Recently I have been working with primary schools to help them prepare children to receive First Reconciliation and First Communion. As per usual I come across parents who want faith for their children but do not seem to want it for themselves. I ask them: "Why is it you want to have your child receive baptism but do not want to be baptized yourself?" Seldom do I get anything like a satisfactory answer. I am left wondering why these mothers and fathers are reluctant or fatalistic about their own relationship with God and the Church? It is not like the opportunity has passed. I can say with confidence that my chances of becoming an All Black have been extinguished but the offer of God's grace remains for the whole of life: "Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near." (Is 55: 6) Our heavenly Father, like the landowner in today's Gospel reading, constantly searches for souls to know, love and accept his salvation for what it really is. As missionary disciples each one of us needs to reach out to those around us who have given up on the possibility of joy and faith. Burdened by their sins and doubt they lie bound by chains of fatalism and pessimism. We need to make St Paul's words our own: "All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. 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: 18-20) As RCIA and other programmes such as Alpha are active let us offer those we know the chance to learn about God and the Church so that we may share in the joy of faith together.
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