Acts 18:9-18, Ps 47, John 16:20-23

A person of integrity and faith

Paul emulated Jesus. He was a man of integrity and faith.

Edwina Gately suggests that Jesus “ … refused to be bought by the political and religious system of his time, he was faithful to the call of compassion and justice deep within his soul – putting that and his own integrity before all else.”

It is easy to dismiss protestors for economic, social and ecological reform. Often they endanger life and property. But they believe passionately in their cause. They emulate Jesus.

How do I emulate Jesus? Have I allowed a comfortable life to seduce me away from the call of compassion and justice that compelled Jesus to speak and act?

Marist Messenger - A Catholic Monthly Magazine

Acts 18:1-8, Ps 98, John 16:16-20

Co-working with love

Paul worked at his trade as a tentmaker. There is an intrinsic value in work, whether paid or unpaid. Pope Benedict XVI says that ‘through work man comes to see himself as a participant in God’s plan of creation.’ A participant – not just a recipient or an on-looker but one actively working with God. What a privilege and what a responsibility. No matter what I do – tentmaker or street-sweeper, doctor or poet, homemaker or bus driver – I work alongside God to reveal Love.

Marist Messenger - A Catholic Monthly Magazine

Acts 17:15,22-18:1, Ps 148, John 16:12-15

We are all God’s children

As a parent, I have focussed all my energy and resources into growing my children into the best people they can be. I delight in the caring, compassionate young adults they have become.

With God as our parent, replete with infinite energy and resources; with a greater understanding of human possibility; with unlimited patience and capacity to love; with an ability to think laterally and to ‘seize the day’, we can fulfil our potential and become fully human.

We are all God’s children.

How blessed we are.

Marist Messenger - A Catholic Monthly Magazine

Acts 16:22-34, Ps 138, John 16:5-11

Thank you with all my heart

A solo parent faced a financial crisis. Raise $600 in a month or forfeit her home. By chance, she was invited to hang a few pieces of craft at a local cafe. On the due date, she had sold exactly $600 worth of goods. The debt was settled. There are no words to describe her gratitude, her amazement at the generosity of God, except, “I thank you, Lord, with all my heart.”

It has to be nurtured, this sense of thankfulness, of amazement at the beneficence of divine love.

May it grow in me.

Marist Messenger - A Catholic Monthly Magazine

St Matthias, Apostle

Acts 1:15-17, 20-26, Ps 113, John 15:9-17

Love one another

In ‘Hornet’s Nest’ by Patricia Cornwell, a police officer and a reporter are sitting in a hospital waiting room. They see a young man, shivering and sweating, having difficulty breathing. People were sitting as far from him as possible. Clearly, he had AIDS. The police officer gives water, a blanket and comfort to the man. She says, “We’ve got to bring humanity back into what we do or there’s no hope. It must be about all of us getting along and helping each other. We’re one body.”

We cannot simply be observers.

We must love, really love, one another.

Marist Messenger - A Catholic Monthly Magazine

Sixth Sunday of Easter

Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48, Ps 98, 1 John 4:7-10, John 15:9-17

The colour of love

Marc Chagall writes,

“In our life there is a single colour,

as on an artist’s palette,

which provides the meaning of life and art.

It is the colour of love.”

Close your eyes.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

Drawing on memories, experiences, dreams, hopes, promises,

recall the colour of love.

Let it surround you, bathe you, caress you.

Let it infuse your heart, your soul.

As you open your eyes,

let let this colour of love tint all you do today.

Marist Messenger - A Catholic Monthly Magazine

Acts 16:1-10, Ps 100, John 15:18-21

I want to give myself utterly

I want to give myself utterly

Risking everything

I want to give myself utterly

Total surrender

I want to give myself utterly

I belong to him

I want to give myself utterly

To let Love get under my skin

I want to give myself utterly

Until we are one

A melding of souls

Marist Messenger - A Catholic Monthly Magazine

Acts 15:22-31, Ps 57, John 15:12-17

Everlasting fruit

We live in a fractured, compartmentalised society.

Much lobbying goes on behind closed doors.

We are commissioned by Jesus to bear fruits in this society that will last.

Wouldn’t it be great if Thomas Moore’s dream came true and

“... governments can call on non-denominational theologians to offer advice on matters of peace, crime, housing, planning, economics, education and all other aspects of society. ...we might effect a radical change that restored the spiritual life to the centre of culture.”

Now that would be a fruit that never dies, ripened with the heat of divine love.

Marist Messenger - A Catholic Monthly Magazine

Acts 15:7-21, Ps 96, John 15:9-11

Open to truth

Dorianne Laux writes,

“Someone spoke to me last night,

told me the truth. Just a few words,

but I recognised it.”

We must cultivate an openness, a receptivity to truth. We need to peel back layers, and scrub off years off accumulated grime to reveal the hidden beauty of truth. We need soul friends to hone our ability to recognise truth. We must be attentive to dreams and whispers that carry the truth.

And when we receive a truth, we must introduce it to our soul, let it linger, and then set it free to bring joy to others.

Marist Messenger - A Catholic Monthly Magazine

Acts 15: 1-6, Ps 122, John 15:1-8

Prune me, heal me

Behind my house are two feijoa trees. Over the years, a noxious vine overtook the trees, wrapping itself around the branches.

During a dark period in my life, I decided to tackle this pest. From the outside, I tore at the vine, but this damaged the host trees. At ground level, I pulled out the toxic vine by the roots but this left dying tendrils suffocating the tree. Finally, I stood within the tree. From this position, I clearly saw the weed and the host. I carefully excised the pest. As I did, light poured in and suffused my soul.

Both feijoa tree and I were healed.

Marist Messenger - A Catholic Monthly Magazine