Photo was taken at Grace Dieu Retreat House, near Tramore, Co.Waterford (Irl)

A dandelion flower has gone to seed and waits for a breeze to blow them to new pastures. Recent mild weather has seen an explosion of dandelion growth and the white seed heads can be seen almost everywhere at the moment. With such efficiency in getting their seeds to new ground, it is easy to see why this flower dominates.

Thought on Wednesday – April – 27/04/2011

‘When the Church speaks, people hear only moralisms. Almost nobody has any understanding of Christianity as anything other than a set of rules for avoiding sin. Almost nobody has any sense of faith as a way of looking at reality and making sense of everything.’ ~John Waters

Many regard the Church as an out dated and out of touch institution. It has lost its foothold, lost its way and seems to be wandering along in its own cocoon. The latest update on this is the energy and time it is giving to the introduction of the new Roman missal. It is taking pride in introducing old, stale and archaic language in the liturgy as a positive step forward in connecting with people. But at ground level the feedback from the people who really matter is confusion and bewilderment. Rather than connect, it seems determined to put as many obstacles and pitfalls in our way. It has lost the unique ability Jesus had in connecting with people’s lives and touching in exactly where people were. It’s a massive loss and one that has gradually happened over time. People have walked with their feet and are now indifferent, disillusioned or hostile to what the church has to offer. Easter at its core is about helping us to make sense of life. At its core is humanity and everything about our struggles, our hurts, our confusion, our fears, our joys, our hopes and our dreams for a better tomorrow. It is time we reclaim Easter for what it truly is, a time of hope, renewal and fresh beginnings.