One summer I spent a few days in Darwin as part of my summer break. While I was walking on the streets of Darwin, I happen to pass by the Cathedral of the Diocese of Darwin. Outside the Cathedral, there was a statue of the crucifix mounted on the wall.
Every age has its own rhythms. These rhythms are influenced by the social, scientific, economic, and technological developments that take place in human life. Since ancient times, the discovery of fire changed the way our human ancestors consumed food and spent their time in the evening after the sun went down. Before writing was invented and literacy became widespread, storytelling around a common fire was likely one of the most popular evening activities, especially among preliterate and nonliterate societies, reflects Fr Anthony Le Duc SVD.
Once the printing press was invented in the 1400s, reading was incorporated into the lives of many people who were literate and could get access to books and printed materials. This one single invention was as revolutionary to the human mind as the discovery of the fire was life changing to the human physiology. And both had tremendous impact on human culture. The rhythms of human life have continued to change and evolve over the ages with each new discovery, invention, and insight into the way the world works.
A few years ago a friend of mine, a fellow priest, shared this story with me: He and his brother were the joint heirs to their father’s estate. Several months before their father died, he called his son, the priest, saying he wanted to talk about something very important.
Well, here we are, at the end of the Advent season and about to approach the crib of the Christ-child with awe and wonder.
How are these days for you? Are they hectic and frantic as you finalise preparations for Christmas gatherings and buy those final gifts for the tree? Or will you be able to carve out even a small amount of time to ponder quietly the miracle that we celebrate.
Recently I was reading the book “Seeking Spirituality” by Ronald Rolheiser, reflects Fr James Aricheera SVD. I found this book to be a good guide for those who are seeking spirituality. According to him, three main things hinder one from interiority and spiritual experiences. They are “Narcissism, pragmatism and unbridled restlessness”.
To get a general understanding of them he writes, “Defined simply, narcissism means excessive self-preoccupation; pragmatism means excessive focus on work, achievement, and the practical concerns for life; and restlessness means an excessive greed for experience, an over-eating, not in terms of food but in terms trying to drink in too much of life”. When I reflected further on this, I realised that many of us have those things in us, but we are not aware of it.
Bless every father and grandfather with the best of your spiritual blessings today. Let him know he is not alone in the tasks you have given him.
A few days ago as I was watching the TV news, there was an interview in which the reporter asked the interviewee about the secrets of happiness. That person said many people in the world try to attain happiness by possessing things of the world the first. For example a job, money, house, marriage, children, grandchildren etc.
According to him that is the wrong approach. He suggested that we must first be happy and then seek worldly possessions. This way will help one to be more efficient to attain worldly success. More than 2000 years ago Jesus said the same thing in a different way when he said, “Therefore, seek first the kingdom of God and his justice, and all these things shall be added to you as well.” (Mt. 6:33)
As Melbourne emerged from its recent COVID lockdown, Sydney, parts of Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory have headed into a new outbreak of the virus. School holidays and other plans have once again been ruined for many. It seems that just when we relax a little, the pandemic returns to bite again.
And yet, the situation in other places is so much worse than we are experiencing. We think of India, South America and even the UK and US. We are constantly reminded that the pandemic isn’t over anywhere until it’s over everywhere. Where can we find God in all of this?
This week is the 11th Sunday of ordinary time. We continue our journey of faith, from Sunday to Sunday, to be nourished by Christ through his Words.
As this edition of In the Word arrives in your inbox we are still rejoicing in the recent feast of Pentecost and the great gift of the Holy Spirit in our lives and in our Church.
St Arnold Janssen, the founder of the Divine Word Missionaries, had a particular devotion to the Holy Spirit. He felt, that in his lifetime in the late 1800s in Europe, the Holy Spirit was the underrated personage of the Holy Trinity and that more emphasis was placed on the Father and the Son.