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Saint Ignatius College Geelong
Saint Ignatius College Geelong
Saint Ignatius College Geelong
As Term One draws to a close our senses are somewhat muted. Our daily lives are a blur of activity. The world around us it tumultuous – Ukraine, politics, floods, school work, Smith v Rock, family life – there is so much information we are numbed and overwhelmed with the weight of information we encounter each day. Although we enjoy each day, we notice that as the term nears an end they rush by in a blur and we begin to look forward to the holidays and a rest. So much noise surrounds us at this time we long for peace and the promise of a moments silence. These events in our family lives can illuminate for us the Easter Narrative.
The cacophony that surrounds us is a fitting allegory to the invasion of Ukraine. The people of Ukraine suffer under the terror and violence of war along with the ceaseless din of war. The endless tumult tears away the rational perception of the world; stripping away hope and happiness. The people of Ukraine withstand these pressures until the can no longer stand the terror and disorder of the bombing. Today some four million Ukrainians have fled their homeland and have become refugees in neighbouring countries. The number of internally displaced people is unknown but is thought to be approximately six and a half million people. Here in Australia we are appalled by the violence directed toward the people of Ukraine because of the Russian invasion.
Our lives may seem full of noise at times like these. The busyness of family life offers so many competing concerns that we can feel rudderless as priorities wash over us competing for our time and attention. Plans need to be made so families can enjoy time together. COVID still interrupts our lives in so many ways. Weekend sporting commitments are either entering finals or a new season is beginning, depending on the sport you play. In and amongst these things are relationships that so desperately need attention and love, that patiently wait whilst we rush through the end of another term.
With these observations in mind now is the perfect time to prepare for Easter. All of the tension that we perceive is a perfect vehicle for us to experience Holy Week in a new and profound way.
On Palm Sunday we join the crowd who cheer Jesus’ entry in to the Holy City. What a clamour; thousands upon thousands shouting Hosanna! When Jesus gathered with his friends at the Last Supper there was so much noise – singing, shouting, storytelling – encountering others and offering love creates an uproar. On Good Friday we move through Jerusalem with Jesus. We witness the agony, the screaming, the insults, the terror and the vile nature of humanity. We hear Jesus cry out to the Lord and offer up his spirit. The earth shakes and the veil in the temple is ripped in half. Then the awful guttural wailing begins. So much noise.
We then enter the silence. On Easter Saturday “there is a great silence over the earth, a great silence, and stillness, a great silence because the King sleeps; the earth was in terror and was still, because God slept in the flesh and raised up those who were sleeping from the ages”. In the silence we rest. It is in the silence where transformation occurs. In the silence we are able to encounter God. On Easter Sunday the stone has been rolled away and the tomb is empty – silence. Jesus meets the disciples on the Road to Emmaus, they don’t hear him coming. He meets the disciples in the upper room, he appears silently. At Easter we celebrate the silence. We a renewed by the pause. In that moment we find peace. In the silence we experience the world anew.
As our term ends prepare yourself for the silence. The day will be what it will be. A time of rest is coming. New life is near.
We pray for peace. We pray that the people of Ukraine will soon encounter the silence and live in peace. We pray that one day soon their concerns are about ‘normal’ things; the things that now, for us, create such a cacophony.
Yours in Christ,
Brendan Nicholls
Liturgy Coordinator
The Silence
Deep silence
Feature
Events
Our News // 01 April 2022
As Term One draws to a close our senses are somewhat muted. Our daily lives are a blur of activity. The world around us it tumultuous – Ukraine, politics, floods, school work, Smith v Rock, family life – there is so much information we are numbed and overwhelmed with the weight of information we encounter each day. Although we enjoy each day, we notice that as the term nears an end they rush by in a blur and we begin to look forward to the holidays and a rest. So much noise surrounds us at this time we long for peace and the promise of a moments silence. These events in our family lives can illuminate for us the Easter Narrative.
The cacophony that surrounds us is a fitting allegory to the invasion of Ukraine. The people of Ukraine suffer under the terror and violence of war along with the ceaseless din of war. The endless tumult tears away the rational perception of the world; stripping away hope and happiness. The people of Ukraine withstand these pressures until the can no longer stand the terror and disorder of the bombing. Today some four million Ukrainians have fled their homeland and have become refugees in neighbouring countries. The number of internally displaced people is unknown but is thought to be approximately six and a half million people. Here in Australia we are appalled by the violence directed toward the people of Ukraine because of the Russian invasion.
Our lives may seem full of noise at times like these. The busyness of family life offers so many competing concerns that we can feel rudderless as priorities wash over us competing for our time and attention. Plans need to be made so families can enjoy time together. COVID still interrupts our lives in so many ways. Weekend sporting commitments are either entering finals or a new season is beginning, depending on the sport you play. In and amongst these things are relationships that so desperately need attention and love, that patiently wait whilst we rush through the end of another term.
With these observations in mind now is the perfect time to prepare for Easter. All of the tension that we perceive is a perfect vehicle for us to experience Holy Week in a new and profound way.
On Palm Sunday we join the crowd who cheer Jesus’ entry in to the Holy City. What a clamour; thousands upon thousands shouting Hosanna! When Jesus gathered with his friends at the Last Supper there was so much noise – singing, shouting, storytelling – encountering others and offering love creates an uproar. On Good Friday we move through Jerusalem with Jesus. We witness the agony, the screaming, the insults, the terror and the vile nature of humanity. We hear Jesus cry out to the Lord and offer up his spirit. The earth shakes and the veil in the temple is ripped in half. Then the awful guttural wailing begins. So much noise.
We then enter the silence. On Easter Saturday “there is a great silence over the earth, a great silence, and stillness, a great silence because the King sleeps; the earth was in terror and was still, because God slept in the flesh and raised up those who were sleeping from the ages”. In the silence we rest. It is in the silence where transformation occurs. In the silence we are able to encounter God. On Easter Sunday the stone has been rolled away and the tomb is empty – silence. Jesus meets the disciples on the Road to Emmaus, they don’t hear him coming. He meets the disciples in the upper room, he appears silently. At Easter we celebrate the silence. We a renewed by the pause. In that moment we find peace. In the silence we experience the world anew.
As our term ends prepare yourself for the silence. The day will be what it will be. A time of rest is coming. New life is near.
We pray for peace. We pray that the people of Ukraine will soon encounter the silence and live in peace. We pray that one day soon their concerns are about ‘normal’ things; the things that now, for us, create such a cacophony.
Yours in Christ,
Brendan Nicholls
Liturgy Coordinator
The Silence
Deep silence
