Speaking on behalf of the poor...

I recently visited the Brothers at Edmund Rice International, an NGO at the United Nations in Geneva.

Edmund Rice International (ERI) works to promote and protect the rights of children and young people especially in regard to education. I am a member of the Board of ERI based in Dublin and we meet quarterly.

During my visit I attended sessions of the Human Rights Council dealing with  Egypt and the Maldives and discussions on the elimination of discrimination against women. It was incredibly useful to see how the work was conducted.

ERI plays a strong role in advocacy on account of the large number of contacts and sources of information it has in countries around the world. This is a great ministry of evangelisation working on behalf of the rights of children made poor throughout the world.

Discerning in Lent

 

Part of a regular medical check-up is to have tests taken of your pulse, blood pressure, a heart check and perhaps a blood test. With the beginning of Lent, there is the invitation for a spiritual check-up – one that lasts for forty days!

Just as many of us do not like visiting doctors, many of us may not like the season of Lent. Perhaps it is for the same reason. Are there issues I may not wish to face up to? Perhaps we are not as well as we would like to be; perhaps changes in life-style will be called for, when we want to continue as we are. Nevertheless in both cases, we know it is for our benefit and we are being irresponsible if we avoid looking after body, mind and spirit. I don’t know about you, but the above certainly applies to me!

Lent can perhaps be seen as a check-up on how well we have been transformed into the mind, heart and vision of God. St. Paul puts it like this: do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern the will of God – what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)

Let us use the time of Lent to examine our minds and hearts and to commit ourselves to transformation and renewal so that we truly can “discern the will of God” – what is good and acceptable and perfect”. 

Keeping spiritually fit...

As the evenings lengthen, in this part of the world anyway, many people will be taking up some outdoors exercise again. Already, the numbers of people out jogging in the evenings is noticeable. 

Increasingly we hear about the role of physical fitness in warding off certain illnesses. We know it is important to look after our bodies.

There's an analogy here with the spiritual life. Just as we need to make an effort to get off the couch to go out for a walk or jog, we need to push ourselves to make time for prayer.

Just as with keeping physically fit, that demands time and effort too; but it's worth it. 

And for anyone discerning a religious vocation it's a necessity.

A Prayer for the New Year

As we begin a New Year, here's a nice prayer from one of our 2014 saints.

May God banish from the hearts of all men and women whatever might endanger peace!

May God transform them into witnesses of truth, justice, and love!

May God enkindle the rulers of peoples so that in addition to their solicitude for the proper welfare of their citizens,

they may guarantee and defend the great gift of peace!

May God enkindle the wills of all so that they may overcome the barriers that divide,

cherish the bonds of mutual charity, understand others, and pardon those who have done them wrong!

May all peoples of the earth become as brothers and sisters,

and may the most longed-for peace blossom forth and reign always among all men and women.

- Pope St John XXIII