Sunday Reflection with Fr Robin Gibbons - 3 February 2013

Fr Gibbons

There seems to be some shifting in public perceptions of religion and not in a negative way, recent news articles on the new Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Justin Welby, suggest that he is not the epitaph on a dying Anglicanism but represents a new challenge to the established order of things and seem sympathetic to the Christian tradition in these islands. The same goes for the Catholic community as for all Christians.

Despite all the negativity about religion, we stand at a crossroads where many of the States hegemonies cannot longer hold and where, as of old, the Church may be called to take the lead in new developments in areas such as education, medical care, hospices and of course stand up as a moral compass in an uncertain world shedding an educated and informed light on issues that concern us all. Far from dying out, religion is as important as ever and the community of believers crucial to the development and presence of faith in our lives.

In our readings today that sense of new movements and hopes emerges. Jeremiah gives us that fantastic image of the God who knew us before we were created in our mother’s womb, this is the Lord who searches us and really knows us, who is there at all moment of our life and tells us that whatever happens God will be there to deliver us at the end. Luke tells us of Jesus not being recognized for who he was even though his words were appreciated. ‘No prophet is ever accepted in his own country’ Jesus said!, a salutary reminder that people will not always be open to the challenging Word of the Lord. Wee can take on board things that do not cause us too much pain, effort or challenge but when that scriptural reference cuts through us like a double edged sword we may, like the crowd around Jesus be enraged and reject it.

Yet at the heart of things comes the sweeping and all pervading gift of Love, for God is love. Pauls hymn to love in 1 Corinthians is so well known it needs no introduction, but it does need to be recognized not simply as Paul writing but as the divinely inspired words of the Spirit leaping out of his phrases, as we ponder on those words and consider our place in society let us have great hope, for despite everything faith hope and love will abide, and the greatest thing, Love, is God!

Fr Robin Gibbons is an Eastern Rite Chaplain for the Melkite Greek Catholics in Britain.