by Fr. Tommy Lane
I have told you before how much I enjoyed Fr Bill’s retreats and I would like to share with you a testimony of someone who attended two of his retreats which I have edited. Our Gospel today reminded me of her testimony.
“My name is Maura. I am 22 years of age and I am currently studying for my degree at NUI, Galway. I am a Catholic and always have been but during my adolescent years I became disillusioned with the Catholic Church because it refused to move with the times. I considered it to be old-fashioned, outdated, hypocritical; that it did not in any way try to understand the problems faced by young people. I came to the conclusion that the Catholic Church was founded on guilt and fear. Of course the idea of Confession didn’t appeal to me at all- seeing as I didn’t believe what I was doing wrong why would I confess it? I used to ask the most unanswerable questions like “why do young people die?” “Why is there so much suffering if God exists?” It wasn’t that I didn’t believe in God, I did, in my own newy-agey sort of way- under my conditions. Even if I had wanted to take a stand for the Catholic Church it would mean going against the grain- and I was far too self conscious and vain for that!
“My mother decided in August ’99 to go on a retreat that was run by a priest called Fr. Bill. As long as I could go to Slane to see Robbie Williams it didn’t bother me. When she came back she had changed a lot. She was extremely happy and was constantly smiling and praising God. So in our house Fr. Bill became a household name. I became curious, so when Fr. Bill came to Ireland to hold a retreat in Knock I decided to go. That one-week of a retreat changed my life so dramatically that I’m still reeling from the impact and I hope it never wears off. All I can say for certain is that I found God or rather He found me, underneath the rubble of all my sins. Through the power of the Holy Spirit working through this wonderful instrument, Fr Bill, who calls himself “a donkey for Jesus” the blocks that I had built up to prevent God from working in my life, came tumbling down and I allowed myself to be loved by the Lord. What joy! I never knew life could be so peaceful and happy. I experienced a healing of my soul, which was dying of starvation, and I was so overwhelmed by the tenderness and love, which touched my heart that I cried for joy. Confession was the most painful yet welcoming experience I have ever endured. It was welcoming because I realized for the first time that it is Jesus present in the Confessional box working so powerfully through his priest and it was a painful experience because I realized as I looked at the crucifix that I had caused Jesus to suffer. I firmly believe that not only does Jesus exist but that he is alive and here and he loves each and every one of us. My social life no longer consists of going to pubs and nightclubs but rather going to prayer meetings and Mass. It may sound boring but I have never been happier and with the grace of God I will continue to do this for a long time. I hope this is a message of hope to people who think that the Church is dead, and our society and media would have you believe so, but never forget that the Lord is always in control and he will never leave us orphaned. That retreat is something that I will remember not only for the rest of my life but for eternity! (Forget about the Canaries, they only last a week!) [end of testimony]
I was reminded of Maura’s testimony by our Gospel today because she found a peace that she never before had and that she could get from no other source. As she said the Canaries last only a week but the benefits of that retreat will last her a lifetime. Although she now goes to Mass and prayer meetings instead of nightclubs and pubs she has never been happier. In our Gospel Jesus said,
“Peace I bequeath to you,
My own peace I give you,
A peace the world cannot give.”
What did she do to get this wonderful peace? She went to one of Fr Bill’s retreats. She opened her heart to Jesus and so he filled her with his love and peace. That reminds me of the beginning of our Gospel where Jesus said,
“If anyone loves me he will keep
my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we shall come to him
and make our homes with him.”
She loved Jesus and so he and the
Father came to her and made their home with her. Now she has a peace the world cannot give. So I encourage you to give your heart to Jesus, love Jesus
and keep his word so that he and the Father may come to you and make their home
with you and you will have a peace the world cannot give.
This homily was delivered when I was engaged in parish ministry in Ireland before joining the faculty of Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, Emmitsburg, Maryland.