There is a strange little sentence in this Sunday's Gospel from Saint Mark. Our Blessed Lord has just finished a long day teaching. I pause to express my thanks to our wonderful catholic teachers and support staff in our schools. Moving on. The disciples invite Jesus into their boat - Marks code word for the Church. They think it's their adventure! They have a lot to learn. It isn't. And Mark says, " On leaving the crowd behind, they took Him with them in the boat, just as He was." There's the strange bit. He is still in teaching mode.
A few years ago, in another time and place, I was called to the bedside of a disciple who was at end of life. I was astonished by her prayerful peace and tranquility. After we had said the prayers, she said she wanted to ask for a favour. And the favour was to have Mark 4: 35 - 41 as the Gospel reading for her Funeral Mass. She explained that her family's faith had been broken by doubt and the storms which had swept over their lives. They couldn't make the crossing and they couldn't look at themselves to ask why this was so. All they had for God was a question that may be familiar to us. "Do You not care that we are perishing!" In danger, they had lost faith in the oceanic, boundless Love which is their life. The awakened Jesus, like the sleeping Jesus is not storm tossed. He rebukes fear and commands silence and peace and the waves and the winds have no choice but to obey Him. His answer to their question, 'Does God care?' is Yes. But this can only be understood and received by the mind that does not doubt. The woman of faith wanted to leave her family one last gift. To understand more of her own crossing to the other side and to challenge them. This week, Mark invites us talk to Jesus about the ways fear overrides our faith. Instead of speculating about Jesus identity, it is better to ask how we might integrate His Teaching into our lives. Why? Because when Jesus the Teacher cannot be received, Jesus the Saviour is born.
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Jesus loved telling stories. And we all love a good story. His stories, or parables, take everyday things and suggest they can help us to see and become something more. If we have no real feel for spiritual things, His stories will hit our ears but not our hearts. If we do have a feel for spiritual things, His stories will open a map but only leave clues about the route and the destination.
But here's the thing. I heard a story once upon a time about a guy who needed to see what went on between the seed and the soil. So he kept digging the seed up to see what was happening. I don't need to tell you how it ended! It's clear that Jesus sees us differently, and I would say, with more grandeur than we see ourselves. If you like, He sees what we are becoming as His parables play in our hearts and reshape them. Here's an example. Let's say we think we're a mustard seed. Not just small but the smallest, not just unimportant, but the least important. He thinks we're a tree. But the punchline can't be missed - a Tree that shelters and protects others!!!!! Now we have to rethink the whole experience. So we entrust ourselves with every breath to His Kingdom. We don't need to keep poking around to see how we're doing. Probably not too good if we told the truth lol. But still He calls us on. Telling us to trust Him. Telling us to trust Him. I'm sure you heard the story of President DeGaulle, who lived in the shadow of MontMarte. Instead of saying reverently, " O Sacred Heart of Jesus I place all my trust in Thee." He said, "O Sacred Heart of Jesus place all your trust in me." Funny at one level, but I wonder sometimes if DeGaulle exposes a raw nerve in all of us who still think we're running the show! This is not the first time He has reclined at table and hinted at the Sacredness of Sacrifice. Earlier, He sacrificed His reputation by eating with the outcast. He was condemned as a law breaker for sharing genuine friendship and concrete compassion for those who stumble and fall. He never excluded them from the Feast and here He is King! When we listen to His words and observe His gestures we see that this meal is essentially the same as those that went before it.
Yet, at the Last Supper what is new is that He drops big hints about how sacrifice is written into the DNA of Creation, about how to make life Holy by contributing to it. Da Free John, in his 'Scientific Proof of the Existence of God will Soon be Announced at the Whitehouse' has strong words on this. Noting that every religious movement invites sacrifice, he writes, " The whole Earth, the Cosmos and every separate being is a great Sacrifice... Let us give ourselves up, so that each Temple ... may become a temporary and perishable altar of self giving into the Mystery that pervades us". This weekend, ponder carefully the movements and gestures of Jesus at the Last Supper. They suggest transcendence, gratefulness and sacrifice. By holding all three, we avoid being aloof, selfish or resentful. And when we honour the call to give ourselves away, we must consult the One who knows that, in Him, we are like Bread that is Broken, as Wine that is Poured. One final thought. Our Catholic Tradition holds fast to belief in Transubstantiation. It a Big Word! But when we break it open to see what's inside, it's something of a surprise. At the last Supper, Jesus our Lord tells us to imitate what He is doing. He gives us a gift, a constant reminder that we are not running the show! This beautiful Dogma of the Church calls us to let Gods Kingdom, Gods Grace and Gods Strength be unleashed in us. Nothing less will do. Nothing less will satisfy. |
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November 2020
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CATHOLIC PARISH OF ST JOSEPH & ST MARGARET CLITHEROW
St Joseph’s Church. 39 Braccan Walk, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 1HA (Directions)
Tel: 01344 425729
Email: stjb@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk
South Berkshire Pastoral Area
The parish is part of the Diocese of Portsmouth.
Portsmouth Roman Catholic Diocesan Trust registered charity 246871
St Joseph’s Church. 39 Braccan Walk, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 1HA (Directions)
Tel: 01344 425729
Email: stjb@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk
South Berkshire Pastoral Area
The parish is part of the Diocese of Portsmouth.
Portsmouth Roman Catholic Diocesan Trust registered charity 246871