Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The Ascension of Our Lord into heaven is a feast of bereavement. It is about loss. Whenever we lose a house, a job, a friend, a parent, husband or wife, we essentially go through phases. We have to cope with feelings of unreality, disorientation, sadness, anger…

It is well to be close to the gospel of St. John which teaches us how to handle these occasions, “Do not let your hearts be troubled…Unless I go I cannot send you the Advocate, the Holy Spirit…” We have to die in order to rise again in so many areas of life.

The Lord is close to the broken-hearted. Those whose spirit is crushed he will revive.

Fr. Richard

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Relationships are an art, not an intellectual exercise. Carpentry, pottery etc., are arts: the more you practise them, the better you get. They are hands-on. Religion too is an art; it is an entering into a relationship with God. We as Christians do it in a particular way. Today’s gospel tells us that we will not be abandoned when Jesus ascends into heaven. He will send us an advocate, the Holy Spirit, to accompany us in our relationship with God and one another. Our task is to brief our advocate; to ask for assistance, so that we may no longer live for ourselves but for Jesus. God (The Father) sent us the Holy Spirit as his first gift to those who believe, to complete (Jesus) work on earth and bring us the fullness of grace …….Bon Voyage.

Fr. Richard

Reading today's Daily Reflections from Bible Alive, the reflection is of Paul's witness to Jesus in Acts of the Apostles (Acts 13:13-25). His confidence and eloquence are outstanding. If only each of us could be evangelists like Paul was. Perhaps if we pray harder the Holy Spirit will be our Teacher and help us to find the words and the courage to do so . . .

Chris

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Two themes intertwine today and for the coming weeks. They are Jesus the Good Shepherd and Mary who has been entrusted to us by Jesus from the cross. The Good Shepherd theme leads us to think of all those called to the priesthood and religious life and Mary invites us to ask her to pray with us as we pray for those already in consecrated lives, and those who are being called to be.
May Mary Queen of Heaven, pray for us to God.

Fr. Richard

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

“Emmaus”! I don’t know what that word conjures up for you; for me it is a word of pleasant surprise, hope and sheer joy. To think that Jesus wants to come alongside us in our daily lives; he wants us to understand who he is; he wants to break bread with us. In the words of Jesus to the woman at the well in Samaria “If only we knew who it was who wants to speak with us”, to befriend us…we would be staggered. In our training as his disciples he will want us to walk alongside others; to befriend them, strengthen them and to raise them up. He does not ask us to be anything more than we can be. What a relief. Shout for joy! Alleluia!

Fr. Richard