Reflection from Fr. Karl

The gospel from John this weekend begins with the words “Do not let your hearts be troubled”.

From the e-mails and phone calls I have received I know there are a lot of troubled hearts out there.  Some of the troubles are the tensions of living in close proximity to each other 24/7.  People are trying to work, kids are trying to go to school.  Some love working from home and going to school at home while others hate it.  Then there’s the battle over who gets the computer first…”I have a project”… or “I have to go to work or there will be no money”.   Then there are the sibling rivalries and the personality clashes.  All of these things were tempered when we went to school or to work.  We visited and we practiced a different kind of social distancing.

It is into this chaos that Jesus comes.  He does not talk of social distancing.  He just says “Do not let your hearts be troubled”.

(But Jesus, my sister is bugging me.)

(But Jesus, it’s Mother’s Day and we would love to have a fun lunch.)

(But Jesus, I like to go to church because there is that girl who likes me.)  – oh, I thought you went to church to meet Jesus and to pray?

“Do not let your hearts be troubled”.  Yes, we are troubled and we are afraid and we don’t know who to trust.  Where are you Jesus?  Jesus is around.  He spoke of troubling times.  He knew troubling times.  A passion.  A death.  And a resurrection.  He told us these things could and would be part of our journey.

He is with us and during the coming week.  Perhaps we could list the good things about being together?  I have heard in the midst of the troubled things many great stories, but I’d like you to list yours.  As you write your list don’t forget Mum and all she is to you at this time.  Say a prayer for the Mums that are with God and ask mother Mary to pray for and with us in these troubled times.  And above all, “Do not let your hearts be troubled”.

A colleague of mine sent me this poem which is appropriate for the times we are in.  It is believed that this poem was written in 1869 by Kathleen O’Mara and reprinted during the 1919 Spanish flu pandemic.
And people stayed at home
And read books
And listened
And they rested
And did exercises
And made art and played
And learned new ways of being
And stopped and listened
More deeply
Someone meditated, someone prayed
Someone met their shadow
And people began to think differently
And people healed.
And in the absence of people who
Lived in ignorant ways
Dangerous, meaningless and heartless,
The earth also began to heal
And when the danger ended and
People found themselves
They grieved for the dead
And made new choices
And dreamed of new visions
And created new ways of living
And completely healed the earth
Just as they were healed. 

Parish Activity – Party Animals!

This week’s God, Family, Friends issue (click on the image below) tells us not all friends are human. We share God’s beautiful created world with animals. You may even may share your home with a few animals – your pets!

Some animals are cute, cuddly or just downright funny.

Send us some pictures or video clips of the pets in your life. They can be of your pet doing something silly, funny or just being him/herself.

We’ll put everyone’s pics into a video that will be shown before an upcoming Mass.

Your pics and videos will be accepted up until Thursday night, 5/14.

God, Family, Friends resource for families

Lectio Divina

See this week’s Lectio Divina and Children’s Liturgy of the Word here