Ponderings: A Benedictine Blog

A THOUGHT FROM TODAY'S HOMILY

2010-07-26T09:41:00.000-07:00

BE AN EXPERIENCE OF GOD'S PRESENCE... What a challenge from this morning's homily! How can each of us act today [or any day] so that what we do or say, brings God to those around us? I suspect that often that divine presence is experienced in silence rather than many words, but then the right word at the right time can be a comfort, a challenge, a bit of wisdom... Perhaps it comes in the respectful bow or the nod of your head.... perhaps it comes with a smile, or even a tear when another is sad.

Alternatively, there is the other piece of wisdom: EXPERIENCE GOD AS OTHERS OFFER THE DIVINE TO ME. To do this, I need to see, hear, think, ponder and not just breeze through life as though I am driving on the interstate. So, perhaps the advice is to take the scenic by-way, notice the view, listen to the birds, be aware of God who shows up in so many ways, through so many people.

I hope you have a good day, of being the presence and noticing the presence. May God be with you!

A POST "BORROWED" FROM A FRIEND

2010-07-07T16:20:00.000-07:00

Father Chuck McCoart is pastor of Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Alexandria, VA -- the parish where I worshiped while living in Virginia. His blog is really worth looking at or subscribing to: www.fatherchuck.com -- and you also might enjoy seeing pictures of his German Shepherd Brock.

The following came from Fr. Chuck's July 6th post.

The Memorare

by Father Chuck on July 6, 2010 ·

Image by kw1 (Flckr)
In August of 1986 I went into the seminary to begin my studies towards the priesthood. A month later, in September of that same year, my brother Kevin was a passenger in a car when the driver of the car fell asleep. The driver crashed into an abandoned Ford Bronco on the side of I-66, and my brother died immediately upon impact by the Vienna Metro Station. Kevin was 25, I was 26.
That was our family BC / AD moment – when life changed forever. There was life before Kevin died; and we did our best to find a new way to live after Kevin died. It wasn’t easy. We were all young, in our mid-20’s or younger and we thought we would live forever … at least into our 70s or 80s. Finding out that we could die young was sobering. Thankfully, the driver of the car lived and was able to go on and live a wonderful productive life – getting married and having children of his own. We thank God only one person died, and that for whatever reason, God spared the other.
Because of the extent of the car crash we were never allowed to see Kevin again. This bothered every woman in my family. Not so the men. For whatever reason, when the State Police informed us Kevin had died and that he was so badly hurt in the accident that we could never see him again, all of the men in my family accepted this at the word of the police. We all thought to ourselves, “Hey, if this is what these guys do for a living and they’re telling us this, there’s a reason and we’d better follow their lead.” So we did. But not the women! They were furious. They wanted to see Kevin again. Touch him. Hold him. Do what all women seem to do so beautifully and naturally – mother him. It was heart-breaking to witness their surrender to this reality heaped on top of Kevin’s death.
Watching the women in my family taught me a valuable lesson. Knowing we could never hold Kevin again was hard to accept, so one day while praying I had the most calming experience when I envisioned the Blessed Mother holding Jesus’ crucified body in the Michelangelo sculpture, The Pieta. I prayed that if we could not hold Kevin, then perhaps Mary, the Mother of God would do for us what we could no longer do. I knew then, and I know now, that that is exactly what the Blessed Mother did for me and for my family – she held Kevin close when we could not. The Mother of the World held in her arms my brother when God chose to bring Kevin Home. It was a brutal thing to accept, that Kevin would no longer be with us here on earth, but a blessed salve for our wounds, knowing he was loved and truly held in heaven.
This experience forever changed my relationship with the Blessed Mother. I’m not a Marian-kind-of-guy or priest. I’m not into the Rosary, though I have tremendous respect for those who are. But I love the Blessed Mother because in the loss of my brother She became more real to me. At the time, I found the most beautiful prayer that I prayed over and over again through those days following my brother’s death. I offer it to you all now to think about and to pray:

The Memorare
Remember, O most gracious
Virgin Mary, that never was it
known that anyone who fled
to thy protection, implored thy
help, or sought thine intercession
was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence, I fly
unto thee, O Virgin of virgins,
my mother; to thee do I come,
before thee I stand, sinful and
sorrowful. O Mother of the
Word Incarnate, despise not my
petitions, but in the mercy hear
and answer me.
Amen.

I know this prayer has some old-style language, but the essence is beautiful. In faith, we ask Jesus’ Mother to intercede for us – to carry our prayer to Her Son, and to ask Mary’s Son to hear and answer our deepest, most precious prayers.
Peace friends,
Chuck

THOUGHTS ON STABILITY

2010-07-05T15:08:00.000-07:00

A friend, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, has recently published a book entitled: The Wisdom of Stability: Rooting Faith in a Mobile Culture, Paraclete Press 2010. I am enjoying it immensely!

As Benedictine Sisters, we promise to live a life of stability, so this book has much to offer us.

"The practice of stability is the means by which God's house becomes our home....The ground of stability is always God's grace. But the stability God invites us into is a practice that entails a way of life. To dwell in the house of God is to be transformed into people who know the ways and means of God."

THE MIRACLE OF THE LOAVES

2010-07-03T20:35:00.000-07:00

It was getting very late, and Jesus' disciples came up to him and said, "This is a lonely place and it is getting very late, so send the crowds away, and they can go to the farms and villages round about to buy themselves something to eat." Jesus replied, "Give them something to eat yourselves." Mark 6:35-37

Jesus instructs his followers to feed the hungry. The disciples needed Jesus' assistance to do this. Jesus didn't take over, multiply the loaves and fish, and provide more than enough food for the crowds. He insisted that the disciples take part, called them to be his partners in providing nourishment. We, too, are called to feed the hungry, with God's assistance.

Last Saturday, our community was privileged to have the Memorial Mass for Shirley Mercer in our chapel. Shirley was a long time friend of the sisters, and a dedicated benefactor of the sisters and Mission Benedict. Shirley was a wonderful example of a modern day disciple feeding the poor. For many years, Shirley was a "professional coupon clipper" -- that is, she saved coupons and therefore saved money so that she could help feed an enormous number of the needy. Shirley planned, organized, got others involved and delighted in filling her car with food, especially boxes of cereal that she then donated to a variety of places who help the hungry.

Shirley truly heard the gospel message "Give them something to eat yourselves." May God reward her abundantly at the banquet in the Kingdom.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

2010-06-29T21:59:00.000-07:00

WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS…

A Reflection on Biblical Spirituality and the Declaration of Independence[1]

We hold these truths… The “Founding Fathers” [and Mothers, too] inherited a long held belief in freedom and independence. It certainly did not begin with the Declaration of Independence in 1776. It certainly wasn’t just a reaction to King George III’s tyrannical behavior. Freedom and independence are beliefs that came with the first men and women who landed on the American continent. They brought with them their political and religious beliefs that were rooted in scripture, and their desire to see that freedom take root in this new land.

The most prominent source of this spirituality of freedom came from the Exodus experience of the Israelites. Held in bondage by the Egyptian Pharaoh their lives were made miserable with hard labor [Exodus 1:14] and genocide [Exodus 1:16, 22]. However, “God heard their groaning and called to mind his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God looked down upon the children of Israel and knew…” [Exodus 2:24-25]. God was mindful of the Israelites and revealed himself to Moses as a God who wished for the liberation of his people. Through the leadership of Moses, Aaron, and Miriam God led the chosen people through the waters of the Red Sea, accompanied them through forty years wandering in the wilderness, and eventually brought them into the Promised Land. Hardship and challenge did not disappear once they crossed the Red Sea. In fact, they merely changed form as the Israelites made their way through the desert. Though guided by God’s cloud by day and fire by night, the wanderers still questioned his goodness and providence. They felt oppressed by the journey, by the lack of food and water, even by the lengthy time that Moses spent on Mount Sinai talking with God and receiving the Ten Commandments. There were many moments of grumbling, looking back, longing for better conditions, and worshipping golden calves. However, eventually there was the entry into the land God had promised, a settling and recommitment to their status as God’s people. Still, as we read the prophets we realize that the Israelites needed constant reminders of the covenant, constant calls to conversion and to faithfulness to the God who is Faithfulness itself. Their call to freedom was self-evident, but they continually needed reminders of their responsibility to be partners in achieving that liberation.

The early American colonists reflected on this story of the Israelites’ journey to freedom. They, like the Israelites with whom they identified, came from places where they could not worship as they felt called by God. These colonists prayed to the God who desired that his people [both Israelites and colonists] be able to worship freely. They, like the Israelites, had left lands of oppression, often without government consent, often with fear and danger. They, too, escaped through water [the Red Sea or the Atlantic Ocean], and came to a land of wilderness where it was a struggle to find food and water, where it took great courage to carve out a new home, though it seemed to them like the Promised Land. They, too, took time to settle in the new land, often forgot the God who brought them there, and sometimes repented and started anew. In spite of the hardships and struggles, these colonists saw the American experience as a holy enterprise. They endeavored to create a “New World” that they perceived to be a new way of life and governance, not just a new geographic territory. As time went on, these colonists, like the Israelites, again knew the need to defy the sovereigns who treated them unjustly. They, too, felt oppressed by governments that taxed them unreasonably and made their lives miserable. They, too, felt that they could not determine their own fates because the Crown made decisions without their input or consent. So they rebelled, they sought justice, and they declared themselves independent from the power that did not recognize their rights.

We hold these truths to be self-evident… John Winthrop, Lord Baltimore, Roger Williams, Anne Hutchinson, William Penn, and other early colonial leaders may not have the long-term religious status that Moses does, but they certainly led Americans to the self-evident truth that religious freedom is essential to our way of life. Along with the scriptural values of freedom, these leaders and their actions were part of the intellectual background for those at the Second Continental Congress who issued the Declaration of Independence.

That value of freedom before God led Thomas Jefferson, the writer of the Declaration, to state that certain truths were self-evident, obvious in and of themselves: “all men [sic] are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Jefferson went on to state that governments are formed by the people in order to secure these rights and that when governments do not so act, they need to be abolished.

However lofty these ideas are, and no doubt many have given their lives to insure they remain possible, they are still in the process of being realized. We may agree that all are created equal, but in practice, we lag behind when bigotry, ageism, racism, sexism, religious intolerance, etc. are still every day experiences in this country. The reign of God is both present and yet-to-come, and we are called to make that reign more real, visible, and evident. Part of that reign of God comes with the on-going struggle to provide for ourselves and others that equality and those unalienable rights that are at the core of our national identity.

The Declaration of Independence is not just an historical document to be remembered each July 4^th. It should remind us much more frequently than that of the ideals upon which our country was founded and the truths that we should, with God’s help, strive to embody. Those truths need to be part of each of our daily lives, as well as the environment in which the government and government officials serve the citizens. This isn’t just because it is part of the ideals upon which our national culture is based, but because it a part of our God given call to be his people, to act as the inspirited Word of God directs us.

We hold these truths to be self-evident… As Christians, as believers, we also hold other related truths to be self-evident. The prophets called to mind the rights of the poor, the widow, and the orphans, those who are in need of the community’s support. Additionally, the prophetic writings remind us of justice, faithfulness, and commitment to a covenantal relationship with God. Christ spoke often of the need for love, both of neighbor and God.

The Declaration of Independence was written in the context of violated rights that of necessity needed to be reclaimed. It speaks of what needs to be restored to those who have been denied. But it only has one perspective: what is owed to us. The scriptures offer us a fuller picture. The Word of God calls us to be mindful not only of what rights we have, but also to be aware of what obligations we have to help enable others to claim those same rights. We cannot be so strong is our claim for our own rights that we trample on others’ rights in the process.

The scriptures also show us a broader and deeper understanding of freedom and equality, which come from a relationship with God. Jesus told his disciples that sin makes us slaves, but the truth and faith will free us [John 8:32, 34]. Paul in his letter to the Galatians continues that theme of the slavery of sin and the freedom of the children of God. In Galatians 4:5-7 Paul reminds us that God sent his Son to enable us to become his adopted children, children who are close enough to God to call him “Abba.” Paul strongly points out that when Christ freed us by his death and resurrection, he meant for us to stay free and therefore we must “stand firm, and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery…what matters is faith that makes its power felt through love” [Galatians 5:1, 6]. Christ calls us to a freedom that is for others, to a freedom that is compelled by love, and becomes a concrete expression of love for God through love of those around us. We are called to more than political freedom. We are indeed called to accept that freedom from God that allows us to assist others to achieve their freedom because we act as God’s messengers, Christ’s ambassadors, and the Spirit’s embodied love.

We hold these truths… As we celebrate the 4^th of July, what does freedom and equality mean to each of us reading this reflection? What other truths do you hold to be self-evident? What other truths, relationships, values do you strive to make real and visible in your own life? What do you do when your values and your truth seem to be in conflict with those of others around you? What happens when your pursuit of happiness clashes with other’s right to justice? How is Christ’s love compelling you to be an agent of freedom and love?

A suggestion: Read over the Declaration of Independence if you haven’t done so lately. It really is very impressive. Consider that the signers ended with the statement: “We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.” In light of their public stand against the British Crown, this is not an insignificant statement. What have you pledged to secure the voice of the Gospel in this world? For what persons or values would you pledge your life, possessions and/or honor?

May our God given freedom continue to be a blessing for each of us, our country, and the world around us. May our liberty be matched with charity, our freedom be joined to justice, and our happiness combined with compassion.

Reprinted with permission of Spirit & Life, published July 2010 by the Benedictine sisters of Perpetual Adoration, Tucson AZ, www.benedictinesisters.org

[1] Special thanks for the inspiration for this article to Professor Emeritus Roderick Frazier Nash’s Wilderness and the American Mind, 4^th ed. Yale University Press, 2001. I first read this classic when taking a class in American Intellectual History from Dr. Nash. It is an excellent study of the American concept of wilderness. The first chapter is helpful in understanding the Judeo-Christian biblical understanding of wilderness in light of the American experience.

JOHN THE BAPTIST

2010-06-22T08:02:00.000-07:00

John the Baptist, Prophet, Preacher, or Precursor?

St. Luke’s Portrait of John

Baptist, Prophet, Preacher, or Precursor? No matter which “job description” we ascribe to John, he is still a curious figure who invites us to ponder what his life and messages tell us about our own spiritual lives. The current liturgical year emphasizes the Gospel according to Saint Luke, so it seems fitting to reflect on how Luke presents John to us. Thus, this article will focus on only one portrait of John, as opposed to the composite picture we get when viewing stories from all four Gospels. Even as I begin to write this article, I expect some surprises. Hopefully, you will find some as well. Scripture is like that. God offers us fresh insights and blessings with each reading, even when it is a passage we have read many times before.

Yes, John is a curious figure, very much in the tradition of the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah. However, John is more like Elijah or Nathan, prophets who spoke God’s message but left no body of literature as a heritage. We often imagine John [and so he is frequently portrayed in Christian art] as the rough desert dweller, who wears camel hair, eats locust and wild honey, and looks at least somewhat wild and slightly disheveled. This is an image of someone who you would not like your daughter to bring home to meet the family. However, the gospels, particularly Luke, give us other clues about John’s personality and mission as well as providing other images of this man who was the herald of Christ.

John the Joyful. At the very beginning of his version of the Good News, Luke intermingles the stories of John and Jesus. Luke uses several parallel stories: (1) the angel’s annunciations of their conceptions [1:5-25 // 1:26-38]; (2) the responses of their parents [including the Magnificat and Benedictus]; and (3) their births and dedications to God [1:57-66 // 2:1-38]. Luke continues these parallels when he comments on (4) their growing physical and spiritual maturity [1:80 // 2:51-52] as well as (5) how events were heart-treasured by those around them [1:66 // 2:52]. He goes to great lengths to show how John’s life was intertwined with that of Jesus. They are not merely cousins, but each of their lives reveals the meaning in the other’s life. We come to know more about Jesus because of what John does and says and Jesus reveals more to us about John.

Let’s look at some of the details that Luke provides. John’s story begins with his parents’ story. Both Elizabeth and Zechariah are said to be “worthy” in God’s sight. Nevertheless, in spite of their faithfulness both to God and to divine Law, God had not blessed them with a child. While Zechariah is “before God” [1:8] in the Temple, an angel announces that their prayers have been hear after all and that the coming child “will be your joy and delight and many will rejoice” [1:14]. Later the pregnant Elizabeth, as she meets Mary [pregnant with Jesus], explains that her child, John, has “leapt for joy” [1:44]. Thus, one of the first characteristics Luke gives us of John is that he is both full of delight and brings happiness to others. What kind of joy will John offer? The angel tells Zechariah that John will bring joy because he will be great in the sight of God preparing a people to be fit for the Lord. John will bring the joy that is the result of responding to the life and grace that God offers us, and the consequence of preparing for God’s advent into our lives. John doesn’t just bring this joy to others. He experiences it himself when he leaps for joy, because he is aware of being in the presence of Christ. John rejoices as one of the first to recognize the Emmanuel. Later, even the neighbors rejoice at John’s birth [1:58]. So John isn’t just a happy personality, but one who finds joy because of his deep and lasting connections with God.

This first characteristic is important since it colors the other things we come to know about John. Additionally, as the initial story in his gospel, it tells us something about what Luke considers to be important. Luke is showing his readers that joy is the fundamental effect of God’s presence in our midst and that when we proclaim the love of that God to others we find joy and peace. As we know in John’s case, joy doesn’t preclude making difficult choices and doesn’t eliminate suffering and pain. However, it is a sign of that connection with God that is of lasting worth.

John the Desert-Dweller. Luke writes that though Zachariah ministered in the Temple in Jerusalem, the family home was in the “hill country of Judah” [1:39], frequently identified as Ain Karim about 5 miles west of Jerusalem. It was here that John was most likely born and raised. We have no proof of how old John was when he left home, but Luke tells us that “he lived out in the wilderness until the day he appeared openly to Israel” [1:80]. Again, Luke produces parallel intertwining stories of wilderness life and public ministry: first John’s and then Jesus’ experiences [chapters 3 and 4].

The wilderness [or desert] has a long and rich tradition in the history of Israel, a tradition and imagery that Luke uses in his gospel. It is the place where Israel came to know her God, and where the covenant that created her as a people was made. It is also the location where her theology of redemption arose, coming from her experience of Passover and Exodus. However, the wilderness also carries the reminder of Israel’s infidelity, of her worship of the golden calf, of her complaints against God, and her turning away from the God who had rescued her. Therefore, the desert also calls to mind the need for conversion and the necessity of turning once more towards God. The prophet Hosea had seen the desert as the geographical and/or spiritual environment where faithless Israel could once more become faithful. The wilderness is known as the place where God is discovered but also where temptation and infidelity occur.

Similar to the prophetic tradition, “The word of God came to John” [3:2] in the wilderness and he goes about preaching “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” [3:4]. It is in the wilderness that John’s joyful connection with his God enables him to offer that same joy to those who hear God’s call to repentance, conversion, and a life of righteousness.

We, too, have wilderness experiences. There are times when we move away from God into the isolation of sin, when we lack spiritual food and water as we lose our way, and when we make choices that mean we replace God with modern versions of the golden calf. However, we can also experience another kind of wilderness that provides us with the quiet, solitude, and prayer that bring us closer to God, more aware of God’s presence and God’s claim upon us as his people. Like John the Desert-Dweller, we need to choose the desert of repentance and re-connectedness with God as we hear God speak the Word into our hearts. That listening and response brings with it that abiding joy of God’s presence.

John the Baptist. In chapter three, we come to the section of Luke’s gospel that reminds us that John is best know as the “Baptist,” though Luke does not dwell long on this ministry. John seems to have been wildly popular, and there are “crowds” who come out to the wilderness to be baptized [3:7]. However, John isn’t looking for great numbers, and isn’t seeking just to look successful or important. Insteade, he questions the crowd’s motivation for requesting baptism. John tells them that baptism isn’t enough. They need to truly repent and produce the “good fruit” of faith and virtue. The crowds ask “What must we do, then?” and they receive answers that most of them did not expect or want. They must change their ways; they must share their clothing and food with the poor; they mustn’t try to cheat others; and they shouldn’t intimidate or extort [3:10-14]. One wonders how John remained popular. Yet, not only does he continue to have a following but the people even begin to think he might be the Messiah. John rejects such a notion and speaks of the greater One who will come to baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire [3:16].

John connects baptism and ethical living, a relation that is clearly made throughout scripture. From the very beginning, in the Garden of Eden, God asks humanity to make the right choices. It is never enough to claim to be “descendants of Abraham” or members of the Church. We must behave in ways that indicate that our relationship with God has changed our very being. Therefore, whatever we do or say is done in light of that union. Our baptism has consequences and demands choices, commitment and joy, ethical behavior and a community of others who believe and act in similar ways.

John the Prisoner. While continuing to preach repentance and baptizing as a sign of that conversion to God’s ways, John publically denounces the sins of Herod the tetrarch. Thus, John ends up in prison, paying the price for being the person who saw too much, understood too much and called the wrong person to conversion. Herod was the wrong person in terms of John’s own safety, but the very person who needed conversion.

Each of us will pay some price if we make ethical hard decisions that come from our commitment as Christians. We must speak and act when silence and inaction contributes to the injustices around us. Each of us has had experiences of being locked out, cut off from friends, and made the prisoner of others’ reactions to our speaking the truth. Sometimes this is just inconvenient and sometimes it is very painful. However, like John, we must risk doing what is right, reaching out, or calling to conversion. Of course, it is first our connection with Jesus, our own time in the wilderness with God, and our listening to our own call to conversion, that allow our prophetic actions and words to be messages from God and not products of our own egos and pride.

John the Prophet. While in prison, John sends two of his disciples to bluntly ask Jesus, “Are you the Messiah or should we continue to watch for him?” [7:18-19]. Jesus does not answer directly, but tells them to notice the signs around them, to observe what he, Jesus, has been doing and then to report to John. Jesus points to those indications of God’s reign suggested by the prophet Isaiah [Is 26:19; 35:5-6; 61:1]: the blind see, the lame walk, lepers are healed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, the Good News is proclaimed to the poor. Once the messengers leave, Jesus speaks to the crowds about John, reminding them that they had gone into the wilderness to see John because he was a prophet, speaking God’s word to them. Jesus says that John is even more than a prophet. In fact, he is the one whom God sent to prepare the way for Jesus [7:26-27].

John, the prophet, used his voice and life to proclaim God’s message. The disciples of John and Jesus in turn opened their ears and hearts and so received what God offered. In turn they also became proclaimers of the Word. This is Luke’s lesson for each of us. We too must be prophetic. We are invited to keep our hearts and ears open, and share the grace that has been given to us.

This is the final story of Jesus and John’s intertwined lives. Luke uses it to move the focus finally and completely from John to Jesus. John, the messenger has completed his work and has prepared the way [7:27], and now Luke concentrates on Jesus as the Message and the Way to God.

* * * * * * * *

After chapter 7, Luke makes only short references to John. Unlike, Matthew and Mark, Luke does not give us an extensive story of John’s beheading, but only briefly mentions his death. In a short paragraph about Herod, we learn that some people thought John had risen from the dead, but Herod dismisses this saying, “I beheaded John” [9:7-9]. Other references to John occur when Peter tells Jesus that some people think that he is John the Baptist or Elijah [9:19], and one of Jesus’ disciples asks him to teach them to pray the way John had taught his disciples [11:4]. Fittingly, the last mention of John is on Jesus’ lips when he asks the chief priests, scribes, and elders if John’s baptism came from heaven or human beings.

Luke has given us various images of John, images that show different facets of his personality, and different aspects of his ministry. The complete picture demonstrates that John was, first and foremost, a person totally dedicated to God. His whole life was spent preparing others for Christ. John is a model for each of us. We, too, are called by our baptism to prepare the way for God and others to deepen their friendship. May we walk along side others, pointing toward the One who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. May we also live lives that are completely dedicated to God.

Sr. Jeanette von Herrmann

Reprinted with permission. Spirit & Life, May-June 2010, is a publication of the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration. Back issues can be viewed on line at www.benedictinesisters.org or at www.spiritandlifemagazine.com.

Unless otherwise noted, all references are to the Gospel according to Luke.

THE BLESSINGS OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY

2010-06-15T09:05:00.000-07:00

YES SCIENCE IS A GIFT FROM GOD... yesterday, using Skype [you have to love free technology] I was able to talk face-to-face with my niece who is currently in Switzerland and headed to Germany. Isn't it amazing? Less than a century ago we didn't even have air snail mail delivery and it certainly took weeks before someone in Switzerland made it to Oregon for a conversation! I am grateful for such a chance to speak with Anna and to be able to keep connected with family and friends across the country and world.

RETREAT REFLECTIONS

2010-06-14T10:31:00.000-07:00

Our community blog is posting various reflections from the annual community retreat that began last night. Please take a look, perhaps be inspired: QAMBenedictines.blogspot.com We will be posting every day. Let us know what you think by writing to us at QAM1882@gmail.com

A SCRIPTURAL REFLECTION

2010-06-13T14:05:00.000-07:00

Luke 10:38-40

In the course of their journey, Jesus came to a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister called Mary, who sat down at the Lord's feet and listened to what he said....

I spent yesterday with nine others, at Shalom Prayer Center reflecting on Contemplative Leadership. As we shared an experience of Lectio Divina [Holy Reading] using the Lucan story of Martha and Mary, I was given an insight. Let us remember all those loved ones who have died and how, like Mary, sit at the feet of Jesus. May they help us to be less like the busy distracted Martha and more like the contemplative Mary.

A SCRIPTURE REFLECTION

2010-06-11T11:45:00.001-07:00

Two things I beg of you,

do not begrudge me them before I die:

keep falsehood and lies far from me

give me neither poverty nor riches,

grant me only my share of bread to eat. Proverbs 30:7-8

     Grant me only my share of bread to eat... Grant us only our share of bread to eat... that we may share it... and break it with our sisters, our families, our friends.

Grant us only our share of bread... our share of the Bread of Life, of God's life, of grace and blessings... but only our share. May we be willing to break bread with others, both literally and symbolically. May we welcome both friends and strangers to the table of our listening hearts.

Grant us only our share of bread. May we be willing to give to others that bread that has been given to us. May we share what has been a blessing, perhaps even share the pain and injury that we might be healed together as we share bread, at the dinner table, at the table of Eucharist. May we be more concerned with what others lack than what we feel we deserve. May we be bread for others. May we be bread that has risen, whose warmed leavened heart has been transformed, that has broken out of restrictions that keep it from being shared and being nourishment.

Grant us only our share of bread. May we be grateful for the many loaves of bread, the many hugs, the many miles others walk with us, for the love of God that comes from our sisters' smiles, our parent's wisdom, our friends' questions and compassion. Grant us only our share of bread to eat... and to share.

Sr. Jeanette

Thanks to Sr. Immaculata for baking the bread shown in this posting. Thanks to Christine Zollner who inspired this reflection with her art work.

COMMENTS: If you have any comments about this posting please write to us at QAM1882@gmail.com