Outreach Day
Editorial selected by Fr. Stuart Chipolina
Did you know
all this about
Pentecost? Like, why does the date change?
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entecost always occurs 50 days after the death and resurrection of Jesus, and ten days after his ascension into heaven. Because Easter is a moveable feast without a fixed date, and Pentecost depends on the timing of Easter, Pentecost can fall anywhere between May 10 and June 13. The timing of these feasts is also where Catholics get the concept of the Novena - nine days of prayer - because in Acts 1, Mary and the Apostles prayed together “continuously” for nine days after the Ascension leading up to Pentecost.
Traditionally, the Church prays the Novena to the Holy Spirit in the days before Pentecost. The name of the day itself is derived from the Greek word pentecoste, meaning 50th. The reason Pentecost falls 50 days after Easter comes from a parallel Jewish holiday, Shavu’ot, which falls 50 days after Passover. Shavu’ot is sometimes called the festival of weeks, referring to the seven weeks since Passover. Originally a harvest feast, Shavu’ot now commemorates the sealing of the Old Covenant on Mount Sinai, when the Lord revealed the Torah to Moses on Mount Sinai. Every year, the Jewish people renew their acceptance of the gift of the Torah on this feast.
allowing them to speak in different languages so that they could understand each other. It was such a strange phenomenon that some people thought the Christians were just drunk - but Peter pointed out that it was only the morning, and that the phenomenon was caused by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit also gave the apostles the other gifts and fruits necessary to fulfil the great commission - to go out and preach the Gospel to all nations. It fulfils the New Testament promise from Christ (Luke 24:46-49) that the Apostles would be “clothed with power” before they would be sent out to spread the Gospel.
Where’s that in What happens at the bible? The main event of Pentecost Pentecost? (the strong driving wind and
In the Christian tradition, Pentecost is the celebration of the person of the Holy Spirit coming upon the Apostles, Mary, and the first followers of Jesus, who were gathered together in the Upper Room. A “strong, driving” wind filled the room where they were gathered, and tongues of fire came to rest on their heads,
tongues of fire) takes place in Acts 2:13, though the events immediately following (Peter’s homily, the baptism of thousands) continue through verse 41.
Happy Birthday, Church!
It was right after Pentecost
Upon this Rock magazine is published monthly by EuropeAxess Media, Gibraltar. Editor: Fr. S. Chipolina: editor@uponthisrock.gi. Production Editor: A. Sargent: angela@europeaxess.com. Upon this Rock magazine is entirely supported by advertising and donations. It is run in liaison with the Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar by EuropeAxess Media Ltd. as a not-for-profit project. For Advertisers: This magazine is handdelivered to homes, churches, hospitals and many businesses around Gibraltar every month. To discuss your advertising requirements, or promote your church group or charity, call Tel: +350 200 79335 email: angela@europeaxess.com. Editorial is selected by EuropeAxess Media in liaison with the Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar. Neither of these parties is responsible for the accuracy of the information contained herein, nor do the views and opinions expressed herein necessarily reflect the views and opinions of either party. Advertisers are not endorsed by virtue of advertising in this magazine. EuropeAxess Media Ltd. reserves the right to refuse space to any submissions or advertisements. Efforts have been made to establish copyright owners of images, but if we have used your material, and have not credited you, please contact us to discuss restoration. The magazine is online at uponthisrock.gi. Cover: Gibraltar’s Diocesan 2020 Mission Team on Outreach Day. Photo © A.Sargent
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Holy Father visits Marian Shrine prior to Pentecost Pilgrimage P
that Peter, inspired by the Holy Spirit, preached his first homily to Jews and other nonbelievers, in which he opened the scriptures of the Old Testament, showing how the prophet Joel prophesied events and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. He also tells the people that the Jesus they crucified is the Lord and was raised from the dead, which “cuts them to the heart.” When they asked what they should do, Peter exhorts
them to repent of their sins and to be baptised. According to the account in Acts, about 3,000 people were baptised following Peter’s sermon. For this reason, Pentecost is considered the birthday of the Church - Peter, the first Pope, preaches for the first time and converts thousands of new believers. The apostles and believers, for the first time, were united by a common language, and a common zeal and purpose to go and preach
the Gospel.God Bless, Fr. Stuart Chipolina.
Thanks to the Catholic News Agency for the teaching on Pentecost, read the original article in full here tinyurl.com/ UTR-pentecost Thanks to © 2019 Crux Catholic Media Inc. for the information about how the Holy Father will spend this Pentecost Full article tinyurl.com/UTRpope-pentecost Photo: Sumuleu Ciuc, 2018 credit: Dezso Laszlo/ CNS. Main image wikimedia.org/ wikipedia/commons/e/ef/St_Peters_ Holy_Spirit_window_01.jpg
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ope Francis was scheduled to fly to Sumuleu Ciuc, while in Romania, in the days before Pentecost. It is the site of the a major Marian shrine in a Franciscan church, an important place of pilgrimage for Hungarian Catholics. Fr. Zoltan Olah, press officer for the Holy Father’s visit, has made the pilgrimage eight times, travelling more than 140 miles each time with students by bicycle to get there. “People come by train, bus, bike, motorcycle,” he told Catholic News Service, explaining how thousands of people process with banners showing images of local patron saints and Mary. The pilgrimage is “mostly a Hungarian event,” which serves as “a symbol for the Hungarian presence in Transylvania and, somehow, a Catholic and Hungarian symbol of resistance,” Olah said. Devotion to Mary has surged since communism fell in 1989, with an annual Pentecost Saturday pilgrimage attracting hundreds of thousands from Transylvania and beyond, including Hungary, Slovakia and Ukraine. Since the 15th century, the Franciscan order has served as the site’s guardian. Over the past 30 years, the Pentecost pilgrimage has evolved into an event with religious and Hungarian national significance. Hungarian President Janos Ader, a Catholic, is expected to attend the liturgy Francis will celebrate.
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Forthcoming events in Gibraltar
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oin us at The Shrine of Our Lady of Europe to take part in the Tenth Annual Global Rosary Relay.
Each of the 170 participating locations in 68 countries prays one mystery of the Rosary at an allocated half hour on 28th June in thanksgiving to God for our priests and to implore the protection and loving care of Our Lady, Mother of all priests, for all her priestly sons. By midnight the entire world will have been encircled in prayer. Pope Benedict XVI wrote the following prayer especially for this day. LORD JESUS CHRIST, eternal High Priest, you offered yourself to the Father on the altar of the Cross and through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit
gave your priestly people a share in your redeeming sacrifice. Hear our prayer for the sanctification of our priests. Grant that all who are ordained to the ministerial priesthood may be ever more conformed to you, the divine Master. May they preach the Gospel with pure heart and clear conscience. Let them be shepherds according to your own Heart, single-minded in service to you and to the Church and shining examples of a holy, simple and joyful life. Through the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary, your Mother and ours, draw all priests and the flocks entrusted to their care to the fullness of eternal life where you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. AMEN
Rosary Around The Rock October 7th 2019 a date for your diary!
Monday 7th October is The Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, formerly known as Our Lady of Victory and Feast of the Holy Rosary. This feast
day marks the anniversary of the decisive victory of the combined fleet of the Holy League of 1571 over the Ottoman navy at the Battle of Lepanto.
Diocesan Novena to the
Holy Spirit FRIDAY 31st May
to Saturday 8th June at
7.15pm at the Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned. Preached by Padre Pepe Marquez C.F.M. The Novena will conclude with
Pentecost Sunday Mass 9th June at 10.30am with His Lordship, Bishop Carmel Zammit presiding
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Charity Launches Urgent appeal
REACHING OUT TO SRI LANKA
An urgent ‘We need your prayers that peace and harmony may be restored to our country’ – Bishop appeal for Sri Lanka ishops and other Church leaders ACN spoke by telwas launched contacted by Aid to the ephone to Bishop Church in Need have asked Wa r n a k u l a s u r i y a for “prayers that peace and Devsritha Valence on Tuesday, harmony may be restored” Mendis of Chilaw, following the Easter Sunday who called the 23rd April atrocities. attacks “a crime Daesh (ISIS) militant against humanity. Islamists claimed responsibility “Our Easter joy by Aid to for the attacks, which targeted was taken away three luxury hotels and three from us,” he said, the Church churches in coordinated blasts adding that Easter that went off during Easter Sunday “became a services. day of mourning”. in Need in At a time of shock and In an appeal mourning, ACN responded by to ACN, Bishop the wake of pledging support for a country Mendis added: “We where the charity is committed need your prayers Describing “the brutal attack, the Easter to helping with church buildings, that peace and harmony may be these acts of absolute violence Mass stipends for priests, restored to our country. that we cannot understand,” the Children’s Bibles and other “As an act of solidarity, we bishop said the bombings were Sunday Christian literature, training of must pray for all Christians who “totally unexpected” and that seminarians and help for Sisters. are suffering because of their there were good relations among attacks. Just hours after the attacks, faith.” the different faiths.
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…with contributions from John Pontifex and Joop Koopman, Citra Abbott and John Newton The bombings on Easter Sunday began in the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, at about 8.45am with an explosion at St. Anthony’s, the country’s national Catholic shrine.
About 45 minutes later, in Negomba, about 20 miles away, another Catholic church, St. Sebastian’s was targeted and later the same morning a bomb exploded at the Protestant Zion
Church in Batticaloa, on Sri Lanka’s east coast. There were also explosions at three top-end hotels in Colombo, popular with Westerners.
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The first four months of 2019 saw deadly attacks and the mass slaughter of Christians in:
“We are far away from peace”
Sri Lankan priest who lost close friends during the Easter Sunday bomb attacks has spoken out about the impact of the terrorist atrocities. Fr. Malaka Leonard, a Franciscan priest who lost friends in the bombing of St. Sebastian’s Catholic Church, Katuwapitiya, said: “We Sri Lankans suffered enough from 30 years of war against terrorists. “We thought that Sri Lanka was becoming a peaceful environment. But with these blasts, all our hope has gone. We are far away from peace.” More than 250 people, including 47 children, were killed and more than 500 people injured in the devastating bomb attacks targeting churches and hotels across Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday. Fr. Leonard said: “A considerable number of children have become victims of the blasts. Children are innocent. “They are unable to understand what is happening. Most of the children are in fear. Schools are closed for a few days.”But, Fr. Leonard stressed that the response of the Church will always be one of peace and reconciliation. He said: “There is no road to peace, peace is the road. The way of peace is the path of love. Let us take every possible step to avoid violence and live peacefully.” Dr. Thomas Heine-Geldern, executive president of Aid to the Church in Need (International) said: “The atrocities in Sri Lanka mark the bloody climax of a trend that has endured for some years now – the persecution of Christians knows no bounds. “It knows no let-up, especially on the holiest days of the Christian calendar. It knows no mercy on innocent people, who are often made scapegoats for global developments.” He added: “2019 is already one of the bloodiest years for Christians.”
Central African Republic, where attacks by Islamist Séléka militia on a Catholic mission station in Bangassou in January killed dozens of people and caused around 20,000 people to flee the violence. Southern Philippines, where again in January the Islamist attack on the cathedral of Jolo killed 20 people and injured around 90. Kaduna State, Nigeria, where attacks by Islamist Fulani extremists on Christian villagers in mid-March that left more than 130 dead. Tamil Nadu State, India, where religious sisters from a local Catholic school were hunted down by a 200-strong mob of extremist Hindu nationalists at the end of March. ACN’s 2018 Religious Freedom in the World report showed evidence of the targeted persecution of Christians by extremist groups. But, despite the overwhelming evidence, these increasing attacks on Christians throughout the world remain largely ignored. Dr. Heine-Geldern said: “To say that Daesh (ISIS) has been beaten militarily and therefore no longer exists is a fallacy – the ideology lives on, as do its supporters… “Extremist Islamism, excessive nationalism and authoritarian ideologies are still the main drivers of persecution against Christians and other religious minorities. People are becoming more and more frightened.” He added: “It is the duty
of governments and the UN to bring about peace, to guarantee freedom of religion and to repel anti-religious attacks,” while the role of the Church is to “stand by persecuted Christians, to give them a voice and a face.” Dr. Heine-Geldern concluded: “ACN has been campaigning for this for more
than 70 years. In view of the growing violence against Christians, it is a cause worthy of every support and every effort.” Aid to the Church in Need is a Pontifical Foundation directly under the Holy See.
As a Catholic charity, ACN supports the faithful wherever they are persecuted, oppressed or in need through information, prayer, and action.
Photo opposite page: Bishop Warnakulasuriya Devsritha Valence Mendis of Chilaw, Sri Lanka © Aid to the Church in Need Photo below: Funeral service for victims of the Easter Sunday bombing at St. Sebastian’s Church in Katuwapitiya, Negombo, Sri Lanka on 23rd April 2019. Image © Roshan Pradeep & T Sunil.
The world is largely silent in the face of Christian persecution. The scale of the problem is so great, silence is no longer acceptable. Persecuted Christians need YOU - and all of us! Together our prayers and actions can make a difference. You can PLEDGE YOUR SOLIDARITY by: • Praying ACN’s Prayer found in leaflets in your local Church, or your own prayers for Persecuted Christians in danger. • Sharing this article and Christian Persecution facts with others so that all understand the need. ACN projects in Sri Lanka include support for church buildings, Mass stipends for priests, providing Christian education, training of seminarians and help for Sisters.
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Donation Details:
Bishop Carmel Zammit Lenten Appeal for‘Aid to the Church in Need’, Gibraltar International Bank, Account Name: ‘Trustees RCC/CAN’ Account Number: 00812022, Sort Code: 60-83-14.
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Diocesan Mission Outreach Day
Following the Bishop Carmel’s commissioning of the 2020 Mission team earlier this year, an Outreach Day was held outside the Cathedral last month as part of a full programme of events.
With Live Music, dancing and participative attractions such as Face Painting and a Big Blackboard, Outreach Day was a great success.
Catholic Christian Literature Children’s Books & DVDs
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Passers by and participants were invited to post a short message on a huge blackboard in response to the question ‘How will you change the world?’ This proved very popular.
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Bioethics
In defence of unborn On the 16th May, Gibraltar Pro-Life Movement held a Public Meeting to present ‘A Response to the Gibraltar Government’s Proposed Abortion Law Change.’
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arenza Morillo opened the meeting and mentioned that some members of the group had recently returned from the UK where they had taken part in the ‘March for Life’.
Karenza then introduced Professor of Bioethics, Dr. Bernard Farrell-Roberts MA STL PhD who presented the document ‘A Response to the Gibraltar Government’s Proposed Abortion Law Change.’ in which he enumerated many concerns about the Government’s proposed law change which he
set out under 12 headings
1. Proposed Justification for the change to the Law.
It is ironic indeed that the justification for making this legal change is given as the similarity between the legislation in Gibraltar and the law in Northern Ireland that has been judged to be “disproportionate and incompatible with Article 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights”. Yet the reality
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is that it is this very European Convention that deprives unborn children of the most fundamental of all Human Rights, that of life itself. When dealing with human life, specifically in this case the taking of the life of yet to be born human beings, no Government should ever use the actions of others to justify their own ones, especially by something as tenuous as a perceived similarity with a law in another country. The Government is duty bound to seek the common good of their electorate by considering what is good and best for the people of Gibraltar, regardless of the standards that others are attempting to impose upon us.
2. Gibraltar: An opportunity to lead, and not to be led.
The Government of Gibraltar has the opportunity right now to be a light for others to follow, a light representing the Truth of human life, to join a fast growing highly significant international lobby who cannot understand how human beings can kill their offspring, kill those who are entitled to exactly the same human rights as those who are killing them, the children who are human beings from the moment of their conception. They can join others such as the Alabama Governor, Kay Ivey, who this week signed the state’s near-total abortion ban. This legislation (House Bill 314, “Human Life Protection Act”), bans all abortions in the state except when “abortion is necessary in order to prevent a serious health risk” to the
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woman. It criminalizes the procedure, reclassifying abortion as a Class A felony, punishable by 10 to 99 years in prison for doctors. However, attempted abortions by the mother will be reclassified as a Class C penalty, the lowest level. The legislation makes no exceptions for victims or rape or incest. Last week, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed into law his state’s so-called “foetal heartbeat” bill, a measure that will prohibit abortions after a heartbeat is detected in an embryo, which is typically five to six weeks into a pregnancy, and before most women know that they’re pregnant. Georgia was the sixth to pass such a law, and the fourth this year alone. The Government of Gibraltar has the opportunity to join these states and show others that they are an auto-determining Government that thinks for itself and seeks to follow the truest and highest standards of Human Rights, rather than adopt the moral standards that others wish to impose upon them.
3. The Importance of Ethics
Abortion for a long time now has been ethically problematic and is regarded by many as unjust because it destroys the unborn human infant. That this is the key issue in relation to
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the ethics of abortion is known by any GCSE level school child. It is not an obscure point. The issue continues to engage the philosophy and theology journals and to be the subject of extended discussion in scholarly monographs (for example Jones (2004)1, Coope (2006)2).
It is utterly inexplicable that such a profound change to Gibraltarian life and standards should be contemplated at this moment in time, when a serious discussion on the ethics of abortion, and the implications of introducing the same on those who work in the health service, still has to take place. Such a profound change to long-held moral standards
children
will have a significant and detrimental effect on those charged with patient care, those responsible for the full and intelligible disclosure of medical implications and procedures, and all those whom such a change in the law will affect. Such a change must be absorbed and understood by the community, and the only way to achieve this is for full disclosure of all the facts regarding abortions to be made available to the people of Gibraltar. For example, one such fact is the proven effect that such a change will bring about on the medical profession. Until now all medical practitioners in Gibraltar have been involved in safeguarding, protecting, and saving human lives. If this legislation were to be passed, suddenly we would have the first medical practitioners in Gibraltar whose
professional activities and duties include the destruction of human life. The impact of such a fundamental change to these duties, and the impact of the same on the practitioners themselves, their families, and the wider community, needs to be fully researched, digested,
and disclosed, prior to forcing it upon the practitioners, the medical professionals, and the administrators concerned.
mother of another human life are acknowledged, accepted, and enforced. In light of this, political and academic debate regarding the ethics of abortion are necessary in order to evaluate the probable implications of the invocation of conscientious objection in this context. It is important to understand the probable impact, based upon documented fact and recorded experience, on those who choose to invoke this option, and also understand the probable incidence of the same. It is also essential that the ethics of deliberate feticide is evaluated and understood. No law should be passed imposing such a fundamental change to the morality and medical practice of Gibraltar without a clear understanding not only of the ethics involved, but also of the impact such a change will have on our community. Dr. B. Farrell-Roberts
It is essential that the duties that arise as a result of the presence in the pregnant
Space only allows a few points to be reprinted here but the full, footnoted document can be found online at tinyurl.com/ UTR-bioethics
4. Duties relating to the Unborn Child
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Winds of Change Did it all begin in the Garden of Eden?
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dam and Eve, the only two people on earth at that time, living in the garden to care for and nurture the land with one exhortation; “do not eat the fruit from the tree of good and evil” or they would have to leave the garden. Into this idyll slithered the sly
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serpent and tempted Eve, who ate of the fruit and offered some to Adam. Now, the way I see it, they both had a choice to make here, Adam knew the score, but he took the apple and ate it. The rest is history. If that sounds facetious it is not meant to be, rather see it as a lament for all that has been lost to us.
The only two people in the world could not stand in unity against the temptation of the serpent and man has laboured in disunity ever since. So, man was scattered but not living in harmony with the earth or each other. Before the flood; “man’s wickedness was great” (Genesis 6;5) and the earth had become ruined and “filled with violence and sexual immorality”. We are not concerned with the tale of Noah and the Ark here but rather after the flood. Noah’s
descendants were one united people and spoke one language. They banded together to build a tower with “its top in the heavens” in order to be their own gods. Now this was pride and even though they united to achieve a common goal it was an error of judgement on their part. God was not impressed with this blasphemy; “let us go down and confuse their languages so they will not understand each other”. (Genesis 11 6-7). and they were scattered over the face of the
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Words by Anne Mesilio
attack. I feel this unity is short lived because violence is so self defeating. Bombing places of worship will not eradicate the hate which festers and leads to more appalling acts. Yes, acts of brutal violence will generate a world wide call for unity against such barbaric aggression.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
“We cannot afford to regard as normal the presence of injustice, inhumanity, and violence, including their verbal and cyber manifestations” No, we cannot. To do so would rob us of our own humanity, the humanity that is our common denominator and has the potential to bring balance and meaning to our human existence. Unity is a strength when we work together and collaborate for the greater good. With one accord, all together unity is teamwork. You may have seen a poster which graces many workplaces; There is no I in teamwork! Growing up I would often hear this when as children we
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squabbled. “Little birds in their nests agree, why, oh why can’t we”. Now as a grown up I cannot agree with this at all! They do not agree, watch them squabble, push each other aside in order to get food, peck and harass the weaker ones, want to be the first to fledge with an “I’m all right Jack” attitude as they leave the others behind! But that’s for the birds and as humans we should know better. Sunday 9th June is Pentecost Sunday. “Suddenly, a sound like a violent rushing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they (the disciples) were staying … and they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages”. This was God through the Holy Spirit enabling them to spread the Word in diverse tongues. Winds of change blew furiously that day as St. Peter proclaimed the Gospel in the first ever Christian sermon which laid the foundations of the church. Was this God recognising the need in our own capacity to hear and
understand the mighty works of God and for the Word to be understood across a world where diversity flourished? Since then the population has reached seven billion in a world compressed into a global village by technology and internet connections, where no person is an island, or needs to be, and yet unity and disunity continue to thrive. Just take the motto of the USA; “E pluribus unam”, out of many, one. Then consider the motto of the European Union: “In varietata concordia”, united in diversity. An oxymoron? Surely our humanity should unite us? If we cannot now end our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity, for in diversity there can be both unity and strength and so often that road leads to the same place.
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earth. Suddenly, we had divergence and disunity. The many wars, human trafficking, and exploiting the poor are testimony to our inability to work together, and sadly, in our mistreatment of the one and only planet that is our home. We must bequeath this earth to the generations to come. If unity was ever needed it is now and we need to heed the serious and alarming UN warning of 12 years, the short time we have to save the planet. The Easter Sunday bombings of churches killing hundreds and maiming many more in Sri Lanka (teardrop of India) was an odious and repellent crime against humanity. Behind the scenes in the lead up to this loathsome deed were those who thought about it, planned it and worst of all carried it out. This beggars belief that people could be united in such a repulsive way against fellow man. Yes, we stood in the unity of horror, anger, condemnation as well as heart rending sorrow for the innocents of this heinous
“Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind”. St. Peter 1:3-8
The Christian Mission Trust provides local Christians with donations for evangelistic initiatives and outreaches. The Trust is ecumenical and has provided money to many groups, individuals and churches during the last 12 years. It is run by a Board of Trustees.
We invite applications for funding from anyone who wishes to launch an evangelistic initiative or who needs support for an existing Christian missionary activity.
Please write to: The Chairman, Christian Mission Trust, 4 South Pavilion Road, Gibraltar.
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SAMUEL
The continuing serialisation of a story by Manolo Galliano.
- God’s Special Gift
This is the story of Samuel, a child with a mental disability and his encounter with Jesus, who became his very special friend. Continuing from Issue 215
Chapter 5
continued...
Aaron, the fisherman who took Samuel, his sister Rachel and Mary Magdalene to Bethsaida Julias, helps Samuel who is upset that he is so far away from where Jesus is preaching on the hillside... Just then, an idea came to him, so turning to Rachel, who was
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trying unsuccessfully to calm her brother, he said, “Would you like me to take the young lad for a short walk? That way you ladies can have a chance to rest and it will keep him quiet and occupied in the meantime”. Rachel smiled at him and replied, “Yes, why not. I know Samuel will be alright with you and, in any case, I am certain that you are probably as curious as he is to find out with your own eyes what is happening over there!” With a cry of joy, Samuel
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clutched Aaron’s strong hand and pulled him in the direction of the waiting crowds, but not before grabbing the basket of food. “I’m taking this with me, just in case I get hungry!” he told his sister. Rachel burst out laughing, “Well, you’d better take care that people don’t find out what you are carrying inside the basket, otherwise you’ll have to feed them all”. She watched them as they made their way carefully down the slope and then, turning to Mary Magdalene said, “Have you noticed how much our friend the fisherman has changed in the very short time he has been with us?” “Yes,” replied Mary, “He certainly seems to have lost his gruff manner and his bad temper and to have made great friends with Samuel who has undoubtedly unlocked his heart. That reminds me,” she continued, “the other day, I was with a small group of people sitting with the Master, just talking with him, when one of his disciples asked him who was the greatest in the Kingdom of
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Heaven. Jesus then stood up, took a child who was there with his parents and, putting his arms around him made him stand in front of us and said, “I assure you, that whoever welcomes this child in my name, welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me, also welcomes the One who sent me. For he who is least among you is the greatest.” Whilst the women were carrying on this conversation under the sycamore tree, Aaron and Samuel had managed to climb up the adjoining hill and were able to find a gap amongst the crowd, quite near to where Jesus was sitting on a boulder. They watched with growing interest as he prayed and laid his hands on the heads of the many sick and infirm who were continuously being brought to him, some even being carried on makeshift stretchers or helped along by friends and relatives. Aaron was completely bewildered at witnessing at first hand the constant miracles being performed and he could hardly believe his eyes as he saw cripples walk again, the
Story so far can be found at uponthisrock.gi/articles
dumb hear and the blind recover their sight. As the afternoon wore on and the lines of people waiting to be healed dwindled, he became aware that Jesus seemed to be quite exhausted. It was almost as if an immense power was emanating from him each time that he placed his hands on the sick. The sun was beginning to set when the last of the healing was finally over. Jesus then stood up and in a loud voice gave thanks, saying, “Let us give glory to God! May He, the source of all hope, fill you all with His joy and peace. Amen.” Aaron then saw one of his disciples approach him and say to him, “Master, it is already very late and this is a lonely place. Send the people away so that they can go to the nearby farms and villages in order to buy themselves something to eat. Jesus answered, “They don’t have to leave. You yourselves give them something to eat.” The disciple looked at him in astonishment and replied, “Master, for everyone to have even a little, it would take more than two hundred silver coins to buy enough bread.”
Jesus looked around at the people with eyes full of compassion and then addressed the disciple again, “Philip, go with the others and find out how much bread there is available.” As the disciples rather reluctantly approached the waiting crowds, Aaron suddenly noticed that Samuel, who had all the time been quietly standing by his side, had dashed away and was trying to attract the attention of one of the disciples, another fisherman that Aaron knew, called Andrew. “Look! I’ve got food here for my friend Jesus!” he told him, offering the small basket that he had been carrying. “I’m not hungry now, so you can give it to him!” The disciple appeared for a moment to disregard the little boy, but thinking better of it, he crouched down and peered inside and saw, in effect, that there was some food there. To Aaron’s surprise, and before he could attempt to catch hold of him, the man whisked Samuel off to where Jesus was standing and heard him say, “Master, there is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two pickled fish.” To be continued…
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