Photo was taken outside the Church of St Mary and St John, Ballincollig, Co.Cork (Irl)
Daniel Fleming and Claire O’Brien with family and friends outside the Church of St Mary and St John yesterday.
Thought on Sunday – July – 13/07/2014
The following Thought For Today is by Jane Mellett called ‘The Parable Experience – Engage’
Parables are not simply a ‘story with a moral’; they are much more than that. Parables speak to the heart and command an alertness to all that is said and all that is unsaid. We need to pay attention to the detail, but must also be careful not to miss the hidden meaning in the parable experience. And it is an experience. The parable does not end once we are finished hearing or reading it. It stays with us; disturbs us; forces us to ponder. Parables should awaken our senses.
Today’s parable highlights the various ways that we do not allow God’s word to penetrate deep into our hearts and minds. Jesus tells the disciples: ‘The reason I speak to them in parables is that “seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen”.’ Jesus emphasises the enormous harvest that is waiting for those who really ‘open their ears’. Recently, I saw a YouTube clip of a 40 year old woman who was able to hear for the first time thanks to cochlear implants. It was an emotional clip to watch and she cried and laughed and shouted with joy. She explained how ‘the switch-on was the most emotional and overwhelming experience of my life’. If we are open to the parable experience, if the soil is truly receptive, perhaps the Word can affect us in the same way. In the coming Sundays we hear the parables of Matthew 13. Perhaps we can hear them again for the first time.
Thought For The Week
God Counts On Us ~Author Unknown
Only God can create, but we are called to value that creation.
Only God can give life, but we are called to transmit and respect it.
Only God can make growth happen, but we are called to guide it and give it direction.
Only God can give faith, but we are called to be signs of God for one another.
Only God can give love, but we are called to grow in our care and love for each other.
Only God can give hope but we are called to enable people to believe in themselves.
Only God can give power and energy but we are called upon to get things going.
Only God can give peace but we are called to build bonds that bring people together.
Only God can give happiness but we are invited to smile when we can.
Only God is the way but we are called to show it to others.
Only God is the light but we are called to let it shine forth in the world.
Only God can make miracles happen but we are invited to offer our five loaves and two fish.
Only God can do the imposible but it is up to us to do what is possible.
Thought For The Week is updated each Monday
