As we move into April tomorrow I thought I would share this photo of recent snow on Mushera mountain, near Millstreet. The tracks on the snow are beautiful as the first commuters left their mark on their way to work. Spiritually we all leave a mark each day as well. The invitation is to leave a mark of kindness, a mark of love, a mark of light, a mark of hope and a mark that makes this a good day no matter how small.
On This Day
On March 31st 1889 the Eiffel Tower was inaugurated. The 984-foot (300-metre) Eiffel Tower, a wrought iron technological masterpiece created by Gustave Eiffel to commemorate the centenary of the French Revolution, was officially opened in Paris. It is one of the most visited tourism spots in the world getting 7 million visitors per year.
On March 31st 2021 Paul Simons sells his entire songwriting catalog of over 400 songs to Sony Music Publishing for an undisclosed sum
Birthday’s Today🎂
Victoria Smurfit (Actress) is 49
Al Gore (Former US Vice President) is 75
Saint For Today
Saint Daniel of Murano
Significance Of Today
Today is Eiffel Tower Day and in France it is a day that is all about celebrating the wonderful monument that stands proudly in Paris, the city of light. The day marks the completion of the Eiffel Tower in 1889, taking 2 years, 2 months and 5 days in total to build. It was constructed for the International Exhibition of Paris, during the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution, and was named after the principal engineer, Gustave Eiffel.
Today is also International Transgender Day of Visibility which focuses on more of the positive aspects of what being transgender means and takes direct action in changing the biases of people who don’t understand transgender.
Interesting Quote for Today
“Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other.” ~Walter Elliot
My latest video will be posted here this coming weekend
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
