Darkness, light and shouldering the burden

When we sit in the warmth of the sun, when we look on a cloudless blue sky, when we examine the intricacy of a tree in bloom, of a single flower, when we look on the face of a baby, we see the work of God and indeed it is good. We are much blessed that we know that the world is of God, that in fact science has never been able to disprove the existence of God, or to explain the beginning of the world.

Our call to faithfulness is an extraordinary and inexplicable thing. There is divine providence in the structure of the world in which we worship – it is a structure underpinned above all by community in all its forms – the community that is a family, Church, race, nation – a community which lives together, worships together, watches over its weak and vulnerable, rejoices in its strong and courageous – walks together through the darkness into the light, which is always there, though sometimes it can seem so very dark.

Pope Leo spoke of that darkness last Sunday, and of the yoke that is easy and the burden that is light. “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens”, says the Lord. Going to Jesus means responding to his love and sharing in his life, even to the cross, as he himself teaches: “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” It is precisely this self-giving out of love that constitutes Jesus’ “‘yoke’, which is the essence of his teaching and the heart of his wisdom, ablaze with love for all.”

Gravity

The Pope asked, “Brothers and sisters, how can the weight of the cross be ‘easy’ and ‘light’? For one reason alone: because the Lord himself carries it with us, never leaving us alone in what burdens us. As a true teacher, Jesus takes upon himself humanity wounded by evil in order to heal and care for it. The wisdom he gives us is therefore a proclamation of salvation, and his yoke lifts us up from every fall. For this reason, our journey of following Christ is not an asceticism that mortifies. Rather, it is a school of freedom that takes seriously the drama of history and continually sheds light on its meaning, especially in its darkest moments. Indeed, only in the cross of Jesus is evil overcome; only in his passion does our mortal weariness find consolation and redemption.

How can each of us explain the joy and wonder of faith and of God’s goodness, to those who see nothing of God in the world”

The call to take up the cross is one which can be difficult to answer. It is difficult, too, for those who would evangelise, to “sell”, unless it is communicated in the context of each of us having a life here on earth which has a purpose we may never know, but which, if lived with humility and integrity and above all with love, may bring us for ever into the joy of the presence of God. We know that the Lord is with us: in the Eucharist we receive the body of Christ – though this too is almost incomprehensible.

Over the past 2000 + years so many people have remained constant in their faith in Jesus as the Son of God. They have offered everything they have, and borne every evil which the world can present, including execution. Generations of Irish men, women and children have stayed faithful.

So why now, when Ireland is materially in a much better place than ever before, have the majority of our people turned away from God? How can each of us explain the joy and wonder of faith and of God’s goodness, to those who see nothing of God in the world; for whom He is apparently irrelevant?

Answers

How do we assert again the very real sanctity of human life in a country in which there is one abortion for every four births, when there is talk of doing the “compassionate” thing and introducing euthanasia or assisted suicide? How do we encourage those whom we encounter to turn away from the cult of self, and to embrace the love of service of others? How do we encourage them to be entrepreneurial and so to generate that wealth which will benefit all? Above all, how do we enable them to see the light, to come to know the presence of God?

I do not know the answers to these questions. I know that there is much goodness in Ireland, many very positive events and initiatives, yet still we have the horror of rampant drug and alcohol addiction, crime, loneliness, division, above all a deep, deep selfishness. Our society is being destroyed, and, as I sit in Parliament at Westminster, I hear our generals and admirals talk more and more of the imminence of World War 3.

It was thus in 1937, 1938, 1939 until suddenly the whole world was at war.

As the Church in Ireland approaches its National synod in October with its seven priorities: Belonging, Co-responsibility and Lay Ministry, Family, Formation and Catechesis. Healing and Youth, what can each of us do though Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge Piety and the Fear of the Lord to restore Charity, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Generosity, Gentleness, Faithfulness, Humility, Self-Control and Chastity to the world?

We know that these gifts, the graces are there for us. If we were even to concentrate on Ireland, North and South, and really try to bring peace into our hearts, our homes, our country, to find ways to heal the wounds that contribute to our ongoing divisions, things would be a lot better. We would not have to do it alone.

What can I do? What can you do?