When we talk of God we often talk of His unconditional love for us. A willingness to do whatever it takes to show us what love is, without any underlying agenda to trick or fool us into something false. Just love itself.

This loving unconditional love, a love without strings attached is hard for us to comprehend. Even harder for us to emulate. It is often difficult to see where in our family lives that such love can be rendered by us mere mortals. To see this unconditional love, we often have to move down the chain of evolution, to our pets to see how this works.

This week, a beloved pet in our family, Rosie passed away. Rosie was my daughter Terri’s family dog. She was a rescued from a home which was inhabited by two heroin addicts, she was undernourished, had obviously been abused and in a need of a good home.

My daughter and her husband found Rosie at a rescue kennel many years ago. We didn’t really know how old she was at the time, perhaps a year or so would be a guess, but that’s all it would be. She stayed at our home in Massachusetts for a couple of months, until my daughter and husband moved into a home where she could legally stay in Washington D.C. This short training period with Rosie in New England began our relationship with this dog that lasted many years.

Rosie, was perhaps one of the least beautiful dogs you might run into. She was skinny, not great posture. When I walked her in the streets of D.C. I actually had people stop and tell me how “ugly” she was. None of this phased Rosie. She was happy to be with me. She was happy to be with any member of the family. She was happy to be with anyone. She was just happy.

While we had owned many dogs ourselves in our lives, for some reason Rosie, more than any others, exemplified “unconditional love”. She never seemed to worry about anything except being accepted in the family and despite years of having ears pulled and being sat on by her subsequent best friends who arrived in Terri’s family (her kids); she never complained.

If I had to emulate a dog in my life, I think Rosie would be a good one. Undemanding, peace filled, happy to do, well, nothing all day. Providing you were there of course.

Rosie of course, as does any dog with character, had some bad habits. She wanted to be close to you and would try and get on sofas where she could not read the “no dogs allowed” sign. Same for bedding. I think because her owners let her sleep with them, she was not the easiest dog to break the habits of being close to her dog sitters, wherever they lived. However, these were minor flaws in the scheme of things. After all, how can you feel angry towards someone who just wants to snuggle up to you.

I think we learn something from animals who exist with only one raison d’être, to be with us. Rosie was such a beast. Simply in need of our presence and love. (Well perhaps a little food and water too).

Rosie will be missed by our family. The spirit and love of Rosie however, lives on. She taught some young people and old folks in our family how unconditional love can be played out each day. And not just for the days we feel like giving it. I wonder where else we have heard that message?

Rosie Segura: a beloved dog.

We often hear the words it’s the journey, not the destination, which can provide solace to some but can also create a feeling of desolation and abandonment. When we find our circumstances changing and, even when we set the direction it in motion, it does not turn out the way we want.

At the time of this pandemic, many find themselves somewhere they did not expect. Separated from others, loss of income, loneliness, even feelings of helplessness can be overwhelming. At the same time, we see the incredible outreach occurring. Generosity beyond expectations, sacrifice for those in caring roles. The juxtaposition of these scenes litters our daily lives.

So what is this all about? Our internal reactions to dealing with the uncontrollable and the unexpected are tested to the limit. Sometimes it is our observation of how others are dealing with the changes in their lives.

The knowledge of God’s presence in all of this can be our only reassurance in these matters. It is a time when we need to not just trust, but to embrace the love which comes from knowing God is within, and always with us. (Matthew 28:20).

This week we can perhaps have empathy for those who do not have faith in God, but are relying on themselves and those around them (you perhaps) to give them the certitude that things will work themselves out. And you become that loving embrace so many are seeking at this time; through your Christian response to their needs and difficulties.

Heading Home

Here I am heading home again,

Across the desert,

Across the oceans,

On straight roads,

On windy roads,

In the summer,

In the winter,

But always,

 

With You.

 

Within Me.

One movie I recall when I was a teenager was called the Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner. It was the story of a teen who went off the tracks in England in the late 50s early 60s, and ended up incarcerated in a prison system known as Borstal, where underage miscreants were taken from the their parents and housed until they had “done their time”.

In the movie the teenage boy, who was more than rebellious in nature, found himself getting involved in the cross-country team at the prison. He found solace in running, being with nature, a release from the hostage style lifestyle he felt he was living. A way to connect with his loneliness in a spiritual way. I won’t go on just in case you decide to watch the movie, which, by the way, has a very unexpected ending. This is not a feel-good movie, so don’t take this as a recommendation, more as an observation for this reflection.

Today we may find ourselves in another place, particularly those of you in a leadership position. We are having to manage ourselves, our remit, our staff, remotely. This may in itself, illuminate a type of loneliness which is not familiar to us. While we are together in whatever constitutes our teams, the family, friends, work colleagues and others we interface with there is nowhere to go to with new feelings and challenges which face us.

The Gospel of this recent weekend may inform us. The Good Shepard is an example of servant leadership, which perhaps has never been more requested of us. We have to care for the sheep, lie down over the “gate” during the evening to protect them for predators, call them when they are lost, and ensure they know our voice is heard when they call out because they are lost.

In a way, we are all sheep, but we are also the Shepard. Just as St. Paul calls us the put on the Mind of Christ, Jesus tells us in the parable of the Good Shepard we are not just cared for, but we are to be carers, Shepherds if you like as well.

So this week, maybe we can recognize that oscillation between sheep and shepherd. When we are called to lead, to lead with the love of Christ Jesus. We should understand this more than the average shepherd, given that we are sheep as well.

Something to pray on. Am I Shepard or sheep today? Or both?