Edmund Rice Europe

Our Changing Story

If there is one truism about life it is that there is no standing still. Change takes place in spite of us. King Canute discovered this a long time ago. We cannot halt the relentless movement of the oceans, the power of the sea, the pounding of the waters against the sands, the shifting of the tides and the current. And that’s only the sea.
Look at the clouds moving across the sky and we become aware of another dimension of movement and change. Weather forecasters tells us that weather patterns follow the contours mapped out by chaos theory. It is a story of a certain permanence in the midst of change that has the outward appearance of chaosl but may manifest an underlying stillness.
As for ourselves. We are conscious of the outward and inner dynamics of change in our own lives. Often it is desired change, but even more often, it can be the imposed change from the outside: loss of a job, changes in a job, a new arrival in the family, a railway strike that prevents us going to work, a shift in the financial markets that diminishes our savings. Or worse, we may experience the fragility of our lives in illness, in the death of a loved one, in the experience of trauma. The list goes on.
What is permanent is the flux and flow of live which is at once a source of energy, hope and new life. At this time of the year, at least in the northern hemisphere, we are conscious of the fading light and the retreat indoors induced by weather conditions. At the same time, we are aware that these changes shape new forms of beauty and new experiences. We can find a certain joy in walking in the envigorating cold of a November morning. We can delight in a seaside walk, well-wrapped against the cold, revelling in the power and majesty of the seas, while comforted by the expectation of a warm ‘cuppa’ at the end of our walk.
Change is also impacting on the life of the Brothers at the present time. We are experienceing the winter of decline. Yet, we continue to walk in the clear light of day, to engage in life-giving activities with and for others, and to commit ourselves to new ways of sharing the Mystery of God’s action in the world.
We invite you to do the same.