Is the Easter story too familiar for us to be surprised?
I love going to see Shakespeare’s plays and I have seen my favourites many times. Secretly, when I go and see Romeo and Juliet, I think to myself “I wonder if the director will surprise us and change the ending?” Of course they never do. For many of us the Easter story is so well known that there is no surprise anymore for the resurrection. I sometimes think it would be interesting to change the ending and see if anyone notices.

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“But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, there they saw the body of Jesus.” Luke 24.1-3 (altered)
Put yourself in the shoes of those women on that first Easter morning, making their way to the tomb as the sun rises and finding the stone rolled away. There is a mix of emotions. Relief that there is no need to find someone to roll that stone away and fear that something horrible has happened. As they look into the tomb there before them are two men in dazzling white with a message “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.” How did they process this message? Did it sink in slowly? Did they discuss what this could possibly mean? Howsoever they came to their conclusion it spurred them to tell the apostles who didn’t believe them; thinking this an idle tale.
We know how foolish this makes the apostles look but that is only because the story is so familiar to us. We have celebrated many Easters, and have been making the connection between Jesus’ teaching about his death and resurrection every time we read it.
This Easter, try to come at the reading afresh. Walk down to the tomb with the women who are not really sure how they will fulfil their task. Look nervously into the place where Jesus was laid mere days before. Listen to the dazzling white men as they tell you that Jesus is risen. Race to the apostles only to be disbelieved. Then as you leave your church, look for glimpses of Jesus breaking into our world, bringing the good news that the kingdom of God is near, so near you can almost reach out and touch it.
De Colores,
Fr Mark Cooper

In the Victorian times, fairy tales and Shakespearean plays were edited to take the more risqué parts out. I often think that over time our portrayal of angels has received the same treatment.

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Our images of angels in art and story are often of a beautiful ethereal winged female figure or strong armoured winged male figure.
This strikes me as contradictory to biblical encounters with angels. Invariably the first words out of their mouth to the person they are sent is “Do not be afraid”. This might be for one of two reasons. They might look so terrifying that they need to reassure the person that they need not fear, or they know the next words out of their mouth will strike fear into the person’s very soul. Maybe it is a combination of the two.
The angel that the shepherds on the hillside encounter that first Christmas day starts with the, now very common, “Do not be afraid” and then tells them of the birth of the Messiah nearby in a manger.
This encounter is unconventional up for many reasons. A manger is no place for the Son of God to be born and shepherds are the last people to hear important news yet this is how Jesus starts his life on earth. It really is a matter of “Start how you mean to proceed”.

Jesus whole life then is one of subverting human expectations and favouring those that society pushes aside as worth less than the rest. Jesus constantly calls for justice for the weak and for us to beware of putting our trust in positions of power and privilege. His teachings are full of warnings that in the Kingdom the first will be last, and the last, first.

As we approach Christmas when we celebrate that birth that the shepherds from the hills came to witness we need to be mindful that we are the new angels of our community bringing the message that a baby born over two thousand years ago came to bring peace and justice for all.
De Colores

FROM OUR
DIOCESAN SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR
Fr MARK COOPER

1 Timothy 4.14 Paul encourages Timothy to not neglect the gift that is in him.

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Cursillo encourages us to use our gifts in the 4th day, but this is tricky. What are my gifts? Are they really good enough? Doubt can undermine our self esteem so that we dare not use them.
How often do we look at someone so obviously gifted that we wished we were them? It is so easy to devalue and dismiss the gifts we have as being inadequate and not up to the task. Even really talented people have been known to doubt their own talent and suffer from insecurity that can lead to bouts of depression.
In the days before the internet and global communications, people didn’t have the best and most talented people in the world to compare themselves to. The best
singer in the village was celebrated for their gifts. They were the best and everyone appreciated them.
All gifts come from God and we are given the gifts that are needed for the mission and service we are called to. When we compare ourselves to other people we can start to doubt that God has given us what is really needed for the task.
I love the saying, “Be yourself. Everyone else is taken.” God created us, as we are. God has given us our gifts and talents. God has a place for us in the community and expects us to exercise our gifts and talents.
Of course, we do need to look for opportunities to improve our gifts. Even members of Symphony Orchestras didn’t start out with that amount of skill. Using our gifts
regularly, looking for workshops to improve, and feed back on how we are going, can improve our skill and give us more

confidence.
If anyone makes you feel like your gifts aren’t good enough, remember St Paul’s
illustration of the body. All the parts of the body are needed and none can be
excluded without compromising the body.
De Colores
Fr Mark Cooper

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A few weeks ago, in our Gospel reading Jesus was commenting on the Old Testament law “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” His comment is probably one of the most difficult for us to understand and to put into action in our lives.
Matthew 5.43-44 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth makes logical sense. There is an element of justice here; what harm you cause me, I will cause you. The payback is equal, no one can call foul. This was especially important in tribal societies where payback was often escalating. You hurt a member of our tribe, we maim a member of yours, you kill one of ours, we kill a few of yours…. There was no end.
To stop this, a justice system of equal retribution was installed. A part of the problem with this was there was no mitigating circumstances. What if the injury was a mistake? It was still an eye for an eye.
The problem with both systems is getting locked into cycles of violence. Even with an eye for an eye family members can still feel that justice wasn’t really served, that they want a greater punishment to make up for their personal loss.
These days we talk about trying to break the cycle of violence. It’s a great idea, but who breaks it first? Mostly we want it to be the other person. Let me get my last jab in, then let’s stop the violence.
Jesus says, if we are to be his disciples, citizens of God’s kingdom, then we need to be the ones prepared to break the cycle, to be the ones to turn the other cheek, give our cloak and walk an extra mile.
We might worry that this makes us look weak, a doormat for others to step on, but in reality it takes great personal strength to be willing to say, the violence stops here. That I will genuinely love and pray for those who do me wrong.
When Jesus asks this of us, he isn’t a leader cushioned from the effects of others, demanding of us that which he has no intention of doing himself. As we approach Easter we will see Jesus betrayed by a friend, deserted by his companions, arrested, beaten, humiliated, and nailed to the cross.
As he looks down, he doesn’t berate those who have left him, or swear revenge on those who are killing him, but he showed compassion for the criminal next to himself and asks forgiveness for those who have no idea what they are really doing.
Following Jesus example is incredibly difficult. We all want our last jab, but if the cycle of violence is to be broken we need to be the ones with the courage to stand up and say “it stops here, with me.”

Christmas is almost upon us again. As we get older it is not unusual to feel time passing at what seems a faster speed. Not only this, but celebrations that used to fill us with joy and wonder can become routine, losing the sparkle from our youth. This sparkle can be re-invigorated when we see thesecelebrations anew through the eyes of our children, and in later years, our grandchildren.

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Before Christmas arrives, we have the season of Advent, a time of preparation. Unfortunately, in our
consumeristic society, by Advent our Christmas celebrations seem to be fully underway. Carols have
already been playing in our shopping centres, decorations are on full display, and the first of the many
Christmas parties have started.
I find it interesting how many people decry the increasing commercialisation of Christmas, and yet each
year we all find ourselves getting caught up in the unavoidable. I don’t say this to be an Ebenezer Scrooge
about Christmas but more to ponder out loud, how we might find space for an Advent type preparation
amidst the noise and bustle going on around us.
Firstly, we need to think about what Advent is preparing for. Advent has two goals, to prepare us to
celebrate the season (12 days) of Christmas, and to prepare us for Jesus’ second coming.
Preparation to celebrate the season of Christmas does mean engaging in the commercial side, buying
presents, cards, and food. Getting our homes ready for family and friends. However we should also
balance this with the knowledge that our time together is more important than how much we have spent.
Don’t peak too soon. How often do we get to Christmas day and think “Thank God that’s over for another
year?” It is almost impossible to spend Advent in a time of fasting and prayer, but we can make conscious
choices not to overindulge.
To prepare for Jesus’ second coming we should be using Advent as a time of spiritual spring cleaning.
What habits of faith have we let slip over the year? The first Sunday of Advent is the liturgical calendar’s
New Year’s Day so starting afresh makes some sense.
When we get to Christmas Day, try to come to it with the wonder of a child. Listen to the Christmas story
in the carols that we know by heart. Look deep into the manger scene at the Christ Child lying helplessly in
the hay. Empathise with your parish clergy trying desperately to say something new and interesting for
their umpteenth year.
Personally, when I look into the manger scene I can’t help but
hear Jesus words “Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the
kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.”
De Colores
Fr Mark Cooper