![]() One of the best ways to come to know Jesus, is through John, who is a prophet. If you are seriously looking for 'the One True Light', a full awareness of what is real and a genuine illumination into Sacred Things, there is only One who can do this, and His name is Jesus. John, the one who isn't the true light who enlightens everything, cannot produce that much wattage. Even though Jesus called him 'a burning and shining lamp', His greater light makes John a mere reflection - like us. One who prepares others to meet Him. John is sent by God, but those who have come to interrogate him are from the authorities in Jerusalem. They want to know who he is, but all John will tell them is who he is not. Irked, they offer to help by supplying identities, but John refuses them. They cannot return to Jerusalem empty handed or with a list of what John is not, so they almost plead for an answer. John answers by hinting again that they are looking in the wrong place. Now, these have been sent by the Pharisees, so they have one last pop at the question. They are curious about John's activity of baptising. That would be okay if he were a prophet or a messiah. But even here, John sidesteps them. If they want to know who he is they will only find the answer in the one who is coming, who stands amongst them unknown. The interview is over. They have to start looking in the right place. Here is a great little story which explores this theme. The theme is clear. In the woods surrounding a monastery, a rabbi lived in a small hut. Sometimes, the monks would see the rabbi walking in the woods and would wonder why he was there. The Abbot was very distressed as the monastery was in terminal decline. He has prayed and pondered over the situation. He had admonished the mood and behaviour of the monks. All to no avail. One day he saw the rabbi walking in the woods and decided to ask his advice. He walked up behind the rabbi. The rabbi turned, and when the abbot and the rabbi looked into each other's eyes, they began to weep. The sorrow of the situation affected them both deeply. The Abbot knew he did not have to explain the decline of the monastery. He just asked, "Can you give me some wise words to help our community thrive again?" The rabbi said, "One of you is the messiah'. Then he turned and continued to walk in the woods. The Abbot returned to the monastery and the monks asked him, "What did the rabbi say?" "One of us is the Messiah," the Abbot said the words slowly, almost in disbelief. The monks began talking to one another. "One of us? Which one? Is it brother John? Or perhaps brother Andrew? Could it even be the Abbot? From that day, things started changing at the monastery. The monks began to look for the Messiah in each other and to listen to each other for the Messiahs voice. Soon, new younger monks joined them and people started coming back to the monastery for spiritual leadership. In 'The Gift' Poems by the Great Sufi Master', the poet Hafiz wrote on the same theme. How Do I Listen to others? As if everyone were my Teacher. Speaking to me Their Cherished Last Words.
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![]() Saint Mark opens by summarising all that will follow - 'The Beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.' But when we get to the end of his Gospel and look back, we realise how bold Mark is being. Every word, "beginning", "good news", "Jesus", "Christ", "Son of God", feels different because of the story which has been told. Mark knows that something has begun that will never end. This is not the standard story of political fame, triumph and glorious recognition. Mark even reverses the conventional meaning of "Christ", and "Son of God". In this Gospel, the main character has no privilege or prestige. The destiny of Jesus was to face fierce resistance from his own religious leaders. He was abandoned and misunderstood by his own disciples. And then to suffer and die and rise again. For Mark, all of this is Good News, and, for those who are ready, his Gospel will provide a deeper and deeper insight into the true meaning of these titles. And so it begins before it begins. John the Baptist is hard at work. His message is one of repentance or metanoia. John lives like a prophet, eats like a prophet, dresses like a prophet and talks like a prophet. John gives voice to Gods' eternal plea, "Come back to me with all your heart". As a prophet, John must liberate people from the sin which ensnares them. He does this by asking them to have a new mind and changing their behaviour. He uses Baptism as a powerful symbol of this great undertaking. Those who go down into the water must first have made a rigorous self-examination of the life that they are living. In Baptism, they experience a new sense of freedom. They have shaken off the shackles of the past and are ready for something new. Which is exactly the impression John wants to make. Newly Baptized people are not completed, they are only ready for the main event. In most adventure stories, the hero or heroine must overcome many obstacles in their path to reach their goal. For John, the obstacles are not in the way of the one journeying but in the way of the One arriving! The whole point of clearing the ground is to allow this One to arrive. It works like this; God and the ones who work with God go after people. God is always searching for us and we must cultivate the art of welcoming Him when he comes. The question then is whether or not we are ready for this new beginning. Are we willing and open? Can we engage with Jesus and his teaching? We can be presented with many opportunities for spiritual formation, but seize none of them. This question of readiness might explain why the teaching of Jesus fell on so many deaf ears. But I imagine a different kind of scenario for being ready. It might, as Mark suggests begin with a life changing insight into the horror of sin and our need for forgiveness. Perhaps it is more likely that people just wake up one day and find that there is no life in their lives. The passion, pleasure and purpose of what they do and who they are is no longer there. The flow of life and love has dried up and, underneath the surface of things, people are hungry for change. These are the moments when, realising that we are dying at our own hands, we risk it all. If this is true, our encounters with dissatisfaction or desperation might turn out to be our best moment of Grace. The waters of the river Jordan will carry our sins away. The Baptist watches. He deflects our gratitude and praise. He tells us this is only the first step. That someone is coming who will pour Spirit like water into our desert lives. We are on the edge. We hear the Baptist speak," I am the beginning before it begins". ![]() With grateful hearts we bow to St. Matthew as we take leave of him for a while. His absence will be filled by St. Mark who will be our leader and guide as we journey through this new year. St. Mark has much to teach us, and we have much to learn. The Gospel of St. Mark tells the story of Jesus, the Beloved Son of God. All good stories are good when the one telling the story is also listening to it, or telling it to themselves. So please spend time in St. Mark’s company this year and, each week, prepare the Text chosen for the Sunday Eucharist in your prayer and reflection. Today is the first Sunday in Advent. The text chosen for today is high drama. We are commanded to 'Be on our Guard'. Three times the Teacher tells us to 'Stay Awake' in the dark time of uncertainty. The importance of this is underlined by the ending, 'What I say to you I say to all: Stay Awake!' What's all that about then? St. Mark will be inviting us to listen to the conversations, encounters and teachings of Jesus that communicate spiritual wisdom. All of these are intended to bring the listener from blindness to sight, from deafness to hearing, from lost to found, from sleeping to awaking and from dead to risen. St. Mark wants us to pay close attention to the teaching style of the Master - how he gears what he says to the mindset of his listeners, how he gives them the power to have a breakthrough in understanding. Jesus, the Teacher, isn't just giving out information. Sitting at His feet, listening to His Word is an encounter with a higher consciousness which is bent on opening whoever is listening to the indwelling Spirit. Everything He says is geared towards the spiritual transformation of His disciples, crowds, religious authorities and individual seekers. To watch Him at work is to grasp the power of the Word made Flesh. Jesus is the embodiment of spiritual wisdom, bursting with grace upon grace and seeking to share its blessings. Reuven Gold was a modern day sacred story teller and spiritual teacher. Here is one of his stories. A very advanced disciple was very distraught and pounded insistently on the door of their teacher’s house at midnight. The teacher opened the door. The house was in darkness, but the teacher held a candle in his hand. The disciple blurted out that they were filled with anxiety and had to see the teacher at once. The teacher opened wide the door. The disciple entered, and the teacher closed the door. Then the teacher blew out the candle. Reuven tells the story and waits to hear what sense it makes to those who have heard it. Then in a loud voice he shouts, "Don't worship your emotions!" His eyes widen. He grins then shakes with laughter. I got the story. I could see the disciples' problem. I saw how flashes of light can push away the darkness. It was a momentary shining but not a steady seeing. St. Mark will teach us, if we let him, how to hold the light that never fails. |
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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