April Messenger: Hope, renewal and growth
In times of war and uncertainty the April Messenger offers rest and reflection, with themes of hope, renewal, gratitude and transformation in everyday life.
Opening the issue, editor Donal Neary reflects on ‘The Promise of Easter’ writing: “Our faith of Easter is that we will be like what Jesus is like, and where he is we are promised a place. What a promise! Can you believe that there is a spot in heaven with your name on it? He waits for you there.”
Fr. Gerard Condon’s article ‘An Attitude of Gratitude’ explores gratitude as a response to negativity: “How might we counteract the human tendency to be negative? In a word, gratitude. It is, for me, one of the proofs that God exists, that planet earth is benign, and the weight of the universe is stacked in my favour.” He continues: “Jesus rejoiced in the good things of creation. Human beings, he said, worry far too much about their possessions, food and clothing.” Referencing the Gospel, he notes that “the flowers of the field and the birds of the air give glory to God of their own accord. Why don’t we do the same?” Drawing on Julian of Norwich, he recalls the reassurance: “All will be well, and all manner of things will be well.” He concludes: “As the word ‘Eucharist’ itself implies, the Mass is essentially a prayer of thanksgiving. Even if at Mass, our gratitude feels like a duty or an obligation, that is no bad thing either. Sometimes we need to be reminded.”
Kevin O’Gorman highlights Pope Leo’s monthly intention for April: “For priests experiencing a crisis, that they might experience the nearness of God and his people, and rediscover hope and joy in their vocation.” Reflecting on this, Fr. O’Gorman writes: “In Evangelii Gaudium, Pope Francis filled out the ‘art of accompaniment’ which teaches us to remove our sandals before the sacred ground of the other, adding that the pace of this accompaniment must be steady and reassuring, reflecting our closeness and our compassionate gaze.” Fr. O’Gorman further observes: “Most probably the priest has previously been a minister to others of the compassionate attentiveness that he himself now stands in need of and hopefully is open to both asking for and accepting.” He concludes that “Prayer for ‘priests in crisis’, permeated with human understanding, is wisdom that both asks for and allows for grace to work from within.”
The issue also includes a commemorative reflection by Archbishop Eamon Martin, marking the approaching first anniversary of Pope Francis on 21 April. He writes: “Pope Francis seemed to understand the brokenness and sinfulness of human beings, yet kept encouraging us never to give up on hope.” He adds: “Our late Holy Father had a deep sense of his own brokenness and sinfulness, and that moved him to be different. He often used to remark, ‘Pray for me – and don’t forget!’ As we mark his first anniversary, let’s promise to do just that.”
Themes of transition and personal growth are further developed by Andrea Hayes, who reflects on the experience of letting go: “Sometimes courage isn’t about holding on; it’s about letting go.” She continues: “By releasing what I had loved and laboured over, I made space for God to work in ways I couldn’t see yet… in this sweet spot, between letting go of what was and stepping into what could be, miracles can quietly manifest.” Acknowledging the difficulty of such moments, she writes: “This space often feels messy, even painful, because it exists in the transitions that are neither fully finished nor fully begun.” She concludes: “Endings are not failures; they are openings… In every ending there is the quiet promise of beginning again.”
The Messenger continues its tradition of offering a wide range of regular content, including scripture reflections, cookery, crosswords, children’s pages, nature focus, and RE:LINK.
