Friday Thought with Fr Chris Ferguson

Like so many events from the sporting, cultural and religious world, the current pandemic has changed the local, national and international calendar and landscape. This time last year I was recovering from the London marathon, and honestly, I feel as if I’m still recovering. One of the positives I have discovered of the current lockdown, has been the opportunity of being able to avail of a daily run. After months of stop, start, attempts at running, the last seven weeks have been relatively successful. I try to run Monday to Friday, and generally take the weekends off. Although some people will think, there’s no change there then. The most difficult challenge is having to run on my own, although when running along the quay I do encounter familiar faces. There are awkward moments, when you’re confronted with the issue of social distancing, which can turn into a dance. Stationed everywhere are signs, reminding you to stay two metres apart, which isn’t difficult with my short legs. In seven weeks of running, I haven’t managed as of yet, to overtake anyone. I have been able to pass some of the elderly, especially those using walking aids. However, in the main I have been overtaken by all shapes, ages, and sizes of people. One morning I was even passed, by a man walking a greyhound. I wish I was joking; and if that wasn’t bad enough, I was even overtaken by a woman running with a pram, and when I looked again, she was pushing a double buggy. There are days when I truly wonder, why do I bother? At times, I seem to be going more backwards than forwards. As for losing weight, there was a slight glimmer of hope. One morning I felt a lot lighter on my feet, it probably helped I was running downhill. I thought I had lost half a stone from my head, only to remember I had gotten my hair cut. Fr Gerard, has many talents but if he ever touches hair clippers again, there will be solicitor’s letter. You could produce a new volume of a dictionary by the time this crisis has passed. More accurately, familiar words have developed new and expanded meanings; such as lockdown, social distancing, flattening the curve, contact tracing, herd immunity, and countless more. How many times have we used the phrase, we’re in new territory, unfamiliar ground, the new normal? The world and ourselves included have been totally taken by surprise by the pandemic, it came from so out of left field, no one was prepared. Certainly, hindsight is a wonderful thing, but we can’t change the past, we can only deal with the present by learning from the past, in an effort to prepare for the future. Unfortunately, the uncertainly and the gaps in our knowledge have only exasperated our frustrations, our sense of vulnerability and helplessness. Yet, for many people, their routines, even their ruts have been shattered, and in this new normal, opportunities have arisen to discover new realities, fresh lessons about life, even being surprised by family and friends.

In light of these thoughts and feelings, we might even be prepared to enter into the world of Jesus’ first disciples. In this weekend’s Gospel, Jesus is trying to prepare his closest followers for the events of his death, resurrection and return to the Father. In a way, Jesus is trying to prepare his disciples for a new normal, one, which can only be imagined after Jesus’ Resurrection and Ascension. In experiencing the gift of the Holy Spirit in the Pentecost of the Church, the disciples are granted the faith and wisdom, to enter our new relationship with God. Today, as children of God, we enter this new relationship with God through baptism. In baptism when we are immersed in water, to we die with Christ, so to arise with Christ from the water, to new and eternal life. Through baptism we all enter a new normal, and this is the greatest gift we can offer to any child. In baptism we enter a relationship, which is a dialogue, requiring openness and honesty on both parts. For God desires a relationship not a series one-off encounters.