[Sundaycommunity] Fwd: God?

[Paul McAuley]

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Paul McAuley <bursar at spiritans.com>
Date: Wed, Nov 25, 2020 at 3:25 PM
Subject: God?
To: CIC Sunday Community <sundaycommunity at lists.integralshift.ca>


November 25, 2020

Hi Sunday Community,

Hope everyone is doing well.

I see from my emails from some in the Sunday community a little debate on
relating to God. Well, I don’t want to throw fuel on the fire, but here is
my little two cents contribution.

When I think of God, by default, I think in male terms even though I know
intellectually God is neither male or female.
I recognize that I am a privileged, educated, economically stable, white,
male cleric - at the top of the food chain so to speak.
I don’t actually relate to “God” much - too vague, and the Trinity is a bit
much to grasp, but we try.

If I think of the term “God”, by default, I think of the Father. Lucky for
me, I had a lovely relationship with my own Dad, so the Father is not a big
stretch. However, I have heard from many people over the years who have had
either no father present in their lives or difficult or even abusive
relationships, that both God and Father are real barriers to faith. We
should be sensitive to this.

As a “Spiritan”, to tell you the truth, I don’t really relate to the Holy
Spirit (he or she) - a bit too nebulous.

Years ago, I was on a retreat and told my spiritual director I could not
relate to “God” or the “Holy Spirit” even though I believe but the terms
don’t speak to me. I relate to Jesus - Jesus of Nazareth and Jesus the
Christ. My spiritual director who was a lay woman was wonderful and told me
not to feel guilty or worried. Each person has to relate to the Divine as
she or he can. I never feel worried or guilty anymore.

Just as an aside, Pat Smiley brought up Mary. As a cradle Catholic, I
really enjoy and get fulfilled from some of our Church’s so called Marian
devotions. I have been fortunate to go on pilgrimages to various Marian
shrines around the world and have felt such peace, and almost mystical
connections with “God” through Mary. I think much of this has to do with
the community of faith at these shrines. People of incredible faith, that
puts my faith to shame,.... they inspire me. Also these are places of
profound peace and to a certain extent, equality...we are all in the same
boat.

Mary is the confused teenager who found out she is pregnant, asked
questions but had great faith. Mary is the powerful, outspoken young woman
who prophetically prayed the Magnificat, a topsy turvey prayer in keeping
with the Hebrew Scriptures of God overturning the mighty and lifting the
lowly. Mary is the middle aged woman who experiences the death of a child,
her son Jesus. There is much more I could say about Mary but suffice to
say, I often relate to God through her.

Saints too! I find inspiration in our Catholic tradition of saints. To tell
you the truth, often during daily Mass here at Shanahan House, when the
priest is giving the homily, I am not really listening much, but reading
the saint of the day at the back of the Living With Christ booklet, hahaha.

Anyway, nothing I wrote above is profoundly new or theological but just
some of my reflections.

See you all on Zoom this Sunday at 11:00 AM for the 1st Sunday of Advent,
our happy Church New Year.

Peace and Blessings,

Fr. Paul McAuley, CSSp
bursar at spiritans.com
or
ckedobw at gmail.com
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