Ss Peter and Paul Parish, Lower Hutt, last month celebrated the preparation of eight catechumens for reception at Easter and the award of a papal medal and farewelled a parishioner moving into religious life.
‘Through our faith, hope and charity we are charged to turn hatred to love, conflict to peace, death to eternal life.’
The children dramatised the gospel of the man born blind and Archbishop John said it was a strange question that the Pharisees addressed to Jesus, ‘Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ Archbishop John said Jesus’ reply gives us the reason and purpose behind the miracles told in John’s Gospel: ‘neither the man nor his parents…but so that the works of God might be made visible through him’.
Jesus’ healing of the blind man, was not just so that he could see the world around but so that he could live by the ‘inner light’ of God’s love and see life with the eyes of faith.
Jesus leads the blind man through four stages of faith, ‘As you catechumens have been led from darkness to light:
• From not knowing
• To recognising Jesus as a prophet
• To becoming a disciple (one who learns)
• And finally saying I do believe.’
Archbishop John then presented a benemerenti medal to Allan Devlin acknowledging his ‘tireless work’ in the Hutt Valley, ‘in refugee and bereavement support groups, as a youth advocate, and as a Justice of the Peace.
‘Within the Catholic community, you have been active in the St Vincent de Paul society, on the board of Sacred Heart College, and in parish liturgical and ecumenical services. You have been “a faithful steward” of the many gifts of mind and hearts and energy that God has given you, at the service of the community. This award is a fitting way to honour and bless you.’
‘Your specific mission in the church, your way of living out your discipleship, like that of St Therese of the Child Jesus, will be to pray for the church and the world. Please remember the Archdiocese of Wellington in your prayer.’
Just as these people and events remind Catholics to reflect on the journey of discipleship, ‘Are we also reflecting on our continuing journey from darkness to light?
