ADVENT 2. DECEMBER 5, 2010.
whenever there is a bushfire .. even before you see the smoke or see the fire... you know something is coming.,.... because all the snakes and mice and wild-life come racing out of the bush... and getting out while they can.......... same with a ship sinking..... the rats desert the sinking ship......
St. John the Baptist went about proclaiming that the day of the Lord was near and that now was the time to repent and change our ways or else......... all of a sudden he sees in the distance the Pharisees and saducees coming for baptism.. and he calls out.... well well... look who we have here....... well if it isn’t the snakes.... getting out before the bushfire...... who told you what was coming?>.... The Pharisees and the saducees were well known for focusing on external things... how they were seen to be doing the right thing... whether or not they really were......but this didn’t fool John... your lives have to change... external rituals are not enough unless your heart is changed.....
The first reading challenges us all...... God does not judge by what the eye sees of the ear hears... but God looks at the heart...... with righteousness and equality.....
This is indeed good news for a world where (as one person once put it) the only exercise most people get is jumping to conclusions...........WE can continue to hope and work for a community where we refuse to judge by appearances.,... where we strive to live out the justice and harmony that Jesus asks....No matter how far off true harmony may seem, we are reminded that it is God who is steadfast towards us, and is constantly at work to bring about a change of heart. “God’s Spirit is at work when enemies begin to speak to one another, and ...nations seek the way of peace together” (Eucharistic Prayer II of Reconciliation).
What are the paths that we need to straighten in our lives and in the life of the church...... what barriers to we need to unblock in our preparation for the rebirth of Jesus in our hearts???
As individuals..... what are our barriers..... the best test of that is to analyse the things we do and say when we think no-one will hear or see or find out..... what things in our lives do we compartmentalise.....
Another thing that has struck me of recent years….. we should ask more questions instead of making more statements….. and we would be a lot happier if we asked open questions instead of judgement laden ones… eg’s…..
I will never forget in a parish many years ago… in the midst of a bit of tension between a school group and the parish over the use of a common hall.. I got a message asking me “why did you have the water supply turned off in the hall?” to which I (trying to be polite) calmly replied… “I didn’t HAVE The water turned off… the pipe has gotten blocked and we have called a plumber to fix it” …. Why people jumped to assumptions I have no idea…….. actually… that was the same place.. and same groups… where… one day… the parish had a meeting that ended with lunch… and we had way too many sandwiches.. so, whilst lunch was still occurring.. we offered a plate to the p and f that was outside on a working bee… to which someone commented… ‘ah, giving us your scraps…’ I was utterly horrified… and upset…. To think that people would think that I and they would give to others what we wouldn’t eat ourselves… I think there was a lot of judging by externals and not from the heart going on…. Anyway.. that was a long time ago.. in a far, far away place…
How often do I make judgements on the basis of appearance,, or hearsay.... how does Jesus message differ from this?
Who are the people I find hard to accept... how does Jesus invite us to relate?..
Let us continually present this barriers and blocked paths to the Lord of Justice.... and God will remove them... step by step……
WelCome to new principal nathan wilson (Saturday night mass)
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