TAIZÉToday we have taken part in a great sporting event. It is the first time in the history of our village of Taizé that the Tour de France has passed by. Thank you all for being willing to share in this.
It was a marvellous opportunity to journey together with the people of our village and our region. When Christians leave their usual surroundings and go out to meet with others in society who have perhaps few links with faith then wonderful things can sometimes happen.
We discover our common humanity. Friendships and trust grow. When we construct a project together, we often go beyond the ideas we had of each other. A path of communion opens up.
Are we not called to be like the yeast in the dough of society ? Jesus uses this image to speak of the kingdom of God.
As yeast is very small, we often have to accept that as Christians we are not so numerous and we are not better than others. But we have something to share in building bridges, in bringing people together, in giving ourselves for others as Jesus gave himself for us.
And perhaps we will discover that we also have something to learn from people outside of the Church who are committed in society.
This afternoon, we tried to express a sense of solidarity through the different banners and displays. In today’s world, is that not becoming more and more important ? Are we ready to make the choices that think not only of ourselves but of those on the margins of society ?
We do not want to forget or become indifferent to people suffering in situations of war. We cannot neglect the suffering of our planet, the common home we share with all creation. Each of us, in the choices we make can contribute to bettering life for all.
These weeks we have been listening during evening prayer to the Sermon on the Mount, a collection of Jesus’ teaching that we find in Matthew’s Gospel. This evening we heard some challenging words which can speak to us in these times were many of us are being asked to make choices in our different countries.
Jesus teaches not to accumulate treasures on earth, but in heaven, in other words, in God. The image of the treasure makes us think what is important for me? What do I really want? How do I spend my time and energy? The answer to these questions reveal something about who I am really and reveal our true self (“heart”).
And then Jesus speaks of our eye in a very dramatic manner. What do we focus on? Once again, it’s a question of priorities and understanding the source of what we are doing. The “healthy” eye is the simple, undivided one. The simple eye is generous rather than envious.
Finally, Jesus speaks about the impossibility of serving two masters: we will find ourselves in constant opposition within. He uses the example of how difficult to serve both wealth and God.
So, in this time of choice, will we be ready to let the Sermon on the Mount help us find the way. As you leave Taizé, perhaps over the next weeks you could read chapters 5 and 6 of Matthew’s Gospel. That’s your homework!
Tomorrow evening, join us at 8pm already in the church to pray with us in silence for peace in our world as we do every Friday. We often don’t know what to say when we see the suffering of people in Ukraine, Gaza, Haiti, Nicaragua and many other places, not forgetting those who are taken hostage in different situations.
As we remain in silence before God, we express our solidarity with those who cannot speak and perhaps words will rise in our hearts to show us what small gestures we can accomplish to put that solidarity into practice.