A Brilliant Thought

I’ve Just found this brilliant thought :- Only God can turn a mess into a message, a test into a testimony, a trial into a triumph, and a victim into a victory!

New Man in the Offing?

I have been reading about two possible papal candidates, both African, as well as the possible fragility of Joseph Ratzinger. If one of these men were eventually elected, whenever that is, what would the possible differences be? What would the implications be for the Church? A livelier one perhaps and some change of emphasis? Also what about the future position of women?

I have no real knowledge of either of these men, except that one of them is 63, young for a modern day pope.  Will he suffer the fate of a certain candidate for the Generalship of the Salvation Army some years ago? The person concerned was almost certainly considered to be the best person for the job, but was rejected at that time as being too young. The youth in itself wasn’t the problem, it was the fact that once in place she ( note the pronoun) would be there for very many years.  She was elected some years later. John Paul II was of course only 58 when elected.. His relative youth meant  that lots of travel was made easier, but as well as other stresses which go with such high office,  it is an increasingly physical job – lots of travelling and public appearances.  A lot to ask for a man well into  his 9th decade, even with the support of the Holy Spirit

Many the gifts, many the works, one in the Lord of all.

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Reward for Screaming

I’ve just read a web page which talks about the joys of childhood. It concluded by saying 'Remember a time when you could scream and scream and then someone would give you a cup cake.'

I’ve been screaming spiritually for many months because God was definitely asking me to do something that seemed impossible – especially after months of trying to get my ancient qualifications validated. In some cases the institutions I attended no longer exist,  and in all cases I could not give details of individual modules as they didn’t do that in the age of the dinosaurs. It was humiliating  to find my hard earned qualifications of no value – at least as far as American colleges are concerned.  There was one college which really appealed to me, but they wanted me to do what I saw as a very basic course in life skills as well as pass a maths test so I tried elsewhere – repeatedly.  At last there only seemed to be one option left – that very first college, of which I am now a student who has just sent in my first assignment.  I’ve still got to complete the life skills course, but have discovered that it is only as simple and basic as you make it  - so am able to do it at my own level. In the assignment I quoted from my new ‘Glasgow Bible’ ( Stuart 1997, page 3 )  where in retelling the story of creation the author manages to get over the implicit meaning of the passage, even if he adds words to the original:-  

God then made folk tae look like himself- man and wumman thegither.                            ‘They’ll  hae herts an minds tae love me.’

Theresa and the Ottowa Citizen article 24th October 2011

"I believe the leadership should design ministry to meet the needs of the people and that should include women

O'Gara said…... "We say women resemble Christ when they're baptized," she said. "We say they are in the image of Christ when they died for the faith, when they were martyrs. So then why can't they be in the image Christ as priests?" In 1994, Pope John Paul II gave a third reason. He said Christ did not start out with the intention of picking men but through prayer decided only men should be picked.

"This is a better argument than that Christ was a male, but how would we know what Christ prayed?" O'Gara asked.

Read more: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/life/Women+still+worthy/5595519/story.html#ixzz1bsSwxp7X

Read more: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/life/Women+still+worthy/5595519/story.html#ixzz1bsSc6xeU

Keeping a Record

For my college course I have to do a time audit for a week.  There are several alternative ways to do this –Firstly to be honest, which is what I am intending to try to be. Secondly you can try and improve your behavior before recording it so that it sounds good and makes a positive impression. Thirdly you can slob along and just lie.  

Actually whichever method is used it really makes you think about how you spend your time and whether or not this is in a positive way or not, and that can't be a bad thing.

A SEnse of Place

On Sunday I did what I hate to do – I arrived late for church. The reasons were twofold  - Firstly what is sometimes described as a chronological  inexactitude – the clock was wrong. The second reason was that we collect a handicapped friend to take her to services.  She has just purchased a new wheelchair and we had difficulties in getting it to fit into our car. These two factors together meant we arrived late, having to maneuver her chair down a narrow aisle once worship had already started, and, it being a bigger chair than previously , knocking into both chairs and people. We felt embarrassed and just a little out of things, even though everyone was very nice, including the man whose foot I ran over.  I felt I didn’t quite belong.

Today I turned to my copy of Celtic Daily Prayer for my quiet time and I read :-

               My soul’s desire is to study the Scriptures and to learn the ways of God.

My soul’s desire is to be freed from all fear and sadness, and to share Christ’s risen life.

My soul’s desire is to imitate my King,  and to sing His purposes always.

My souls’ desire is to enter the gates of heaven and to gaze upon the light that shines

forever.  

Further down the page God speaks :-

I have prepared a place for you , says the Lord,

A place that is for you, and only you, to fill.

Approach my table, asking first that you might serve.

…In the place of My appointing will be your joy.

The page concludes with a short prayer  - Lord show me the right seat; find me the fitting task;  give

me the willing heart.

A Heroine of the Faith

http://iglesiadescalza.blogspot.com/2011/10/first-colombian-woman-priest.html

Permission Given

On Sunday as a couple we attended 3 different church services – two together and one I went to by myself. My solo appearance was at the local Catholic church where the theme of the homily was Truth and Justice. We were told that if we became aware of injustice we should do something about it , or at least support those who did speak out. This I feel gives me the go ahead to say what I feel about the injustice of banning women’s ordination within Catholicism.

The other two services were at churches not bound by a liturgical calendar, yet the message was  the same. The speakers both took instances from the life of David, the first describing how David made use of what he knew in order to bring glory to God . The second was even more compelling - the way in which Samuel chose David to be the future king.  He did not look at outward appearance as all of Jess’s sons were called before him. My outward appearance is that of a woman and in my case that of a wife and a mother. The Catholic Church of course looks for vocations amongst its priests, but after that concentrates only on outward appearance i.e. discards all who are not men.   Is that just? Is it what God wants? I have met men who recognise my call, they don’t deny it at all, so presumably recognise it as coming from God, but then say ‘Not in a thousand years’.  The hierarchy seems just too strong to be overcome and resistance impossible, or apparently so . Yet look at examples, even in recent years, of how laws have been overturned – apartheid is a glaring and excellent example. Yes I know that isn’t within the Church. Go a little further back. The Church accepted slavery as a norm. It no longer does so. Here’s to the day when women’s ordination is no longer a matter to be discussed ( or ignored) , but to be celebrated.

Confirmation

This morning  I feel really encouraged that what I want to do for God is fitting in with his will. My husband recently bought me a study Bible. It has two ribbons to mark pages so that is where I opened it. These are the words that jumped out at me. Psalm 16  v 5

Lord you have assigned me my portion and my cup;

You have made my lot secure.

The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places ;

Surely I have a delightful inheritance.

The second ribbon is in Isaiah chapter 15 so I read :-

               My word that goes out from my mouth;

It will not return to me empty,

But will accomplish what I desire  and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace;

The study notes point out that ‘my word ‘ refers to the promises of God in earlier verses –

V 3 Give ear and come to me ;

Hear me that your soul may live.

I will make an everlasting covenant with you,

V 5 Surely you will summon nations you know not

He has endowed you with splendour.

Of recent months, thanks to the Internet, I have met people from nations I will never visit, and have been able to witness to my faith. Just a few days ago I had the opportunity to witness to a whole group who had come together to seek God her in Yorkshire. In a few days time I begin my training with the hospital chaplaincy team, and will meet people again from places I will never go.  He is very good.

One man of God

Today there was a visiting priest from Kenya. Still a young man, he has a masters in church organisation. He is going to need it. After completing his studies he returned to his diocese three years ago. One bishop, 3 priests and more than 200 catechists. In most churches mass only takes place once in several months.  He is responsible for training all the catechists , whom he so obviously cares about , even trying to provide them with food  and telling them of good strains of fruit an d vegetables to grow. He is also responsible for the hospice services and for seeing that the many thousands of children in Catholic schools, primary and secondary, receive religious education.

 One man. However much he feels the power of God within him, however strong his call to serve – just one man. 

 But we can’t have women to help him can we? After all God doesn’t speak to women about the priesthood does He? This week is the feast day of St Teresa of Avilla. If I go to the service on Friday I  wonder if any mention will be made of the fact that she , like many others, felt she wanted to be a priest – an office denied to her, a saint of the church, by the rules of men! I don't really wonder. I know it won't be.

All Change?

Just yesterday a visiting priest talked about the new missal. Its words had been used in part during the service. The result was almost total silence at some points. People didn't want to make mistakes , but none of us had copies as yet, apart form the creed and other short prayers. The priest was older than the majority. Old enough to remember the Latin mass. 'It's simple!' - he then went into Latin for a minute or two - totally unintelligable to his congregation - and then added with a shrug 'We're just back to where we were.' He meant of course back to pre-Vatican 2. Firstly does any one really want this? Secondly , can we go back? Not just to the words of the missal, on which I hold judgement not having seen it in its fulness, but whether one agrees with it or not the church has moved on, as has the world. People have different expections to those held in the early 60's and earlier. Women are being ordained, and the more this is made known, the more people will accept it as normal. How can any priest who claims that God called him into ministry tell a woman that she is mistaken when she describes exactly the same experience? The Church has changed its mind on many topics , slavery to name one. So keep praying and keep believing. 'Longing for food, many are hungry. Longing for water, many still thirst. Make us your bread broken for others, shared until all are fed... Let us be servants to one another, making your kingdom come.