Photo was taken at Tooreenbawn, Millstreet, Co.Cork (Irl)

Thankfully the weather has returned to lovely mild weather again. As the past week was very much about snow and ice in many parts of Ireland I have included another picture from my archives.

Thought on Sunday – January – 17/01/2016

Today is World Day of Migrants and Refugees and our Thought Today is by Jane Mellett


During this past year we have watched, in almost disbelief, as hundreds of thousands of people flee their homes in Syria and other parts of the world. The image of three year old Aylan Kurdi, washed up on a beach last August as his family attempted to reach safety, caused complete outrage around the world. For a while we reacted and acted and called for an immediate response from our governments. Not since WWII have so many people been forced from their homes. So much can be said today about this crisis and we must continue to ask ourselves: how can we respond?
We must always be ready to welcome the refugee and migrant. Our faith is one of hospitality, compassion and mercy. In the Gospel today, Mary urges the disciples to ‘do whatever He tells you’ and we see Jesus perform a sign that shows he has come for the transformation of that which causes barriers to God’s Kingdom. The refugee crisis may challenge us but as people of the Gospel of Mercy, we must respond:

‘Mercy nourishes and strengthens solidarity towards others as a necessary response to God’s gracious love. Each of us is responsible for his or her neighbour: we are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers, wherever they live. Concern for fostering good relationships with others and the ability to overcome prejudice and fear are essential ingredients for promoting the culture of encounter, in which we are not only prepared to give, but also to receive from others. Hospitality, in fact, grows from both giving and receiving.’ ~
Pope Francis