Materialism

Teaching is a very rewarding occupation. The students I get to interact with each day are intelligent and witty (well, usually) and it's a rare day when something they say doesn't make me smile.

But it is a real puzzle to find out just how many of them don't believe in heaven. Quite a few are into the concept of reincarnation, but there's no sense of a final destination... and of course, many are convinced materialists, absolutely sure that when we die that's the end of the matter (literally!)

It will be interesting to see how their ideas develop over the year...

Anniversary

As I mentioned in my last post, I've been rather too busy to do much in the way of blogging lately. I have even neglected reading other people's blogs, which means it's serious neglect - especially for an email and blog addict like myself!

So a retrospective post... I was delighted to have to update my profile slightly: last Saturday was the anniversary of my return to the Church, and I am absolutely astonished when I consider that it has been fourteen years. It feels like it happened yesterday.

I don't remember the date, but I noted that it was the Saturday evening Mass on the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C. Having gone to Confession and been reconciled with God, I was so moved that I spent most of the Mass in (thankfully silent) tears. I do recall that the sermon seemed to be directed personally at me... obviously it wasn't, no priest would do such a thing to a penitent, but when I came to look back at the Mass readings, I realised that the Gospel was on the theme of repentance: There is more rejoicing in heaven over one repentent sinner...

...It's nice to think you've been the cause of a major party!!