Have you ever thought, I wonder, how often children can become our teachers?  I’ve noticed, when talking to children about reconciliation, that the issue often concerning them most is how they have treated their mums and dads, brothers, sisters and their friends. It is interesting how often brothers and sisters “fall out” and, in regards to girls, how easy it is to fall out with their friends, never mind their families. With boys the same thing happens, and yet, the “making up” has a different ‘texture’, and can sometimes come about more easily.

Pope Benedict, in his most recent encyclical, “Charity in Truth” shows how “micro-relationships” (with friends, family members or between small groups) are very much linked with “macro-relationships” (with politics, relationships in society and between nations). What the children experience is actually only a reflection, on a minor scale, of the major issues that result in violence, war and, untold suffering. It is, most often, human relationships that affect us so deeply.

Joy in our hearts has a lot to do with joy in the way we relate to others. Truly, it is a delight to see how much joy there is in our Parish community house and, on the whole, within many Parishioners, despite the many challenges that might well pull people down – right down to their knees. How is this possible?

Jimmy Jones has, for me, shed some light on this matter. We buried this friendly parishioner, who was taken to God on the 10th December, just two days ago. The Chapel was crowded, and some quite famous people were present –  people whom he admired and loved –  and who loved him in return. The occasion was one of joy, tinged with tears – in fact, a close family member of his said: “That ceremony will remain in my heart a long time.” There is a photo attached of Jimmy with the ‘Hoghton Weavers’ who used to come for him when their ‘gig’ was local to Leyland. What a smile he had – his whole body used to shake with laughter!

Jimmy was born with cerebral palsy some 60 years ago, and was unable to communicate with ease, nor could he walk properly, having to be wheeled about by loving carers, or members of his family.  Certainly, he was special!  Soon, I hope to put on this ‘blog’, a poem written for him by a member of PHAB, a family of people that supports and is made up of those – physically and mentally – with learning difficulties. Jimmy was a ‘star’ among them, with a smile that is the centre of the poem. He was a ‘star’ for his family, a ‘star’ for his parishioners, a ‘star’ for his neighbours. His friends – of all types – came to the funeral, and probably, a majority of them were not used to the religious ways of our Catholic Church.

How did Jimmy come to have such joy? First, he was content with his own lot, and here, it is certain he had to achieve that contentment by means of a struggle throughout many years, as he saw others, who were able-bodied, around him. Secondly, he had the gift – and the power – to love others. You and I may wonder – where did that come from, in such a pure form? He could not “do” much for others; it was very hard for those who did not live with him, closely to understand him – yet … the proof was among those who made the effort, in snow and ice, to come to his funeral. Such questions demand an answer, which is that ‘at bottom’ he was concerned about people and the things important to them – he used to ask me how my brother was when he was dying, he used to ask me about my family – and this was typical of him. Despite a body that was severely handicapped, his mind was sharp. He was also very human, and had a great sense of humour.  In all honesty, I do not wish to put him on a pedestal – he will never be ‘canonised’ – but I am sure he is already there, in Paradise.

Jimmy had a very deep, personal relationship, with God and this he took care to cultivate: he knew God, and he knew that God loved him, through his family experiences, through his relationships with others, through his friends. He maintained that close relationship with God through prayer and his receiving of the Sacraments regularly; in fact, he received Holy Communion on the day he died – some of us think this the fruits of a mini-miracle – for later he will have met Jesus, the same Jesus whom he met his last day on earth in the Eucharist.

God always makes himself available to all, for all to know him – whoever we are. Of course, we do have to ‘listen’ to God, and follow his ways in our own ‘style’. God alone is the source of true joy in this world of ours – a ‘vale of tears’ as described in the “Hail Holy Queen”, and it is a ‘vale of tears’ for many.  But, as for Jimmy, tears, challenges, suffering were all transformed into joy and, if it could happen for him, it can happen for anybody.  It can happen for you and for me!

There are many different ways to know God. For some, it may be through the beauty of nature and here, perhaps St. Francis is THE example – the saint who saw all creation as brothers and sisters, rain, sun, ice, snow, mountains, streams etc. as well as men and women. For some, it may be through God’s presence in their intimate being, and St. Teresa of Avila may be a good example – the interior castle within us, with its many rooms. For others, it may be through prayer and contemplation, and perhaps St. Bruno, who founded the Carthusians, those hermit monks, provides the example; some through the teaching of others – like St. Dominic – some in bringing the good news to the world, as the missionaries do.

For many – and certainly for me in today’s world– the best way to find union with God is through our brothers and sisters. By going out of our way to love all those who are our close companions (and those far away) in accordance with the teaching of the Gospel (and this could be the subject of another blog), we can guarantee that we will find union with God. This does not take away the necessity for prayer – but rejoicing in God, who is the God of nature, or whatever – could provide the ‘focus’ we need to find joy, to find, therefore, the ‘purpose’ of Christmas.

Those children have got it right – when it comes down to it; how we relate to others is the measure and the ‘road’ to the Love of God, ‘bubbling up’ in our hearts as Jimmy Jones smile and joy all over his body showed. We will soon discover that it is only with God’s help that we can continually love our close neighbours, and so we come back to the personal relationship with God that lies at the heart of each Christian person’s life –  life which is then transformed into the ‘community of family’ – of those who live ‘in Love’. For, on this journey to God, we need help and support not only from God himself, but from others.

God himself sent his Son Jesus, the Word of God, to be that baby in Bethlehem –  the baby born for each one of us – personally.