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The signs of the times.

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I always find the more apocalyptic scriptures unsettling and disturbing. The imagery in today’s gospel of darkening sun and falling stars seems more designed to cause anxiety than anything else. It’s more likely to distract me than to help me discover the presence of God. Yet that is not why Jesus uses it in his conversation with his disciples. He’s pointing out these signs not to frighten them, but so that they can avoid being distracted and led astray.

He can’t give them the certainty they crave by telling them the date or time of the second coming, but he can give them a new awareness. He’s seeking to help them discern the signs of the time, to see beyond the drama and the turmoil to the hope he promises. He says to them:

“Take the fig tree as a parable: as soon as its twigs grow supple and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. So with you when you see these things happening: know that he is near, at the very gates.”

His words are a call to pay attention and prepare for the coming of Christ they’re also a call to discernment. They have a particular resonance in our challenging and unsettling times, when we can too easily fall into anxiety and hopelessness about so many areas of life and of the world. He calls us to stay focussed on him and his promise whatever is going on. As we come to the end of the Church’s year Jesus is calling us to be alert and ready for the signs of his presence with us whatever we are living through.

As we approach the last week of the liturgical year where is Christ calling you to be attentive to his presence?

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Out of our comfort zones

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Our times seem to be getting ever more challenging and disturbing. In such times it’s always tempting to close in on ourselves. Our instinct is to do whatever we can to protect ourselves and our loved ones. We have less energy to care about the needs of others, or to reach out to them. We can become less open, more suspicious of those we perceive as outsiders. All of this is a perfectly natural human response when life is hard. Yet, as I reflected on today’s readings I was struck by how they call us to a completely different way of being.

In the first reading Elijah travels to Sidon which is in the grip of a serious drought. He meets a widow gathering some sticks and asks her for something to eat and drink. The woman has very little left, only enough for one last meal for herself and her son. Yet, she doesn’t turn him away, instead she shares the little she and her son have with Elijah, trusting the promise that he has made her:

“Jar of meal shall not be spent, jug of oil shall not be emptied, before the day when the Lord sends rain on the face of the earth.”’

Her generosity is echoed by the story of the poor widow that Jesus tells in the gospel. As he watches her put all she has to live on into the Temple treasury he says to hid disciples:

‘I tell you solemnly, this poor widow has put more in than all who have contributed to the treasury; for they have all put in money they had over, but she from the little she had has put in everything she possessed, all she had to live on.’

The courageous actions of these two widows are a reminder that when life gets hard we are called, not to retreat from one another, but to reach out to others. We are called to override our instincts and to reach out to the stranger, to welcome the other, to share from our resources however limited they might be.

Where is Christ challenging you to risk sharing in these challenging times?

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The goodness of the Lord.

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Today, as we’re celebrating the dedication of our Oratory I’m reposting this from our archives. The scripture reading at the vigil was from the first letter of St Peter:

“Be sure you are never spiteful, or deceitful, or hypocritical, or envious and critical of each other. You are new born, and, like babies, you should be hungry for nothing but milk – the spiritual honesty which will help you grow up to salvation – now that you have tasted the goodness of the Lord.”

Several things resonate with me in in. It’s reminder of how we are called to behave and to treat one another seems especially important just now. Living through stressful and challenging times can give us all a short fuse and doesn’t always bring out the best in us. St Peter reminds us that, whatever challenges and uncertainties we face we are called not to give into the temptation to spitefulness and criticism. The call is still to become more Christlike whatever we face.

He goes on to tell us that as we have tasted the goodness of the Lord already our desire and long should be for those things that will help us grow into our salvation. This brings to mind a favourite psalm, psalm 34, “taste and see that the Lord is good”, and I’m reminded to keep seeking the goodness of the Lord in whatever challenges and uncertainties life is currently throwing at us.

Where are you tasting the Lord’s goodness in these challenging times?

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Challenged to love.

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Today I’m reflecting on the conversation between Jesus and one of the Scribes in the gospel. It’s not clear if the scribe is trying to catch Jesus out on this occasion, or if he is genuinely seeking understanding. Either way, Jesus decides to take the question at face value, treating it a genuine request for greater understanding. Having being asked by the scribe about the first of the commandments he replied:

“You must love the Lord your God with all your heart…You must love your neighbour as yourself.”

It takes us back to the heart of the gospel and reminds us that love is the core of our faith. Today I’m also struck by the way Jesus demonstrates that love in his conversation with the scribe. Jesus puts aside the fact that the question comes from a group that often disagreed with even condemned him. It would have been so easy to respond with a put down or a sharp retort. Instead Jesus responds with love to the scribe’s question, answering sincerely and respectfully, and ending the conversation by saying:

“You are not far from the kingdom of God.”

It seems to me that this is a valuable example for us today. Our challenging times make it very easy to hear a criticism in every question and to respond with defensiveness or even aggression until the situation spirals downwards and relationships falter. Jesus shows us another way to respond. I can’t help wondering how our public and private conversations would be if we followed his example of responding with respect and love.

Where is Christ calling you to respond with love when your views are questioned?

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All Souls Day

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Today, we celebrate All Souls Day which, despite the change in tone from one feast to another, is intimately connected to All Saints Day. At heart both feasts speak to the basic equality of Christian faith. We are all one in Christ, and through our baptism, we are all equal before him.

Today’s feast is a time for acknowledging our mortality. It gives us the opportunity to acknowledge that death is a completely natural part of life. It is something we all share in and will all experience. This is one of the areas where we are called to stand out against the world’s way. Today’s world denies death, pushing it aside or trying to micromanage it because of the pain, suffering and uncertainty it brings. Our faith calls us to look at death differently. It doesn’t call us to deny the pain and suffering, but to accept it and embrace it. We are also called to look beyond it, to the hope that Christ offers us.

This invitation and challenge is summed up for me in the prophet Isaiah’s words:

“The Lord will wipe away the tears from every cheek… That day, it will be said: see, this is our God in whom we hoped for salvation… We exalt and we rejoice that he has saved us.”

All Souls allows us to remember and grieve our loved ones. Yet, even as we grieve, it reminds us that the God of love will comfort and console us, offering us the promise of new life in God’s presence.

Where do you need God to comfort and console you today?

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All Saints Day.

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The feasts of all Saints and All Souls are intrinsically linked. I can never think of one without being aware of the other. They speak of a deep seated equality that is at the heart of the gospel. All Saints reminds us that through our baptism we are all one in Christ, equally called to live lives shaped by the gospel. Tomorrow’s celebration of All Souls allows us to reflect that other great equaliser, the impermanence of human life.

Today I’m reflecting on this from the first letter of St John:

“My dear people, we are already the children of God, but what we are to be in the future has not yet been revealed; all we know is, that when it is revealed we shall be like him because we shall see him as he really is.”

This is not a feast of the canonised and recognised saints of the church. They have their own feasts when we rightly celebrate their lives and example. Yet, while we greatly value this, it can distract us from those other unnamed and unrecognised saints who have built up the church through quiet, unrecognised faithfulness to the gospel and to their baptismal promises.

This is a celebration of the ordinary Christians who have striven to be faithful in all ups and downs of ordinary life. The people who have allowed their lives to be shaped by their faith so that in thousands of small, seemingly insignificant, ways they ease the burdens of those around them.

This is a day for celebrating all the children of God who will never be recognised officially as saints, but who have through their actions and example shared the love of God with their families, neighbours and workmates.

Where is Christ inviting you to share his love today?

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Finding the way.

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As Jesus moved through the towns and villages on his way to Jerusalem someone asked him a question:

“Sir, will there be only a few saved?”

We don’t know who asked the question, Luke doesn’t even tell us whether it a man or a woman. Jesus’ response was not a direct answer, instead he leaves us much to ponder and reflect on:

“Try your best to enter by the narrow door, because, I tell you, many will try to enter and will not succeed.”

As is so often the case his words carry promise, invitation and challenge. We live in a world that seem full of possibilities. We are led to believe that we can have or become everything we choose if we just try hard enough. We know in our hearts that this isn’t the case, yet it is a beguiling, attractive and powerful myth.

Jesus shows us a more honest and realistic way. He is very clear that we can’t follow him and “have it all”. If we are serious about discipleship, we need to be prepared to leave some things behind. We need to let go of other options and possibilities to focus our attention on the call of the kingdom.

To find our way through this narrow door we need to be willing to accept boundaries and to limit our personal desires and needs for the greater good. In a time that highly prizes individual rights and freedoms that is a huge challenge. Yet, it is this narrow road that will lead us to the promises of the kingdom and the joy of resurrection.

What narrow door is Christ inviting you to go through today?

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Recognising Christ

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If we were to look for a role model among the followers of Jesus, it’s unlikely that Bartimaeus would be the first person to spring to mind. His circumstances, disability and poverty seem to put him outside the circle of possible role models.

But, as always the ways of the Kingdom turn our human values on their heads. With reflection we can see that there’s much more to Bartimaeus than appearances suggest. When he calls out to Jesus he has a clear idea of who he believes Jesus to be and of his own need of salvation. He calls out:

“Son of David, Jesus, have pity on me.”

His words show a man of faith, who knows his need of God, and is willing to take the risk of trusting that God. He is a man of courage and persistence, who refuses to allow himself to be silenced by the negative response from those around him. His persistence is rewarded when Jesus, ignoring the attempts to silence him, calls him over asking him:

“What do you want me to do for you?”

Jesus makes no assumptions or judgements about Bartimaeus or his circumstances, instead allowing him to speak freely and openly. When he does so Jesus recognises and names him as a man of faith saying:

“Go; your faith has saved you.”

Bartimaeus challenges us to ask ourselves where we recognise our need of Christ and if we have the courage, like him to cry out that need until Christ turns and sees us.

What helps you to recognise your need of Christ’s life changing presence in your life today?

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A call to serve

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In this weeks’ gospel the disciples fall into the sort of grumbling that, while appearing harmless, can destroy relationships and community if it is allowed to develop unchecked. It begins as an attempt by the sons of Zebedee, James and John, to ensure prestigious positions for themselves in the Kingdom. When the other disciples hear about this they understandably feel disgruntled and annoyed.

Although Jesus moves quickly to stop this his response to their grumbling is not to blame or to criticise. Instead he gathers them together and explains once again how his Kingdom is to be very different from the kingdoms of this world. He says to them:

“Anyone who wants to become great among you must be your servant and anyone who wants to be first among you must be slave to all. For the Son of Man himself did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

He reminds them that in his kingdom there will be no place for people to lord it over others, or to hold prestigious positions of power. Instead his kingdom will turn human values and judgements on their heads. It will be a kingdom where the greatest will serve the least, putting aside their own needs and desires for the good of others.

It’s a beautiful image, echoed by St Benedict calling his followers to pursue what they judge better for others rather than what is best for themselves. It’s a call to each one of us, as it was to the disciples, to put others before ourselves. In a harsh and challenging world it’s a call to to try to make life easier, more pleasant and more comfortable for those we encounter.

Where is Christ calling you to serve others in your life today?

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The Peace of Christ

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Today were celebrating the feast of St Luke, author of some of the best-known and most loved gospel stories. It’s not surprising then that today’s gospel focuses on the sending of the seventy-two to preach the Good News through the towns and villages.

Jesus gives them very specific instructions, telling them what to take and how to behave as they travel around the country. On their journey they are called to trust themselves completely to the providence of God and the kindness of strangers.

But he doesn’t send them out completely empty handed. He gives them a gift to pass on to the people they encounter:

“Whatever house you going to, let your first words be, ‘Peace to this house!’ And if people of peace live there, your peace will go and rest on them; if not it will come back to you.”

As we see communities torn apart by war and conflict across the world it’s hard to imagine a time when that peace has been more needed. This peace is no quick papering over of cracks. It requires that we do a certain amount of inner work to be able to receive it.

If we are to be people of peace, we have to allow our hearts to be changed. We need to risk letting the stories of the other change us. We have to be willing to let go let go of much that we cherish. We have to accept that we are not right about everything and to be willing to compromise.

Where is Christ calling you to change so that you can accept his peace today?