I recently celebrated a big event in my life, my 40th birthday, in Liverpool. As I reached this milestone I was prompted to give glory and thanks to God for the gifts He has bestowed on me throughout my life and to entrust my future plans to his providence.
It was a big blessing to celebrate my birthday with the Christ the King youth community and some guests, a group of young adults that I have lived with, in a former convent adjacent to the Metropolitan Cathedral, since last September.
I am most grateful to my parents and other family members who have passed on the gift of faith to me, and journeyed with me, supporting me unceasingly, throughout the ups and the downs, the joys and the challenges, of the past thirty-nine years.
I thank God for his mercy and love and for the peace which I have experienced by spending time in his presence. I give praise to my Maker for the gifts and talents He has given to me and for the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary who accompany me in my prayer.
The last few years living through a global pandemic has reminded me that life is truly precious, and this has challenged me to let go of my past struggles and focus rather on all that I can accomplish in the future if I reach out to serve others and strive to live out my God given vocation in the ministry of Chaplaincy.
In my prayer I am prompted to remember the many blessings that God has given me in the past ten years of my life in particular. I recall the great joy of celebrating my last milestone birthday with my dear friends from the Emmanuel School of Mission in Rome in 2011-12. That year gave me a desire to be missionary in my life and a great love for the Eternal City and the pilgrimage town of Saints Francis and Clare – Assisi in Umbria.
I am thankful for the gift of running too, and the special privilege of running the marathon in Rome three times, as well as five marathons in Dublin and one in Frankfurt. Not everything has gone well of course and naturally I have also experienced times of struggle, pain and loss. These times have tested my resolve and my faith, but it has truly been my resilience and steadfast belief in God that gave me the strength to rise above the challenges of my life and trust in the saving power of Jesus Christ and the triumph of the Cross.
Easter is the season of joy and hope for all who call themselves Christian. The light of the Risen Christ offers the sure and certain hope that darkness and death is not the end. Faith enables one to believe and trust in the promise of everlasting life and eternal peace in God’s heavenly kingdom.
