Earlier this morning at 4.15am many people got up early all over Ireland and beyond to support and walk the Darkness into Light charity event. The walk started in darkness but finished in the beautiful light of a new day. A huge well done to everyone who took part.
The event is a fundraiser for Pieta House which provides counseling to anyone struggling with suicide or for anyone impacted by suicide. They offer free services with the goal to ensure accessibility and help to anyone in need.
They’re not just a call centre or just another agency. They understand where someone is at and the severity of where they’re at, which is invaluable at that moment in time when someone is in crisis. The publicity that the event creates, does get the message out that there is help available. There is no doubt that this annual event does save lives. For that we are most grateful.
Spiritually there is a beautiful message too, that no matter how dark or difficult things may be, there is always light and hope. Jesus beautifully uses the image of light and talked about placing the light in a place where everyone can see it. We are reminded he is our light and hope even in the darkest of days. We pray for light, hope, love and blessings for anyone going through a difficult time right now.
Pieta House have a 24 hour helpline 1800 247247 or just Text HELP to 51444
This is my latest video called ‘Easter Buckets of Hope’
This video below is simply called ‘Easter made simple in my garden’
If you would like to see a selection of my other videos on YouTube you are welcome to have a look at some of them here: https://www.youtube.com/@JamesMcSweeneyFr/videos
Spiritual Thought For The Week
You can either be an optimist or a pessimist. We swing from one to the other and the weather has a big part to play. It’s easy to be an optimist during this beautiful sunny weather that we have had during the week and hopefully for the bank holiday weekend. If it was lashing rain we tend to be rather pessimistic.
Even though the death of Pope Francis has been very sad there has been a wave of optimism when we reflect on all the good and beautiful things he has achieved. On next Wednesday May 7th the Conclave gathers to pick a new Pope. We will know two to three days after who the new Pope will be. And whoever it is, hopefully it will be waves of optimism, as he guides the church to new beginnings.
One of our Easter stories is the miracle of the loaves and fish. It is a mix of optimism and pessimism. The disciple Andrew when he sees just the five barley loaves and two fish, his first response is ‘What is that between so many?’ He can’t see beyond the little that is before him. But Jesus of course can and there is plenty for everyone to eat.
We are reminded this Bank Holiday weekend, that it’s often in the small things in life, that we will find our greatest blessings. I am a big believer in celebrating the small moments and living them to the full. Our day is made of many small moments. On their own they seem so little. But when you add them all together they always add up to something really special.
But the world we live in today does not celebrate the small moment. Instead if it’s bigger it is seen as better. If the moment does not create excitement, it is seen as boring. The more you have the better you are. The faster you have it the better as well.
In the Easter story of the loaves and fish, we are reminded that twelve baskets of leftovers were collected. This is symbolic of many small blessings. The real treasure in life is celebrating and living to the full the simple and ordinary moments of our everyday lives. When you put all of yours together, it is very special indeed.
