"Assault on the Senses"
1st Sunday Advent,
Norwood
1st December 2024
My friends,
John Moriarty, the writer and philosopher died in 2007 at the age of 69. He was a native of Moyvane in North Kerry. He was an unusual man who though rooted in rural life, his intellect and sense of enquiry and personal search took him into academia first and then on to gardening professionally, all the while writing and lecturing to groups of all kinds.
His search led to much travel and many places not as a tourist but as a pilgrim all the time learning of the myths, legends and beliefs of the people. So his was a spiritual quest always exploring how people wrestled with the great mysteries of life as they encountered the earth/environment from which they forged a living.
You can appreciate for John he was often confounded and disturbed by the ways of living that are imposed on people. He found the continuous noise, frantic movement and restlessness of the contemporary world distressing.
I knew John well. He was wonderful to listen to but difficult to read. Describing our world he memorably named/called ‘An Assault on the Senses!’
John and his search comes to mind as we begin a new cycle of liturgy and prayer with this 1st Sunday of Advent. I pity poor Advent! It doesn’t get a look in as a spiritual preparation time, such is the stifling and overwhelming promotion of Christmas shopping. Between that and the combination of so many other events by way of war and conflict no wonder we yearn for some peace and serenity of spirit.
With this ‘assault on our senses’ there is little point in giving out about others and their behaviour and thinking. Much better that we take control of our own engagement with all the frenzy and hassle and create our own inner space to engage the expectation and hope of the Advent journey.
Behind John Moriarty’s ‘assault on the senses’ is it’s preventing us from recognising and nurturing the sacred in life, in people, in the world and in creation. Awareness of the sacred is marked first by silence and stillness – many traditions of faith take off their shoes as they enter places of prayer, in acknowledgement that they stand on holy ground. We ourselves genuflect as a mark of reverence and humility before the Blessed Sacrament.
Advent offers us a shared faith environment where we can collectively create a sacred space for our souls to find rest and calm. In doing so we do not abandon anything of our daily obligations rather it fortifies us to resist the lure of the superficial that dazzles so powerfully and distracts with such harmful consequences.
It is well recognised now that phone technology despite all its benefits can be so detrimental to our lives and not just for young people. It is part of the ‘assault on the senses.’
Advent in that sense is opportunity to review our stance on many facets of life; it affords us space, interior space to be truthful with our essential self, to be authentic in our love and living. Advent is a pathway to a new stage on our inner journey.
May this Advent be for us one of grace and renewal.
