Thought for the Day in The Whanganui Chronicle

The following is a reflection to be published in The Whanganui Chronicle which is the major daily newspaper for Whanganui. The timeframe is the eight days from May 8-13 and the segments are of 250 words or fewer.

Day One

“Yes or no, does human life make sense, and does man have a destiny? I act, but without even knowing what action is, without having wished to live, without knowing exactly either who I am or even if I am ... Supposedly, then, I am condemned to life, condemned to death, condemned to eternity! Why and by what right, if I did not know it and did not will it?” Thus, wrote the philosopher Maurice Blondel in 1893. In this series of reflections in Thought for the Day I invite you to join  me in reflecting on the profound realities of our existence perhaps as you peruse The Chronicle while eating your meusli, having a coffee at work or waiting for a haircut.  

So often we take for granted the everyday life including the very fact of life itself. Sometimes, with characteristic Kiwi modesty we downplay ourselves saying: “I am only a ...”, or, “I am just a ...”. The media constantly beams into our living rooms lives that seem to be so much more glamorous, exciting and interesting. Sometimes, we look to “produce, direct and star” in our own reality show on social media or YouTube. How, then, can I make sense of who I am without succumbing to vanity, false modesty or self condemnation? It is important to come to an answer to the puzzle of who I am since there will never be another me.

Day Two

The uniqueness of my existence can be traced to any number of factors including DNA, emotions, memories, thoughts and the illnesses proper to me in my own unprecedented and unrepeatable set of circumstances. Even identical twins, who share exactly the same DNA, are individuals. At the same time I can empathise with others and even imagine what it might be like to be like them. We share our human condition and regardless of the colour of our skin, language or body shape our humanity binds us into a unity which, as history as progressed, we are recognising more and more. Rightly racism, slavery and genocide are seen as crimes not just against the individuals who are attacked but also as “crimes against humanity.”

Already, I hope, you are sensing some of the wonder that dawns on me as we contemplate the mystery of our existence and our role in the story of the human family over the millennia. This is the case, even without considering who we are for one another and the possibilities that the future may have for each one of us. This is even more the case since there is not only me but an us. My uniqueness is necessarily bound up with the uniqueness of everyone else as a collective. Our destiny, whether it is annihilation or a life beyond our imagining, awaits all of us to share together.

Day Three

Despite the inevitibility of our shared future and the difficulty of coming to terms with our own individual and collective past it is possible to say that the seeds of the future lie in our present action. That seems obvious but how often do we lose touch with the possibilities of  the present? We also tend to forget that it is precisely the desire to act that speaks of a sense of always going beyond ourselves, always becoming. We are a mystery to ourselves because we do not know what precisely we are capable of. Suicide is considered a tragic and senseless act because it shuts the door on the future and on the possibilities of my own story.

It is not only in the sphere of saving money to buy a house or going to the gym to get healthier where the moment of decision lies but in my whole attitude to life and the key to its meaning. My innate tendency to transcend the present calls me on. The question is whether how I am acting now is authentic and worthy of who I am striving to become. The paradox, however, lies in the reality that I cannot meet my own needs! It is through reaching out to others and meeting their needs that my own need for truth, meaning and love is met. In other words, to become myself I need to forget myself and trust in a shared future which we trust we can discover together.

Day Four

If it is the case that our needs can be met by meeting those of others and our future is bound up with our collective reality why is it so hard? We misread each other, betray each other, bruise each other. Sometimes it is deliberate sometimes malicious, sometimes not. When we act it is not always for the benefit of others or even for ourselves. Animals seem to know what they want yet it is humans who have the potential to act more or less than themselves. We just need to look at the history of the World Wars to see that or read the court reports in The Chronicle.

People can appeal to the law or to the use of reason or common sense. Surely, we have the capacity to act for our own benefit? Education is seen as the answer. If only people will learn! Nevertheless, our actions betray us and through them we betray others. Writing almost two thousand years ago Paul of Tarsus wrote: “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” (Romans 7: 15) The precious uniqueness of my life it seems is being squandered and the opportunities offered by my future, instead of motivating me, become an oppressive weight on my shoulders. Worst of all the person who is sabotaging my life turns out to be me. I am the one to blame! 

Day Five

So far, in these reflections, we have journeyed from a sense of optimism, wonder and hope, at what it means to be human and the intriguing possibilities of life, to a sense of incredulity, dismay and pessimism at our ability to make a mess of things. What stares us in the face is the prospect of death. Whether my actions are good or bad the end result will be the same. Futility lies just around the corner even when things are going well. The ancient Jews perceived this: “So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem; also my wisdom remained with me. Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them; I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was the reward for all my toil. Then considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had spent in doing it, and again, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.” (Eccles. 2: 9-11)

It is apparent that self-indulgence and pleasure seeking cannot satisfy the needs of the human heart nor can it give meaning to the actions which always look beyond themselves for fulfilment and never finding it. Paul tells us: “... for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope ...” (Romans 8: 20)

Day Six

The mystery of human existence and of the rest of reality is indeed great. Paradoxically actions, performed by unique, unrepeatable individuals, who are designed to live for each other, can lead us to either ecstasy or despair. Augustine of Hippo, about 1650 years ago, found the answer in God: “Late have I loved you, O Beauty so ancient and so new; late have I loved you! For behold you were within me, and I outside; and I sought you outside and in my ugliness fell upon those lovely things that you have made. You were with me and I was not with you. I was kept from you by those things, yet had they not been in you, they would not have been at all. You called and cried to me and broke open my deafness: and you sent forth your beams and shone upon me and chased away my blindness: you breathed fragrance upon me, and I drew in your breath and I do now pant for you: I tasted you, and now hunger and thirst for you: you touched me, and I have burned for your peace.” (St Augustine, Confessions)

God, I find, is not just a question but the answer to all my longings. The futility of my existence melts away: “Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7: 24-25)

3rd Sunday of Easter

Today we read of the disciples who tell Jesus: "But we had hoped that he (Jesus) was the one to redeem Israel." (Jn 24: 21) Instead of basking in the glory of the Messiah they walk away from Jerusalem dejected and hopeless. Just like the Prodigal Son, wallowing in his pity, they are bankrupt and disheartened. Like many Catholics today they have heard of God, been to Catholic schools and received the first sacraments but now there is nothing to look forward to and nothing to celebrate. Emmaus is a staging post on the road to nowhere. Yet, once they have had their say, Jesus patiently reveals to them the message of the Scriptures once again. It is only, however, at the breaking of the bread that they recognise him for who he is and reflect: "Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?" (Lk 24: 32) Do we, as practising Catholics, have the patience to listen to the stories of lapsed Catholics? Do we love them enough to communicate how wonderful God is and that the Bible is true? Are we capable of participating in the Mass with such faith, hope and love that any visitor will recognise the Lord "in the breaking of the bread" (cf. Lk 24: 31) when they come to church with us?

2nd Sunday of Easter

The famous account of Thomas and his doubt is our Gospel for today. On television there is much made of priests who have doubts as if this indicates they are always threatened with the possibility that their fantasy of God is always on the verge of crumbling to the relentless onslaught of "reality". It is either that or irrational individuals with "blind faith." The reality, of course is different. Since Christians deal with mystery there is always an element of their faith which is challenging. This is fitting and is not noxious to faith in itself. The opposite of faith, in fact, is not doubt but certainty. Blind faith is problematic because the Christian believer must be reasonable since God himself is reasonable. Jesus did not ask for blind faith from his disciples. He explained the reasons for believing in the Father and in him in a very ordered and rational manner and manifested his authority by the works he performed. To his opponents he said: "I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name testify to me; but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep." (Jn 10: 25-26) To us, on this Easter day, his message is: "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe." (Jn 20: 29) 

Easter Sunday

"Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come see the place where he lay." (Mtt 28: 5-6) Fear turns to amazement and despair to joy! On this happiest of days we are heirs to both the promise and the mission given to the disciples of Jesus. Just as Jesus died for them he dies for us; as he rose for them he is risen for us. The only reason the disciples, who were all practising, monotheistic Jews, could proclaim Jesus to be the Son of God was because he did what only God could do. 

John starts his gospel speaking of the beginning: "In the beginning was the Word ..." (Jn 1: 1). That was when the spirit hovered over the waters (Gen 1: 2). Throughout his ministry Jesus worked seven signs to reveal the work of God who created the world in seven days. Jesus brings this creation to completion from the Cross:  "When Jesus had received the wine, he said, 'It is finished.' Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit" (Jn 19: 30) In the Resurrection, therefore, he shows forth an eighth sign and a new creation. It is the eight day - the Lord's Day. Again, the Spirit is poured out, this time upon the disciples who are commissioned to take this new reality, unconstrained by sin and death, to a world in desparate need of the Good News. "Jesus said to them again, 'Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.' When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any they are retained'. " (Jn 20: 21-23) 

For the Jews it was only God could forgive sins: "Who can forgive sins but God alone?" (Mark 2: 7) Now, with the gift of the Spirit, the disciples can do what previously only God could do. In other words, we share already in the resurrection! The Church continues the mission of the risen Christ and we are the heirs to his risen power. Let us use this as we journey throughout Eastertide to brings God's forgiveness to those we meet: "So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." (2 Cor 5: 20)

Holy Saturday

A great silence descends on the Church. No sacraments, unless in cases of necessity eg. in danger of death, are to be celebrated on Holy Saturday. How often do we get inquiries about getting married on the Saturday before Easter Sunday? No, the Church rests, waits and anticipates as the disciples did all those centuries ago. Yet, for them, there was no hope only bitterness and recriminations. Judas betrayed the Lord and so had Peter! What would they do with their lives now - those who had left everything to follow Jesus? Sometimes our lives, too, are stripped bare. We descend into the tomb of loneliness, failure and futility. We have been betrayed by others or even inflicted the damage on ourselves through our own stupidity, sinfulness or selfishness. Abandoned by friends and relatives all we have is silence. The great spiritual writers tell us that in the darkness that God is closer to us than ever. We should never doubt that God is there for us even when we have had cause to cry out in anguish: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Mtt 27: 46) 

After all, St Paul reassures us: "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. " (Rom 8: 37-39)

Good Friday

On Palm Sunday we listened to the Passion reading from one of the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark or Luke) and today we hear the Passion according to John. The Church places such emphasis on the Passion of Christ that it desires us to hear two versions of it every year. Maybe, with some justification, the Church was sceptical that all Catholics would make it to all the ceremonies and so decided to maximise the possibilities of getting to hear the story at least once! In any event, the story of the last days of Jesus' life is pivotal to the Christian faith. 

What they show is that Jesus knew that the Jewish authorities wanted to kill him and yet he stayed in Jerusalem anyway; with that knowledge he chose to communicate to his disciples the meaning of his death; this meaning was to be perpetuated and re-lived by obeying his instructions at the Last Supper; as the innocent Lamb of God he refused to defend himself in the presence of his accusers who had to testify falsely; despite his innocence he was unjustly convicted by the Romans and sentenced to death; this death took the form of crucifixion between two other criminals; Jesus truly died and was placed in a tomb; when his disciples came to the tomb on Easter morning it was empty. 

Later, a writer summed up the significance of the Passion in these words: "In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; and having be made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, having been designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek." (Heb 5: 7-10) The execution on the Cross was not seen as a futile death of a slave or criminal rather: "But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, 'he sat down at the right hand of God' and since then has been waiting  'until his enemies would be made a footstool for his feet.' For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified." (Heb 10: 12-14) 

What does this mean for us today?: "Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he has openeed for us throught he curtain (that is, through his flesh), and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching." (Heb 10: 19-25)

Holy Thursday

It always amazes me how the Gospel of John does not have an Institution Narrative. Surely, you would think, for the sake of completeness, that this gospel would have an account of the Eucharist. Yet, what we are given is the washing of the feet and the "farewell discourses." John may well respond to such a critique asking why the disciples left out the washing of the feet! John would also point to the fact that he uses the term for Eucharist in the feeding of the five thousand (Jn 6: 11) and follows this with the Bread of Life discourse. The feeding reference was so important that the early Christian document The Didache, most likely dating from the 1st Century, used it in its Eucharistic Prayer: "Over the broken bread say: “we give you thanks, Father, for the life and the knowledge which you have revealed to us through Jesus your servant. To you be glory for ever. As this broken bread scattered on the mountains was gathered and became one, so too, may your Church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into your kingdom. For glory and power are yours through Jesus Christ for ever”." 

From this we can understand that the act of washing feet, distributing food and Eucharist are all interlinked - service, charity and sacrifice. Pope St John Paul II wrote in his first encyclical, Redemptor hominis, from 1979: "It (the Eucharist) is at one and the same time a Sacrifice-Sacrament, a Communion-Sacrament, and a Presence-Sacrament." (RH, 20) Hence, it is difficult to sum up the mystery of the Eucharist in any single homily, lecture or blog post. Rather, it must be prayed, received and lived just like the washing of the feet. 

Chrism Mass

On Tuesday of Holy Week the diocese to which I belong celebrates the Chrism Mass. It is a wonderful occasion as people from around the Palmerston North Diocese gather, around their bishop, to celebrate God's presence in our midst through the sacraments. With the blessing of the oils for the coming year we celebrate, in advance, how God is at work in the lives of those who will receive those sacraments. In many ways, however, the most important sacramental sign is the Church itself. Lumen Gentium, from Vatican II, states: " the Church is in Christ like a sacrament or as a sign and instrument both of a very closely knit union with God and of the unity of the whole human race" (LG, 1) We will be, in microcosm, the wider reality of the Universal Church linked with all the other dioceses around the world including Pope Francis and the diocese of Rome. This gives us courage in continuing to live out the mission of the Church even as we face the contrary currents of secularism and persecutions of different sorts. Many people, especially in the mass media, strive to silence the voice of the Church through mockery, blasphemy or, as in the Middle East, martyrdom. In New Zealand the greatest threats to the Church are relativism, indifference and materialism. These insidious toxins threaten the living faith we have received and our commissioned to pass on to others. By gathering as one we are edified and strengthened to stay true to what we have have been given: "Do not, therefore, abandon that confidence of yours; it brings a great reward. For you need endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised ... But we are not among those who shrink back and so are lost, but among those who have faith and so are saved." (Heb 10: 36, 39) 

Palm Sunday

Today we recall how the child, who once asked questions of the teachers in the Temple (Lk 2: 46) returns to Jerusalem riding on a donkey (Mtt 21: 1-11). A lot of water has passed under the bridge in the intervening years. We can see the entry into Jerusalem as the culmination of the Galilean phase of Jesus' ministry with all of the signs and teaching of that period, as well as his hidden life in Nazareth, coming to bear. Jesus unequivocally announces by this prophetic action that he is the fulfilment of God's promises. He is the Messiah and that "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." (Lk 4: 21) Do I see Scripture being worked out in my own life in the present and throughout the rest of my life? Can I testify to those moments when God's promises have been fulfilled for me or for others? Is Christ my saviour or, through my actions and sins, do I indicate that I am waiting for someone else? Let us join, this Palm Sunday, with the rejoicing crowds who celebrated Jesus as their Messiah and the definnitive sign of God's love and faithfulness for them.