers (Pugliese, 2020) (Yousif, 2023). By the end of the Great Patriotic War, the USSR had lost roughly 24,000,000 souls (Dawsey, 2022) and in Ukraine, an estimated “7 million people perished” (Hajda, 2024). Sadly, after the war, under Stalin, it is estimated that nearly 62 million people died due to the Communist Party (Rummel, 2002).
These are only a few examples that link current wars with those of the past century. There is much more, but too much to go into here. The key point is how vast populations can be seen with contempt by a relatively small number of people. Such figures can be seen as overwhelming, and when faced with such details, we can feel insignificant, and that our actions are futile.
Jesus returned to his hometown, but there due to the lack of faith of most of the people who thought they knew him he was unable to work miracles, only a small number were cured because they believed in him. The majority saw him with contempt.
Paul found that an angel of Satan had given him a thorn in his flesh, and though he asked several times to be relieved of his pain, Jesus told him, his grace was enough, so he would not get proud. Paul realised that even though he was suffered hardships, insults and persecution, because of his faith in Christ, his weakness was his asset, not his strength.
When we believe we can solve the problems, we tend to go it alone, under our own strength. Yet, this is when we will almost certainly fail. On our own we are fragile and no match for the forces of Satan. We can easily be crushed. When we realised how weak we are, it is then that we know the only way is to let Jesus into our lives.
When God’s spirit went into Ezekiel, making him stand and was able to hear the Lord speak to him. God was able to send him as his messenger to the rebellious Israelites who turned away from him, were defiant and obstinate. All Ezekiel had to do was pass on the message. Whether they listened or not, the revolutionaries would know a prophet was among them.
In our lives, we must reflect upon what is causing us to rebel against God. How have we been misled into being contemptuous towards others? Who have we judged, even though we are asked to love one another as we love ourselves? We are asked to treat others as we wish to be treated. In Matthew, Jesus tells us “Do not judge, or you to will be judged”. The way we measure others, we will be measured by the same standards. By loving others, God will love us. In our human strength, we will be lost. Through our weaknesses, God can show his strength, and nothing can stand against us, simply because we have given ourselves over to Him.
As the Gospel Acclamation says: The Lord has sent me to bring the good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives. Alleluia.
References
Corera, G. (2024, July 4). Ukraine calls them meat assaults: Russia's brutal plan to take ground. Retrieved from BBC News: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c80xjne8ryxo
Dawsey, J. (2022, March 18). Remembrance of the Great Patriotic War and Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine. Retrieved from The National WWII Museum - New Orleans: https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/great-patriotic-war-russia-invasion-ukraine#:~:text=The%20Second%20World%20War%20is,%2D%20May%209%2C%201945).
Hajda, L. Y. (2024, July 5). The Nazi occupation of Soviet Ukraine. Retrieved from Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/place/Ukraine/The-Nazi-occupation-of-Soviet-Ukraine
Press, C. U. (2024, July 5th). Contempt. Retrieved from Cambridge Dictionary: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/contempt
Pugliese, G. (2020, October 30). Whitewashing the SS: The Attempt to Re-Write The History of Hitler's Collaboratiors. Retrieved from Esprit De Corps -Canadian Military Magazine: https://www.espritdecorps.ca/history-feature/whitewashing-the-ss-the-attempt-to-re-write-the-history-of-hitlers-collaborators
Rummel, R. J. (2002, November 11). Lethal Politics Chapter 1 - 61,911,000 Victims: Utopianism Empowered. Retrieved from University of Hawwaii System: https://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/USSR.CHAP.1.HTM
Yousif, N. (2023, September 29). Canada Nazi row puts spotlight on Ukraine's WWII past. Retrieved from BBC News: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-66914756
 
 

Have faith and the storm will become a breeze.

Homily
12th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year B
First reading
Job 38:1,8-11
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 106(107):23-26,28-32
Second reading
2 Corinthians 5:14-17
Gospel
Mark 4:35-41
 
It’s hard to believe that just over a week ago, my wife and I were in Canada preparing for our journey back to Ireland. The night before, I had checked-in and had the boarding passes on our phones. The bags were packed and within weight and we felt calm. The following morning, I was abruptly woken to be told our flights had all been cancelled, and we had been put on flights the following day. When I tried to ring through on my own phone, I just got a menu loop and then the call was terminated. My wife got our son’s local phone and managed to get through to a young man in Calgary. She explained cancelling our flights was not acceptable and that we needed to be in Ireland Saturday morning. There was no two ways about it. We were told there were no flights but as we waited, a seat became available on a flight from Calgary to Toronto.
Surprisingly, a few minutes later a second appeared, though not together. All we had to do was get to Calgary and we would be able to make our original connecting flight from Toronto to Dublin. Calgary was a three-and-a-half-hour journey from where we were. We could just about make it, but it would be a stretch to drive. Our flight from Calgary to Toronto was secured.
As we talked about how to get to Calgary, the young man there told us to his surprise there were now two seats on a flight from Edmonton to Calgary. Could we get to Edmonton for that flight? Absolutely, it was forty-five minutes journey, but we had to leave straight away. And we did. There were still a couple of issues, but we were away a few hours earlier than expected.
My wife didn’t know how, but she believed it was possible to get home as originally planned so she could get the rest she needed before starting work on Monday. She trusted Our Lord would find away for us and had no doubt. It would just happen. And it did. Whereas, our journey had been put into complete disarray, by sheer faith and trusting Jesus was present with us, a path was made possible, and we had a calm journey. The early stress had gone.
How often do we find that our plans are turned upside down and it seems impossible that we can achieve what we have set out to do? From my own experiences of everyday life, my plans are continuously disrupted, and it seems impossible to be able to achieve the goals set. However, by not giving up and letting doubts and fears take a grip, if we trust that Our Lord wants us to be in a particular place, we will get there, though the journey maybe quite a surprise.
Under our own steam much is impossible, but God has the authority over every element of this world. He commands the waves and the wind, and they obey, as we heard in psalm 106. The sailors seeing the massive waves thought their souls were lost, and when they cried out in their distress to God, he hushed the waves and turned the gale into a whisper. In Job, we are told that God has set the boundaries of the storms that brew up around us. He is in control.
Jesus demonstrates this in Mark’s Gospel. Though he is rudely awakened from his sleep, the raging storm in the Sea of Galilee is quickly rebuked and all is made calm. He then questions why the disciples were surprised. Why did they still lack faith? Yet they were witnesses to Jesus’s authority to command the elements, and the sea and wind obeyed.
On the horizon, we see a new storm brewing across our world. Alliances are being made that could cast us into another world war. Tensions between China and Taiwan, North Korea and South Korea. Between Russia and NATO, Russia and the United States. The tension is palpable. Yet, the earthly powers have forgotten, they are not in control. They never were. God is. He will have the last word. All he asks is that we turn to him and trust him. Have faith.
Monday 24th June, is the 43rd Anniversary of Our Lady’s Apparitions in Medjugorje. Each night, Our Lady has asked for the Rosary to be said for peace. At 9pm, here in Ireland, if you say the Rosary each night for peace, you will be joining those in Medjugorje in their prayers that Our Heavenly Father will turn the developing hurricane back into a gentle breeze.
All of us, in one form or another, have turned our back on Our Lord. Now is the time to reflect and see how we have lost our faith and ask the Holy Spirit to bridge the gap across the torrid waters, to the safety of home with Our Father. If we can confess our sins, we will be forgiven. Our Lord Jesus sacrificed himself for us on the cross, we just need to believe that he is with us at this troubling time.
And as the Gospel Acclamation asks of us: “May the Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ enlighten the eyes of our mind. So that we can see what hope his call holds for us. Alleluia.” (Ep1:17,18)