This Week: Wednesday Oct. 28th 2009: Bringing it All Back Home

And so we come to the final week of our course "Where is your God?"   The title for this Wednesday's evening is "Bringing it all back home" and the session will be guided by Joe Cullen, a Dominican priest from The Priory Institute in Tallaght Village.   

The evening will look back at the various themes explored over the past 5 weeks and integrate them so that we can, in a very practical way, bring our explorations to everyday life.   It is not easy to be a Catholic in todays' world.  Indeed, even to remain Christian can be a challenge at times, given the pressures, disillusionment and the lack of support in society for a life that is built on love and the service of God and our neighbor.  

The question this course has posed - "Where is Your God" can be understood in two ways.  One way is to see it as a question posed by others to believers in a world shot through with "a multitude of 'over-whelmings'."   In the face of the suffering and pain of life it is easy to argue that life has no meaning, it is "a tale told by an idiot" as Hamlet says in Shakespeare's play. 

Another way of understanding the question is to apply it to ourselves as we search for meaning and value in our own lives.   What do we hold most precious, most desirable, most worthy of our time and efforts, most certain to give us enduring happiness every day?   Is it money, property, power, fame, praise and popularity?  What is it that we hold most dear?   What is "God" to me in me life?   Who is God as far as I have allowed God to impinge on my life?

This second question also relates to our personal experience of tragedy and loss when we are brought face to face with the unfathomable mystery of why we see our loved ones suffer and go through 'the valley of darkness' ourselves?    What will help mend broken hearts, give meaning to a death, console us and give us hope and the strength to carry on?

God is Mystery and Mystery invites us in to share in that holiest and most sacred of places; where the love of God meets the love in us.   It is there that the Holy Spirit lives that reassures us that in the midst of darkness, we are not alone.  Christ has shown us that this is true.  And that even in the darkest hour there lies the spark of a brighter day.