Ever present, yet disguised,

The details remain hidden from my initial step into the shallows,

Beguiling a deeper color not visible from the translucent spectacles,

Issued by Mr. Bocock, my science master;

xxxx

And a believing eye.

Today, I don’t have to make the long walk to the farmer’s field,

For today we are here with what is left of our family.

My mother is busy in the kitchen readying the ingredients for the spice cake.

The hallmark of Christmas in rural Ireland. 1943.

xxx

I turned 14 yesterday; soon my part time activities will turnover in a few days from now.

Gone will be forever the school days of Carricarrig,

No longer a need to fill the lock with stones,

Or other pranks to avoid learning.

xxx

Mother’s soft voice comes from the kitchen,

“Fetch some turf Michael” and I know I will be venturing out again,

In the dank cold, to sneak across fields and take what is not ours to fuel the fire.

Mother would never endorse such theft, but neither does she know the turf is not ours.

xxx

After a successful commando raid, the turf is safely home,

Mother kindles the fire in readiness for the baking in the simple oven,

And soon enough, the smell of oriental spices and smoldering sultanas spreads over BallyLoughHane.

A Christmas indeed.

xxx

No other present save that of Baby Jesus needed.

Despite the lit candles, a Church remains unfilled.

An unwillingness to take an interior walk perhaps,

Needs beckoning at the Mall,

A night at the movies.

XXX

All compete for attention.

XXX

Yet, those who think He is not with them are mistaken.

For all steps are noticed,

All pain is recognized,

All love is given.

XXX

Without a pre-paid return envelope.

A Winter’s Day in Southern California

The implements lay in readiness,

Each of an essence perfect for the task.

xxx

Add servanthood and fellowship will ensue.

The Comeliness of Knowledge

At many times I pinch myself in gratitude as I “feel” God’s presence in my life. Thanksgiving is one of those times. It gave me pause for the many in the world who do great works, show great love, yet have little or no recognition of God in their lives.

We all have those who we want to be closer to God, perhaps nevermore so than those in our families. We “want” them to come to Mass, pray and generally recognize God in the same way we do. Yet we might be missing an important point.

For those wonderful people we know, who love their family dearly, help others, do good deeds and yet seem to be “non-believers.” Because we cannot imagine living in a world bereft of God, we feel sorry for them, as if God is not present in their lives.

Yet we know this to be untrue. God is present in all lives and is manifest through natural virtues as well as the theological ones from our faith. Anyone who loves is loved, gives love knows God; or at least encounters God through this grace. The natural virtues (look them up if you are not familiar with them) are also a gift from God, as are all things which emanate from His love.

For myself, meeting these people daily in everyday lives I continue to be amazed at how God operates through others even without their knowledge. How many people in your life display the virtue of love, yet don’t worship in the traditional sense as we know it.

While of course, our goal as Christians is to bring others to Christ, to save souls, we also must recognize the Holy Spirit is hard at work in all the others we pray for, work with, give to, and share with.

Again, we can be grateful for our own faith, one of the theological virtues, but we also should recognize God’s love in others, and acknowledge they may not be as far from God as we might have thought.

 

The Congregation awaits

XXX

God is Missing … I don’t think so

XXX

God is never missing

XXX

Always on

Always present

XXX

Yet the greatest faith

Is the lack of it

Practicing love when it’s unreturned

Or so it seems

XXX

Giving to the ingrate

Who seems to always want more

Living a life of servanthood

When all desires pull me elsewhere

XXX

These are the marks of love unleashed

A love hidden deep in the dark night of the soul

Richer than the mystic who has affirmation

Stronger than the preacher with perceived truth and waves it like a flag

XXX

For the lover who loves quietly and silently without reward

Is the truer one

Where sadness is felt but not transmitted

Where the recourse is another visit to the well

XXX

In the hope Jesus will be there someday

God is never missing

xxxx

Always on

Always present

xxxx

Yet the greatest faith

Is the lack of it

Practicing love when it’s unreturned

Or so it seems

xxxx

Giving to the ingrate

Who seems to always want more

Living a life of servanthood

When all desires pull me elsewhere

xxxx

These are the marks of love unleashed

A love hidden deep in the dark night of the soul

Richer than the mystic who has affirmation

Stronger than the preacher with perceived truth and waves it like a flag

xxxx

For the lover who loves quietly and silently without reward

Is the truer one

Where sadness is felt but not transmitted

Where the recourse is another visit to the well

xxxx

In the hope Jesus will be there someday