Readings:

Ephesians 4:1-6
Luke 12:54-59

Reflection:

“How is it you do not know how to interpret the signs of the times?” Jesus asks today.  As we look around the world this morning, interpreting the signs of the times is a no-brainer.  Centuries of civilisation have not taught us to love more deeply.  We’ve just learned how to destroy each other more completely.

The Lebanese lady in the coffee shop this morning showed us photos of her sister’s house and their family village bombed a few hours earlier. “Why pray?” she asked, “God is asleep!!”

As the old Italian ladies in our parish say when faced with loss and death, “Fada, what can you do?  What can you do, Fada?”.

All we can do, St Paul says to the Ephesians this morning, is to ‘live a life worthy of our calling, in complete selflessness, gentleness and patience’.  It won’t change the world. But at least we can hold our own heads up high and give our children an example of a life worth living.

Tom Mcdonough CP is the parish priest and community leader at St. Paul of the Cross, Glen Osmond.