Photo was taken near Kilcorney, Co.Cork (Irl)

The blade of a huge windmill points straight at the moon way off in the distance.

Thought on Sunday – May – 18/07/2010

The following reflection is by Fr.Tom Cahill

Laptops are turning lecture halls into private cinemas and even online casinos. Once considered valuable aides to learning, they%u2019re no longer the apple of a teacher%u2019s eye. An increasing number of lecturers just don%u2019t want them in the classroom anymore. The reason? Students use them less for learning and more for entertaining. Themselves, that is. Not only are those who use them distracted, but so too are those nearby them. Not surprising when laptop use in class becomes networking in Facebook, watching movies, waging World War III virtually and playing poker actually, online. Instead of focusing on teacher talking, students focus on their laptop calling. So, the teacher strikes back, banning them from the classroom. This is a clear example of how something good: the amazing laptop, can get in the way of something better: the desired education.

Today%u2019s Gospel reading (Luke 10:38-42) gives another example of the same thing. Jesus visits Martha and Mary. The good here %u2013 Martha%u2019s attention to guests %u2013 gets in the way of something better: her attention to God%u2019s word. Mary, on the other hand, just sits absorbed by what Jesus is saying. She%u2019s free of clutter in her life and so can focus on what%u2019s important. Activity is fine, but it shouldn%u2019t push contemplation from our lives.
A Buddhist monk once told Thomas Merton, a famous American Trappist, that you can%u2019t contemplate properly until you can close doors quietly. Closing doors quietly on clutter %u2013 mental, emotional, and social %u2013 is what today%u2019s Gospel is about. You may lap that up, but you won%u2019t top it!