Séamus Ahearne: So be amazed, all you people great and small who fear God! You well educated people in authority, listen and examine this carefully. Who was it, who called one as foolish as I am, from the middle of those who are seen to be wise? If I am the most looked down upon; yet he inspired me. The Confessions of St Patrick.
Lost in Space:
Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore seemed ecstatic as the docking occurred. They went on a short trip to the International Space Station for eight days which turned into nine months. The next trip is home. May it go well. Those nine months must have been incredibly difficult. How do people cope at all, being locked away for such a long time unaware of the length of the wait? They couldn’t go for a walk. They couldn’t avoid the company. They hardly had much chance of a varied diet. Their toilet requirements surely were awkward. It will be rather interesting when they are debriefed, as they get back to land. I can’t imagine how claustrophobic it must have been. How can any mind cope with that? My own slogan could be: Don’t fence me in (in any way).
Saint Mary of Egypt:
Alexandra Zhirnova (Cambridge scholar) was due to give a talk last week on ‘Saint Mary of Egypt.’ She was a fourth century saint who lived in the desert for over 40 years. She threw off everything when she left public life. And this meant she went naked. Her story or legend, eventually reached medieval England through a blockbuster, which translated her ‘story’ into Old English (12th century). She was painted as a wild woman with an exciting past. She was a rebellious saint. She was even portrayed as a promiscuous lady, before she found God. This character apparently displayed how wild, wicked and wonderful women could be, in those faraway days. Every saint wasn’t a virgin from the age of seven or eight! It appears. What truth is in the story? Who knows? But why destroy a good story with too much truth? Those of us who used to read/hear lives of the saints in the Office, years ago, were intrigued with many highly decorated and unlikely portraits too. As Charlie Landsborough sings: ‘Sometimes saints, don’t look like saints at.’ Mary does deserve to be resurrected. We have had too many plaster saints. And it still happens.
Reverence democracy or Humour the child in the Oval Office:
I do have problems and am concerned. How did the Tories elect Boris? How did they vote in Liz Truss? Why did the Labour party elect Jeremy Corbyn? How on earth was it possible that intelligent and sensible people, could elect that blatherer Donal Trump? It is extraordinary that the marvellous concept, which is democracy, could produce such outlandish characters. Bertie Ahern’s advice to Micheál Martin was not to correct Trump but to let him ramble. The Donald is totally unpredictable, Bertie said. Macron and Starmer handled him appropriately. Micheál did likewise. All this plámás/humouring and the stroking of Trump’s ego, is rather pathetic. It is a shocking state of affairs, if politics have to be conducted in this dishonest manner. It is like dealing with a child to placate the occupant of the Oval Office. Our USA Ambassador, Geraldine Byrne Nason, had a challenging job to prepare for that meeting. She was educated with great diplomatic skill at St Augustine’s in Shop Street, Drogheda! Really – it appears as if a fox (Donald) has been put in charge of a henhouse when everyone waits for the next catastrophe, as the fox attacks. If we never resorted to prayer, we must do so now.
Attending Mass is more prayerful that being the priest at Mass!
I was down country last Sunday and attended Mass. It is much better way of praying, to be at Mass, rather than to be the priest, leading the Mass. I was happy to be there but a little disappointed, that there was no singing. I glanced around and noticed somewhat more younger people present, than I find up here in Rivermount. I’m not sure how many of my own family scheduled into their weekend time for Mass either! But that is how it is.
Vance Packard:
And earlier in the stillness of a country morning I was thinking. Is not going to Mass – like the fashion? If many don’t go, is it seen to be the normal not to go? My mind ran away on me. I was thinking of all the ads on the TV. Some of them I don’t even understand or realise what they are advertising. But it is the cosmetics that amuse me. That leads me to look around – all those red lips or variants on that colour. All those blacked out eyes. All that caked material plastered and hiding beautiful faces. Those torn jeans. What is going on? Even youngsters have to paint up. Why? The natural look is beautiful. Is not going to church like the cosmetic world? It is cool. It is normal. It is the way everyone has to conform. I remembered from my distant past, Hidden Persuaders by Vance Packard (1957). People are quietly coaxed into buying stuff and so the market blooms. Should the Church take lessons from the cosmetic and fashion world on how to sell a product? Or subtly find some hidden persuaders!
Moments to live by:
I was thinking this weekend of that Transfiguration story. ‘It is wonderful for us to be here.’ Or Moses with the burning bush. Or the Baptism of Jesus. Or Elijah on the mountain and the gentle breeze. How do we help ourselves to live what the Monks of Weston Priory used to sing: ‘Moments to live by.’ Can we collect the ‘sacred moments’ of life? The sacred memories of the characters, in our lives. The sacred places that speak to us. The hints and whispers of God of the extraordinary, in the ordinary. Beauty. Wonder. Love. Poetry. Music. Nature. How on earth can we set out to ensure something happens at every Mass (even)? The theatre that is Liturgy always has to be revelatory and stirring. Tap the mystery. Unfold and reveal God. Indeed ‘Moments to live by.’ I come back to my usual comment: Liturgy is full of clutter which masks the sacred and the mystery.
Seamus Ahearne osa 17th March 2025