Facing up — He is always there

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 42, 9 April 1985, Page 10

Facing up — He is always there

The other day I participated in a conversation which went something like this. "The times are hard, not like the old days. They were good days, no real worries, just a matter of getting on with it. Nothing that good old hard work wouldn't cure." Then the crunch. "All we hear about," said my friend, "is the Gulf war, the threat of nuclear destruction, the end of ANZUS, the appointment of a clergyman as the next Governor General, the introduction into parliament of a bill to change the law regarding homosexuals, etc. etc. etc." "Well, my friend," I said, "I don't really believe that the times were any better between 1939-1945 when six million Jews plus millions of others died. "Nor do I think that the depression years were particularly exciting for many. "For that matter, there have been few, if any, times in history of the world that have been perfect. The reason: man is not perfect. Nor is the universe in which he lives."

I continued, "Yet, life possesses a character, a quality, which brings us face to face with faith, hope and love. "These, known as the three theological virtues, are clearly understood by St. Paul, who ranks love as the greatest of these. "We come face to face with love, when we look at the man Jesus. We cannot think of Him without thinking of the cross on

which He died. He died on that cross, that we might live in hope through faith; that love, the Agape love of God might permeate our world, our society. "Good Friday and Easter remind us each year of the ever present concern of a loving God. No matter how bad things may be, He is there! "Let's face up to that fact!" Father Bob Peck Raetihi