Dialogue toward Communion

Dialogue is a dramatic experience . . . It invites us to move and discover the context from which we speak and express our ideas, choices and feelings.

St. Madeleine Sophie was a woman of relationships and dialogue. The Chapter 2008 document tells us that it is from Sophie that "we learn the value of nurturing, intimacy, patience and love as attitudes of the heart which draw us into communion. With a contemplative heart inhabited by the Spirit, we listen to the world as it shares its hopes and suffering. Here we find the Heart of 
Jesus incarnate in history, which calls us to new 
relationships with others and with all creation as one body."
Again, there is much to reflect on and to see how this is being lived in my own life!

Dialogue

I have been praying over the priorities of the Chapter of 2008 as part of our preparation for the visit of the Central Team in April. The first priority is "Dialogue toward Communion: Walking with Humanity".  The paragraph that I keep returning to in prayer is: 
" In dialogue, we risk sharing our word and our very self which speaks in gestures, symbols and choices. We bring to the table all that we are, and our charism as a gift for the world. We are renewed in welcoming others. This process implies understanding ourselves in all honesty, referencing the other, conversion, self-emptying, opening ourselves to being changed and entering into silence." 

There is much to reflect on in this one paragraph!

What is my day like?

Some wonder how I spend my days now that I am not in isolation. I usually have a plan, but today it was a mixed up day as I went to the doctor but I will try to describe my more ordinary days. I get up around six in order to shower and pray before breakfast at 7:30. I return to my room to pray, look at the Pope App, and sometimes commentaries on the Scripture for the Mass. About 8:45 I go to the Chapel for the 9:00 Mass. After Mass, I go straight to the exercise room for about an hour and fifteen minutes as I try to have thirty minutes on both machines and another 15 minutes for weights and exercises given me to do daily by the physical therapist. At 11:00 I cool down by reading the newspaper, return to room, check e-mail and read until 11:45 when we go for the main meal. Sometimes I am sitting at a table where the conversation continues to 1:00. Then I either rest or go for a walk or have a half hour twice a week with the physical therapist. At 2:30 I go to the exercise videos with some of the community. At 3:00 I cool down, go to gouter and then the 
Chapl for afternoon prayer which I love. On Monday and 
Wednesday's we have reunion with all the community and then supper at 5:15. Some then play games or watch TV but I go to my room and I usually go to bed by 8:30. Not an exciting day perhaps, but there are always things to do or sign up for but I have been concentrating on exercising. In one sense, my day is contemplative and, having spent so many weeks in isolation, I find myself talking to Jesus more during the day. It is a wonderful place to be, but I still feel that I need to go back to Miami.

Today is my sisters birthday!

My sister is persuasive but this year I resisted the invitation to fly to Scottsdale with my nephew to help her celebrate her birthday. She has her husband, her children, my brother and many others. As I am the oldest in our family, I remember waiting for the baby and hoping it would be a black baby. My Dad said "No" to that so I held out for a puppy and actually got both a baby sister and a puppy. 

I am still "recuperating" at Oakwood, but hope to rejoin my community soon. Lent is such a special season and I am spoiled by the great liturgies here, the holy hours, afternoon prayer in the lovely Chapel, etc., but I miss my community in Miami. In fact, one of the many graces of my time in isolation for months is my love for community -the chapter of 2008 said that we are called to follow Jesus in community. "Deeply rooted in our relationship with Jesus, we reaffirm that life in community is a fundamental expression of our spirituality." I miss the members of my community and our sharing over dinner each night. Anyway, I know that I need community and being away from mine has made me aware of how important community is to me.

Pray for Vatican Retreat

In his Angelus address the Pope recalled how Jesus went into the solitude of the wilderness for 40 days where he successfully overcame temptations in “a hand-to-hand combat” with Satan. And through his victory over Satan, he said, “we have all triumphed but we need to protect this victory in our daily lives.”

He went on to explain how in the wilderness we can listen to God’s voice and that of the tempter. And we listen to God’s voice through his words and that why it’s important to read the Holy Scriptures because otherwise we’re unable to resist the lure of the evil one. The Pope said it was for this reason that he wanted to renew his advice to the faithful to read the Gospel every day and reflect on its meaning, even for just 10 minutes and carry around a copy in one’s pocket or bag every day. The Lenten wilderness, he continued, “helps us to say ‘no’ to worldliness, to “idols”, it helps us to make courageous choices in line with the Gospel and to strengthen our solidarity with our brothers and sisters.”

He concluded by reminding those present that he and other members of the Roman Curia would be beginning their spiritual retreat later on Sunday. Pray for us, he urged, so that in this “wilderness” of the spiritual exercises "we can hear Jesus’ voice and also correct the many defects that we all have and thereby overcome the temptations that attack us every day.”

Repent, and believe in the Gospel.

Jesus went about asking us to repent, to change our ways and believe in the Gospel, the good news. The Spirit led Jesus into the desert. Mark tells us that the Spirit drove him into the desert, and he remained there for forty days, tempted by Satan.
It was only after John had been arrested that Jesus began proclaiming that the Kingdom of God is at hand and all needed to repent, to change their ways and believe in the gospel.   

Lent is a time to change our lifestyle for God's Kingdom is here. We are to go out and spread the good news by our own lives; by our compassion and love. The pope is urging us to go out to others. We are to show the same love and compassion to others as Jesus shows - it is the love of Jesus that we reveal and bring to others.

Funerals at Oakwood

Our Eldercare Community, Oakwood, is very special. I came here November 5th to recuperate from being at death 's door in September and have spent four months now, most of it in isolation. Two of the Religious here have died since I came and onewho lived in San Diego, will have her funeral here today. What is so special about funerals here?
I shall try to describe the last one I attended. Two long tables in the hall display the pictures and loved objects, photos, and other memorbilia that the Religious has kept through the years. The container with the ashes is placed in front of the altar with lovely, flowing material decorating it and flowers beautifully arranged around it. Then we have the funeral Mass, procession to the cemetery, and burial. The singing is devotional and uplifting. Friends are invited to come forward to cast a small shovel of dirt to fill the grave. Then we return to the "Gathering Room" to share memories of the deceased. At noon there is a lovely luncheon with all the guests invited. There is real joy in sending a Religious to God for all eternity!

Lent is a time of renewal...

"Lent is a time of renewal for the whole Church, for each of our communities and every believer. Above all it is a “time of grace” (2 Cor 6:2). God does not ask of us anything that he himself has not first given us. “We love because he first has loved us” (1 Jn 4:19). He is not aloof from us. Each one of us has a place in his heart. He knows us by name, he cares for us and he seeks us out whenever we turn away from him. He is interested in each of us; his love does not allow him to be indifferent to what happens to us. Usually, when we are healthy and comfortable, we forget about others (something God the Father never does): we are unconcerned with their problems, their sufferings and the injustices they endure… Our heart grows cold. As long as I am relatively healthy and comfortable, I don’t think about those less well off. Today, this selfish attitude of indifference has taken on global proportions, to the extent that we can speak of a globalization of indifference. It is a problem which we, as Christians, need to confront."

I hope you are aware that I have again put the first paragraph of the Pope's Lenten Message on this blog to remind myself that Lent is a time for renewal but . "Above all it is a time of grace." I am going to take seriously the Pope's desire, which is also that of Jesus, to not be indifferent to anyone. The plight of immigrants is especially troubling right now, but also each person I have contact with either in person or through the Internet. 

Ash Wednesday

Today we begin the season of Lent by receiving ashes to remind us that we are dust and "we shall return to dust" as the blessing prayer over the ashes reminds us. In receiving the ashes we are told "Repent, and believe in the Gospel." We begin Lent in humility remembering that we are dust, but as Cthrine de Hueck Doherty pointed out in her "Season of Mercy: Lent and Easter:"

 "You are dust that is going to be one with God. Isn't that enough to make you dance right into the middle of this ash business? We are not ordinary dust-- we are dust that is going to be eternal, a dust that is going to be glorified, a dust that is going to be with God. So let us prepare ourselves to receive that "dust" with joy-- a joy based on discipline -- and let us enter the corridor of Lent."


Here is a quote from Pope Francis yesterday in his text to prepare World Youth Day:
"First of all, we need to appreciate the biblical meaning of the word heart. In Hebrew thought, the heart is the centre of the emotions, thoughts and intentions of the human person. Since the Bible teaches us that God does not look to appearances, but to the heart (cf. 1 Sam 16:7), we can also say that it is from the heart that we see God. This is because the heart is really the human being in his or her totality as a unity of body and soul, in his or her ability to love and to be loved.

The Pope is speaking to them about happiness that is found in the pure of heart. More from this text later, but I think Lent is a special time to turn to Christ and be happy because we make more effort to live the Beatitudes!

Mardi Gras

Having posted the Pope's message for Lent, I am praying over it myself and making a couple of Lenten resolutions. I am also remembering that when we make the right resolutions, we are going to find ourselves breaking them as they are the ones we really need to change something in us.
In the meantime, enjoy Mardi Gras as it prepares us to welcome the season of Lent in which we concentrate on being with Jesus even through His Passion and death,  knowing that these six weeks are a special time for us to grow in union with the Heart of Jesus.

Boff's Book on Francis of Rome

Now I have still another book on Pope Francis to recommend to you. I have not had time to read all of it, but think it is a book to read and reflect on during Lent. The complete title is "Francis of Rome & Francis of Assisi: A New Springtime for the Church" by Leonardo Boff's. It is translated by Dinah Livingstone (2014) with some material original to this edition, but much of the work was translated from the Spanish edition-  2013 , Ediciones Dabar, Mexico City.

The book has three parts: Pope Francis  a Break with the Past to Bring in the New; Francis of Rome and Francis of Assisi- a new springtime in the Church; and the third part is The Reform of the Papacy by Francis. I really like what I have read so far and know I will be urging friends to read the book.

Here is a quote I like and it comes after a section asking "Can We Save the Catholic Church?
"But the Church can be saved as long as it is inspired by the tradition of Jesus, returns to drink from the well of the Gospel, sets out to serve the world rather than itself, and puts the poor at the center in a quest for liberation and social justice. Then it is good not only for Christians but for the whole world."

"Be made clean."

Mark's account of Jesus and the leper always touches me. The leper approached Jesus with humility and faith. "If you wish, you can make me clean." And Jesus, moved with compassion, "stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, 'I do will it. Be made clean.' The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean."
Have I the faith to believe that the same happens to me when I approach Jesus with humility and faith? Jesus waits for me to come to him. I know in my heart that He can make me clean.  Each time I receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation Jesus touches me and makes me clean. How will I approach the Sacrament of Reconciliation this Lent? Will I have the faith and humility of the leper who knelt before Jesus?

Happy Valentine's Day!

Today we show our love for others by sending Valentine's! I arrived in Chile on Valentine's Day in 1960. I hoped to be one of God's Valentine's sent to Chile! As I read and reflect on the Pope's message for Lent (copied for you in sections during the past four days) I am struck by his emphasis on love- God's love for us and then the love we must have for one another. We want to love as Jesus loves and so ask that our hearts be like the Heart of Jesus. "O sacred Heart of Jesus, make my heart like unto thine!"

Make your hearts firm

This is the last part of the Pope's Lenten Message for 2015 3. 'Make your hearts firm!' – Individual Christians “As individuals too, we have are tempted by indifference. Flooded with news reports and troubling images of human suffering, we often feel our complete inability to help. What can we do to avoid being caught up in this spiral of distress and powerlessness? “First, we can pray in communion with the Church on earth and in heaven. Let us not underestimate the power of so many voices united in prayer! The '24 Hours for the Lord' initiative, which I hope will be observed on 13-14 March throughout the Church, also at the diocesan level, is meant to be a sign of this need for prayer. “Second, we can help by acts of charity, reaching out to both those near and far through the Church’s many charitable organizations. Lent is a favorable time for showing this concern for others by small yet concrete signs of our belonging to the one human family. “Third, the suffering of others is a call to conversion, since their need reminds me of the uncertainty of my own life and my dependence on God and my brothers and sisters. If we humbly implore God’s grace and accept our own limitations, we will trust in the infinite possibilities which God’s love holds out to us. We will also be able to resist the diabolical temptation of thinking that by our own efforts we can save the world and ourselves. “As a way of overcoming indifference and our pretensions to self-sufficiency, I would invite everyone to live this Lent as an opportunity for engaging in what Benedict XVI called a formation of the heart. A merciful heart does not mean a weak heart. Anyone who wishes to be merciful must have a strong and steadfast heart, closed to the tempter but open to God. A heart which lets itself be pierced by the Spirit so as to bring love along the roads that lead to our brothers and sisters. And, ultimately, a poor heart, one which realises its own poverty and gives itself freely for others. “During this Lent, then, brothers and sisters, let us all ask the Lord: ‘Fac cor nostrum secundum cor tuum – ‘Make our hearts like yours’ (Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus). In this way we will receive a heart which is firm and merciful, attentive and generous, a heart which is not closed, indifferent or prey to the globalization of indifference. “It is my prayerful hope that this Lent will prove spiritually fruitful for each believer and every ecclesial community. I ask all of you to pray for me. May the Lord bless you and Our Lady keep you”. - See more at: http://www.themessageonline.org/special_features/article/id/9701#.dpuf

Every Christian Community is called to go out of itself...

2. 'Where is your brother?' – Parishes and Communities All that we have been saying about the universal Church must now be applied to the life of our parishes and communities. Do these ecclesial structures enable us to experience being part of one body? A body which receives and shares what God wishes to give? A body which acknowledges and cares for its weakest, poorest and most insignificant members? Or do we take refuge in a universal love that would embrace the whole world, while failing to see the Lazarus sitting before our closed doors? In order to receive what God gives us and to make it bear abundant fruit, we need to press beyond the boundaries of the visible Church in two ways. In the first place, by uniting ourselves in prayer with the Church in heaven. The prayers of the Church on earth establish a communion of mutual service and goodness which reaches up into the sight of God. Together with the saints who have found their fulfilment in God, we form part of that communion in which indifference is conquered by love. The Church in heaven is not triumphant because she has turned her back on the sufferings of the world and rejoices in splendid isolation. Rather, the saints already joyfully contemplate the fact that, through Jesus’ death and resurrection, they have triumphed once and for all over indifference, hardness of heart and hatred. Until this victory of love penetrates the whole world, the saints continue to accompany us on our pilgrim way. Saint Therese of Lisieux, a Doctor of the Church, expressed her conviction that the joy in heaven for the victory of crucified love remains incomplete as long as there is still a single man or woman on earth who suffers and cries out in pain: 'I trust fully that I shall not remain idle in heaven; my desire is to continue to work for the Church and for souls'. We share in the merits and joy of the saints, even as they share in our struggles and our longing for peace and reconciliation. Their joy in the victory of the Risen Christ gives us strength as we strive to overcome our indifference and hardness of heart. In the second place, every Christian community is called to go out of itself and to be engaged in the life of the greater society of which it is a part, especially with the poor and those who are far away. The Church is missionary by her very nature; she is not self-enclosed but sent out to every nation and people. Her mission is to bear patient witness to the One who desires to draw all creation and every man and woman to the Father. Her mission is to bring to all a love which cannot remain silent. The Church follows Jesus Christ along the paths that lead to every man and woman, to the very ends of the earth. In each of our neighbours, then, we must see a brother or sister for whom Christ died and rose again. What we ourselves have received, we have received for them as well. Similarly, all that our brothers and sisters possess is a gift for the Church and for all humanity. Dear brothers and sisters, how greatly I desire that all those places where the Church is present, especially our parishes and our communities, may become islands of mercy in the midst of the sea of indifference! This will be continued tomorrow - glad I started copying the Pope's Message for Lent early!

If one member suffers . . .

God’s people, then, need this interior renewal, lest we become indifferent and withdraw into ourselves. To further this renewal, I would like to propose for our reflection three biblical texts. 1. 'If one member suffers, all suffer together' – The Church The love of God breaks through that fatal withdrawal into ourselves which is indifference. The Church offers us this love of God by her teaching and especially by her witness. But we can only bear witness to what we ourselves have experienced. Christians are those who let God clothe them with goodness and mercy, with Christ, so as to become, like Christ, servants of God and others. This is clearly seen in the liturgy of Holy Thursday, with its rite of the washing of feet. Peter did not want Jesus to wash his feet, but he came to realise that Jesus does not wish to be just an example of how we should wash one another’s feet. Only those who have first allowed Jesus to wash their own feet can then offer this service to others. Only they have 'a part' with him and thus can serve others. Lent is a favourable time for letting Christ serve us so that we in turn may become more like him. This happens whenever we hear the word of God and receive the sacraments, especially the Eucharist. There we become what we receive: the Body of Christ. In this body there is no room for the indifference which so often seems to possess our hearts. For whoever is of Christ, belongs to one body, and in him we cannot be indifferent to one another. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honoured, all the parts share its joy'. The Church is the communio sanctorum not only because of her saints, but also because she is a communion in holy things: the love of God revealed to us in Christ and all his gifts. Among these gifts there is also the response of those who let themselves be touched by this love. In this communion of saints, in this sharing in holy things, no one possesses anything alone, but shares everything with others. And since we are united in God, we can do something for those who are far distant, those whom we could never reach on our own, because with them and for them, we ask God that all of us may be open to his plan of salvation. The Pope's Message for Lent will be continued tomorrow.

Pope's Lenten Message

It may be too soon to think of Lent but Ash Wednesday is the 18th!
What does the Lord want from me this Lent?

Lent is a time of renewal for the whole Church, for each communities and every believer. Above all it is a “time of grace” (2 Cor 6:2). God does not ask of us anything that he himself has not first given us. “We love because he first has loved us” (1 Jn 4:19). He is not aloof from us. Each one of us has a place in his heart. He knows us by name, he cares for us and he seeks us out whenever we turn away from him. He is interested in each of us; his love does not allow him to be indifferent to what happens to us. Usually, when we are healthy and comfortable, we forget about others (something God the Father never does): we are unconcerned with their problems, their sufferings and the injustices they endure... Our heart grows cold. As long as I am relatively healthy and comfortable, I don’t think about those less well off. Today, this selfish attitude of indifference has taken on global proportions, to the extent that we can speak of a globalization of indifference. It is a problem which we, as Christians, need to confront.
When the people of God are converted to his love, they find answers to the questions that history continually rises. One of the most urgent challenges which I would like to address in this Message is precisely the globalization of indifference.
Indifference to our neighbor and to God also represents a real temptation for us Christians. Each year during Lent we need to hear once more the voice of the prophets who cry out and trouble our conscience.
God is not indifferent to our world; he so loves it that he gave his Son for our salvation. In the Incarnation, in the earthly life, death, and resurrection of the Son of God, the gate between God and man, between heaven and earth, opens once for all. The Church is like the hand holding open this gate, thanks to her proclamation of God’s word, her celebration of the sacraments and her witness of the faith which works through love (cf. Gal 5:6). But the world tends to withdraw into itself and shut that door through which God comes into the world and the world comes to him. Hence the hand, which is the Church, must never be surprised if it is rejected, crushed and wounded. 

Here is just the first part of the Pope's message for Lent so look tomorrow for more.

Looking Back

Today I look back on the excitement I felt on my Profession Day, 55 years ago today. I remember the feeling of now belonging to Jesus forever. We were given a ring and our Profession Cross. Both would be exchanged for a more simple cross and a silver ring instead of gold after Vatican II - this was 1960. The Americans were all in the first ceremony of Profession as we had three days of Profession ceremonies and then the Golden Jubilee of one of the Assistant Generals was on February 11th. I arrived in Chile on Valentine's Day!
Today I plan to have a quiet Day of prayer. I have so much to thank for and it has been a marvelous 55 years with so many graces and experiences of God's love!

Celebrating 55 Years since Final Profession

On February 8 I will be 55 years professed in the Society of the Sacred Heart and I am so grateful for all these years serving the Society in Chile, Peru, and the United States. I made my final profession in Rome in 1960 with 44 others from all over the world. Many have gone to God now, but some of us are still serving in many different ministries. As I went straight to Chile without knowing any Spanish and was in charge immediately of the Middle school, my first year was difficult but Jesus and Mary were with me  and I survived. I was twenty years out of the United States and consider those years as pure gift. Coming home to be near my parents while studying for my doctorate in historical theology was also a great gift. Then came my ministry at St. Thomas University in Miami for twenty-five years. All has been grace and I am so grateful! 

Prayer for Discernment

Discernment is a way of life! We are constantly having to decide between two good things. Here is a prayer for discernment attributed to St. Basil of Caesarea in the 4th century.

Steer the ship of my life, good Lord, to your quiet harbor, where I can be safe from the storms of sin and conflict.

Show me the course I should take. Renew in me the gift of discernment.,
So that I can always see the right direction in which I should go.

And give methe strength and the courage to choose the right course,
Even when the sea is rough and the waves are high,
Knowing that through enduring hardship and danger we shall find comfort
And peace.

One way to reflect on your day

Taken from the Jesuit Daily Prayer

Daily Examen

1. Become aware of God’s presence

God, I believe that at this moment I am in your presence and you are loving me.

2. Review the day with gratitude

God, you know my needs better than I know them. Give me your light and your help to see how you have been with me, both yesterday and today.

3. Pay attention to your emotions

God, help me to be grateful for the moments when people have affirmed me and challenged me. Help me to see how I have responded, and whether I have been kind to others and open to growth.

4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it

God, forgive me for when I have not done my best or have failed to treat others well. Encourage me, guide me, and continue to bless me.

5. Look toward tomorrow

As I look to the remainder of this day, make me aware that you are with me. Show me how to be the person you want me to be.

Prayer in Contemplation

Pope Francis teaching "Prayer in contemplation.":
"Read a page of the Gospel every day, for “10, 15 minutes and no more”, keep your “eyes fixed on Jesus” in order to imagine yourself “in the scene and to speak with Jesus” about what comes from the heart. These are thecharacteristics of “prayer in contemplation”, a true source of hope for our life."
Pope Francis offered this recommendation during Mass at Santa Marta onTuesday morning, 3rd of February.

The Pope really wants everyone to read the Gospels, pray over them, imagine you are there with Jesus and speak to Him as one friend to another. This kind of prayer is Jesuit contemplation. You put yourself into the Gospel scene. 

Reflection on my own experience

Praying over the conference that our Mother General, Kathy Conan, gave to those preparing for final profession, I found so many parts that I can apply to what I have been going through for the past five months, the same time as they have been in Rome. Kathy told them:

"You have grown in the contemplative aspect of our vocation, becoming more sensitive to God’s presence within yourselves, in others and in all that happens (Constitutions §21)."

That has definitely been one of the graces of this time for me. Then Kathy quotes Pope Francis:

"On this holy night, while we contemplate the Infant Jesus just born and placed in the manger, we are invited to reflect. How do we welcome the tenderness of God? Do I allow myself to be taken up by God, to be embraced by him, or do I prevent him from drawing close? “But I am searching for the Lord” – we could respond. Nevertheless, what is most important is not seeking Him, but rather allowing Him to find me and caress me with tenderness. The question put to us simply by the Infant’s presence is: do I allow God to love me?"  

Pope Francis, Homily for Christmas Eve 2014

I know I go to prayer to let God love me!

Recalling Graces

We all receive countless graces. Some are huge and we often recall them as they have influenced our lives in significant ways. But what of the many graces of everyday? When we take time to recall them, we are deepening our gratitude to God for the many gifts received. I think that was one of the reasons St. Ignatius stressed the importance of the examen to be made twice a day even if a Jesuit could not make longer prayer. The review of the day at noon and at night is to thank God for what has been good and all the graces received and then ask pardon for what was not good and see how we can be more Christlike the next day. There are, of course, many ways to reflect back over your day. I find that keeping my gratitude journal helps me to be aware of the graces God offers me each day.
Today, the Feast of the Purification, we know that Mary pondered in her heart all that Simeon told her. Let us ask her to help us reflect on the many graces God offers us each day!

Sunday, Always a Special Day

Why was Sunday always a special day? It was and is the Lord's Day! It was just special. My Dad would make breakfast and no one makes biscuits the way my dad did, although my brother, John, comes close. My Dad also had a special recipe for single Pyrex dishes to be baked with a piece of bacon around the inside of the dish with an egg in the middle. He made pancakes crepe-Suzette's , and shortcake with variations to his same recipe. He was a good cook, but the kitchen was a mess as he cooked but did not clean up.
After Mass, before my brothers were born, we would often drive downtown to window shop; stores were not open at that time on Sunday. Every Sunday evening was spent at my grandmother's big home where her six children gathered round on Sunday's. My Dad was the oldest and the only boy. It was usually quite a crowd as friends were also welcomed. After dinner a card game would start and my sister and I would be put to bed upstairs until time to go home.
I think Sunday was special for me as a child because we did things as a family. My Dad would read us the Sunday comic strips even before breakfast. I have been finding Sundays difficult in isolation, not just because I could not go to Mass, but I missed community. We are usually all home and we have a restful Sunday together with community prayer at 6:00 in the evening. Here at Oakwood they have a Holy Hour in the afternoon and I am now able to be there with the community. I do not know why I am writing all of this, but I am grateful for the things that made Sunday's special.