No instant coffee in heaven

Last week, my companion and I were visiting in New Zealand and met some of the young pilgrims from that country who were on their way to Sydney for the WYD. Today, we made our way to the church of Saint Declan in Penshurst (Sydney) in order to catch up with these young Kiwis. We wanted to see how they were doing, and to take advantage of yet another experience of the catechetical sessions that are being offered throughout Sydney for the participants who have gathered here from all points of the globe.

This morning, youngsters who gathered in Penshurst were treated to a presentation on the subject of the Holy Spirit and the Church. The presenter was the Most Reverend Séamus Freeman, SAC, Bishop of Ossory, Ireland. Using his gifts of humor and frank discussion, he spoke of the Church and our belonging to it as we belong to a family.

While admitting that the ideal is not always the reality, he explained that the Church is like a family which should always make room at the 'kitchen table' for every one of us. Like families who gather in our kitchens to share the story of our lives, our struggles and our triumphs, the Church should always invite dialogue, true dialogue which expects that every contributor will be listened to and every hearer will listen intently to the words, ideas and thoughts that are shared.

Asked by the youth who were gathered there what he thought of various religious groups which try to tell the world that they have the truth about the future, about today's world and about how we should relate to them, he used the alegory of seeking help from an experienced Catholic or Christian to seek answers to the myriad options that are sometimes presented to us.

In his words, living faith today can be hard work. Admittedly, it requires us to be committed to our faith, and to be courageous enough to stand up for what we believe in. This is not always an easy choice. Getting to heaven therefore requires us to work, to commit ourselves to living according to our faith. In other words, there is no instant coffee in heaven ... we need to start with the beans, grind them to the right consistency and then make the coffee which can and will be enjoyed.