As you read these few words of reflection, you might find yourself casting your mind back to the talk I have often given during the Three Day Cursillo, ‘Obstacles to Grace’ (Saturday afternoon, yes, that is the one!), happy memories.
St Michael Garicoits, the Founder of the Sacred Heart Fathers and Brothers often spoke about the importance of these words from the Gospel of St John: ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.’ (John 3:16)
His prayer and reflection led him to what he described as the ‘Ecce Venio’, the ‘Here I Am of the Sacred Heart.’ Much of the Spirituality of a Three Day Cursillo, not forgetting the blessing of the ‘Fourth Day’ finds expression in this prayer of St Michael – ‘Here I Am Lord.’
The key of this invitation is to allow it to find expression in the everyday of our lives, allow me to share something of how I have tried to allow this powerful invitation to take root in my life these last few weeks! But firstly, my guide is St John Henry Newman and his powerful words and prayer: ‘Heart Speaks to Heart.’
The invitation of John Henry Newman needs to find a place in our daily lives, for me of late the clue has been in the various Solemnities (major Feast Days) the Church has celebrated, beginning with Pentecost, leading us to the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus; allow me to share a brief word about each Solemnity, and the invitation to recognise the closeness of Our God in our lives, another way to express the Ecce Venio, expressing the invitation of and for the Fourth Day: ‘Bloom Where You Are Planted!’
Pentecost:
We celebrate the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, the Lord desires to simply outpour this gift into our lives, the anointing of God’s Grace. Without the gift of God’s Grace, we cannot get all that far along our journey.
Most Holy Trinity:
We are called into relationship with God, beautifully expressed in Baptism. St Pope John Paul was once asked by a journalist what was the most important moment of his life, he simply replied ‘My Baptism.’ I’m not sure if the journalist was prepared for the answer he received! At our Baptism, we received the life of God, we are brought into relationship with the Trinitarian God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Importantly, this invitation is a daily one, allowing this relationship to deepen.
Corpus Christi:
The Eucharist is the ‘food for the journey.’ We all need strength for any journey, but for our spiritual journey, our journey of faith we need to be sustained by the bread of the Eucharist. As I write these few words, I’m very aware that so many are struggling with the ‘Eucharistic Fast’ due to the Covid 19. We are, however blessed with the beauty of the Church’s tradition of Spiritual Communion. One expression of this can be our solidarity with so many of our sisters and brothers, who, unable to receive the Eucharist in what we might describe as their normal or daily spiritual lives, living in mission countries where a Priest may only be able to reach their community once every few months (or less).
These beautiful Solemnities speak to us about the presence of God, in the person of his Son Jesus, drawing us deeper into relationship with the Lord and with each other. They also lead us to the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the gift of love in our lives.
You might have been waiting for this (the punch line!). ‘Here I Am Lord, send somebody else!’ Well, it is a reality in our daily lives also. If you are tempted to feel this reality, remember the beauty of the relationship we were drawn into at our Baptism, a relationship that grows and grows, just like the mustard seed.
Ecce Venio!
Andrew Ferris, SCJ
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.