Light One Candle… Mary's Blog

You might remember this poem from school –

The Wayfarer  (Patrick Pearse)

The beauty of the world has made me sad, This beauty that will pass;

Sometimes my heart has shaken with great joy To see a leaping squirrel in a tree,

Or a red lady-bird upon a stalk, Or little rabbits in a field at evening,

Lit by a slanting sun, Etc

And then my heart has told me: These will pass,

Will pass and change, will die and be no more,

Of course, the poet, Patrick Pearse, was facing a firing squad not too long after writing this – so no wonder he was sad about these things passing.  I always found this poem both sad and uplifting – uplifting because I too have known moments of sheer joy in nature, for example as I listened to a blackbird rolling out its beautiful song late in the evening as the other birds go silent – singing from the highest perch in the neighbourhood as if he just has to get it off its chest, as if he is overflowing with song and can no longer contain it.  Or watching a sunset setting the horizon on fire with pink and red and orange – and then the sun quietly disappears and all in nature is silent.  Such moments for me are concrete evidence of a wonderful and loving Creator. 

What is sad about it all is that this is not passing away in a natural normal way – what is sad is that we are destroying it: nature, if left alone will adjust, accommodate, and realign itself. But humans, in greedy grasping ways, have taken too much, have plundered and destroyed resources, habitats, forests – making it almost impossible not only for animals but for many fellow humans to live at all. And of course it is the poor who suffer in these circumstance – the indigenous people of South and Central American, the Amazon Indians – those very people who have the greatest respect for nature and have always lived in harmony with nature are now being violently thrown off their land because their fellow human beings cannot live in harmony with them – well, they actually don’t want to live in harmony with them because all they want is money and they make huge profits by destroying the forests for logging,  throwing the indigenous people off their land so they can have pasture for their huge herds of cattle,  and all of these things have huge consequences in terms of human lives, but also in terms of their affect on climate, bio-diversity, flooding, fires, etc. This is why climate change is not just about climate – climate change is a social justice (or injustice ) issue – this is why you will hear Pope Francis and our Archbishop always putting together “the cry of the earth” and the “cry of the poor”  because they are one and the same thing. The other inequality here is that those people who contribute the least to negative impacts on climate changes and the environment, are the very ones who suffer most from it.  The poor in Africa, South America, Madagascar and Haiti are not driving around in SUVs or burning coal all year round or taking flights to go on holidays each year – we can assume their carbon footprint is very low – but they are suffering most from the extremes of weather we have been seeing in the past 20 years.  Madagascar is in danger of famine as we speak because it is going through a drought which scientists have agreed is totally due to climate change.  And it will only get worse.

You may have heard some people say that climate change is cyclical, its not new, we have always had freaky weather – you may also have heard some people say this has nothing to do with our faith – I read something on Twitter the other day complaining that we were spending too much time on Creation and not enough time worshipping the Creator.  Well, when you think of the magnificence of the Creation you have to think that God had a reason for making this earth so beautiful and I for one think it is ingratitude not to admire and give thanks for the gift of all this beauty. Creation is also called the Fifth Gospel as we can see the hand of God in this work and get some idea of the kind of God he is by studying and admiring it.  The living faith of both Judaism and Christianity sees creation as a witness to the love of God, and to the nature of the Creator, who made us and calls us into life each day. We heard it in the psalm earlier “The heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the work of his hands”. ‘The world was made to communicate the glory of God,’ St Bonaventure would later say, ‘to help us to discover in its beauty the Lord of all, and to return to him.’ There are many ways to God and many a person found their way to God through the beauty of the created earth.

Pope Francis has always been very strong about our Christian responsibility to care for and sustain the earth and all living things,  and all its people.  It was interesting to hear in the first reading today that God made his covenant not just with Noah and the people but also with “ALL living creatures of EVERY kind”.  That never struck me before – and probably not many people have reflected on that – I think we have always seen ourselves as the superior being and have sought to subdue the earth rather than hold it in stewardship for those who come after us and maintain its beauty and diversity in all its magnificence.   But the reading today is clear – God’s covenant is with all living things on this earth therefore who are we to destroy it and them? 

Pope Francis reminds us regularly that everything is interconnected so that each choice we make has an impact for good or ill. This month he has particularly praised young people for their work and support for environmental change – he added that adults can learn much from young people, since they are often at the forefront of issues “related to care for the planet.” “Let us take advantage of their example and reflect on our lifestyle, especially during these moments of health, social and environmental crisis,” he said. We should take the opportunity to reflect on “the way we eat, consume, travel, or the way we use water, energy, plastics, and many other material goods,” especially those which are harmful to the environment. “Let us choose to change!” the Pope urged. “Let us advance with young people towards lifestyles that are simpler and more respectful of the environment.”

Our Archbishop had just recently written his first pastoral letter to the people of the Archdiocese and he has chosen to address this very same topic.  The letter is available to download from the Dublin Diocese website or you can buy a print copy in Veritas – I would encourage reading it although it is a long letter. Perhaps you could read it with a few others and discuss it. While setting out a lot of the things I have mentioned above and other thing that you are aware of from news and media he also highlighted that the main thing we have to have as Christians is hope, even in the face of this huge challenge.  He says, “Approaching the world from the conviction of faith is a call to hope. Christian hope is not an easy hope; easy hope is little more than a form of complacency. The hope that comes from faith is not a flight from disaster or danger, but the foundation of committed response and decisive action. The Christian does not fabricate hope, but hope comes from God who is its foundation. Our faith is not a flight from the world, but faith provides (see Gen 22:14) a meaningful framework within which people can make decisions and take action.”

You might say “hope is fine” but what can we do? The problem seems too overwhelming that sometimes we are paralysed when we even try to think about it. What can one person do we ask? A person once said ““Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has”.

Archbishop Farrell continues: “What do we need to do as individuals and communities? We need to change. The Church – locally and globally – needs to become even more an agent of change. Among the many worthy proposals and initiatives that have been suggested, I would like to highlight the following: • Adopting sustainable lifestyles • Setting up Parish Care for Creation (Laudatio Si)groupsLaudato • Local ecology: rootedness and belonging in local communities • Developing and deepening an ecological spirituality • Raising awareness and promoting biodiversity • Welcome and respect for the vulnerable, particularly those driven from their homelands by natural disasters, famine, and war.”  There are plenty of ideas there that communities or parishes could get involved in.

Finally, one small action that all of us could do right now is to sign a petition called The Catholic Petition or the  ‘Healthy Planet–Healthy People’ petition. This petition endorsed by the Holy See, is aimed at the UN Climate Conference (Cop 26) taking place in Glasgow in early Nov, and it advocates for an agreement that limits warming to 1.5 degrees, while protecting and supporting those most affected by the climate crisis. For the Holy See the ‘Healthy Planet–Healthy People’ petition is a key advocacy action for this year’s Season of Creation. Communities, people in parishes and dioceses, schools as well as religious congregations are encouraged to sign the petition and ask friends and family to do so. You will find the link on the Diocesan website, Trocaire website and the Vatican website.  This is one small thing we can all do – Pope Francis hopes to attend the Climate Conference and hand over a significant number of signatures.  There are 1.3 billion Catholics in the world – just imagine if Pope Francis could hand over a million signatures to this Climate Conference?   The power of our voices combined would be amazing  – but that group is made up of individual voices so never think that your one signature is not important. It is very important. And never think that there is nothing we can do – there will always be something.  Lets start with this one small step.

The title above is taken from a little book (A Tree Full of Angels: Seeing the Holy in the Ordinary) by Macrina Wiederkehr, OSB, who was a Benedictine monastic of St. Scholastica Monastery in Fort Smith, Arkansas. (While writing this I discovered that she had died just five days ago on April 24, 2020, at the age of 81). If you are searching for God in your life and in your experiences I recommend you read any of her books. In them you will find examples of everyday spirituality, and creative rituals for investing your life with meaning.

The reason that title came to mind was as a result of a challenge I was given on Facebook. If you dont do social media (and Im a fairly recent participant myself) this particular challenge involves posting a photo online for 10 days of a person or place that means something to you (but without giving an explanation). Its a nice challenge really as you get to share some aspects of your life (as much as you wish to) with friends you are connected with online. Of course I could easily have found recent photos and put them up one after another. But for some reason this challenge set me off down memory lane. Perhaps because we are still in lockdown at home, and I have some time on my hands, or maybe because I am missing family that I haven’t seen for weeks – for whatever reason I took down the photo albums and spent some happy hours trawling through the years of my life. I looked at pictures of Mam and Dad (both passed on many years ago) sisters and brothers, friends, pets and all the decades of my life – highs, lows, sadness, gladness and all in between.

What struck me more than anything was how blessed I have been. I was spoiled for choice in picking out pictures of people who meant something to me. I am a people “picture taker” – I know people who go on holidays to take pictures of famous sites etc and if someone steps into that picture, it is ruined; whereas for me, a person in the picture makes all the difference. So I found my pictures easily enough – my son as a toddler, making his First Holy Communion, my sisters and myself in a school photo, an adult photo of my seven brothers and two sisters and myself, the first time we have been together in many years.

The memories evoked by this simple challenge were wonderful. For the first time in a long time, I sat and reflected on my life’s journey, how wonderful it has been, the wonderful people God has placed in my life through family and friends, the many blessings and love that has been showered on me, and the adventures, relationships, experiences and sometimes disappointments that have shaped me. I saw the direction and twists and turns of each decade and I remembered my anxiety at particular times, but looking back I can see that a better hand than mine was steering me along the journey. And I have no doubt that the same hand is supporting me and steering me through this time of uncertainty and worry about the future. So a simple challenge on Facebook has become for me an occasion of reassurance, and an opportunity to acknowledge that I too have been given the gift of a life that contains its own tree full of angels. For that I am truly grateful!

It’s the evening of Tues 15th April, and it has been such a beautiful day with sunshine practically all day, but still cool in the shade. I was out in the back garden weeding and watering most of the evening. I love watering as the evening draws in and the sun starts to edge towards the horizon. I find it’s a time where I reflect a lot on God, nature, creation, something I read somewhere or the Scripture reading of the day. Because I am leading a Prayer Service tomorrow, I was actually thinking about the Gospel Reading for tomorrow and what I might say about it in my Reflection.

The peace and quiet was interrupted at intervals by birdsong here and there. At some stage, I realized there was one particular song which was soaring high above all the others, and it had been going on for a while. I looked up but could not see any particular bird, so I walked round to the front of the house – and there it was, a thrush, on a tv aerial, singing his heart out. I just had to try to capture some of it. (Be sure to turn the sound up high) Enjoy!

Jesus tells us: “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” Matt 17;20

Jesus said this to the apostles in response to their plea “Lord increase our faith”. So Jesus is happy if we have even the smallest amount of faith because the mustard seed is very small indeed (1 to 2 mms in diameter). But if we truly have even this small amount of faith we can do amazing and wonderful things, because of course these things happen through the power of God. Did you ever find yourself talking about your faith, feeling that you have a deep faith and then when something painful or bad happens it feels like your faith goes out the window? You just cannot connect with it and God can seem so very far away. It is very hard to trust at these times and yet these are the times that Jesus is talking about – if we can only hold on by our fingertips, if we can hold on to the tiniest amount of trust, in spite of our doubts, God will bring us through.

We are born trusting – our parents, our care-givers – until such time as we learn, by our experiences, not to trust. And our image of God can be influenced by our experiences also, which may not help us to trust God either. Our faith is not static – we need to water the tiny seed, feed it, protect it. We can do this by prayer, by asking, like the apostles did, for an increase in faith, by truly getting to know Jesus through the Scriptures so that we can replace any unhealthy images with more life-giving ones. Just as the mustard seed grows into a tree giving shade to the birds, so will our faith and trust in God grow if we nurture it and feed it through prayer and Scripture, helping to develop roots that will sustain us through the tough times. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” Matt 13:32

On a final coincidental note I received a photo today from a parishioner, a member of our Bible study group. Last year after my return from a trip to the Holy Land I distributed some mustard seeds to the group and Eddie planted them. Here is the proof that they are doing well because he has nurtured them and looked after them well. Let us nurture our own seeds of faith even in these tough times. I hope this picture will inspire you to help your faith grow even a little bit each day!

Most of the Gospel Readings we heard in the past week are about Jesus trying to convince the Jews in the temple about who He is, the long awaited Messiah, but they are not hearing him – they are not ready to hear him. Then on Thurs in the first reading we heard the story of God’s third appearance to Abraham where God announced that he was making an everlasting covenant with Abraham to make him the father of a multitude of nations. And Abraham received God’s word and listened to God’s voice.

Are we ready? Next week is Holy Week, and throughout Lent God has been preparing us to hear the Easter message – have we sat before the Lord quietly and opened our ears and our hearts? God knows with all that is happening in our lives at the moment we have a right to feel off-balance or unmotivated, perhaps even about prayer, and that’s very understandable in these very difficult times. Perhaps we could make an effort as we approach Holy Week to make some space (as Abraham did) to listen to God and to receive his word with open hearts. God has Good News for you and for me. I read somewhere recently – when God has good news for us he does not want to call and get voicemail – you don’t leave exciting, good news in a voicemail message – you want to speak directly to the other person. Is that God’s experience with us sometimes when he is trying to get through to our hearts? Am we too busy, too distracted, too worried, sometimes even too caught up in saying prayers that we forget to leave space for God to reply?

If you feel that you cannot do this at the moment, remember that St. Paul tells us that even when we cannot pray, “the Spirit intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words.” (Romans 8:26) And if all you can do is sit and breathe then do that; because every breath is a prayer in itself. Allow the Lord to speak to you this Holy Week – listen for his gentle voice.

You will have heard the news this evening that we must stay home for the next two weeks at least until Easter to try to reduce the number of Corona virus cases that are ending up in hospital. Intensive care units are under pressure as it is and are likely to be overwhelmed if the numbers continue to rise. So we must take personal responsible and act in the way that is best for everyone and stay home. Yes we can only go out for food and medicine and some exercise, but when you think about what our health workers are doing, it is not too much to expect us to support them in whatever way we can. And yes it is hard that families are being separated at this time and grandparents cannot see and hug their grandchildren but in the long run it means they will be able to do that at some stage in the future.

So how can we best get through this time of isolation and worry especially if you are on your own, as many people are? There have been many hints and tips online over the past weeks about how to look after yourself – all very sensible like trying to keep to a schedule, eating properly, getting some exercise every day, doing some relaxation/meditation, getting plenty of sleep etc. All of these are really useful and it will sustain us if we can adhere to them as much as possible.

For myself, I dont know how I would cope mentally and emotionally if I didnt have faith – faith in something greater than myself that sustains me and keeps me balanced and rooted, especially in these times when I might otherwise feel like giving in to despair or extreme worry. Im not saying I dont ever feel worry – I do, and anxiety about the future at times but faith has taught me to live one day at a time, to hand it over to God (there’s nothing I can do to fix it!) and to look for ways to keep myself rooted in that relationship through regular prayer and quiet time (and also very little watching of bad news videos and continuous news channels!) I have certain twitter accounts that I follow and other newsletters that I have signed up to – all positive, spiritual and offering hope and encouragement. I also try to reach out to parishioners every day either through phone calls, working on this blog or putting information and resources up on our parish website www.malahideparish.ie or @malahideparish (Twitter) or on our facebook page Malahide Parish of St. Sylvester

Someone sent me this poem this morning while I was feeling a bit overwhelmed by Coronavirus news and “worse-case scenario” thinking! It gave me a lift and a sense of hope – perhaps it will help you too?

Oh do you have time to linger
for just a little while out of your busy

and very important day for the goldfinches
that have gathered in a field of thistles

for a musical battle, to see who can sing
the highest note, or the lowest,

or the most expressive of mirth, or the most tender?
Their strong, blunt beaks drink the air

as they strive melodiously
not for your sake and not for mine

and not for the sake of winning but for sheer delight and gratitude –
believe us, they say, it is a serious thing

just to be alive on this fresh morning
in the broken world. I beg of you,

do not walk by without pausing
to attend to this rather ridiculous performance.

It could mean something. It could mean everything.
It could be what Rilke meant, when he wrote: You must change your life.

Yesterday I had to bring my two cats to the vet. I didnt really want to as I have been trying to stay home as much as possible,but they needed more than the normal flea treatment so I had to venture out. The cats roam in the field behind my house most days so I think they get bites of some sort or another, which they then scratch and that makes it worse. Its a fairly regular occurrence every six months or so. I really hate bringing them to the vet as they fight and struggle not to go into their carry baskets for the trip. By the time I got them both into their baskets and into the car I was hot and bothered and almost late. Then I have to listen to them both crying all the way in the car.

All sorted eventually and I headed home with both cats and a number of treatments and a noticeably lighter wallet. But a couple of things struck me later one – one that I am incredibly lucky to be able to afford to give animals this quality of treatment. Of course we should treat all animals with humanity, but it feels bad to spend so much when we know so many people don’t have access to basic medical treatment in the first place, and one wonders how the coronavirus in going to impact on countries that dont have a proper medical system. The contrast between developed countries and developing countries could not be starker – even in the fight against this virus. It is a reminder to contribute financially where I can to Trocaire, Concern or other aid agencies helping them in this fight.

My second thought was to give thanks for my cats. As I live alone it could get very lonely over the next while, but the company of an animal is such a reassuring thing. At the very least you have someone to talk to – yes, seriously! Rufus, the beige one is a home lover – he only goes out the door to want to get back in five minutes later. Sometimes if I ignore him, he raps imperiously on the window and cries until I have to let him in. Then he spends his time wanting to climb on my lap, my shoulders, my keyboard – my dinner plate, if he could! And he has plenty to say for himself, if ignored. The other one, Nero, is more of a loner, staying away most of the day, but curling up quietly near my feet on the sofa in the evening. No drama queen here!! They both make me happy and are great company. I am sure many people are saying the same thing these days about their cats, dogs, parrots, guinea pigs etc. Thank God for pets!

Lighting a candle in the window each night in solidarity with all who are suffering in mind, body and spirit during this time of Covod-19

Sunshine makes such a difference doesn’t it? Being at home during these strange times of Covid-19 can make one very lazy but the sunshine today drew me out, at least into the back garden . Just standing there looking at the regrowth of flowers and plants and listening to the birds singing, even feeling the tiniest bit of heat from the sun on my face, was like balm for the soul – so soothing. As I potted some flowers that I was given weeks ago as a birthday gift, I even managed to forget for moments at a time the strange world we inhabit just now. Funny to think that as the human world is being turned upside down, the world of nature is getting on with life as usual, birds building nests, looking for food, singing their hearts out as the sun sets…. (See video below)

Perhaps if we hadn’t interfered so much in the world of nature we would not be where we are today! Who knows?

But the main thing is that just as God keeps the sparrows and the blackbirds and the pigeons close to His heart, so He also keeps us close too. If He cares for the birds of the air, will He not as much, or even more care for us – we, who are also the work of His hands, His creation?

Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Matthew 6:26

So do not lose hope – stay close to the Lord!