Dear Editor, “If I, then, the Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you should wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example so that you may copy what I have done to you.” (John 13: 14-15)
Pope Francis has washed the feet of prisoners in Rome, men and women, some of them of different religious faith. Archbishop Rowan Williams reintroduced the practice in Canterbury some years ago. In 1998, Jean Vanier the founder of L’Arche facilitated the leaders of the World Council of Churches to wash each other’s feet despite all their theological and disciplinary differences.
Foot washing establishes communion through the body with each other. I had my feet washed very tenderly, caringly (and even prayerfully) once and I returned the service. It was a very graceful experience. It can be a door to the sacred.
This practice has an on/off history in the Church. By the second century it was left to widows (I Timothy: 5.10). It is something that we could rediscover despite the awkwardness, resistance (like Peter) and embarrassment of it all. On Holy Thursday in most churches the priest pours a little water on one foot of a few representatives from the congregation. This is very inadequate and looks more like a mime to the rest of us looking on. Besides it should be a mutual washing.
Of course it would be very difficult to have a mutual washing with a big congregation, but small groups like readers or ministers of the Eucharist or the parish council could do it on one of their retreat/renewal/refresher days. In fact any group of Christians could organise a prayerful ritual of feet washing in their home. Most of these ideas have been inspired by a little book Washing Feet by Thomas O’Loughlin
Yours etc.,
Noel Bradley,
Buncrana, Co. Donegal.
Science offers solution to Original Sin
Dear Editor, Greg Daly (IC 30/03/2017) quotes William Lane Craig: “I don’t make a naïve claim like ‘science proves God’, my claim is that science can furnish evidence that is in support of a premise in a philosophical argument for a conclusion that has theological significance.”
When it comes to Original Sin and its effects, science presently offers the only logical solution reconciling faith and reason, i.e. Original Sin was/is a transcendental catastrophe in Eden, resulting in the Big Bang and Evolution, with every iota of matter-energy in the universe, subject to pain, decay and death, i.e. the out-working of humanity’s original free will choice to know both good and evil. This theory also reconciles two apparently contradictory statements in the Catechism, viz
1. Evolution of a finite universe and all life. Then Original Sin and the fall of humanity in Adam and Eve as an historical event (in space-time) on planet Earth. (C.C. 390)
2.”At the end of time, the Kingdom of God will come in its fullness. Then the just will reign with Christ forever, glorified in body and soul, and the material universe itself will be transformed. God will then be ‘all in all’ (1Cor 15:28) in eternal life”. (CCC 1060)
All of creation exists in “the eternal now of God”. In finite space-time our human bodies emerge as a progression. Our infinite personal souls, (our life force gift at the moment of earthly conception) exist in the “eternal now of God”. Before I formed you in your mother’s womb I knew you. (Jer. 1.5). In God, knowing is being/existence.
Yours etc.,
Prof. J. Rooney,
Belfast,
Co. Antrim.
Finally a pro-life mainstream political party
Dear Editor, I and others have been wishing, hoping and searching for some years now for a political party to emerge that would be absolutist and unapologetic in its support for the Eighth Amendment and the protection of the unborn child, as well as many other social issues.
Thankfully the waiting is finally over and Renua has taken a courageous step forward, and stated its position in unambiguous terms (IC 30/03/2017), which is what many people disenfranchised and marginalised by the current crop of parties yearned for.
Of course our liberal media, and their pals in the extreme feminist movement, and those false idols in the ‘artist’ and ‘celebrity’ world have already attempted to mock and denigrate Renua without any reference to its other very well-constructed policies.
Renua has demonstrated though that it will not be bullied by the usual predictable suspects, but will hold true to what it stands for which is surely a rare virtue in politics today. Even those opposed to them may even secretly admire this stance.
We are being presented with a new and fresh movement here which has been sought for some considerable time. It would be a great shame not to grasp this opportunity which will hopefully restore much-needed balance to our society and democracy.
Yours etc.,
John Burke,
Clontarf,
Dublin 3
Different forms of racism
Dear Editor, Fr Alan Hilliard is again commenting (IC 23/03/2017) on racism, yet his comments are very vague. Who is committing acts of racism, what are they and what is considered racism? Is it the Irish or non-Irish or new Irish? ‘Racism’ is part of the vocabulary used by groups funded from abroad who are intent on banishing Christianity from this island. It is used to stifle any questioning of what is happening in Ireland.
Rural, Irish, elderly, are being denied hospital transport by the HSE. At the same time the HSE is providing hospital transport for non-Irish from the midlands to Dublin. People who have questioned this injustice have been accused of racism.
The most discriminated, highly-taxed, group in Ireland are working Irish families. Some of their taxes are used to pay for the health and education of non-Irish; working Irish families pay so much tax on their wages that they can’t afford to pay for the health and education of their own children. This is real racism.
Yours etc.,
David Kelly,
Crumlin,
Dublin 12.
Parents will come to regret kids’ lack of discipline
Dear Editor, I witnessed a class of 10-year-olds recently on a walk down O’Connell Street, Dublin. Even though there was a teacher front and back, the kids were in a ‘do what you feel’ mood. They were lampooning passers-by and gesturing at the traffic. This is typical in a society where we often hear the ludicrous comment where a parent tells us: “I am learning from my 10-year-old, he knows what’s what”.
There is a proverb in the Old Testament which warns that if parents don’t discipline their kids, the same kids, when they become teenagers, will discipline them. Discipline might be translated into ‘ignore their words of advice’.
Yours etc.,
Cecil Roberts,
Rathmines,
Dublin 6.
Still figuring it out
Dear Editor, When President Donald Trump informed the international media last week that he had detonated 59 Tomahawk missles in Syria, he peppered his speech with references to God. I’m still trying to figure out where in the bible it says it’s okay to approach your ‘enemy’ with a bible in one hand and 59,000 lb of explosives in the other. Assistance welcome.
Derek Murray,
Mullingar, Co. Westmeath