Trinkets of hope in that elusive search for faith

I’ve never really seen the point of being envious of other people. For a start, it really gets you nowhere, other than to send you into a spiral of begrudgery, and I’m always just a little perplexed that I’ll win the Euro million on my 75th birthday when every limb in my frame will ache and I won’t have a moment’s peace left as I ponder on how to divvy out the spoils to those coming after me.

Wealth, either earned, unexpected or inherited will never make you even one hour younger and neither will it mean very much to you if that day of the ‘bad diagnosis’ arrives when you know your time left on Mother Earth is down to a matter of weeks or months.

Many moons ago, my father used to rather wryly observe that while wealth mightn’t necessarily make you happy it could nevertheless help you to ‘enjoy your misery’, but that’s really the limit of any allegiance or interest that I have in material things.

Here and there though, there are people I’m acquainted with, that I am just the merest tad envious of in terms of their deep-seated sense of faith and ultimate goodness all nurtured by a belief that there’s a ‘Great Master’ up there somewhere, who will give us an eternal spirt that will never quench.

A few weeks back, millions of Muslims all around the world celebrated their great Summer celebration of faith, Eid al-Adha, in a stirring outpouring of faith. As an aside, wasn’t it kind of refreshing to see them have their Irish celebration at Croke Park, a place often associated with all things both conservative and catholic. In fairness to the ‘GAA’ they have moved with the times are particularly strong in welcoming young people from diverse cultures into their clubs all across the length and breadth of the country.

Earlier this year, thousands of people attended the Solemn Novena in Galway Cathedral, and while there will be those who scoff at their supposed innocence and simplicity of faith, from my own experience, many of them do seem to be people who enjoy a level of contentment and peace within their hearts that many of us long for.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

Get the Connacht Tribune Live app

The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.