7th Sunday of Easter
Acts 7:55-60 | Psalm 96:1-2, 6-7, 9 | Apocalypse 22:12-14, 16-17, 20 | John 17:20-26
In today’s gospel, Jesus prays that we may all be one with the Father. It’s this spirit of oneness that forms the foundation of our Catholic (lit. “universal”) faith, yet it can be exceedingly difficult at times when external cares beset us: the demands of our working lives, our family lives, our secret lives can often turn us into unrecognisable ogres despite our best efforts to Put Love First.
Just a few days ago, I wrote about how a train disruption brought out the ogre in many around me. Yesterday’s travels showed me just the opposite: On every train and bus leg of my movement around the island, I spied several people willingly give up their seats for the elderly, the infirm and a young father bearing his sleeping years-old daughter in his arms.
On the train journey back home, though, there was a man with a large tandem-pram taking up most of the space just inside the doorway, forcing everyone to work their way around him. With head buried in his phone, he failed to notice his son in the back chair begin to restlessly kick the back of his sister’s chair, who screwed up her face and seemed about to explode into a full-on bawl. The tension around this family…was palpable.
I was standing almost within reach of the two children, with a group of office workers even closer. Before I could do anything, one of the ladies in the group quickly engaged the little girl in play, making mischievous faces and tickling her. After forestalling the imminent eruption, she proceeded to do the same to the boy, who also calmed down quickly and stopped fidgeting and kicking his sister.
Meanwhile, the father continued staring into his phone. I did wonder briefly what was holding his rapt attention, but my first reaction was that lady must be a mother.
I think you can see where this is headed.
As we celebrate and thank God for our mothers today, let us also remember Our Blessed Mother, who nurtured and guided Jesus during His youth, and kept her faith right through the low point of watching her son die like a common thief on a cross. She watches over us all now, urging us at all times to remain faithful to the Father, Son and Spirit, and to unite as one people, chosen and set apart by God.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.