Photo was taken yesterday at Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí (Bantry Community College), West Cork (Irl)

At long last after months of waiting, we finally got some lovely warm sunshine yesterday. It was the ideal backdrop for an U16 Football game between Bantry and Ballincollig

Thought on Friday – April – 20/04/2018

‘Sometimes it may be an illness that becomes our new teacher or bereavement or the birth of a child or falling in love. Anything that shakes us out of our slumber and opens us to wider and deeper experience is a spiritual friend worthy of our gratitude.’ ~Donagh O’Shea

There is a lovely story told about an eight year old boy called Sam who asked a very honest question: “What if everybody in the whole world laughed at the same time? What would it sound like?” No doubt he thought it would make a big difference.

‘What if’ questions are always full of possibility and potential. ‘What if’ questions have led to many new discoveries particularly in the whole area of medicine. The same can happen in the whole area of spirituality. What if we all were open to the spirit of God in our lives? What if we all did something good and positive together instead of moan and complain? What if we all said a prayer for someone in need today or for a special intention? What if we allowed the true meaning of Easter take hold in our lives?



Easter can shake us out of our slumber, allowing us to appreciate life in a much more meaningful way. As we know it is easy to drift along with the flow of life and get caught up with stuff that is shallow and random. It is easy to forget the many blessings that are near and close to us. Yes we all have days that are challenging to the point where it’s difficult to cope. We might not see such days as a friend. It is even tempting to push them to one side in the hope that tomorrow will be better. It is tempting to blame those around us particularly our nearest and dearest. It is even tempting to blame ourselves.

But such days shake us out of slumber too. Spiritual wisdom encourages us to hold these days too because we learn and grow from them. Easter is not just a once off event. The energy of Easter is felt through every single day especially the day that is today. Whatever today is for you, be it a good day, a bad day or an in between day, God is present with us. Easter reminds that life is not random, that there is meaning and hope and that there is a reason why.



Thought For The Week is updated each Monday with a new photograph each day