5th March, 2006

LIVING FAITH

During the week I had, sadly, occasion to attend Père Lachaise Cemetery here in Paris. I had been warned that it was a very big place, and very easy to get lost in, so I should make sure I left myself plenty of time to get there to find the chapel, etc. I decided a visit to the internet beforehand might not be a bad idea. I was rewarded with a site which offered a ‘virtual tour’ of the cemetery, which I duly took, and then went back to my maps and metro plans and plotted my route for the following day. But while on the internet I read a little about the history of the place, and all the famous people who are buried there – and came across the claim that Père Lachaise is the most visited cemetery in the world. Who am I to argue with that?

I noticed on the following day, that despite the fact that it was bucketing out of the heavens there were back-packers in evidence. It must be another of the ways in which I am odd, but I must confess that never in the course of any touring that I’ve done has it crossed my mind to visit a cemetery. As Christ said – why look for the living among the dead? I prefer to meet these once famous people where they live – in the achievements they’ve left behind. Let me read their writings, admire their paintings, listen to their music – to me, that’s where they live.

And if I want to meet Christ the same principle applies – I want to meet Him where He lives – in His people. “The Kingdom of God is close at hand”, as He tells us in our gospel today. He has done the dying, that we might do the living. Using the imagery of the Old Testament, we are invited to be rainbows, that strange mixture of sun and rain, that reminds the world that we need never fear – evil will never win out as long as goodness lives within us. And it is that life, that goodness, that love, which attacts.

This week-end we are very happy to celebrate the reality that four more people have responded to that attraction, and have asked to join in this community of believers. They have been participating in our RCIA program since October, and this Saturday (4 th) have been formally enrolled by Archbishop Vingt-Trois as applicants to join the Catholic community. As the community of St. Joseph’s Parish we are very happy to welcome them among us, and offer them the support of our prayers as they enter this Lenten period of preparation for admission to the sacraments at Easter.

At a Ceremony of Election that will take place during the 11 o’clock Mass this Sunday, we formally welcome Toshiki Enomoto, Rachel Astill and Michelle Crowe Hernandez who have each applied to be baptized at Easter, and Lena Lim who has applied to be confirmed in the Catholic faith. In welcoming them we assure them of the support of our prayers, and good example, this Lent. And may their being in our parish be for them and encounter with the living Christ.