Sunday Reflection with Fr Robin Gibbons - 16 September 2018

Orthodox monk in Georgia with orphaned bear cub

Twenty Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

(Jesus) 'summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them: "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it' ( Mk 8 :34,35)

Those words of Jesus have been going through my head frequently in the past few weeks, like you I've listened to the news about world events of a sombre kind, the mess in the Church and the perplexing mess we have in front of us concerning Brexit. I have to honestly say my trust in and regard for leaders (State and Church) is not great, in fact it is pretty low! Am I alone? No, I hear so many people just wanting some form of 'honest, truthful' leadership. There are some examples, for me. Pope Francis, despite what other people write and say, is a good man and I trust his instincts and respect his humility and courtesy towards those who bait him across the media.

What has happened to leaders like Aung San Suu Kyi, first State Counsellor of Myanmar once an international human rights icon?

An article in the Sydney Herald on the 15th September put it like this: "When Aung San Suu Kyi broke her silence with even-handed indifference about the Rohingya genocide and the jailing of two reporters in Myanmar on Thursday, there were few surprises. Yet it was still shocking to watch the former human rights icon speak so coldly, and deflect so callously, about issues which have earned international condemnation". (Michael Ruffles, Sydney Morning Herald 15th September 2018)

Where is graciousness and dignity in public life? It is shocking to hear the amount of racist, anti-Semitic and sexual bigotry openly mentioned in public discourse. In the Church it is shocking to read and hear the harsh words from senior religious persons deflecting blame by targeting others. Is any of this the fruit of the Spirit? I think not!

With stuff like this we can only cling on to the voice of God in Jesus, remind ourselves whose world it really is, whose Gospel we follow, whose Lord is ours! We need to be people of truth, compassion and loving mercy as we are bidden to be, James writes: 'so speak and so act as people who will be judged by the law of freedom. For the judgment is merciless to one who has not shown mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment'. (Jas 2 :13,14)

I've been listening to Bruce Springsteen, whose songs though often easy to hear, carry complex and often challenging messages. I enjoy the quirky nature of a favourite song, 'Hungry Heart' and found in these words a bit of the Spirit who reminded me that out in our world it's the work of love that counts, however it may be given, that's the Cross we take up each day!

"Everybody needs a place to rest
Everybody wants to have a home
Don't make no difference what nobody says
Ain't nobody like to be alone
Everybody's got a hungry heart..."

(Bruce Springsteen. Hungry Heart 1980)

Lectio Divina

James 2: 14-17

'What good is it, my brothers, (and sisters) if someone says they have faith but do not have works? Can that faith save them?
If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well," but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.'

Amma Syncletica d 350

'Imitate the publican, and you will not be condemned with the Pharisee. Choose the meekness of Moses and you will find your heart which is a rock changed into a spring of water.'