Photo was taken last evening at Mountmellery, Co.Waterford, (Irl)
Last night was Earth Hour when many homes went into darkness. More than 1,000 cities around Europe and the world participated. One billion people were encouraged to switch off lights as a symbolic gesture. The Earth Hour had the potential to create and increase awareness on changes in our daily behaviour, that could benefit our environment. Our photo is of a campfire throwing lots of sparks into the air with the moon overhead, all producing far more significant light than any electric bulbs!
Thought on Sunday – March – 28/03/2010
The following reflection is by Fr.Tom Cahill
Who would think that the Internet is threatening the jury system! Well, it seems it is, according to England’s most senior judge. The more people use the Internet, and the more people who use it, the fewer there are who get their information by listening. You go down the tubes and YouTube takes your place. So, sitting down for a long listen, concentrating on what’s being said to evaluate its content may well become an art-form alien to a gadget-groping generation.
What, then, to make of today’s first reading (Isa 50:4-7)? The Lord has given me the tongue of a teacher ‚Ķ to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens my ear. Use the Internet to get that sustaining word across? Well, it would get it out for sure, but across is another matter entirely. Getting something across means getting it in. It means entering someone’s mind with a thought, a value, an understanding, perhaps even a vision and leaving it there. It means penetrating someone’s heart to lay a gift of life-giving inspiration, of uplifting hope, of reassurance of one’s worth before God, but above all to lay down his gift of shared love.
That’s what a teacher’s tongue can do, coming from the hand of God. That’s what an ear can hear and a mind can comprehend when open to the Teacher’s word. The question is: can that be done online? Should liturgy be in cyberspace, not sacred space? Would a virtual reality Palm Sunday skirt a real life Golgotha? The jury needn’t be out too long on that.
