A Mishmash of thoughts on a Sunday morning
A Mishmash of thoughts on a Sunday morning
Sunday morning. It is very quiet. No Mass. No-one around. The phone rings frequently asking me if I need anything. The texts are multiple.
One sentence caught me unawares. “Are you saying Mass by yourself?”
This is a summary of my reply: ‘ Saying Mass alone, doesn’t make sense to me. ‘ I’ve heard also of the notion of ‘Spiritual Communion.’ I understand it but cannot be convinced.
I was in the Church this morning. I read the Morning Prayer very slowly. I had to do it out-loud. Otherwise, it was in danger of being rushed thoughtlessly. And my mind retreated to the past. The long distant past.
I thought of years ago. Of even 50 years ago. (My friend John Reid was due to celebrate his Golden Jubilee of priesthood today.) I went back to student life. To the characters of inspiration. I thought of Teilhard de Chardin. Of ‘The Mass on the World.’ Of ‘The Divine Milieu.’ Of ‘The Hymn of the Universe.’ I can celebrate such a Eucharist at any time. I remembered too Jurgen Moltmann. He featured in this week’s Tablet. He is still around. He still exudes hope. His God is still very much alive. He was a lively companion back in those days.
I began to think too of Gustavo Gutierrez and Jon Sobrino. The Liberation Theologians created such an excitement for us all back when God was younger. When we were young and enthusiastic. And there were so many others who stirred us deeply. We were very blessed in those days of the 60’ s when the Council was happening; when flower power was flourishing; when sexual liberation was challenging us; when it was good to be alive. For some of us, that hope, life and inspiration has never left us. Covid 19 has halted my/our gallop. I don’t just live off the memories, I have time now, to wake up my reflective self. I need that sort of sabbatical. A Sabbath (as Padraig McCarthy has mentioned).
This was sent to me a moment ago and it features Sabbath:
What if you thought of it (this time/Covid 19 period) as the Jews consider the Sabbath—the most sacred of times?
Cease from travel. Cease from buying and selling. Give up, just for now, on trying to make the world different than it is.
Sing. Pray. Touch only those to whom you commit your life. Center down. And when your body has become still, reach out with your heart.
Know that we are connected in ways that are terrifying and beautiful. (You could hardly deny it now.) Know that our lives are in one another’s hands. (Surely, that has come clear.)
Do not reach out your hands. Reach out your heart. Reach out your words. Reach out all the tendrils of compassion that move, invisibly, where we cannot touch.
Promise this world your love–for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, so long as we all shall live. _- Lynn Ungar_
Seamus Ahearne osa