Joy☀️🙏🏻

 ‘Be very careful on over complaining. Focus on God’s goodness, experiencing that goodness, sharing that goodness with those close to you and transmitting that goodness’. (Fr. John Bartunek)

I awoke this morning thanking God for restful sleep and at the same time pondering over my many aches and pains. Arms aching, could my beloved backpack be to blame. Feet hurting, could my sandals be at fault. Or could the fact that I am in my late (exhilaratingly late!) sixties, have anything to do with it….

Then ping!! Phone message touches down that reads like this…

‘My daughter got to write a little passage about her Confirmation name, to display in Church. She wrote that she chose ‘Bridget’ because of you and her teacher, (also named Bridget). Both of you represent Faith in motion to her’.

Joyful tidings shift our gaze, gladdening our heart. Instantly, all pains and aches fade away as I praise and thank God from my deepest heart for my wonderful life and oh so much more.

My morning reframed with gratitude and joy. True joy is not the absence of pain, it is the presence of God.

‘Lord help me to make time today to serve You in those who are most in need of encouragement or assistance’. (St. Vincent de Paul)

Made of sand!! I love Cork city!

Ash Wednesday, distributing Holy Ashes in a little country school. Before we begin, Teacher asks the children why the sign of the Holy Cross is imprinted on our foreheads with Holy ashes on this day. Silence for a moment until one little girl, probably tiniest of them all, speaks with unvarnished clarity; ‘We are sorry’.

Three little words choc full of beautiful theology from the mouth of a child! Unforgettable!!