Our photo today is by Michael Schwarzenberger from Pixabay. It is of the beautiful dandelion seeds moving off into new pastures and new beginnings.
On This Day
On April 13th 1986 the Spanish Grand Prix decided by 0.014 of a second which saw a furious battle between Aaron Senna and Nigel Mansell, with the two cars finishing side by side. Senna won by 0.014 seconds which was one of F1’s closest finishes.
On April 13th 2023 Tropical Cyclone Ilsa made landfall in remote western Australia, between De Grey and Pardoo Roadhouse, as a category five storm, setting a new sustained wind speed record of 218 kph (135 mph)
Today is Grand National Day. It is amongst the most prestigious horse racing events in the world. It is held every year at the historic Aintree Racecourse in England. This National Hunt horse race enthralls audiences with its challenging course. Some say it is too challenging for the horses. But this special race celebrates equestrian excellence, attracting enthusiasts from around the globe.
Interesting Quote for Today
“I’ve always regarded nature as the clothing of God.” ~Alan Hovhaness
My Latest Videos🎥
I took my latest video at 6a.m on Thursday morning. It is the Dawn Chorus and spiritually is called ‘God’s Orchestra’. Even a plane passing by could not stop the beautiful sounds of the birds welcoming in the new day of Thursday April 11th
I really like this video that I took in Glengarrif Woods and it is simply called ‘Be Calm Be Quiet Be Still’
Thought for Week
A Waterford man Gerard Crowley made lots of news in the last few weeks by winning £250,000 on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. But he wasn’t able to answer the question for £500,000. The question was simple if you knew it. In Leonardo da Vinci’s painting of the Last Supper, which apostle is positioned to Jesus’s left side with his finger pointing upwards?’The four choices were Thomas, Peter, Judas and John. Now I don’t have half a million sterling to give out but the correct answer is Thomas!
The clue of course in the question was his finger pointing upwards. The most famous line of Thomas is: “unless I see the holes that the nails made in his hands and can put my finger into the holes they made, I refuse to believe.” His story always features on the second Sunday of Easter. He is sometimes known as ‘Doubting Thomas’. I like Thomas and especially his openness, his honesty and his courage in asking questions.
Along our faith journey we can say that we also have our questions and our doubts. It’s ok to be unsure and uncertain sometimes. It’s ok to question what was once taken as certainty. It actually puts you in a stronger place, because by asking questions you always have to dig deeper to find the answers. Sometimes we don’t have all the answers but when we do, they are there for us to hold and reflect on.
Easter is also a time of reflection and a time to search for answers. It is exploring what the core of our faith means for us. Does the story of the risen Jesus give you hope or does it create more questions? Thomas had honest doubts and questions. They became stepping stones rather than stumbling blocks. Through his questions and doubts Thomas grew as a person, to understand better that life had meaning and hope for him. Our questions and doubts can help our faith grow and mature also with time.
Thought For The Week is updated each Monday
