Photo was taken at Green Glens, Millstreet, Co.Cork (Irl)

An extremely fit rider is able to get up onto this pony at speed, during the Pony Mounted Games at Millstreet during the summer

Thought on Sunday – December – 11/12/2016

Thought For Today by Fr Iomar Daniels

There is much waiting time in prison. Waiting for sentence, for release, waiting with patience to discover one’s fate. This is where John the Baptist finds himself after confronting Herod. . John had prophesised revolutionary change but couldn’t see it in Jesus. Therefore, the question: ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’ Jesus knew his cousin had a depth of spirituality to sustain him and his response is simple but effective: ‘Go back and report to John what you hear and see.’

We’ve seen it too in others who were confined. St Paul, Nelson Mandela and Viktor Frankl never lost hope. They were not self-preoccupied in waiting but focused on their mission of establishing God’s kingdom, ending apartheid or not allowing evil to win the day. ‘He who has a why to live for can bear with almost any how’ (Nietzsche). Advent is our time for developing a spirituality that teaches patience; to wait with patience and hope despite the darkness of our time. In the depths of winter we learn to wait for the light. And the light will come just as the days begin to lengthen. We must wait.