How often do we use the Psalms?

Today I again remind you that the blogs I have listed on the right side of this blog (just scroll down to find them) are excellent. The Concord Pastor has a special Monday morning offering; one gives the latest Church news; and Random Musings has helpful hints such as what he posted last Friday: Five Ways to Pray the Psalms:
(He explains each but I will give you the five here in case you have not time to go look at his blog - he is a former student of mine and I admire all that he does to further God's Kingdom in Malaysia:
1. Say them out loud.
2. Use them as a jumping off platform.
3. Paraphrase them.
4. Memorize them.
5. Let them talk to you.

How am I caring for our planet?

I find myself asking several times a day now this question of how I am caring for the planet and all of us on it. We have a commitment to Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation; this is at the heart of our charism but how am I living it? Then I am torn by the suffering caused by natural disasters: earthquakes, floods, fires, tornadoes, and now the volcano eruption in Chile that is causing great damage to both Chile and Argentina and more people are without homes. I think my asking the question is at least raising my consciousness and that is good.

When my nephew and his wife were here I discovered that she is now doing a great work, one that she created for St. Vincent de Paul's Society in Phoenix, Arizona. She had been working with many volunteers and they wanted to do even more to help others. She began to interview people in need of help with their living quarters; she would then select a situation where she could ask volunteers to help fix up a house for an elderly couple whose money all went now for medical bills, or a single mother who made only enough for food for her four children but could not afford furniture; then there was the single father with three boys who needed everything to furnish the house but was just able to make his payments on it with nothing left over - my nephew showed me pictures of before and after and it was really a good experience to see how they made a difference in the lives of so many by just getting the volunteers to help paint, asking for donated furniture or bedding, etc. The young volunteers even created art work for the walls in the children's rooms. I was impressed with what one person with a creative idea has been able to do since January! She is working long hours but says she has many volunteers who are being enriched by the experience of making a difference in the lives of these people. She screens carefully before selecting those to help and sometimes puts the family on trial before she brings in the volunteers. She even teaches them how to clean when that is needed.

Desire for Retreat

As July begins, I am thinking more about my retreat. I leave Tuesday, July 3 and only return on July 25 so I will be attending the Provincial Chapter, on vacation, and in retreat. The retreat is from July 16-23; I would love prayer for that special time. It is the most important week in the year and I find myself full of desire for that time alone with God.
Sometimes, it helps for me to take a book with me for prayer before the retreat. I am trying to decide now what I should take and am looking at "Praying with Julian of Norwich: Selections from 'A Revelation of Love' with Commentary by Ritamary Bradley. I love Julian, but have not read this commentary although I know I have had the book on my shelf for a long time. I usually find that the Holy Spirit will inspire me. The real director is always the Holy Spirit and I trust that I will follow the promptings of the Spirit.
While I am away, I am also taking a vacation from the computer and so will not be writing my blog during the month of July. It is good to take that kind of vacation as I teach online and have many hours in front of the computer during the year so I will just take off a month. I hope my readers will remember to look again as I do intend to take up my blog and share with you at least by the first week in August.

Reflection on the Sunday Liturgy

The Gospel from Luke (9:51-62) shows us that the real call to follow Christ is a call to proclaim the Kingdom of God and cannot be put off for any reason. This call is stronger than family; stonger than the corporal work of mercy to bury the dead! Jesus continues to call us. Are we still making excuses in order to delay answering his call?

Elisha, in the first reading (I Kings 19) went back only to destroy his oxen and ploy in order to feed his people. Then he left. Jesus says, "No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God." Am I free enough to leave all and follow Jesus? I think that the moment of death must be our final call and then we follow leaving all behind.

The second reading from Paul (Gal 5) tells us to "live by the Spirit" and, also says that "Christ set us free." I pray for this freedom that comes from living by the Spirit and frees us to leave all behind to follow Christ.\

As I will be away most of July, I hope my readers will understand that I really need to leave the computer behind for the month of July. This blog will be back in August.

Feast of Peter and Paul

As the Preface gives the theology behind the Feast, let us look at today's Preface for the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul. It is, of course, addressed to the Father.

Father . . .you fill our hearts with joy as we honor your great apostles: Peter, our leader in the faith, and Paul, its fearless preacher. Peter raised up the Church from the faithful flock of Israel. Paul brought your call to the nations, and became the teacher of the world. Each in his chosen way gathered into unity the one family of Christ. Both shared a martyr's death and are praised thoughout the world.
So, our hearts are, and should be, filled with joy for Peter and Paul and the gifts God gave them. They used those gifts to spread the word of God and proclaim the coming of God's reign. God continues to bestow his gifts to give us leaders and teachers. What gift has he given me for others? How am I using it? How will I honor Peter and Paul today?

Jesus is still asking: "Who do you say that I am?" What is my response today?

Growing Old Gracefully

Yesterday, a lovely lady of 90 years took me and another friend to lunch. I thought afterwards that as long as I have known her from water exercise, keen Scrabble games, and our reflection group, she has been a living example of growing old gracefully. I guess I know many like that and lately have been thinking of how to grow old gracefully myself. There is a serenity, a peace, that communicates itself when I am with her and with others who have grown in wisdom and grace. It comes from reflection on the meaning of life - what really matters and what one can let go of as unimportant, trivial, and of no use when looking toward eternity. There is both detachment and an enthusiasm for what life gives us: the beauty of nature, the smile of a friend, the laughter of children, the companioning of others, the joy of good memories, etc. Lord, may I learn to grow old gracefully! May I focus on what is essential, learn eternal values, and let go of all the unimportant things. This life is too short to worry or fret about things that I cannot change but can accept with joy. Let me keep these remarkable elderly friends before my eyes as living examples of how to grow old gracefully.

Nourishing our Spirituality

On Pentecost I was inspired to think of a new online Program that I will create and teach in 2009 as by then I will have a good group of graduates from the Online Certificate Program in Spirituality Studies from all over the world who will be interested in taking a course that will be only six weeks on "Nourishing Your Spirituality". I mapped out the course in six Units and feel that the Spirit really did inspire me as so many are hungry for spirituality.
This leads me to reflect with you today on some ways to nurture our spiritual experiences. Several years ago, Sister Maureen Conroy, RSM, wrote an article in "Human Development" on "Nurturing Spiritual Experiences". I want to share some notes from it with you.
There are many ways we can nurture spiritual experience and open ourselves more fully to God. Creation is one way to notice God's self-revelation; Scripture is another.
"I have called you by name, you are mine. You are precious in my eyes, and I love you." (Is 43:1-4)
Gratitude that leads us to thank God for his many gifts and blessings is still another way. Awareness of God's Presence in our daily life is another. God is with us and works in us. We need to ask God each morning how he wants to be present to us during the day and pray for an awareness of God in all we do. Then, at night, we can look back over the day and thank for his presence. Being aware of our experiences of God is one thing; to share the experience with another deepens it. Spiritual Direction and faith sharing are ways to nurture our spiritual experience.

Review of the Day

As I am reading The First Jesuits by John Omalley, I am thinking about the emphasis that St. Ignatius of Loyola put on the daily examen. It was to be a time of prayer; fifteen minutes in the middle of the day and then a night examen. It is really to look back and see where God was trying to get my attention; to recognize how God keeps calling me through people, events, circumstances. I then give thanks and rest in gratitude for his presence in my life, for his gifts, for his refusing to let me turn away because he keeps calling me. Besides gratitude, there is also some contrition for my lack of awareness, my lack of sensitivity. Knowing that I am forgiven brings both joy and gratitude and a desire to do better. This can be a powerful type of prayer that transforms us so that we are united and conformed to the Heart of Jesus. The problem is that many of us have forgotten about the daily examen and do not stop in the middle of a busy day to reflect on God's action in our lives. We also do not give the time at night so how to return to this prayer of being conscious of God's presence in our lives?
Personally, I find it helpful to take some time first thing in the morning to look back over the day before and pray for light to see where God was trying to get through to me in e-mails, phone calls, the books I was reading, conversations, all the events that touched me the previous day. I quickly ask pardon for my failure to recognize God in people, the circumstances and events; I feel gratitude for the times I was conscious of his action in my life and my the times I did respond to his love. Then I turn to the day that is just beginning and ask help to recognize him in all.
It gives me new energy and a sense of purpose as I look ahead to see what God is planning for me; then he surprises me and comes in unexpected ways but the morning time helps me to find him. Try it and see.

Freedom

As I was wondering what to reflect on in this blog today, the word freedom popped into my head and would not go away. Freedom is such a gift and we take it for granted. I know that living under a dictatorship for years made me conscious of how I just expected to be free and had taken the great freedom that we have in the United States for granted. Now I am seeing that freedom is relative for many in our world and women often lack freedom still in all parts of the world. Jesus came to free us from so many things and gave us an example of how to live. I read today that the Beatitudes are really a type of biography of Jesus who was poor, meek, persecuted, etc. I think that we need to pray for the gift of freedom for all and to realize that a gift brings both rights and duties. We are to use our freedom to make the world a better place.

Feast of the Nativity of John the Baptist

The artist of this picture of John the Baptist is Leonardo da Vinci and it was painted between 1513-1516.

Since the Feast of the Nativity of John the Baptist falls on a Sunday this year, it is an indication of his importance that his birthday liturgy replaces the Sunday liturgy. John the Baptist is the only birthday celebrated besides those of Jesus and Mary in the liturgical year. Let us look at the Preface for today's feast to see what makes John so important. (Having his own preface also makes him special).

The Preface of John the Baptist points out:
1.He was the prophet who "prepared the way of the Lord."
2.He was set apart and his birth brought great rejoicing; even in the womb he leapt for joy, so near was man's salvation.
3.He was chosen from all the prophets to show the world its redeemer. "Behold the Lamb of God".
4.He baptized Christ, the giver of baptism ...
5.He was "worthy of a martyr's death, his last and greatest act of witness to your Son."
The Preface gives us these five great reasons to honor St. John the Baptist. He was a humble prophet who prepared the way for Jesus and said "I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet." He also was fearless in his preaching and lived a counter-cultural life.

Home is where prayer is

In this week's America (June 18-25) there is an interview with Susannah Heschel on the life and work of Abraham Joshua Heschel. In it, she speaks of her father's thought of prayer "as not an occasional exercise but rather like an established residence, a home for the innermost self." In his essay "On Prayer", Rabbi Abraham Heschel says that all things have a home: the bee has a hive, the bird has a nest. For the soul, home is where prayer is, and a soul without prayer is a soul without a home. Continuity, permanence, intimacy, authenticity, and earnestness are its attributes. "I enter (this home) as a supplicant and emerge as a witness; I enter as a stranger and emerge as next of kin. I may enter spiritually shapeless, inwardly disfigured and emerge wholly changed." We pray because there is a vast disproportion between human misery and human compassion."

14 Works of Mercy - Can you name them?

This morning, when reading about the ministry of the early Jesuits in John O'Malley's "The First Jesuits", I came across the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. Although I remember memorizing the seven corporal and seven spiritual works, I think I could not have named all of them. The corproal works are easier for they are found in Matthew's Gospel. Easier to remember but harder for me to practice in my daily life!
Corporal Works of Mercy:
1.Feed the hungry
2.Give drink to the thirsty
3.Clothe the naked
4.House the homeless
5.Visit the sick
6.Visit the imprisoned
7.Bury the dead

Spiritual Works of Mercy
1.Give good counsel
2.Teach the ignorant
3.Admonish sinners
4.Console the afflicted
5.Pardon offenses and injuries
6.Bear offenses patiently
7.Pray for the living and the dead

The Lord loves a cheerful giver

I am late today in writing my blog and have just come from the Eucharist at the University which was different as we are hosting deaf students this week. The Mass was signed, but made it very solemn and the silence was eloquent.

The Lord loves a cheerful giver was my word to remember today. When I am in the pool for water exercise with those wonderful women and men, I love to see them smiling and chatting so cheerfully. Sometimes you can see their faces relax as they enter the water and soon all are smiling at each other. These are women who have lived long lives and have experienced many things that have been hard to accept, but they are "cheerful givers" and loved by the Lord. I feel happy to be with them and share their joy!

I have one other song to share with you today - the words are from Janet Stuart who was an English Religious of the Sacred Heart and left a wealth of writings for the Society of the Sacred Heart - she was also the Mother General. I had this song sung for my Golden Jubilee Celebration:

Spirit seeking light and beauty,
Heart that longest for thy rest,
Soul that asketh understanding,
Only thus can ye be blest.

Through the vastness of creation,
Though your restless heart may roam,
God is all that you can long for,
God is all his creatures' home.

Taste and see Him. Feel and hear Him.
Hope and grasp His unseen hand;
Though the darkness seem to hide Him
Faith and love can understand.

God who lovest all Thy creatures,
All our hearts are known to Thee;
Lead us throughy the land of shadows
To Thy blest eternity.

Water speaks to me of God

We have had a lack of water this winter in South Florida and were forbiddent to water lawns and wash cars except on two days designated by the side of the street you lived on and then only at very specified hours (before eight in the morning and after seven in the evening). June began the hurricane season and we have had thunder storms almost everyday and this past week we have had several storms. It has poured and we have welcomed the rain. The lakes are filling up again and we are grateful for the gift of water.

Water is also a symbol of God for me. I think I may have written something about how the ocean reminds me of God's immense love, but this morning I want to share with you something of the stillness of deep pools where God seems to wait for me. I dive down and enter the cleft in the rock and find myself in God's heart, surrounded by love. Try it and see if this is a way for you, too, to enter into prayer.

My other reflection today was on the alternate prayer in the Liturgy where we are to "cherish God's gifts" and, of course, water is one of the greatest of his gifts and so many people are still deprived of easy access to clean water.

Prayer to the Sacred Heart

Today I want only to share a prayer of St. Madeleine Sophie to the Sacred Heart of Jesus which I was delighted to receive from this week's virtual prayer community as I did not have this prayer.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I come to you because you are my only refuge, my only but certain hope. You are the comfort for all my sufferings, the remedy for all my miseries, the reparation for all my losses, the expiation for all my faults, the supplement for all that is wanting in me, the certainty for all my demands, the infallible source, for me and for all, of light, strength, benediction, constancy, and peace. I am sure that you will not weary of me, that you will not cease to love me, to aid and protect me, because you love me with an infinite love. Have mercy on me, then according to your great mercy, and do with me, and in me, whatever you will. I abandon myself to you, with full confidence that you will never abandon me.

That is what I would call a very comprehensive prayer!
My own favorite prayer is "Sacred Heart of Jesus, I trust in You; Sacred Heart of Jesus, I believe in your love for me; Sacred Heart of Jesus, may your Kingdom come!"

Father's Day

I read that a teacher can only import new knowledge and the skills to analyze and evaluate what is presented. Then the students decide for themselves the value and truth of the knowledge. . . I think that we are so influenced by our culture that we no longer are conscious of the instinctive values that have been given us; I also question whether what the culture of the United States values as good and desirable is always compatible with what Jesus teaches us.

God desires to help us to discern what it the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Jesus tells us: "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life." Jesus is the Way to the Father; He is the Truth, but what does that mean? There is nothing false in Jesus. Yet, how do I understand the Truth? It leads me to a deeper reflection that ends in a surrender to the One who is all Truth.

Jesus is the Life. He came that we may have life and have it abundantly. He calls me to be a way, a path, that leads others to him. Am I a way to Jesus for others?
How do I live and communicate the truth? And, finally, how am I giving life to others? These are questions that have been with me for some time and invite me to reflection on this cloudy Sunday. It is also Father's day and my Dad is the first who taught me and invited me to live with integrity, honesty, and seek what is true.
I thank God for the Father he gave me and I am filled with gratitude when I remember my Dad!

Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

The picture is of the head of Mater, the painting of Our Lady as sitting in a very contemplative mood with an open book on top of her work basket. I love to think of Mary with an open book, but I imagine she did not even have a scroll! The picture of Our Lady was painted in the 19th century; Mary did not have or need a book to pray. She sees the invisible and the essential. I will be spending the day with other leaders of Centering Prayer. May Mary give all of us her contemplative outlook so that we see the invisible and the essential.

Feast of the Sacred Heart

Fountains of living water flow from the Heart of Christ, our Good Shepherd. In reading the mystics who had very real experiences of the Heart of Christ we find that sometimes Jesus calls us to enter His Heart; at other times, He is to be found in ours; and still other mystics had the experience of an exchange of hearts!
John Tauler, a 14th century Dominican wrote:
"What more could he still do for us, that he has not done? He has opened his very heart to us, as the most secret chamber wherein to lead our soul, his chosen spouse. For it is his joy to be with us in silent stillness, and in peaceful silence to rest there with us . . . He gives us his heart entirely, that it may be our home. He desires our hearts in return that they may be his dwelling place."

What Americans Value

Today I am going to give you a list of thirteen values that most Americans seem to live by without ever thinking about their values as they are part of our culture. I am taking this list from "The Values Americans Live By" by L. Robert Kohls who is on the staff of the Washington International Center. He says that if the foreign visitor really understood "how deeply ingrained these 13 values are in Americans, he or she would then be able to understand 95% of American actions--actions which might otherwise appear strange, confusing, or unbelievable when evaluated from the perspective of the foreighner's own society and its values."

I am not feeling proud about all the values listed but think they give us much to reflect upon so want to share with you:
Personal control over the environment
Change
Time and Its Control
Equality
Individualism/Privacy
Self-Help
Competition
Future Orientation
Action/Work Orientation
Informality
Directness/Openness/Honesty
Practicality/Efficiency
Materialism/Acquisitiveness

Pope's Book, A Bridge

I think that Jesus of Nazareth is a book that bridges the scholarly texts and the devotional lives of Jesus and is so simply and concisely written that anyone will learn to know Jesus better by reading it. I must confess that I have not yet managed to read much of it, but love what I am reading.

The Introduction says that the teaching of Jesus "originates from immediate contact with the Father, 'from face-to-face' dialogue--from the vision of the one who rests close to the Father's heart: It is the Son's word. Without this inner grounding, his teaching would be pure presumtion."

Jesus spent many nights in prayer; this is the source of his actions and teaching - his deep communion with the Father- this way of "praying" makes us able to participate in his filial communion with the Father.