Friday, October 29, 2021
A Day of Saints
During World War II a German
widow hid Jewish refugees in her home. As her friends discovered
the situation, they became extremely alarmed.
“You are risking your own well-being,” they told her.
I know that,” she said.
“Then why,” they demanded, “do you persist in this foolishness?”
Her answer was stark and to the point.
“I am doing it,” she said, “because the time is now and I am here.”
Today (November lst) we celebrate the feast of
All Saints - those known and unknown women and men, and even children - who are
called holy because their lives manifested the very holiness of God. And
we do this today because the time is now and we are here.
These women and men are those who form “the
great multitude of which no one can count, from every nation, race, people and
tongue.”
In the early Christian Church the first saints were martyrs, virgins, hermits,
and monks who were declared holy by popular acclaim. Since the 16th
century, when the modern saint-making process began, canonization was in the
control of the popes and became a judicial process complete with evidence and
cross-examination.
The person had to pass through a scrutiny of
investigations and many proofs of miracles. Once proven, then an
elaborate ceremony of canonization occurred. A feast day assigned, a
Church and shrines were dedicated to the saint.
The person would be declared patron saint of a
country, a diocese or other religious institutions. Statues and images
would be struck, along with public prayers, relics venerated and possibly a
Mass would be composed in the Saint’s honor.
In the times from these early centuries until
now, those declared saints have contributed to God’s reign as artists, authors,
founders/foundresses of religious orders, monks, martyrs, missionaries and
mystics, bishops, popes, poets, peasants, and prophets, women and men religious,
kings, queens, historians, and hermits, wives, husbands, reformers, scientists,
theologians, teachers, virgins, children, widows, carpenters, shepherdesses and
a thousand more paths in which these holy ones gave themselves as self gift.
They lived in times of turmoil and times of
tranquility; they endured persecutions, wars, church councils, crusades, The
Inquisition, the Protestant Reformation, the French Revolution, the Black
Death, enemy occupation of their countries, and struggled with unjust
government, church, and social systems.
We may tend today to think of Saints as holy and
pious people, sometimes irrelevant to our experience and often shown in
pictures with halos above their heads with ecstatic gazes or surrounded by
angels or holding a symbol particular to their story.
But today – saints are men and women like us who
live ordinary lives and struggle with the ordinary and extraordinary problems
of life. What makes them saints is their clear and unwavering focus on God and
God’s people. And so we may ask, who are the holy ones for us
today? And what does holiness look like in our time and place?
Are we not all called to holiness by our very Baptism?
The time is now and we are here.
It can be said that holiness is conditioned by socio-cultural and religious
factors. In the early centuries, the martyr paradigm certainly was a
manifestation of God’s holiness.
As one author remarks: “For centuries the church
has presented the human community with role models of greatness. We call them
saints when what we really often mean to say is 'icon,' 'star,' 'hero,' ones so
possessed by an internal vision of divine goodness that they give us a glimpse
of the face of God in the center of the human. They give us
a taste of the possibilities of greatness in ourselves."
— Joan D. Chittister in A Passion for Life
And so in our age, when there is renewed
awareness of the suffering of innocent people through human trafficking, or
through the exploitation of developing world countries, or through the tragic
systematic death of peoples by means of torture, famine, and genocide, then we
can be sure that the saints will be those whose lives are spent working
tirelessly to alleviate the suffering. Because the time is now and they are
here.
In an age when Christians are often confronted
to choose between life and death for the sake of the Gospel, the saints will
boldly choose life through the cost of death. Because the time is now and
they are here.
In an age when there is a clash between human
dignity of all and the restrictive power of a few over all, the saints will
name the injustice and call it social sin.
Because the time is now and they are here.
In an age when discrimination, elitism and
oppression operates in society, in the government and in our Church, the saints
will again proclaim the reign of God and be “voice and heart, call and sign of
the God whose design for this world is justice and mercy for all.” Because the
time is now and they are here.
“Because the nature of sainthood is an
incarnational reality, the shape and form of holiness may change from age to
age and culture to culture.” But the Spirit of the Holy will continue to call
people like all of us who are present and those beyond our faith community –
to witness to the freedom of the Spirit;
to run, to risk and wonder at our daring;
to boldly choose life through the cost of death; to confront the oppressors and
marvel at our courage; and work tirelessly for the people of God as we proclaim
God’s reign.
For it is God’s caring we witness and
God’s love we share
because the time is now, and we are here.
Thursday, October 28, 2021
Letting Go . . . Letting God . . .
To let go does not mean to stop caring,
it means I can’t do it for someone
else.
To let go is not to cut myself off,
it’s the realization I can’t control
another.
To let go is not to enable,
but allow learning from natural consequences.
To let go is to admit powerlessness,
which means
the outcome is not in my hands.
To let go is not to try to change or
blame another,
it’s to make the most of myself.
To let go is not to care for,
but to care about.
To let go is not to fix,
but to be supportive.
To let go is not to judge,
but to allow another to be a human
being.
To let go is not to be in the middle
arranging all the outcomes,
but to allow others to affect their
destinies.
To let go is not to be protective,
it’s to permit another to face reality.
To let go is not to deny,
but to accept.
To let go is not to nag, scold or
argue,
but instead to search out my own
shortcomings and correct them.
To let go is not to adjust everything
to my desires,
but to take each day as it comes and
cherish myself in it.
To let go is not to criticize or
regulate anybody,
but to try to become what I dream I can
be.
To let go is not to regret the past,
but to grow and live for the
future.
To let go is to fear less and love more
and
To let go and to let God, is to find
peace!
Remember: The time to love is short.
“Letting Go Takes Love”, Author unknown
Gratitude, the only prayer . . .
Deeply Grateful
By Edwina Gateley (Growing into God)
When I stopped waiting
and only sat,
breathing gently, steadily,
lost simply
in the flow of air . . .
Ah, then,
you tumbled, God,
like an avalanche
fast falling
within me,
gathering self-energized force,
unexpected, unrequested,
but suffusing and possessing all –
leaving me
stunned,
stilled,
And deeply grateful.
The Invitation of Silence . . .
Dear
God,
Speak
gently in my silence.
When
the loud outer noises of my surroundings
and
the loud inner noises of my fears
keep
pulling me away from you,
help
me to trust that you are still there
even
when I am unable to hear you.
Give
me ears to listen to your small, soft voice saying:
"Come
to me, you who are overburdened,
and
I will give you rest . . .
for
I am gentle and humble of heart."
Let
that loving voice be my guide. Amen.
-
Henri Nouwen
Tuesday, October 26, 2021
Earth Teach Me to Remember
Earth teach me stillness
as the grasses are stilled with light.
Earth teach me suffering
as old stones suffer with memory.
Earth teach me humility
as blossoms are humble with beginning.
Earth Teach me caring
as the mother who secures her young.
Earth teach me courage
as the tree which stands alone.
Earth teach me limitation
as the ant which crawls on the ground.
Earth teach me freedom
as the eagle which soars in the sky.
Earth teach me resignation
as the leaves which die in the fall.
Earth teach me regeneration
as the seed which rises in the spring.
Earth teach me to forget myself
as melted snow forgets its life.
Earth teach me to remember kindness
as dry fields weep in the rain.
Ute, North American
Wednesday, October 20, 2021
The Light Within . . .
Blessed Are You Who Bear The Light
Blessed are
you
who bear the
light
in
unbearable times,
who testify
to its
endurance
amid the
unendurable,
who bear
witness
to its
persistence
when
everything seems
in shadow
and grief.
Blessed are
you
in whom
the light
lives,
in whom
the
brightness blazes ___
your heart
a chapel,
an altar
where
in the
deepest night
can be seen
the fire
that
shines forth
in you
in
unaccountable faith,
in stubborn
hope,
in love that
illumines
every broken
thing
it finds.
Author: Jan
Richardson
From Circle
of Grace
http://www.janrichardson.com/index.htmlichardson.com
janrichardson.com
What do you want me to do for you?
I see you,” Jake says to the tall, blue-skinned, native woman, Neytiri, in the futuristic, sci-fi epic movie Avatar. The greeting implies a connection beyond seeing with only the eyes.
The phrase “I see you” is used throughout the film to communicate a deep
respect for the whole being. Not only does Jake learn to
truly see Neytiri, but he also learns that deep-seeing leads to revering the
interconnectedness in all of life. (Liz Budd Ellmann, Mdiv)
I suppose you may wonder what this introduction
has to do with the story of Blind Bartimaeus in our Sunday Gospel?
There is a cast of characters in this story, some desiring to see, others
desiring to be seen. However, it is Jesus who truly sees with a
laser-like vision who has a “deep respect for the whole being”
of all whom he meets on his journey toward Jerusalem.
Jesus is surrounded by his disciples, and some
“groupies” who act as security guards. Possibly some consider
themselves the “in-group”. Or some may have been healed or forgiven by Jesus
and now they have joined in the group. And yet, there are those in
the crowd who see what they want to see and sort out who Jesus should see.
They seem to be in charge of “crowd control” and they tell Bartimaeus to
keep quiet. Could it be that they are “blind” as well?
Now Bartimaeus has a prime “box seat” right at the edge of the city where many
people pass by. He is a street person, sitting in the dust. However, this is a strategic position for someone who needs
alms, food, or any other small treasures that will sustain his life for one
more day.
His hearing is keen, and he becomes aware that Jesus of Nazareth
is here. Possibly he has heard of this man of miracles. He shouts to Jesus
desiring mercy and compassion. He seems to “see” with his eager spirit and
anxious heart. Even though the crowd considers him invisible and tries to
silence him. Yet he doesn’t give up and calls to Jesus again, louder still . .
. and this time, Jesus stops and asks the crowd to bring Bartimaeus to
him. Upon Jesus’ request, this crowd immediately has their eyes opened as well
as their minds and hearts. Could it be that now they, too, truly see Bartimaeus
with a deep respect for his whole being?
It is said that he threw off his cloak and sprang up. This had to be pure God
energy. Who of us can sit for hours and all of a sudden throw off our
“securities” and spring up to our feet to stand tall in our very selves?
Having abandoned all his possessions, and especially his cloak – which was his
begging bowl by day and his tent by night . . . he now stands before
Jesus in his nakedness and vulnerability. Jesus truly sees him with a deep
respect and honors him by asking him what he desires. The beggar responds, “I
want to see again.” According to some commentaries, the Greek translation
has “to look up” as his response. In other words, Bartimaeus desires to
look up and all around him so that he no longer needs to be limited to a
certain space, or way of living, or be a recipient of ridicule, or not be seen
for who he truly is.
Jesus says that his faith has healed him . . . not a faith of
dogmas, or commandments but a belief that his life matters, that he matters to
God, and that God believes in him.
Bartimaeus then moves from the side of the road to join the
parade on the road to Jerusalem.
So what is the Good News for us as we ponder this Gospel?
Here are a few questions to consider . . .
· When or where in our lives have we felt
invisible, excluded, or rebuked for who we are? What was our response?
· Have we ever considered a time in which we were
“blind of heart”? How did we respond to this awareness and did we change our
lives in any way?
Let us pray:
Let us look up and all around us to see with a deep respect all those whom we
may unconsciously pass by. Let us respond to them saying: “I see you.” And
may we grow in our learning “that deep-seeing leads to revering the
interconnectedness in all of life.”
Let us ask God to truly see us, and give us sight to where we most need
healing, forgiveness, and unconditional loving kindness.
Let us be open to stand tall in God’s grace as we hear the words of invitation,
“What do you want me to do for you?” . . . because God says, “I see you.”
Sunday, October 17, 2021
Ice cream ~ Soul Food!!
(Author Unknown)
Last week I
took my children to a restaurant. My
six-year-old son asked if he could say grace. As we bowed our heads he said, “God is good.
God is great. Thank you for the food,
and I would even thank you more if Mom gets us ice cream for dessert. And with Liberty and justice for all!
Amen!"
Along with the laughter from the other customers nearby I heard a woman remark,
“That's what's wrong with this country.
Kids today don't even know how to pray.
Asking God for ice-cream! Why I never!"
Hearing this, my son burst into tears and asked me, “Did I do it wrong? Is God mad at me?"
As I held him and assured him that he had done a terrific job and God was certainly not mad at him, an elderly gentleman approached the table. He winked at my son and said, "I happen to know that God thought that was a great prayer."
"Really?" my son asked.
"Cross my heart," the man
replied.
Then in a theatrical whisper he added
(indicating the woman whose remark had started this whole thing) - "Too
bad she never asks God for ice cream. A
little ice cream is good for the soul sometimes."
Naturally, I bought my kids ice cream at the end of the meal. My son stared at his for a moment and then
did something I will remember the rest of my life. He picked up his sundae and
without a word, walked over and placed it in front of the woman. With a big
smile he told her,
"Here, this is for you. Ice cream
is good for the soul sometimes; and my soul is good already."
An Olympic Star!!
A story is told that a young
man who was raised into an atheistic family environment was training to be an
Olympic diver. He had no religious influence except his outspoken Christian
friend in school. The young diver never paid much attention to his friend's
sermons but he heard them often. One night he went to the indoor pool at his
college. The lights were all off, but with big skylights under a bright
moonlight, he had plenty of light to practice by. The young man climbed up to
the highest diving board. He turned his back to the pool as he prepared to make
a somersault. As he went to the edge of the board and extended his arms out, he
saw his shadow on the wall. The shape of his body was in the shape of a cross.
Instead of diving at once, he knelt down for the first time and finally asked
God to come into his life. As he stood, a maintenance man walked in and turned
the lights on. The pool had been drained for repairs that night.
Creator/Creative God!
A little girl was sitting on her grandfather’s lap as he
read her a bedtime story. From time to time, she would take her eyes off the
book and reach up to touch his wrinkled cheek. She was alternately stroking her
own cheek, then his again.
Finally, she spoke up, “Grandpa, did God make you?” “Yes, sweetheart,” he answered, “God made me
a long time ago.”
“Ya know Grandpa, I think God is getting better at it.”
(Author Unknown
Silent Prayer . . .
A story is told that a father took his small son with him to town one day to run some errands. When
lunch time arrived, the two of them went to a familiar diner for a sandwich.
The father sat down on one of the stools at the counter and lifted the boy up
to the seat beside him. They ordered lunch, and when the waiter brought the
food, the father said, "Son, we'll just have a silent prayer." Dad
got through praying first and waited for the boy to finish his prayer, but he
just sat with his head bowed for an unusually long time. When he finally looked
up, his father asked him, "What in the world were you praying about all
that time?" With the innocence and honesty of a child, he replied,
"How do I know? It was a silent prayer."
(Author Unknown)
Inspiring Story . . .
Ruth remembers being a girl, the daughter of a sharecropper
in South Carolina, one of ten kids. They lived in an old wooden cabin. One day
in spring, her fourth-grade teacher said there would be a talent show. Ruth
went home troubled, thinking, What talent
do I have?
She couldn’t sleep that night and paced the back porch
before the field. It was then the clouds parted and the moon, almost full,
filled her face and turned the boards in the porch blue. Her little mouth dropped and she knew she was
part of something larger. When asked the
next day, she said her talent was seeing
the moon.
From: The One Life We’re Given by Mark Nepo
Thursday, October 14, 2021
Prayer: Teresa of Avila
Wednesday, October 13, 2021
Meet Doctor Teresa!
 |
| Teresa of Avila by Peter Paul Rubens |
Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) “is one of the most beloved spiritual figures in history . . . she is known around the world as a great mystic, saint, reformer” and the first woman to be named Doctor of the Church!! After a special vision, she was moved to reform the Carmelite order. She founded the community known as the Discalced (shoeless) Carmelites in Avila. “The sisters wore hemp sandals, but their name referred to the strict poverty that was a feature of Teresa’s reform.”
She was the foundress of 17 Carmel convents, the author of four books, and considered one of the outstanding religious teachers of Christian prayer. She was known to have a charismatic personality, along with wisdom and courage that was deeply rooted in a special love relationship with God.
Throughout her life, she suffered from migraine headaches, and other physical ailments, and experienced dryness in prayer for much of her life. However, it is also written that Teresa had the privilege of hearing God speak to her. She also began to see visions and Jesuit and Dominican priests came to see if this was true. They were convinced and declared that the visions were holy and authentic.
In accounts of her life, it is said that when she would move into a prayerful ecstasy, there were always a couple of sisters that were appointed to hold onto the hem of her habit so that as she was lifted up in prayerful rapture, she wouldn't injure herself.
There also is the great story told of her on her travels where she encountered all the hazards of donkey carts which was one of the means of transportation of her time. “One time her cart overturned, throwing her into a muddy river. When she complained to God about this ordeal, she heard a voice from within her say, ‘This is how I treat my friends.’ “Yes, my Lord,” she answered, “and that is why you have so few of them.”