Falling in Love With God
Nothing is more practical than finding God,
that is, than falling in love
in a quite absolute, final way.
What you are in love with,
what seizes your imagination,
will affect everything.
It will decide what will get you
out of bed in the morning,
what you will do with your evenings,
how you will spend your weekends
what you read, who you know,
what breaks your heart,
and what amazes you
with joy and gratitude.
Fall in love, stay in love,
and it will decide everything.
- Pedro Arrupe, SJ
Friday 27 July 2007
Thursday 26 July 2007
Feast of St Joachim & St Anne
Today is the fourth anniversary of my ordination to the priesthood. Not a big milestone but, certainly, a time to reflect on these last years and take stock. At his ordination a priest is asked the followinf questions, together they are a framework for a priests life.
EXAMINATION OF THE CANDIDATE
Bishop: My son, before you proceed to the order of the presbyterate, declare before the people your intention to undertake this priestly office.
Are you resolved, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to discharge without fail the office of priesthood in the presbyteral order as a conscientious fellow worker with the bishops in caring for the Lord's flock?
I am.
Bishop: Are you resolved to celebrate the mysteries of Christ faithfully and religiously as the Church has handed them down to us for the glory of God and the sanctification of Christ's people?
I am.
Bishop: Are you resolved to exercise the ministry of the word worthily and wisely, preaching the Gospel and explaining the Catholic faith?
I am.
Bishop: Are you resolved to consecrate your life to God for the salvation of his people, and to unite yourself more closely every day to Christ the High Priest, who offered himself for us to the Father as a perfect sacrifice?
I am, with the help of God.
The last response is crucial. I cannot do this on my own, but with God everything is possible.
Thursday 19 July 2007
Happenings
On Monday, after presiding at a funeral I made my way down to the Carmelite friary in Faversham, where I was able to celebrate the feast with my Carmelite brothers there. It was a good oportunity to catch up on the province news and what is happening round about.
On tuesday I did some visiting - First to Aylesford Priory and Fr Alphie, whi isn't enjoying the best of health these days but is always welcoming and a joy to be with. Then on to visit my dear dad in his care home. My father is in the advanced stages of Altzheimer's disease and my weekly visits are always difficult for me. He always seems to summon a smile from somewhere, although I know that he struggles to remember who I am and what my connection is to him. A stroke has made his speach almost impossible to understand and that combined with the Altzheimer's makes communication very hard - a bit like swimming in treacle with your hands tied behind your back. The way I get through these visits is by remembering the wonderful, tender, funny and holy man that has fathered me for 40 years. I have nothing but lovely memories of him.
Back to the parish last night. Today I am celebrating Mass with the children and staff of our primary school - always a delight!
Be well and happy.:-)
On tuesday I did some visiting - First to Aylesford Priory and Fr Alphie, whi isn't enjoying the best of health these days but is always welcoming and a joy to be with. Then on to visit my dear dad in his care home. My father is in the advanced stages of Altzheimer's disease and my weekly visits are always difficult for me. He always seems to summon a smile from somewhere, although I know that he struggles to remember who I am and what my connection is to him. A stroke has made his speach almost impossible to understand and that combined with the Altzheimer's makes communication very hard - a bit like swimming in treacle with your hands tied behind your back. The way I get through these visits is by remembering the wonderful, tender, funny and holy man that has fathered me for 40 years. I have nothing but lovely memories of him.
Back to the parish last night. Today I am celebrating Mass with the children and staff of our primary school - always a delight!
Be well and happy.:-)
Monday 16 July 2007
Solemnity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Lord God,
you willed that the Order of Carmel
should be named in honour of the Blessed virgin Mary,
Mother of your Son.
Through her prayers as we honour her today
bring us closer to your Holy Mountain,
Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel, pray for us.
Saturday 14 July 2007
A Morning Prayer
God, give me the courage of my conviction this day
that you are alive and well in me.
Help me not to waver.
Help me not to procratinate.
Help me not to rationalise.
Help me not to play games with myself.
Help me to stand firm in thee.
Help me not to give what I have,
but to give who you are within me.
Thursday 5 July 2007
God as Father
Part of the time I spent in Dalmally was looking at images of God. Sometimes people struggle with an image of God that is paternal. There are many reasons for this, mainly bad experiences of being ‘fathered’. I am blest in my image of fatherhood as I have always felt very loved and cherished by my own father.
Fr Dwight Longnecker in his blog (http.gkupsidedown.blogspot.com) looks at the way some Christians seek to change the Trinitarian formula to something less personal. It offers and interesting and considered opinion.
“… God, while being transcendent, is also personal. Therefore it is right and proper to refer to him in terminology that recognizes his person-hood. 'God' is rightly transcendent, but 'Heavenly Father' and 'Father, Son and Holy Spirit', imply that there are persons within the Godhead. Not to refer to God as 'Father, Son and Holy Spirit' denies that aspect.
The same criticism applies to the sometimes substitute Trinitarian formula of 'Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer.' These are also not personal terms of reference for the three persons of the Trinity, but references to their functions. Imagine referring to your parents not as 'Dad and Mom' or even as George and Phyllis, but as 'Businessman and Housewife.' Yucch.
Secondly, God is personal because we are called to be in a personal relationship with him. Our person--created in his likeness--is ultimately to be in a loving relationship with Him. That relationship is intrinsically that of Creator and creature, and the most natural analogy for this is of the Father and the child. To do away with calling God 'Father' for some shallow politically correct motivation is short sighted in the extreme. How can you have a relationship with 'God' that is anything more than abstract and theoretical? On the other hand, the relationship with a 'Heavenly Father' carries with it all the passion, drama and upheaval of the relationships we have with our parents.
Finally, and perhaps most telling, is the simple unavoidable fact that God as Father is an intrinic part of Jesus Christ's revelation of God. His own relationship with 'Abba-Father' and his instructions to us to call God 'Father' are as foundational to who he was and what he taught as the Sermon on the Mount or the parable of the Prodigal Son. Pull it out of the liturgy and the prayer life and I would argue that your religion has ceased to be Christian.
Am I exaggerating? Not really. If you remove the traditional Trinitarian formula from the Baptism Rite it is not a valid baptism, and the person baptized is formally not a Christian.”
God Bless.
Fr Dwight Longnecker in his blog (http.gkupsidedown.blogspot.com) looks at the way some Christians seek to change the Trinitarian formula to something less personal. It offers and interesting and considered opinion.
“… God, while being transcendent, is also personal. Therefore it is right and proper to refer to him in terminology that recognizes his person-hood. 'God' is rightly transcendent, but 'Heavenly Father' and 'Father, Son and Holy Spirit', imply that there are persons within the Godhead. Not to refer to God as 'Father, Son and Holy Spirit' denies that aspect.
The same criticism applies to the sometimes substitute Trinitarian formula of 'Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer.' These are also not personal terms of reference for the three persons of the Trinity, but references to their functions. Imagine referring to your parents not as 'Dad and Mom' or even as George and Phyllis, but as 'Businessman and Housewife.' Yucch.
Secondly, God is personal because we are called to be in a personal relationship with him. Our person--created in his likeness--is ultimately to be in a loving relationship with Him. That relationship is intrinsically that of Creator and creature, and the most natural analogy for this is of the Father and the child. To do away with calling God 'Father' for some shallow politically correct motivation is short sighted in the extreme. How can you have a relationship with 'God' that is anything more than abstract and theoretical? On the other hand, the relationship with a 'Heavenly Father' carries with it all the passion, drama and upheaval of the relationships we have with our parents.
Finally, and perhaps most telling, is the simple unavoidable fact that God as Father is an intrinic part of Jesus Christ's revelation of God. His own relationship with 'Abba-Father' and his instructions to us to call God 'Father' are as foundational to who he was and what he taught as the Sermon on the Mount or the parable of the Prodigal Son. Pull it out of the liturgy and the prayer life and I would argue that your religion has ceased to be Christian.
Am I exaggerating? Not really. If you remove the traditional Trinitarian formula from the Baptism Rite it is not a valid baptism, and the person baptized is formally not a Christian.”
God Bless.
Tuesday 3 July 2007
Craig Lodge Youth Festival 2007
One of my favourite places is Criag Lodge House of Prayer in Dalmally, Scotland. Situated in the western highlands this beautiful place is an oasis of prayer and community. Last weekend young people from all over Britain and Ireland met together to pray and become community for a few days. It was awesome. Craig Lodge is a place where you can sense prayer happening, a holy place made holy by ordinary people.
The theme of the gathering was ‘A Call to Holiness’, and I sensed from quite early on and from my own experience that there was a sense that this call to be holy was meant for someone other than me. I need to explain that! I often think that when we speak of holiness we must be speaking about somebody other than ourselves because we never see ourselves as that person. We have been seduced by the lie that we are unloveable, un-noticed, that we don’t matter. We seldom see ourselves as blest, holy, beautiful and loveable. Young people seem to feel this quite keenly, and as they journey into their middle years they take that baggage with them. It is a lie! A huge untruth that veils people with misery. As I was speaking with these young people, I found myself trying to get people to see themselves as people of potential and giftedness, people alive with possibilities and bursting with an ache to love and be loved. Maybe we should all pray for the grace to see ourselves as God sees us. God’s vision of us is alive with love, mercy and creativity.
Check out the Craig Lodge community at their website.
www.craiglodge.org
Be sure to check out Mary’s Meals.
Be well and happy
The theme of the gathering was ‘A Call to Holiness’, and I sensed from quite early on and from my own experience that there was a sense that this call to be holy was meant for someone other than me. I need to explain that! I often think that when we speak of holiness we must be speaking about somebody other than ourselves because we never see ourselves as that person. We have been seduced by the lie that we are unloveable, un-noticed, that we don’t matter. We seldom see ourselves as blest, holy, beautiful and loveable. Young people seem to feel this quite keenly, and as they journey into their middle years they take that baggage with them. It is a lie! A huge untruth that veils people with misery. As I was speaking with these young people, I found myself trying to get people to see themselves as people of potential and giftedness, people alive with possibilities and bursting with an ache to love and be loved. Maybe we should all pray for the grace to see ourselves as God sees us. God’s vision of us is alive with love, mercy and creativity.
Check out the Craig Lodge community at their website.
www.craiglodge.org
Be sure to check out Mary’s Meals.
Be well and happy
A month of travels
Weeks have passed since my last blog. I enjoyed my holiday on Turkey. The resort I was based in was a bit like a Turkish Blackpool. The main income of the area is from British holiday makers and that is very much reflected in the cuisine (English breakfasts) and the style of drinking dens. My hotel was comfortable and clean and my room had spectacular views over the bay. I got somewhat tired of the resort and went walkabout for a few days.
My travels in Turkey took me too Ephesus, an amazing ancient city still being excavated from the dirt. Mary’s house – a few miles from Ephesus, where the Mother of Jesus reputedly spent her last years in the company of John.The pictures show the exterior and interior of the house) There is a lovely chapel there and I was able to celebrate the Eucharist on the feast of Corpus Christi. Then on to Istanbul. An amazing city, and one which I shall visit again. There is so much to see and there was so little time.
I returned in time to celebrate with the parish our parish priests 40th anniversary of ordination. It was a lovely evening that was marked with great joy and love.
Then off on my travels again – this time to Scotland to participate in a prayer festival for young people. Over 100 gathered to reflect on the theme of a ‘Call to holiness’. Their faith, as always left me humbled.
Back now to normality and rain!
Be well and happy.
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