Advent is our time of preparation leading up to Christmas. As the year ends, it is also a time for us to ‘sum up’ or take stock of our lives. As I get ready to celebrate God’s unique gift of his Son to humanity, what does my life look like? Do I practise what I profess? In what ways can I more truly be a disciple of Jesus? We know the answers to these and similar questions. Our task is to become more present to the answers and put change into effect, as needed. As for me, I struggle to find my own answers, so I will not be issuing a ‘prescription’ to anyone else!

Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend (Exodus 33:11)

To this day, a dominant image of God is as transcendent, totally other, separate from us. This passage does not reject that image. Rather there is more to God than that. God is immanent as well. While not in the unique way that the LORD was present to Moses, God is with us. This relational aspect of God is important for we relational beings. Thus part of what this passage calls us to is to cultivate a close, warm relationship with God – as ‘a friend’.

This is easier said than done, especially if there is a conflict with someone’s image of God: how can I be close to someone who is remote? Thus our dealings with young people in this regard (as with many others) will need to be gentle. Our teaching, our modelled behaviour, and the opportunities we provide them for prayer are factors. In the end, it will happen in God’s time, the kairos time – and we are blessed to play our role.

Have a great week!

Patrick

“So God created humankind in his image” (Gen 1:27)

“However kills an innocent person it is as if they have killed all of humanity” (Qu’ran 5:32)

Thus, if you live in Paris

Or Beirut

Or Damascus

Or Baghdad

Each person has dignity

No hierarchy

A death in Paris

Or Beirut

Or Damascus

Or Baghdad

Is to be grieved

Part of God’s image

Is lost

And we are all

Diminished

There is so much anger

So much hatred

What should our response be?

To follow Jesus, Francis of Assisi

And many others:

Peace

Love

Pardon

Faith

Hope

Light

Joy

The angel of the LORD came a second time, touched Elijah, and said, ‘Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be too much for you.’ (1 Kings 19:7)

In this story, Elijah is fleeing from those who would kill him – for being true to God’s word. Despite wishing to die to be rid of his troubles, God cares for Elijah. Each of us needs ‘food for the journey’. This can be as simple and profound as eating in a healthy way. There is also a metaphorical sense – making sure my soul is fed. This can take the form of leisure, reading, writing, reflection – as well as our spiritual food, the Eucharist.

Young people can speak of FOMO (fear of missing out) – being obsessed about taking every opportunity without discerning whether they have the time and energy to realistically take them up. Having ‘food for the energy’ is also about allowing time to stop, reflect and recharge our batteries. We do well to speak about ‘food for the journey’, while also modelling it to the young people in our care.

Have a great week!
Patrick

Jesus said, ‘I am the light of the world’ (John 9:5)

Everything is fine when there is light, when we can see. Life is a breeze. When darkness falls, it is easy to trip and hurt ourselves. Tasks that are simple in the light become much more difficult. This is all the more true when ‘darkness falls’ in our lives. We ‘grope around’, searching for answers, longing for the light. These moments of darkness in our lives are an opportunity to strengthen our relationship with God. If we live our lives as Jesus did, with love and compassion for those around us, the light will increase (albeit more slowly than we’d prefer). Through our relationships, which are an echo of God’s love for us, we will be brought into the light.

For those who are plunged into darkness through no fault of their own – like the young people in our care – this can be a bewildering and lonely time. Hopefully our watchful eye will catch a glimpse of their pain, to guide them towards the light – the light around them in their relationships, the light of their own goodness and the light of faith, which illuminates the darkest corners.

Have a great week!
Patrick

“If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts” (Hebrews 3:10)

This passage, which is an echo of Psalm 95, reminds us that God is always looking to communicate with us – and we must be open and ready. It is so easy to get locked in to our plans and schedules that we forget that we are made for relationship – for connection with others. God can speak to us through people or nature in a variety of ways. If our hearts are ‘hard’ – through lack of openness, lack of compassion, lack of wonder – then we will not hear God. Worse still would be to hear God and ignore the call to openness, compassion, wonder, relationship because it doesn’t fit in with our selfish, myopic plans.

The message for young people is to cultivate a relationship with God – in prayer and reflection and reverence and wonder at all the gifts God has bestowed upon us. If we have hearts of flesh, of wonder, of compassion, we will be open to others; we will be drawn towards our best selves. We will most likely live our life to the full – and helps those around us to do so, too.

Have a great week!
Patrick

Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. (John 15:4)

The language of John’s gospel is so rich. Then, as now, there were issues with people ‘going it alone’. While each person must choose to believe and live out that faith, it is only in community that our faith reaches its fullness – when we ‘bear fruit’. To abide in Jesus means to live as a disciple. It also means to foster a relationship with Jesus in prayer. If we pray and do our best to live as a disciple, the Holy Spirit will guide us, so that we each bear fruit by building up the community – not just ourselves.

Young people want to explore their abilities and increase their sense of agency. However, young people have a strong desire to do good – as is readily seen in their wholehearted participation in service projects, social justice activities and school leadership. Isn’t that fruit sweet?

Have a great week!
Patrick

Happy are those who find fault with themselves instead of finding fault with others. (Muhammed)

Over the last fifteen years or so, there has been a great deal of ignorance and misinformation about Islam. This saying (hadith) from the prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, reminds us how closely aligned our religions are (see Matt 7:3-5; Luke 6:41-42). There have been many throughout history who have used religion to justify the evil in their hearts. We should not be surprised that it is happening today. What of the decades of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland ‘done in God’s name’?

Given the pluralistic society in which we live, our task is to ensure that young people have a clear understanding of Islam, beginning with the fact that the name of the religion comes from the Arabic word for ‘peace’. We believe in the one God. Middle Eastern Christians use the Arabic word for God, ‘allah’. And most importantly, we should struggle with ourselves to be the best person we can be (the true meaning of ‘jihad’) before pointing the finger at anyone else.

Have a great week!
Patrick

I sink in deep mire,
where there is no foothold;
I have come into deep waters,
and the flood sweeps over me. (Ps 69:2)

The Psalms ring true, nearly 3000 years after they were written, because of their emotional honesty. There is an expression ‘fake it until you make it’. There is a perception that as adults we are supposed to feel calm and self-assured – that we are in control. This verse rings true because each of us has those moments (or days, weeks or years) where we feel ‘overcome’. The key question, I believe, is ‘what do we do next?’ The person of faith admits this in prayer and opens themselves up to God’s grace: ‘Loving God, please help me’.

I think it is vital that young people see us as not having all of the answers, not always being in control. The developmental project of the young person is further complicated by unrealistic expectations. By sharing our weakness, which can be threatening for us, we allow young people to glimpse God’s grace at work. Well worth any inconvenience we might suffer!

Have a great week!
Patrick

What you hold, may you always hold.
What you do, may you always do and never abandon (second letter of St Clare to Agnes of Prague)

Some background to this quote, courtesy of Joanne Schatzlein OSF: “Agnes has built a hospital dedicated to St Francis in Prague and has been overseeing it. She also built a monastery for women who wanted to follow Clare. She then enters the monastery and of course, like Clare, she does not want to accept dowries as a means of support. She wants a similar privilege that Clare has – The Privilege of Poverty. But is being denied that because the Pope is very concerned that these monasteries of women have some source of income. Agnes is fighting the Pope about accepting income from the Hospital. She wants to remove herself from any relationship with the hospital and dedicate her life to prayer. She must have shared this with Clare, who then writes back to her, “What you hold, may you always hold…….”

This quote speaks to me of integrity and grit. Come what may, I will stick to what I know is right. When difficulties come along (as they surely do!), I will find the strength (and/or the grace) to keep going and not give up. A wise and powerful notion for all of us – as well as an excellent notion to share with our young people.

Have a great week…and term!
Patrick