On Thursday 16 June 2011, Cardinal Murphy O'Connor presented Pause for Thought as part of the breakfast show present by Chris Evans on BBC Radio 2.
You can listen to 'Pause for Thought' by clicking on the link below and clicking 'listen again'. 'Pause for Thought' begins 2:48:30 into the programme.
The full text of the Cardinal's Pause for Thought is below
I was
delighted that Her Majesty the Queen’s visit to Ireland went so well. The
Irish people were very happy to receive her and the Queen herself seemed just
happy to be there. It was a hugely successful visit, a visit indeed long
awaited, a journey at last fulfilled.
I was
reminded of another kind of journey to Ireland that was made when I was a
boy. My father decided that my three elder brothers, aged 13, 12 and 10
should travel to Ireland by stages. He put them on the train to Bristol
with their bicycles and from there on they had to cycle to Newport and then to
Cardiff and Swansea and on to Holyhead and over to Ireland by boat. The
point of the challenge for the boys was that my father only gave them enough
money for each day, so when they arrived at each stage of the journey they had
to go to the post office and collect a certain amount of money which would last
for just one day. I remember my mother was very anxious about her
‘darling’ sons until at last a postcard arrived from the eldest boy which read:
no money, all sick, love, Jim.
Why I am
telling you this story is because we have to live each day to the full.
The past is over. There may be regrets – sorrows - joys but it is past -
and the future – we don’t know the future. All we can do is trust in God
that He will guide us and sustain us. It is today that matters.
Live it to the full, giving thanks to God, doing good to others, knowing that
it is today that you can do God’s will and be of service to others. What
is it the Psalmist says: This is the day the Lord has made, let us
rejoice and be glad.
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