I once
taught a girl who told me about her first, terrifying, day at school. She was
in the playground, huddled against the wall, trying to get used to the noise of
the hordes of children rushing about everywhere and screaming with delight at
the freedom of the playground, when a little boy came up to her. "How old
are you?" he asked her. "Five," she answered, thinking she had
made a friend among all these unfamiliar children. "Then you watch it, I'm
six!" the young gallant answered sternly before whizzing off to join his
pals in the Second Class Infants.
That's power!
We start young, don't we? In fact, long before we reach the age of six. Have
you ever seen a baby having a rattle taken from him (or her)? If it's another
baby who wants it, watch out for the squalls, the red faces, the screaming!
That's the exercise of power!
In my
misspent youth, I was the proud owner of a brand new bicycle, complete with
gears, a bell with a beautiful ringing tone, and all the latest accoutrements.
We hadn't heard of mountain bikes at that time, but I was satisfied with what I
had. I was the only one of my friends who owned such a machine - and did I make
the most of it! It occurred to me that I had a business opportunity right under
my nose - rides for a penny each or some such daring entrepreneurism! But of
course, it didn't work - my parents found out! But I remember the feeling of
power it gave me - heady stuff! Power is seductive isn't it? It goes to the
head and makes us feel giddy - even a little bit of it.
We live in
a world that puts power at the top of the agenda. There is always someone who
is jostling for your position, trying to pull one over on you by fair means or
foul, so that he (or she) can put you down. We see it in schools - the bullying
that goes on is widespread, and can have very serious consequences in later
life. I was bullied at school, now I come to think of it, and it made me very
miserable for a long time. "You are so stupid, you even look stupid!"
I used to hear that every day. I got into the habit of looking in the mirror to
see why I looked stupid! All I could see was a woebegone face and two long
plaits. I longed to have my long hair cut, so that I would look clever. I
blamed the plaits. But, even after I had them cut off I still looked stupid. So
my tormentor told me. What a waste of money having the hair trimmed! The woes
of youth!!
We might
laugh at that sort of thing now - after all, what does it matter if you look
stupid! But that's a grown-up way of looking at it, the hurt goes deep when you
are young and not very confident. It is a very common experience - no doubt
most of you reading this can look back on similar trials at school or even much
later. We need to teach young people how to use power wisely. That is where the
teaching of the Church, if understood properly, comes in.
Christianity
is based on humility, on sensitivity to the other's point of view, on love.
Jesus built up the confidence of those with whom he came in contact. He made
the blustering know-it-all Simon of Bethsaida into the gentle, wise leader of
post-Resurrection times - he encouraged the shy and reclusive Nathaniel to go
to the ends of the earth with the Gospel message - he even accepted Judas as a
member of the apostolic group and treated him as a friend. His dealings with
women, particularly, were ground-breaking. Mary of Magdala, the reputed sinner,
becomes the one who draws all of us into the love and forgiveness of Christ.
Our Founder, Mother Magdalen wrote a lovely hymn to her. The last verse has
always entranced me. In it she says:"There are thousands in all ages come to Christ because of you."
It was
Jesus who encouraged her to understand the true meaning of love and
forgiveness, and now we too, come to him because of what she teaches us.
He made
the Samaritan woman an apostle just by talking to her at the well in a
non-judgemental way. He gave us his mother, and we have never looked back. She
was one of the anawhim, the little ones who put their trust in God and did not
seek power for themselves.
The power
we have now is the power of the Holy Spirit. It is the power of love. Pope
Francis is teaching us that nowadays. He said:
"Only when the thirst for power is replaced by love, will true transformation take place."
Our world
will never be changed by power-hungry people, or by those who seek to overthrow
restrictive regimes by force. The only real transformation is brought about by
love. The Pope of the poor knows that. We need to learn it too.
So we
pray:
Glory to him, whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine.
Glory to him from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus, for ever and ever. Amen.
Enjoy the
rest of July. We'll be in touch next month.
