Pentecost

 

 

Pentecost 2011

The cenacle is the place where Jesus had his last meal before giving himself over to be crucified.
It was also the place where the disciples gathered for safety and saw Jesus after his resurrection.
Mary, the mother of Jesus, loved the place because of the good memories. Also it was the place where the apostles returned to after a hard day’s work of preaching the good news. Mary encouraged them and thanked them for talking about her son.
About fifty days after the resurrection, on the day of Pentecost the Lord’s followers were together in the cenacle. Were they waiting for the promised the Holy Spirit?
Suddenly there was a noise from heaven like the sound of a mighty wind. It filled the room where they were meeting. They saw what looked like fiery tongues moving in all directions, and a tongue came and settled on each person there. The Holy Spirit took control on everyone, and they began speaking whatever the Spirit let them speak to tell the wonderful things God has done.
Every one was excited and confused. Some of them even kept asking each other, “What does all this mean?”
Mary knew better. It is not only the swirling tongues of fire, but also a touch as gentle as the wing of a fantail.
Nothing will ever be the same again. Mary told Peter, “Go for it. The Spirit will remind you what to say.” So Peter in his first sermon, as he stood outside the cenacle on that first Pentecost morning, recalled to the listeners the prophecy of the book of Joel which spoke of this mysterious outpouring of the Spirit. “In the days to come- it is the Lord who speaks- I will pour out my spirit on all people…before the great Day of the Lord dawns”. Before that the early followers were trying to copy their Master. The Spirit, on the day of Pentecost, finished the painting
The church will be surrounded by light. In the clouds, lifting her, there will be a dove. This symbol of the Spirit, who will make church into
an apostolic community, “faithful to the teaching of the apostles;
a brotherly community, sustained by frequent contacts and frequent meetings;
a eucharistic community, celebrating the memorial of the Lord, “until he comes”;
a prayer community, first in the temple, and then more and more, “in their houses.”
Pentecost is the birthday of that church.

Pentecost reminds us of fire. That is what a friend just mentioned: Fire in the soul of the church. I pray it is a bonfire, a fire that cleanses, a fire that gives warmth, a fire that gives life, a fire that is good.
Our hearts will be aflame, celebrating love and our soul’s return.

And Mary agrees. Keeps the story going, she says. Bless you.

Thank you Mary, full of grace. Dominus tecum, Benedicta tu.

Fr John Heijnen 8.6.11

Blessed Pope John Paul II

The new blessed Pope John Paul II is well known to the Faith and Light Community since this world- well- known community for intellectually handicapped people, their families and friends had an audience with Pope John Paul II in 2002 at Castle Gandolpho.
After that I wrote the following story:

In the Weakness of the Pope God shows his strength

What do you expect going to Rome? Is it the ancient city with a long history of Roman culture? Is it the triumphant display of the Vatican palaces or the grandeur of Saint Peter?
Or do you want to meet the Pope? Speak to him? Hear him? To be close to the leader of the Catholic Church? Yes, that’s what we expected. We were the delegates of the International Gathering of the Faith and Light communities around the world. We represented people with an intellectual handicap with their families and friends.

We were in the Mondo Migliore conference centre near Castle Gandolpho where the Pope John Paul II was residing at that time of the year. According Jean Vanier, the founder of Faith and Light, in his speech to the pope, we were little people who had suffered and who sought ways to respond to the suffering of humanity.

We presented all the Faith and Light communities, nearly 1500 in 75 countries, from different Christian denominations. We were bonded together because the same suffering which draws human hearts together also becomes a source of unity.

Sitting in the bus next to the international coordinator we discussed what to say to the pope and how to shake hands, kneeling, kissing his feet or ring? I had in mind suggesting him to let go of his difficult task because of his illness. But when we arrived at the courtyard and sat down under the canopy waiting with anticipation for the private audience with Pope John Paul II I was overcome by the simplicity of the surroundings and the presence of the suffering Christ in the little friends we represented. After some quiet singing we saw the pope entering the courtyard, bent over and shuffling to his chair. Here was a broken man, handicapped and disabled like the ones we work with in Faith and Light, in other words, one of us. I changed my mind, my perception. Here was the pope belonging to Faith and Light, our representative, because of his illness. He is our icon showing us to be faithful to the little ones of Jesus. There he was, his face unchanged, deprived of the ability to smile or cry, but behind the mask the love for all his friends in front of him on the courtyard of his house.

This new perception of the Pope moved me to the core of my being. Thank God for having a pope in the midst of Faith and Light, a “little one”, but a great light in the world, a symbol of brokenness, not giving up, not put away like so many handicap people. In the weakness of the pope God continues to show his strength, and so darkness becomes light. The fragility and suffering of the pope becomes a sign of hope for the disabled people in society. It proved to me that Jesus has a preference to the poor.


Let me quote some of the Pope’s speech.
“Your movement has received a great deal from the grace of this special place, where the sick and handicapped are given the first place. By welcoming all these “little ones” with mental handicap, you have seen in them special witnesses of God’s tenderness, from whom we have a lot to learn and have specific place in the Church. In fact, their participation in the ecclesial community paves the way for simple and close relationship, and their faith and spontaneous prayer invites each one of us to turn towards our Heavenly Father.”

After his speech the pope embraced Jean Vanier and reached out his hands to the ones of a handicap man who smiled with excitement and joy. Indeed the pope was a special witness of God’s tenderness.
In the bus home and with gratitude in our hearts we were all sharing a grace-filled time of our Rome-ward bound journey.

This is my story. Enjoy

May this Pope pray for us.
God Bless You

Fr John Heijnen , 2 May 2011

Easter Story, Emmaus

Easter story, Emmaus

It was already getting dark. The three people had gone to an inn. When I arrived there I saw only two people. Where was the third one? The two people were actually a couple. They were jumping up and down as if they had seen ghost. “No” they shouted. “It was the Master. When he was breaking the bread, we recognized him. But then he disappeared. He is alive. We must go back to Jerusalem to tell the disciples that he is alive.” Before I could say anything about the tomb they were off, running. So I ran with them. I managed to say that I had seen the tomb empty. That only shows it.
Arriving at the Upper Room they knocked on the door. Inside there must be lot of shouting, because the door remained shut. I went to the back of the building. I knew there was a window, a bit high but the shutter was open. I shouted until one man, I think it was Thomas, looked down. He recognized me and took my hand and pulled me in. What a scene!
I saw some women crying. They had gone to the tomb, saw it empty and asked the gardener whether he knew about the Master’ body. Then he said”Mary”. It was such a joy.
Also I went to Peter to tell what I had seen. He said that he and John ran to the tomb and found it empty and John believed that the Master was alive.
Every body was singing, “Alleluia; Jesus is raised from the dead”. I have never seen such a celebration. There I was, a follower of the Master, probably the youngest of the lot.
I met the couple whom I met in Emmaus. They still had some of the bread that Jesus broke. They gave me something of it. I ate it because I was very hungry. Other people also had started to eat.
All of a sudden every body stopped talking and were quiet with great amazements. Jesus appeared to his disciples as they were eating. He said to them,” May God give you peace!”
He said again,” I am sending you as the Father has sent me.” Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
The disciples seemed to be frightened and terrified because they thought seeing a ghost. But Jesus said,” Why are you so frightened? Why any doubt? Touch me and find out for yourselves.” The disciples got very close to him and touched him. They were absolutely happy. Jesus said,” Next time I see you in Galilee at the lake. Remember where it all began”.

There I became a follower. Now I am a believer.With the disciples I went often to thetemple praising God.
I must tell Sam.

Easter Story, The empty tomb

Easter Story; The Empty Tomb

Late in the evening I banged on the door of my flat mate Sam at B&B near the wall of Jerusalem...
He opened the door and said, “You’ve got nothing on”. I told him what happened in the Garden of Gethsemane where our Master was arrested by the Temple police. All of Jesus’ disciples ran off and left him. I am one of them. The police grabbed me by my tunic. But I scrambled and left my tunic behind, so here am I naked. Quickly Sam let me in and gave me his spare tunic. I told Sam that the Master was in for a rough time, knowing the temple police who acted on behalf of the Temple Priests. Sam gave me a straw mattress for the night. I did not sleep well.

In the morning we heard from the neighbors that the Master was lowered down into the dungeon underneath the high priest Caiphas. I knew the place and seen the hole into the dungeon when I was there once on a cleaning job.

Later on I heard terrible noise outsides and still afraid of the police I opened slightly the window shutter and saw Roman soldiers pushing some criminals carrying crosses down the road. To my shock I noticed the Master was one of them. The Romans are very cruel in killing their enemies by nailing them naked on a cross using square nails through the pulses and feet. Dying could take hours. My master did not deserve that agony.
I did not dare to go outside, even when I was told that he was buried in nearby cave.
I spent the day thinking WHY? Being a young guy I have questions. Why did my master let himself be crucified? Why was he a victim or a sacrifice? I think he loves me more than anybody. Some of my adult friends call it a mystery of Atonement.
Next day, after nightmares I told Sam that I was going to see the cave or tomb. Very quietly I approached the place and saw soldiers keeping watch. A hugh stone was rolled in front of the tomb. I wondered whether I should tell the disciples who were probably in the room of Passover Meal, the Upper room. But I went back to Sam who told me to stay inside. “Safer” he said.

On the Sunday morning I sneaked out again. The full moon lit up the track to the tomb. I was so curious to have a look at the tomb. Did the Master not say something about three days?
The first thing I noticed was that the soldiers were gone. Getting closer I saw the big stone rolled away and a white light coming out of the tomb. What happened? I was totally surprised.
Within the tomb and surrounded by the light I saw the flat surface of an empty bench, and some cloth neatly folded on one end of the bench. Any way there was no body. Also there was no clue of struggle. It did not make any sense to me. I went outside; there was the empty tomb; in the distance up the hill I saw three crosses; no corpses hanging on them. A long way of I saw three people walking towards a little village. From memory I knew it was called Emmaus. Had these people been at the tomb and seen it empty? They were not carrying anything; certainly not a body.
What to do? I could go the Upper room to tell the Master’s disciples, or walk as fast I could to the three people. I decided the last thing. Up to Emmaus!

Calvary

Jerusalem

Jerusalem was the danger city. The Roman and Jewish authorities were waiting for Jesus making a mistake. He started in Galilee and causing trouble all over Judea. And now he has come all the way to Jerusalem.
Jesus’ friends were told by Him that the time will come that the enemies will build walls around the city, will attack and level it to the ground. No stone in the buildings will be left on top of another.

Near the Mount of Olives Jesus asked the chief priests, the temple police and the leaders who had come to arrest him, “Why do you come out with swords and clubs and treat me like a criminal? I was with you every day in the temple, and you didn’t arrest me. But this is your time, and darkness is in control.”

Calvary was in sight, when the sky will turn dark and will stay that way until the middle of the afternoon. The sun will stop shining, and the curtain in the temple will split down the middle. Jesus said,” Father, forgive them for…. I put myself in your hands”.
Then he died.

Explanation of the painting.

At the left bottom of the painting you see a light spot. This is where Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane prayed to his Father while the disciples were asleep.
Above this spot you see light of the torches of the temple police.
At the bottom of the painting you see the red spot of Calvary with crosses. A bit futher to the right you see a black spot of a tomb.
Above Calvary is the road to the gate leading through the winding streets to a pink spot with a cross. That is the square in front of the palace of Pontius Pilate. Behind it is the temple.
Jerusalem is a walled city build on a mountain.

 

Jerusalem

Sunset

 

Sunset

This morning (01.02.11) I painted another painting. A sunset above my street, James Street, Plimmerton. One of my painting group told me that I must be angry to paint like that... She was right. When I paint I put my self on the canvas; I express, unknowingly,
my feelings. whether I am in a good mood, or worried about something; whether it is a landscape or a portrait that is in my memory.
During my short holyday up north I stayed with a couple I know for forty years. They also noticed my angry feeling. So I told them that I lost something sacred in my life. But I have not lost my friends.
My feelings are part of me. Some are angry, some of tenderness and grief. I write and paint, I share them, for I know anger, and perhaps my anger and someone else’s can hold hands and do something creative, another painting. It could be a cross.
I only can stand at the foot of the cross of a friend and I know that I am not alone.
I have this awesome responsibility, a gift, to grow through love and pain.
There is no going back. I pour myself in paint, and become vulnerable to the wounding which is life and growth. The sunset over the dark street is also comforting and full of light. There is hope.

Joh Heijnen, 01.02.11

Journey to Friends

 

My dear Friends,

Last sunday, 15.01.11, I returned from a ten days trip to some of my friends in the North Island of New zealand. Here is my story. The painting of the sunset is mentioned in the beginning. The painting of Mt Ruapehu
is mentioned at the end. I trust you enjoy my story and paintings.


Journey to Friends January 2011

Once a year I have an inner need to go to my friends in the north Island of New Zealand. To begin with I go in the direction of New Plymouth, because there lives a birthday guy. First stop though is Wanganui.

A lady with physical limitations, but an outreach to people with intellectual limitations, lives just north of Wanganui, Kai-iwi.
We shared a whole afternoon of life- experiences until the sun set. After a night of rest we walked a black-sand beach protected by towering rocks near the Mowhanau River.

Next stop was Waverly where a sister of the Mission looks after the parish there and also in Patea. When young she dreamed of going to Papua New Guiney. She entered the convent at 18 and taught in numerous schools until she went to her dream mission. While in that far away area she was privileged to go to Jerusalem in Israel. In the old city we met and walked the Stations of the Cross and entered the tomb of Jesus. Now in Waverly we shared our emotions and a cup of coffee.

Finally I arrived in New Plymouth where the birthday guy and his wife were preparing for the party. I met this couple more than 30 years ago after the funeral of their oldest son aged 13. I also officiated at the wedding of their other children and baptised I don’t know how many. On Sunday 9th January we had the birthday party with family and friends.

While in New Plymouth I went to visit a former student of Viard College, Porirua, where I thought for 20 years. She is married to a farmer and has four children, all very clever. We went to a section near the beach at Okato where they intend to build a house. They asked me to bless the land. With gratitude I did.

After a long and scenic trip I arrived in Rotorua, a city of all tourist attractions: geysers, boiling mud, traditional Maori culture, fishing and sailing, gondola and helicopters, Japanese and Tai food, polynasion pools and crater- mountain climbing and lots more.
But I was interested in old friends, a couple which helped me thirty years ago with a youth programme called Antioch. In that area is also a contemplative monastery for nuns, called Tyburn. Like the one in London there are two of these monasteries in New Zealand, one near Rotorua. Chapel and guest house plus convent form a real sacred place.
A steel cross on the top of the Stations of the Cross hill gave us moments of wonder and joy. During a time of extreme heat (30C) I painted a scenic view near Tyburn and also the outlook on the Japanese garden. They are my gift to my friends and the nuns.

On 13th January I traveled to my last 2 stops, Mt Maunganui and Tauranga. The first one has a beautiful beach, full of young people and families, and also the place of one of my friends. The second, Tauranga is a boom town, and the place of another friend.
In the first one I heard a sad story of what happened to one the newly born twins; she had leukemia. What will happen to this little one? Her grand parents, my friends, asked me to keep praying. That is what I did in the second place, where there is one of the most beautiful churches in New Zealand, St Mary’s. The celebrant of the Mass happened to be a priest I used to know during the charismatic periods in my life. We prayed for all my friends, healthy and sick, rich and poor.
In the evening the friends in Tauranga took me to a 60th birthday of one of their six sisters in New Zealand: A grandiose party of forty young and old.
The next morning I drove back home, past the highest mountain in the North Island, Ruapehu, covered in snow and sunlight , just in time for the evening Mass in Sc Heart, Porirua. Thank God.

 

Have a good and blessed 2011
Fr John Heijnen 19.01.11