I have just read an extract from Pope Francis work, Evangelium Gaudium: – ‘The joy of the Gospels’. It says, “Realities are more important than ideas”. It certainly confronts me as I unfold my journey of faith, or lack of faith.
As we return, to a post coronavirus world, it will be changed in many ways. Social media will remain a large part of life, travel, especially by aircraft will take a long time to recover. Family and hopefully community-based lifestyle may be enhanced.
For us as a church, I believe we will have an incredibly challenging time. From experiencing screening, you may have found a site that suits, and sustains your faith. For centuries, the mass was in Latin, pews the normal furnishing, and the spiritual experience a priority. America which has a higher percentage of practice in recent times, experienced people doing a lot of “shopping around” for the church that best suited them.
The Second Vatican Council was a hugely important occasion in the life of the church, a privileged and blessed time. The prospects for the future, but now a full sense of sadness in contrast with the promise that it offered. I was very aware of the situation when in Ireland; and could foresee the great challenge and difficulties that the churches would have with mass attendance. I believe that this was especially true for the seminaries and in the present time most are closed.
Now as we focus upon the present moments in the life of the church – the Feast of the Ascension, and please God, we may have great preparation for Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit greatly empowered the early church.
The foundation of our faith is so important. Returning to its source for me; the home and family I grew up in. As mentioned before my Sister Mary’s book “A Mother’s Love” catches many moments of the crosses and trials but also the great moments of grace and here is one extract from her book.
My guardian angel’s description of love, placed upon my heart, reads:
God’s love is without end. Love is bountiful, forgiving, enduring. It is never self-seeking, but reaches out its tender shoots to embrace all on their spiritual journey. Love seeks to lighten the load of others. Love knows that all are brothers and sisters in Christ. Love knows that all can be forgiven. It bears no grudges, but is unconditional. Speak of this God of Love. He seeks to be part of each pilgrim’s life on this earthly journey. God’s love heals and supports, nourishes, and suffuses the spirit.
There are also testaments from persons experiencing the dark side of life, and the accounts of their experiences of evil, deserve our attention and the sure response that we make. This is working for God, belief in the one He has sent, Jesus. Through the coming days and weeks all our attention must be with the first disciples as we will listen to their story……..