PAIN

Pain is like an unwelcome visitor who calls at the most inconvenient time.

We make our plans and hope to achieve or at least continue towards our dreams, and then pain happens in ways we never imagined it would.

What can we do?   What do we do?

I found myself waiting in the hospital for treatment for a sore eye. The doctor said it was important to see a specialist.

Five hours later, I was still waiting and hoping and eventually treatment was prescribed and I was glad to be on my way.

It's easy to be pre-occupied with our own pain and so it can be good to see how others cope too.

In a strange way, pain can be a gift.

God chose it when He sent His Son to suffer for us.

Christ chose it when He died on the Cross.

Each day we have a choice to embrace whatever cross that comes our way and perhaps help others to bear their cross too.

Childlike...

We had the good fortune to have young people staying with us over the weekend.

It was both interesting and educational, reminding me of the story in the Gospel when Christ asked for the little ones to come to Him, saying...

 'Unless we become like little children, we cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven.'

What a bold statement!

I  wonder how do we become childlike?

The answer seems to be found in simplicity and innocence; having the ability to behave forthright and without duplicity.

Simply said, no pretence / no trying to pretend to be anything but who we are.

When we come face to face with God, we will see ourselves without any shades of grey.

We will be given total awareness of who we are and what we have done with our lives.

Loving to be childlike can help us to grow in this awareness now and we can learn to be the best that we can be. 

In good company...

Today, a day of rain and wind, was also a wonderful day to be out in nature.

Donned with raincoats and boots, my friends and I enjoyed an afternoon in Glenmalure, a place of natural beauty in the hills of Wicklow.

It felt good to be in good company and realise the importance of living our lives as best we can, focused on loving God and those around us.

Evil in the world can be frightening and yet it's vital to remind ourselves of the Power of God.

We know this world is a passing place and we are on a journey to eternity, yet how important it is for us to care and comfort each other and enjoy our lives.

To the extent that we become loving persons will we change the world we live in and allow goodness to prevail.

Friendship

I met up with a good friend today and am encouraged and delighted to renew the bond between us.

It's so easy to become lax, caught up with doings and goings etc and lose sight of the importance of constantly renewing the friendships we have.

Perhaps that is what relationships are all about, renewal.  Keep in touch / meet / chat / laugh together.

When we take time out to meet and greet one another we learn so much about ourselves and perhaps in an indirect way, we become aware of the Presence of God in each other.

We may not sit down and discuss religion, yet in freely giving to one other, we are moved by the grace of Love.

SHARE

Last night at the Space Inside  Arts Evening, I was surprised and delighted with so much local talent.

The group, Tell No Foxx  added such a unique style of harmony and melody, using modern sound effects.  They wowed us and also brought along a good following of interested people.

Vanessa, the poet, performed so well that she won the audience over, not to mention Annie Wolfe and her band of talented friends.

Each performer shared their talents with such sincerity, giving 100% and helping us to realise how much work goes into developing their talents.

Sharing who we are and what we do is a great way to inspire others to share themselves and what they are able to do. 

Our sharing can be of a quiet nature in recognising and loving those around us.

Whatever way our talents draw us, let us willingly share them with others.

All Souls Day

Holy Souls Day is a reminder, to remember those who have passed away, our loved ones, family and friends and neighbours and all those who might depend on us to pray for them.

It's a strange thing to have a link with those who no longer walk on this earth.

Where are they?  Are they already in Heaven waiting for us, or are the waiting for our prayers to help them make that last journey to be with God...
Only when we make the journey ourselves will we have an answer .

There is so much we don't know and yet we do know that today is a special day for Holy Souls.

A wonderful invitation is given to us to remember those we love and to care for those who perhaps have nobody to pray for them.