A prayer for our earth . . .

World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation - September 1

All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe
and in the smallest of your creatures.
You embrace with your tenderness all that exists.
Pour out upon us the power of your love,
that we may protect life and beauty.
Fill us with peace, that we may live
as brothers and sisters, harming no one.

O God of the poor,
help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth,
so precious in your eyes.
Bring healing to our lives,
that we may protect the world and not prey on it,
that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.

Touch the hearts
of those who look only for gain
at the expense of the poor and the earth.
Teach us to discover the worth of each thing,
to be filled with awe and contemplation,
to recognize that we are profoundly united
with every creature
as we journey towards your infinite light.
We thank you for being with us each day.
Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle
for justice, love and peace.

(Pope Francis/ENCYCLICAL LETTER LAUDATO SI’ ON CARE FOR OUR COMMON HOME)

Feast of Teresa of Calcutta . . .

 

Feast Day - September 5

The Paradoxical Commandments

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

[Reportedly inscribed on the wall of Mother Teresa's children's home in Calcutta, and attributed to her. However, an article in the New York Times reported (March 8, 2002) that the original version of this poem was written by Dr. Kent Keith]

 

Prayer for Labor Day . . .

 

As the sun rises to bring in the new day:

We remember those who descend into the earth, their work begins in darkness, pulling from the earth, the resources we steward.

We remember those who work inside a building away from the light and brightness of the day.

We remember those who work outside in the harsh elements of our world, the bitter cold and sweltering heat of extremes.

We remember those who do not have a job to go to, who are struggling to meet the needs of their daily living expenses, for whom the day becomes long and arduous.

As the sun sets to bring in the evening of rest:

We remember those who work in the night.

We remember those who are trying to recover from their labor and toils of the day.

We remember those who participate in unsafe and dangerous work.

We pray for a renewed sense of dignity in their lives and in their work.

God, in your goodness, you have made a home for the worker. Make a place in our hearts for compassion to the men and women who labor tirelessly for basic necessities. Ensure a place for the men and women who are struggling to find work. Grant us your wisdom to greet and care for those who are unable to work due to illness or circumstances that prevent their participation. Be with the children who are not able to run and play, but instead must put in a hard day’s work to help their family afford to eat, to live. Be with us all, Christ Jesus, as we go about the busyness of our work. Hold us accountable not only for our actions, but most importantly to each of our neighbors. May we continue to work together to bring about your reign! We ask this through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

(Source 2021 -  Basilica  - National Shrine)

Photo by: sjh

The Power of a Whisper . . .

 

Slow me down today, Lord,

and whisper a word or two - or more,

in the quiet of my mind and heart...

 

When I'm cursing myself or others,

whisper words of blessing...

 

When I'm judging another's words and deeds,

whisper words of patience...

 

When my voice is still and silent,

whisper words that I might speak...

 

When I'm saying much too much,

whisper words to shut me up...

 

When I've failed and when I've sinned,

whisper words of pardon...

 

When I'm facing loss and grief,

whisper words of consolation...

 

When I'm stuck in my own foolishness,

whisper words of wisdom...

 

When I'm confounded and confused,

whisper words of counsel...

 

When I'm caught up in my lies,

whisper words of truth.

 

When life is just too tough to take,

whisper words of hope...

 

When my heart is broken, hurt and wounded,

whisper words of healing...

 

When I'm at war with my neighbor or myself,

whisper words of peace...

 

Slow me down, Lord,

and help me find a quiet place to hear

the whisper of your word...

 

Slow me down today, Lord,

and whisper a word or two - or more,

in the quiet of my mind and heart...

 

Amen.

 

- Rev. Austin Fleming

https://www.linkedin.com/in/austinfleming

Monica - Widow, Saint and more!!

 

 

Once upon a time, I read an obituary of a woman religious in the Archdiocesan paper. What was provided about her 81 years of life was: her name, dates of birth and death, religious community in which she was a member, dates of first profession and final profession, and States in which she ministered.  I was fortunate to have directed her on a retreat. Her story of faithfulness was not mentioned. I felt a little twinge of emptiness inside. However, I’m sure her story of faithfulness probably was shared again and again at her wake service and funeral.

I felt the same sort of empty twinge when I first began to reflect on the readings about the life of St. Monica (331-387).  As I came upon the feast of St. Monica in the Calendar of Saints, I was somewhat stunned to read the following in the listing with her name, she is described as simply, WIDOW. Here, too, her story of faithfulness is not mentioned. So I did a lengthy search on the internet. As I considered this initial description, I soon asked myself, “Isn't there more?” Monica lived into her late 50’s – quite uncommon for those days. As I continued to read about her life, I discovered that she had a very full life.  I was sure that if she had lived today, she certainly would have more descriptors than just - Widow.

We celebrate Monica on August 27th – a Christian, a woman, a daughter-in-law, a woman of authentic voice, a woman of fortitude, a visionary and dreamer, a woman of integrity, a woman of long suffering, a patient and prayerful wife, a faithful mother, and widow.

She was born of Christian parents in North Africa, yet they arranged her marriage to a non-Christian. Patricius was a pagan man with a violent temper and unfaithful to her as a husband. It is written that he never beat her, but we know psychological abuse can leave “scars” as well. Her mother-in-law also lived with them, and she was verbally abusive to Monica. However, Monica was patient with them and prayed for their openness to be received into the Christian faith. Through her prayers and her kindness, eventually her husband and his mother became Christians.  And it is written that they remained very respectful of Monica’s generosity to the poor, her deep faith, and constant prayer life. When she was at the age of 40, her husband died, leaving her a widow.  

They had three children, of whom the eldest was Augustine.  He was brilliant, likeable, a talented scholar, and also a source of constant worry for her. At age 17, he left home for the wild life, and lived recklessly taking on the truth and ideals of the heresies of his day. He was particularly troubled by the mystery of evil. Eventually, after 18 years of prayers and fasting for her son’s conversion, he was baptized. Shortly thereafter, Monica died.  

As Joan Chittister once remarked, “The good news is that great women have always walked the earth; that their footprints are still clear; that their presence has changed things both in the Church and society.” 

And so today, (Aug. 27) Monica – your life made a difference in the faith of your husband, mother-in-law, children, and especially in the life of your son, Augustine.  Your life has made a difference in the lives of so many people throughout the centuries – for you are considered patroness of troubled parents, battered wives, despondent mothers, widows, and alcoholics. May the words from Thessalonians honor you today: “The news of your faith in God is celebrated everywhere – We call to mind how you proved your faith by your actions, laboring in love, and showing constancy of hope in Christ Jesus.”
We thank you, Monica, woman, Christian, wife, mother, faith-filled pray-er, widow, and Saint.

August 28, 2022: Mary Lou Bozza Preaches for the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary...

The Courage to be Myself . . .

 

I have the courage to . . .

Embrace my strengths ~

Get excited about life ~ Enjoy giving

and receiving love ~ Face and transform

my fears ~ Ask for help and support

when I need it ~

Spring free of the Superwoman Trap~

Trust myself ~ Make my own decisions

and choices ~ Befriend myself ~ Complete

unfinished business ~ Realize that I have

emotional and practical rights ~

Talk as nicely to myself

as I do to my plants ~ Communicate

lovingly with understanding as my goal ~

Honor my own needs ~

Give myself credit for my accomplishments ~

Love the little girl within me ~

Overcome my addiction to approval ~

Grant myself permission to play ~

Quit being a Responsibility Sponge ~

Feel all of my feelings and act on them

appropriately ~ Nurture others because

I want to, not because I have to ~

Choose what is right for me ~ Insist on being

paid fairly for what I do ~

Set limits and boundaries and stick by them ~

Say “yes” only when I really mean it ~

Have realistic expectations ~ Take risks and

accept change ~ Grow through challenges ~

Be totally honest with myself ~

Correct erroneous beliefs and assumptions ~

Respect my vulnerabilities ~

Heal old and current wounds ~

Savor the mystery of Spirit ~

Wave good-bye to guilt ~ Plant “flower,”

not “weed” thoughts in my mind ~

Treat myself with respect and teach others

to do the same ~

Fill my cup first, then nourish

others from the overflow ~

Own my own excellence ~

Plan for the future but live

in the present ~ Value my

intuition and wisdom ~ Know that I am

lovable ~ Celebrate the differences between

women and men ~ Develop healthy,

supportive relationships ~

Make forgiveness a priority ~

Accept myself just as I am now ~

Author Unknown