Well, that’s Christmas done. Sounds awful doesn’t it? Of course, in principle Christmas is beautiful. In practice it’s a grind.
Has to be done, though. I think my personal issue with Christmas is that, as a preacher, I have to wring every last drop of mysterious relevance out of the Christmas episode.
And, by the time that’s been done to the best of my ability, (all Christian clergymen know the feeling) it’s all over.
Boxing Day’s upon us with Test Cricket. New Year’s Eve looms over us with dire warnings from every direction not to do this or that.
Will the government ensure all night public transport is guaranteed?
Will the police make sure that we don’t hurt each other?
As 2009 segues into 2010, local faith communities have the providential but unenviable job of coaxing their members out of the past, through the present into the future.
Minarets, steeples, bells, ramshorns play counterpoint to secular society’s song of joy.
I wrote elsewhere about two types of time – kronos (our normal time) and kairos (God’s time, the time of grace).
I saw an advertisement in the Fin Review “glossy” just last week, for a watch rrp $234,000. That’s how valuable some people view their time. Every microsecond of kronos has irreplaceable value. Kairos says that’s not true. A watched kettle never boils.
There has been, since kronos began, a struggle with kairos. There even seems to have been a struggle within the Divinity itself. To be or not to be? That is the question.
To be God or one of the gods? The problem remained unsolved until “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us”.
Kronos and Kairos joined forces and shared resources. Christmas and Epiphany are celebrations of Kairos. New Year’s Eve and Boxing Day remind us of Kronos’ indispensable role in our lives.
You and I, beneficiaries of the sacred secular and sacred religious traditions, need to both seize the day and smell the roses.
Faith communities have an obligation to enhance their neighbourhoods with both other and this worldliness.
They need to be good to outsiders as well as look good to insiders.
Look at your own heart at least as often as you take a glance at your watch.
Happy 2010.
RJM
Comrades, what’s the etiquette of blogs?Are we offending some Cyborg by holding this kind of conversation?If not then be my guest.If so then restrain selves.Who makes blog rules?To whom shall we go for an answer?Has the WWW got its own version of commonsense/decency?Happy 2010.RJM.
I’m with Anthony – integrity and intestinal fortitude are much loved qualities in our grass-roots clergy.
You have both qualities Fr Bob – I thank you for that and wish you a Happy Christmas AND a peaceful, calm and productive New Year.
Reading this blog is all the homily I need – I’ve noted the central message – I’ve listened – which I dont think too many people do anyway when they go to Church
Totally agree with both of you and am at one in support and love for Fr. Bob, but why oh why, Meg, must you spoil it by passing judgment on your fellow Christians who attend Church? Only God can know what is in people’s hearts and how the message is heard.
remember the Pharisee and the publican?
And you Ann can’t possibly know what’s in my heart enough to judge me on one isolated comment. However, week in and week out, sitting in the pew watching the priest and my own sons up on the altar, I obeyed the words “turn to your neighbour and offer them the sign of peace(and welcome)” and every week the mass would end out the front with the same folks who had just swallowed the host(and all it represents) standing round gossiping about others in the congregation, bagging the celebrant on occasions in the most unkind and cowardly way(after offering Him a Judas handshake). It seems to me that there is plenty of bowing, blessing & piety carried out in the Church but not too much listening or ingesting the readings and homilies into the heart when this can happen. In this sense Ann I dont have to guess or judge what’s in those persons hearts, its pretty obvious. And in defending the poor bugger priest in an understaffed diocese, I asked unkind people what the host they just swallowed meant and had they learnt anything form the central message of Christ’s birth and death and for that I was excluded for evermore from the social banter ‘outside the Church ere Mass began, one frosty Sunday morn’(plagiarised from SAID HANRAHAN!)Arriving early so my sons could help get ready as altar-servers I read in the Catholic Weekly an edict from Rome that said: A priest, knowing a person to be divorced and/or civilly remarried, should be treated in same manner as a gay person(you know the ‘rainbow sash’ mob, even the ones who have led an exemplary and moral life) – the priest must physically turn his back on them, refusing to offer the host. When I investigated this more by seeking out discussion with priest, it appears that technically speaking a divorced person who has led a moral life is less entitled to communion than the pious father of 7 who is cheating on his wife and family with the English teach from the local Catholic highschool for eg because he is a respectable MARRIED man (who just happens to also contribute plenty through planned giving) – so I figured ‘ I don’t agree, I don’t belong in this sort of environment, I was certain that’s not what was in GOD’S HEART or plan for us Ann and so I pulled my sons off altar duties and out of the Church/school system altogether where they have contributed greatly to society in mnay other productive ways. My youngest as captain of his state highschool spoke about my father in his speech to a Lions Club gathering – how he had worked with Fr Dunlea and had a 50 year service medal from SVDP..how his influence has trained him to approacah all souls and situations with empathy and that the best kind of charity is the one that goes unadvertised. Looking at how my sons have turned out, my JUDGEMENT is that I JUDGED the situation well, they are the kind of Christians I like to emulate. They listen with their hearts, they act accordingly and within reason. They dont shake someone’s hand in Mass on cue and then walk out ignoring them thereafter. Generally speaking, whatever is in people’s hearts is often overshadowed by the hypocrisy of their actions in daily living. If I lived in South Brisbane, I would go back to Church – maybe
Happy NewYear Ann
Meg, I’m sorry if my comment upset you. You have clearly experienced great hurt and distress in past encounters with a faith community. None the less, I don’t think you can generalise from that bad and hurtful experience and suggest that ‘not many’ people really listen and get the message when they attend Mass. Neither you nor I can possibly make such a claim. Leave it to God’s mercy to judge their conduct and I hope you will find a better response in whichever faith community you decide to settle. There are many fine and decent priests and lay people (in this country and overseas) who are welcoming and non-judgmental. I have met and known many of them. Peace be with you!
so you’ll all just quibble on an internet chat blog instead *giggle*
Ann please dont fret – your comments no more “hurt” me than I would find cause to “giggle” about them. As for ‘God(’s mercy)’ – I’m with John Shelby Spong on this – we have to find a new way to speak of God, for the concept of God to have any relevance in a post Copernican space-age. In fact his ‘Twelve Theses’ holds much more truth and relevance than the 10 statements allegedly carved into stone tablets by a God existing above the clouds. What I do find irritating or hurtful if you like, is the level of conceit veiled as piety in those that lie even to themselves for their reasons for worship. The priest I discussed the edict with said “well if that’s the rule…” and I replied by saying “well I never turned by back on you, not at any stage” in referring to the horror time he spent defending himself against a false allegation – even when the ones that now invite him back to their homes and dinner tables, gossipped mercilessly about him adding to the story, calling him a paedophile who should defrocked and who ordered the Principals at local Tike schools to ban him from entering grounds – even when the tears were on his cheeks whilst entering to the processional hym knowing what they were saying – I state again Anne I have had it demonstrated quite clearly without the need for guessing just how deep ‘faith’ goes in people (from clergy down)when applying it to the commerce of life – NOT VERY FAR.
I reiterate Anne Happy New Year
Is “God’s mercy” the same as Mary McKillop’s ‘mercy’ which cured one woman of inoperable cancer whilst many more Australians – especialy children of the kind whom Mary dedicated herself to teaching, continue to die in great discomfort and at too young an age – having THEIR prayers overlooked. We laugh at and disparage other cultures who believe in Gods or magical witch-doctors – Tikes have invaded whole cultures and ‘converted’ groups from believing in one type of voodoo to another called “God’s(or Mary McKillop’s) mercy” which for the best part is applied sparingly and usually to those who can afford the biggest tithes. This is how a bloke with a demonstrated history of innappropriate behaviour can still score a Church knighthod – I guess, over a man who comparatively speaking has contributed a much greater portion of his money, time, talents, faith and love – than the rich one – its a status game Anne. You are dealing with a community of people who are just as capable of corruption and hypocrisy as any other and we have the gold and gilt throughout the world’s churches and Vatican to prove it. Take a look at a comprehensive list of where your Church invests its peoples money in- profitting by investing in companies that dont always uphold the stated values and morals we are compelled to comply with.Its using the tack of ‘leaving it to God’s mercy’ that has allowed the Church to grow rich from the adversity of others throughout history and for SOME of its clergy to behave abominably without any checks or brakes in place. Waiting for “God’s mercy” or judgement is a pathetic reason NOT to face up to everything that is wrong and rotten within organised Christian religion systems.
Dear Father Bob, just got back from vigil mass up here in Cairns, hot, steamy, packed ( we come out of the woodwork this time of year )and it was wonderful Father Pat McKenna ( a wonderful ol’time Irish priest acknowledged the heat and did a Willie Walsh special ( Father Walsh was my ol’ parish priest from St Johns East Frankston ) a short sermon, an absolute blessing in this humidity….and yes there is only so much you can get get out of the Christmas message. Anyway just wanted to acknowledge a few of the ol’timers ( your brothers in arms ) still fighting on through all their trials and tribulations ( God, knows you have had your share ) and wish you all a happy, peaceful, blessed and safe Christmas…..and always know whether we are lapsed or practising you men of integrity and guts are remembered often and are much loved. May the prince of peace shine his light on all of us ……..Anthony
Anthony, you beauty!I join you in paying tribute to those blokes who’ve stuck to their guns all around Australia and New Zealand.at the service of the other people.BobMaguire.