I was pondering what piece of music to use tonight with the seminarians to help them to understand and appreciate how the beautiful texts of our faith can be enhanced by beautiful melody.
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opening the door
The Transfiguration of Jesus is the event that opens the door between earthly ordinariness, days and weeks of routine, mundane and struggling existence, and divine eternity.
good enough
And then I was reminded at my uncle’s 90th birthday party last month of the priest who married my grandparents telling them at their 1927 wedding: “Do your best, and leave the rest to God.”
all is well
While we say that fear is an emotion we don’t like and seek to avoid, many people seem irrationally attracted to what instills and aggravates fear.
how much more
I know that I, sinful and unforgiving as I can be, if given charge of the gates of heaven for an hour, would throw them wide open, even to those who hate me and create problems for me.
labyrinthine ways
I like Jonah because he’s a bit like me. I like the way that he recognises the call of God for him, then gets a bit scared and runs in the opposite direction
our
The word OUR is a powerful reminder that when I pray I am not alone. Not only am I in active relationship with God, but I am united with all who share OUR faith in Jesus Christ.
the big picture
We often focus too much on overcoming a particular sin forgetting that our focus must be on Jesus Christ who gives us both the desire and the ability to overcome sin.
our holy longing
While at times we are faced with decisions involving good and evil, most often our choices are between something good, something better, and perhaps a best option.
the beautiful beggar
We regularly hear of good and holy men and women falling from grace and we are shocked and surprised.
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something greater
Too often we fall into the trap of trying to be Christian in a pre-Christian kind of way. As I write I’m remembering the old song titled “Old-Time Religion”, a catchy tune with unfortunate lyrics:
“Give me that old-time religion
Give me that old-time religion
Give me that old-time religion
It’s good enough for me”
our & father
Well we’re almost a week into Lent. Think back to the gospel for Ash Wednesday: the good deeds we do for Lent are not to be paraded before others. If we do this we have had our reward since others know the good we have been doing.
the measure
In recent years I have been invited to lead sessions for the parents of children preparing for First Communion local parishes. I love working with these parents. Many have had little contact with Sunday worship for a decade or two or more. Yet their growing faith leads them to ask for a Sacrament of the Church. While our (church) response is always well-intentioned it’s usually pretty unhelpful when it focusses on Mass attendance and parish activity as the ultimate and immediate measure of faith.
airport musing
I’m writing this reflection at Wellington airport after a day with an inspiring group, reflecting together on Pope Francis’ liturgy letter Desiderio Desideravi published in June of last year. It’s my role with the National Liturgy Office that leads me, along with the NLO co-director Catherine Gibbs, to offer these formation sessions across the country.
decluttering
Fasting has become fashionable.
While many religions promote fasting as a hard but necessary practice, fasting has never really taken off as an attractive and life-giving movement. Until now maybe?