I wonder if you have seen the film 'Brooklyn'? It's set in 1952, and tells the story of a young Irish woman named Aylias who immigrated from Ireland to Brooklyn, USA. However, her initial excitement soon turned to homesickness... but as time passed she gradually settled into her new surroundings and made friends. However, her past finally catches up with her, and she has to choose between returning to Ireland or staying in America.
As I watched the story unfold I found myself being drawn into the drama (as all good movies can), and when it ended I found myself feeling a bit 'rung out' emotionally. Later, as I reflected on why the film affected me so, I realized it had raised for me some of the big questions of life, such as
Behind all these questions there lies an even the bigger question that lurks in the shadows of our life, such as:
'Who am I?'; 'Does my life now match up with my former hopes and dreams?'; 'What will happen to me when I grow old?'
With these thoughts in mind, I began to look at our readings set for this coming Sunday. I discovered they also touched on similar themes because they speak about the moments of choice that confront people in life, and some of the the decisions we face will require a similar courage to the challenges and choices Aylias faced in the Brooklyn film.
In the readings set for this week, we hear that Isaiah, Paul and Peter all faced a similar conundrum that required courage if they were to to stay true to their destiny – and courage also to respond to God's call on their life.
The big question they faced – and we also may face at various points in our life – is 'How do I know for sure that this is the right choice for me to make?' And yet, we are not alone when faced with these uncertainties and fears. The readings set for this coming week, remind us that God also needs us – God needs our our hands and our feet, our faith and our hopes, and ultimately our lives – in a similar way that God had needed Mary and Joseph to be the earthly parents of Jesus.
It may be helpful to remember that neither Mary or Joseph didn't at first welcomed the news the Angel Gabriel delivered. I also wondered how Paul reacted when confronted by God on the road to Damascus as mentioned in the second reading for this coming Sunday? His radical conversion transformed changed his life forever. It also meant he would have lost the status and power he had enjoyed as a conservative Pharisee, as well as the support and company of his former colleagues and friends.
In the Gospel story for this coming Sunday we will also hear of Simon-Peter's conversion – and how, after he had spent the whole night in fruitless fishing, he headed back to shore tired, disgruntled and no doubt longing for his meal and bed. Then he sees Jesus standing at the sea shore obviously waiting for him! And as he moored his boat, Jesus calls out: 'Wait up Peter! ('If you don't mind') 'I want to use your boat as a teaching pulpit'! Then a little while later when Peter is about to head home: 'Wait up Peter – why don't you go take me out out fishing?'
At that point Peter's patience cracks: He was tired. He was hungry. He was wet. All he wanted to do was to go home... and have his dinner and no doubt go to sleep... But something made him do what Jesus was asking – and he had the courage to let go and he became not only a follower of Jesus but also one of the most prominent figures in the early church.
William Alexander Percy, an American Lawyer and Poet, retells the story of the disciples choice to become a follower of Jesus with these words:
They cast their nets in Galilee
just off the hills of brown;
such happy, simple fisherfolk,
before the Lord came down.
Contented, peaceful fishermen,
be/ore they ever knew
the peace of God that filled their hearts
brim full, and broke them too.
Young John who trimmed the flapping sail,
homeless in Patmos died,
Peter, who hauled the teeming net,
head-down was crucified.
The peace of God, it is no peace,
but strife closed in the sod,
Yet let us pray for but one thing --
the marvellous peace of God.
The Good News of today's readings is that God wants and needs us... and n return, God will never leave or abandon us; as the Dominican, Bede Jarett, O.P. mentions in this poem:
Life is unending because love is undying
and the boundaries of this life are but an horizon
and an horizon is but the limit of our vision.
Lift us up, strong Son of God, that we may see further.
Strengthen our faith that we may see beyond the horizon.
So what is God asking of you? What is God asking of us as a Church... and as a nation? And in what ways are we being asked to trust and put out into deep water ?
Kia mau te rongo me te pai ki a koe i to haerenga
May you find peace and good will on your journey.
Phil
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