Tuesday 24th March 2020
40th Anniversary of the assassination of Oscar
Romero
In 1977 Oscar Romero became the fourth Archbishop of San
Salvador, the capital of El Salvador. It was a time of great
violence and bloodshed in his country. He spoke out
against poverty, social injustice, assassinations and torture.
On March 12 th , 1977, his close friend, Fr. Rutilio Grande
and two companions
were ambushed in his car
and assassinated by
Salvadoran security
forces. The cold-blooded
murder of a priest – the
first but by no means the
last in the long bloody
civil war in El Salvador is
said to have caused
Grande’s friend, the
newly-appointed
Archbishop of San Salvador, Oscar to find his voice in
speaking up fearlessly for those without voices, and against
the violence and injustice that polluted their country. He
did so at every opportunity. On the 24th March 1980 he was
shot dead as he said Mass in a small chapel in a hospital in
San Salvador. Pope Francis approved a miracle attributed
to Oscar Romero and his canonization took place on 14th
Oct. 2018 in Rome.
The following is an extract from his writings:
“It helps now and then to step back and take the long view. The
kingdom is not only beyond our efforts; it is even beyond our
vision. We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of the
magnificent enterprise that is God’s work. Nothing we do is
complete, which is another way of saying that the kingdom
always lies beyond us. We cannot do everything, and there is a
sense of liberation in realising that. This enables us to do
something, and to do it very well. It may be incomplete, but it is
a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord’s
grace to enter and do the rest. We may never see the end results
but that is the difference between the master builder and the
worker. We are the workers, not master builders, ministers, not
messiahs. We are prophets of a future not our own. Amen.”
Saint Oscar Romero pray for us.
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Sunday 15th March 2020
3rd Sunday of Lent: The Samaritan Woman
This Sunday we meet Jesus at the well talking to a
Samaritan woman, even though Jews and Samaritans
normally avoided each other and certainly didn't ask
favours from each other.
Notice how Jesus is free, he is not tied by convention, he
values each person and treats them with respect. Even
though he knew about the woman's promiscuous
background as well as her different approach to religion, he
felt free to ask her for a drink. She was shocked, and even
more surprised when Jesus told her that he could give her
living water so that she would never be thirsty again. It was
when she asked for that water that Jesus made it clear to
her that he knew all about her. Uncomfortable with this
revelation she challenged him with the traditional
argument between Samaritans and Jews. Is it right to
worship on the mountain or in the temple at Jerusalem?
Jesus again shows his freedom, and invites her and all who
follow him to live in freedom of spirit. 'God is Spirit and
those who worship must worship in spirit and in truth.
That is the kind of worshipper the Father wants.' The spirit
can come to us wherever we are if we are open to receive
him.
This is a timely message in this present crisis as many of us
have to forgo our usual place of worship, and our usual
traditions. Jesus is reminding us not to be too attached to
these external things, temple or mountain, cathedral or
village church, a quiet room at home or a solitary walk.
God is spirit, he is there in every place if we are prepared to
welcome him. Sometimes detachment from the externals
can bring unexpected graces as we become more focused
on God.
Jesus knows all about our shortcomings and past mistakes
but says to us as he did to the woman, I am thirsty, thirsty
for your love, be open to me, give of yourself to me and I
will give you the living water of the spirit which will turn
into a spring inside you welling up to eternal life. If you are
unable to get to Mass or Service this Sunday try to read
over the Gospel John 4:5-42. Later in the week we celebrate
two great saints, St. Patrick and St. Joseph. They both
suffered exile and hardships. May their example of
perseverance and faithfulness encourage us all.
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Sunday 8th March 2020
2nd Sunday of Lent: The Transfiguration
The tenderness of Jesus for His 3 chosen apostles, Peter
James and John touches me deeply this 2nd. Sunday in
Lent. He is concerned that they will fall apart, go to pieces,
be overwhelmed by His Passion and Death. Their faith like
ours needs to be strengthened. Jesus has a plan. It was the
last day of the feast of Tabernacles – the time when the
Israelites built leafy booths and dwelt in them for short
periods as a reminder of God’s provision for them in the
wilderness and of His continued sustenance.
So, He brings His big three up a high mountain where they
could be alone and “there in their presence He was
transfigured.” They see him in all his radiant beauty and
majesty talking with Moses and Elijah. They hear the
Father’s voice in the cloud speaking the tenderest words
ever spoken to us:
“This is my beloved
Son. He enjoys my
favour – listen to
Him” and they are
undone with terror
and awe. Some gut
sense flashes thro’
Peter that Jesus is
the Messiah; the
Living Torah and he
wants to build 3
booths to bottle the
experience!
Jesus the patient Teacher has a living teaching, a truth He
must break open for their closed hearts and ours. The
promised Messiah is going to be different. He will first
suffer before coming to the glory of the Resurrection and
we will too. Life will shore up many unexpected things like
the coronavirus now and the worldwide travail it brings.
Let us not forget the tenderness of Jesus reaching out to
them and to us too in our fragility, touching and
empowering us. “Stand up and do not be afraid.” He
knows how great our need is “to listen to Him” in order to
grasp the Mystery of the Cross - “a stumbling block to Jews,
and folly to the Greeks but to those who are called, it is the
Power of God and the Wisdom of God”.
“I looked at your Cross O Christ and I read there the song
of Your Love” – St. John of the Cross.
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Tuesday 3rd March 2020
1st Week of Lent: The Our Father
During the season of Lent we are asked to pray, fast and
give alms. In our Gospel today Jesus teaches the disciples to
pray. Many spiritual writers have written reflections on the
Our Father and you too have your own personal
reflections. When you have read the following I invite you
to take time and pray the Our Father slowly, very slowly.
St Teresa of Avila who wrote extensively on prayer reflects
on the Our Father in her book The Way of Perfection. The
word perfection may make us feel - that’s not for me!
Teresa would probably have as subtitle ‘the universal call to
holiness’ which is definitely for all of us. The following is
taken from an article by Fr Gabriel Barry, a Carmelite friar,
on the Our Father and St Teresa’s reflection.
In one way or another, we are all asking, as the Apostles
asked Jesus, "Lord, teach us how to pray" (Luke 11:1-4).
Help us to know God better, so that we can live better lives
for His sake. And you know the Lord's answer; He taught
them the Our Father,
the model of all
prayer, with its seven
petitions which
include every one of
our needs, spiritual
and temporal.
Reading over Luke's
account of this
incident, I was
reminded of a parallel
occasion in the life of
St. Teresa of Avila. It
took place not long
after she had
established the first
convent of the reform in her native city. The nuns who
made up the community there were drawn together by a
common desire to pray for the Church and the world. They
were aware that their foundress was favored with many
exceptional graces, and that, at the request of her
confessors, she had even written a book on prayer; a book
which learned theologians held in high esteem. So her nuns
came to her and earnestly begged her to say something to
them too about prayer. In deference to their wishes, she
began to write the Way of Perfection.
St Teresa instead of using pretentious language she simply
says: "Let us talk about the Our Father. This is a prayer that
we need to pray, if we are Christians at all. It is worth our
while to learn to say it properly." This may sound
elementary, but in the mind of St. Teresa it actually
summed up everything that could be said about prayer.
Teresa found in the Our Father not only a model for vocal
prayer, but a foundation for the highest mystical prayer as
well. This claim may seem somewhat exaggerated until we
take the trouble of looking more closely at St. Luke's
version of the story, concerning the occasion when our
Lord first taught the Our Father. He had been praying in a
certain place, and when he had finished, one of his
disciples said to him: "Lord, teach us to pray too." And He
said to them: "When you pray, you must say Our Father
who art in heaven . . ." You will appreciate, I am sure, that
there was something unusual about this request. The
disciples of Jesus were not ignorant of prayer. What then
prompted this particular question? They had watched the
Master at prayer and had seen for themselves that it was
different from the kind of prayer that they were in the habit
of making. As likely as not, they were unable to put into
words what the difference was, but they could see that
something was wanting in their own prayer; something
that made a world of difference. That was what they
wanted to learn. And their question had the implication:
"What exactly is real prayer? Can you possibly teach us to
pray as you have been praying?"
And Jesus' reply can be paraphrased: "This is the sort of
thing it is; first, you must realize that your Creator is also
your loving Father. His home in heaven is destined to be
your home too. Moreover, even during your life in this
world, He wants to come and make His home with you.
You cannot hope to bear fruit unless you are rooted in
God"; and so on. In other words, the lesson which our Lord
taught his apostles and which He summarized in the seven
petitions of the Our Father is principally a lesson in
spiritual attitudes; a lesson in the relationship between us
who pray and the One to whom we pray. The Our Father
begins by establishing an attitude of adoration, worship
and reverence. It makes it clear that the chief object of
prayer is not to get something, but to become something; to
become all that God desires us to be; to grow up in Christ,
as the Apostle says: to strive to be as perfect as our Father
in heaven is perfect. The essence of Christian prayer is this
search for God, so that in Him we may live. This means
living, in the fullest and noblest and best sense of the word.
To quote the words of the Constitution on the Church in
the Modern World, "An outstanding cause of human
dignity lies in our call to communion with God. From the
very circumstances of his origin, we are already invited to
converse with God. For we would not exist, were we not
created by God's love, and constantly preserved by it. And
we cannot live fully according to truth unless we freely
acknowledge that love and devotes ourselves to our
Creator”. This is what our Lord wished to impart, when He
taught the Our Father; that was what the apostles had
asked Him to do for them; and I don't think it is straining
the facts to say that this too was what the nuns of St.
Joseph's of Avila had in mind when they asked St. Teresa to
teach them how to pray. Her answer, like the Master's was
"Let us learn to say the Lord's Prayer, and to say it as it
ought to be said."
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Wednesday 26th February 2020
Ash Wednesday
Don’t we all welcome the chance to make a new beginning,
a fresh start? Well, Ash Wednesday is just that. It is the
gateway into another Lent, “the favourable time, the day of
salvation” (2 Co 6:2).
The word LENT comes from the old English word
“LENCTEN” meaning “spring season”. It is short for
“lengthen”. In the Northern Hemisphere we are on the
brink of Spring when the whole of creation is awakening,
showing signs of new life after the Winter slumber. The
days are lengthening, light is stealing in and casting out
darkness, bringing joy and fresh hope to our hearts. A sixth
century hymn which we sing in the Divine Office picks up
this spring theme:-
Jesus, the sun of ransomed earth,
Shed in our inmost souls thy light,
As in Spring days a fairer birth
Heralds, each morn, the doom of night.
The day is come, the accepted day,
When grace, like nature, flowers anew;
Trained by thy hand the surer way
Rejoice we in our spring-time too.
The Lenten Prefaces too capture the liturgical “Spring”
mood:-
“Father… each year you give us this joyful season when we
prepare to celebrate the paschal mystery with mind and
heart renewed…”
“This great season is your gift to your family to renew us in
spirit. You teach us to live in this passing world with our
hearts set on the world that will never end”.
Lent is a time to rediscover the direction of our lives. The
mark of ashes which we receive on Ash Wednesday is a
sign that helps us to re-find that direction. “Repent and
believe in the Gospel”.
“Repent”: turn over the sod of our hearts, “free ourselves
from the illusion of chasing after dust and rediscover that
“we are created for God, not for the world, for the eternity
of heaven, not for earthly deceit, for the freedom of the
children of God, not for slavery to things. We should ask
ourselves today: “Where do I stand?” Do I live for dust or
fire?” (Pope Francis).
We can take heart as we face our own Lenten journey,
knowing that the whole People of God are setting out with
us. Above all, let us keep our eyes FIXED ON JESUS who
has gone before us – our Way, and the GOAL of our life’s
journey.
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Thursday 20th February 2020
100th Anniversary of the death of St Jacinta Marto
Sometimes I wish that the Gospels related more detail of
conversations between Jesus and children. I would love to
know how he answered their questions, and responded to
their comments and expressions of things that were
important for them!
Although we don't have recorded conversations, Jesus
clearly had high regard for children. In the Gospel, He
remarks that real wisdom is given by God to "little ones",
not to those who think they are smart and clever (cf. Mt
11:25). St Therese certainly loved this verse of the Gospel,
and it was the basis of her "Little Way". We can all be
"childlike" (not
childish) and so obtain
this wisdom too. Isn't
there something very
comforting about not
having to be perfect
and successful? Yes, we
can receive the deepest
wisdom from God, no
matter what our status
in life is.
Today is the 100th
anniversary of the
death of St Jacinta
Marto, one of the three
shepherd children who saw Our Lady in Fatima in 1917. In
her short life of only 10 years, Jacinta was given
extraordinary wisdom. What about this, for example:
"Always be charitable, even with those who are unkind.
Never criticize others and avoid those who do."
Jacinta showed remarkable courage through extreme illness
and suffering at the end of her life, and it is worthwhile
reflecting on her life today. If you would like to read more
about her spirituality, there is an excellent article here:
https://www.bluearmy.com/the-spirituality-of-st-jacinta-
ma…/
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Sunday 16th February 2020
5th Sunday of Year A: Salt and Light
Jesus told his followers that they are salt of the earth and
light of the world. Many people in our world today do not
see Christianity as the sparkle of people's lives - a kind of
salt that enlivens and a light that outshines. Fr. Michael
Paul Gallagher SJ said this after a lifetime of teaching and
spiritual guidance:
"For me, Christianity offers that which most satisfies the
human heart. It offers a vision that most satisfies the
searching mind. Christianity offers a way of life that both
fulfils and challenges the conscience."
There is in Christianity a sense of giftedness that
overwhelms the spirit.
For Pope Francis, Christianity is a happy way of living
and he offers ten pragmatic tips for happiness:
- Live and let live.
- Be giving of yourself to others.
- Proceed calmly.
- Have a healthy sense of leisure.
- Make Sunday a holiday.
- Discover ways to make jobs for young people.
- Respect and take care of nature.
- Be positive; cultivate positive thoughts.
- Respect the sincere beliefs of others.
- Work for justice and peace will follow.
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Sunday 2nd February: Presentation in the
Temple
This Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple ends
our season of celebrations surrounding his infancy. The
next major event we celebrate in Jesus life will be the
beginning of his public ministry when we enter into Lent
towards the end of the month.
All Jewish couples presented their first born sons for
consecration to the Lord and Simeon must have held many
babies in his arms, but he had an inner assurance that
prompted by the Holy Spirit he would recognise the long
awaited Messiah. When Mary and Joseph entered the
temple with the child Jesus, Simeon knew him at once and
immediately proclaimed the lovely canticle we now know
as the Nunc Dimittis. 'Lord, now let your servant depart in
peace... for my eyes have seen your salvation, a light to
enlighten the gentiles and give glory to your people Israel.'
Simeon recognised that Jesus was a light for all peoples and
nations. Anna too recognised him, undoubtedly because
she was a woman of persevering prayer and open to
hearing God's word. These two old people are seen as a
model for consecrated life, steeped in prayer and listening
to the word of God. For that reason Pope St. John Paul II
declared this Feast to be a day for consecrated life. We ask
you to pray that those of us who live this life may be as
faithful and attentive as Simeon and Anna. We pray too
that all of us, what ever our life-style, may always recognise
the presence of Jesus in our lives.
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Sunday 26th January: Word of God Sunday
Carmelite Spirituality has strong Biblical roots. The early
Hermits on Mount Carmel chose as their models the
prophet Elijah, the Man of God and of the People and Mary
open to God, listening to His Word in scripture and in life.
The Hermits pondering on Elijah and Mary’s total
commitment to God while at the same time their closeness
to the needs of the people, began to meditate on the Law of
the Lord. It is from that seed that our Carmelite Family was
born. So, we welcome with joy Pope Francis’ initiative “to
set aside a Sunday given over entirely to the Word of God,
so as to appreciate the inexhaustible riches contained in
constant dialogue between the Lord and his people.
( Misericordia et Misera 7)”.
Here in our Carmel of Kilmacud we strive to live deeply the
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. So, it is an added joy
that Pope Francis has
deliberately chosen the 3rd.
Sunday in Ordinary time
nearest to the Week of Prayer
for Unity, because the Sunday
of the Word of God has
Ecumenical value, since the
Scriptures point out, for those
who listen, the path to
authentic and firm unity.
The Apostolic Letter, APERUIT ILLIS issued on 30th. Sept.
2019 contains marvellous nourishment for us the people of
God to grow in our love for the Sacred Scriptures. The Bible
it tells us is the Book of the Lord’s people who in listening
to it move from dispersion and division towards unity. The
Word of God unites believers and makes them one people.
Another fruit of listening to God’s Word is that those who
draw daily nourishment from God’s Word become, like
Jesus, a contemporary of all those whom they encounter. I
particularly like no. 13 of the Apostolic Letter which puts
before us Sacred Scripture and the challenge to love:
To listen to Sacred Scripture and then to practise Mercy:
this is the great challenge before us in life. God’s Word has
the power to open our eyes and to enable us to renounce a
stifling and barren individualism and instead to embark on
a new path of sharing and solidarity.
Here in Carmel Mary is the great Do-er of the Word. We
say in the preface of Our Lady
of Mount Carmel: Your Word
filled her heart and inspired all her
actions making her constant in
prayer with the Apostles and
constituting her Mother of all
Humankind.
May she help us to be like her
in her response as we open
ourselves to this new grace
being offered to us, the People
of God, by Pope Francis.
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Monday 20th January 2020
CHRISTIAN UNITY WEEK: Paul’s message of Hope
On this the third day of prayer for Christian Unity, as we
reflect on Acts 27:1-42 so many images come to mind. The
actual text is filled with drama; you can feel the fear in the
boat, hear the raging hurricane, see the waves filling the
boat and taste the sea water on your lips. All the senses are
bombarded by this experience and what it must have been
doing to those on board. Before we look at how St Paul
responds to this situation we must acknowledge something
else that strikes our senses very forcefully, as forcefully as
the hurricane in Acts.
You would have to be living on another planet not to make
the connection which, this text stirs up within us, with an
image which is equally horrifying, real and does not always
have the same positive outcome. Namely, the reality of the
migrant boats on the high seas in the Mediterranean in our
own time, people who are fleeing from their homes and
country – sadly, so many have lost their lives on the open
seas. The poignant picture comes before us of Alan Kurdi,
the little Syrian boy, lying on a beach dead and another
picture of his bereft father who said, ‘everything is gone’.
You have your own images from the media, so many at this
stage.
In this week of Christian unity how can we as Christians
comfort and give hope to our migrant sisters and brothers?
Can we offer hope or do we offer excuses; will we say that
is not what we are praying about during this week, after all
this is a week when we pray for Christian Unity. Perhaps
the challenge is that as Christians can we walk together and
be united on this world issue affecting our sisters and
brothers?
Yes, of course there are issues to be addressed and
questions asked - the big one being why do people need to
leave their homes and all they love, their extended family
their culture? Some of the most obvious reasons are
poverty, the lucrative arms race with countries in the
Northern Hemisphere being the beneficiaries, and climate
change. We need to ask how our political leaders are
responding to these issues and what they are doing on our
behalf?
Now, let us return to St Paul. He also felt doomed in the
boat that he had warned the others not to go out in, but he
wasn’t listened to. He was paying attention to God and
could offer hope to all even to those who were ready to kill
him. While he reminds them they should have listened to
him he continues ‘but now I ask you do not give way to
despair. There will be no loss of life at all’. He tells them
about the angel of God who appeared to him and told him
this good news. Paul then says to the people aboard the
endangered ship, ‘take courage friends; I trust in God that
things will turn out just as I was told’ Acts 27: 21-26.
Let us reflect on the hope St Paul speaks about to his
companions on the ship; the hope which is offered to all
peoples today faced with such overwhelming problems
even death itself. The angel of God is offering us, and all
people in our world, that same message he extended to
Paul and companions ‘do not be afraid’, ’take courage’ and
trust in God.
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Friday 10th January 2020
"Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are..."
This lovely little song that we all learned and sang as
children is still loved by all the little boys and girls today!!
It's a timeless favourite!!
I've been doing
some pondering
this week
following the
feast of the
Epiphany about
the Christmas
Star... prompted
also by the
recent appearance of a bright Venus in the western sky
when it's not cloudy in the evenings. I wonder how bright
the Christmas star was?? How did it move so that the Magi
could follow it?? Clearly, it wasn't just an ordinary star - it
was different and recognisably so... I wonder if it was
visible to everyone? If so, how come Herod had to ask the
Magi more about it?? And it was so impressive that the
Magi set out on a long and dangerous journey...
The Gospel tells us that it came to rest over the place where
Jesus was - and so it must have been a "phenomena" that
wasn't light-years away from Earth!! There are no definite
answers - even Google doesn't give satisfactory answers!!
It's one of these mysteries that are good to ponder again
and again.
Some years ago I came across another song that is now a
favourite of mine: Epiphany Carol by Francis Patrick
O'Brien. The lyrics refer first to a "star sent forth from
highest heaven", and go on to explore the deeper meaning
of the Epiphany. We are all called to shine in the world like
bright stars (cf. Phil 2:15, Rom 11:33), going to find Jesus in
our neighbour, the lonely, the unloved...
And so, I think that the Christmas Star has never stopped
shining since that first time when it led the Magi as it goes
on shining in many acts of goodness, kindness, love and
justice that are done each day in so many ways! If you
would like to listen to the full song of Francis Patrick
O’Brien, it can be found here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OjslOODRFI
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Monday 1st January 2020
The Presence of God in life’s everydayness -----2020
How do we practice the Presence of God in the New Year
that is about to unfold for us? Henri Nouwen has a few
suggestions to offer:
“We practice the presence of
God through prayer and
service.
Service is being involved in
something that is for the people
of God. At times, we might be
involved in larger things –
clothing the naked, sheltering
the poor, helping the refugees,
visiting the sick or imprisoned,
but it is always small to begin with. It begins with small
gestures. Being kind to your family and the people you
work with, saying a patient word, writing a card.
When we pray frequently and know that God is in us here
and now, we are very attentive to others because we are
less preoccupied with ourselves. We are less worried about
ourselves and we see other people more clearly. We see
their struggles. We see their beauty. We see their kindness.
We realise these people are also struggling.
Prayer and service are what life is about. It is how the Spirit
of God reveals God to you.
Prayer and service are at the heart of following Jesus.”
(Extracts from: "Following Jesus" by Henri Nouwen,
published by SPCK – 2019)
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Five Lies Our Culture Tells Us.
(David Brooks, New York Times)
1. Career success is fulfilling.
2. I can make myself happy.
3. Life is an individual journey.
4. You have to find your own truth.
5. Rich and successful people are
worth more than poorer and less
successful people.
Each week one of our Sisters contributes a reflection on a
topical subject, or a theme in the Liturgy.