Word in the Hand

Here I am Lord, Listening Speak to me within my heart and soul. I am listening. John 14:28 You've heard me tell you, 'I'm going away, and I'm coming back.' If you loved me, you would be glad that I'm on my way to the Father because the Father is the goal and purpose of my life. Reflection If you loved me… How often have we heard that one? Normally just before an unacceptable or unbelievable request that seeks to undermine our place in a relationship. If you loved me… How could anyone not know that we do love them? What more can we do than we do? If you loved me… Surely if we loved anyone we would want what was best? We would want that person to be happy, safe, protected, ours. But there is a love that is stronger than ours. That sees through our need for possession; our need to measure a person’s happiness in comparison to our own; a love that is both freedom and commitment in equal measure. The love of the disciples asked for reassurance; guidance; availability...

Opening Prayer Here I am Lord, Listening Speak to me within my heart and soul. I am listening. John8:9 Jesus straightened up and asked her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ Reflection There was no other outcome. The evidence was unquestionable; the condemnation inevitable; judgement carved from the very rock the crowd held ready. I had all my excuses, I had been taken advantage of; my love was misdirected, I acted out of fear, naivety, foolishness. But it didn’t matter - no-one asked; no-one would have listened; in any case caught in the crowd’s savage gaze the words were stuck to the roof of my mouth. The truth hurt but was undeniable. I was guilty. And, strangely, there was release in that acceptance; surrender to the will of the people that held me standing there before them. It must have seemed a strange sight; a Greek tragedy frozen in tableau. Though what tale would have a Rabbi kneeling at the feet of a naked woman? Yet there he was -waiting for the people to c...

Opening Prayer Here I am Lord, Listening Speak to me within my heart and soul. I am listening. Mark6:3 (The Message) He's just a carpenter—Mary's boy Reflection I didn’t ask for this, you know. Well, maybe I did, in one of my prayers I might have asked God what he wanted me to do; what was the point of my life. Trouble is, so often, when we pray, we don’t really think he’s listening. After all, how many prayers do you think he gets, every day, every minute, every second? But I did ask him, and, it seems, he was listening and now - here I am- speaking to you. Words coming from nowhere; pouring out of a tiny bit of scripture that I had read and heard over and over again without comment, until today. This is what it is like, every day. Words; not my words – his. That’s why you hear them. That’s why they mean something to you too. I’m just the messenger. But for people who don’t want to listen; who am I? No even a member of the clergy; just a person in the pew; Joe Public; unquali...

Opening Prayer Here I am Lord, Listening Speak to me within my heart and soul. I am listening. Matthew 15:25-28 (New International Version) "Lord, help me!" she said. "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs." "Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Reflection It wouldn’t have been the first time that my mouth had got me into trouble. The other women had been saying that for a long time. That’s why I’m alone. That’s why my only joy, my little girl, is cursed with a demon. Too much attitude; too sure of myself, not knowing my place. And I am, I am sure of my Self. My Self was not created to give in, to accept less than I could be, to bow down in defeat. My Self has responsibilities that I couldn’t deny; the demon was not just my daughter’s. I would remember my daughter in her quiet times watching the sun...

4th Sunday in Ordinary Time 1 Corinthians 7:32-35 (New King James Version) But I want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord—how he may please the Lord. But he who is married cares about the things of the world—how he may please his wife. There is a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world—how she may please her husband. And this I say for your own profit, not that I may put a leash on you, but for what is proper, and that you may serve the Lord without distraction. Firstly, may I say that I have nothing against celibacy. In fact I am greatly in favour of healthy celibacy that supports a spiritual life. I know there are many reasons for the religious to be celibate, some better than others. Jesus was almost certainly celibate, but not all his his apostles were; there are people who kno...