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REFLECTION – 22nd/23rd FEBRUARY 2025
We all like to think that we don’t have enemies. OK. Maybe “enemy” is too strong a word – but looking at the state of the world around us and listening to political discourse in our own parliament and observing the very distasteful messages posted on blogs of various kinds, it’s quite clear that there’s a lot of anger, cynicism, distrust and fear in the air. Our country and our world are deeply divided. We may not necessarily be enemies in the worst sense of the word, but we’re not all friends, either. We may not proactively hate anyone but there are people we want nothing to do with.
Writer and spiritual guide, Barbara Cawthorne Crafton offers a perspective on “praying” for your enemies. In her book, “LET US BLESS THE LORD”, she says: “In praying about any controversy in your life, consider praying first for the one with whom you disagree. Think about praying first for the one who infuriates you. And pray for that person or that group without an agenda of your own – don’t pray that they might see the error of their ways or that God might give them a telling off. Don’t pray anything specific for them. God doesn’t need our madness of judgment. Leave all the details to God. We don’t need to tell God things. He knows. Just name them before God. Just lift them up to God for blessing, the same blessing for which you yourself long. You need to do nothing beyond this in prayer.”
The author goes on to suggest that if we do this things will happen that will surprise us. When we let go of hurt, anger and resentments, we free ourselves within. Holding on to negative emotions can be destructive. It can steal our inner peace and harmony and prevent possibilities for healing and reconciliation. Nothing is beyond the power of God to turn what happens in human interactions to possibilities for good and new beginnings.
This is the message of Jesus in the gospel today: to love as God loves, to care with the “measure” of God’s compassion, to love with his heart. It’s hard work. It requires a daily decision. Jesus challenges us to break the cycle of fear, hatred, racism, bigotry and vengeance that ensnare us and our society in dysfunctionality and disunity. Our own self-interested ways diminish God within us and we diminish the dreams and hopes of others. In essence Jesus is saying – hatred can be defeated by love, injury can be healed only by forgiveness, evil can be overturned by goodness, darkness only by light. When we, as God’s people, keep the Gospel of Christ before us as our ethical way of living, it ensures we don’t end us living or trapped in destructive behaviour and it enables us to keep our priorities right in his expectation of us. Let’s try living the gospel of today.
Fr. Tony
SAINT JOHN BOSCO ICON
Sincere thanks to all parishioners and visitors who attended the special mass last Sunday, 2nd February to give thanksgiving to God for the pastoral ministry of the Salesians in our parish for fifty years since 1975. The celebration was a very joyful occasion and we are delighted to have officially blessed the Icon of St. John Bosco to honour the Salesians. The stained glass icon is over at the statues of St. Anthony and St. Ann. Now we can pray to St. John Bosco for all children and the youth of our parish as St. John Bosco is patron saint of youth. We were delighted that the Provincial, Fr. Eunan McDonnell was the main celebrant of the mass, along with other Salesians, Fr. Tom, Fr. Dan, Fr. Pat and Fr. Martin and myself with our Deacon, Rev. Jimmy Fennell assisting. Thanks sincerely to Karen, our sacristan for preparing the booklet and the prayer card. Thanks also to Colette and her team for providing the lovely tea/coffee and cakes in our Parish Centre after the mass. Many people commented on the lovely spirit in our Church for the occasion, so thanks to all who helped out in any way at the mass last Sunday. Thanks to Dave and our choir for the uplifting music for the occasion.
Our next big occasion will be the NOVENA OF GRACE from 4th – 12th MARCH which will be given by Fr, John Walsh, a Dominican form Dominick St. Church. We’ll give you more details shortly.
Our NOVENA OF GRACE this year, 4th-12th MARCH, will be a time of reflecting on being a Parish Community and will be directed by Fr. John Walshe, a Dominican Priest based in Dominick Street. Our Parish Council is also organising an evening of celebration for all Parishioners who are involved in our Parish Ministry Groups and all who help out in different ways – Saturday, 10th May. In September we will initiate a painting/photographic competition for the schools in our Parish and in December this year we hope to have the choirs of our schools perform a concert in our Church. In October, we will have a Mass of Thanksgiving with Archbishop Farrell as the main celebrant. After our next meeting, 19th February, we will update you with further decisions and plans.
Fr. Tony
PRAYER FOR PEACE
Lord, when my heart is overburdened, overwhelm me with your peace. Lead me to you, my rock, strength and refuge. Guide me to your Word which gives me strength and comfort. Help me not to run to lesser things. Draw me to run to you first. Help me to get into the habit of taking my burdens to you and placing them in your care. For your Son, Jesus said, “Come to me all who labour and overburdened and I will give you rest: for I am gentle and humble of heart and you will find rest for your souls”.
AMEN.
The Hopes of Pope Francis for the future of the Church
464 Bishops, Priests, Religious and lay people have gathered in Rome for the month of October 2023 to take part in the Synod which is the most important happening in the Church since the 2nd Vatican Council. Of that number 81 are women and 54 of those are voting members.
Pope Francis seeks to bring a revived sense of mission to the Church, and many are hoping that new life will emerge as a result. The documents that will emerge at the end of the month are not the final word, the same people who attend the present gathering will meet again in October 2024, and the Pope is expected to respond to the documents in the months after.
One topic that will be addressed is the role of women in the Church and perhaps we might have women deacons in the years ahead. The Synod will address the role of all those of us who are Baptised and encourage us to become more active in the Church and in our Parishes. We all share in the common priesthood of the Baptised. This gathering is a culmination of the work that took place in our parish and the parishes of Ireland in 2022.
Ireland is represented by Alan McGuckian, Bishop of Raphoe, and Brendan Leahy, Bishop of Limerick, his early years were spent as a child in the parish of St. Agnes.
PRAYER FOR THE SYNOD
We Stand before You, Holy Spirit, as we gather together in Your name.
With You alone to guide us, make Yourself at home in our hearts;
Teach us the way we must go and how we are to pursue it.
We are weak and sinful; do not let us promote disorder.
Do not let ignorance lead us down the wrong path nor partiality influence our actions.
Let us find in You our unity so that we may journey together to eternal life
And not stray from the way of truth and what is right.
All this we ask of You, who are at work in every place and time,
In the communion of the Father and the Son, forever and ever. Amen.