Slainte!

This week sees St Patrick's Day.   On this day, I am always reminded of Pat Codd, our novice master, who would tell us - "Gentlemen, St Patrick's Day is a non Lenten day for the Irish.  So enjoy."  

Some traditions of Church should never be lost, especially ones that are so human and show us how to be human towards each other.  The little traditions like a school picnic on a feast day, an ice-cream on a special anniversary, all these make a difference, telling us that life is special and worth living    

In our world, we get caught up in so many -isms that tell us how we should be and who we should we be.  Truth is that none of them works. 

Materialism tells us it is about what we have that gives us worth.  

Individualism tells us that we are more than enough on our own.      

Secularism tells us that we go it alone in the universe. 

None of this is to say that this is a bad world, for it is not.  Good religion ever puts the message before us, in lights, that this world is a good place to be.  Can we see that?  Or we blinded by the ignorance and foolishness so often pushed forward in our world?  

The simple things matter.  The 'Pat Codds' of our life, telling us to enjoy life in little, friendly and good ways, remind us that life is good.  We share a destiny.  Life has a meaning and a purpose.  These big and serious matters cannot be lost by our always thinking we are too important and too busy to make time for the small joys of life.  The simple joys make life what it is - a gift from God, a time to be enjoyed.  Slainte!