This is the magnolia flower and is always such a delight in any garden at this time of year. If we are lucky to avoid heavy frosts, it will never fail to put on superb spring display. I took this photo at Altamount, in Millstreet, Co.Cork
With the very heavy rain last week and especially in West Cork, I am reminded of this video I made last year. The contrast of standing on a rock in a moment of calm and then looking at the same spot when the river is in flood, is some contrast!!! And yes we all need those moments of quiet and calm in our lives.
Thought For The Week
‘There was a man named Lazarus who lived in the village of Bethany who had two sisters, Mary and Martha, and he was ill.’ ~John 11:1
We have a very human story in our Gospel that was read at the weekend and it is the story of the death of Lazarus and how Jesus brought him back to life. There are so many angles to this story but at the heart of the story is the human side of Jesus. Lazarus was a good friend of Jesus, Martha and Mary. They were a close circle of friends who had a lot in common and enjoyed each other’s company. The death of Lazarus touched Jesus deeply and we are told in the story that he cried such was the depth of his grief.
It’s a story that tells us all about the human side of Jesus. He wasn’t distant, posh, cold, aloof, clinical or above everybody else. He was a beautiful human person, who shared a new story about God’s love of each person and that there was meaning and purpose to life. He instilled hope and belief into every person he met.
Jesus was like you and me. He liked his friends; he enjoyed the chat, and he had his favourite foods. He liked to share a funny story, to eat a good meal and to have a cuppa. Jesus was a people’s person, but he also valued his quiet time. He liked his walks, having time out, visiting family, appreciating the beauty of nature, getting out and about, working with wood, appreciating the moment that is now and so much more.
Sometimes we say the church is out of touch and that it has lost its connection to where it really matters. Jesus was someone who was always in touch with everybody and when you met him, you were the only person in the whole world that mattered.
As we move into these last few days of Lent, it is a time to know that Jesus values you and that your story is the most important of all. You are loved, your story matters and your story needs to be heard. Jesus cares and he cares a lot about you.
The words of St. Richard of Chichester sum it up best when he said: “May I know you more clearly, love you more dearly and follow you more nearly day by day. Amen”
The Thought For The Week is updated each Monday
