A day of reflection,
As someone who took part in the recent day of reflection led by Fr Peter Scally I thought I would share my experience.
When I first saw the reflection advertised I felt both drawn in and challenged by the focus. In short, how do we respond to the devastating impact of natural and human discontent and disaster as our world experiences it.
The participants gathered were a diverse and faithful group. In fact, I don’t think there was anyone there who isn’t trying their best to live out their faith to the best of their opportunity and capacity. Deep down however, perhaps we can all have those moments of thinking ‘Why does God our Creator let this brokenness in our world happen?’, I know I have.
I did wonder if this could be a day of seeking to find solutions but fundamentally embracing that the problems are greater than our best efforts at solutions so just keep doing all you can.
This was not the case. We were guided beautifully over four encounters of scripture and prayerful reflection, through an open invitation to consider different parts of scripture. Fr Peter had selected these to help us build towards understanding that all of what we are concerned about is explained to us in several places through scripture.
One which stayed with me throughout the day was that I found in scripture it ‘must happen’ and that we should ‘see that you are not alarmed’ (Mt 24:6).
Wow, this really challenged my usual perceptions. Am I wasting my time striving to act for good? Is the environment set to go to hell in a handcart anyway so don’t worry?…
As the day unfolded I felt guided to remember that God is always with us and ahead of us in these ordeals and as Christians if we stay close to God and guided as disciples in our own time, we may bring ourselves and others to a richer understanding of God’s love for us all.
Some people both in the past, today and as we move in to the future will be persecuted and even lose their lives through natural disasters, war and even for speaking and acting in God’s name, some won’t, so are we just to do our best and accept the outcomes as being all part of a bigger picture that we cannot comprehend or envisage.
I think yes … but this is not without hope. God gives us both through scripture and the people’s lives who inspire us and support us towards goodness, something of a blueprint I feel.
I therefore think we are called to be inspiration and support to each other as we partake in God’s plans together. Finally, as the words of one of the hymns we sang at Mass together at the close of the day said,
“Nada te turbe, nada te espante…Todo se pasa, Dios no se muda” – Let nothing disturb you or frighten you. Everything passes, God does not change.
Be hopeful.
