At St. Monica’s, every September marks a new pastoral year that invites us to explore our faith by considering a theme that is relevant to our lives. This year, our theme is Called to be Holy … “Be Holy, for I Am Holy”. (1 Peter 1:16) What a happy coincidence it was that, as we were deciding on this theme, Pope Francis released his latest apostolic exhortation, Rejoice and Be Glad: The call to holiness in the contemporary world! With this resounding confirmation, we wasted no time in putting together a program that we are proud to share with you.
This weekend, as secular Quebec society marks “La Fete Nationale”, the Church celebrates the birth of John the Baptist. Aside from Jesus and Mary, he is the only saint whose birthday is celebrated in our liturgical calendar.
Moving with transcendent beauty and mystery, with liberty and energy, with grace, the flight of Hopkins' windhover is widely understood as a poetic metaphor of Jesus the Christ, in the full glory of His Resurrection. Hopkins' poetic reflection offers a dense, intense, and mysterious experience, that, in some way, can evoke in us glimpses of the Resurrection.
Indeed, the gift of unconditional love is difficult for us to conceive. Yet this is exactly what is offered to us each year at Christmas. In the mystery of the Incarnation, God embraces our humanity, takes on our very flesh in Jesus. This may literally sound “too good to be true.” Yet true it is. In our darkness, our fear, our disappointments, God comes close to us.
I think we all believe in God in our own way. Or want to. Or need to. Only so many of us are afraid to. Unconditional love is pretty terrifying. We don’t think we deserve it. It’s human nature to run. But God always finds us. God never gives up. I used to think that’s what other people were for. Lovers, friends, family. But I had it all wrong.
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