'Lift up your eyes and see'

On the First Monday of Advent, some of our priests and deacons gathered together with Bishop Patrick, at Rosmini Centre, for a Day of Recollection.  The day was led by Canon John Udris, with the theme taken from Isaiah 40:26 ‘Lift up your eyes and see’.

Canon John encouraged us to see Advent, as a time to hear the invitation to look up, above and beyond our present circumstances, no matter how unpromising they may seem, and see the bigger picture.  Advent is about locking our gaze on God, and on His promises, and keeing our eyes fixed firmly on what God is offering us.  

Canon John suggested that Abraham, our Father in faith, is one can teach us how to lift our eyes, and see what God is wanting to bestow.  Abraham is the one who shows us how believing, is a kind of beholding.  

Speaking particularly of Eucharistic Adoration, of waiting before the Lord in prayer, Canon John made use of a phrase often used in art, ‘the longer you look, the more you see’.

In his second talk, Canon John focussed on Jesus as the one who lifts His eyes on us, and whose gaze always conveys grace.  

Quoting from Blessed Carlo Acutis: ‘If we get in front of the sun, we get sun tans…but when we get in front of Jesus in the Eucharist, we become saints.'

Canon John made several references to 'The God-seeing Life' of Blessed John Ruysbroeck: who said "What we are, that we behold; and what we behold, that we are: for our thought, our life and our being are uplifted to simplicity and made one with the Truth which is God.  And therefore, in this simple staring we are one life and one spirit with God; and this I call a contemplative life."

Bishop Patrick commented “It was a very helpful day, with time before the Lord in prayer, and the opportunity for Confessions”.

The Lenten Day of Recollection, which is organised by Ongoing Formation Team, will take place on Monday 27^th March 2023.

Please put the date in your diary, as we hope to see many clergy in attendance.

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