HOMILY FROM CANON STEPHEN FOR THE 5TH SUNDAY
High Hopes
Even in a seemingly hopeless situation hope can shine through. About three years ago RTE in Ireland recently ran a three-part series called The High Hopes Choir, which followed former conductor of the RTE Concert Orchestra David Brophy as he put together Ireland’s first ‘homeless choir’. In just 8 weeks, through 20 rehearsals and over 1200 cups of tea and coffee, more than 60 people, all dealing with Ireland’s homeless crisis, reach beyond the stars,’ explained David. While the background stories of many of the participants were heart-breaking, this was a story of hope. The project made a real difference to the individual members of the choir, to the charities helped by the choir’s performances, as well as changing public perceptions of what it means to be homeless in Ireland today.
There is a scant hope in today’s first reading from Job – the hopelessness he feels is perfectly expressed in the line ‘Lying in bed I wonder,’ When will it be day?’ Risen I think, ‘How slowly evening comes!’ Job cannot make sense of the suffering he faces, and often suffering does not make sense to us either.
Yet in today’s Gospel Jesus is all about hope. We see him come into situations of great suffering – and bring healing to all those in need. Our Psalm tells us that the Lord heals the broken-hearted. He is the hope in our hopelessness.
There is that sense of Hopelessness around our lives at the moment … These times are undoubtedly tough for us, and it is natural for us to get a little down-hearted and maybe even a little anxious a times.
I think it is not a bad thing for us to remember all the good that has been done in these past months. I can reassure you that you and your efforts have been appreciated by so many in the parish – more than you know.
For example, one parishioner in just the last few days sent me an email that he entitled Light in the Darkness. He wrote: We face new challenges with the lockdown. Perhaps we may feel despondent at this time, but it may be worthwhile to reflect on the creativity and industry that we observed during the last lockdown: ‘Dial-a-Mass’, live streaming of Mass and online services through Zoom, an influx of volunteers to become stewards, outreach projects to contact our vulnerable parishioners, food deliveries for those in need, contact details for those who have booked for Mass.
These months have been a journey into the unknown but we have seen that, as soon as March lockdown came, many of you turned to Facebook, livestream, Dial a Mass and YouTube. When our church was to be opened for private prayer you organised an army of infection control volunteers, many who were new to helping in the parish. We then reopened our church for Mass with online booking and exemplary safety methods.
It seems as if we are back to square one but in fact you have made great progress in our pastoral care for our parishioners that will have lasting benefit. Please know Fr Stephen is still around, working and praying for you.
I would also encourage us to remember that we are our brother’s keeper in the Parish and to look out for each other, even with a phone call. Please be assured of my prayers for you at this time and of our prayers for each other. GOD bless all the good work.
