Miscellaneous

It just seemed as if it is time for a Miscellaneous Day again. I am on a Round Table to explore how Religious of the Sacred Heart can continue to deepen our inner life and contemplation. We have so many helps given us in our Constitutions that, if we really lived out what is prescribed for us, I think we would all be saints.

I have been looking at some quotes from St. Madeleine Sophie, who founded the Society of the Sacred Heart in France in 1800; today, I want to share a few with you:

"An interior person has the ceaseless remembrance of the one for whom we act."

"The Heart of Jesus is for us shelter, food, fire, light, cool water...It is our element, our path, our life, our all."

"Love Jesus and do everything for him and in him."

"Love God, and if you cannot meditate you can always say,'My God, I love You.'"

Since my course is reading The Cloud of Unknowing this week, I have a few quotes also from that wonderful spiritual classic to share with you:

"If you wish to keep growing you must nourish in your heart the lively longing for God...All that he asks of you is that you fix your love on him..."

"One loving blind desire for God alone is more valuable in itself, more pleasing to God and to the saints, more beneficial to your own growth and more helpful to your friends, both living and dead, than anything else you could do."

"Though we cannot know him we can love him. By love he may be touched and embraced, never by thought."

"It is not what you are, nor what you have been that God sees with his all-merciful eyes, but what you desire to be."

I suspect that each of these quotes needs some time for reflection.

Feast of the Seven Founders of the Servites

Seven young men in Florence joined the Confraternity of the Blessed Virgin between 1225 and 1227. Inspired by visions of Our Lady, they dedicated themselves to prayer and service. They built a church and hermitage on a deserted mountain; the bishop made them adopt a rule and accept recruits. They changed their name to Servants of Mary or Servites after another vision of Our Lady in 1240. Of the original seven, all but one became priests. The lay-brother lived to be 110 and saw the Order fully recognized in 1304.

Mark's Gospel for today (8:14-21) tells us, "The disciples has forgotten to bring bread; they had only one loaf with them in the boat. Jesus enjoined them, 'Watch out, guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.'" They did not understand what Jesus has said and concluded among themselves that it was because they had no bread. Jesus then asked them, "Do you not yet understand or comprehend? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear? And do you not remember...? He reminds them of how he has multiplied the bread to feed five thousand and they had twelve baskets of left over fragments and when he fed the four thousand, they picked up seven full baskets of left overs. It is not a question of lacking bread. It is trying to understand the message of Jesus. I need to reflect today if some of these same questions are not being asked of me by Jesus - Do I understand? Is my heart hardened? Do I see and hear with the eyes and ears of Jesus? Do I remember all that he has done for me?

Tall stands the Tree beside the stream...

Today I want to share with you the hymn for the Morning Office as I think it will give you much to reflect on during the day as it is a real meditation:

Tall stands the Tree beside the stream,
Where living waters flow;
Wide-flung the branches, cool the shade,
Where all the weary go.

Fresh green the leaves for healing giv'n,
Bright gold the new-pressed oil
That runs as balm upon the banks
Toward which the weary toil.

Deep-scarred the bark, but sweet the wine
That pours down, last and best,
And rich the table spread below,
Where all the weary rest.

Sing praise to God, the gardener
Whose labors never cease
To make beneath the Tree of Life
For all the weary, peace.

The Gospel has the Pharisees again who "began to argue with Jesus, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him." Jesus, Mark tells us, sighed from the depth of his spirit. "Why does this generation seek a sign? Amen I say to you, no sign will be given..." Then Jesus got into the boat and went off to the other shore.

I am not one to ask for signs, but feel that the Lord often gives them. This seems to happen to some more than others. It is only when we have faith that we see signs, when we are able to trust - never if trying to test Jesus.

Today we celebrate a national holiday in honor of two great Presidents: George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Both were men of integrity and may our present political leaders imitate them. Let us pray for all those in government that they may be honest, committed to the common good, and people of integrity.

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

As I reflected on Jesus curing the leper in today's Gospel when preparing for Sunday on the Thursday blog, I am now looking at the second reading from Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians (10:31-11:1). Paul tells us that "whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God."
Whatever we do - nothing is too small to do it for the glory of God! I was always told when a child that "If something is worth doing, it is worth doing right." I guess this relates to whatever we do, do it for the glory of God! That makes me remember one of our nuns who told me that she was told to always make her bed as though Jesus was going to sleep in it. I have never forgotten that and am incapable of just pulling up covers but must make the bed perfectly every morning. Actually, it is always one of my more contemplative moments outside of prayer.
This reflection seems to have strayed from the day's second reading, but Paul does tell us that we are to avoid giving offense, whether to the Jews or Greeks or the church of God, "just as I try to please everyone in every way, not seeking my own benefit but that of the many, that they may be saved. Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ."

That is something to ponder. Do I try to please everyone in every way? I think some of the saints did this, but I feel it is only possible with the help of the Lord. I might get through one day pleasing everyone in every way, but I do not think I would have the courage to keep it up. Jesus did though and I have met some who live this way all the time. Lord help us to try to please You and in pleasing you, to please others! I do not want to seek my own good, but that of the many, that they may be saved!

The Psalm refrain today is: "I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation." The Lord wants us to turn to him. So often I worry over a situation and forget to even bring it before the Lord. Nothing is too small for He can name the stars and every hair of our heads!

Valentine's Day & Sts. Cyril and Methodius

I need to say something about the Saints that we celebrate today, but it is also Valentine's day. Cyril and Methodius were born in 9th century Greece. They became missionaries after teaching and holding government positions.They went to what is now Ukraine and then to Moravia. Cyril devised an alphabet to make the liturgy and scriptures available in the Slavonic language. Cyril died on a trip to Rome but Methodius was consecrated a biship and returned to Moravia. Both were declared patrons of Europe by Pope John Paul II in 1980.

I would have loved to have sent more valentines this year as it is a way of showing others that you do care for them and it is always good to feel loved! I arrived in Chile on February 14, 1960 and thought that God sent me as a valentine to show his love to others.

In the Gospel today when Jesus saw the crowd that had followed him had hunger as they had been with him for three days, he said to his disciples: "My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will collapse on the way, and some of them have come a great distance."

Jesus himself tells us that his heart is moved with pity; it is a heart that is full of love and compassion for others. When the disciples say that no one can get bread enough to satisfy them in that deserted spot, Jesus still asked them, "How many loaves do you have?" They told him they had seven so he ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then, "taking the seven loaves he gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to his disciples to distribute... They also had a few fish. He said the blessing over them and ordered them distributed also. They ate and were satisfied."

Mark tells us that there were about four thousand people and there were seven baskets of fragments left over!! Then Jesus dismissed the crowd and got into the boat with his disciples. He moves on to another region.

These is the second miraculous feeding and the very words describing the actions of Jesus, He gave thanks, broke, gave the bread remind us of the way Jesus feeds us in the Eucharist. His Heart is still moved with compassion and he wants to nourish us to give us strength for the journey.

Healing the deaf man

Jesus had gone into the district of the Decapolis. People brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged him to lay his hand on him. Jesus took the deaf man away by himself and apart from the crowd. "He put his fingers into the man's ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, 'Ephphatha!'(that is, 'Be opened!')And immediately the man's ears were opened, and his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly."

As one who is deaf due to a high fever in Chile many years ago, I can imagine what the man felt when he was able to hear again. I received new digital hearing aids just a year ago and for the first time in forty years was able to hear a clock ticking in my room! I love the sound! I can also enjoy music again. I have accepted my deafness as a gift for it makes me love silence and solitude, especially after a day with people where I am lip reading most of the time. However, I just keep thinking about the joy of the man who was cured and could both hear and speak because Jesus took the time to heal him. Again, it was the faith of the people who brought him to Jesus. Am I bringing my friends to Jesus in prayer enough?


"Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone." But the more he ordered them not to, the more they proclaimed it. They were exceedingly astonished and they said, "He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."

Let us bring our friends to Jesus today in prayer and let Jesus take them aside and heal whatever needs healing. And let us thank for the gift of hearing and speech. We take so much for granted. May we not misuse the gifts given us! He does all things well!

Preparing for Sunday

The Gospel for this Sunday is Mark 1:40-45 and is one I have always loved for it shows how compassionate Jesus is. It is a short Gospel but has several points:
a)"A leper came to Jesus and kneeling down begged him and said, 'If you wish, you can make me clean.'"
At that time there were many lepers and they had to keep a distance and even call out "unclean" if someone were to approach them. This leper knows that if he can just kneel before Jesus, Jesus will want to heal him. His faith makes him brave; he cries out, "If you wish, you can make me clean."

b) "Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, "I do will it. Be made clean."
Jesus immediately is moved; his heart is full of compassion and he actually reaches out to the leper and touched him! He does want to cure that leper kneeling before him and says to him, "I do will it. Be made clean." He touches him and what must this touch have been for that leper who has been shunned and declared an untouchable!

c)"Then Jesus dismissed him at once and told him: 'See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.'"
The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly.
I suspect that the leper was so full of joy and overflowing gratitude that he could not keep quiet. He wanted others to know what Jesus had done for him. He had to sing his praises as his heart was overflowing. How often am I compelled to praise the Lord for the many miracles of each day?

d)He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere."
Jesus seems to have loved the deserted places. He needed to have some time for prayer, but the people kept coming to him from everywhere. And he had pity on them for, as he tells us in another part of Mark's Gospel, "they are sheep without a shepherd." Jesus is the Good Shepherd and he tends his flock wherever they are. They "kept coming to him" - this is what I must do. Jesus will always receive us, always listen to us, always reach out and touch us when we ask him to make us clean!

Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes

This is a very popular feast now of Our Lady as we really are aware of not only her Immaculate Conception, but also the fact that Our Lady has worked many healings at Lourdes. It was between February 11 and July 16, 1858, that Mary appeared 18 times to Bernadette Soubirous in a cave near her hometown of Lourdes, France. Now this place has become one of pilgrimage and a place to bring the sick, the lame, those who have incurable diseases for the grotto's spring in Lourdes has been and is the place for many cures in the waters there.

The Gospel today has Jesus speaking to the crowd saying, "Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters a man from outside can defile that person; but the things that come our from within are what defile."
When he had left the crowd, his disciples questioned him as they did not really understand. Jesus tells them that what comes from the heart is what can defile.
We need to watch our heart. We find that we have both good and evil inside of us. We need to ask Jesus and Mary to keep our hearts pure, full of love and goodness so that we can give love to others. Mary sees what we need; she is very attentive to all her children and always ready to bring our needs to Jesus. She always tells me, as she told the servants at Cana, "Do whatsoever he tells you."

Feast of St. Scholastica

St. Scholastica was the twin sister of St. Benedict. What little we know about her life is found in St. Gregory the Great's book, the second Dialogue, which is an account of Benedict's miracles. It seems that she was buried in Benedict's own tomb where, soon after her death, he was also buried. She is the patroness of Benedictine nuns.

The Gospel today has the Pharisees and scribes gathered around Jesus and, as usual, criticizing because they saw that some of his disciples ate their meals without washing their hands. So they ask Jesus, "Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?"
Jesus responds: "Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written:
This people honors me with their lips, but their heart are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts."
Then Jesus went on to say, "How well you have set aside the commandment of God in order to uphold your tradition!" And he goes on to show them that they nullify the word of God in favor of their tradition.

This Gospel is one that I find rather terrifying. We do have the tendency to criticize! That is bad enough, but we then justify our actions, even to ignoring the commandments of God.
How often have I avoided something I know I should do by justifying myself with some custom or tradition that allows me to do what I want rather than what I know I should be doing?

Jesus was tireless in saving our world

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The picture goes with the first reading as we are beginning the Book of Genesis with the creation of the world. I love this reading but will reflect on the Gospel.

The Gospel for today is Mark 6: 53-56: Jesus crosses to the other side of the sea and tied up there. As they were leaving the boat, Jesus is recognized. Then the people "began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. They laid the sick in the marketplaces and "begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak; and as many as touched it were healed." Mark tells us this happened in "whatever villages or towns or country side he entered."

Sometimes we can feel ourselves overwhelmed by people. They seem to come at us from all sides. There are crowds, meetings, people who surround us; they may make demands on us in person, by phone, or by e-mail. They take our time and energy and patience. It is good to read this Gospel and see how Jesus was besieged with people making demands on his time and energy; Jesus was serene and went about doing good and healing others without thought of self. Yet, he knew the needs of each and did invite his friends to come apart and rest awhile. Each of us must know our own needs and find the silence and solitude that lets us renew our inner life and return to the marketplace with patience, energy, and the ability to heal and help others.

49th Anniversary of Final Profession on this Sunday

Today is the 49th anniversary of my final Profession made in Rome in 1960. It makes February 8th a very special day for me. From Rome I then went straight to Chile without returning to see my parents. That was hard, especially for them, but I only remember the joy of my Profession Day. As we were about 46 making Profession from all over the world, we had three ceremonies. The English one on February 8th followed by a French ceremony, and then a Spanish and culminating on February 11th with a Jubilee celebration at the Motherhouse. The name of our group is "Apostolic Courage" and has always been an inspiration for me.

Since we are now preparing Sunday on Thursday, I have given my reflection on the wonderful Gospel of today so will now focus on the Psalm (147) and the refrain:
"Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted."
Praise the Lord, for he is good; sing praise to our God, for he is gracious; it is fitting to praise him.
I sometimes think that the gift of the Psalms is really a way to praise God; so many of them do help us to lift our voices to praise the Lord for he is good and gracious and, as this Psalm continues to say: He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He tells the number of the stars; he calls each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; to his wisdom there is no limit. The Lord sustains the lowly; the wicked he casts to the ground.
I love thinking of the greatness of God, but a God who calls each star by name! He is all-powerful and all-wise and he love us and asks for our trust.

The second reading has Paul telling us that he is impelled to preach the Gospel and "woe to me if I do not preach it." Paul tells us that "I have become all things to all, to save at least some. All this I do for the sake of the Gospel, so that I too may have a share in it." What am I doing to preach the Good News today? This week? This month? I may not be "all things to all" but hope to be some things to some!

Come away and rest awhile...

Today's Gospel (Mark 6:30-34) has the Apostles gathered together with Jesus. The tell him all they have done and taught. Jesus then says to them, "Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while."

Sometime, it is necessary for us, too, to seek that deserted place to rest. Mark tells us that "people were coming and going in great numbers, ad they had no opportunity even to eat. So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place. The problem is that people saw them leaving and told others so that the word spread and people "hastened there on foot from all the towns and arrived at the place before them." It is no longer a deserted place!
When Jesus saw the vast crowd, "his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things."

Jesus still invites us to come away and rest awhile with him; he also teaches me to have compassion and to welcome people with his love.