A clump of bluebells in full colour at Ards Forest Park, Co.Donegal (Irl)

The bluebell is a woodland plant that completes its life cycle before the woodland or forest comes into full foliage. It is able to complete it’s annual life cycle in a few short weeks particularly during this month of April.

Thought on Friday – April – 20/04/2012

If you are lucky enough to find a way of life you love, you have to find the courage to live it.’ ~Author Unknown

Three friends were strolling home from school one sunny afternoon, when one of them said: “What will we do today?” “I know,” said the second, “Let’s spin a coin. If it comes up heads we’ll go swimming, and if it comes up tails, we’ll go running.” The third boy chirped in enthusiastically, “And if it stays up on its edge, we’ll go home and do our homework!!” If we’re honest there are a few things that we leave to luck and one of these might be spirituality and our relationship with God. Like a coin that rarely sees its edge, maybe this is where we see God too. We just turn to God when it suits us or when we are in desperate need of a favour.

Just as a coin needs both sides, so do we: God and life itself. Both are connected. One balances out the other. Even when it comes to viewpoints there needs to be balance. There are two sides to every story. Extremes of anything can never be healthy. Even within the Church, there are many viewpoints. The Vatican’s current attempt to silence liberal viewpoints has raised eyebrows. The story of Fr. Tony Flannery in Ireland is probably the most recent example. He and others have held the mirror up and called for honest reflection and honest challenge within the Church. But the call is to put such mirrors away and just get on with what you are doing. There is a loss here and a real sign of fear. Easter gives us the chance to look at both sides of the coin and to celebrate stability and diversity along with reflection and challenge. Hiding behind locked doors is not an Easter Church.