When the lava cools

Last week, Cardinal Tarsiso Bertone, the Vatican's Secretary of State made an official visit to Cuba in the name of the Holy Father. This visit, ten years after the Holy Father John Paul II himself visited the comunist Caribbean island nation has proven to be a very successful venture in the words of Cardinal Bertone himself.

In today's edition of ZENIT, an online bulletin which claims to provide the 'view from Rome', mention is made of a Vatican Radio program and a print media article which is scheduled to be aired and published this weekend. Cardinal Bertone's report about the current state of affairs in Cuba seems to be very hopeful. He makes particular mention of the vibrancy of youth and the promise of future advancements for the good of the people of Cuba.

• Cardinal Bertone discusses visit to Cuba

During his one-week stay, the Cardinal met with a variety of personalities and delivered a number of speeches, most of which are available on the Vatican website in various languages. For those whose curiosity has been peeked, here are a few links to English-language texts of the speeches:

• Cuba commemorates anniversary of John Paul II's visit
• Cuba embargo is unacceptable

After more than fifty years in power, Fidel Castro announced just a few weeks ago that he would not seek re-election. This news was broadcast the world over, and greeted in a variety of manners. Shortly after the announcement of Fidel's 'resignation', the long-time leader's brother Raul Castro took over as leader of the island nation. During his visit, Cardinal Bertone did indeed meet with Raul Castro, and the results of that meeting seem also to be very positive.

Be sure that the Vatican, the Church and many others will be watching with great interest in the coming days, weeks, months ... and years.

Cleaning house

From our earliest days, parents try to teach us to be honest. 'Tell the truth and the truth will set you free.' Why is it then that as we learn, we sometimes spend much too much energy weaving lies and deceptions about ourselves, in the relationships we create wtih other people, and with our God?

Whether we are children or adults, we all need to take time for being honest with ourselves, and with those who are dear to us. Sometimes this means coming clean with the deceptions we may be trying to hide.

The period of Lent which we are currently living is an ideal time to examine the need for each of us to be at peace, to change the parts of our lives that have become entangled or distorted, and for starting anew to live the lives we have always been meant to live. In the Christian tradition, we believe that we must first free ourselves from this 'enslavement' so that we can truly embrace the joy of the resurrection at Easter.

Quenching thirst

For the past three years, I have been asked to participate as a presenter in an annual Lenten series of lectures given to a group of people here in the city. Each year, the focus is a bit different, but it always calls us to deeper understanding of God's presence that sustains us even in times of our deepest need.

Yesterday, I spent the morning with this group, and spoke with them about the upcoming International Eucharistic Congress which is scheduled to take place in Quebec City this June. The theme chosen for this Congress is The Eucharist: God's Gift for the Life of the World so needless to say my presentation focused around the gifts we receive from God, the gifts that give us life. I even tried to teach them the theme song, entitled God's Gift, although I must confess that I sang it at double tempo. It just sounds more alive at that speed.

The older I get, the more I am convinced that nothing in this world happens by coincidence, so when I discovered that the scripture readings proposed for this weekend included the story of the Samaritan woman at Sychar, who met Jesus at the well, I quickly proceeded to focus on the gift that Jesus offered to her: living water to restore life where there was nothing but battle sores and scars. Each of us too needs this living water to remind us of the life that Jesus came to give us.

The text of my reflection and the podcast of my homily are available for your deliberation as always. May they do just a little bit to help lead you to the Master who gives us all the gift of living water.

New understandings

A few days ago, I finished reading A Thousand Splendid Suns, the sequel to The Kite Runner, written by Khaled Hosseini.

Born in Kabul, Afghanistan, Mr. Hosseini moved to the United States of America in 1980. He currently lives in California and is involved with the United Nations Refugee Agency. These two books, the first of which has recently been released in movie format, have actually helped many westerners to understand and appreciate the magnitude of the human rights challenges currently facing countless innocent Afghanis.

Whether it's Afghanistan, Iraq, the Middle East, Darfur or Rwanda, the daily struggles of humanity to achieve the very basics of dignity often go unnoticed and the consequence is that many of our brothers and sisters suffer unjustly.

In contrast to this reality, many first-world citizens are surrounded with abundance, and for the most part, we are lucky enough to live in geographic locations which have never known the ravages of war. It seems almost unimaginable that while some of us are surrounded with such freedom, others struggle daily for the simplest of human dignities.

The challenges that face more than two thirds of the world's population are quite possibly present right under our noses, if only we have the eyes to see them ... if only we have the courage to challenge the injustices which are evident in our own milieux.

Companions on the journey

Some people's lives seem to be characterized by what I like to call 'divine interruptions', the unexpected phone calls or arrivals of seemingly random people who knock at the door and invite us to experience moments that turn out to be extremely positive. Strangely enough, or not, these interruptions seem to occur when we are most intently involved in some activity or the other, and they can be seen as major inconveniences, at least at first glance.

Thus it was that the phone rang today, and I was asked to visit with a patient at one of the local retirement homes. The true lesson in this experience came a few moments after I had actually completed the celebration of the Sacrament of the Sick. The patient's daughter, who was alone with him, asked if I could stay for a few moments. I really don't know what made me stop, but I did. We sat on either side of the bed, and spoke about the patient's love for music, his dedication to his family, his accomplishments in life, his loves and his challenges.

At a certain point, he began to cough, and I left the room for a moment to locate some more face cloths. The daughter called out from behind a curtain and asked if I could locate the nurse, and by the time I returned (only about 30 seconds later) I noticed a marked change in the patient's pallor. Within three to four minutes time, he was gone and I knew that I was meant to be there.

After I left, and as I continued to reflect on the experience, I couldn't help thinking that it is believed that even if a patient is not able to communicate verbally, even if all other senses seem to have been immobilized, the hearing is usually the last to go. I wonder how much of the conversation this patient heard. Was he comfortable enough with the fact that I was there, knowing that his daughter would not be alone?

No matter what we accomplish in life, or who we know, or what influence we have, when the final moment comes, and we must leave this world, it's really quite simple for some, and complicated for others. I don't think it's meant to be painful, but sometimes these things happen. When the passage to the afterlife happens peacefully there is a strange, almost eerie moment when I for one am aware that the two worlds are really not that far apart, and I find myself thankful for the experience of helping another soul make the journey.

About being healthy

Today turned out to be one of those wholistic experiences of health and happiness, or at least about becoming whole. Let me explain. I was invited to participate in a web conference today called a Fireside Chat. This is the second in the series of Chats about food insecurity and they are proving to be very informative sessions.

The first Fireside Chat on this subject took place on December 12, 2007 and the second was held today. What's interesting about these sessions is that participants from coast to coast get to hear some of the latest statistics about Canadians who are facing challenges related to such basic realities as finding enough food to feed our families. The statistics should make us sit up and take notice.

After identifying the reality that many Canadians find it difficult to provide stable sources of food for their families because they don't earn enough money (see Fireside Chat on Income Related Food Insecurity), today's session presented some community approaches to dealing with the problem.

Having participated in both these web conferences, I am struck by the vast number of individuals who are struggling with poverty, right in our own backyards. Poverty doesn't always bear the face of television images from far off lands. Often it is masked by smiling faces in our own communities. The challenge is to find a way to allow people to find ways to combat the challenge and to do it in a dignified way.

New beginnings

A few months ago, we began to offer a new pastoral outreach to the city. Known as the Beech Street Community Kitchen, a place for people to prepare meals together, share their stories and celebrate life.

Starting a new venture such as this is always an exciting time. There are lots of possibilities but also lots of challenges. What started out as an idea for a few people to prepare meals together is already turning out to be a great success story on many different levels. From the very beginning, we had to rely on a few other organizations in the city to teach us the ropes about how a community kitchen works. We are extremely grateful for all the wisdom and enthusiasm we have been able to share with our friends at the Jubliee Heritage Family Resources, Better Beginnings, Better Futures and Our Children, Our Future.

Being involved in the Becch Street Community Kitchen teaches us to draw on the strengths of different individuals, while facing challenges together. Speaking of togetherness, one of our partners had a new beginning today. Jubilee opened the doors of the Best Start Hub today. Best Start is a child-care centre located in one of the local schools. Visitors to the grand opening today were treated to tours as well as a variety of activities including yoga classes held with some of the students in the school, and an exhibition of First Nations dancing.

We celebrate with our friends this new beginning which is sure to make a difference in the lives of so many. Congratulations and best wishes for continued success.

Friendships old and new

Today turned out to be an occasion for rekindling some old friendships and even for discovering some new ones. Friendships are struck when we discover partners for the journey of life. Some come and go for a moment in time while others may be separated by distance but never lose their ardor. Still others may not even keep in touch for extended periods of time, but when they do have the occasion to visit, it's like they were never apart.

Although we may have many dozens of aquaintences, there will probably be a far less number of these who we would characterize as friends, and from among the friends, if we are truly lucky, there are one or two who become trusted soul mates. These varying levels of association seem to be a part of the fabric of human life, and the sooner we learn the wisdom of this numbering the greater the chances that we will truly learn to value and appreciate the gift of friendships shared, moments of togetherness, gestures given and received and all other things simple and not so simple that we offer to those who are dear to us.

As friendships deepen, they become more and more a process of trusting the other. We may begin by sharing seemingly inconsequential details about likes and dislikes, but if friendships survive the test of time, they will be increasingly privvy to deeper and deeper levels of trust. The human heart will only risk this level of sharing with those it trusts, with those it feels comfortable with, but this natural tendency to be wary about the level of comfort is also the heart of the devastation of betrayal, a wound that srikes to the heart of the matter and often tears friendships apart with the force of a bomb.

Cherish therefore, those who are most dear, and be attentive to the possibility that even older friendships may be reawakened on occasion. Sometimes we are given rare opportunities to rekindle friendships which may have fallen into the cracks. If that opportunity should present itself, don't pass it up lightly.

Kung Hey Fat Choy

On February 7, 2008 (measured by the Gregorian calendar which we here in the west have come to know and love so dearly), celebrations began to mark the Chinese New Year. Traditionally, the Chinese do not celebrate any other major feasts, but the New Year is a time for family and friends to gather, share good food, usher out the old and greet the new.

The most significant day for this celebration is the eve of the lunar New Year, but the celebrations go on for the better part of two weeks. This year, the Chinese are particularly joyous since we are marking the beginning of the Year of the Rat, the first of the animals in the zodiac.

The greeting kung hey fat choy (Happy New Year) is only the beginning of the festivities. The colour red symbolizes good luck and prosperity. It is the Chinese colour of celebration which marks this and other celebratory times. Food plays a central role in the celebration of the New Year. Even the simplest of Chinese households will offer guests rice cakes and tea as signs of hospitality and wishes for good fortune abound. New Year is also the time for giving gifts. Children will often receive money from relatives, and adults will exchange sweets as well as other foods.

New Year is a time for parades, colourful costumes, traditional dress, dancing, for festivals, for celebrations of all sorts. Mythical characters such as the dragon figure prominently in celebratory festivities during the Spring Festival as the Chinese New Year is known.

A few years ago, I began hosting Chinese New Year dinners. Although it has not been a steady custom, I do try to invite some friends to share a meal and enjoy one another's company. The people at the table often change from one occasion to the next, but the variety of dishes and the friendship that is shared is always constant. After all, isn't this the greatest of blessings - to share good fortune with others, to thank them for their friendship and to wish them well in the coming year?

Kung Hey Fat Choy !

Secrets revealed

With snow flakes already blustering around us, and the promise of wind, snow and freezing rain to come before nightfall, it seems difficult to imagine that the scripture readings today place us on top of a mountain, but that's the truth.

On a few occasions in his life, Jesus shared the secrets of his heart with those who were his best friends. Sharing secrets is what good friends do. Children confide their joys and frustrations with one another, teenagers tell friends secrets of romance and discovery that they would never share with their parents or other authority figures. Adults too, if they are truly blessed, have one or two others who they can trust completely with all the hidden corners of their lives.

Best friends are usually among the first to hear good news about new jobs, engagements, weddings, expectant mothers, and even secret plans to surprise the one we love. Jesus too wanted to share with his confidants a glimpse of the reality which awaits us all. Even though we are still in the early stages of Lent, we may need some encouragement to stick with the disciplines we have adopted. The glimpse of Jesus in glory is therefore an invitation for us to believe, to go on, to trust that all will be well.

As always, my reflection (this week entitled The truth of the matter) is available in text format or in podcast format. Enjoy.

Ah, sweet love

What does one say about love on the day dedicated by so many to the celebration of love? In preparation for this mediation, I consulted a short history of Valentine's day and learned that at least according to some, the celebration of this day in Roman times was one of eroticism in celebration of mid-winter. So maybe all the hype of the secular world around this day of celebration is not so far off the original aim of this festival.

Whether through poetry, chocolate or flowers, the celebration of love finds many forms and variations. Authors such as C.S. Lewis and others have written extensively about love, speaking about it's power to bring joy to the human heart and to overcome any adversity. Love can be tested, sometimes severely but it has an amazing reziliance.

A wise woman once told me that those who have fallen in love, who have known the light-hearted childishness of falling in love are the most able to understand the greatest of gifts that God offers. For those who are aware of the presence of the spiritual, the gift of someone who loves us, and who we in turn also love is perhaps one of the most precious gifts. When the heart rejoices and is guided by love, we are motivated to give everything so that another can be happy.

Give thanks today for those who love you ... Give thanks today for the ability to love another.

Lessons learned from thestrals

In the now world famous series, Harry Potter meets and deals with a host of different characters and experiences while learning valuable lessons about who he truly is, who his real friends are, and the power of true love to overcome all obstacles.

One of the minor characters which appear in the series are the thestrals, the winged horses that draw the carriages used to transport Hogwarts students from the Hogwarts Express to the castle. The horses are invible to all but those who have experienced death, so in the early volumes of the series, it seems as though the carriages move magically; only in the latter years of his stay do we discover the truth about this transportation method.

Thestrals are not the only things that are invible to some and visible to others. In fact, many truths about life only become apparent once we have had to struggle, and in some cases, only those who have experienced the death of a loved one can truly appreciate the most important truths about life.

Children in our society, and even young adults often define success in terms of acquisitions. For some children, dreams would be fulfilled if there were an endless supply of gifts on Christmas morning. For some adults, the thought of a shiny new car, or a particular house might be the object of desire. Strangely enough though, it sometimes takes tragedy to teach us the most important lessons - that things really don't matter that much, and that we are actually much richer if we know the value of love, if we learn that possessions are acquired not as trophies of prestige but rather so that we may bring joy to others.

When all is said and done, and we must leave this earth, we can take nothing of all that we see and touch with us, so should we not learn early the lessons of the thestrals? Live justly, love tenderly and use the gifts of this earth wisely. Then the gift of true joy will be ours.

God's gift

The scriptural texts for the first Sunday of Lent, Year A speak of Jesus' encounter with the tempter. I found these readings quite apropos for those who have begun the discipline of Lent only a few days ago. We often begin this discipline with great gusto, but like all things, we must continue daily to practice the self-imposed disciplines if we are truly going to see the rewards, and believe that we can truly commit to making changes in our lives.

On the first Sunday of Lent, it is also customary for those parishes who have catechumens, those who are preparing for baptism or for entry into full communion with the Church, to experience the Rite of Election. There are three such persons in our parish, therefore their commitment to the process which lies ahead formed another part of the liturgy today.

Tying the readings together with the presence of our catechumens and proposing some challenges for the gathered community resulted in the homily entitled God's gift for the life of the world. As always, the text of this reflection is available on our parish website, and the podcast is also available should you prefer to download and-or listen to it.

Bethany

Everyone needs a place to kick off our shoes once in a while. We all need a place where we can put aside all the expectations of work and just relax.

Tonight, I was given a rare gift. An invitation to share supper with some friends turned out to be a true blessing. It's such a grace to find moments in our lives, and people with whom we can truly relate. If we're truly lucky, we even find the friends or family members who can almost read us, predict our thoughts and actions before we even think them, and welcome them without judgement.

Jesus found such a place in the village of Bethany, in the home of Martha and Mary. I am beginning to understand how he must have loved these women, and treasured the time he could spend with them. How many times did he arrive at their door, in the early morning hours, or late at night? How many times did they open the door to him and welcome him 'home' from a long journey, providing a meal or simply a place to lay his head? How many times did he sit with them at the table and unburden himself of some of the frustrations that surely were part of his work?

There is a Bethany for everyone. We just need to find it. It is the place where each of us can truly unwind. It is the place where those who love us welcome us, feed us, listen to us, comfort us and allow us to be rejuvinated. Where is Bethany for you? Who are Martha and Mary for you? How often do you visit? How often do you give thanks for the gift of rest and a place to unwind? All of this is a gift from God, meant for our benefit and enjoyment.

For all of this and more, we give thanks.

Touching the sacred

For just a few hours, parishioners in this parish were united today with those who are preparing for the celebration of the 49th International Eucharistic Congress. The Congress will take place in June of this year in Quebec City, but for the past year or so, the Ark of the New Covenant, an artistic representation of Noah's ark which was created two years ago, has been travelling across Canada.

Within minutes after the arrival of the Ark, parishioners began to trickle into the church and continued to arrive for the next few hours. As I watched the growing number of people who entered the church, I couldn't help thinking that this was very good news. Perhaps without even realizing it, people welcome the opportunity to touch the sacred in our lives, and seek out opportunities to do so.

Awareness of the sacred is experienced and appreciated when the soul is allowed to sing. For some, this happens through music, for others through silence, and for still others through a variety of activities and experiences. What is most important is that we find occasions to allow the sacred to change our hearts.

Those who facilitate this process are perhaps the most to be appreciated, for they are often the angels who continue the promptings of the heart that draw us ever closer to union with God.

Unexpected lessons

Wow, I can't believe that I haven't taken the time to write since January 9! Time has absolutely flown by, and it's been almost a month. Don't let the silence fool you though, into thinking that this mind has been inactive or just unplugged. I learned a valuable lesson many years ago when I mistook a friend's silence as a sign either of disinterest or a lack of stuff to talk about. It's often in periods when we don't communicate with those we love that some of the most significant learnings are going on.

This past weekend, I had a chance to see not one but two movies which are currently showing in theatres. Now, the fact that I actually found the theatre came as somewhat of a surprise, since I can go for months at a time without even knowing what's on, but I actually discovered two gems which you absolutely must see.

On Friday evening, a friend and I went to see The Bucket List, directed by Rob Reiner and staring Jack Nicholson (A Few Good Men), Morgan Freeman (Shawshank Redemption) and Sean Hayes (Will and Grace). I must admit that when I first saw the trailer for this movie, I wasn't terribly impressed. Sometimes when we see the short clips or ads, we know from the feel of the experience that we absolutely must see the film, but this was not the case for me. Perhaps I was distracted, because to tell the truth, this was an emotionally charged experience that took the viewer from joy and elation to sadness and tears.

The Bucket List is the story of a purely chance encounter which leads two complete strangers to become best of friends. The adventures they embark on, and the challenges they must overcome keep the viewer riveted. See this movie if you can; you will not be disappointed.

Just two days later, I found myself watching the movie rendition of Khaled Hosseini's first novel entitled The Kite Runner. I had read the book a few years ago, and remember it as a very good read. It was fast-paced and the story had lots of twists and turns, keeping the reader guessing right to the end.

The movie edition of this tale which débuted just a few months ago is remarkably faithful to the original text. It is a story about friendship, redemption and hope, realities that we all face at some point in our lives. The story is so well told that I found myself anticipating every scene, and recalling with great detail the book I had read a number of years ago.

Struggles and challenges are a part of life. How we greet them is totally up to us. Whether we accept them and take the time to reflect on them is also a decision each of us must make. Life is full of lessons, but it's up to us to learn them, to reflect on them, and to learn to count our blessings. At times, we have the fortune to travel, to visit other parts of the world, and to appreciate the blessings that are ours. At other times, we can be struck with a deep sense of gratitude simply because we have been afforded a rare glimpse of life through the eyes of others who tell the tale of what it's like to truly live.