Friday Thought with Fr Chris Ferguson

At this stage you’ll appreciate how I rely, if not enjoy, making lists. Firstly, I had to write down driving directions for my colleague, followed by a store plan, which indicated where various items where located in the supermarket. Full of advice I explained how generally the fruit and veg will be located together, while the meats, fish, and chicken will occupy their own section of the shop. Now, this is important, I told Fr Gerard to stay away from the hardware section of the shop, especially if there were specials on offer. I was afraid he could be overwhelmed, and arrive back with a host of electrical goods and gadgets, that would only end up being stored away with the slow cooker. I could imagine my clerical colleague arriving back with a left-handed screwdriver or a bubble for a spirit level. If he thought there was a bargain going, Fr Gerard would even break into his communion money.

Trying to plan for every eventuality, I even wrote down on the shopping note possible courses of action, if the Tyrone native should find himself confronted with having to queue. This included an outline of certain protocols, should Fr Gerard be faced with the difficult decision regarding having to stand waiting at a checkout. I had asked my fellow house resident to bring back chicken, mince, vegetables, including onions, carrots, and peppers. For over two hours I walked the house, I was so nervous and worried I felt like an anxious parent. All the time I kept thinking and praying, stay away from the electrical and household goods, stay away for the electrical and household goods, stay away from the electrical and household goods. When Fr Gerard arrived back, he had a smile on his face, like a child who had been awarded the ‘pupil of the week’ star. Unfortunately, he returned with little of what we needed, I couldn’t remember asking for chocolate bars and biscuits, not to mention a vegetable steamer and omelette maker.

Shopping in a supermarket or standing in a queue you soon discover the many varieties of people, tall, short, wide or thin, young or old, different sexes, races, sexualities and languages.

Through the years our own communities have become more cosmopolitan, as we welcome men and women from other cultures and places. In countless respects we have been enriched by the presence of people from other races, religions and societies. Having a boarder perspective and appreciation of the world, may even help to enlighten our own conflicted history of community relations. Too often we have given in to the temptation of suspecting and fearing the other. Even during these times of pandemic, we have looked for scapegoats as we look to apportion blame and responsibility.

How many times have we been complicit in making differences, in treating others in a manner which makes them feel as outsiders or less than welcome? We inhabit societies bearing the historical marks of colonialism and slavery.

Many of the privileges enjoyed by people in the West, are built and perpetuated, on a system of intergenerational inequality and exploitation. It easy to say we care about racism, sectarianism, sexism and all numerous phobias which crucify our world, but are we prepared to change the way we live our lives, transform our outlooks, so everyone in the

human family can be granted the God given dignity and respect they deserve. To stand in solidarity with those who suffer racial or religious inequality and prejudice, we need to begin by challenging the hatreds, biases and prejudices, which we may embody in our own lives. These remain realities as long as we fail to question or recognise, the ways in which we make differences or exclude others. On this Trinity Sunday we celebrate a God who is a community of persons, a mystery of unity in diversity. God the Father and The Son and The Holy Spirit, are distinct persons, but are united through there selfless love and sacrifice. The three persons genuinely live for each other, can we do the same.