The Notebook
I still don’t know to this day what originally caused it but for the first 25 years of my life our two families were locked in a bitter neighbourhood feud.
We were next-door neighbours in a very close knit rural Irish village nestled under the shadow of the mountains. Our homes were situated alongside the local school, community centre and the parish church.
Every day of the year our parents, and the rest of us when we were at home, walked the 50 yards to the church for daily Mass. Oftentimes the representatives of our two families made up the entire daily Mass congregation. Our departure and arrival times, however, were carefully coordinated to avoid human contact!
I sometimes wonder about the number of times various Gospel passages proclaiming the need for forgiveness and reconciliation between neighbours and enemies were heard in that little church.
There was no question of not receiving daily Communion standing beside our sworn enemies. As a child and young teenager I failed to see any contradiction in this daily ritual and I can only presume that the adults in our two families didn’t see the contradiction either.
As I said, I don’t know what started the bitterness and neither can I tell you when or how the seeds of reconciliation were sown. There was no big apology on either side, no big display of forgiveness and yet reconciliation happened, gradually and quietly. I suspect that somehow, the regular call of the Gospel, which not only comforts the afflicted but also afflicts the comfortable, finally began to filter through in such a way as to awaken in these two Christian neighbours the desire for reconciliation.
Once that desire was there on both sides the way was open for hearts to receive the beautiful gift of reconciliation from the Holy Spirit. A new priest arrived in the parish and perhaps prompted by God’s sense of humour, he introduced the sign of peace at daily Mass. Can’t you just imagine the awkwardness? It worked and today our families are the best of friends and neighbours. Our little village community can use the title ‘Christian’ with a little less embarrassment.
Distracted
I share this personal experience with you for the second Sunday of Easter because I believe it speaks to the central theme of the combined readings this weekend. It would be easy to become distracted by the more appealing story of Doubting Thomas in the gospel but then we might miss that first all-important indication from Jesus of what his new Faith Community would be about.
This new community would be above all else, like himself, a reconciling community. In a word, the one who prayed for his persecutors’ forgiveness as he hung on the cross left that legacy to his followers to be their most distinguishing characteristic.
Some Easter Humour
A conversation between two children. One says to the other : “I love Jesus.” “Why says the other?” “Well, when he was born we get presents and when he dies we get chocolate!”
A man went off to church on Easter Sunday morning but returned home after a very short time and his wife questioned him as to why he was back so soon. He said he did not see much point in staying because when got to the church there was a big sign outside which read: “He is not here, He is risen.”
An Easter Prayer
Thanks be to you, God known in a body
Who blessed as he lived,
Who raised up our lives
To be gathered as one,
Reaching out for the kingdom.
Born of Mary, he shares our life.
Eating with sinners, he welcomes us.
Guiding his children, he leads us.
Visiting the sick, he heals us.
Dying on the cross, he saves us.
Risen from the dead, he gives us new life.