When I was in London last October, my sister brought out a box with some of my mother’s prayer books. We take comfort in using the very prayer books she used when she was alive. One of these is a book of psalms given to her by Bishop Emeritus Sydney Charles when he was our parish priest in Chaguanas.
Today’s Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 24:4-5, 6-7, 8-9. I can still hear my mother praying aloud the words of King David in this psalm: “Lord, make your ways known to me, teach me your paths, set me in the way of your truth, and teach me, for you are the God who saves me.”
Like David, she placed all her trust in God. Her faith was unshakable. Indeed, when we thought she had passed away, while the priest performed the last rites, she lifted her head, made the sign of the cross, rested her head back on the pillow and breathed her last breath. How many of you pray with your children? Some of my most pleasant memories are of praying with my mother and my siblings around a small altar, which we had in our home.
As we continue to focus on the Archdiocese’s Second Pastoral Priority—Revitalising Catholic Culture and Identity: My Church, My Parish, My Family, let us see prayer as a vital part of what it means to be Catholic. In your busy lives, make time to pray with your family. If we are to ensure that every aspect of our lives is infused with Gospel values, we must lift up our hearts and pray for God’s guidance, as David does in Psalm 24. Take some time to read the entire psalm which begins with his petition:
“To you, Lord, I lift up my soul, O my God. I rely on you…God is so good, so upright he teaches the way to sinners…”
We are all sinners striving daily to fulfil our baptismal vocation to be holy, to live virtuous lives. We can’t achieve this on our own; we need God’s grace; we need to develop a personal relationship with God so that the Holy Spirit will fill us with His Grace and guide us along the right path.
As the words of the hymn states: “Our God is an awesome God”. He is a God of new beginnings; He is a God of justice. As we seek to learn His paths, because of our human frailty, we will sometimes veer off the right path and fall many times. But if we place our trust in him; if we “take shelter” in Him, truly believing that “He teaches the way to sinners”, He will “release” our feet “from the net” of sin.
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If we are to revitalise our Catholic Culture and Identity, we must strengthen our faith in our living God; we must walk in His ways, which also require us to SEE-JUDGE-ACT for justice. We cannot say we are “Catholic” if we are not committed to promoting justice.
On February 20 the world will observe the United Nations’ World Day of Social Justice. On this day in particular, we are encouraged to look at issues such as poverty eradication, gender equity, social and economic exclusion, unemployment and access to well-being and justice for all.
CCSJ urges parishes, schools, Archdiocesan Departments, other Catholic organisations and religious congregations to plan special activities to observe World Day of Social Justice e.g. for a day or a week. Since Carnival Monday falls on February 20, you may wish to organise activities during Lent. Choose a theme.
And since the Holy Father’s 2012 Peace Message urges us to educate young people in justice and peace, please plan appropriate educational programmes for youths. Many of our youths are committed to the promotion of justice and peace. Draw on their talents.
I recall the powerful presentation of short skits performed by a group of youths at Bourg Mulatresse at the end of Respect For Life Week. Their dramatic presentation of injustices in society and in our world highlighted the fact that they are reading the signs of the times. The challenge for parishes is to assist them and others in addressing these injustices.
If you need assistance in planning/executing your justice activities, ring CCSJ’s Parish Link Coordinator, Sr Christine Walcott OP – 299-1587.
If we accept God’s invitation in today’s Gospel, Mark 1:14-20, to “Follow” Jesus, then as His disciples, we must do as the Holy Father says and demonstrate who we are in words and deeds.
