Pilgrim progress- a disciple on a journey!

Many of you who know me kind of know I am not really a morning person. Much to my frustration I have a particular gift for turning off my alarm or setting it for ‘five more minutes’ which becomes then fifteen minutes and then a frantic dash ensues to make sure I get to the chapel on time. The liturgy of this first Sunday of Advent contains lots of invitations not just to ‘wake up’ but to ‘stay awake’. With the first Vespers of Advent, the Church throughout the world began the Year of Consecrated Life. Pope Francis has urged religious men and women to ‘wake up the world’. It is not easy to wake up a world that doesn’t realise that it is sleepwalking its way through life because it has blotted out God. It can be easy to grow apathetic about religious life. We hear the voices which say ‘religious life is dead’, ‘there is no hope for the Church’. There is always hope but as the letter to St. Peter tells us, we must be ready to ‘give an account of the hope which is in us’. Certain philo...

 If a priest preaches over 10 minutes - he’s longwinded.  If his sermon is short - he didn’t prepare it.  If the parish funds are high - he’s a businessman.  If he mentions money - he’s money mad.  If he visits his parishioners - he’s nosy.  If he doesn’t - he’s being snobbish.  If he has activities to raise money - he’s bleeding the people.  If he doesn’t - there isn’t any life in the parish.  If he takes time in a confession to help and advise sinners - he takes too long.  If he doesn’t - he doesn’t care.  If he celebrates the liturgy in a quiet voice - he’s boring.  If he puts feeling into it - he’s an actor.  If he starts late - he’s holding up the people.  If he tries to lead the people in music - he’s showing off.  If he doesn’t - he doesn’t care what the Mass is like.  If he decorates the Church - he’s wasting money.  If he doesn’t - he’s letting it run down.  If he’s young - he’s not expe...

Advent begins not with a cute baby scene but one which might even disturb us. We do not begin our Advent journey with the baby Jesus snuggled in the arms of his parents all aglow in a tranquil postpartum nativity scene.  Instead we begin right in the middle of the birth pains that accompany a difficult delivery. The prophet Isaiah lets out a gut wrenching cry: “O God that you would tear open the heavens and come down.”  The world around us is in turmoil, God.  We need your presence.  Come and occupy our world now! The world cries out for the Lord. Nowadays people don’t like waiting. In the past I’ve thought of waiting as wasted time, such as when I wait for a bus or in a denist’s surgery. This kind of waiting requires little action on our part; it’s mostly a matter of biding our time. Everything is so instantaneous that we no longer know how to wait. Yet, these are opportunities to pray. The Second Reading from St. Paul reminds us that as we wait, we do so wi...

I am happy to post a reflection from our guest blogger Sr. Kathryn Williams. Sr. Kathryn is one of my sisters from the Athlone community. Her reflections are printed weekly in the parish bulletin of the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul.    A Warm Welcome I was abroad for four years. When the time came to return, I felt a bit nervous. My imagination worked overtime. Many questions and fears swirled around my head. “Would I be welcomed?” As the plane glided down the runway, I scanned the tiny figures searching for someone familiar. Coming out of customs, my fears vanished when greeted by a group of welcoming and eager faces. I was expected. They knew I was coming. Today’s Advent Gospel might evoke a similar scenario. We can focus our attention on preparing for the coming of this infant king. At this particular time of his coming, he will be defenceless and tiny, clothed in helplessness. He desires to be longed for, warmly and eagerly welcomed. When a new ba...

"Lead, Kindly Light, amidst th' encircling gloom, Lead Thou me on! The night is dark, and I am far from home,Lead Thou me on! Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see The distant scene; one step enough for me. I was not ever thus, nor prayed that Thou. (John Henry Newman). A little over four years ago, our course in preparation for Perpetual Vows birthed this blog ‘Pilgrim Progress’ of which the undersigned was the scribe. Hailing from 8 different countries, it became a way for us to stay in touch with our respective communities by sharing with them what we were living during this three month course. However the journey didn’t finish there and I find myself still blogging. I also still find myself very consciously being a pilgrim. Reading the encyclical ‘Lumen fidei’, written by both Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, one theme was a common thread for me: the concept of the faith journey. I could hear the words of the melodic ‘Lead, kindly light’ playing in my mind ...

I admit I stumble more than I climb, more than most. I wander in the distractions. My knowledge falters beneath time. But the struggles and sufferings have taught me the core, matured me, and experience combats forgetfulness. A strange mysticism whispers around me. God is always there in the end. He always will be. That's who He is. Whether I choose to ignore Him, or get wrapped up in other mundane or worldly things, He is there. Ask, Knock, Seek...those three words...it's as simple as that. (Anonymous)