Mercy and unlocked doors

Mercy and unlocked doors

There have been many references to Pope Francis’ repeated call to bishops – indeed to all involved in ministry – to “know the smell of the sheep”.  It’s a challenging but necessary call to get to know people and not just from a distance.  It involves being with them in the ups and downs of life.

Patrick Kavanagh in a poem called “Father Mat”, describes the local priest as he was encountered by his flock “He was part of the place/Natural as a round stone in a grass field;/He could walk through a cattle fair/And the people would only notice his odd spirit there”.  In the same poem he speaks of people’s attitude towards going to Fr Mat to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Saturday Confessions): “The knife of penance fell so like a blade/Of grass that no one was afraid.” I think Pope Francis would be happy to share a parish with Father Mat.  Chances are we all would!

Kavanagh remembers this priest and puts him before us in verse not because he was a fireball in the pulpit or because he built churches, schools and halls but because he moved among his people.  He knew them.  He most likely never said it in as many words but it seems clear, he loved them.  He saw before him, behind and around him, people in need of love and that bit of compassion that never ever goes astray. He embodied mercy – Divine Mercy.

On Divine Mercy Sunday there’s a call going out to us all to be kindly in our dealing with others, to avoid being judgmental or condemning.  We are asked to hear again and again Jesus’ first words in nearly all his post-resurrection appearances: “Peace be with you”.  Anything in us, about us or from us that is not encouraging “peace” is most likely not rooted in faith or a clear and thought out understanding of the Gospel message.

We are born to live.  We are baptized to belong.  We are here to make a difference.  What “locked room” can we walk into today or in the coming days?  Is it an ongoing row?  Is it a strained relationship in the home?  Is it a reluctance to acknowledge our own sinfulness and need for repentance?  Is it doubt?  What locked door stands between us and peace right now? We need to be honest enough with ourselves and others to recognise and name this door and we need faith, hope and every ounce of love that is within us to find the key, unlock and set free what is trapped within.

Recently Pope Francis spoke to the bishops of Ireland.  He might or might not have mentioned the smell of the sheep to them but either way they know where he stands on that. He spoke to them about the “apostolate of the ear” – the need to listen to people and respond to what is heard.  There’s a lot in that.  Kavangh’s Father Mat seemed to have mastered it and that’s something to be thankful for – people who listen to us when we need to speak.  Chances are though, we need that same “apostolate of the ear” when it comes to ourselves so that we can truly hear what we need to hear from our own hearts so that we can be set free, like Lazarus of the Gospel, like Thomas who had his doubts, like the disciples who had locked themselves away.

Only then can we truly appreciate the “Mercy” of the Shepherd.  Only then are we in a position to shepherd (care for, truly love and mercy) those around us, depending on us for example and love.  Only then can we truly grasp the depth and gift of mercy.

Opening the box

Opening the box

Maria, the girl featured on this year’s Trocaire Box, with Alexis – one of the Trocaire Team in Honduras

Last November, in the company of Trocaire, I visited Honduras with a group from Ireland.  I’ve written about this on the blog before (Check posts from November 2016).  I know that one of the reasons Trocaire asked us to come along was that we might help in promoting the message of the Lenten Campaign 2017.  I’ve been trying to do that over this weekend, with some thoughts in our Parish Bulletin and on www.achonrydiocese.org I also had the opportunity to have an interview on Mid West Radio’s “Faith Alive” programme with Monica Morley.  I’m grateful to Monica for that opportunity.

Meeting Maria – child featured in this years Lenten Campaign

I feel I want to make an effort to support Trocaire’s campaign this year and hope that you will join me in that.  Whatever support we can give, not least by “opening the TROCAIRE box” will, I have no doubt, make quite a difference.

There are many fine resources on www.trocaire.org and included among them are:

Resource Links:
The visit to Honduras brought me to a deepened awareness of global needs.  In going there, and I’ve said this before, I was well out of my “comfort zone”. Those who know me best, know that I like my comforts and so to be in a place where people live so frugally and exposed to such dangers – both from nature and society – is something I am not likely to forget.  That said, I had the luxury of flying to Honduras and the escape of flying away from it again.  For the people we met, this is not really an option.  It is their home and circumstances make it very difficult for them to leave that home.  Indeed I met one man after one of our meetings.  He lives close to where Miriam and Maria live and we had been told how dangerous this place is and how many in the village would like to move to an alternative location that would give them more protection against the elements and the sea.  I spoke to this man – just “hello” and a smile and he spoke back with a broad smile on his face and said something I did not understand.  One of the Trocaire team asked me did I know what he had just said and I replied “no”. The man had said “The only way I will ever leave here is dead” …. I knew what he meant.  It was his home, flawed and dangerous as it was, but always his home.  Trocaire, I concluded, is doing its best to make his home a better place.

“The only way I will leave here”, he told me “is dead”

SO “open the TROCAIRE box” this year and let’s see what we can do …..
Make it part of the home – your home, school, workplace – and never under estimate the difference your contribution during Lent can and will make.
Boxes are available in all our Parishes as Lent begins and it’s also possible to support Trocaire directly via its website

www.trocaire.org 

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