LIFE'S UPS AND DOWNS!

There are probably many people in the parish who don’t realise that there is a railing, grid, enclosing our Parvis. It’s not that they’re unobservant, but because of the fact that it is completely down on Sundays, and so they’ve probably never seen it. On other days we only open a small section of it, as there is not much traffic in and out on week-days. As far as I know, the railing was installed with the building of the new church in the latter part of the 1980’s, and, in fairness, it has done its job fairly well since. (Now, please don’t go asking “What is its job – to keep the priests in, or others out??” Suffice to say, it helps us feel more secure when it’s working properly!)

But in recent times a high proportion of the business phone-calls that Roselyne has to make are to the people who maintain the railing. Increasingly, like with the rest of us, old age is beginning to tell, and the creaking and groans out of it as it goes up or down would seem to indicate that it doesn’t like being disturbed too much – a bit like ourselves at times! Increasingly we’re having to face the question – just how long can we keep having it repaired, before more drastic remedies are required! (No, don’t worry! This is not an elaborate build-up to a request for funds to replace the railing!)

One suspects that it won’t be long before a total replacement may be necessary. Actually, I’d just written that last sentence when I realised that it has a wider application than simply to the railing! With our upcoming Provincial Chapter happening in June, with its subsequent appointments to communities, the exact same thing may be said about the priests – ‘a total replacement may be necessary’! But let’s not be raising your hopes too soon! Not that we would want to be comparing ourselves to a railing, or a door or gate, or any other kind of protective device for that matter!

But in our Gospel today, Jesus has no such problem. He doesn’t mind comparing Himself with the gate into the sheepfold! And He certainly has no confusion with regard to His role – it’s got nothing to do with keeping people out, but is entirely about being a means for people to enter. Isn’t it sad really, when people see Jesus as a barrier? On the one hand people think “He is so perfect, and I’m so imperfect, I’m not worthy to enter”. On the other hand people think “what’s the point? All that religion thing is just an illusion. I live in the real world. I don’t need to enter!”

But surely the Risen Lord, the One who has just shown us the extent of His love for us, the One who wants to take our hand, like He took the hand of Thomas, to re-assure us of the reality of His existence and love – surely He would never lead us astray. When He tells us that entering into Him is the one sure path to safety, security, whatever we want to call it, He knows what He’s talking about. Knock, and the Door will be opened!

But He requires maintenance!