June 2025: Thought for the Day
The Ascension of the Lord
1 June 2025 • World Communications Day
Ascension
No matter what suffering there is in the world and in our lives there is also beauty. We cannot explain why it is so, we can only accept that it is so. In accepting suffering, we are also free to accept and savour all the more, the beauty we see and experience in the world. Try praying for others: hold close to your heart in prayer all those who are suffering at this time; hold close to your heart in prayer all those who are sick; hold close to your heart in prayer all those who do not or cannot see beauty in their lives at this moment.
Brendan McManus SJ & Jim Deeds,
Finding God in the Mess Meditations for Mindful Living
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Pentecost Sunday
8 June 2025
Pentecost
We all experience the downward drag in life. Maybe we are suffering anxiety, depression or worry. Maybe we are experiencing sickness or money worries or relationship difficulties. That downward drag feels very forceful indeed, but there is a second force at work – a force deep within ourselves. It is a force for good. We believe it to be the presence of the Holy Spirit dwelling within all of us, every single one of us. Pray that today, no matter what might be dragging you down, you may also experience the power of God’s goodness in your life.
Brendan McManus SJ & Jim Deeds,
Finding God in the Mess Meditations for Mindful Living
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The Most Holy Trinity
15 June 2025 • Day for Life
Community of love
We seem to be moving more and more towards a contactless society where our own existence and our own needs are of primary importance and meeting these needs can be done without contact with another live human being. Not only that, but less contact with others means less insight into the needs of others as well, and in that situation others suffer and we are deprived of the experience of developing empathy and of helping our fellow human beings. Our drive towards a contactless society will deprive us of many things, not least the richness that comes from sometimes messy face-to-face contact with another human being.
Brendan McManus SJ & Jim Deeds,
Finding God in the Mess Meditations for Mindful Living
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The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi)
22 June 2025
The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
Our lives are often shrouded in mystery. Events happen (or don’t happen) and we feel confused, bemused, amazed or anxious. What does it all mean? Life itself is a mystery. And a glorious one at that.
Perhaps in the face of these mysteries we could simply-just for a wee while – rest in the mystery. Just let it be. Let life be what it is. Experience it for the highs and lows it brings. Don’t try to explain it. Don’t try to control it. Just ‘be’ in it. Acknowledge that we don’t know it all and that we can’t know it all. Resting here, I’ve a feeling we’ll meet with God.
Brendan McManus SJ & Jim Deeds,
Finding God in the Mess Meditations for Mindful Living
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SS Peter and Paul, Apostles
29 June 2025
SS Peter and Paul
Fingers cut off from the hand are dead. But united with the hand they share a common life. They become a sign of what our union with each other is like as Christians. We have a great vocation in our life of prayer! We pray for those who are dying today. We stretch out our hands to them by our prayers, offering them strength in their weakness. Like Saints Peter and Paul we want to go to heaven and bring as many people with us as we can. Individually our fingers are weak. But when I curl them together around your hand we form a strong bond that is wonderful to behold.
Fr Stephen Verbest
New Mellary Abbey