The Holy Trinity

One of the great mysteries of our Faith is the Holy Trinity. No matter how much we may scratch our heads, I doubt we’ll be able to understand it. Not that we are meant to, I suppose. This is because over the years we have treated the Holy Trinity as some sort of puzzle which we are meant to resolve, and once we do so, we gain a prize of some kind.

Let’s see if I can shed some light on this mystery.

For years on end in the Old Testament times people believed in one God. Leaders like Abraham, Moses and David believed in one living God; only one Person.

In those days, and thereafter, there were people who believed in many gods of course. The ancient Egyptians, the Romans, the Greeks, all had many gods.

So if God had revealed Himself to the Jews as three Persons in one, and assuming they understood this, (we don’t understand it ourselves now), then the pagans would have thought that the Jews believed in three gods.

Later on, at the times of the New Testament, the apostles, who were Jews, believed from childhood that there was only one Person in God. That’s what they had learnt from the writings of the Old Testament prophets and that’s what they experienced in their lives. They saw God’s hand in everything that happened. He was the God of Abraham, Moses and David. The God written about in history. The God up there in Heaven who gave them the moral law, (Commandments), and who created everything.

Then one day they met a Man named Jesus. For three years they lived with Him.

They saw that He spoke with authority and conviction, and all that He said made sense. They watched how He lived and the way He related to people.

He showed compassion for the sick, the destitute and those forgotten by society. He cared for the hungry and the poor and showed kindness for everybody.

When anyone was rude or insulting to Him, He did not answer back in anger.

He lived His life on a high moral plain but showed sympathy and understanding for those who were stained and scarred by sin.

He taught them about His Father who was God and that He was the Son of God. One day, when He asked them who they thought He was, Peter was quick to answer “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

They saw Him perform many miracles. They saw Him die and then alive again, and knew He had conquered death and the grave. Time and again they saw Him after the Resurrection, spoke with Him and ate with Him.

It was impossible for them to think or talk about God without thinking and talking about Jesus. They had come to know God their Father through His Son.

When Jesus was taken up to Heaven after the Resurrection the disciples were distraught. What are they to do now? Their Leader whom they saw and trusted all these years had gone. They were afraid, so they hid in houses secretly, wondering what to do next.

As promised, Jesus sent His Holy Spirit, the Comforter, upon them nine days later.

Their eyes were opened and they believed, and understood, that He was the Third Person of God.

To the early disciples, the Holy Spirit was real indeed. They had experienced the power of the Holy Spirit. They received Him at Pentecost in tongues of fire and they were able to speak to the crowds that gathered in different languages. Peter explained to the crowd that the disciples had received God's Holy Spirit.

The disciples, and early Christians, now knew for certain that the one and only living God they believed in, whom Abraham, Moses, and the prophets had spoken of, had sent His only Son Jesus to earth. Because they had met Jesus. They also knew that Jesus had sent His Holy Spirit upon them, because they had experienced the Holy Spirit.

To them this was all a reality. Something they had seen, experienced and understood. Not some sort of puzzle of three in one yet each one separate from the three.

Because the disciples had experienced the Holy Spirit, He became such a force in their lives, giving them strength to spread the Good News that Jesus had taught them, enabling them to live as Jesus had lived.

It was they who handed on to us this mystery that in one God there are three Persons.

Today, many people don’t understand the Holy Spirit. Somehow, over the years the message has been diluted. Miss-understood. Or perhaps deliberately confused to obfuscate the message of Christianity.
 

But the Holy Spirit still can and does descend on people today. And He does transform their lives. If people believe, and if they ask and invite Him earnestly into their soul.

When hope is totally lost.

People often face despair. Some more than others, and for longer periods than others. Periods when darkness haunts our lives for days on end.

Sometimes, people suffering with incurable disease and constant pain decide they can take it no more and choose to end their lives. Others, in what they perceive to be totally unsolvable situations in total despair decide to commit suicide.

We are told that to end one's life, whatever the circumstances, is wrong. We should understand however that no one chooses to end their lives in a cool and calculated state of mind. It is fair to say that such actions are, to some extent at least, motivated by loss of hope, and the inability to see things getting better.

That’s what I wish to address today. Loss of hope. One of the most tragic and damaging experience that can befall any of us.

Whatever our circumstances may be, if we lose hope, if we cannot see the prospect of our current condition changing for the better, we are in danger of shutting down completely and accepting the inevitable outcome.

We live in difficult times. Financial crises are affecting many people. Millions are losing their jobs, their homes and their livelihood.

Those aged fifty or more would find it very difficult to find a comparable job again, if indeed they can find any job at all.

More tragically, thousands of youngsters are leaving colleges and universities with good qualifications, and little prospects of employment. They feel cheated. They did what they were advised to do. They stayed in education, they worked hard, they probably amassed large debts and loans to help sustain them whilst they studied – and now there are no jobs to go to.

There are of course other circumstances which can lead us to lose hope, besides illness, or lack of work or prospects. Broken relationships with no possibility of reconciliation, addictions, failures etc … all can lead us to the temptation to just give up.

Where’s all this leading to? – I hear you ask.

I’d like you for a moment to consider some facts.

Whatever happens in life one thing is for certain: God is still in control.

He is not hiding away behind the settee crying: “Woe woe … look at what is happening out there!”

He is in total control of the situation which He has allowed to happen, and which, in most circumstances, we have created for ourselves.

The writer of the letter to the Hebrews knew what he was saying when he wrote: To have Faith is to be sure of the things we hope for … (Hebrews 11).

And the important thing, whatever our circumstances, is to hold on to that Faith and to believe, in all certainty, that God is in control.

And to thank Him and praise Him for being in control. To re-affirm and acknowledge our belief that He is in control.

By doing so, somehow, we open a channel for God to turn our situation to the good. I’ve seen this happen several times.

Think of the alternative. By turning our back on God, by ignoring Him, blaming Him even for our situation – He will hardly feel inclined to help us. Will He? Of course, He’ll remain in control, waiting for us, with Fatherly patience, love and understanding, for the moment we return to Him like the prodigal son and be welcomed in His arms.

But what do you do if someone else has lost hope – even though you may not have yourself?

Preaching will not help. It may drive them further away.

Love, sympathy, compassion, whatever practical help you can offer may well help a little.

But most important is prayer. Silent prayer even. Without them knowing about it.

Let your Faith and your hope work for them. Even though they may have little or no Faith at all, your Faith is enough.

The best listened to and answered prayers are those we pray for other people. They show God our generosity of spirit, our love, our compassion, and most of all, our Faith in Him.

Don’t suggest solutions to God; like “Please help Him find a job”, but earnestly and in all Faith hand the situation over to Him. He knows what to do, in His time and in His own way.

Just say: “Thy will be done” and mean it.

And watch His miracles at work.

Forgive me Father ... For I have sinned.

 

It was another Saturday morning and Father Ignatius made his way into the confessional and sat there praying silently.

It was one of those old fashioned wooden confessionals consisting of a large cubicle into which he sat and at either side of him there was a little window covered by a thick curtain. On the other side of the window his parishioners would kneel to confess their sins; alternating one on the left and one on the right.

He was half-way through reciting the Hail Mary when he heard two people kneeling at either side of him. He leant to his right and said quietly “In the name of the Father, and of the Son and the Holy Ghost. Amen.”

This was his signal for the person at the other side of the curtain to start his confession.

At first he had two or three young children confessing their usual “I have been naughty … I disobeyed my parents … I forgot to say my evening prayers …” type of sins.

These were then followed by a few adults with more mature sins to confess. Nothing too serious though like murder or robbing a bank; but the usual sins he had heard times before perfectly symbolizing the frailty of human nature and the tendency to fail again and again at the same stumbling block.

It got to the point that, over the years, he got to recognize his parishioners by their voices and he could foretell their litany of sins before they even started speaking.

“Ah … it’s Mrs Salter once again …” he would think, “and here comes that same old sin once more … it’s like going to the doctor for a repeat prescription for the same old ailments!”

He would yet again, gently and with love and sympathy, dispense his words of wisdom before absolving her and mete out a penance.

And Mrs Salter would be followed by Mrs James … and Mr Collins … and so on and so forth … all religiously kneeling beside him confessing, more out of habit rather than determination, the same old sins week in and week out.

He’d fantasized that one day he’d stop one of his parishioners before they started and he’d say, “Now let me guess … you’ve done this and that once again this week … and you’ve also done this …”

Of course, Father Ignatius would never sully the sanctity of the Confession by doing such a thing, but the thought had crossed his mind many a time. Besides, if he did such a thing they’d probably think he was a mind-reader … and that would be worse for his reputation!

One Sunday morning he resolved to address the problem head on; but he had to do it with kindness and diplomacy.

He approached the lectern and said:

“I love ginger marmalade!”

Well … that certainly focused his parishioners’ attention.

“I have ginger marmalade on toast for breakfast every morning,” he continued, “sometimes Mrs Davenport, our kind and very helpful housekeeper, only serves me two slices of toast for breakfast …

“So I wait when she's not looking and sneak into the kitchen for two more slices!”

Mrs Davenport frowned in the front pew as the congregation laughed.

“Mrs Davenport says that I am putting on weight …” said Father Ignatius, “and it’s true that when I stand on the weighing machine it confirms what she says …

“So I have resolved to do something about it …

“From now on, I promise to stop weighing myself!”

The congregation laughed again. The priest waited until they’d settled down before going on.

“You see … ginger marmalade is my weakness. You may call it my sin.

“No matter how much I try … I always weaken and have some more. Sometimes I serve a little bit more marmalade than I need on my plate; and then, having finished the toast, all four slices, I enjoy the extra marmalade by itself …

“But this is not my only sin of course. I confess many others to Father Donald and Monsignor Thomas when he visits here …

“Now I don’t know about you … but I find that I frequently seem to confess the same sins I committed before …

“Just like ginger marmalade … the wily old devil seems to know my weakness and he tricks me yet again into the same sins.

“Do you remember I wonder when the Pharisees brought to Jesus a woman caught committing adultery?

“Now that was a whopper of a sin! Not just an extra spoon of ginger marmalade … was it?”

The congregation laughed.

“And according to Jewish law she had to be stoned to death for that sin,” continued Father Ignatius gently.

“Now we’re told in the Gospel of John that Jesus wrote in the sand with His finger.

“We’re not told what He wrote … I guess He wrote ‘Dear God … will they never learn?’

“But that’s not important … what is important is that after He said let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone … and when they all left one by one … Jesus turned to the woman and asked ‘Is there no one left to condemn you?’

“She said ‘No one …’

“And Jesus replied ‘I do not condemn you either. Go, but do not sin again.’ ”

Father Ignatius paused for a few moments.

“Go, but do not sin again,” he repeated.

“Now Jesus did not mean do not sin any sin whatsoever ever again for the rest of your life …

“He knew that that would be impossible. The woman was human, and it is natural that she would sin again.

“Jesus knows our human nature and He knows that we are liable to sin again and again …

“What Jesus said to the woman is, do not commit that particular sin again … it is serious enough to get you into a lot of trouble with the Pharisees as well as with God Himself.

“And that’s what Jesus is saying to us today …

“He knows we are weak … He knows that we will sin … which is why we have the Holy Sacrament of Confession.

“By saying ‘do not sin again’ Jesus is warning us to beware of those particular sins which are serious enough to lead us into damnation, and into an eternity of exclusion from our Father in Heaven.

“As we prepare for our weekly confession we need to consider carefully the seriousness of our sins. Which ones are ginger marmalade sins; and which ones are grave enough to exclude us from God’s ever lasting love.

“In our propensity to sin, God is loving and caring enough to forgive us again and again.

“But with our confession there should also be remorse and guilt for what we have done. Confession should not be just a laborious recitation of the same old sins; and a futile exercise which serves no one and certainly does not fool God Himself.

“Without true remorse, and a genuine resolve not to repeat our sins; then confession means nothing. And it would be better not to come to confession at all. At least that is honest in the eyes of God."

TRUST

In every situation of Trust there is always the risk of betrayal. Whether it is a friendship, a business partnership, a marriage or whatever; in every circumstance where two or more people trust each other there is always the risk that someone will betray that trust.

We all know about the greatest betrayal ever – Judas betraying Jesus with a kiss.

So what are we to do? Not trust anyone ever and go through life suspecting everyone. This would be impossible and would jeopardize our every relationship.

We have to accept that with trust we become a little more vulnerable and susceptible to abuse of that trust. It’s a risk we take as we journey through life.

With one important exception:

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.” John 14:1 NIV.

Don't Maths With Me

Mathematics is the very first type of education in the world. It all started when God said to His people to go forth and multiply. Of course, He meant go and learn the multiplication tables because they will serve you well in life. But the Catholics took Him too literally and had plenty of children.

 

Oh ... Oh ... I foresee a reprimand from my priest. He reads this Blog, you know; and often tells me off at Confession.

 

Anyway ... God told all creation to go forth and multiply. A year later He came back to check, and sure enough, every one had had a good time and there were plenty of baby everything everywhere. Baby people, baby animals, baby fish, birds and so on. And God was pleased. 

 

However, He noticed that there were only two snakes. So He asked them: "Did you not have a good time? Why did you not multiply as I said?"

 

 They replied: "We are adders. We need logs to multiply!"

Get it ... ??? No???

It's a mathematical joke. Logs means logarithms. And you need logarithms to multiply ... Forget it. It comes to something when I have to explain my own jokes. It made me laugh anyway.

 

Let's go on. Pay attention now.

 

Mathematics is all about numbers and the relationships of numbers to one another. For example, do you know that there are more stars and planets in the universe than all the grains of sands in all the beaches and deserts in the world?

 

Without telling you the number of stars the mere image I have depicted has conjured in your mind how many stars exist.

 

There are indeed many grains of sands in the desert. I should know.

 

I was once a member of a research team in the desert and my task was to count the number of grains of sands. I counted up to 23 and got tired. So I can categorically claim that there are more than 23 grains of sand in the world and more stars than that in the universe. Just look up to the sky at night to prove it.

 

The Ancient Greeks were great mathematicians. Pythagoras for instance used mathematics to work out the measurements of shapes, especially triangles. He found out that the square on a hippopotamus is bigger than two other squares in the bush. He also had great respect for flava beans as he thought they were the source of life itself. One day he was chased by his enemies and he came across a field of beans. He stopped and refused to go through it and was killed by his enemies. It's true, I tell you. Check it out for yourself.

 

Archimedes was another mathematician of sorts. He was having a bath one day and the water in his bath overflowed. He ran in the street naked shouting “Eureka” and was arrested for indecent exposure. That's true too. Who are you going to believe? Me or what you have been taught at school?

 

One day I was traveling on a train with my college professor of mathematics. The train was going fast and we passed a field full of sheep. He remarked: “Look over there, 134 sheep!”

 

I was impressed and asked him how he counted them so quick with the train traveling so fast. He replied: “Easy … I counted their legs and divided by four!”

 

A bit later we passed another field full of sheep and I tried the same trick. I counted the legs and divided by four; but I had a remainder of three. Which means there was either one sheep with three legs, or three sheep with one leg each!

 

The Ancient Romans, unlike the Greeks, used letters instead of numbers. The letter I meant one, II meant two, III meant three … they then got tired and tried something different. IV was four, V was five, X was ten … and they also had L, C and M as numbers.

 

All this suddenly stopped when the Emperor Claudius received a text saying – I LV CLAVDIVS – and he didn’t know whether it was an amorous message from his girl-friend or his wife’s new telephone number.

 

Einstein too was a great mathematician who devised Einstein’s Theory of Relativity without the use of a calculator. According to him, the richer you are the more relatives will attend your funeral.

 

Also, according to Einstein, if a tree falls in the forest and there is no one there to see it then it will remain upright.

 

He was once asked, is it true that sound does not travel in a vacuum, and if a man shouts in a vacuum then his screams will not be heard?

 

He replied: “It depends whether the vacuum is switched on at the time and how much dust is in the dust bag.”

 

Which all reminds me of the skunk running through the forest as the wind suddenly turns direction. He stops and says: “AAHH … it all comes back to me now!”

A HAPPY BLOG

 The other day was a beautiful sunny day. Not too hot with a slight fresh breeze every now and then.

Once again I was away from home with time on my hands. I decided to sit at an open air bar and read a newspaper. Having looked at the various headlines on offer I felt it was too nice a day to be spoilt with negative storylines and bad news.

So I sat at a table nursing a long cool drink and looked inside my attaché-case for something to read. There I found an old copy of “Prison to Praise” by Merlin R Carothers. I must have read it several times. So I took it out for a quick read.

It’s one of a series of Praise books by the same author, in which he teaches we should praise God at all times, even when times are bad and things go wrong. Worth a read!

I was still reading when the waitress came to take my lunch order.

So I sat there with nothing much to do – and I was good at doing it too.

The restaurant was busy and the service very slow – but no matter, I had time on my hands and it helped me contemplate about the past, the present, and what may happen to me in the future too. Hopefully with God at my side.

Eventually, the waitress asked me: Have you had your dessert sir?

Actually, no.

What was it you ordered?

Well … it was so long ago I really can’t remember.

She smiled and said she’ll check and bring it to me straightaway.

Moments later she brought me something which I’m certain I didn’t order.

I looked at the menu and it was described as: A freshly baked waffle covered in maple syrup and fruits of the wood and garnished with a raspberry coulis.

I’m sure I never ordered that! I’m far too unsophisticated to know what a coulis is.

I checked my pocket dictionary and it said: A thick sauce made of puréed fruit or vegetables.

Oh well, I thought. This isn’t the safe vanilla ice-cream I normally settle for. Let’s try it anyway. After all, the waitress has hurried away to serve someone else.

It was delicious I tell you. Exceeded expectations.

Which brings me to another thought.

Sometimes, like this waitress, God answers our prayers by serving us something we never expected and far better than what we asked for.

So there you have it. A Happy Blog with a book recommendation; and a reminder that sometimes God’s answers to prayers exceed expectations.

P.S.

You will note I am far too polite to suggest you read my own book "VISIONS". If you want to know more about it check it out HERE along my other books.

I’ve read it several times. I’m sure you’ll like it!

Vic on stage

Years ago I was a member of a group of entertainers. I presented the variety acts on stage and did a bit of stand-up comedy and chat with the audience. The shows consisted of pop music and songs, a bit of classic music and opera, old tyme “Victorian” songs, a bit of dancing and comedy sketches mainly written by me.

We rehearsed for ages beforehand and did our shows in church halls, old peoples’ homes, Women’s Institute Meetings and so on; to raise money for charity and to entertain the old folks.

A particular sketch came to mind out of the blue the other day.

Imagine if you will, on stage a number of men dressed as nuns, led by a tone-deaf tenor with a strong pronounced accent, singing this beautiful song from the Sound of Music.

 

At the mercy of technology

I don't know about you, but I seem to be at the mercy of technology. No sooner do I get used to a new machine which has been invented, and I hasten to say that I did not ask anyone to invent it, that the scientific boffins invent something else more complicated.

Take the telephone for instance. For years I have been happy with a phone at home which rings when people want to speak to me; and I dial their number when I want to speak to them. Simple.

Now they have invented phones with answering machines, caller display so you can screen who you don't want to talk to, memory of numbers you want to talk to and so on.

Then they invented a mobile cell-phone you carry with you everywhere. So the family bought me one because apparently I had to have it. It also takes photos. "Why?" I ask myself.

For ages when the phone rang I pressed the wrong button and took a picture of my ear!

The other day I had a right problem with my phone. The home telephone rang late at night as I was getting undressed to go to bed. Why do things happen at the most inopportune time?

Just imagine the scene ... not in too much detail.

There I was, taking my trousers off when the phone in the bedroom rang. I did not want to answer it in the bedroom and wake up my wife. So I rushed downstairs, trouser-less, to pick up the extension telephone.

I wake up the dog who, never having seen me trouser-less, gets confused and starts growling and threatening to attack me where I don't want to. The cat for once loses his courage and climbs up the curtain.

I reach the phone as it is still ringing. There's no one on the line. Just heavy breathing. Heavy breathing ... and nothing else.

I wait and say nothing ... still heavy breathing on the phone ... I wait a bit more to see whether the pervert at the other end will say anything ... nothing. After about fifteen minutes or so I put the phone down on the receiver and go up to the bedroom.

I then remember that our home phone has a system whereby I can check who last phoned me. I press a button and it displays who has just rung me.

"Aha ..." I think, "I got you you little ****!"

Now all I have to do is press call-back and I can tell you what I think of you.

I press call-back and the cell-phone in my trouser pocket rings.

Apparently, when I bent down to take off my trousers I accidentally phoned my home number on "quick-dial" and phoned myself. I'd just spent a quarter of an hour downstairs listening to my wife snoring in bed upstairs. And it cost me a fortune for the priviledge.

And there's more ... as they say.

Now I have been given some contraption I have to fit in my ear and apparently it has "voice recognition". I ask the phone to connect me with an individual and it does so automatically.

Here's how a recent conversation with my voice recognition cell-phone went:

"Call Rob ... Call Rob ... Rob ... Call Rob ... ... ...

"Rob ... Rob ... R ... O ... B ... ROB you deaf beggar!

"Hello? Hi ... is that Rob? Oh sorry Rod ... I did not mean to phone you. It's this new phone ... miss-dialled you by mistake. Bye!

"CALL ROB ... CALL ROB ... No ... ROB not RON. Wait ... wait ... don't dial ... WAIT.

"Hi Ron! Are you well? I thought I'd phone and say hello. Long time no speak ... yes ... I know we spoke this morning ... I just thought I'd keep in touch ... yes ... bye for now!

"OK ... let's try again this stupid contraption.

"CALL ROB ... Dial it correctly you stupid dumb **** ... damn you ... I said ROB  ... Is that clear enough ... ROB.

"Hello Steve ... do me a favour will you ... ring Rob and ask him to phone me!"

I suppose it's my fault for having friends with similar sounding names.

Cars are no better either. I hired a car the other day to go on a business trip. It had a voice controlled advisory service, instead of lights on the dashboard, to tell you what is going on.

I got in the car and switched the engine on. The voice said: "Back door still open!"

I got out of the car and checked the back door. It was shut OK. I checked the door on the other side. It was also shut.

Got in the car again and switched the engine on. It repeated "Back door still open!"

I said: "No it isn't ..."

The voice said again "Back door still open!"

I then realised I was having a conversation with an inanimate object. So I ignored it and started driving. The voice stopped, obviously no longer concerned about the open door which was not open at all.

But then, a few minutes later, it said "Drifting ... drifting ... drifting ..." every few seconds.

It took me a few minutes to realise that the car had cameras fitted near the wheels "looking" at the white lines painted on the road, and whenever I moved too much from the lane I was in and neared the white line the car thought I was losing control and warned me to get back in lane.

This triggered a game between me and the car. Every so often I deliberately moved a little too much to the left, or right, to see whether the car was paying attention and will warn me with "drifting ..."

I then noticed in my rear view mirror a police car behind me and stopped my game in case they thought I was too drunk to drive.

Later on in my journey the car sensors warned me "Too close to car in front!"

It was like having my wife sitting beside me throughout the trip.

Other household appliances are no better. We have a washing machine that requires a University Degree in Engineering to make it work; although I'll admit that my wife and the children find it easy to use. Perhaps it is a deliberate attempt by the manufacturers to give me an excuse to watch TV instead of doing the laundry. If so, that's an invention I approve of.

Our TV also has a system that when you watch a program and say the phone rings, you press a button and it freezes the screen until you finish your call, and then you carry on watching the program. It's like watching a DVD which you pause when you want; but this happens with live TV.

The other day nan was visiting us to watch Downton Abbey, a rather boring program which is broadcast at the same time as football on another channel.

Halfway through the program the phone rang, so we froze the screen. Nan asked what had happened and we explained.

She said, "How about the other people?"

"What other people?" I asked.

"All the other people watching Downton Abbey. Do they all have to wait until we have finished our phone call?"

Can you imagine that? The whole of Britain with frozen screens on their TVs becasue we have stopped the program to answer the phone, or go to the toilet?

Technology has gone too far, I tell you.

We also have a vacuum cleaner that informs you when it is too full by bursting its bag and blowing a huge cloud of dust all over the house. My wife, who lacks a sense of humour, did not find that funny the last time I vacuum cleaned the dining room minutes before we had guests arriving for a meal.

And we have a TV remote control that when I point it towards my wife and press a button it does not lower her voice at all; but instead gets me into serious trouble and the "silent treatment" for a very long time.

All in all, modern technology and me don't mix.

If you don't believe ... Leave ...

John Chapter 6 has been the source of much debate and confusion over the years ... and the arguments will still go on. No doubt to the amusement of Jesus looking down upon us and saying: "You of little Faith. Why can't you just believe and stop dissecting and analysing everything I said as if I were an insect in your lab!"

I speak of course of the part in that Chapter where Jesus says He is "the Bread of life" and later when He says that unless people eat His flesh or drink His blood they will not have life.

As you can imagine, this was very confusing to His listeners; even His followers and disciples.

"What is He on about?" they asked. "How can we eat His flesh and drink His blood? This is cannibalism surely. This is too much for us. We don't want to follow this guy any longer!"

So what did Jesus do?

He didn't say "Hey ... wait a minute. You didn't understand what I meant. This is what I really meant to say ... let me explain!"

No ... Jesus let them go. He didn't try to justify Himself or what He had just said. It was as if He dissolved the unspoken contract between them. They could not accept a certain clause so He let them go.

Then He turned to His disciples and asked: "How about you? Do you want to go as well?"

As ever, Peter was first to answer: "To whom shall we go?" he asked. "We're in this for the duration, all the way, to the end". Or words to that effect, signifying the he trusted Jesus without question; albeit no doubt he had many questions in his mind. Peter accepted Christ's words without question and stepped out in blind Faith and dared to believe.

So what are we to make of all this after all these years? Did Jesus mean what He said literally or was it all symbolism and imagery using common day articles of the time like bread and wine to signify the sacrifice He is to endure for us? His flesh would be torn by the beating and the nailing to the Cross and His blood would be spilled for us. Was it all symbolism?

Quite frankly, I'm with Peter on this.

I don't believe there is much to be gained in debating this ad-infinitum because in reality I doubt any of us will ever come to a satisfactory conclusion. Wiser heads than mine have argued this matter over the centuries much to the amusement of Jesus looking down from above. Any efforts by me at interpreting this would no doubt have Jesus rolling on the floor with laughter.

So I am minded to accept it for what it is. Something that Jesus said and we're to believe it as best we humanly can.

There's no point in closing your eyes tightly and repeating over and over again "I believe ... I believe ... even though I don't understand it ... I believe".

God who can see deep within our hearts, and knows our human nature and its failings, realises that it is too difficult for us to understand.

But then, He does not ask us to understand Him. He asks us to love Him and to trust Him without any evidence whatsoever.

It's what is called Faith.

To believe when your common sense tells you not to.

By the way: you may wish to visit this link and see what happened to a priest who had difficulties in believing. Please CLICK HERE.

God bless.

Loch Ness Monster

As regular readers of this Blog will know, yes ... that's both of you dear readers, I never or rarely discuss news items on this Blog. However, today I make an exception.

You probably all have heard of the Loch Ness Monster. I am not sure whether he exists or not, but for years the story goes that there is a large prehistoric monster inhabitting Loch Ness, a lake in the Scottish Highlands.

Some claim to have seen him, some claim that they have photographed him, and have shown such blurred pictures which remind me more of the mole on my mother-in-law's neck than an actual monster, whilst others believe that he is an invention to attract tourists to the wonderful lake and make money by selling replica toys and souvenirs of the monster.

Be that as it may, the fact remains that this story dates back many years with as many theories about the creature's origins, how it got in the lake, why it has never left, and whether it is a lone monster or there is a family of them down there in the dark waters of the loch.

Hitherto, I have not paid much attention to the story, although I have in the past visited the area and very nice it is too when it is not raining, or about to rain, or has just finished raining and it is getting ready to rain once more.

What has drawn my attention recently is the story in the press and news media that the Loch Ness monster has been seen in the river Thames in London. Click HERE - but not just yet. Finish reading this article first. It's so good I can't wait to read it myself.

Anyway, what makes me incredulous about this latest sighting in London is that, having checked Google Maps, for the monster to be in the Thames, it will have had to catch at least one train and no fewer than two London buses to reach the banks of the river Thames and jump therein. Believe me, I know London well having worked there for many years. There is no other way to travel from Loch Ness to the Thames. Unless of course the monster arrived by helicopter and parachuted down. Either way, it will have had to pay for the transport to London and surely more than one witness would have come forwards by now testifying to its existance.

All this reminds me ... I don't know why ... of my visit years ago to Paris when a drunk was dressed as a monster and he ran up the street and jumped in the river. Perhaps he was in Seine!

There once was an atheist spending a quiet day fishing in Scotland when suddenly his boat was attacked by the Loch Ness monster. In a second the monster tossed him and his boat high into the air. Then it opened its mouth to swallow both. 

As the man fell head over heels, he cried out, "Oh, dear God! Help me please!" 

At once, the ferocious attack scene froze in place, and as the atheist hung in mid-air, a booming voice from above said: "I thought you didn't believe in Me!"

"Come on God, give me a break!!" the man pleaded. "Two minutes ago I didn't believe in the Loch Ness monster either!"

Faith is not enough

In Hebrews Chapter 11 we read: To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see.

But what does that really mean? What is it like to have faith, and not only to believe in a living God, Creator of all and everything, but also to be certain in that belief? Without any proof, or evidence whatsoever.

It’s as if to have faith is to believe when your common sense tells you not to.

Often Jesus said to people He has healed: Your faith has healed you. Your faith has saved you.

He taught that if we had faith as small as a mustard seed we could perform miracles.

We read in Mark 9:24 that when a father asked Jesus to heal his son, he said: I believe, Lord; help my unbelief. Jesus took pity on him and realised that the man had some faith, perhaps not enough, but at least he had some; so Jesus healed the man’s son.

This leads us to ask: Is faith enough?

We may have faith, to varying degrees, depending on who we are. But is this enough?

After all, even the devil has faith. He believes in God all-right. He even tried to tempt Jesus often enough. This proves that he has faith, and believes in God. Perhaps more than we do.

So, if faith is not enough; what is missing in our relationship with God?

Trust.

Let us consider trust for a moment. A little child does not question whether his parents care for him or not. It is intrinsically part of his nature to take it for granted that his parents love him and will take care of him. When he asks them for bread they will not give him a stone, and when he asks for fish they will not give him a serpent.

The child trusts his parents and will continue to do so as he grows up; until one day someone may betray that trust and then he’ll become more wary of those around him.

So how about us? Is our faith in God matched with an unshakeable trust that He cares for us, and no matter what happens, no matter how bad things are in our lives, He is there, beside us, all the time caring for us and ready to see us through whatever crisis we face.

Can you imagine the amount of self-control and concentration of thought we should have to believe, really believe, that not matter what happens, we trust that God loves us and cares for us enough to protect us from all evil?

Such level of trust may well be beyond what many of us can achieve; but it should not stop us from trying. Through gritted teeth even. We should pray, over and again, that we trust God that He will see us through this dark period in our lives.

Faith, no matter how great or small, as much as half a mustard seed even, may not be enough. It needs to be accompanied by an unfailing trust that our loving God will never ever let us down.

It is no point having faith in a Master who walks on water if we do not trust Him enough to follow Him.

Annoying People

How often in life do you meet annoying people? Some more annoying than others.

There are people who are always miserable and finding faults with everything in sight. Then there are others who think they know everything and are expert on every subject you can name – and they’ll let you know it too! They believe their opinions are always right and should be agreed with by one and all.

In every walk of life, we meet people, customers, clients, colleagues, relatives or neighbours who perhaps don’t fit in with our image of happy interesting characters we’d like to know and be associated with.

In brief, they are annoying – and we tolerate them because … it’s nice to do so I suppose.

OK. Let’s now stop and think.

Behind every annoying boring person there is a story. There is something there in their life, their up-bringing, their background which has made them what they are – or what they are perceived to be.

Maybe they are annoying to us because we have not bothered to delve deeper into who they really are. Their shyness, miserable outlook on life, boring demeanour, or their desire to show-off their knowledge may stem from a need to be heard and appreciated. And we should try our best to understand them.

Let’s now look in the mirror.

How are you perceived by those who know you? Are you annoying yet tolerated with a kind smile? Just as you treat those you find annoying?

More important – is there anything about you which God finds annoying?

Mary's Legacy

When Mary was visited by the Angel Gabriel all those years ago, times were very different.

It would have been a great scandal for an un-married woman to become pregnant. It was even more outrageous to claim He is the Son of God. That would have been blasphemy surely!

Yet despite her fears of shame, rejection and ridicule, not to mention fear for her own safety, Mary trusted God and said "Yes".

She agreed to be the Mother of Jesus.

So, what is her legacy to us?

Obedience and trust.

Obedience and trust in God despite what must have been a very dangerous situation for her, and her family.

Are we that obedient and trusting when God speaks to us?

 
AVE MARIA
SUNG BY FATHER FRANCIS MAPLE

Idle Time Joined up Thoughts and a Delightful Surprise Discovery.

ARTICLE ORIGINALLY POSTED HERE IN 2009

Today I had nothing to do.

I had to drive someone to a far off city and then when we got there I had to wait all day to take the person back home in the evening.

So I wandered around the new city for a while then sat down on a bench watching the world go by.

It was a warm sunny day with a slight fresh breeze every now and then.

Workers hurried to their offices and their places of work. Shoppers busied themselves in and out of shops searching for bargains. Not much buying going on judging from the absence of branded bags being carried around advertising the many outlets. A constant flow of traffic passing to and fro added to the daily routine – with several cars blaring their radios at full blast for the world to enjoy their taste in noise.

I just sat there on that bench watching them all getting on with their lives. I decided not to buy a newspaper and get down-hearted at the latest bad news.

Instead, I did nothing – or more accurately I did something. My thoughts wandered towards all these people.

No doubt each having plans for their lives, their families and loved ones. Each having hopes, doubts and fears about the twists and turns that life sometimes throws at you. And in my meandering thoughts I found myself praying for them, and hoping all goes well in their lives.

And now for the delightful surprise discovery in the title of today’s Blog.

As I walked down the street I noted there on the wall of a building a framed picture of Jesus of the Divine Mercy. You know the one I mean. The image painted under the direction of Blessed Faustina with the inscription “Jesus, I trust in You!”

The framed picture was in a box with a glass front on the wall of a non-descript building. It was not a church or other religious building, not an office or even a house. Just an ordinary building.

What surprised me though is that it is very unusual in the UK to have religious images, crucifixes or pictures on buildings. The fact that it had not been defaced, scribbled on with graffiti or even broken was even more surprising.

Praise the Lord.

Thomas' Legacy

I visited some friends the other day. It was a warm evening so we sat in the garden chatting. Moments later they both went into the house to prepare some refreshments and left me in the garden alone.

I sat admiring the view when suddenly out of the bushes came a fox. He moved around for a few seconds then hid again.

When my friend came out I told him about the fox. “Can’t be a fox” he said, “we live too far into town for a fox to come here …”

I said nothing and continued our conversation. Minutes later out came the fox again for a short while.

My friend shouted to his wife still in the house “We’ve got a fox in the back garden!”

Her exact reply was “Can’t be a fox, we live too far into town for a fox to come here!”

He called her a doubting Thomas and laughed it off.

Later that evening I thought about Thomas the disciple. What a service he did for Christianity without realizing it. By doubting Christ’s resurrection Jesus appeared again, and this time Thomas saw Him. The whole event was witnessed by the other disciples and recorded for us to read years later.

Had Thomas not doubted, we would have lost a valuable piece of evidence of Christ’s resurrection.

Jesus said to him, "Do you believe because you see me? How happy are those who believe without seeing me!" John 20:29.