Fr Patrick Hederman OSB
A farmer was saving his hay in the traditional style. None of your combined harvesters for him. He cut the field with a scythe and then began turning the grass with a fork to dry it in the sun. After lunch he turned the whole field again, and at five O’Clock the rain poured down from heaven and ruined his whole day’s work. He looked up into the sky and roared at the top of his voice: ‘Jesus Christ, crucifixion wasn’t good enough for you!’
Now, if you think of it, that man’s theology was quite advanced. He covered most of the items in the creed that we’ll be singing together as Christians in a few minutes time: he believed in God the father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. He believed in Jesus Christ his only son, Our Lord, who suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified died and was buried; he believed in the resurrection: that the same Jesus is now seated at the right hand of the Father, in charge of the weather as well as everything else.
The only thing is: he got it all wrong. The trinity, who are trying to lead the universe in the right direction, and who are dependent on each one of us as cooperating partners, have massively big plans for each one of us as for the whole universe, have more to do than make hay while the sun shines.
Take another example nearer to home. On Wednesday 18 th of September last, the Glenstal JCT were playing Crescent in the first round of the Junior Cup. In the dying minutes of the game Glenstal were leading by one point. Crescent were given a free under our posts. Prayers went up from both sides. The kicker missed the kick and Glenstal won the match. Do you think God was responsible for that historic win? And, if so, what were the Crescent team meant to think.
It is consoling, at least to me it is, to hear in today’s Gospel that the very first disciples of Jesus, the Sons of Thunder, James and John, Scrum half and Out-half, you might say, on the first JCT [Jesus Christ Team] were getting it all wrong from the very beginning: ‘When you win the election. Lord, and take charge of your kingdom, can I be the Taoiseach and the brother here has his eye on being Tanaiste?
They didn’t know what they were talking about; they didn’t understand that Jesus Christ came on earth to teach us a whole new notion of politics, a whole new way of doing things, a whole new way of being in charge. And have we learned any better since then?
Listen to the Persian poet, Rumi, who lived in in the 13 th Century in the country we now know of as Iran. He seems to have got the message a bit better and understood his place and his role in the universe:
Then new events said to me,
‘Don’t move.
A sublime generosity is
coming towards you.’
And love said, ‘Stay with me.’
And I said, ‘I will.’
The chess master says nothing,
other than moving the silent chess piece.
That I am part of the ploys
of this great game makes me
amazingly happy.