Photo was taken last night at Green Glens, Millstreet, Co.Cork

The annual Pony & Young Riders Charity Show is taking place all this weekend in Millstreet. It brings together horses and riders from all over Ireland, with lots of money getting raised for charity as well. Well done everyone!

Thought on Sunday – October – 27/10/2013

The following reflection is by Triona Doherty

‘Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle’.
Depending on who you ask, this well-known quote is attributed to Plato, Philo, Ian Maclaren, or a variety of other thinkers. Another writer, Peter Pan author JM Barrie expressed a similar sentiment thus: ‘Always try to be a little kinder than is necessary’.

How easy it can be to judge. The Pharisee in the parable does not come across as a pleasant man, with his superiority complex and his judgemental attitude towards the tax collector. He knew nothing of the other man praying alongside him in the temple, of his joys or his struggles. Yet he was ready to dismiss him and others as ‘grasping, unjust, adulterous’. The tax collector, on the other hand, was humble enough to admit to his shortcomings, and to simply ask God for his mercy and help.

Like the Pharisee, our attitude towards others can leave room for improvement. We can be all too ready to judge others and to feel ourselves somehow superior to them, without knowing anything about their situation.

Today’s Psalm tells us that the Lord is close to the broken-hearted. We are all broken-hearted in our own way, and we all need God’s help. We all have our challenges and struggles. If we could remember this about each other, we would be a lot kinder to those we meet.