THE P RTAL
May 2015
Australia Pages - page 19
From Australia’s Ordinary
W
hen I was reflecting on the gospel story some years ago, I began to notice how often
Jesus borrowed places, things and people. In order for God to carry out his plan of salvation, he chose
to become available, accessible and approachable to his people. For the Word to become flesh, God asked
the Blessed Virgin if she would allow herself to be borrowed so that this could happen. Her agreement came
when she responded to Gabriel’s request by saying, “Be it unto me according to thy word.”
a borrowed stable
Jesus was born in a borrowed stable, where not only
shepherds and wise men visited him, but many of the
residents and visitors in Bethlehem at the time, would
go to the stable to rejoice in the new birth. Joseph
allowed himself to be borrowed to fulfil the role of being
a father to Jesus, providing him up with a stable and
loving family, enabling him to ‘increase in wisdom and
in stature, and in favour with God and man” (Lk 2:52).
borrowed lunch, a donkey, a Cross
In his later ministry, Jesus borrowed a small boy’s
lunch to feed the crowds who listened to him; he
borrowed a donkey on which he rode into Jerusalem,
and he borrowed the Upper Room in which to hold
the Last Supper. He ‘borrowed’ the Cross on which
to offer himself as the sacrifice for our salvation, and
he borrowed Joseph of Aramathea’s tomb in which to
continue his work until his resurrection on Easter Day.
Above all, he borrowed his disciples to be his agents
to continue his ministry in the world and grow the
and people that we need to fulfil our mission. We have
Kingdom of God.
to borrow bishops to ordain our priests, cathedrals
There are many other occasions on which he and churches in which to ordain them and in which
borrowed things, and whenever he did, a miracle to worship.
occurred or the salvation of the world took another
borrow resources
step closer to realisation.
We need to borrow the resources of the Catholic
to allow ourselves to be borrowed
Church to teach our people and allow the Catholic
We members and friends of the Ordinariate have Dioceses and Societies to borrow our expertise and
been invited by Pope Emeritus Benedict to allow experience. Like Jesus, in these our early days, we have
ourselves to be borrowed, so that Our Lord’s vision of to allow ourselves to be supported by our Catholic
unity of the Church will grow a step closer, and the Bishops and other friends and benefactors.We are
English Spiritual Tradition will become a gift to be extremely grateful for all the help and support we
shared by all.
have already received from those who have allowed
themselves and their resources to be borrowed by us.
We began our life in the Ordinariate with nothing of
our own other than our willingness to allow ourselves to enthusiastically welcomed
be used to show our fellow Catholics, other Christians
With Jesus, we have been enthusiastically welcomed
and the world, that true unity can only occur when by many, misunderstood by some, while others have
those coming into unity share the same faith. We are tried to make us what we are not, and a few have been
currently few and discovering God’s way for us, but hostile. However, like Jesus, we must be resolute in our
like Jesus, we must be available, approachable and obedience to God’s will and continue to work alongside
accessible to those who approach us.
our fellow Catholics in the new Evangelisation to bring
others to know and love the Lord and God of all.
Like Jesus, we must not be afraid to borrow things
Mgr Harry Entwistle PA
contents page