April 20.  Jennifer began, “There is a nursery rhyme that starts, “Mary, Mary quite contrary, how does your garden grow?  With silver bells and cockle shells and pretty maids all in a row.” ”It is not just because I am a teacher, but as a thinking human being I know that we have to reflect on what makes things happen, what makes a garden grow? Right physical conditions for sure, but also a caring attitude and the right actions. Pope Francis, speaking about peace and social friendship as a basis for communion and good relationships within a group or between groups, calls it a culture of encounter and proposes dialogue. Approaching, speaking, listening, looking at, coming to know and understand one another and to find common ground is dialogue and leads to another important concept, the common good. I wonder to what extent our politicians are focusing on the common good?”         

Reflect, share, pray. Scripture:    In those days the Church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was built up and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit it was multiplied. Peter came to the saints that lived at Lydda. He found a man, Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years and was paralysed.  Peter said to him. “Jesus Christ heals you.  Rise and make your bed.”  And immediately he rose.  Acts 9:31-42. Pope Francis:   Life for all its confrontations is the art of encounter. I have often called for the growth of a culture of encounter capable of transcending our differences and division.   Each of us can learn something from others.  No one is useless and no one is expendable. FT215   Dialogue is between generations, among our people, for we are that people, readiness to give and receive, while remaining open to the truth.  Constructive dialogue occurs between many rich cultural components of society: popular culture, university culture, youth culture, artistic culture, technological culture, economic culture, family culture and media culture.  FT 199.Action. How can a culture of encounter be promoted as a family and community attitude.