Reflections (Page 4)

Time to engage and reflect on the images of the Year of Mercy

By Fr SAJU PINAKKATTU 

Pope Francis has declared an Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy. This Holy Year of Mercy began on 08th of December 2015, the feast of the Immaculate Conception and the 50th anniversary of the closing of the Second Vatican Council. It will close on 20th of November 2016, the Feast of Christ the King. The motto of the Year of Mercy is “Merciful Like the Father”.

Marriage is one of the best schools on earth

By EDMUND ADAMUSDirector, Office of Marriage and Family Life – Diocese of Westminster

You may or may not have noticed that this has been Marriage Week. And the internet has been awash with a plethora of ideas to boost one’s marriage and the marriages of others. Bravo to the US Bishops in particular for their innovative “What have you done for your marriage?” quiz and other digital ideas.

Be thankful for the true significant people in our lives

By EDMUND ADAMUS, Director, Office of Marriage and Family Life – Diocese of Westminster

The other day I came across a rather witty set of questions entitled “The Charles Schulz Philosophy”, written by the creator of character Charlie Brown and the Peanuts comic strip. I am paraphrasing them here below and somewhat Anglicising them, but if you’ve never seen them before, read them through, answering them in your mind.

The value of keeping things simple in a darkened world

By EDMUND ADAMUS, Director, Office of Marriage and Family Life – Diocese of Westminster 

We all know that line of scripture about God choosing what is foolish in the world’s eyes to shame the wise. Well, I think in these rapidly passing days of Advent towards Christmas (especially as we’re now technically in a state of war – albeit very remotely – in Syria), we need some simple, innocent, uncomplicated joy to remind us that, whilst we take the Faith seriously, we ought not to take ourselves too seriously.

A brief reflection on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary

Mary stands before us as a sign of comfort, encouragement and hope. She turns to us, saying: “Have the courage to dare with God. Try it. Do not be afraid of him. Have the courage to risk with faith. Have the courage to risk with goodness. Have the courage to risk with a pure heart. Commit yourselves to God. Then you will see that it is precisely by doing so that your life will become broad and light – not boring, but filled with infinite surprises, for God’s infinite goodness is never depleted.”

Standing at the doorway to an encounter with God

Fr TOM McHUGH

Doors and doorways are a powerful symbol in the human imagination. Not many years ago, young members of a family were given a key to the front door on their 18th birthday, marking a point of maturity and responsibility. Doorways are places of encounter — marking arrivals and departures, welcomes and fond farewells.

A moment of love and joy from our Medjugorie Pilgrimage

By MAUREEN MULLALLY-CLARKE

One morning, at the English Mass on our unforgettable Pilgrimage to Medjugorje, I could not help noticing the mother calming her disabled son with a gentle pressure on his arm when his desire to communicate — or to pray? – resulted in his becoming too noisy a participant in the Eucharist celebration. Every time she did this, he turned to her with an unforgettable look of pure love and joy, willingly obeying her.