SÉAMUS AHEARNE: HEADLINES…
The Headline on Saturday’s London Times to a Comment article, by Max Hastings was: Fakers tussle for seats at Trump’s table of lies. He writes: ‘The US has fallen into the hands of the most dishonest and venal leader in its history. This is a man who appears willing to sell out Ukraine in return for vast Russian business opportunities for himself and his clan. And a shocking number of Americans remain willing to ride along.’ It often appears that Donald admires Putin, makes him his hero and feels jealous of the man. He wants to be like him, and he is like a mongrel waiting to be patted on the head by the bully-in-chief, Putin. His Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, addressed Putin with these words in recent days: ‘You are a humanitarian.’ This was on the release of Stephen Hubbard from jail. Steve of course, is His Master’s Voice. Oh my God. ‘What a wonderful world.’ (Louis Armstrong).
STRIKES AND WORK TO RULE:
Wednesday passed quietly 21st October. There were no further strikes. The Go Slow, or Work to Rule, continues. The crowded gateway at the School makes it even more dangerous than usual, as the children can’t get in until 8.50. The abandonment of cars by the parents and their carelessness with parking accentuates the everyday problem at this School, and most schools. The Strikes last week on the 14th October were supposedly successful. It wasn’t clear to me why that Strike was necessary. It seemed to be a quibble on words. When would the money question be solved? It had to be immediately and first-of-all, before other issues were dealt with. (Unions). But surely all such negotiations come as a total package. Anyway, power and muscle work. Talks have begun.
CRUDE ECONOMICS:
I do hesitate in regard to such Strikes. I know very well that many people are paid very little. And there is the question of demarcation lines, which insists on keeping groups in their own wage bracket. But many are paid too much! It may be 57 years since I concluded my study of Economics at UCD, but I have a very simple view of State monies. There is a pot of money. It has to be shared with all the competing needs in the State. If some people get more; there is less available for others. We can’t keep on shouting for more money for hospitals; for schools; for special needs; for the poor; for houses. If the money is shouted for and demanded by those with the loudest voices, these other essential needs can’t be met. Yes. I know my economics are rather simplistic. But might those getting more and hardly needing it – would there ever be a possibility, that some might cut down on nails, on beauty treatment, on lots of smells, on colouring hair, on smokes, on drinks, on buying more clothes, on travelling less, on accepting that wants and needs are different? To allow a greater sharing for those actually in need. I know it is a bad and stupid thought. But I was tempted to say it. I gave in. It has to be noted and said – housing is a major problem But our stock of public housing has been reduced to almost nothing, with little replacement. Owner occupying is not the only way, and is not the way of most of our European colleagues.
THE POLLUTION OF BAD NEWS:
Can I blame it on old age? Should I? I am becoming very intolerant of the News and of ‘the poor me’ attitude in much of life. The News is a severe pollutant. It seeps into the air and into the pores of our minds. I am very regular in my morning ritual. I go out at 05.50. I walk to the Tolka. The air and the birds and the trees chat with me. I meet a young lassie walking to work in the Mater. We talk for a minute or two each day. I get back and shower and then breakfast. I check on The Tablet. I turn on Morning Ireland. It is a very fine programme. But the News is always bleak. Everyone is complaining. Everything is wrong. People seem to be rotten with pain and rather surly. Politics is full of anger. The world is in chaos. Then all those Surveys and Reports are summed up. I often wonder what on earth these are all about. I see too that if any word of the Synodal Meeting in Meath is mentioned – it is that a National Office for Women has been rejected. There was more, but it obviously wasn’t newsworthy. I just wonder.
LIFE IS GOOD:
Life commentary is riddled with the rust of negativity. I almost want to shout and scream. For myself. I have to call my mind to Order: I can see. I can hear. I can walk. I can think. I can sometimes write or at least scribble to my own amusement. I have family, friends and community who are wonderful. I am healthy. I have fun. Daily life is good. I am inspired and moved every day, by the goodness in people. The ‘God of surprises’ that Gerry Hughes wrote about, I meet everywhere, and it is humbling. I am invited into the home of many lives, every day. I am blessed with a great team of people here. The ‘rumour of angels’ happens all the time. It is great to be alive. I have been blessed. Then I also can’t bear hearing most often in Church life, the negative, the faults. When everything that is wrong is only spoken about. Accentuate the positive. Latch onto the affirmative. Don’t mess around with Mr Inbetween. Be that ‘smile on the face of God.’ That is my wish.
FUNERALS ARE AWESOME:
After saying all that, I have to write a few mixed messages myself. No. These are observations with a little touch of the grey shade on a few of them. I had a Funeral yesterday. (There are funerals everyday!) It was the third in the family over a short time. What was most moving was the sharing by the family. My companion in the preparation was Ann. She was named as my Carer and my Minder! And then Mass was signed. That was special. I watched Cathal (hard of hearing and non-verbal) throughout. His eyes never moved from Frankie, who was signing. The Church was packed. Jonnie was a day short of his 53rd birthday. There were young people everywhere. The silence in the Church was very loud. I only hoped that the words/gestures made by those of us, coordinating everything, made sense and spoke into the silence. The depths of mystery stir all of us at a Funeral. It is also our most precious entry into the sacredness of a life, lived and shared. It is time to take off the shoes in reverence.
WEDDINGS ARE INTERESTING:
And then there was a Wedding in the afternoon. It sometimes seems that only the Travellers are getting married in Church. Deacon Jim was to do the Wedding proper. Martin was leading the Mass. The Ma wasn’t happy. It had to be the priest! And so it was.
BACK TO BASICS:
Here are my grey pieces: We had lots of Confirmation and Communion children at weekend Masses recently. Even on Mission Sunday. Oh, the mission aspect was crowded out. And yet it was a real mission moment. But I am not convinced at all that High Liturgy (which is the Mass) as constituted at present is hardly, in any way, suitable for these children or their parents. We do need to return to ‘basics’ as John Major’s Government tried in other matters. The Basics have to be – look again at those Readings. Cut them down. Get rid of that Confiteor. It is wrong and very badly constructed. The Gloria and the Creed are not necessary. The Presentation of Gifts has to be real. Not just Collections and then Bread & Wine. Try the African Way. With a real Presentation of the Gifts of the Community. Change the language of those Prayers. They have to be real. They have to reach the experience of those present. God has to have a small chance to be present. What did the Reading to the Ephesians say this week: ‘You are God’s Work of Art.’ ‘Let your hidden self grow strong until you are filled with the utter fullness of God.’ ‘You are built into a house where God lives.’ How can such powerful words be got across? By the way, I am not convinced that the priest doing the preaching is in any way the proper medium or method now to get something across. We need something different and new. That whole approach is defective. And of course anyone and everyone can give a Homily using whatever techniques or props that are useful!
Seamus Ahearne osa 22nd October 26.