From 5000 then to us here and now

This was my message on Sunday - with acknowledgement to Bishop Barron!

These three Sundays we hear from John chapter 6. John's Gospel has no account of the institution of the Eucharist  - but it does have chapter 6 instead. This is a kind of meditation on the Eucharist.  On Sunday we heard the first part - the feeding of the 5000, a moment recorded in all four Gospels. As John tells the story, we see an account, a symbolic presentation of the Eucharist itself, but we need to decipher it, just as we do in the story of the Road to Emmaus.

First we are told that it takes place up a mountain. Mountains and hills are places of encounter in scripture between God and us. Think of Sinai, Sion and Tabor.  We go up, God comes down. What is the Mass?   It's a mountain top experience, of communion and of transfiguration. 

Secondly, we see Jesus sit down - the attitude of the teacher, with his disciples at his feet. When we have gathered at Mass, we sit down to listen to God's Word in the readings. We sit down with Jesus!

Then the Liturgy of the Eucharist follows, just as Jesus proceeds to feed the crowd. We are told  this happens before the Passover, just as the Last Supper did. The crowd will be fed by the Lamb of God himself, just as we are

.

But with what did he feed them? He could have fed them - and us - from nothing. He's God! But he delights in drawing on our cooperation. His desire is to feed us with his Body and blood, but in order to do so he invites us to present our little, so that he can transfigure it. This is the Offertory Procession or Presentation of the Gifts.  What do you have? Jesus asks the apostles. We present some little round breads, a drop of wine and some of our cash. He proceeds to elevate it into food for eternal life.

Then St John echoes the words of the Last Supper in his account. Our Lord took, and gave thanks, and gave - bringing us to the heart of the Mass in the Eucharistic Prayer. At this point the priest is operating in the person of Christ (hence vestments) as he speaks the words of the Last Supper.

The people receive as much as they needed - yes for their stomachs, but we receive for our deepest hunger too, the deepest longings of our hearts. The little bread and wine will never satisfy our bodies, let alone our spirits, but transfigured they do.

Lastly we learn that the fragments are collected in twelve baskets - 12 the number of the tribes and the apostles, the number symbolic of all the people. We also collect up what is left over, and place it in the trabernacle for those unable to be present.

In the description of this miracle from so long ago we can find the miracle of every Mass. There, in a mountain top experience we can indeed be fed at the deepest level of our souls.

Led Zeppelin 2007

So here's something different. I'm back to music from my earlier years, but this time it's not exactly Simon and Garfunkel - it's Led Zeppelin instead.  Guitarist Jimmy Page and bassist John Paul Jones, singer Robert Plant and drummer John Bonham got together in 1968, when I was 15 and getting into pop music big time. There followed ten years of fabulous sound that remains influential today. All four members were stars of their field. Page's guitar sound and Bonham's drums are distinctive, Plants vocal aerobatics were unique and Jones' bass and keyboards, sometimes underestimated, helped create the Zeppelin sound. Sadly Bonham died in 1979 and they disbanded, feeling they would no longer be Zeppelin without him.

They have rarely reunited since, but one very notable occasion was 2007 when they did a charity concert at the O2 in London (left). The performance I have chosen is from that night, when Plant was 63, Plant 58 etc. Drums were played by John Bonham's son, Jason Bonham. They have already been playing or about 90 minutes, hence Page's slightly dishevelled look! The song is "Kashmir" written in 1975, and often claimed to be their finest achievement. Even the band themselves claim this, it is said. The strange thing is that I remember listening to it once or twice at the time, and then leaving it aside for years as being  bit odd or complicated. Until recently. 

I realise now it is the very qualities of the song that put me off when I was younger (like whiskey or Stilton, some might say!)  For instance, it is written largely chromatically, ie not only using the normal notes of a tonic scale.  Secondly it is in (new word for me) polymeter, that is to say it has two diffferent rhythms going on at the same time. In the opening section the guitar is in 3 rhythm while the drums are in 4. At other points the musical subtelty get too technical for me, with changes of major and minor, of mode etc. As for the words, which varied sometimes according to performance, especially towards the end of the song, there is no direct meaning to the reference to the place Kashmir. In fact it was written after a drive in the desert of Morocco. It's sort of about searching, the unattainable, and companionship on the journey....  possibly!

It is a wonderfully constructed piece, slowly gathering layers and energy. At the end Jones, adding tones of organ and orchestra, underlies a climax of rising sections with Page, while Bonham goes absolutely crazy on the drums, and Plant wants to take us there... where? I'm not sure  - but I love the journey, especially as played by a band with the three survivors averaging 60!.   If you want to read some analysis of the song  look here.

 

Oh, let the sun beat down upon my face  And stars fill my dreams
I am a traveller of both time and space  To be where I have been

To sit with elders of the gentle race  This world has seldom seen
They talk of days for which they sit and wait  All will be revealed

Talk in song from tongues of lilting grace Whose sounds caress my ear
Though not a word I heard could I relate The story was quite clear

Oh, baby, I been blind  Oh, yeah, mama, there ain't no denyin'
Oh, yes, I been blind  Mama, mama, ain't no denyin',

All I see turns to brown    As the sun burns the ground

And my eyes fill with sand  As I scan this wasted land
Trying to find, trying to find the way I feel

Oh, pilot of the storm who leaves no trace  Like thoughts inside a dream
Here is the path that led me to that place   Yellow desert stream

My Shangri-la beneath the summer moon   I will return again
Sure as the dust that floats high in June  When moving through Kashmir

Oh, father of the four winds fill my sails   Across the sea of years
With no provision but an open face   Along the straits of fear

Oh, when I’m on my way,  And when I see, I see the way to stay

Ooh, yeah yeah, oh, yeah yeah,  But I'm down oh, yeah yeah, oh, yeah
Yeah, but I'm down, so down  Ooh, my baby, oh, my baby
Let me take you there
Come on, oh let me take you there    I can take you there

 

Our young people

I was talking about young people in Mass today, and several people said they really appreciated it.  I put it in the context of a shepherd reporting about the flock, as in today's readings.

I started on Monday with a Zoom marriage preparation for a lovely couple living in London, but where the bride-to-be comes from Christ the King and is known well here. So I was in my office and they were in their respective flats. And they were great - great young people, switched on to life and faith. I'm really looking forward to their wedding in a month's time.

Next on Tuesday Andy and I celebrated a funeral, with the deceased mum beng remembered by husband and family. Family life, good example, passing it on...

Thursday evening and Saturday morning I confirmed twenty of our young 12 and 13 year olds. Their whole preparation programme has been via Zoom with three catechists and myself. They have been, and I'm sure will be, fantastic, again very switched on... We will meet again with them in September to talk about where they go from here.

In between the two Confirmation Masses, on Friday, was our first weding for two years.  Another lovely couple, this time both former pupils of Corpus Christi, our Catholic high school. Loads of other past pupils there. Great.

 Then tomorrow we drop a year to the school leavers of Year 6 in Christ the King Primary, with their Leavers' Mass.  I've been missing Mass with kids for too long during the Covod stuff. They have something very special, to do with chidren's spontaneity, directness, and, yes, innocence and simplicity. Again, I'm really looking forward to tomorow.

 

So - children, young people, couples - family life, parish life, school life.  We can get fearful about the future based on the present, but how well do we now the real situation?  I've been so impressed by these diffferent age groups this week.  And so my faith in the future is strengthened. 

Celebrating together

 

So here we are, or were, back in 2013 at one of our 3 Churches Masses. This was one of the last of several that we celebrated at Corpus Christi High school in July. Each was on a theme, and that year it was "People of Faith", centred on the Sacraments. Look closely and you will see the symbols of the seven sacraments on the wall behind the altar. I was joined by Fr Tomy and Deacon Rob Coyne in the sanctuary. As you can see, helped by the rousing hymn "10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord my Soul)" participation was very active!

Holding these celebrations was part of my plan to bind our 3 Churches together in my first years here. The planning and running of the day, which orignally included a shared lunch and even afternoon activities, was entirely shared among people from the churches. It wasn't without some strife, but on the whole these celebrations were successsful, with everyone getting along great.  After some years we transfered the idea and method to Holy Week, notably celebrating some Maundy Thursday evening Massdes tigether followed by Watching until late in the garden at the centre of the school. 

I very much enjoyed these Masses, and allowed myself some pride in how we all planned and worked together, and, more important, celebrated together.

 

Acapella peace

A while ago I shared a piece sung by Kings Return from America.   They have just released another song, a spiritual called "Motherless Child". This was made famous in a version sung years ago by Odetta. Find that here This was used by Italian film director in his "Gospel According to St Matthew".  Here the a cappella group sing it very beautifully in their inimitable style.  Relax and let it wash over you... 

 

Sometimes I feel like a motherless child,

Sometimes I feel like a motherless child,
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child,
A long way from home, a long way from home.

 

Sometimes I feel like I'm almost done,
Sometimes I feel like I'm almost done,
Sometimes I feel like I'm almost done,
And a long, long way from home, a long way from home.

 

True believer,
True believer,
A long, long way from home,
A long, long way from home.

All kinds of angels

At this stage in the pandemic saga, some happy news...

Last Tuesday I enjoyed my first meal out for a long time, when I met with three old friends at the local Manor Parc hotel. It was wonderful to get together, and the service and presentation of the meal was first class. Looking forward to another meal out at another restaurant this Friday evening... 

On Wednesday I had a phone call from the Wound Clinic to check on how my legs are. Sinceone or two cellulitis attacks I usually get a check-up every six mionths, but they have been completely shut down during the pandemic.

Friday evening we celebrated Fr Andy's 40th annniversary of priest ordination. Up to 90 gathered for Mass and then for pizza and ice cream afterwards - all socially distanced of course. 

And Saturday evening we welcomed 30 something years old Lee into the Church through Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist at evening Mass at Christ the King.

All very different events, but all good signs of movement. And also reminders of how much I a) love my friends, b) appreciate the care I have received from medics and nurses, c) am grateful for the presence here of Fr Andy, and d) love parish life. 

Talking of Fr Andy... he was telling us about the Angel of Knives that he saw on the green outside Hereford Cathedral.  This is a statue made out of thousands of knives handed in across Britain. It is being shown at different places, but alas not in Cardiff. Here it is...