SÉAMUS AHEARNE: MEANDERINGS ON A QUIET AFTERNOON.
SHEER LUNACY:
Artemis 2 project was successful. The Quartet have returned to earth. Their spoken words were quite inspirational. The adventure into space was extraordinary. The mileage travelled; the photos; the observations on the far side of the moon; the adjustments made for the loop around the moon; the talk from ground control, and then those silences; the feat of engineering, and the feat of communication, was mind- boggling. What human beings can achieve, when they work together, is both fascinating and heart- warming. This was all happening, when our world was in chaos with war and killings and linguistic bombshells. The contrast is almost blasphemy. Between the measured sense of wonder and humility (from Space), with the bombastic hyperbole of a President and his Administration, who are together, like bulls in a china-shop.
PROTESTS WITH ROADS BLOCKED:
Our roads are blocked. The motor-way has become a carpark. The success of social media shows how such a major protest can be organised which leaves Government and governance almost helpless. How can that happen? Is this an example for the future – when strong interested groups can strangle the lives of business and ordinary people? The shout out from everyone appears to be; we want more money. We want to be compensated. I ask simply. Where will all this money come from? Money used to satisfy the noisy ones leaves less available for others who want and need more. Education. Hospitals. Social needs. Everyone can’t be satisfied. What is often spoken of these days does come to mind; entitlement. It also worries me to see the Flag still flying (raggedly around many estates) as a sign of defiance – where it speaks of exclusion, rather than the Céad Míle Fáilte. It hurts me to see (down my own street and elsewhere) – graffiti screaming: Irish only or be burned. Why is this allowed to continue? Can anyone do anything about it?
NAILS AND PAINTS AND SMELLS AND HAIR:
I had a problem last week. I was on the phone to a family member. She couldn’t talk to me. She was having her tan done! I told her that her skin was lovely just as it was but that didn’t go down well. I was talking with an ‘old lady’ during the week (now she is just short of 94, and is rather eager to get the President’s money, when we can get married!) She was really happy as her daughter was coming home for a visit from America. However that daughter had to drop down in London to get her hair done. She said that the hair job would cost $4000 in America. Can that ever be possible? Hair – $4000? I suppose colour plus, costs something extra…. But that much. Is it any wonder that there is a cost of living crisis?
Now I know, I caused a little problem in New Zealand recently by expressing surprise at the rash of nail-and- beauty salons on many streets. That father was right – such comments could upset his daughter’s business. (She is responding to the call of the market). But what is going on? Those coloured nails are everywhere. All anyone needs is a clippers to cut the nails. As for all that old paint and smells and other rubbish – what on earth is happening? I see the youngsters rambling around full of paint with smells that would repel any insect. What is the need? People are lovely just as they are. I have a bad thought. Is it that people don’t accept themselves as they are and then have to do all that hair stuff and paint stuff and smelly stuff and crazy clothes stuff and even consider physical adjustment? Obviously I know nothing. I think much of it is madness.
OUR RITUALS:
Holy Week and Easter Sunday has passed. Sunday in Albis has been dumped for that rather garish celebration of Divine Mercy (I don’t agree). These weeks are heavy with Religious Rituals. I feel sometimes that there is an assumption that everyone understands what we do and why we do it. The Vigil is a fine example of this. Fire. Water. Readings. So much only makes sense if people are being received into the Church – as is true historically also for Lent itself. Sometimes we ‘plough’ through all those Readings without any context being given. (I am not speaking locally but generally on Liturgy and how we do it). And the fire. And the water. And the Candle. And the Renewal of Baptism. But there is a depth of history; a depth of meaning which has to be rediscovered today and for this congregation.
The Holy Thursday too is a magnificent celebration but even those who always come to Mass don’t immediately seem to realise that Holy Thursday makes sense of the everyday Mass. And then there is the ‘washing of feet.’ Is that now a relevant gesture in our culture? We have to keep the sense but adapt. Oh yes, people still come for the Good Friday. That has remained in the minds of many. But even Good Friday isn’t as attractive as it used to be. And Palm Sunday needs too to have those Palms waved everywhere, but this only happens if we assemble in our minds, the crowd of people who are our own ancestors, family, community, where we express together, the pride we have in faith and in Jesus Christ.
GOD IS MISSING BUT NOT MISSED:
I still think that many don’t find any need; any interest; any adventure in wonder, to the mystery of life and God. The business of living, is consumed by the immediate, and the bigger questions are unimportant. Those of us who minister in the world of faith can almost blame ourselves but that isn’t the issue. The bigger question is – that the adventure of faith and mystery, doesn’t matter really. It isn’t a trip to the moon that is important but rather a journey into the adventure of faith. The struggle with the poetry of life. The humility to know how little we do know, and how inadequate our language is. But both in education, and very much so in religious matters, the whole focus must be to learn a new language, to stretch the muscles of our minds and imaginations – to find some glimpses of handling the very mystery of life and God. We don’t need to get more people back to church. Or to the moon. We rather have to become Church in the fuller and better sense. We need a questioning community where wonder is discovered and celebrated. Where the music of life is caught. Where the ‘image of God’ is noticed in everyone.
For our edification today: ‘I am Maximus did the job.’ Willie Mullins won again. JP McManus is a repeat performer. Paul Townend was brilliant. Now Rory McIlroy may come again today.
Seamus Ahearne osa 11/12th April 2026.