Nature is simply bursting forth with life and new beginnings as we move into the second last day of March. I took this photo at Altamount, Millstreet, Co.Cork
On This Day
On March 30th 1981 a failed assassination attempt against U.S. President Ronald Reagan took place on this day, barely two months after his inauguration as the 40th president of the United States, Ronald Reagan was shot and seriously wounded
On March 30th 2002 the Queen Mother died in England at the great age of 101
On March 30th 2022 Bruce Willis announces he is stepping away from acting after a diagnosis of aphasia [1]
Birthday’s Today🎂
Norah Jones (Singer & Songwriter) is 43 Celine Dion (Singer) is 55
Tracy Chapman (Singer) is 59
Eric Clapton (Singer & Guitarist) is 78
Eddie Jordan (Former F1 Motorsport boss) is 75
Saint For Today
St. Peter Regulatus
Significance Of Today
Today is National Doctor’s Day. It is easy to forget just how important, valuable and special our doctors are – that is until you get ill or sustain an injury. Doctors Day puts our hard working doctors in the spotlight, and encourages us to be considerate of the long hours they work, their compassion, and the effort they put into practicing medicine.
Interesting Quote for Today
“The hum of bees is the voice of the garden.” ~Elizabeth Lawrence
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
