Parish of Lismore and Ballysaggart

He was not yet 30, in good health, or as he thought but I met him in the coronary care unit of the hospital. He was so cheerful. He had a wisdom beyond his years. He summed up his predicament in one sentence to me. This morning when I said go to my mind, my body said no. I had been working too hard. I thought I was an iron man.

You will be glad to know that he made a full recovery and learned a hard lesson. We all need holidays, even priests in a parish. And for priests to get holidays it will mean a big reduction of the celebration of Mass at the weekends the priest may be away.

It is fine to talk about holidays in Ireland but is it value for money. The green god of greed comes to life when a market seems limited and charges can rise. This year many of us have to say in Ireland. I can’t claim that it is patriotism. Who was it that defined patriotism as the last refuge of a schoundrel.

It is in the hospitality trade that many young people find employment to tide them over the cost of college. Employers who take on the young and mentor them with skills needed to do well in life are to be highly praised and commended. Often this is overlooked and the good being done is taken for granted.

We hope that those of us who are around for the summer will be welcoming to visitors. A kindly turn of phrase, a short informed conversation about the delights of our parish will help prepare for 2022 holiday makers. Good business is not satisfied with the present deal, rather they are mindful of creating the future.

Jesus is kind to his disciples and he encourages them take time out. ‘You must come away to some lonely place, all by yourselves and rest for a while for there were so many coming and going that the apostles had no time even to eat’. A bit like where I begun this piece.

Whether on holidays or not our Christian love can never take holidays.

Every moment, every experience pleasant or unpleasant is a time to respond in love. That high ideal, animated by the Holy Spirit is very do able. We will all be judged not on how successful our enterprise was but on the love we brought to bear, the costly sacrificial love that lead Jesus to Calvary. Christian love is sacrifical love, even to the gifts you give at Mass.