"NOTHING CAN SEPARATE US..."

 

It’s been wonderful when Peter’s flown in from the W. Indies for a few weeks’ leave, after an absence of about three years. Similarly, when I’ve visit him, it’s been exciting to fly out of Gatwick, make the long journey to Grenada, and to find him waiting for me at Point Seline airport. We have so much to talk about, and we seem to spark off a mischievous sense of humour in each other. Though we are very close, no quarter is given or expected when we play chess. I’m sure many of you will have had the same joy when family or friends have visited you, or you them.

But the time comes when we must return to our respective homes and places of work. Then airports can become painful places. Our emotions are so mixed. Part of us wants to prolong the time before we are separated, while part of us wants to get it over. After all, we’ve said all that can be said. So why prolong the agony? And we both want to return to our respective homes and work. That’s where we find fulfilment. That’s where we belong. That’s what we want for each other and for ourselves.

These reflections occurred to me during Paschaltide. First of all, there’s the disciples’ unbelievable joy when the risen Lord appeared to them after His death. Not surprisingly, Magdalene wanted to cling onto Him. This seemed a little bit like a loved one returning after a long absence. We instinctively want to give him or her a big hug.

But then the time came for Jesus to ascend in glory to His heavenly Father. Although He would disappear from the disciples’ sight, there’s no sign of their being sad or depressed. That struck me as surprising. But they knew that in the ascension Jesus, the man, would be glorified. He would sit triumphantly at the right hand of His heavenly Father. That was His reward for the fulfilment of His mission on earth.

And this was not only a personal triumph for Jesus; where He has gone, we have been called to follow. He has told us He has gone ahead to prepare a place for us. That is what the disciples wanted for Jesus and for us. And that is why they rejoiced at His ascension.

This is something like Peter and I being glad that each of us finds fulfilment in the place where he’s lived and worked for decades - even though that means our being physically separated by thousands of miles.

We’ve found that distance hasn’t made us grow apart. Love and friendship can span the miles. True, the way we relate to each other has to be different. That’s what Jesus wanted to impress upon Magdalene, when He released Himself from her embrace. This was not morally wrong, but after His resurrection she had to learn to express her love for Him in a new way. He was preparing her and us for the time when we would not be physically present to each other, and would be unable to see and hear each other.

But I’m sure that, like Peter and me, you have found that we can be much closer to each other, than some, who are physically near to each other, but, with bitterness and resentment, have become very distant. For them being together can be a source of tension.

Obviously, if we are to remain close, it’s important that we should keep in touch through phone calls, letters and if possible e-mails and Skype. Otherwise we could drift apart. These ways in which we keep close to those who are far away reminded me of what Jesus had said before His departure. He assured His disciples that he would still be with them, but in a new way. He would be in their love, and they in His. That is much more intimate than simply being physically together. In fact Jesus disowned those who simply claimed a nodding acquaintance with him, without any commitment to Him.

Like any friendship, we must work at it to keep it alive. We must make a point of keeping in touch –with Jesus through prayer and the sacraments.

The comings and goings at an airport and how they effect our love for each other have helped me to have a better understanding of how we can be close to the risen Lord, now that he’s no longer physically present here on earth. That’s why the Ascension is a joyful, glorious feast, not a sad one!

Isidore O.P.

　

　

　

FROM SUNSET TO SUNRISE

                              

Occasionally I’ve visited Peter in the beautiful W. Indian island of Grenada. The most peaceful time was when I sat on Grand Anse beach and watched the sun set. Gradually the colours changed from glorious flaming reds and oranges into soft, gentle, peaceful mauves and purples. I realised what the psalmist meant when he said that the heavens proclaim the glory of God. They give us a glimpse of his majesty and creative genius. I certainly have met God in the wonder of his creation! And there’s a great peace in simply being still in watching the sun slowly sinking beneath the horizon, after the heat of the day, with all its bustle, its joys and sorrows, hopes and fears.

Perhaps surprisingly, the setting sun makes me think of death and my life drawing to a close. My thoughts are not morbid, nor are they filled with fear, at the thought of my earthly life coming to an end and my meeting Christ. Twilight is much longer in England than in tropical lands. None of us know how long the sunset and twilight of our earthly lives will last. But sooner or later it will come.

We should not be afraid of the darkness when the sun sets on our lives. When we meet Christ at the moment of death He will not be a stranger, nor will he be a hostile judge, determined to condemn and punish us. Throughout our lives He has been with us, guiding and supporting us, even, though at times we may have felt He has abandoned us. And, imperfectly, we have tried to respond to His love. When we have failed we have experienced the wonder of his love and mercy. We are confident, not in ourselves, but in Christ’s unshakeable love and mercy. That should be the foundation of our hope and peace as we face death.

In England we have a saying, ‘Red sky at night, shepherd’s delight.’ The bright sunset holds out the promise of a brilliant new day. As we approach the sunset of our lives we should be filled with hope that after the dark sleep of death Christ will come in glory to awaken us to the glorious sunrise of a bright new day. On that day He will raise us to the fullness of life to share in the bright glory of His resurrection.

With this in mind, we should not panic as the sun sets on our lives here on earth. We can look forward to the dawning of a new day, when Christ will come to rouse us to greet the sun rising on the most glorious of days. Then we will be more awake, more alive, than ever before. That day will be filled with nothing but happiness, as we bask in the love of the Lord, together with all our loved ones.

Sunset and sunrise do, indeed, remind me that we will meet Christ in a very special way as the sun goes down in death and then rises to the glorious brightness of the resurrection. If we welcome Him during the day time of our present lives, we can be confident that we will greet each other with joy when we meet again in the sunset of death and the sunrise of the resurrection.

Isidore O.P.

MOMENTOUS IFS

I count the number of ‘ifs’ in the following words of St Paul and weigh their significance.
“If the dead are not raised, neither is Christ, and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is pointless and you have not, after all, been released from your sins. If our hope in Christ has been for this life only, we are of all people the most pitiable.” (1 Cor. 15:16)
God alone knows how many funerals I have attended, how many times I have stood beside a grave surrounded by mourners. So many words of consolation, words of Christian hope, prayers and hymns based on the faith that the resurrection is a fact. This faith is grounded in the belief that Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead.
My priesthood, indeed, my Christianity, is justified by the conviction that my hope in Christ is not for this life only. I believe in Christ, attempt to follow Him, and bear witness to Him, not only because of His inspiring life and teaching. My Christ is the one who was crucified and rose from the dead on the third day. His empty tomb is not the symbol of the emptiness of my Christianity. It is the symbol of its vitality.
The corpse of Jesus was not removed by thieves, nor by well-meaning admirers intent on giving Him a decent burial. The women disciples, early on Easter morning, expected to find a closed tomb and within it, the body of Jesus. Whatever hope they had placed in Jesus had died on Calvary. Surely, as they came to the tomb, they were of all people, the most pitiable.
And here am I, so many centuries after these lamentable events, preaching the resurrection of Jesus, the resurrection of us all to people who say their ‘Amen’ to my words.
This is something extraordinary. We believe with unshakable faith that the dead do rise, precisely in the power of the resurrection of Jesus. Where is the evidence for such faith? What gives to it such absolute certainty?
Why do I and so many others believe in the resurrection of Jesus and stake our lives on this, some even being prepared to die for this?
My celebration of Easter demands answers. This amazing faith is an amazing gift of grace from God. It is parallel to that act of faith by St Peter – “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God,” to which Jesus replied, “You are a blessed man! Because it was no human agency  that revealed this to you, but My Father in heaven.” (Matt 16:16)
No human agency has brought about my faith in the resurrection of Jesus, nor has the report of the empty tomb, nor the accounts of the appearances of Jesus after the crucifixion, nor the preaching and teaching from the time of the apostles to the present day. It is God Himself who has produced in my mind and heart, and yours, the conviction of faith.
I reach God at Easter and throughout my life as I dismiss the tantalizing speculations of St Paul’s momentous ‘ifs’.
Because I believe with unwavering faith and enthusiasm I count myself the most blessed of people. My faith in the risen Jesus is not fanciful. It is not pathetic. It is terrific!

Peter Clarke O.P.

SIGNS OF THE TIMES

  

Great excitement! A  few years ago an Anglo-Saxon burial ground was discovered in Cambridgeshire.  Why the fuss?  Because a grave contained what could well have been the earliest Christian remains to be found in England. The deceased was thought to have been a sixteen year old girl of noble birth, possibly a princess.  She died some 1,400 years ago.  And why was she thought to be a Christian?  Because she was buried holding a cross in her hands.  That cross was a clear, unmistakable sign that she had been a follower of the crucified and risen Christ, and had placed her hope of eternal happiness in Him. And these were surely the sentiments of those responsible for her burial!  An object close to her heart in life was placed close to hear heart in death!

  Much more recently, when our mother died, my brother Peter’s crucifix, given him as a First Communion present, was placed in her coffin.  That simple gesture expressed their deep shared faith in the crucified and risen Lord. This cross and actual gesture of placing this family treasure spoke beyond the grave and the separation caused by her death, to their hope of being re-united in God’s eternal happiness. 

 For them and for Christians throughout the ages the cross was the sign of our salvation, and remains so for Christians throughout the world, even to this day.  The cross denotes our identity as followers of Christ crucified.  That was true of the teenage girl buried some 1,400 years ago; that is true of Christians today.  For all of us the cross is a visible, silent witness to our faith.  We wear it with pride, but not with aggressive arrogance.  

For us the cross is the sign by which we have been saved.   If we want proof of God’s love and concern for us, we don’t need special visions and revelations.   Look at the cross; that’s the only sign we need.     In fact Jesus was exasperated with those who were forever seeking signs!  That showed a lack of faith in Him.  We shouldn’t be constantly putting Him to the test by asking Him to prove Himself.  That’s what the devil did when he tempted Jesus in the desert. We shouldn’t behave like the devil!

But sadly, for many the cross means little or nothing. For others the cross can be an uncomfortable reminder of the way the crucified Christ challenges our secular way of thinking and behaving. Others find the cross either ridiculous or offensive.  I’m always amused and confused when a boxer makes the sign of the cross as he steps in the ring.  He then proceeds to knock the living day-light out of his oponent!   Sadly, in so-called Christian countries, believers have been denied the right to wear a visible cross at the work-place.  It’s feared the cross might offend non-believers.  Strangely they don’t seem to object, nor do they find offensive the Nativity being portrayed in civic Christmas decorations or on postage stamps. 

But sadly, for many the cross means little or nothing. For others the cross can be an uncomfortable reminder of the way the crucified Christ challenges our secular way of thinking and behaving. Others find the cross either ridiculous or offensive.  I’m always amused and confused when a boxer makes the sign of the cross as he steps in the ring.  He then proceeds to knock the living day-light out of his opponent!   Sadly, in so-called Christian countries, believers have been denied the right to wear a visible cross at the work-place.  It’s feared the cross might offend non-believers.  Strangely they don’t seem to object, nor do they find offensive the Nativity being portrayed in civic Christmas decorations or on postage stamps.

  There’s a danger of the minority of the so-called ‘politically correct’ projecting their views onto others, and forcing the rest  of us to conform.  Anyway, we Christians are called to give public witness to our faith, not to hide it.  Wearing a cross makes clear what we believe, without our forcing our faith upon anyone.   

 And as we look upon the cross we discover its meaning.  We see an image of the Son of God made man.  Far from being a criminal, He was completely innocent.  Although despised and rejected as a failure He was enthroned there on the cross as the triumphant victor over sin and death. He confronted evil and conquered it, not by force of arms, but by the power of His goodness and love. 

As Jesus hung upon the cross it was as though, as man, He stretched out one hand to His heavenly Father, and as God, He reached out with the other hand to us sinners. His love has drawn God and man together in His crucified person. He has made our peace with God through His death on the cross. 

In Christ’s crucifixion we see the triumph of love over malice, goodness over evil, life over death. God has used the horrific instrument of execution –the cross –to achieve His purpose –the salvation of the world. This will seem madness to non-believers, but for us it is the wisdom of God, which defies human logic.  In the crucified Christ we see the sublime folly, the extravagance, of God's love for us.

 But to those who are scandalized by our professing our faith in the crucified Christ, or simply think we are mad, St. Paul replies, “Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,  but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength,” (1 Cor. 1. 22-25).

 Let us not allow the expression of our faith be driven underground, but wear a cross and witness to it with pride.   With St. Paul let us proclaim, “May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world,”  (Gal 6. 14). Again, with Paul, let us rejoice that, “I have been crucified with Christ: and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me, (Gal. 2. 19-21).

For many it is more than an accessory of their costume jewellery; for many it is a charm that is supposed to bring good fortune – such as a horse-shoe or a black cat. However, there is the beautiful custom of kissing the figure of the crucifix before reciting the Rosary.  Others who are proud to wear upon their person this emblem of their Christianity might do well to show it this same affectionate reverence.  We make exception for those whose crosses are permanently attached to their ears! – would like to insert this piece of mischief?

Isidore O.P.

A LOST SAVIOUR....A MISSING SAVIOUR?

"Be holy as I am holy; be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect."

We wouldn’t take this seriously if it weren’t for the fact that these are the Words of God to be found in the Sacred Scriptures which He inspired. Isn’t our Heavenly Father asking too much of us, expecting too much from us? Not really, if we remember that God asks of us nothing that is impossible, but makes what is difficult possible.

The call to share in the life of God who is holy, or, better, to live by God’s gift of His very self to us, must be the core of our Christian spirituality – the very essence of the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As God’s beloved children in our own lives we are meant to mirror the holiness of God’s own life!

What dignity God has conferred on us, His beloved children for whom He wants so much, from whom He expects so much! Sadly, for all of us there have been times when we have been a disappointment to God. We have to ask ourselves, "How much or how little it has meant to us that we have offended the God who has showered so much love on us?"

I dare to suggest that regular, humble self-examination and self-accusation, together with the recognition of our personal sinfulness in thought, word, deed, and omission, are not prominent on today’s Christian landscape. Far too seldom do we beat our breasts and mutter, "Through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault!’

And yet, without a sense of sin there can be no sense of the need of that repentance, causing us to yearn for His forgiveness, nor the felt need to be reconciled to Him, by Him. In such a vacuum what sense is there in singing, ‘God of mercy and compassion, look with pity upon me?’ What motivation is there to recite the much loved Jesus Prayer, 

'Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner?'

Could it be we have come to resemble those who regarded Jesus as stimulating company but never saw themselves of needing from Him any spiritual healing? To the likes of these Jesus said, 'It is not those that are well who need the doctor, but the sick. I have come to call not the upright but sinners to repentance,’ (Lk. 5.31).

Much as I dislike it, I have to suggest our generation is on the way to losing its sense of an urgent need for a Saviour. And yet Sacred Scripture describes the mission of Jesus in terms of being Saviour.

‘She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins,.' ( Mtt.1.21); and ‘For God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but so that through him the world might be saved,’ (Jn.3.17).

As I see it, in our promoting the New Evangelization we simply must restore Jesus as Saviour to the place where He belongs, at the heart of our Christianity. Then and only then will we, as regular Church goers, appreciate the need for, and the beauty of, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the Sacrament of the Forgiveness of Sins.

Perhaps now you will understand why I entitled this meditation:

A LOST SAVIOUR? ~~~~~~~~~ A MISSING SAVIOUR?

I ask you, ‘Have we lost Him, as our Saviour? If we have, when we have such beautiful liturgies and devotions, do we really miss Him as our Saviour.

Peter Clarke O.P.

ASHES -NOT FOR EATING!

   
What a temptation! And this at a most sacred and sober moment! On Ash Wednesday of all days, at the very moment of distributing the ashes! It is then that the person before me opens his or her mouth, as I reach forwards with a thick layer of ashes on my thumb…ashes to consumed?!? Surely not! Dirty ashes to be smeared on the forehead…not the Lord Jesus to be con...sumed in Holy Communion. I leave you to speculate how I’ve handled this situation on more than one occasion.
Suffice it to say that ashes do nothing to beautify our appearance. They’re not meant to. In a tradition dating back to Saint Gregory the Great, pope in the sixth century, ashes have been distributed at the commencement of the season of Lent. During this time we are to reflect on the certainty of our dying, sooner or later, and we are to repent of our sins. With the grace of God we could conjure up these sombre sentiments without our having to be daubed with ashes. Indeed, we hear from the Gospel of today that Jesus warned against the misuse of outward expressions of piety … parading good deeds in the streets to gain the admiration of others. The public distribution of ashes is meant to remind us that we, as the People of God in our very togetherness, have a fragile hold on life and that we need to repent of our collective sinfulness.
When distributing ashes I find myself in something of a dilemma. I have to choose between two formulae each of which carries a powerful message. The more familiar one is,
"Remember, man, you are dust
And to dust you shall return."
“Remember you are dust and unto dust you shall return” reverberates with one tone in the ears of those of us of advanced years; with a completely different tone when heard by a young mother cradling an infant in her arms. And yet I feel good when I remember that the dust which is me has been made sacred because it has received the creative breath of God himself. I’m deeply moved by the thought that my being human means that I, yes I, am made in the image and likeness of God Himself. So much more marvellous is it that the Son of God, in becoming man, has clothed Himself in this, my dust-prone human nature and…yours…and yours…and yours!
Born of the Virgin Mary, Jesus suffered and died. Entombed in the dust of the earth, He did not become part of the dust. On the third day He rose from the dead and in so doing He defied the finality of "to dust you shall return." The Good News of the Gospel is that although in death every single one of us shall return to dust, through Jesus the dust that is ourselves will be raised to share in the glory of His resurrection.
“Christ has been raised from the dead, as the first- fruits of all who have fallen asleep… in Christ all will be brought to life; but all of them in their proper order; Christ the first-fruits, and next, at his coming those who belong to him,” [1 Cor. 15.20]
Thus the Church carries us from a realistic acceptance of our sorry condition, “you art dust” to the joyful celebration of our faith in Jesus,
"Dying you destroyed our death,
Rising you restored our life.
Lord Jesus, come in glory"
For me the alternative formula for the distribution of ashes is far more challenging. It reminds me that a living Christianity requires of me repentance and fidelity,
"Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel."
It doesn’t come easily for any of us to repent of those things that at some time have caused us joy, brought us success and may even have defined our life-style. At the time these seductive attractions all seemed so good for us. It seems to me there’s little credit in that remorse that only occurs to us once we’ve been found out and are in danger of being shamed or even of being punished.
All of us need the grace of God to convince us that aspects of our lives that have given us satisfaction and pleasure have been highly offensive to God and that there was dust-like ugliness in their fraudulent beauty. It is the grace of God that brings home to us the awfulness of offending the God who loves us- the God whom we profess to love. In repentance we yearn to be reconciled with God and we resolve to be more faithful to Him. The Good News is that all this is possible because of Jesus dying on the cross for us and rising from the tomb for us.
Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent, during which our minds and hearts are prepared for the celebration of the Paschal Mystery, accomplished by Jesus on the Cross and from the Tomb. Ashes on the forehead in the form of a cross express the Christian conviction that the eventual resurrection of our bodies and God’s loving forgiveness of our sins derive from our crucified and risen Lord Jesus. Our repentance makes us open to this.
"Lord, by your cross and resurrection
You have set us free.
You are the Saviour of world."
Our wanting the Church to taint our foreheads with ashes gives us plenty to chew over in our minds and in our hearts, but no reason whatsoever to open our mouths!     

Fr. Peter Clarke, O.P.

"WOULD YOU RATHER BE A FISH...?"

What a life! Get a life! That’s what it desperately wanted. That’s what it frantically sought as it made futile attempts to break free and widen its horizons. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the gold fish as it languidly,aimlessly swam round its glass globe, doing nothing more exciting than blowing bubbles as I gazed at its secure prison/ home on the window-sill opposite my room. What a boring existence, watching the world go by and not being part of the action!

Periodically the poor fish’s frustration would reach breaking point. Its patience would snap. It would summon all its energies and make a giant leap for freedom –only to crash-land panting, gasping for breath. As it lay helpless on the floor it was strand, totally out of its element. Fortunately, at that very moment, I passed by, noticed its predicament, rushed to its rescue and returned it to its watery home in the bowl. Once more it was back in its element...cramped though it was,  it could breath; it could blow bubbles. Though its life was limited, at least it was safe! True, it had to face down our cat as it sized it up as a tasty snack. But that eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation did not seem to make our goldfish neurotic.

Very different was my reaction to my tedious, drawn-out illness while working in Spode Conference Centre.   Great was my frustration during the A-Level Scripture courses. I had started them. I used to lead them. I longed to join the action. Being a tutor, working with such lively youngsters, was stimulating. And I learnt so much while teaching. Then there was the joy of making friends, joining in the lively liturgy and trying to beat the teenagers at table tennis. I really came alive during those courses!

But then illness put an end to all this –at least for a couple of years. During that time I could identify with the gold fish in its glass bowl. Both of us could gaze longingly at the world around us. By no choice of ours we were placed in this safe, but very limited environment. But neither of us could join the action. Like the gold fish, I longed to leap out, to break free. Sad to say, the result of my own attempt to escape was just the same as that of the golden fish.   Neither of us could cope with the freedom for which we both longed. Out of water the poor fish lay exhausted, gasping for breath, as it lay on the floor. The same was true for me. My attempt to become involved in the world outside the confines of my room wore me out and set back my recovery. Both the fish and I had to be put back into the limited, safe environment in which we could survive.

I had to learn and accept that this must be what God was asking of me at that time. Instead of feeling frustrated at being unable to do what I had loved I had to learn to find fulfilment in what was possible and learn to love that. That meant having to work through negative self-pity to a positive approach to life. Not an easy task. We certainly need God’s help to reach the serenity St. Paul described in his letter to the Philippians, when he wrote,

"I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am," (Philip. 4. 11).

 

The same is now true with the inescapable limitation resulting from the frailty of old age. Instead of envying the vigour of the youngsters in my community, I must find fulfilment in what is still possible for me. It’s so reassuring to remind myself that Jesus achieved most –the salvation of the world –when He was helplessly nailed to the cross. The sick and frail can identify with Him, and He with us. We can even share in His work of salvation in a way impossible for healthy, active youngsters.

I think God wants the goldfish to teach me to make the best of the opportunities and situations in which I now find myself, where I can still find fulfilment within my limitations. That’s far more positive than wasting my time and energy hankering for what is no longer possible. I would only make a fool of myself if, as an octogenarian, I tried to behave like brethren young enough to be my grandchildren. 

 

Incidentally, I think we only really appreciate something when we lose it. That’s certainly true of the vigour of youth. I agree with George Bernard Shaw, when he said, "Youth is wasted on the young." Now it’s up to me to find the advantages of frailty and old age. Perhaps the youngsters are not yet ready to appreciate them!   OR US!!!!

Isidore O.P.