As I was saying....an apology of sorts!

"Cassandra"

In my early days in journalism  I was, among other things, a columnist (you could say we were the forerunners of today's bloggers since we wrote (or filled) a "column" in the newspaper on a regular basis as blogs are written and uploaded today!!).  One of the quotes that has remained with me since then is "As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted". This is formally ascribed to columnist 

Sir William Neil Connor (1909 - 1967)

 known as "Cassandra", who wrote for the London "Daily Mirror". Since he had stopped writing his column to serve as a soldier in World War Two, at war's end, when he recommenced his first column, he wrote his famous verse: "As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted" (by the war)...... 

Like many another British journalist, "Cassandra" always put himself in the middle of every story as I often like to do too, and today, as I pick up this blog after so many months of seeming inertia, I find myself obliged to start off a la "Cassandra". So.......
.

As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted by my self imposed break, the blog - and the blogger - are more than alive and well.  Hooray.  I must apologise for not delivering what I had promised late in 2010, that's a bigger, better blog.  But life has its way of doing - and changing - things.  These past few months have not been inert at all and two family marriages have also taken place in my house - a son and a daughter now happily settled into a new life; at the same time my marketing communications business has seemingly stopped its downward trend and is now plateauing (before rising again?); and so much more as well. I've been busy! 

But it's good to be back after all.  So what was I saying the last time I blogged?  Oh yes, how can there be Christmas without Christ in it.  Always a very valid point of argument because today not everyone seems to connect Christmas time with a very special religious commemoration. Pity. Though I doubt if, in reality, the good Lord worries too much about it all.  He's used to us turning our backs on Him throughout history that He's become immune to our antics.  It was for the same reason that He came into the world, to bring us back to His Father.  To open our eyes to see the wonderful things that had been prepared for us and which we ignored completely, preferring the short-lived excitement of what the world has to offer instead of the eternal option of living with the Father in His mansion with many rooms, as Jesus Himself told us.  

What always amazes me in all this is that all God wants from us is to realise that He just wants to love us with all His might so that we, in turn can love Him back too.  Not a bad deal if you think about it, and yet we just turn our backs on Him for whatever the reasons we think fit.

Thanks for reading.  Back soon....after the break!!

Christmas is here - is Christ in it?

I think that it is highly appropriate that as we come close to Christmas and the end of  another year, we consider the real meaning of this time of year.  What really is the birth of Christ in our lives?  Do we celebrate it in our churches without really understanding its meaning?  The Greek words "Efkaristo", "Eucaristia", "Eucaristew" and "Eucaristos" all mean the same thing - "to give thanks" - and every time we celebrate the Eucharist it is a personal and communal offering of thanksgiving to Our Lord.  This should be the real meaning of Christmas.  And it can continue to happen to us every day or every week if we receive the Eucharist at mass.  

The idea of attending mass - I prefer to call it the celebration of the Eucharist - is to raise our hearts to the Lord in thanksgiving for all He has done in us, with us and through us up to that moment. The sharing God's Word with others is a prime example of this thanksgiving as much as moments of prayer and fellowship are too.

In these last few days leading to Christmas my prayer is that we do not get totally and absolutely distracted to such an extent that the moment of intimacy that the Lord wants to share with us at this special time of the year is stifled and choked. But rather, that we consciously slow down and find distinct moments of reflection in which to allow Him to meet us and speak to us in the depths of our hearts. It would be such a pity if another Christmas had to go by with our focus being solely on the mince pies and the presents and nothing more than that.

The Lord really wants to meet us today and have communion with us. Let us make space for Him in the inn of our heart for Him to be born. Let us make a conscious effort to remove the clutter and panic and to vacate the inn where He wishes to be born.  Efkaristos! 

May He bring joy and peace to your life that only He can bring.  

Sometimes...more than words

Last week David Knopfler was giving a concert here. With his brother guitarist Mark, David was the now defunct Dire Straits, superstars of rock of the Eighties.  Their music was a mixture of upbeat rocking melodies and soft ballads, all sung in a Southern accent.  Now David is appearing solo worldwide and offers a completely different kind of music, often reminding me of early Bob Dylan complete with harmonica. 

But what impressed me was the quality of his lyrics, songs he self penned, often also writing the music...but with a deep feeling for the spirituality in his life.  The transition from Dire Straits to solo artist is amply reflected in "Easy Street", where he sings about the Devil coming to see him offering wealth and fame if he only signed on  then dotted line.  Everything will come for free. "Only ten commandments stand between you and the final call" he sings. "It's easier than you might think to break them one and all.  The devil spoke to me and said 'Ape that band you was in before Boy and you could be on Easy Street!'"

How true to form for the Devil. But it seems he realises this and sings "Looking back, back to front, front to back again...Hypnotised by your stunning lies, perhaps I'm better off without you in the end."  (from "America")   Nonetheless, it seems he resisted this temptation, for his music is anything but Dire Straits.  On another song ("Ship of dreams") he clearly underlines that now he sings because "some need a song of love when old friends feel like ghosts; for some the sweet redemption songs the thing they crave the most on then ship of dreams....Each pilgrim makes their journey, each must meet their fate."

With David's kind of music-cum-message, "sometimes there are no words to talk about what really hurts.  When everybody talks too loud no one listens anyhow...... Sometimes there are no words to talk about what really hurts.  You find the one you've hurt worst is the one you need to heal you.  Sure", he sings, "I know forgiveness may be mortal not divine but all them human frailties they'll stall me every time..... Sometimes there are no words to talk about what really hurts.  We both know something's wrong here like we know a sinner sins. But I'm so tired now, got to get some sleep somehow. Feels like the whole damn world is crying and I can't keep the beat."  (from"Sometimes there are no words")

Hope clearly abounds in his music.  "I'm mending my nets....theres been more thaqnn time enough for penance and regret.  She says "Bless me David for I'ver sinned" lest we should forget.  I said 'It's alright if you're crying, I don't mind getting wet.  I hate whoever made you cry but I don't mind getting wet. I beleive we can mend those nets. We'll bind your womb with herb-o-grace, nullify all debts. [Cos] When fishermen cant put to sea it's time we mend out nets."  (from "Mending my nets")

And clearly he puts his hope in the One Who Matters because "in the symmetry of the stars God plays to a higher purpose..... God paints on a giant canvas. Some see majestic clockwork, some see chaos as they would, for some the infinite reach of meaning and absolute good.  Someone's there to see you, to touch you with their smile.  The waters are wide across this Great Divide..."   (from "Symmetry of the stars")

Plenty food for thought from this prolific singer-songwriter.   And, to give credit where credit is due, all the above quotes are from songs composed and written by David Knopfler although, in some cases, with the help of others (Megan Slankard on "Ship of dreams", Harry Bogdanov on "Easy Street" and Mack Starks on "America").

 And to enjoy a bit of David's Ship of Dreams...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElzpXut1AC4

CHAOS vs ORDER - 2

LISTENING TO THE HEART

Last week I started discussing some ideas by Ronald Rolheiser regarding one's search for spirituality.  Reverting back to his original text, I note how much he emphasises the need for a balance between the two forces in our lives that drive us on, the chaos that can kill you if you don't dominate its unhealthy side; and the order that can make you too rigid to be able to listen to your heart. 

In this I realise too a smilalrity between the action  of the shepherd boy in Coelho's book "The Alcenmist" and start to question my heart.  In reply it reminds me of a reflection I had read recently by Fr Raniero Cantalamessa in which he said that it is only God's presence in our lives which will bring order in the chaos we live in.  It reminds me too that St Augustine's autobiographical "The Confessions" are a classic account of the human struggle involved in channelling vital energies.

On further reflection I start noting that I am beginning to see that the concept of spirituality as Rolheiser seems to be hinting here is something not directly tied to a religious life (although it obviously helps).  Here the order that our beliefs put on us can make us possibly feel that we must comply to its regime or forever feel guilty for not complying.  Instead, Rolheiser seems to be advocating a freer approach in which God's presence is allowed to fill us and free us from these man-made ties (which can suffocate us).  

I remember that Christ often spoke on these terms too, especially when he spoke of the rules of the Sabbath that controlled the faithful rather than helped them to see God in the Sabbath. In Matthew 12, Jesus says
"...have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests serving in the temple violate the Sabbath and are innocent? I say to you, something greater than the temple is here.  If you knew what this meant, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice', you would not have condemned these innocent men. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

And, in his own way, Coelho seems to agree with this trend of thought: 
"When  someone makes a decision, he is really diving into a strong current that will carry him to places he had never dreamed of when he first make the decision."  ("The Alchemist")

MELCHIZEDEK THE KING-PRIEST & ECCLESIASTES

The day before I had just read about this old man in "The Alchemist" called Melchizedek. He referred to himself as a king and a priest. But he also told the shepherd boy that he could be other persons or things as well.  "Sometimes I appear in the form of a solution or a good idea as well" he said. "At other times I make it easier for things to happen.  There are other things I do too but most of the time people don't realise I've done them."

After giving the boy all the wisdom he could cope with, Melchizedek stood back and looked at the result of his work with some satisfaction.  As the ship carrying the boy left the port he thought to himself: It's too bad that he's quickly going to forget my name ... then when he spoke about me he would say that I am Melchizedek, the king of Salem. He looked to the skies, feeling a bit abashed, and said: "I know it's vanities of vanities, as you said, my Lord. But an old king sometimes has to take some pride in himself."

This amused me no amount since, coincidence of coincidences, while Rolheiser talks about the life force that is often experienced as a desire or longing  ("We long for many things, we feel restless, we seem compelled out of ourselves toward something more") the First Readings of these last days - all taken from Ecclesiastes, the Book of Qohelet - read (Chapters 1-12):

Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, vanity of vanities! All things are vanity!  There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens. What advantage has the worker from his toil? I have considered the task which God has appointed for men to be busied about. He has made everything appropriate to its time, and has put the timeless into their hearts, without men's ever discovering, from beginning to end, the work which God has done. Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, all things are vanity! -------
I will continue to consider the implications of Rolheiser's ideas as they effect our search for this God we believe in.   There will be more nuts to crack next week!