The Sacrifice of saying YES: 4th Sunday of Advent

4^TH SUNDAY OF ADVENT: GOSPEL

Matthew 1:18-24

This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.  Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins”.

All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Emmanuel” (which means “God with us”).

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.

Gospel Reflection - by Theresita Joseph

About a week ago, amidst mindlessly scrolling through Facebook newsfeeds, I came across this picture of an unfamiliar Nativity scene. Baby Jesus resting in the arms of St Joseph, whilst his Mother Mary is by his side, softly sleeping. It touched me because it reminded me of the somewhat 'unsung hero' role of St Joseph as Jesus’ father, and of the reciprocal love shared between St Joseph and Mother Mary as the Holy Family.

Growing up, I have been fortunate to have a loving dad who was by my side from day 1. My dad is my role model and my best friend, and witnessing his kindness, honesty and devotion to my mum has taught me so much about the beauty of marriage and parenthood. I’ve recently started to think about how too, Jesus must have shared such a close bond of love with his earthly father St Joseph. St Joseph truly cared for Jesus; he watched and helped him grow from a fragile baby into a young boy and then later into a man just like him. Indeed, much of Jesus’ human nature and qualities would have been inspired by St Joseph, as it was God Himself who chose St Joseph to be His father.

In today’s Gospel reading, St Matthew reminds us what we should learn about real compassion and commitment to God through St Joseph. I’m sure St Joseph was pretty excited to be married to Mary until he found out that she was already pregnant with a child that was impossible to have been his. He must have felt hurt, embarrassed, even angry. Yet despite this, St Joseph did not want to let Mary come into any danger by exposing her to the public, where according to the law at the time would be accused of adultery and stoned, so he instead decided for her to be let of quietly.

Through this decision, St Joseph proved his merciful and forgiving nature that had made him God’s choice to be the son of Jesus. We then see that after his visitation from the Angel of the Lord, St Joseph chooses to completely believe, and out of complete trust, surrenders his own desires and plans to God. Not only this, but he immediately acts upon what he has been told; and takes Mary as his wife. St Joseph demonstrates how to let God use his life as a vessel for others; little did he know what God had in store for him and Mary, and indeed for future generations, yet it was his first YES that allowed all to be possible.

Think about future moments that you might still be excitedly waiting for – your ideal job, your wedding day, your first home or your first child. Moments that you continually picture in your head, hoping that they turn out exactly how you would desire them to. What if God was to come in and change them? God doesn’t promise that what we want will happen, but He does promise us that His plans are always for good and to bring us hope (Jeremiah 29:11). Are we prepared to let God into our dreams and let them be done according to his plan, even if they do not turn out how we want? Do we truly believe that God has a better plan in store for us, even if we can’t see or understand it?

So, in the final few days before Christmas Day, take time to reflect upon the mystery of Christ’s birth which God had so beautifully planned out, and the inspirational Holy family that Jesus was born into. Pray to be more like St Joseph; to have the courage to put aside our own desires in place for God’s will for us, and to carry them out full of kindness and love. Let us enter into this Christmas season (and new decade!) with open hearts and open minds; ready to let God surprise us with the joy He is waiting to share with us.

Choose to Rejoice: 3rd Sunday of Advent

3RD SUNDAY OF ADVENT: GOSPEL

Matthew 11:2-11

 'A greater than John the Baptist has never been seen'. John in his prison had heard what Christ was doing and he sent his disciples to ask him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or have we got to wait for someone else?’. Jesus answered, ‘Go back and tell John what you hear and see; the blind see again, and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised to life and the Good News is proclaimed to the poor; and happy is the man who does not lose faith in me.’ As the messengers were leaving, Jesus began to talk to the people about John: ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the breeze? No? Then what did you go out to see? A man wearing fine clothes? Oh no, those who wear fine clothes are to be found in palaces. Then what did you go out for? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet: he is the one of whom scripture says: ‘Look, I am going to send my messenger before you; he will prepare your way before you.’ ‘I tell you solemnly, of all the children born of women, a greater than John the Baptist has never been seen; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he is.’

GOSPEL REFLECTION - by Jade Broadley

I love John’s determination in this Gospel. There he is, imprisoned, soul-searching, and still waiting in hope for his Saviour to come. He has gained his own followers over the years and many have looked to him to pave the way and give them a reason to hope. But he knows that there is someone greater than himself out there, someone who he recognized even as a baby in the womb, when Mary visited his mother Elizabeth.

This third Sunday of Advent tells us ‘Gaudéte, rejoice!’ because, as John discovered from his disciple’s reports, the Lord is near and He is doing amazing things! Imagine John’s excitement when his friends returned from their mission with the news of what Jesus is doing: the blind can now see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, and THE DEAD ARE RAISED TO LIFE. WHAT.

I don’t know about you but often I find myself thinking that when certain things are worked out - when I have a house, a husband, my 2 perfect children, have won the lottery and I’m fully healed, then I’ll really be able to rejoice! Isn’t it so easy to fall into this lie? All. Of. The. Time.

Henri Nouwen (my top guy of 2019) says in contrast that joy is “the experience of knowing that you are unconditionally loved and that nothing - sickness, failure, emotional distress, oppression, war, or even death - can take that love away.”

John’s example from today’s Gospel, of waiting in expectant hope and rejoicing in the coming of our saviour motivates me to do the same, before things are perfect (or in order as I’d like them to be!) The reality of this Season is that God chose to be born into the mess of this world, into a stable to a teenage mother in less than perfect circumstances. He chose to love, and in response we choose to rejoice!

Nouwen, reflecting back upon his life said “I remember the most painful times of my life as times in which I became aware of a spiritual reality much larger than myself, a reality that allowed me to live the pain with hope ... Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.”

May today be a day where we choose to rejoice as we remember that the Lord is near!

Prepare the Way for the Lord - 2nd Sunday of Advent

2ND SUNDAY OF ADVENT: GOSPEL

Matthew 3: 1-12

In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him’”.

John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Gospel Reflection

by Simeon Elderfield

John the Baptist is one of the more interesting characters in the Gospels, appearing in all of them. Only in Luke is John’s early life discussed, and greater detail surrounding John’s baptism of Jesus is found in the Synoptic Gospels than John’s Gospel. Flavius Josephus, writing contemporaneously, describes John’s actions, saying he ‘was a good man, and commanded the Jews to exercise virtue, both as to righteousness towards one another, and piety towards God, and so to come to baptism; for that the washing [with water] would be acceptable to him, if they made use of it, not in order to the putting away of some sins [only], but for the purification of the body; supposing still that the soul was thoroughly purified beforehand by righteousness.’

From a Catholic perspective, it is clear that John was a prophet, indeed, the last of the Prophets and his message could not be any blunter. At this point, Jesus’ adult ministry has barely begun and John’s mission is to prepare the people of Judea for what they are about to witness. In today’s Gospel John is sarcastic: when the Pharisees and Sadducees approached, his words are dripping with irony, ‘Brood of vipers, who warned you to fly from the retribution that is coming?’. But his sarcasm doesn’t obscure his message about what true repentance is. He also brooks no arrogance, pointing out the irony in their beliefs; ‘if you are repentant, produce the appropriate fruit, and do not presume to tell yourselves, “We have Abraham for our father,” because, I tell you, God can raise children for Abraham from these stones.’

As a person, John exudes self-awareness of his state, preaching from a place of authority as prophet but profoundly humble in his comparison with Jesus as he says, ‘the one who follows me is more powerful than I am, and I am not fit to carry his sandals; he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire.’ Out of all the people blessed with the foreknowledge of Jesus’ work, John the Baptist shows us best how we can approach our faith in the confidence of God’s plan. For death, where is thy sting? The answer is that it’s lost in the knowledge of our logos.

In the end, John died for his faith. Herod took his head, but not his spirit and in his violent death, he continued to be that most exemplary counterpart to the life of Christ. Pope Benedict XVI describes John as ‘the prophet who concludes the Old Testament and inaugurates the New, by identifying Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah, the Anointed One of the Lord.’ The great saint, Augustine of Hippo, characterizes the complementary natures of John and Jesus by saying ‘John is the voice, but the Lord is the Word who was in the beginning. John is the voice that lasts for a time; from the beginning, Christ is the Word who lives forever.’ Without the word, the voice is meaningless. Without the voice, the word cannot be spoken.

Perhaps this is what we might take from John’s example? That we are called to be the present voice for the living word of God. In our words and deeds, we can give voice to the truth that we have been privileged to have revealed to us. The cost of being the voice may be high, but through our proclaiming of the word, we will change the world. Our voices may only last for a time, but the truth we have been given to share will last for eternity. I invite you to ask yourself what truth God has given you to share? Undoubtedly, we all possess the faculties to do so, otherwise, it would not have been given to us. Use them to the fullest! If you don’t know how to find others who can guide you. But be confident that when we surrender our voice to proclaiming God’s word, we do his work.

Are you ready Christ? First day of Advent

1ST SUNDAY OF ADVENT - GOSPEL 

Matthew 24:37-44

And as in the days of Noe, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, even till that day in which Noe entered into the ark. And they knew not till the flood came, and took them all away; so also shall the coming of the Son of man be. Then two shall be in the field: one shall be taken, and one shall be left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill: one shall be taken, and one shall be left. Watch ye therefore, because ye know not what hour your Lord will come. But know this ye, that if the goodman of the house knew at what hour the thief would come, he would certainly watch, and would not suffer his house to be broken open. Wherefore be you also ready, because at what hour you know not the Son of man will come.

Gospel Reflection - Mollie Ricketts 

‘Are you ready for Christmas?’ is a question that constantly is floating around at this time of the year, but today’s readings pose another more pressing question: are we ready for Christ?

Amongst the chaos leading up to Christmas, filled with deadlines, pressures and stresses, this Gospel holds such power to instantly put our lives into perspective. Are we ready? Far too often these worries and struggles of the world overtake our spiritual lives and prevent us from focussing on our one true purpose in this life: preparing our souls for the coming again of Christ.

St Matthew speaks such simple but powerful truth: ‘you do not know on what day your Lord is coming’. As humans we are constantly trying to control and manage our lives to suit us, but today’s readings directly challenges this. We need to put all our trust in God, and focus on the things of eternal life: our salvation and the salvation of others. It is so incredibly easy to become dragged down by the way of the world; the readings today remind us that this will not prepare us. Of course this is a lot easier said that done, but we know that we will only obtain true peace and joy when we are doing the will of God.

The element of uncertainty in St Matthew’s words can be a daunting prospect. St Matthew isn’t giving us a date or time frame but an awareness to be alert and prepared. Often it is tempting and somewhat easier to invest ourselves in the events and things of the world which we know are certain like the General Election or the festivities of Christmas, and live in denial. However, by ignoring St Matthew we are living in denial about the reality of our salvation and the state of our souls, or are we procrastinating until we feel it is ‘the right time’? The events of the world will pass but the way we live our lives and the state of our soul is our only true reflection of how we have lived our life in God’s eyes.

St Matthew’s words are not intended to frighten us but provide us with hope; hope that the coming of Christ is approaching. In a world filled with sin and darkness, we are being called to ‘cast of the works of darkness, and put on the armour of light’. We are being called to become a real follower of Christ. Today’s readings remind us perfectly of our mission: to be prepare our soul for the second coming of Christ.

Advent provides a perfect time to re-centre our focus on Christ. Have we forgiven those who have hurt us? Are we at peace with ourselves, God and others? Are we trying to help those in need, spiritually and materially, and bring about God’s kingdom on Earth? Are we living out our faith in a way which is pleasing to God? We only have today so let us be ready for Christ. The time is now. 

In Pursuit of Truth - Lessons from St John Henry Newman

In Pursuit of Truth

By Simeon Elderfield

Earlier this month on October 13^th, around 50,000 people gathered in St Peter’s Square to celebrate the momentous canonisation of 5 new saints into the Catholic Church, including St John Henry Newman. Simeon, a friend of Youth2000 who was present at the canonisation, reflects on the remarkability of St Newman’s life, and the lessons from his pursuit of Truth that we should be inspired to act upon.

St John Henry Newman is to me, one of the more challenging saints that we are presented with in the modern world. It is fortuitous that he has been recently canonised, as hopefully it will bring his ideas and life into the zeitgeist in a way they have not been in a long time. For he was a thoroughly modern man; engaging in intellectual matters, debating publicly, a member of that venerable institution of Oxford University. Whilst a member of the Anglican Communion, he undertook a heroic effort to argue for the rationality of his faith, specifically in the Anglo-Catholic movement which was known as the controversial but engaged Oxford Movement. This was a direct response to the new tide of Liberalism which Newman saw sweeping across Anglicanism, driving it towards Protestantism. This was problematic to Newman because he viewed Anglicanism as a middle way between the excesses of the Catholic Church, and the lack of orthodoxy in the Protestant congregations. 

In his zealotry, I am somewhat reminded of Alexander Hamilton; an immigrant and Founding Father who was responsible for writing many of the Federalist papers arguing for the American Constitution, convincing the public and political establishment to adopt what he saw as the best form of government. He saw as his responsibility the need to be a part in building a new world founded on Truths.

In an analogous way, we can see the passion in Newman’s writings of the Oxford Movement’s Tracts for the Times, documents which set out how he and his fellow 'Tractarians' saw the direction the Anglican Communion ought to move. Indeed, both men saw themselves as being on the forefront of an ideological war; in Hamilton’s case also a literal war. But I'd go so far as to say Newman’s has proven to be pervasive because, although it never became a physical war, it continues to haunt us. For Newman saw himself as fighting the precursor to our modern Materialistic Relativism, an ideology which declared all truths were as valid as each other, and absolutes did not exist. Naturally, he was repulsed by this as it directly contradicted the point of Truth in any form. 

Newman’s journey towards Truth was both stubbornly rational and intensely emotional. Although he can be characterised as a stuffy old academic, that is a huge misunderstanding of who he was. Whilst writing Apologia Pro Vita Sua, he wept as he was forced to expose his spiritual history. His relationships with friends were deep and emotive and his arguments were fuelled by a great imagination as well as intellect. A violinist whose favourite composer was Beethoven, he embraced beauty in the world. Even his motto, Cor ad Cor loquitor, was an absolute example of this. One might assume the intellectual would speak solely to the head, but he understood that it is also the heart God talks from, and so it is the heart we must talk to others through.

In light of this version of Newman, I believe that his legacy confronts the modern Church as well as the Church of his day because he encourages us to follow the journey into Truth without restraint, never being comfortable with the status quo. He followed where he was led by the Spirit. By his example we are called to a self-awareness of our state. He rode high as an Anglican, achieving national renown and prestige but himself commented on the fact that, upon joining the Roman Church, he did not achieve so highly. But as a priest, he was devoted to his flock, serving the poor and fully submerging himself into living out the Truth he professed.

For me, Newman is a good example of how we can be sacrificial in our pursuit of truth. To be honest, one of the reasons I laud him to Modernity is precisely because he didn’t lose his life. Those who were martyred represent the ultimate sacrifice we should be willing to pay, but it is unlikely we will be put in the situation of losing our life. Instead, by virtue of our privilege here in the Western world, we face the enemy of wilful ignorance that tempts us with the easy life of closing our ears to Truth. But we are part of the insurgency now, not the majority and we must be prepared to be radical in building up the world for God’s glory. Newman challenges us to action in a way that only we can. We must be prepared to sacrifice our reputations or ambitions and stand up to be counted as defenders of Truth against the creeping malevolence of Relativism. 

Being at his Canonisation was enormously moving, because it forced me to question how devoted I was to the pursuit of Truth. The answer, is that I am a sinner, and yet God has still given me the grace of seeing a measure of Truth. If I do not use what I am given, languishing in apathy, then I am wilfully ignorant. It convinced me ever more that we must take hold of every opportunity given to us and strive to promote the Truth, not with aggression but by being genuine, honest and faithful. Sacrifice ambition for Truth. Use the tools and talents you have to advance Truth. Share Truth with everyone you meet. Work with the rest of the Church, united in our direction towards God, as it is only when the Body of Christ acts in unity, that it stands strong. Do not be ashamed that you know Truth but never assume you know it all. Indeed, the example we see in St John Henry Newman is in his honesty to himself and humility before God that he knew he was always in pursuit of Truth even to his end.

Where do I think this leaves us? Well, in advocating pursuing Truth, I do leave out what Truth is. But then, that's the easy part. It's written very clearly in the Gospel of John where Jesus identifies Himself as 'the Way, the Truth and the Life’; the ultimate answer to what we are all born searching for. What St John Henry Newman teaches us is what it looks like to make that Truth your life's destination, and how to draw others closer along that journey.

To see more photos from the Canonisation weekend in Rome, check out the following link https://www.flickr.com/photos/catholicwestminster/albums/72157711363372297/page1

Christianity and the Climate Crisis

by Jacinta Peachey

I was sat in mass on Sunday, not in the best headspace, but nonetheless I was there. My little brother to the right of me, grumpy that he had lost his football match, and my sister to the left of me, very distracted by the “well fit” guy that just walked into church. With a big sigh I thought ‘can we just start already, it’s cold and wet, my siblings are frustrating me and I want to go home’.

As all masses go, we had the readings, the Gospel and then Father stood up to deliver his homily. He opened his homily saying “a young girl, Greta Thunberg, has caused quite the storm in the media recently”. I looked over and smiled at my sister as if to say ‘here we go…’.

Father surprised me and spoke in support of the work of Greta Thunberg, describing how she has rallied for environmental awareness, and praised her efforts and impact. He then spoke of Extinct Rebellion (if you are unaware, Extinct Rebellion are group who use “non-violent civil disobedience in an attempt to halt mass extinction”). Father explained that while Greta Thunberg talks about hope, Extinct Rebellion use words like “mass extinction” and “social collapse”.

We cannot hide from the fact that there is evidentially an issue with our crisis, Thunberg says “I want you to act as if the house if on fire, because it is”. 2,240,000 acres of the Amazon rainforest has recently burned caused by a ‘slash-and-burn’ approach to deforest land for agriculture and effects of climate change. Antarctica’s ice is melting at a scary rate, and our oceans are FULL of plastic. Greta Thunberg is campaigning for change; that we, companies and consumers don’t “sacrifice priceless values” to continue to make unimaginable amounts of money and to satisfy our consumer wants.  

Sunday’s Gospel (Luke 16: 19-31) told the story of the Lazarus, a beggar who lay at the gates of a rich man clothed in fine linen, who feasted sumptuously every day. When both men died, Lazarus joined Abraham in heaven, and the rich man was buried in hell. The rich man cried out asking Abraham to send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, to cool his tongue. Abraham replied “Son, remember that in your lifetime you were given all good things, while Lazarus got all the bad things. But now he is enjoying himself here, while you are in pain.” The rich man pleads to Abraham, that Lazarus go down to his father’s house to warn his brothers, so that they may not come “to this place of pain”. But Abraham responds to say that his brothers have Moses to warn them, and that if they will not listen to Moses then will not be convinced even if someone were to rise from dead.

(Stay with me here, I’m about to make the link).

See Moses gave us the Ten Commandments sent from God, to warn us of gluttony, habitual greed, excess in eating and consuming more than we require. God gave us the Ten Commandments to live by, to govern our lives. I like many try to live a good and holy life, but fail relentlessly, but we have a forgiving God who brought us out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery (see Exodus 20:2). We have a God who performs miracles, who bears children to those past childbearing age (see Hebrews 11:11). We have a God who “in all things works for the good of those who love Him” (see Romans 8:28-29). We have a God who loves us, and who will not allow us to suffer for He has given us Hope.

Hope, our main theme for the recent Walsingham Festival 2019, allows us to come into His eternal glory, allows us to reap from eternal life. “Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life” (Galatians 6:8).

Like Greta Thunberg, we can hope for our world, we can share the Good News. Our world is full of pessimistic views; opinions of destruction and extinction, but we have the opportunity of external life. As Christians we must spread the Good News in our daily lives, and that can start with something as simple as respecting the earth that Our Lord created for us. We can (and should) obey the Ten Commandments, not being greedy or gluttonous. We must find hope within ourselves and share that hope with others, for “how can they believe if they have not heard the message?” (see Romans 10:14).

This Friday, 4^th October is CAFOD Family Fast Day. By fasting we can donate the money that we would have spent on food, to CAFOD who are working to feed those less fortunate than ourselves*. We can learn from the young, like Greta Thunberg who are hopeful for a better future; a future that begins with change. We should make an effort this Friday and from now on to change our gluttonous and sinful ways; reduce the use of packaging and single use plastics, abstain from meat on Fridays, recycle correctly and research how we can make a positive impact on the environment. As Christians we are very responsible for our environmental footprint, and we should be taking campaigns, such as Greta Thunberg’s, seriously in order to respect the house God created for us.

Isaiah 40:31 – "But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint”. 

*For more information on how to get involved for CAFOD Fast Day, see: https://cafod.org.uk/Fundraise/Fast-Day

Nothing Stands Between Us - John Mark McMillan

by Leo Wheelan

Worship song reflection of the Month:

Nothing Stands Between Us - John Mark McMillan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hOvcTGWK7E

In his song, Nothing Stands Between Us, I believe John Mark McMillan expounds on two ideas about encounter with God. Firstly, that the power and beauty of nature fills us with a sense of awe and wonder which reflects the greatness of its creator. And, secondly, that this experience ought to move and encourage us to find time for silence in our lives where, through prayer, we can enter into relationship with Him.

The song begins – strangely enough – with the first verse:

‘River of gladness, fill my soul

Jesus, you're my greatest thought

God, I know

I see the light

I see the lightning

I hear Your voice

Inside the cracking thunder, singing’

I think the ‘River of gladness’ is a nod to Psalm 46:4: ‘There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells’.

This river represents the source of all our joy and McMillan pleads with it to well up within him. He recognizes that we need to look beyond our world and to God in order to find a lasting joy. He then notes that our greatest thought, our greatest aim, is to be more Christ-like. We do this essentially through prayer. The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes prayer as ‘the raising of one’s mind and heart to God’.  It follows that whenever our thoughts are lifted towards God, we are engaging in prayer, in dialogue, with Him. The moments in life where we are captivated by beauty – seeing a star-studded night time sky or hearing the Emperor concerto for the first time (go on, check it out – it could be the best forty minutes of your day) – are lasting and formative experiences precisely because within them lies an encounter with God. McMillan hears God’s voice ‘inside the cracking thunder’, within nature herself, calling him to that encounter.

Featuring heavy use of the musical device of repetition, the chorus then proclaims:

‘Nothing stands between us, oh

nothing stands between us but love now.

Nothing stands between us, oh

nothing stands between us but love'

This imagery typifies a homecoming moment, a realisation on McMillan’s part that God has always been waiting for him to simply turn his heart towards Him in prayer. And He’s always waiting for us to do the same. Though it has to be said, it’s a very bold claim. I find that time and again, I can feel unworthy of God’s love, through my own insecurities, doubts and failures. Henri J.M. Nouwen, in his book ‘The Return of the Prodigal Son’ (which I highly recommend), points out that ‘one of the greatest challenges in life is to receive God’s forgiveness.’ God can often remain for me a harsh and judgmental God, one who demands everything of me and causes me to worry whenever I stumble. This is simply not the reality of God’s nature, and I find I need reminding of the fact that, through the Cross, there is nothing that can stand between us, but love.

The second verse is musically similar to the first, with the only lyrical alteration found in the first two lines:

‘River of gladness take control,

there’s a cup of joy for every taste of sorrow.’

Within these lines can be found advice that can change an entire outlook on life. When we get caught up in our own trials, however great or small, it is so easy to become bitter and resentful. This is obviously not a place that anyone wishes to be in, and so McMillan rightly points out that despite every difficulty, trial or tribulation, we have so much to be thankful for. I do not wish to minimise or make light of some of the great suffering which some people have endured, but to point out that it is incumbent upon each of us to take up our cross with joy. That way, you make manifest the ‘River of gladness’ in your daily life in a way that transforms you and ‘makes glad the city of God’.

The lyrics of the final movement of the piece are as follows:

‘Have I tried to scale Your walls in vain?

To cross your seas I pushed against your waves.

What for all the miles have You to say?

Were You there beside me this whole way?

You always find me

In between the thunder and the lightning.’

This penultimate stanza speaks of a personal vision of who God is for us. Do we completely trust His sovereignty, or do we put other gods before Him? Are there things taking up residence in our hearts where only God should be? A relationship, your new house or even yourself? Whatever these things might be, I believe they prevent us from handing our lives over to Him, which in turn limits the action of God’s grace in our lives.

If this song could be likened to a long family car journey home, then the questions raised in the second to last stanza could describe the final few miles. After bickering over who sits where, endless arguments over who saw the yellow car first, tears about the last pack of sweets etc., we as children realise that mum and dad have wanted nothing but to get us there safely. We’ve put ourselves in the centre of our own universe for the entirety of the journey before even considering where we are going and what we can do to help get ourselves there. So often this is the case for me with God, too. I neglect to turn to Him in thanksgiving for this great gift of life; I fail to seek His guidance in where I am going and I hurt the people around me in the process.

This is why it is so crucial, in the busyness of life, to make time for silent prayer and contemplation. We can begin to apprehend God in the beauty of the natural world or a work of art, but this experience is only supposed to direct our thoughts higher towards a prayerful relationship with Him. McMillan conveys the idea that God always seeks us first, before we have even considered approaching Him. We can become aware of His majesty in the terrifying flash of lightning and the deep rumble of thunder, but the place that He truly finds us is between them, in the stillness and silence.

Saint Thomas Aquinas - January Saint of the Month

By Luca McQuillian

Saint Profile:

Name: St Thomas Aquinas

Also known as: The Angelic Doctor, Doctor of Doctors

Feast Day: January 28^th

Patron saint of: Students, Theologians,Philosophers

Canonized by: Pope John XXII

Why St Thomas?

St Thomas Aquinas is a legend. That much has to be said at the outset. His extensive and impressive works have not only inspired many theologians and philosophers but they have a foundation in the teachings of the Church itself.  After St. Augustine, he is the most quoted in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. In fact, he is the ONLY person prescribed to us by the Church in the Code of Canon Law (1983) in connection with the study of theology – this means that the Church itself recommends him by name. “Students are to learn to penetrate more intimately the mysteries of salvation, especially with St. Thomas as a teacher.”

However, being proclaimed so eminently by the Church has been for good reason. His incredible mind was coupled with a high degree of sanctity which together made him earn the title Angelic Doctor.

Who is he?

Born in 1225 as the youngest of a rich family in Italy, St Thomas grew up being educated by Benedictines in Monte Cassino and sent to the University of Naples very early on. During his studies, he was heavily inspired by several philosophers including Aristole, and was also significantly influenced by a Dominian preacher called St. Julian, who encouraged him to join the Dominican Order. However, when his parents heard of it they were unhappy about this vocation, and locked him away in the castle of Roccasecca for a year. His brothers even went as far as locking a prostitute in the room with him in order to seduce him. St Thomas, however, chased the woman away with a hot iron rod and so preserved his purity – it is on account of this that it is said that angels came and girded him to preserve his chastity perpetually. His family finally gave in and allowed him to escape after which St Thomas, faithfully as a Dominican continued his studies.

He was a quiet student, and as a consequence some thought he was slow, calling him a “Dumb Ox”. Ironically only a few years later he began to teach in Cologne, Paris, Naples and finally was summoned to Rome to serve as a papal theologian, all the while writing books which are still read today. It was during this time that he wrote his most famous work, the Summa Theologiae, originally his lecture notes for beginners in theology. Within it, one of his striking comments included “a doctor of Catholic truth ought not only to teach the proficient, but to him pertains also to instruct beginners”. He also wrote many of the most beautiful hymns that are still sung in honour of the Blessed Sacrament: Anima Christi, O Salutaris Hostia, Tantum Ergo…

Near the end of his life St Thomas had an encounter with Christ while in prayer. No one fully knows what happened but afterwards he abandoned his writing (leaving the Summa Theologiae still unfinished) and when asked why, he would reply that everything he had written is like straw compared to the reality of his experience.

In May 1274 St Thomas was called to the Second Council of Lyon but fell ill on the way and eventually died. Pope Pius V canonized him in 1323 and declared him a Doctor of the Church.

How has St Thomas inspired you?

As a student of Catholic theology for a number of years, I am indebted to his intelligence and wisdom in helping me to delve deeper into the mysteries of the faith. I love to study, and I love when things make sense. His logical and reasoned approach has allowed me to understand more and more how perfectly faith and reason go hand in hand. If anyone doubted this they would just have to read one of his works, or perhaps for those unseasoned with his terminology, the work of a contemporary writer who explains St Thomas.

Reading the Summa, for example, can be a bit raw, but having it explained opens up a whole depth to the mysteries of the faith. Delving deeper and deeper St Thomas seems to leave no question unanswered. Learning how much more there is to our faith and how I all fits in so perfectly has opened my eyes in unimaginable ways and has helped my own spiritual life grow.

Why is he relevant NOW?

"To those who have faith, no explanation is necessary. To those without faith, no explanation is possible" - St Thomas Aquinas

St Thomas Aquinas is such an important saint to get to know and reflect on, especially in these times. People want rational explanations for everything; they want reason to be the starting point; they want authentic truth. There are many intellectuals out there who know a lot about other things, but they too, seek the answers for what really matters. St Thomas is relevant, for this is the direction his discourses take. Indeed, as St. John Paul II said; “Saint Thomas is an authentic model for all who seek the truth.”

As Catholics we ourselves should always be seeking the truth and striving to understand it better. Like St Thomas, we should educate ourselves in the mysteries of the faith, and through it, deepen our own trust and relationship with God. 

St Thomas also answers the many of the questions that Catholics are asked in a way that is clear and truthful, as St Pius X wrote, St Thomas’ “divine genius fashioned weapons marvellously suited to protect the truth and destroy the many errors of the times.” Many of the errors that St Thomas was combatting have come back, disguised under other names and with slight changes; his words hold relevant for them too. Indeed, we are living in a time where the world often tries to tell us that what is wrong still feels 'right', and Christian truths on several topics are too often silenced or repressed.

Like St Thomas, we must be aware that these errors must be destroyed by the truth. We must fight with sanctity and true knowledge, and be willing to stand up for what is right - for these are the weapons of light that will bring Jesus into the heart of our brothers and sisters.

3 Lessons from St Thomas:

• Love God first, in all that you do
• Love the Bible and have an extensive knowledge of it (the word of God is a powerful weapon)
• Study well, it is a gift from God for you to be able to learn and by studying well you can glorify God in it.

St. Thomas Aquinas prayer for Students

(he himself used to recite this)

“Grant me, O Lord my God,
a mind to know you,
a heart to seek you,
wisdom to find you,
conduct pleasing to you,
faithful perseverance in waiting for you,
and a hope of finally embracing you.”
Amen.