When I was in seventh and eighth grade, some of us went to Camp Don Bosco in the summer. I began to have devotion to him as he had such a love of children. I read his life and have great admiration for him. He worked so hard, but never stopped praying. I guess he was an inspiration for me as a child and I wanted to help children.
He was an incredible priest. He never had any money but was able to collect, feed, educate hundreds of children even before he founded the his order. He began by seeing the need to get the boys off the streets. Then he began what today would call trade schools. When a little orphan, cold and hungry, appeared at his door one night, John Bosco began orphanages.
Let us pray to him today for all the children who need out prayer.
We lost one of our Religious this morning and I had the joy of being with her when she went to God around 4:30 A.M. I knew her 72 years ago as a young newly professed Religious at the Academy of the Sacred Heart in St. Charles. She is the first Religious of the Sacred Heart that I spoke to about my vocation. Years later, I gave her two directed retreats. She was a wonderful friend and lived to be 101 years of age plus about five months, but she was ready to go to God. I am just happy that I had the gift of keeping vigil with her before she died so peacefully.
Any contact with Jesus gives us the possibility of transformation. What do I mean by transformation? I think it is a complete change of mind and heart.
In our formation document we speak of "our need to be transformed so that we may glimpse the face of Christ in the faces of the poor and in one another." It talks about God's love, "profound and transforming, which is the source that sustains our life together."
"As women we are experiencing the need to keep on being more deeply present to this process of transformation that God is accomplishing in us." That is an important truth to remember: it is God's work in us, not ours. Transformation is always the fruit of an Encounter. "It happens when we venture with our whole being into a deep, sincere encounter with God and let ourselves be encountered by God, just as we are, with nothing in our lives remaining outside of this encounter."
We are "to let ourselves be transformed and renewed, so that we can respond from the depths of our being, and throughout our lives, remembering who we are and by Whom we were called."
These are just a few quotes to reflect on today.
We began the New Year four weeks ago. How is it going for you? I am looking back on these weeks and see how often I let the newspapers full of bad news influence me. I want to give joy to all around me and so need to remember that God is in charge; He knows all, can do all, and He loves each of us with an everlasting love. This helps me to stay peaceful and even joyful as I concentrate on all the good things and how grateful I am for all the daily gifts from God.
Today's Gospel has Jesus expelling an unclean spirit and leaving all in the synagogue in Capernaum asking one another:
What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him."
Jesus taught with authority and He taught the truth. The people were astonished at his teaching. We have the Gospels that contain the heart of the teachings of Jesus. Are we able to be receptive and to practice what Jesus taught us, especially about forgiving one another and loving others as Jesus loves us?
Sunday is a good time to reflect on how we are pleasing Jesus by our daily lives. Since it is also the last Sunday of the month, take some time today to review your New Year resolutions. How have I kept them during this first month of the year. Let us not be discouraged if we have failed but remember that the fact that we are having a hard time keeping them means they are good resolutions, ones that we really need. Let us keep on with courage. Jesus sees all our efforts and blesses them.
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| Before the Storm |
Sometimes our lives are full of peace. We feel calm and close to God. Then, perhaps, without warning, we find ourselves in the midst of a storm. The storm may be inside of us or in our surroundings, but suddenly we may feel less calm, even frightened. Today's Gospel has the disciples in the boat with Jesus. The storm comes up and waves are breaking over the boat so it is filling up with water. Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. Imagine how his disciples feel. They wake Jesus asking, "do you not care that we are perishing?" Jesus awoke, rebuked the wind and the sea and there was a great calm. Then Jesus asks "Why are you so terrified? Do you not have faith?"
Our political situation is causing us to feel as if we are in a storm. Have we faith? Jesus is with us and tells us over and over in the Gospels, "Fear not, I am with you." Let us take heart and beg the Lord to increase our faith.
The Lord also wished us to be peaceful. "Peace be with you!"
My thoughts have been very much on the gifts given me by one of our Religious who died so peacefully early Wednesday morning. She had celebrated her 100th birthday with a great party just weeks before and she was so mentally alert. However, she was on hospice and knew the end was near. She was so interested in all and so humble. At her party, when so many were giving testimony to her many gifts, I learned that much of the altar linens had been made by her; she used to bake cookies and bring them to the community; she taught so many to love science, etc. It is her gift of prayer that most has helped me. She was a holy woman, a true Religious of the Sacred Heart.
All of us will be going to God sooner or later. We have this time to prepare to be with God for all eternity. Let us use it wisely.
In the Guided Imagery retreat, one of the greatest graces in the daily spiritual direction with your guide besides the times of your guided imagery when your guide is writing down all that you say and is able to go over it with you before you leave to write it up. To have someone really listen to you is a gift.
John Fox says it better than I can in a poem from "Finding What You Didn't Lose":
"When someone deeply listens to you
it is like holding out a dented cup
you've had since childhood
and watching it fill up with cold, fresh water.
When it balances on top of the brim,
you are understood.
When it overflows and touches your skin
you are loved.
When someone deeply listens to you,
the room where you stay
starts a new life
and the place where you wrote
your first poem
begins to flow in your mind's eye.
It is as if gold has been discovered!
When someone deeply listens to you,
your bare feet are on the earth
and a beloved land that seemed distant
is now at home within you."
God listens deeply to each of us!
A year ago for the Feast of the Epiphany we drew "stars to follow during the New Year." It is a custom we have in the Society of the Sacred Heart; I drew wonder and awe. Then, in the Guided Imagery Retreat, there is a question at the end of the paper we fill in after more prayer and reflection. The question is "What are your wonder questions?" I found this rather hard to answer so have been reflecting on it ever since.
I guess I wonder why God is so good to me? I think of the extent of our universe, the stars in the sky, and I am filled with wonder and awe. I read somewhere that "to wonder is to stand in awe of the ultimate mystery of life and to understand that mystery exists not merely in the ecstatic but in the ordinary daily life." This quote is from Rob Lehman quoted in Seeds of Awakening.
Children have a sense of wonder. I think contemplatives also are full of wonder as God is so much greater than our thoughts and will always evoke wonder and awe. Let us all be filled with childlike wonder as we gaze at creation today.
"Years wrinkle the skin--but to give up wonder wrinkles the soul." Reginald Stewart
There is a prayer by Edwina Gateley that I love. I may have used this in a former blog, but it is worth typing again. The title is Let Your God Love You which is really one of my favorite teachings now - just go to prayer to let God love you!
Be silent.
Be still.
Alone.
Empty.
Before your God.
Say nothing.
Ask nothing.
Be silent.
Be still.
Let your God look upon you.
That is all.
God knows.
God understands.
God loves you with an enormous love.
God only wants to look upon you with that love.
Quiet.
Still.
Be.
Let your God--
Love you.
The title of today's blog is really a maxim of St. Madeleine Sophie. It was sent to me in English and Mandarin, but it is short and one that I have always loved and now am reflecting on again. My life seems full of small choices; if they can please the Heart of Jesus, they are not small. I need to take time now to write some notes to friends who do not do e-mail. I have a list of things to do and have not found the energy to do them. So you are getting a short blog for today, but I will give you one more quote. This one is from Marina Wiederkehr:
"Holiness comes wrapped in the ordinary. There are burning bushes all around you. Every tree is full of angels. Hidden beauty is waiting in every crumb."
Let us be aware of this hidden beauty and go do the little things that reveal God's love to others.
We each had three guided imagery with our Guides; mine were all an experience of God's love. Each was different but the feeling of being intensely loved by God was the same in each. I wrote my synthesis that is supposed to be an integration of all the elements of my retreat. I am willing to share it with you, but you must remember that this was a week of soul-work and, at least for me, feelings dominated. The 3 insights I wrote on the triangle on the synthesis page were: called to intimacy with God; God loves me intensely and I am to give His love to others; when I am open and surrendered, God takes possession.
I think that sums up the retreat but will share a bit more. We were to list recurring images. (Even feelings are considered to be images)
God's love
Indwelling of the Trinity
God-tree (this was a huge white oak tree at the top of the hill)
Jesus, and the Infant Jesus, and the Heart of Jesus
Mary who let me hold the Infant Jesus and stayed with me
Chapel at Oakwood
Communion of Saints
Hillside
I guess sharing my retreat makes it deeper, but I am not sure it can be understood. I do know that God wants us to allow Him to love us!
Here is a quote from St. Madeleine Sophie that someone has sent me and I want to share for your reflection: "Let us open our heart in confidence to the spirit of joy; all that we have is God's. What is there to fear?"
When I was growing up, Sunday was a special day and one of rest. We still are free to choose how to spend this day that is the Lord's Day. Many go to church and thank the Lord for the graces of the week. I know that now some shop (no stores were open except for the pharmacy of turn on Sundays) and wash clothes but most plan the day so it is relaxing, and that is a way of resting. I remember that my Dad would get up and fix us a great breakfast and then we would all get dressed up for Church. In 7th and 8th grade, I sang in the Parish Choir and we wore black robes with white collars and cuffs. Then we would go home and my mother would put a roast in the oven and relatives would come later for Sunday dinner. It was a real family day.
This Sunday's Gospel has Jesus proclaiming: "The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel." Then Jesus goes to the shore of the Sea of Galilee where he sees Simon and Andrew casting their nets into the sea. He calls them to follow Him. He calls each of us, too, to follow Him. How are we doing this today?
