Séamus Ahearne: We have entered our goodbye time in the world. Whatever happens next will happen without us. (Pádraig Daly. A Small Psalter) 

GRADIOSITY:

Donald Trump has a problem with guns. They seek him out. He has other problems too. He suffers from a disease called grandiosity: He won the debate. He has the biggest crowds ever at his rallies and at his inauguration. He was the best president in the history of the country. He won the election. His economic plans during his presidency were the best ever. He knows and knew how to deal with N Korea; with Putin and with every other political leader. He has created the greatest Supreme Court in history. The Justice System was all at fault (due to his skirmishes in law); he never offended anyone or assaulted a woman. He is the greatest orator on the earth. He was the best entrepreneur on the planet which is obvious in his business success. He is the best husband. He is the best father. His children are the greatest. He has never told a lie. The assault on the Capital on 6^th January had nothing to do with him. Everyone else is a fool. The country needs him. He has God on his side. It is infuriating that not everyone can see that! 

POPE FRANCIS AND THE LESSER EVIL:

Pope Francis is extraordinary. He has travelled widely. He may need a wheelchair but he keeps on working and keeps on speaking. He could even be disgrace or an insult, to all old people. How could anyone expect to retire early? Any priest at 75? Any bishop at 75? Clearly there is something about being a minister of the Gospel that gives such people extraordinary energy and endurance. It is spiritual health of course. Godliness beats the ordinary. Now however, there are times when Francis has a loose tongue. At most times, many of us are delighted that he is so open. I was embarrassed. I cringed when he discussed the Election in the US. (According to the report). Both candidates he thought to be against life. He suggested that the voters should choose the lesser evil. That is dangerous language. It may validate many Religious Catholics towards a certain candidate. I wonder is that due to Donald’s supposedly anti-abortion stance? All very difficult and delicate and questionable.

MINDFULNESS AND THE HERON:

I was down at the Tolka this morning. It was very dark. I had forgotten my torch and the hi-vis jacket. I stepped out the walk quickly. The heron was there but barely visible. The water was ever so quiet in its gurgling. The bushes and the trees hardly whispered in their praying. The birds were silent. All other walkers were absent. I was thinking of simple things. The heron was so still as if absorbed into mindfulness. I was thinking. The air was gentle and feeding me. The sky was waking up and there. The sun would appear. The park was there for me and for everyone else. Nature was generous. God was good. Those who manage the park, make it available to us all. We live in Finglas and this park is there for us.

I was thinking. The gift of so many. The roads. The paths cleaned. The post man and woman. The bin-men. The shops. The chatter. The neighbours. I was thinking. Someone (Betty) turned on a video on her phone yesterday morning. As the folk came out of the Church, the banter was noisy. There appeared to be a war. If any stranger heard it; they would presume the gardai should be called. There is so much fun. There are so many wonderful people around. There is much laughter. The heron was prompting me to think of the blessedness of life and the Good News which seeps into the marrow of my bones each day. The park and the walk and the heron help me to be more alert to the graciousness of life and the goodness of people. Truly this waking and walking is the beginning of real Eucharist.

WHO DO WE SAY HE IS?

I was still thinking. (From last weekend). But who do you say I am? It is a great story. Was Jesus lacking in self-confidence? Did he need to be told how great he was? Or was he checking out what the pollsters were saying? Or the focus groups? Was he struggling to analyse the reason why the crowds were following him? They may have been coming because there was nothing good on TV those evenings or because the craic was good at Jesus’ rallies. The establishment folk might arrive and the arguments might get heated or some little miracle could happen to enliven the gathering. So yes, Jesus had to move from his generalised statement to asking his disciples what they thought of what was going on. Was he just the latest show in town and the best? Was he getting through? Or what was being heard? We can all ask similar questions. (In our business). That is how the story is put.

But the most startling aspect of it all is: Who do we say Christ is? As individuals; as a community? We are the revelation. So what does the Church in Ireland or in Dublin or in Finglas say who Christ is? We had better not be too dour or too solemn or too pious! We have to add a colour. Our artistic expression has to be dramatic and very positive. Too much of Church portrayal is dull or apologetic or problem centred. Our Liturgy is heavy and solemn and wordy and wooden and wrong. We have to be quite bold in our presentation and in our living out of faith. As we start all the preparation for First Communions and for Confirmation; might we stop and ask – does this really mean anything and begin to look at the fundamentals. At priesthood. At who or what a bishop is, or might be? (Send answers to Bob Prevost osa in Rome!) At why so many don’t miss God…

BRENDAN O’CONNOR AND EAMONN RYAN PLUS:

I was cooking something for lunch on Saturday. The radio was on; Brendan O’Connor’s programme. Someone was talking about Tommy. The chat was very warm and loving. Towards the end I realised it was Eamonn Ryan speaking of his son. It was quite delightful and yet difficult. How do parents cope? It has to be huge loss for celibates to understand the demands of daily life for most families. I was thinking too of what parents do to present to us those athletes we experienced during the Olympics and during the Paralympians. We see the results but years of work has gone into preparing these athletes. It is easy to highlight people and to be critical when things go wrong such as for Rory last weekend. Or for Liverpool. But we too easily forget the efforts. We can praise the women who won at cricket and at rugby last weekend. But above we can stop and admire the Paralympians who were inspirational.

The world and the news is rotten with problems. But seeing these achievements is humbling for all of us. In so many ways, our Eucharist should be an explosion of gratitude. For God in our days. For the daily miracles. For the beauty around us. For friends and families. For people who care for us. For the ears that listen. For the banter in life. For the wonder in the graciousness of people. Yes. Eucharist has to wake up and to wake us up. The Eamonn and Victoria’s of this world who are rearing Tommy. The athletes. The staff in schools. The auld wans who keep the church going. The politicians who give over their lives to us. The leaders in church who never have a moment.

Shalom

Seamus Ahearne osa     17^th September 2024.