蜜芽传媒

A reflection and prayer to start the day with Dr Geraldine Smyth OP.

Good Morning. One Holy Thursday afternoon I was with my sister and eight year old niece, who was a bit weary from being dragged along on a boring a desk-hunt for her older sister. Arriving at the convent for the evening Mass, she announced that she was too tired to go into the chapel and would have a sleep in the back seat of the car. Coaxing didn鈥檛 work, so shame to say, I tried some unholy pressure, in superior teacher鈥檚 tone, 鈥淣ow, now, Gerie, it鈥檚 Holy Thursday. 鈥� a big feast!鈥� Silence. 鈥淎re you a Christian at all!鈥� But niece Gerie rejoined in self-assured tone, 鈥淚 am a human being.鈥� Touch茅. Out of the mouths of babes 鈥� a reminder I needed to hear then and remember still.

I don鈥檛鈥� remember what transpired, but the question, 鈥淗ow might Jesus have responded?鈥� still filters in my mind now through the lens of the original Holy Thursday 鈥� his patient explanations when the disciples could not yet remotely understand the whole picture 鈥� the bond of love between his Father and himself, and his desire to draw them into communion, )his acceptance of their limits - sensing they were not ready to drink the cup that he would drink, of in the Garden of Olives when he wrestled alone with the cost of doing the Father鈥檚 will for the sake of the mission entrusted to him. He had asked them to watch and pray one hour with him, and they fell asleep 鈥� three times over because they were too tired and di what they could.

Out of the mouths of babes...Charity in respect for the other, for love is made perfect in weakness. Love is greater than the law. Ubi Caritas et amor, Deus ibi est. Where love and charity abide, there God is found. Amen