Christ, Our Rock

In our beautiful chapel at St. Thomas University, the base of the altar is a wonderful rock brought from the ocean from the Keys. It has a couple of deep holes that are like the "cleft in the rock" and I find God there. Some may prefer the "cave of the heart."
Anyway, I read a good quote today from Teresa of Avila that I want to share with you. It is from the 4th mansion in the:Interior Castle:
Love consists, not in the extent of our happiness, but in the firmness of our determination to try to please God in everything.
I like the quote because we do try to please God in everything and now I shall just concentrate on trying to make my determination very firm, constant, and generous.
Ignatius of Loyola says that love is proved by deeds rather than words. I have another quote that is from a little booklet Prayer for Finding God in All Things.
Love is a decision shown more by deeds than by words, by accepting people as they are rather than by trying to change them. I am called to spend myself for those who need my time and energy, my patience, generosity, and wisdom; love calls me to be present to another with such attention and reverence as will lead me to find God's presence in that person.

Where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.

In today's Gospel(LK12)Jesus tells his disciples: Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your belongings and give alms.
Jesus does not beat around the bush. If we want to enter the Kingdom we need to get rid of all attachments to worldly wealth and be prepared. Where our hearts are indicates what our treasure is! What am I seeking? Am I willing to pay the price?
Jesus tells us the parable of the servants waiting their master's return. Blessed are those who are prepared and vigilant to welcome him. We do not know the hour when the Son of Man will come.
A wise person lives in the present moment and is ready to live as if each moment may be one's last moment.

Feast of St. Clare

Clare left home at eighteen and Francis gave her the habit of the Franciscans, but she had to live with the Benedictines where others joined her, including her mother and two sisters. They founded their own convent and the Poor Clares are still practicing radical poverty today. Clare was made abbess at 21, died at 60 and was canonized two years after her death.

Two thoughts for reflection from today's liturgy: If we have faith, nothing is impossible. Even faith the size of a mustard seed is able to move a mountain! We have been given the gift of faith so why are we not using it?
The other thought comes from Moses saying to the Israelites: The Lord is our God; the Lord alone! Therefore you shall love the Lord your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. These words are to be taken to heart --we are to live them! How am I doing this?

God loves a cheerful giver

Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Easier said than done but we have the Divine Energy within us that makes all possible!

God invites us to be cheerful in our daily dyings. Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.

Jesus calls us to serve him in joy. For some reason I am reminded of the prayer attributed to St. Ignatius:
Dearest Lord, teach me to be generous;
teach me to serve you as you deserve;
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labor and not to ask for any reward,
save that of knowing that I do your will.

And may it be done in joy! Remember, God loves a cheerful giver!!

Who do you say that I am?

Today's Gospel has Jesus asking "But who do you say that I am?" This is an important, essential question that Jesus still asks each of us today and one that we need to answer from the depths of our being. Peter was inspired to reply: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." What do I say today when Jesus again asks me?

It is also the feast of Edith Stein, St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. Edith, a Jew was converted to Catholicism after reading the life of Teresa of Avila; later she entered the Carmelite convent. As Jewish-Christians were being persecuted in Germany, she was sent to another convent in Holland. My missalette,Living with Christ, said that when the Bishop spoke out against the persecution of Jews, the Nazis retaliated and arrested all Jewish-Christians and sent them to the gas chambers at Auschwitz. Edith and her sister Rosa were both taken there to die. Edith was named co-patron of all Europe with Bridget of Sweden and Catherine of Siena. Reading about what happened when that bishop spoke out against the persecution of the Jews made me reflect on the lack of action by Pope Pius XII; it may have saved more people than we may ever know.

Feast of St. Dominic

Today is the feast of Dominic de Guzman, founder of the Order of Preachers, known as the Dominicans. Since the 13th century they have taught, preached, and kept the faith alive; the prayer after Communion says they "have helped the Church to grow". The opening prayer for today's liturgy asks that Dominic may "help us now with his prayers as he once inspired people by his preaching."
The Gospel (MT15)is the story of the Canaanite woman who cried out to the Lord because her daughter was tormented by a demon. How many mothers have found help with her words, "Lord, help me"? She is heard because of her faith but also for her humility and her perseverance.

"Take courage, it is I"

Jesus is our Light and brings us safely home no matter how big the storm, no matter how long it lasts; we can count on him.

In today's Gospel(Mt 14:22-30) Jesus sent his disciples into a storm while he went up the mountain to pray. Much later, during the fourth watch of the night), he came to them, walking on the sea. They are frightened and think it is a ghost. Jesus says: Take courage, it is I.

Jesus so often says the same to me: "Don't be afraid, it is I." When Jesus is present we have no need to fear. He may even call us to come to him on the water as he did Peter. If I look only at Jesus, I will be safe. Peter, aware of the wind and waves was scared but had enough sense to call, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him and said: 'O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"

Since Jesus is always with us, there is no reason to be afraid, even when he asks us to get out of the boat and walk on the water. If he sends us into a storm, he is still watching over us, still saying, "Fear not; I am with you."

Feast of the Transfiguration

Jesus took his special friends and went up a mountain to pray. He invites me to go with them up the mountain to pray, too. In prayer, I encounter the transfigured Christ. Jesus is risen now so I am finding him transfigured. The Father still comes as the voice came from the cloud and I am still hearing: This is my chosen Son; listen to him.
Lord, help me to listen to you; you speak to me in prayer; you also speak to me through people, e-mails, telephone calls, chance encounters, events, and circumstances. You continue to say to me: "Love one another as I have loved you." With your divine energy, this is possible.
I returned yesterday from two days of prayer on the subject of Divine Energy. I think that the Holy Spirit dwelling in us is Divine Energy; we have the Presence of God within us and must believe that this is a reality and also believe that we have the power and energy of God in us. If we had enough faith, we could move mountains. We need to believe in the power of God, the Divine Energy, and count on it. God can do all things. Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find...

I leave tomorrow for a week end at the Cenacle in Lantana. My spiritual director is giving the week end on "Divine Energy" and I will go up early and take her out for lunch so that I can have a good visit. Thus I will again be away from the computer for three days! It is hard to get back to work after a long summer holiday, but I am planning to do so very soon! I actually wrote a blog and then forgot to post it so I will just wait until next week. Remember that God is never grasped by thought but only by love!
There is much to pray for and I am sure we are thinking of those who are fighting, those who were on the bridge that collapsed, those who are being deported, etc.

Give Thanks With Joy

One way to praise God is to serve Him in joy. Grateful people are joyful and we have so much to be grateful for each day. Yesterday I said that Psalm 100 helped me to express what I was feeling in retreat. It still seems to be a great Psalm for me to pray with, but I read it in Spanish today and liked it even more. I am copying most of it here in English:
A Psalm of Thanksgiving

Sing joyfully to the Lord, all you lands;
worship the Lord with cries of gladness;
come before him with joyful song.

Know that the Lord is God,
our maker to whom we belong,
whose people we are,
God's well-tended flock ...

Give thanks to God,
bless his name;
Good indeed is the Lord,
whose love endures forever ...

I thought of all the lands that I have lived in, stayed in for more than a month and counted those visited several times: Mexico, Italy, Chile, Peru, Spain, France, England; I have been to other countries like Israel, Scotland, Canada, and Argentina, but have not lived there. I found joyful memories in all of them and hope that I was helping them to "sing joyfully to the Lord"; the Spanish has the whole earth proclaiming the Lord and then says "serve the Lord with joy" and I think that is my vocation within a vocation. Today's Communion Antiphon is from John 15:16- "You have not chosen me; I have chosen you. Go and bear fruit that will last." Jesus reminds me often that he has chosen me and I am to pipe a song of joy. There is enough sorrow everywhere.

Happy to be Home Again

The month of July flew past and the highlight was, of course, my retreat on the ocean in California. I am going to share what I did during this retreat as it is such an easy way to pray that you may want to try it. My retreat director suggested that I sit with Jesus and ask him to show me a photo album and point out pictures in my life that He hoped we could talk about and see how each picture was still influencing my life. I found that I was overwhelmed by gratitude when I realized how much love surrounded me from the earliest pictures that Jesus seemed to show me. As I have had a long life, we were still looking at pictures of my twenty years in Chile when the retreat ended. I forgot to say that I also found Psalm 100 that seemed to express what I was feeling in the retreat and became part of the background of my retreat. Of course, I also spent time in just contemplating the immensity and depth of God's love while looking at the beautiful Pacific ocean. I need to make a resolution to go look at the Atlantic, too, since I do live in Miami!
It is good to be back and I will try to add a reflection at least several times a week. I will be away again this week end and without computer access, but be patient as I do have much to share as soon as my life falls into a regular pattern again. In the meantime, here is a thought to ponder: What picture does Jesus want me to look at now and why? What do I say to Jesus and how do I feel?
Happy Feast of St. Ignatius as I am writing this on the 31st and thinking of all the Jesuits who have been part of my life. Three Jesuit cousins - another reason to be grateful! I am almost finished reading "The First Jesuits" by John O'Malley and it gives the historical background that influenced the beginnings of the Society of Jesus.

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.