Photo was taken on the farm of Pat and Nora Casey, Aghinagh, Co.Cork (Irl)
I couldn’t resist this photo of the beautiful kitten next to its Mum. I just waited patiently till the moment was right!
Thought on Friday – June – 16/05/2014
Thought For The Week
‘I have an increasing sense that the most important crisis of our time is spiritual and that we need places where people can grow stronger in the spirit.’ Henri Nouwen
For the past three days, the opening stages of the cycle race Giro d’Italia have been staged in Ireland. It is the second biggest race in the world so it was great it came to Ireland, starting in Belfast and finishing yesterday in Dublin. A big talking point was on the opening stage on Friday. It was a 21.7km team trial, where each team works together to go as fast as they can. Each team goes in a single file train, with the cyclist in front doing all the hard work, but then slips to the back of the line to rest until his turn comes in front again. The biggest risk of a fall in cycling is at a turn or sharp bend, particularly when the roads are wet. But for the Garmin-Sharp team they came tumbling down, while they were in a perfect straight line. One of the cyclists lost control of his front wheel on a manhole cover and fell to the ground, while the three cyclists who were behind had no time to react and came crashing to the ground as well.
What happened on the opening day of the Giro d’Italia can often happen in our life too. We expect life to be tough and difficult when we hit those sharp bends and when we journey through those twists and turns. But sometimes when we are on a good straight run, when life is going grand, we are suddenly plunged into an unexpected crisis. It happens when we least expect it and it can often be a difficult time in our life. Often we feel let down and left to our own devices. We sometimes ask why, why did it have to happen to me and why did I have to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
From a faith point of view we are assured that God is with us through every journey, through the difficult twists and turns, through the good times and those straight runs but also with us when the unexpected crisis or tumble happens. When we do hit those difficult times we often have nothing to fall back on and that is why the famous spiritual writer Henri Nouwen calls it a spiritual crisis. In the generations past many had their faith to fall back on when life became difficult. Having a belief in something spiritual, gave a foundation or a solid grounding when there was a crisis. It wasn’t about having all the answers but it allowed one to put the crisis in an overall context and that the crisis would pass. Today this solid foundation is no longer present or as widespread as it once was.
Whatever our own personal spiritual beliefs may be, we know that they have great value. Too often we compare ourselves to others and feel we fall well short. We are encouraged to nurture and celebrate everything spiritual in our own lives. Life as we know can be wonderful and great but also so fragile. When the unexpected fall or crisis happens, it is good to have something to hold onto.
(Thought For The Week is updated each Monday)
