tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-353098152024-03-06T02:39:15.913-05:00Fishing for FaithHelping youth bait their hooks since 1867.Benedictine Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03286950396742232921noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35309815.post-50798143167250188212007-05-19T01:16:00.000-04:002007-05-19T01:17:52.712-04:00RB 4.47And now it's <a href="http://fishingforfaith.blogspot.com/2007/04/you-know-neither-hour-nor-day.html">our turn</a>.<br /><br />One minute someone is standing there, grilling burgers for dinner. The next minute you're in the ER while they're asking you <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(and another housemate, neither of whom knows anything about checking someone into the hospital)</em></span> about Advanced Directives and using words like "survivable" or "not".<br /><br />Funny thing is, my blogger's block had seemed to disappear, and I was all set to post something about my kids' service "reflections" and friendships and all sorts of other bloggishly-appropriate content. Instead, I spend just under 24 hours <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(minus maybe six hours)</em></span> in an ICU waiting room<s><span style="font-size:85%;">*</span></s>.<br /><br />No one could remember the last time someone died while "on mission", living out in one of the houses — one of my housemate's been in community 30 years, and she said it was long before her time.<br /><br />Note to self: Massive bleeding stroke and blood thinners don't mix.<br /><br />I figure it'll hit us next week, when things are back to "normal" .... when we have prayer and dinner <span style="font-size:85%;color:#6600cc;"><em>with an empty chair</em></span> ...... when I drive to school <span style="font-size:85%;color:#6600cc;"><em>without dropping her off first</em></span> .....<br /><br />And yet, just as it's beginning to sink in, it'll be the end of the school year, and a couple of us will be heading back to the Hill for the summer ..... where the absence won't be that noticeable, since I wouldn't have seen her much this summer anyway. And then next fall someone else will probably be moving in. So I'm not quite sure how or even if I'll fully be able to wrap my mind around all this.<br /><br />So, yeah ...... whaddya say? Just another piece of community life, I guess.<br /><br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br />Oh, and the subject line? From <a href="http://www.osb.org/rb/">Benedict's chapter</a> on <a href="http://newarkobl.users5.50megs.com/rb1980.htm">The Tools for Good Works</a>. And what does that referenced line say? <span style="color:#6600cc;"><strong>Day by day remind yourself you are going to die.</strong></span><br /><br />But Benedict shouldn't worry. Even if we forget to remember this on our own, God seems to do a great job of <a href="http://nuntime.blogspot.com/2005/09/how-long-o-lord.html">reminding us</a>.<br /><br />Sound too morbid for you? Let me give you a few bits of context: <strong><span style="color:#6600cc;">Place your hope in God alone. Yearn for everlasting life with holy desire. Day by day remind yourself you are going to die. Hour by hour keep careful watch over all you do, aware that God's gaze is upon you, wherever you may be. And finally, never lose hope in God's mercy.</span></strong><br /><br />The whole chapter is really good. Scroll down <a href="http://newarkobl.users5.50megs.com/rb1980.htm">the link</a> and read Chapter Four. Heck, read the whole <a href="http://www.litpress.org/Detail.aspx?ISBN=0814612725">Rule</a> — it doesn't take all that long.<br /><br />The moral of this story? Verse 73 .... <span style="color:#6600cc;"><strong>If you have a dispute with someone, make peace with him before the sun goes down.</strong></span> Cuz you know neither the hour nor the day.<br /><br /><em><s><span style="font-size:85%;">*</span></s>And a big <strong>huge</strong> thank-you shout goes out to the </em><a href="http://www.baptisteast.com/"><em>Baptist East</em></a><em> </em><a href="http://www.baptisteast.com/news/Beacon-Award.cfm"><em>ICU staff</em></a><em>, for all their wonderful phenomenalness to us about all of it. Just some amazingly accommodating sensitivity to everything. Thank you all for making such a tragic time that much more humane.</em>Benedictine Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03286950396742232921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35309815.post-42193035070532180162007-04-29T22:08:00.001-04:002007-04-29T22:11:23.292-04:00Where'd it go?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGtpUrEH3vpCarmYEEsSkeYM_ued-0t5QmAcHuc-3cAORQp49FZbSGdgLUY6OvtcxRMCEmBapdn6CD0111pNTSUrO9gNdekiU679Z-xjCaSVCx3NddT5GyFTKpdRHtdZdLHVP6/s1600-h/wantedposter.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5059034861903292946" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGtpUrEH3vpCarmYEEsSkeYM_ued-0t5QmAcHuc-3cAORQp49FZbSGdgLUY6OvtcxRMCEmBapdn6CD0111pNTSUrO9gNdekiU679Z-xjCaSVCx3NddT5GyFTKpdRHtdZdLHVP6/s320/wantedposter.jpg" border="0" /></a> Can I mention that I'm mildly stressed?<br /><br /><em><strong>Way</strong></em> too much to do. As of a couple weeks ago, I was way on-track, plenty of time to cover all that needed to be covered for school. Now, all of the sudden, it's all disappeared. And I haven't even gotten to the Reformation yet! Yes, I still (theoretically) have the whole month of May, but considering that we meet only every other day, and exams are coming up, and I need lots more grades, and ..... sigh. Between Spring Break and needing to ease back in after <a href="http://fishingforfaith.blogspot.com/2007/04/you-know-neither-hour-nor-day.html">all the tragedies</a>, things just kinda snuck up on me.<br /><br />I promise, I'll get back to Fishing for Faith duties soon.<br /><br />In the meantime ..... Anyone got a <a href="http://www.hp-lexicon.org/magic/devices/devices-t.html#time-turner">Time-Turner</a> I can borrow? <strong><em>Please?!?!?</em></strong>Benedictine Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03286950396742232921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35309815.post-72506609906694094302007-04-17T21:08:00.000-04:002007-04-17T21:09:06.119-04:00"No One Deserves a Tragedy"Driving home today, NPR's <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId=5&prgDate=17-Apr-07">Talk of the Nation</a> ended with Nikki Giovanni's words at the close of the convocation today at Virginia Tech (<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/04/17/vtech.victims/">video clip</a>).<br /><br />I was especially struck by her broadening view of the word "tragedy" — extending it to not just the big deals that make the news, but simply stating that "No one deserves a tragedy."<br /><br />Makes me think of the article in the paper last week about our student dying .... one of the comments posted was "<span style="color:#6600cc;">Her obituary is posted on today's obituaries. Bless her heart, she's beautiful too.</span>" What, so it'd be OK if she was an ugly kid? Does that make it any worse that she's beautiful, or talented, or popular? Does being shy and homely make a student somehow more expendable?<br /><br />According to Catholic social teaching, <strong>ALL </strong>of us are beloved children of God. <strong>ALL</strong> of us have been made in the image and likeness of God. As such, <strong>ALL</strong> of us are worthy of inherent dignity and respect.<br /><br />As the Good Doctor <em><span style="font-size:85%;">(Seuss, that is)</span></em> once said: "<span style="font-size:130%;color:#990000;">A person's a person, no matter how small.</span>" <blockquote><span style="color:#006600;">We are Virginia Tech.<br /><br />We are sad today, and we will be sad for quite a while. We are not moving on; we are embracing our mourning.<br /><br />We are Virginia Tech.<br /><br />We are strong enough to stand tall tearlessly. We are brave enough to bend to cry, and sad enough to know we must laugh again.<br /><br />We are Virginia Tech.<br /><br />We do not understand this tragedy. We know we did nothing to deserve it.<br /><br />But neither does a child in Africa dying of AIDS. Neither do the invisible children walking the night away to avoid being captured by a rogue army. Neither does the baby elephant watching his community being devastated for ivory. Neither does the Mexican child looking for fresh water. Neither does the Appalachian infant killed in the middle of night in his crib in the home its father built with his own hands being run over by a boulder because the land was destablized. No one deserves a tragedy.<br /><br />We are Virginia Tech.<br /><br />The Hokie nation embraces our own and reaches out with open heart and hands to those who offer their hearts and minds. We are strong and brave and innocent and unafraid. We are better than we think and not quite what we want to be. We are alive to the imagination and the possibility. We will continue to invent the future.<br /><br />Through our blood and tears, through all this sadness, we are the Hokies.<br /><br />We will prevail, we <strong>will</strong> prevail, we will prevail.<br /><br />We are Virginia Tech.</span></blockquote>Benedictine Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03286950396742232921noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35309815.post-80909364831341142562007-04-16T22:49:00.001-04:002007-04-16T22:49:35.944-04:00For all victims and perpetrators of violence .....The overriding theme in my classroom this year, in terms of rules, seems to be summed up in my oft-repeated "Play nice."<br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;color:#990000;"><strong>Play nice.</strong></span><br /><br />Such simple words, they almost seem inappropriate for a 10<sup>th</sup> grade classroom.<br /><br />Such a simple concept, too. You know, that whole "Everything I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten" idea?<br /><br />And yet ..... apparently it's not that easy to learn.<br /><br />Many thoughts and prayers go out to the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/16/AR2007041600533.html?hpid=topnews">Virginia Tech community</a>.<br /><br />Many thoughts and prayers, too, though, go out to those many many many more people who aren't part of the "deadliest shooting rampage in US history" .... and who therefore don't make the news.<br /><br />At our monastery, we often add this intention at Morning Prayer: <span style="color:#993399;">For _____, who is scheduled to be executed today in _____, for all victims and perpetrators of violence, and for an end to the death penalty, let us pause a moment in silence.</span><br /><br />Today, I feel the need for a rewrite:<br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#6600cc;"><strong>For all victims and perpetrators of violence, and for an end to all the craziness, hatred, and rage in the world, let us pause a moment in silence.</strong></span><br /><br />Is it really that hard to just play nice?Benedictine Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03286950396742232921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35309815.post-69702632480540411932007-04-16T00:14:00.001-04:002007-04-16T00:14:42.871-04:00"You know neither the hour nor the day...."Over the course of the past five weeks or so, our school has encountered the following sudden deaths:<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color:#cc0000;">¤¤¤</span> </span>husband of a counselling office secretary<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color:#cc0000;">¤¤¤</span> </span><a href="http://nuntime.blogspot.com/2007/03/what-is-going-on.html">husband of the campus minister</a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color:#cc0000;">¤¤¤</span> </span>father of a sophomore<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color:#cc0000;">¤¤¤</span> </span>husband of a counselor<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color:#cc0000;">¤¤¤</span> </span>a sophomore<br /><br />And that's not including the multitude of grandparents that we've had recently, either.<br /><br />We've been on spring break for the last two, so I'm sure there will be folks arriving Monday morning who haven't heard. Still not really sure what happened with the sophomore — perhaps something heart-related (though I don't think she had heart problems), not a car crash or anything of that nature. However, she was on vacation with her mother and three friends <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(thank God it was <strong>her</strong> mother that was with them — can you imagine if you were the mother of a friend who was there when this happened?!?!?)</em></span> .... I didn't have her, but I have all three of the friends she was with.<br /><br />Different situation than <a href="http://nuntime.blogspot.com/2006/10/prayer-request.html">another local school</a> had to deal with this year, but still ..... which is worse, a preventable accident or an unexplainable unawakening?<br /><br />Either way, it's not really the best time for the Clueless One <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(aka <strong>me</strong>)</em></span> to get to be an official Sophomore Religion Teacher Nun ......<br /><br />Makes me think of last year, when I did my "<a href="http://nuntime.blogspot.com/2005/10/back-at-monastery.html">Life Lessons With Sister Stephanie</a>", after some of the more tragic deaths at the monastery — about how you never know the impact your stupid little nothings might have on others, and how we never know how long we'll have people with us ......<br /><br />We've got a faculty meeting at 7:15, then a prayer service first thing at 8:00. I just realized tonight, though, that the seniors got an extended spring break, so theoretically none of them will be there tomorrow. But then it'll be 80-minute periods, which somehow I'm thinking that this really won't be the time to explain the mutual hissy-fit temper-tantrums that led to the creation of the Orthodox Church as an independent entity separate from that of Rome. What we <em>will</em> do, however, is still a mystery to me .......<br /><br />Our school has about 800 girls. I've got 120 of the 200 or so sophomores; there are probably another 50 or so of them that I had last semester but not this semester. Big enough school that people don't necessarily know her, but small enough that everyone will be hit pretty hard. And enough close ties to the other Catholic high schools that it's not just our issue to deal with.<br /><br />So send prayers, please, to our little corner of Loovul. We could use all the help we can get.Benedictine Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03286950396742232921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35309815.post-1228475353857812442007-04-08T05:30:00.000-04:002007-04-07T17:32:43.905-04:00Blogging the Monastic Triduum ~ Easter Vigil (Service of Light)This is our 5:30 AM service, a continuation of where we left off <a href="http://fishingforfaith.blogspot.com/2007/04/blogging-monastic-triduum-easter-vigil.html">last night</a> from leaving church. Again, as I said, our Easter vigil is different than you'd find in a parish; this is Part II of our extended vigil service.<br /><br />We begin outside, in the small parking lot in front of the monastery. It is dark at this point, but we have the light of the Easter fire <em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;">(which apparently has been lit for the Sisters by members of this one family for I'm thinking forever)</span></em>. The fire is blessed, and our prioress will prepare our <a href="http://re-xs.ucsm.ac.uk/gcsere/coursework/gobbets/gobbet5.html">Paschal Candle</a> with the alpha and the omega, the numerals 2006, and five grains of incense. This candle is then lit from the blessed fire. One of our sisters will then <a href="http://www.pcug.org.au/~lindafrd/Exultet/Manuscript.htm">sing</a> the <a href="http://www.paulturner.org/exultet.htm">Exultet</a>, a glorious proclamation of our own Passover experience <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(sorry, it's hard to condense it into a nutshell blurb -- I tried. Besides, it's late!)</em></span>.<br /><br />I don't remember if we do the Exultet outside or after we've processed into church <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(I'll edit after the service if I think of it)</em></span>, but at some point in there we each light our own candles from the Paschal candle, and we see the light gradually fill the church, which is completely dark <em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;">(except for our candles, of course)</span></em>.<br /><br />Until ....<br /><br />We sing the Gloria. For the first time since the Sunday before Ash Wednesday, we sing <span style="color:#663366;">"Glory to God in the Highest, and peace to God's people on earth."</span> And we don't just <em>sing</em> the Gloria. No, we let it all out. After all, Jesus has conquered death! We literally pull out all the stops. The pipe organ is wide open; the brass and timpani blare their praise; and all the lights come on full-force to show a church filled with candles, flowers, light, and glory. And the bells, which have been replaced by a wooden clacker these three days, ring out for the whole town to hear throughout the entire Gloria. It's been over six weeks since we've had a celebratory feel, and we make the most of it.<br /><br />Especially after these three days of Triduum silence, a dark and barren church during services, small electric organ only for giving pitches .... you can't help but feel the difference, to realize that something truly spectacular has taken place. It all makes the 5:30 A.M. start time very much worth it.<br /><br />We have a <a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/040807.shtml">reading</a> from Paul's Letter to the Romans <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(continuing last night's sequence of scripture)</em></span>, where we are told: <span style="color:#663366;"><blockquote>If, then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has power over him. As to his death, he died to sin once and for all; as to his life, he lives for God.</blockquote></span><br />Then, for the first time in over six weeks, we can say the forbidden A-word as the Gospel Acclamation. <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(And believe me, especially in the Liturgy of the Hours, we <strong>very much </strong>make up for lost time – we'll be saying Alleluia before and after every psalm for the next 50 days!)</em></span>. And we hear <a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/041506.shtml">Mark's</a> version of the Easter story, where the women discover the empty tomb.<br /><br />While we don't have any baptisms, we still take the opportunity to bless the water of our font, and we all then renew our baptismal promises, professing our faith and renouncing evil. <em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;">(Funny story about that ... when my one nephew was being baptised, my godson was two and in the back of church with someone. The priest asks "Do you renounce Satan and all his evil ways?" My godson, from the back of church, yells "Noooo." I'm so proud of him!)</span></em><br /><br />And, after that, we continue with Mass "as usual" .... except for lots of big music, celebratory stuff, and songs with more Alleluias than any other words.<br /><br />After Mass, we all head over to the monastic dining room for an extra-special breakfast, complete with tablecloths and jelly bean bowls on every table. Of course, there's <em>lots</em> of talking that takes place, and it's not until we finish our leisurely meal that it strikes us that on any other Sunday we wouldn't even be up by now! People then chill out for a while <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(or sleep!)</em></span>, and then we have midday prayer <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(which never happens on a Sunday except Easter)</em></span>, followed by the noon meal. Then there will be Bingo or Bunco or some other form of whole-community recreation mid-afternoon, Evening Prayer <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(complete with lots of Alleluias, of course!)</em></span>, and a "picnic" supper <em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;">(part because we've had two <strong>big</strong> meals already, and part because that way our kitchen ladies can go home after the noon meal to celebrate with their families)</span></em>.<br /><br />And, unlike folks at the monastery, who get a "delayed opening" tomorrow .... I get to drive back to Loovul and figure out what exactly I'm gonna talk at my kids about all day without falling asleep. And decide if I have grown-up clothes clean to wear to school. And remember that I'm prayer leader at the house this week, and that I need to plan out the hymns, etc.<br /><br />One thing's a given ...... there'll be lots of Alleluia hymns in the rotation this week!<br /><br />Happy Easter, folks. And if you're not an Easter kind of person ..... well, then, Happy Springtime Sunday!Benedictine Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03286950396742232921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35309815.post-90108328773329249322007-04-07T19:30:00.000-04:002007-04-07T17:27:41.139-04:00Blogging the Monastic Triduum ~ Easter Vigil (The Readings)Traditionally, the <a href="http://www.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/prep-eastervigil.html">Easter Vigil</a> is when new members are received into the Catholic Church, so the baptisms and confirmations are a part of the rite of the Easter Vigil service. However, we here at the monastery are not a parish and, as such, don't have baptisms or confirmations. Thus, we do our service a good bit differently than you would find at any church you might attend.<br /><br />Most notably, we split our liturgical celebration into two parts: 7:30 Saturday evening, we gather to celebrate the Liturgy of the Word; then we depart in silence to wait in vigil through the night. 5:30 Sunday morning <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(time is set based around the anticipated sunrise time)</em></span> we gather outside for the blessing of the Easter fire and the celebration of the Resurrection Eucharist. But, since it's not time for Part II yet .... let's not get ahead of ourselves!<br /><br />One of the benefits of splitting the liturgy is that it allows us to not have the time concerns that affect folks in a parish. This gives us the freedom to fully engage in <a href="http://www.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/e-vigil-readings.html">all seven readings</a> as laid out in the <a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/040707.shtml">lectionary</a>, each with its own <a href="http://usccb.org/nab/040707.shtml">responsorial psalm</a> and <a href="http://www.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/v-prayers.html">prayer</a>; many parishes end up just doing a few of the readings, and possibly shortening them. We actually omit the prayer here, keeping with our Benedictine tradition of <em>lectio divina</em>, where we just immerse ourselves in scripture.<br /><br />While this might sound like an awful lot of scripture, it's actually rather cool, because it takes us through "Salvation History In A Nutshell" .... and here at the monastery, the texts are truly <em>proclaimed</em>, so that adds to it as well – it's not just someone reading at us. <em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;">(That's another thing I don't always appreciate until I'm somewhere where I don't have it – lectors who <strong>proclaim</strong> the scriptures instead of mumbling their way through it as fast as possible!)</span></em><br /><br />We begin at the very beginning <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(a very good place to start. When we read we begin with .... oh, sorry.)</em></span>. We hear from the opening of Genesis:<blockquote><span style="color:#000099;">In the beginning, God called everything into being. And each and every thing that God called into being, he found to be good. Except people. Rather than being called into being, God said, "<span style="color:#663366;">Let us make humans in our image, after our likeness.</span>" So, when "<span style="color:#663366;">God created human beings in the divine image, in the image of God they were created; male and female he created them</span>" ... God found it <em>very</em> good.</span><br /><br />Then we sing Psalm 33, with the refrain: <span style="color:#663366;">The earth is full of the goodness of God, the goodness of the Lord.</span></blockquote><br />We then move on to a story from a bit later in Genesis: <span style="color:#000099;"></span><span style="color:#000099;"><blockquote>God puts Abraham to the test. Abraham proves that he is willing to give up even that which is most dear to him for the Lord's sake. And, while some people take issue with the fact that God told Abraham to sacrifice his only son, God also sends an angel to be certain that Abraham does not in fact follow through with the task. <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>Although I do often wonder about the conversation between father and son on the way home ....</em></span> Regardless, Abraham <em>does</em> pass the test, wins favor with God, and is told that "<span style="color:#663366;">I </span><span style="color:#663366;">will bless you abundantly and make your descendants as countless as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore.</span>" <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>Included, too, is my all-time favorite line from the Vigil service: "<span style="color:#663366;">I swear by myself, declares the Lord.</span>" heeheehee</em></span><br /><br />Psalm 16 follows, with the refrain: <span style="color:#663366;">Keep me safe, O God, I take refuge in you.</span></span></blockquote><br />Next comes the Exodus story, the freeing of the Israelites who are enslaved in Egypt:<br /><blockquote><span style="color:#000099;">Pharaoh has suffered the plagues, the Israelites have had their Passover, and they now stand at the edge of the Red Sea. The story begins with God telling Moses: "<span style="color:#663366;">Lift up your staff and, with hand outstretched over the sea, split the sea in two, that the Israelites may pass through it on dry land.</span>" It happens as God says, and the Egyptians follow the Israelites into the sea. God tells Moses once more: "<span style="color:#663366;">Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may flow back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots and charioteers.</span>"</span><br /><br />The psalm response is actually from Exodus 15 – it is the song that the Israelites sing right after the Exodus: <span style="color:#663366;">Let us sing to the Lord, who is covered in wondrous glory.</span> </blockquote><br />We then move into the prophets. First comes Isaiah 54:<br /><blockquote><span style="color:#000099;">The Lord promises fidelity forever. "<span style="color:#663366;">For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with great tenderness I will take you back. In an outburst of wrath, for a moment I hid my face from you; but with enduring love I take pity on you, says the LORD, your redeemer. This is for me like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah should never again deluge the earth; so I have sworn not to be angry with you, or to rebuke you. Though the mountains leave their place and the hills be shaken, my love shall never leave you nor my covenant of peace be shaken, says the LORD, who has mercy on you.</span>" </span><em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;">This one always makes me laugh because it has the word <strong>carbuncle</strong>, which I always thought was just another one of my dad's made-up words.</span></em><br /><br />Psalm 30 has us singing: <span style="color:#663366;">I will praise you, Lord, you have rescued me. I will praise you, Lord, for your mercy. I will praise you, Lord.</span> </blockquote><br />Our fifth reading is another passage from Isaiah, this time from Chapter 55:<br /><blockquote><span style="color:#000099;">A beautiful invitation, wherein God promises to provide for our needs. "<span style="color:#663366;">All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come, receive grain and eat; come, without paying and without cost, drink wine and milk! Why spend your money for what is not bread, your wages for what fails to satisfy? Heed me, and you shall eat well, you shall delight in rich fare.</span>" After telling us to seek the Lord, God reminds us: "<span style="color:#663366;">For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts.</span>" A bit later in this passage, God says "<span style="color:#663366;">For just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down and do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, giving seed to the one who sows and bread to the one who eats, so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; my word shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it.</span>" </span><span style="color:#993399;"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Especially interesting if you consider that Jesus is the Word of God ....</span></em> </span><br /><span style="color:#993399;"><br /></span>Our response now is from Isaiah – <span style="color:#663366;">With joy you shall draw water from the springs of endless life.</blockquote></span><br />The sixth reading is from Baruch 3:<br /><blockquote><span style="color:#000099;">Israel is initially rebuked for forsaking the fountain of wisdom but is instructed to "<span style="color:#663366;">Learn where prudence is, where strength, where understanding; that you may know also where are length of days, and life,where light of the eyes, and peace. Who has found the place of wisdom, who has entered into her treasuries?</span>" The glories of Lady Wisdom are extolled.</span><br /></span><br />Psalm 19 is sung – <span style="color:#663366;">Lord, you have the words of everlasting life. </blockquote></span><br />The final reading of this evening service, one of my favorites, comes from Ezekiel 36:<br /></span><blockquote><span style="color:#000099;">God speaks of how he scattered his people in punishment, but now "<span style="color:#663366;">I will take you away from among the nations, gather you from all the foreign lands, and bring you back to your own land.I will sprinkle clean water upon youto cleanse you from all your impurities, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you, taking from your bodies your stony hearts and giving you natural hearts. I will put my spirit within you and make you live by my statutes, careful to observe my decrees. You shall live in the land I gave your fathers; you shall be my people, and I will be your God.</span>" </blockquote></span><br />We all sing Psalms 42/43 as arranged by Bob Hurd <span style="font-size:85%;"><em>(and heard <a href="http://ocp.org/mp3/11779_1_3.mp3?OCPSID=21cd683c296602c0e4c2c028e9fbc2de">here</a>)</em></span> before we leave the church to keep vigil in silence. <span style="color:#663366;"><span style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></span><span style="color:#663366;"><span style="color:#000099;"><blockquote><center>Refrain:</span> As the deer longs for running streams, so I long, so I long, so I long for you. </center><center><br />Athirst my soul, for you the God who is my life! When shall I see, when shall I see, see the face of God?<br />Echoes meet as deep is calling unto deep, over my head, all your mighty waters sweeping over me.<br />Continually, the foe delights in taunting me: "Where is God? Where is your God?" Where, O where are you?<br />Defend me God, send forth your light and your truth, they will lead me to your holy mountain, to your dwelling place.<br />Then I shall go unto the altar of my God. Praising you, O my joy and gladness, I shall praise your name.</center></blockquote></span>Benedictine Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03286950396742232921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35309815.post-19144124769591871602007-04-07T17:02:00.000-04:002007-04-07T17:03:21.634-04:00Blogging the Monastic Triduum ~ Holy Saturday (As We Wait in the Silence)Holy Saturday is basically the time to wait. Jesus has been buried, and we patiently await the pronouncement of the empty tomb. We have Morning Prayer in the same manner of the past two days; we have a brief Midday Prayer; other than that, there's nothing that goes on until this evening <em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;">(except for practices, setting things up, and other sorts of logistical details. Oh, and if you're me, there's also lunch dishes to be done!)</span></em>.<br /><br />As I think about the Triduum thus far, it's interesting to note my inner stirrings. Perhaps it's because we're back in church, and I haven't had Easter in our monastery church since the year I entered community. There's <em>definitely</em> something to be said for a "sacred space." Chapter 52 of the <a href="http://www.osb.org/rb/text/rbeaad1.html#52">Rule of Benedict</a> states: <span style="color:#333399;">Let the oratory what it is called, a place of prayer, and let nothing else be done there or kept there.</span> While our prayer space during restoration was also used only for prayer during that time, it was very much a converted meeting room. To be back in our <a href="http://www.thedome.org/new/church/page03.html">sacred space</a>, especially with how magnificently it has been redone .... it's a wonderful thing.<br /><br />Perhaps, instead, it is the fact that I've been living on mission this past year. While I'm back at the monastery many weekends, and while we do the same prayers at my house, it's very different to be in that space, with the organ, chant, and whole community involvement.<br /><br />Perhaps I've just settled a bit. There was a bit of a rough patch around Christmas, but I think things have finally begun to fall into place for me. I'm not as uptight about certain relationships as I have been <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(although I still find myself getting sucked into some of them more often than I'd like)</em></span>; I even found the courage to ask the "hard questions" and speak my truth to some folks <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(via a letter)</em></span> during these days <em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;">(of course, the silence probably helped with the courage peace, since technically no one should be talking to me about it until tomorrow! I'm still quite the coward; I just fake bravery well sometimes.)</span></em>.<br /><br />I remember thinking last year how much more charitable I was feeling towards people during this Triduum time, but then I realized that it probably had something to do with not having to talk to them. It's a lot easier to not get annoyed by people when you're not interacting as much!<br /><br />I was especially noticing it Thursday night during Mass, though. I got in from school <em>just</em> in time for music practice, so I pretty much dove full-force right into Triduum. The organ was doing the entrance hymn, so we <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(the "strings" group -- guitar/keyboard/bass)</em></span> were able to be a part of the community procession into church; however, we went straight up to take our places on the altar. Standing there, a few steps up from everyone else, listening to the organ/brass/timpani hymn, watching the community process in .... I have no words to describe the feeling. Rightness, perhaps? Watching Kris wash the feet of our sisters, hearing her give us the <em>mandatum</em> to go and do likewise .... after all, she truly is our community's leader and teacher, and yet she serves us. Even walking towards the dining room for the Agapé meal, realizing how stupid the "Who should I sit with" thought was, that it didn't really matter <em>where</em> I sat — they're <em>all</em> my sisters.<br /><br />It's interesting, too, my non-existent need for involvement. I played bass Thursday night, and that's all I've done for liturgy. <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(Well, that and I get to clack the clapper for Evening Prayer tonight, but that doesn't really count. And I've done dishes and will move plants, but those aren't really liturgical. Nothing like reading or carrying things or lighting things or stuff like that.)</em></span> But it hasn't really been a huge deal. In fact, I've only really thought about it in the context that it wasn't bugging me. I didn't even worry about if I should be a temporary part of schola <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(the small group "choir" of sisters)</em></span> or not. I've just been a general member of the community congregation, just taking it all in. Which for me is a big thing — not being annoyed at why so-and-so gets to read <em>again</em> or is the litugist mad at me and so that's why I wasn't asked or .... So it's a kinda cool state to be in. Just content with where I am.<br /><br />I'm also not all hard-core high-pressure about what I'm going to <strong>do</strong> during these days, how exactly I'm going to best connect with and focus on God. Last year was pretty chill, too, and I did some cool art stuff around the significance of each day. I brought that stuff with me again this year, but haven't really done anything with it ... but that's OK. Haven't really done any major journalling .... but that's OK. My time in the chapel <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(hiding out in a corner of the balcony -- I <strong>love</strong> little hiding places!)</em></span> during adoration Thursday night was focused on writing that letter, but I figured church was the best place for me to be gentle in my honesty. No expectations — I've just <strong>been</strong>. I haven't been as perfect with the silence as I had intended, but I'm not beating myself up over it; plus, while I <em>have</em> perhaps engaged in a <em>teeny</em> bit of conversation, it hasn't really pulled me out of the deeper sense of silence. <em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;">(Besides, I <strong>had</strong> to offer a </span></em><em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><a href="http://nuntime.blogspot.com/2006/04/quickie-thank-you.html">congratulatory</a></span></em><em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"> hug, right?)</span></em><br /><br />I've spent some time outside enjoying sunshine — wandering the grounds, sitting on the dock, hanging out on the colonnade. I've wandered methodically through the cemetery for the first time ever, reading the names of each of our sisters .... feeling bad as I catch myself making fun of some names, figuring out which sisters I've heard stories about, recalling some memories as I reach the sisters that I knew, surprising myself with the tears as I came upon <a href="http://nuntime.blogspot.com/2005/10/and-it-continues.html">the three</a> from this past fall.<br /><br />And maybe part of it has to do with that "rough patch" around Christmas ... somehow I weathered through my aggravations and frustrations, and maybe now I'm just a little more solid about being here, in this monastery, with this group of people?<br /><br />Who knows?<br /><br />But really .... does it even matter?<br /><br />While I've had some struggles this past year .... while I'm sure there are still many more struggles yet to come .... right here, right now, I am content.<br /><br />Right here, right now ..... I am where I belong.Benedictine Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03286950396742232921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35309815.post-75121048378788221232007-04-06T17:01:00.000-04:002007-04-07T17:22:50.047-04:00Blogging the Monastic Triduum ~ Good Friday (A Time to Reconcile)This morning, I realized that I had two things to clarify/add with regards to Morning Prayer during these days. For one thing, when I said there's no Lord's Prayer, I meant that it's not <em>recited</em>; rather, we say it silently. Then, I had forgotten that after the <a href="http://www.ogreatmystery.com/newskete/psalter/canticleofzachary.html">Benedictus</a> <span style="font-size:78%;color:#993399;"><em>(from Luke 1:68-79; Zachary's canticle on the birth of John the Baptist)</em></span>, we chant the <a href="http://interletras.com/canticum/christus_factus_est.html">Christus Factus Est</a> <em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;">(exactly as you see it in the link, Latin, chant notation, and all)</span></em>. It's the passage from Philippians 2:8-9; we begin it on Holy Thursday with <span style="color:#000099;">Christ became obedient for us even unto death</span>. Good Friday we add <span style="color:#000099;">death on a cross</span>; Holy Saturday repeats both of those elements and finishes things off: <span style="color:#000099;">Because of this, God raised him and bestowed upon him the name which is above all names.</span><br /><br />Mid-morning we have what we call our Reconciliation Chapter <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(basically, for the monastic community only)</em></span>. Unlike the official sacrament of Reconciliation, this is not a time where we go confess our sins to the priest. Rather, it's a time of prayer <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(what a surprise, no?)</em></span> which includes an examination of conscience using excerpts from the 1983 document of the US Catholic Bishops entitled <a href="http://www.osjspm.org/cst/cp.htm">"The Challenge of Peace"</a> and some questions for our own reflection on how we have contributed to disunity within the community through either what we have done or what we have failed to do. Our prioress also gave a wonderful reflection on the need for forgiveness and reconciliation, though it is often difficult and may take a long time to achieve. One of her most striking points for me <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(and this is my recollection of it, not a direct quote)</em></span> was in looking at Jesus' words from the cross: <span style="color:#333399;">"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Perhaps Jesus at that point, beaten and bloodied, could not quite bring himself to forgive them. But he knew they needed his forgiveness and that he needed to grant it, so he asked God to do it for him. Perhaps that's what we might need to do at times.</span> After the prayer and reflection, we then share a sign of peace with each other, asking forgiveness for any hurts we may have caused for that sister over the past year.<br /><br />At 3:00 in the afternoon we gather once more for liturgy, this time to celebrate the <a href="http://www.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/prep-goodfriday.html">Lord's Passion</a>. As a continuation of the Holy Thursday liturgy, the service does not have an opening rite. The <a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/040607.shtml">readings today</a> include the Suffering Servant from Isaiah and the Passion according to Saint John; today, the Passion is sung by various members of the monastic community, which presents it in a whole new way to the listening ear. There is a period of quiet reflection, and then we have a formally structured set of ten extended petitions with a prayer for each of the following intentions: <span style="color:#333399;">For the Church ... For the Pope ... For the clergy and laity of the Church ... For those preparing for baptism ... For the unity of Christians ... For the Jewish people ... For those who do not believe in Christ ... For those who do not believe in God ... For all in public office ... For those in special need ...</span> <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(although I <strong>really</strong> like the fact that here we combine other Christians, Jewish people, non-Christians, and those who don't believe in God into one non-exclusionary petition and prayer)</em></span>. After these intercessions, we have the Veneration of the Cross, where we focus in a special way on the manner in which Jesus gave himself up to death. We then have a simple communion service, using the consecrated hosts from Holy Thursday. <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(While I love the guys who come over to say Mass for us, there is something to be said for having our own sister, one whom we have chosen to lead us as a monastic community, as the leader of this liturgical celebration.)</em></span> After this, we depart in silence.<br /><br />The rest of the day is spent in personal quiet and reflection <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(or walks and enjoying of outdoorsedness)</em></span>. We come together once more for the evening meal, but in terms of liturgical celebrations, nothing else goes on. Just a time to consider the darkness of this time of the cross.Benedictine Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03286950396742232921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35309815.post-72138650696704047392007-04-05T17:00:00.000-04:002007-04-07T17:21:37.336-04:00Blogging the Monastic Triduum ~ Holy Thursday (aka Bells'n'Smells)The Triduum is where things <strong>really</strong> get interesting. <a href="http://www.catholic.org/clife/lent/thurs.php">Holy Thursday</a> begins with a very different form of morning prayer than we generally have <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(and all this that follows is what we do here at our monastery; I'm not presuming to speak for all monasteries and such everywhere)</em></span>. Normally, morning prayer has a hymn, two psalms and a canticle, a scripture reading, the Benedictus, petitions, Our Father, and closing prayer. Holy Thursday has six or seven psalms, three readings, with no hymn, canticle, petitions, Our Father, or any doxology. So, it's substantially longer ... but the same basic drill for Good Friday and Holy Saturday as well.<br /><br />It's very extra-cool, though. For one thing, entering into the solemnity, we get rid of the organ. One or two notes are played on the little organ <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(we also have a <a href="http://www.thedome.org/new/InteriorRestoration/index.html">big pipe organ</a>)</em></span> to get us started, and then we're a capella from there. Now that we're back in <a href="http://www.thedome.org/new/church/index.html">church</a> <em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;">(with restoration, we've been in a converted meeting room for the past two years)</span></em>, the simple chant with nothing else going on is such an amazingly-missed sound. Then, while there are three readings, only one of them is actually <em>read</em>. We use the <a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/lamentations/intro.htm">Lamentations of Jeremiah</a> over the course of these three mornings. The first reading is a chant of part of the Lamentations done by the whole community; the second reading is another section chanted by a soloist; and only the third reading is <em>read</em>, and that is something from perhaps one of the prophets or one of Paul's letters.<br /><br />Holy Thursday evening is when we celebrate the <a href="http://usccb.org/nab/040507b.shtml">Mass of the Lord's Supper</a>. During the reading of the Gospel, our prioress washes the feet of twelve members of the community. Benedict says that <a href="http://christdesert.org/Detailed/67.html">the abbot is to hold the place of Christ</a>, and so it's an especially striking visual to have our prioress <em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;">(basically, the female abbot)</span></em> performing this service. Then, she concluded the reading of the Gospel once she finished the foot-washing, saying: <span style="color:#6600cc;">"Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me 'teacher' and 'master,' and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do."</span> Coming from her, the one who has been such a great teacher and guide, at least for me, put it in a very tangible and real light.<br /><br />The Mass this evening doesn't "end" ... in fact, the three Triduum services together, in some respects, are a single liturgy, with assorted absences of opening and closing rites. Basically, it's a very cool way to keep everything tied together. Since there technically can be no "Mass" on Good Friday <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(no consecration of the Eucharist)</em></span>, enough is consecrated on Holy Thursday to provide for both days. Then, after communion, there is a solemn removal of the Blessed Sacrament to some special place for adoration until midnight.<br /><br />At the conclusion of the Mass and the "removal" of the Blessed Sacrament, we all remained in church for 5-10 minutes. While we sat, the liturgist and sacristicant and various helpers solemnly de-decked the altar in preparation for Good Friday. The candles, the altar cloth, the plants ... leaving behind a very stark, plain altar. After all, this is the night that Jesus is praying in the garden and getting arrested — not exactly a time for pretty flowers.<br /><br />After Mass, we all went into the monastic dining room for the Agape meal. It's a special meal, with tablecloths, candles, wine and tiny loafs of bread on each table. As Jesus celebrated a special meal with his community, so too do we. There's a special meal prayer that we use to bless the bread and wine, and it's just a good time for fellowship with one another.<br /><br />Besides the good food, there's an added reason for the extra-special fellowship — after the meal, we enter into the Triduum silence. Now, we have silence at various points around here; for example, once a month we have what we call "Sabbatical Saturday" where we get to sleep a little later, have a nice brunch, and then are quiet until Sunday Mass. Retreats are theoretically silent. But there's something very special about the silence of these days. Perhaps it's the solemnity of the church services. Perhaps it's because <strike>those of us</strike> if there might happen to be anyone who does not adhere completely to the silence <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(which we would never have anyone like that around here!)</em></span>, there's a <a href="http://nuntime.blogspot.com/2006/04/entering-into-silence.html">little extra effort</a> to really make it count. Sure, we <strike>talk</strike> whisper as necessary, but .... it's just a very cool time that I can't quite put words around.<br /><br />Part of the monastic silence is that we don't even ring the bells. We have three bells that are hand-pulled <em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;">(unless someone tips the third bell, in which case we need to climb up to the bell tower and un-tip it)</span></em> five minutes before prayer, for three minutes <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(we also toll them when a sister dies and at her funeral, but that doesn't really apply to now .... hopefully!)</em></span>. Summoning us to Holy Thursday Mass was the last we'll hear of the bells until Easter morning. We have a wooden "clapper" <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(and no, it's <strong>not</strong> "As Advertised On TV")</em></span> that someone will use while she walks around the monastery; the little clack-clack sound is the new call to prayer.<br /><br />Which brings me to the add-on part of this post's title. All the ritual of Catholic liturgy is sometimes disparaged as "Bells and Smells" for the bells, incense, and other such elements. But there is something about using those elements to set apart certain occasions as extra-significant. Part of the Holy Thursday Mass, for example, involved incensing the altar, gospel book, and people; it's not an ordinary part of the everyday Mass, so it adds to the element that "This is a special night, a solemn feast." And with the bells — it's their absence that is most noticable (along with the organ); after a few days, though, we'll kinda be used to the silence — just in time for the silence to be shattered by the bells, organ, brass, and light. But that's not until Sunday morning .... I'm getting ahead of myself. This is only Thursday, after all.Benedictine Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03286950396742232921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35309815.post-75487575961973432702007-04-01T16:59:00.000-04:002007-04-07T17:18:03.926-04:00Blogging the Monastic Triduum ~ Prelude to Holy Week<a href="http://www.cptryon.org/prayer/season/triduum.html">Triduum</a> ~ Latin for "Three Days." Within the context of the Catholic Church, these three days leading up to Easter are the most high holy days within the liturgical season.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>I'll try to explain what I'm talking about as I go along, as best as I can, but I'm not really sure what aspects are "common knowledge" among other branches of Christianity, or even for my not-so-religious readers, for that matter. So, if I confuse you, or there's something you're wondering, just leave a question in the comment box and I'll try to clarify myself.</em></span><br /><br />Officially, Lent ended Wednesday night. <a href="http://nuntime.blogspot.com/2006/02/ash-wednesday-scriptural-scribblings.html">Ash Wednesday</a> kicked off the season of <a href="http://nuntime.blogspot.com/2006/02/weekend-wonderings-penitential.html">Lent</a>, a time to renew our focus on God and the things that we <em>should</em> focus on <strong>all</strong> the time, but since we're human, well ... at least let's make a special effort during these six weeks. After all, think about what Jesus did for you; the least we can do is cut back on the chocolate for a couple weeks, right?<br /><br />Within the liturgical celebrations, Lent takes on a rather solemn tone. During these six weeks, the Gloria is not sung, nor are we to use the word <strike>alleluia</strike> <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;">(my brother got in trouble with a second-grader once as he was running a practice for children's choir: <span style="color:#6600cc;">"Mr. Chris, we're not allowed to say the A-word during Lent!"</span> So he had to explain that if you're practicing music for Easter, then it was OK to say it!)</span>. Here at the monastery, we simplify down the music we use — no brass or other fancy instruments, no music at the Offertory or recessional — and simplified decorations of perhaps a bowl of ashes or crown of thorns and nails. Our <a href="http://www.universalis.com/">Liturgy of the Hours</a> is different from Ordinary Time, with special antiphons before each of the psalms, and a different cycle of psalms to be recited. At the monastery, we also have one evening a week with a simple meal and silence after the meal to help provide a little additional space for reflection.<br /><br />Then this past Sunday we celebrated Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week. There was a bit of discussion over among the <a href="http://revgalblogpals.blogspot.com/2006/04/tuesday-lectionary-leanings.html">RevGals</a> as to whether they were going to celebrate Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday. With us Catholics, we do <a href="http://usccb.org/nab/040107.shtml">both</a>. Here at the monastery, we begin by gathering out in the courtyard for an opening prayer, reading of the <a href="http://usccb.org/nab/bible/mark/mark11.htm#v1">Entry-into-Jerusalem</a> Gospel, and a blessing of the palms. Then we processed in to the Church, where the liturgy resumed, using the <a href="http://usccb.org/nab/bible/mark/mark14.htm#v1">Passion</a> from Mark. Generally, the reading of the Passion is done by three people: one is a narrator, one reads the lines of Jesus, and one reads the lines of all the other people; the congregation also joins in for certain "crowd" lines. While it <em>is</em> Lent, it's a very triumphant day, so we had a brass-organ-timpani processional as we came into church. Other than that, though, it's primarily a "normal" Mass.Benedictine Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03286950396742232921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35309815.post-6665130313296627262007-03-31T16:55:00.000-04:002007-04-07T17:34:55.233-04:00The Sacred TriduumLast year, I did a sequence on "Blogging the Monastic Triduum" .... I'll share them here, to give a sense of what it's like. So, my thoughts from last year's Triduum, our first back in the <a href="http://www.thedome.org/VisitUs/restoration.asp">newly restored monastery church</a>. The Benedictine value of stability, however, has most things being pretty much the same every year ..... but I love it all anyway. So, enjoy this glimpse at our celebration of the Triduum.<br /><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;">As an FYI .... the church last year built the lectionary around the Gospel of Mark; this year is Luke .... so on Palm Sunday and Easter, where my posts talk about Mark's gospel, this year just replace it with Luke.</span></em>Benedictine Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03286950396742232921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35309815.post-3351575559175327502007-03-07T16:54:00.000-05:002007-04-07T16:55:18.397-04:00Absent for a bit ........ in the middle of evaluations and such ..... I'll be back, I promise....Benedictine Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03286950396742232921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35309815.post-11102941646326069752007-02-06T20:49:00.001-05:002007-02-06T20:49:49.481-05:00A Teacher's Prayer For Snow<span style="color:#6600cc;">One night as I lay almost sleeping, I heard a voice, softly peeping. I saw my wife devoutly praying. This is the prayer I heard her saying:</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#000099;">Oh, Lord, Let it snow.<br />Let it drift and let it blow.<br />In the morning, no real fuss, <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq56WbDfsGHNky6BElJOrHgKYWWCpAyGaoC3ntNtpD6oclEeEEY8lCAak9OG3jV9of2yVvUvHtB-THIzU-djCrl0-MbHVIviyrVsv2oWUoFdOtJ5Iy2gKSyt6WADY9NBWIb_if/s1600-h/flake.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5028602208720072194" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq56WbDfsGHNky6BElJOrHgKYWWCpAyGaoC3ntNtpD6oclEeEEY8lCAak9OG3jV9of2yVvUvHtB-THIzU-djCrl0-MbHVIviyrVsv2oWUoFdOtJ5Iy2gKSyt6WADY9NBWIb_if/s200/flake.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Just enough to stop the bus.<br /><br />Enough to make the County say:<br />"There will be no school today."<br />Let the radio report: "Snow is deep!"<br />And I'll roll over for more sleep.<br /><br />Then later on, say maybe ten,<br />I'll turn the radio on again.<br />Just in time to hear them say:<br />"It's strange: the snow has gone away!"<br /><br />And then I'll know you made it stop,<br />So I can go to the mall and shop.<br />Please Lord, just hear my plea,<br />And make it snow for the kids and me!<br /><br />Amen </span>Benedictine Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03286950396742232921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35309815.post-1170526521358044762007-02-03T13:15:00.000-05:002007-06-14T10:17:11.634-04:00Yawn ..... stretch ......<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/4882/1181/1600/747863/grndhog2.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/4882/1181/320/468497/grndhog2.jpg" border="0" /></a>Well, another Groundhog Day has arrived, and your illustrious author has emerged from her six weeks of hibernation to ..... ummm ..... oh wait, I messed that up, didn't I ......<br /><br />Ruh-roh ....<br /><br />OK, so let's do a <span style="font-size:130%;color:#000099;"><strong>Weekend Wonderings — Groundhog Day Edition</strong></span>.<br /><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:180%;color:#cc6600;"><strong>What's a legitimate excuse to justify my extended absence from the BlogO'Sphere?</strong></span></div><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>School, exams, new semester & new courses, funerals, and friendships don't count -- they're <strong>too</strong> legitimate!</em></span>Benedictine Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03286950396742232921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35309815.post-55874543018842209732007-01-15T13:26:00.000-05:002007-02-03T13:38:01.445-05:00Faith-Filled Agnosticism<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="300" align="center" border="0"><tbody><tr><td align="middle" style="color:#cddeff;"><b><span style="font-size:180%;color:#333399;">You are Agonistic</span></b></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#ebf2ff"><center><img height="100" src="http://images.blogthings.com/whatsyourreligiousphilosophyquiz/agnostic.jpg" width="100" /></center><span style="color:#000000;"><br />You're not sure if God exists, and you don't care.<br />For you, there's no true way to figure out the divine.<br />You rather focus on what you can control - your own life.<br />And you tend to resent when others "sell" religion to you.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div align="center"><a href="http://www.blogthings.com/whatsyourreligiousphilosophyquiz/">What's Your Religious Philosophy?</a></div><br /><p>Though at first glance this might cause some scandal, I don't think it should. Often agnosticism gets mixed up with atheism, but they're <em>very</em> different things. Or perhaps maybe it's just my interpretation of the word ....<br /><br />The thing of it is, at least the way <strong><em>I</em></strong> see it .... maybe it's just me hooking into the second line of the description .... but I don't think you <em>can</em> figure out the divine. We just did an activity yesterday in some of my classes about "Who Is Your God" -- it listed maybe 15 or 20 different possibilities or definitions or images of God, and then I had the kids come up with one for their small group and create a new one for them, in 10 words or less.<br /><br />This then took us into a whole discussion about how God is so far beyond any image, word, concept, thought, or anything else that we could concoct. Those all give us a taste, yes, but it's only a taste. Think of the little tiny sample spoon at Baskin-Robbins as opposed to the whole big ol' container behind the window --- doesn't even come close.<br /><br />The whole idea of "faith" comes out of the fact that we <em>can't</em> "figure out the divine." If we could figure God out, if we could prove beyond a shadow of a doubt what God is like, there would be no need for faith. The Letter to the Hebrews (11:1) states that <span style="color:#ff6600;">"Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen"</span>; Romans (8:24-25) follows with <span style="color:#ff6600;">"Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for that which is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience."</span> By definition, <a href="http://www.answers.com/faith&r=67">faith</a> is a <span style="color:#ff6600;">"belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence."</span> If we <em>knew</em> God, what happens to the mystery? If we can prove, show, explain -- what happens to the journey, the quest, the search?<br /><br />Earlier, in a Blogger-deleted version of this post (not that I'm bitter -- GRRRRRR!!!), I found this very cool analogy, but none of my searching can bring it back to give the link. Anyway, it was along the lines of <span style="color:#ff6600;">"Fear is to courage what doubt is to faith."</span> Fear is not the opposite of courage, nor is doubt the opposite of faith. Courage requires us to <em>face</em> our fears just as faith requires us to face our doubts, but neither courage nor faith <em>eliminate</em> our fears or doubts. I think it was Anne Lamott who said that <span style="color:#ff6600;">"Courage is fear that's said its prayers."</span> It might <em>reshape</em> our fears, clarify, readjust our stance, but despite all the courage in the world, we'll still have some level of fear. If you've got doubt .... that means you're asking the question.<br /><br />According to Fredrick Beuchner, <span style="color:#ff6600;">"Faith is better understood as a verb than as a noun, as a process than as a possession. It is on-again-off-again, rather than once-and-for-all. Faith is not being sure where you're going but going anyway. A journey without maps. Tillich said that doubt isn't the opposite of faith; it is an element of faith ... If you don't have any doubts, you are either kidding yourself or asleep. Doubts are the ants in the pants of faith. They keep it awake and moving."</span><br /><br />I feel like every answer I give my kids in class ends up beginning with those three little words: <span style="color:#cc33cc;">"We can't know."</span> We <em>can't</em> know our purpose in life, or what heaven will be like, or how if Jesus is God than how is he his own son. So many of my comments start off with something along the lines of <span style="color:#cc33cc;">"The way <strong><em>I</em></strong> see it is ..."</span> and then I explain my <em>own</em> perspective on sin, or free will, or God, or whatever else, always ending it with the disclaimer that <span style="color:#cc33cc;">"that's just how <strong><em>I</em></strong> see it, but it's different for everyone."</span> All of which, I'm sure, is insanely frustrating for some of them, but it's the best truth I have to offer them. <span style="color:#cc33cc;">"So what am I supposed to believe?" ~ "There is no 'supposed to.' You have to figure that out for you. And <em>that's</em> how you make your faith your own."</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ff6600;">"Of course it's hard. It's <em>supposed</em> to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great."<br /></span><br />Yeah, I teach religion. But I don't care whether the kids agree with what I'm presenting them or not. They <em>do</em> need to be able to tell me what the Catholic Church believes about Jesus and the gospels and whatever else, but they don't have to subscribe to it. Wherever they are is where they are, and that's completely, utterly, and totally fine by me. My only requirement is that they remain open to the journey, ask the questions, and explore for themselves.<br /><br />After all, isn't that what it's all about? The journey, the quest, the search?<br /><br />In opening his book <a href="http://www.johnkirvan.com/hunger.htm">God Hunger</a> with segments from C.S. Lewis on "Longing" and Thomas Merton on "Looking," John Kirvan reminds me that the hidden nature of God is hidden for a reason. Speaking only for myself and my awareness of my slacker-esque tendencies .... I can pretty well guess that if I felt that I <em>knew</em> God completely, then I'd stop wondering. If I could always find God, no problem, I'd stop looking. If there was nothing left to figure out, I'd stop thinking about it. There has to be some mystery, some question, some unknown to provoke the exploration, the search, the delving ever-deeper into the depths. Otherwise, it runs the risk of falling the monotonous way of summer-time reruns.<br /><br />Besides, as Junior Asparagus and Bob so wisely put it ... if <span style="color:#ff6600;">"God is bigger than the boogie-man, he's bigger than Godzilla or the monsters on TV"</span> ... well gosh, that's pretty big, isn't it? A lot bigger than any words that <em>I</em> could come up with. God for me (see, there I go again, just like in class) is so big broad abstract that there's no word, definition, image, or anything else that can do God justice. As we were talking about that worksheet in class, I was reminded of that old story about <a href="http://www.wordfocus.com/word-act-blindmen.html">the blind men and the elephant </a>... six blind men are "shown" an elephant and they each describe it based on what they feel. Each man's comments are fully accurate -- based on what they experience -- but no comment really does the elephant any bit of justice.<br /><br />One of my kids said that <span style="color:#cc33cc;">God is a puzzle, but we can't see the picture because we are all pieces. </span><br /><br />Madeleine L'Engle was once asked: <span style="color:#ff6600;">"Mrs. Franklin, do you really and truly believe in God with no doubts at all?" "Oh, Una, I really and truly believe in God with all kinds of doubts." But I base my life on this belief.<br /></span><br />So, no, <span style="color:#009900;">I can't <em>know</em> absolutely positively without a doubt if God exists</span> ... but the way <strong><em>I</em></strong> see it, there's definitely something bigger than me working things out for me. <span style="color:#009900;">I don't care if I can prove it or not</span> ... I take it on faith. <span style="color:#009900;">There's no true way to figure out the divine</span> ... so I'll just keep right on asking those questions. <span style="color:#009900;">I'll focus on what I can control -- my life</span> ... and continue with the trust that things will happen the way they're meant to happen, and as long as I'm trying, perseverence <em>has</em> to count for something -- but that's just how <strong><em>I</em></strong> see it. <span style="color:#009900;">And just as I resent having religion "sold" to me</span> ... I'm not gonna sell it to my kids. I'll just open the door, throw out a couple questions, a little devil's advocate, and some unique ways of viewing things, and let them work it out for themselves.<br /><br /><span style="color:#000099;">'Cause it's different for everyone.</span></p>Benedictine Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03286950396742232921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35309815.post-20454286663997775832007-01-01T13:21:00.000-05:002007-02-03T13:22:48.695-05:00The God-Bearer<div align="center"><span style="font-size:180%;"><strong><a href="http://aggreen.net/theotokos/theotokos.html">θεοςτοκος</a></strong></span></div><p>January 1<sup><span style="font-size:85%;">st</span></sup> is celebrated as the Solemnity of Mary as the Mother of God in the Catholic tradition. Our priest this morning was commenting on how Mary, Mother of God, plays a very significant role in the Eastern Orthodox tradition.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4882/1181/1600/vladimir.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4882/1181/320/vladimir.jpg" border="0" /></a>He told a story of attending an Eastern rite service with Fr. Prosper, one of his brother monks, once, and Fr. Prosper kept repeating "Theotokos" over and over again. Fr. Anthony later asked what that was.<br /><br />"Oh, Theotokos, the Mother of God. Without her, we would have none of this. The saints would have no names were it not for her."<br /><br />Mary is the God-bearer. Mary said yes. By saying yes, she was the first disciple. Without her yes, we <em>would</em> have none of this.<br /><br />For more information about Theotokos, follow the Greek link above.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>Pictured is Our Lady of Vladimir, one of the most famous and most copied icons. </em></span><a href="http://www.printeryhouse.org/mall/Icons/Mother_of_God/c05.asp"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>This version</em></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><em> was "written" by Sr. Mary Charles McGough, OSB, of the Duluth Benedictines; it also happens to hang on the wall of my bedroom. However, there are also </em></span><a href="http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&lr=&q=theotokos&btnG=Search&sa=N&tab=wi"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>plenty of other icons</em></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><em> of the Theotokos.</em></span> </p><p><span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;">[Incidentally enough, the <a href="http://www.duluthbenedictines.org">Duluth Benedictines</a> were just featured on the </span><span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><a href="http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/index.html">PBS Independent Lens series</a></span><span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;">; the film was titled </span><span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><a href="http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/sisters/index.html">"Sisters: Portrait of a Benedictine Community"</a></span><span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"> and aired a couple months ago. If, by chance, anyone happened to tape it and would be willing to share, I would love to be able to see it (I'm not sure if anyone at our place taped it or not.)]</span></p>Benedictine Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03286950396742232921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35309815.post-1167433114381653312006-12-26T14:41:00.000-05:002006-12-29T17:58:34.390-05:00The Twelve (Monastic) Days of ChristmasI figured I'd have a little fun here with the twelve days of Christmas, as a lighter-yet-still-semi-accountable-holding option for these next couple days <em>after</em> Christmas. Unfortunately, as of right now, there are still a couple days for which I'm not sure what I'll do yet ... hopefully I'll come up with something by the time the day arrives! The lines <em>should</em> actually fit in the song, but you might have to do some creative syllabication to make it really work.<br /><br />My quotes from the Rule of Benedict are from the RB1980 version (edited by Timothy Fry, OSB), a new translation which was done to celebrate 1500 of Benedictine life; this version can be found online in its entirity <a href="http://newarkobl.users5.50megs.com/rb1980.htm">here</a>, courtesy of <a href="http://www.newarkabbey.org/">Newark Abbey</a>. <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(But, really, considering you can buy your <a href="http://www.litpress.org/Detail.aspx?ISBN=0814612725">own personal copy</a> for a mere $2.95, why not consider that option as well?)</em></span>. For a little background on the Rule, there's an article that one of our sisters wrote that can be found <a href="http://www.thedome.org/AboutUs/rule.html">here</a> on our website; for a more inclusive collection of articles and translations, visit the <a href="http://www.osb.org/rb/index.html">Rule section</a> of the online home of the <a href="http://www.osb.org">Order of Saint Benedict</a>.<br /><br />Enjoy!Benedictine Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03286950396742232921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35309815.post-1166931629077258942006-12-23T22:23:00.000-05:002007-06-14T10:18:00.126-04:00With Great Power ....<center><a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/122306.shtml"><span style="font-size:180%;color:#990000;">Third Saturday of Advent</span></a><span style="color:#990000;"><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24<br />Psalm 25:4-5AB, 8-9, 10 and 14<br />Luke 1:57-66</center></span></span><br /><a href="http://fishingforfaith.blogspot.com/2006/12/i-just-wanna-know.html#c116673063039115294">Someone</a> asked about Wednesday's posting: <span style="color:#6600cc;">Why would a sign have been a bad thing?</span> The line that came to my mind upon reading that I remember mostly from the ads for one of the recent Spiderman movies: "<span style="font-size:130%;color:#990000;">With great power comes great responsibility</span>" <em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;">(official attribution is <a href="http://www.newsfromme.com/archives/2005_10_06.html">up for debate</a>)</span></em>. While initially, the thought of a sign, or additional power or whatever it might be, may sound nice .... once the reality sinks in, it sometimes loses its luster. For example, a few years ago I got to experience the election of <a href="http://www.thedome.org/news/view.asp?ID=153">our new prioress</a> — I remember having the thought that, while it might be nice to have your name come up for consideration, it's probably just as nice to have it dropped <i>out</i> of consideration after a certain point. After all, being the ultimate head of a community of 185 women has an <i>awful</i> lot of responsibility that goes along with it — a lot of decisions to make, a lot of people to guide, and a lot of everything for which you are the end of the line; the buck stops there.<br /><br />In some respects, it's a similar situation to my entering religious life. No longer do I get to be "just me"; now I am <i><b>Sister</i></b> Me, a Sister of Saint Benedict of Ferdinand, Indiana. Anonymity is no longer a privilege that I get to exercise. I continually am reminded of the fact that any and everything that I may do or not do, say or not say, may be viewed not just as <i>my</i> doing or not doing, but as potentially representing <a href="http://www.thedome.org/">my community</a>, or perhaps all <a href="http://www.osb.org/">Benedictines</a>, or maybe even women religious in general, or even all Catholics. In becoming a part of this community four years ago, I gained immeasurably in so many aspects of my life; at the same time, I also gained immeasurable levels of responsibility. And, while it might be nice sometimes to dream of the days when I used to be able to blend into the background and not be noticed, ultimately the challenges of the added responsibility are worth the blessings and gifts gained from the community.<br /><br />But it's not necessarily something to enter into lightly. That's why church law dictates that the process to become a fully-committed member of a community takes a <i>minimum</i> of four years, with most communities requiring a couple more years beyond that. There's a lot involved, and they want us to be sure that we know what we're getting ourselves into. While you can enter into the life with some sense of what the idea of not getting married or having kids can mean, it's not until you've lived the life that you begin to fully understand how ideas like "obedience" can play out. "Oh sure, monastic poverty, I get that idea" .... until you start teaching and realize that you have to seriously calculate which of your student's plays you'll be able to attend. And then, of course, there's the practical issue of living <strong>in community</strong> .... <em>with 184 other women</em>. Many of the initial romantic ideas of "life in a convent" don't actually play out in real life. My kids always ask me if it's like <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059742/">The Sound of Music</a> or <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105417/">Sister Act</a> ..... ummmmm, not quite! It's a good life, definitely, but it's not always an easy life.<br /><br /><center><span style="font-size:130%;color:#990000;">Of course it's hard! It's <i><strong>supposed</strong></i> to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>~ </em></span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104694/"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>A League of Their Own</em></span></a></center><br />Think, too, of <a href="http://fishingforfaith.blogspot.com/2006/12/but-i-dont-wanna.html">Mary</a>. We've heard it so often, we see it as a nice, sweet little story. But think of the reality. This young girl, unmarried, becomes pregnant. I'm sure that goes over <i>real</i> well with family and friends, even <i>with</i> the story of the angel. And what about her fiance? I've got friends who have broken off engagements due to infidelity, and that's even <i>without</i> a resultant pregnancy. Plus, there's the added element that the culture of the time required that adulterous women <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(which would also apply to an unmarried pregnant girl)</em></span> would be killed — specifically, by having big huge rocks thrown at them until they die. Not a happy situation, by any means. There was a whole heck of a lot of stuff involved in her "Yes." Sure, being Mother of God, that'd be pretty cool .... but there's a lot more to it, too.<br /><br />Our readings today also show that paradox: something that seems great and wonderful at first glance, but then once reality sinks in somehow it doesn't necessarily seem quite so cool.<br /><br />In Malachi, we are told that "<span style="color:#6600cc;">suddenly there will come to the temple the Lord whom you seek</span>." Whoo-hoo! Yay! He's on his way. Except .... "<span style="color:#6600cc;">Who will abide the day of his coming? And who can stand when he appears?</span>" Ruh-roh. Reality check. He's gonna come like "<span style="color:#6600cc;">a refiner's fire ... to purify the sons of Levi</span>" — that doesn't sound too cool. Purifying? That's like a massive scrubdown to make things really clean. When I think of the massive scrubdown I have to give pots and pans sometimes at dinner ..... I don't know, maybe this isn't such a cool idea. I'm not sure if <strong><em>I</em></strong> can abide that day .... that "<span style="color:#6600cc;">great and terrible day</span>."<br /><br />And, in the gospel, with the birth of John the Baptist, there's a similarly change of heart among the villagers. Initially, they were pretty happy with what had happened: <span style="color:#6600cc;">[Elizabeth's] neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her.</span> Pretty cool stuff — for so long this woman has been unable to have a kid, and now she's got one. That's awesome! But then Zechariah, who had been unable to speak even since the birth of the baby was foretold, was suddenly able to speak and began blessing God, the people began to get freaked out: <span style="color:#6600cc;">Then fear came upon all their neighbors, [wondering] "What, then, will this child be? For surely the hand of the Lord was with him."</span><br /><br />I guess the best part of these readings for me, then, is the reassurance that I'm not the only one who might be tempted to chicken out after looking beyond the first impression. The important thing, I think, is to realize that it's just human nature to freak out .... but at the same time to try, like Mary, to "do it anyway."<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#990000;"><center>Do not be daunted immediately by fear and run away from the road that leads to salvation. It is bound to be narrow at the outset. But as we progress in this way of life and in faith, we shall run on the path of God's commandments, our hearts overflowing with the inexpressible delight of love.</span><br /><span style="color:#006600;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>~ from the Prologue of the </em></span><a href="http://www.thedome.org/AboutUs/rule.html"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>Rule of Benedict</em></span></a></span> </center>Benedictine Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03286950396742232921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35309815.post-1166847875650773402006-12-22T23:23:00.000-05:002006-12-23T00:34:37.733-05:00Magnificat anima mea Dominum<center><a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/122206.shtml"><span style="font-size:180%;color:#990000;">Third Friday of Advent</span></a><span style="color:#990000;"><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">1 Samuel 1:24-28<br />1 Samuel 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8ABCD<br />Luke 1:46-56</center></span></span><br />Today's readings give us an interesting juxtaposition of new mothers. Just before the passage of the first reading, we have Hannah, who was praying in the temple so fervently for a new child that the priest Eli thought she <i>must</i> be <a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/1samuel/1samuel1.htm#v12">drunk</a>. In the first reading, then, we have Hannah returning to the temple, this time in gratitude for the child that God graced her with, whom she was now dedicating to the Lord and leaving behind to serve God in the temple; the responsorial is her hymn of praise that she sings, exalting the Lord for all the ways he remembers the downtrodden.<br /><br />Luke's gospel, on the other hand, presents us with the young girl, Mary, who probably wasn't thinking much about kids at all before an angel showed up and told her that she was to bear a son; however, Mary's telling her family and friends that "an angel said it would happen" probably didn't get her <i>too</i> many more sanity points than when Eli watched Hannah's prayer. <em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;">(Plus, Hannah willingly leaves her son at the temple; when <strong>Jesus</strong> gets left behind at the temple, it's inadvertent and the source of <a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/luke/luke2.htm#v48">great consternation</a> on the part of Mary.)</span></em><br /><br />Shortly after Gabriel visits Mary, she goes to see her cousin Elizabeth and, while there, Mary <i>also</i> sings a hymn of praise, exalting the Lord for all the ways he remembers the downtrodden. This hymn, presented to us today in the gospel, greatly parallels the hymn sung by Hannah so many years earlier, but this just shows us the depth of Mary's immersion into her own scriptural heritage.<br /><br />The version of Mary's, though, is the one most often used by the Church. In fact, it is called the "Magnificat" because of the Latin translation of the first line, and is recited every evening during the <a href="http://www.universalis.com/liturgy-structure.htm">Liturgy of the Hours</a>, the "official prayer" of the church. With its daily recitation, however, it becomes rather easy <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(at least for me)</em></span> to lose sight of the truly controversial nature of this hymn. In fact, according to Benedictine oblate and author <a href="http://www.awakenedwoman.com/norris_mary.htm">Kathleen Norris</a>: <span style="color:#6600cc;">The Magnificat's message is so subversive that for a period during the 1980's the government of Guatemala banned its public recitation.</span><br /><br />And yet, how often do I even <i>think</i> about that side of things? Every night, somewhere around 5:22 (if I'm at the monastery) or maybe 6:47 (if I'm at the house in Louisville), I recite <a href="http://campus.udayton.edu/mary/prayers/mpray02.html">this string of words</a>. Do I even <i>notice</i> what I'm saying? Sad to admit, many times I don't. Many times my mind is more on what we'll be having for dinner, or how I really liked that song we sang, or wondering where Sr. So-and-so is tonight, or any number of other things. Even if I'm not distracted with those not-so-prayerful thoughts and I'm actually thinking about what I'm saying, I generally still don't realize how "subversive" I'm being.<br /><br />It's kinda like the <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p4s2.htm">Lord's Prayer</a> that we recite shortly thereafter — do I <b><i>really</i></b> want God to forgive me in the same way in which I forgive others? Or perhaps to put it another way .... am I <i><b>willing</i></b> to forgive others in the same manner in which I want God to forgive me?<br /><br />But then, every once in a while, something seeps through. God sneaks through the rote-autopilot to catch us off-guard and ask: "Did you really <i>mean</i> that?" Some bizarre little <a href="http://fishingforfaith.blogspot.com/2006/12/do-you-see-what-i-see.html">coincidence</a> to make you realize that maybe you should pay a little more attention to what exactly it is that you're saying. But even when we don't realize, I think it still sinks in, somehow. It becomes such a part of our routine that we no longer think it's odd to think of "<span style="color:#6600cc;">the hungry being filled while the rich are sent away empty</span>" ... and so maybe then we're a little more willing to work for a time when the lowly <i>will</i> be lifted up, or even a time where <a href="http://fishingforfaith.blogspot.com/2006/12/let-there-be-peace-on-earth.html">swords <i>will</i> become plowshares</a>.<br /><br />Kathleen Norris, in that same article, says of the hymns of these two women: <span style="color:#6600cc;">They are a poetic rendering of a theme that pervades the entire biblical narrative — when God comes into our midst, it is to upset the status quo.</span> May we remember this as we daily recite the Magnificat, if for no other reason than to remind us to keep looking for ways that God, even today, upsets our status quo.Benedictine Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03286950396742232921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35309815.post-1166721835255342962006-12-21T12:17:00.000-05:002006-12-22T15:42:39.233-05:00Do you see what I see?<center><a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/122106.shtml"><span style="font-size:180%;color:#990000;">Third Thursday of Advent</span></a><span style="color:#990000;"><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Song of Songs 2:8-14 <strong>OR</strong> Zephaniah 3:14-18A<br />Psalm 33:2-3, 11-12, 20-21<br />Luke 1:39-45</center></span></span><br />My mom <i>loves</i> coincidences. She's always pointing out what a small world it is, because of someone from church whose cousin's nephew's next-door-neighbor's sister also teaches high school religion, or something like that. My dad likes to mess with her, pointing out that "Today, I saw a car with license plate number 482GKZ" --- she asks what's the big deal about that, and my logicial computer-minded science-guy father says that that's just as likely an occurance as some of the things she points out, like a license plate that has her birthday and initials.<br /><br />Doing a simple google search on <a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=coincidence&hl=en&lr=">coincidence</a> gives a variety of articles that discuss the supernatural status, or not, of such unlikely co-occurances. In fact, mathematician John Allen Paulos is <a href="http://www.davidmyers.org/Brix?pageID=91">quoted</a> as observing that: "<span style="color:#6600cc;">In reality, the most astonishingly incredible coincidence imaginable would be the complete absence of all coincidences.</span>" Psychologist David Meyers, author of that same article, concludes: <span style="color:#6600cc;">That a particular specified event or coincidence will occur is very unlikely. That some astonishing unspecified events will occur is certain. That is why remarkable coincidences are noted in hindsight, not predicted with foresight.</span> You can even discover your birthday <a href="http://www.angio.net/pi/piquery">hidden in the random string</a> of numbers that is pi.<br /><br />It's all a matter of perspective. For me to discover a license plate of 117SAY would be something to point out, but to anyone else, it'd be a simple "So what?" We assign meaning to things as they speak to us, and our background oftens determines how we assign that meaning. It's the same as when we talk about <a href="http://fishingforfaith.blogspot.com/2006/12/i-just-wanna-know.html">getting a sign</a>. What might seem to me a random collection of events not even worth noticing might seem to someone else to be the lightning bolt from heaven that makes it all clear.<br /><br />And so it's important to be aware of the context out of which we operate. How is it that we interpret these events that occur in our lives? What is the framework through which we hear things that people say? Lonni Collins Pratt, in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Benedicts-Way-Ancient-Insights-Balanced/dp/0829417877/ref=si3_rdr_bb_product/002-7958418-9330468">Benedict's Way</a>, says the following about <em><a href="http://www.thedome.org/SeekGodWithUs/NourishSpiritOnline/WaysofPrayer/ContemplativePrayer/Lectio.html">lectio divina</a></em>: <blockquote><span style="color:#6600cc;">Lectio teaches us to listen. Benedictine spirituality is about listening to God and listening to life. Lectio eventually moves us beyond reading Scripture to reading our lives, to reading our world. The important, key idea here is listen. Listen.<br /><br />A little while after beginning Lectio, you discover that movies speak God, music speaks God, your friends become prophetic oracles. God begins to speak so persistently in all of life that you awake every day amazed that you didn't hear all this God-noise before. Lectio opens the ears of your heart.</blockquote></span>I know various people who, because of the filter of faith through which they view their lives, call these events "godincidences" rather that "coincidences" — these are "Incidences with God."<br /><br />For me, this has been one of the biggest ways that God has "spoken" to me. All the little things that fit together <i>too</i> perfectly .... someone saying the right thing at the right time ..... throwing the CD player on shuffle and the song with "the answer" coming on .... all the stuff that could just as easily be chalked up to "fate" and ignored. But, because of the lens through which I view my life, I see it as God's "movement and action in my life." But in order to view things in that way, I also have to believe that God <i>is</i> active in my life. Otherwise, it's just a bunch of random unrelated stuff.<br /><br />And, while coincidences are most noticed in hindsight, sometimes we find ourselves looking and hoping for them based on what we want, or have prayed for, or are expecting (and/or dreading).<br /><br />After all, Elizabeth in today's gospel <i>could</i> have just seen it as chance timing that "<span style="color:#6600cc;">the infant in [her] womb leaped for joy</span>" just as Mary greeted her; instead, she took it as a sign that "<span style="color:#6600cc;">the Mother of [her] Lord</span>" was visiting. Likewise, I <i>could</i> dismiss any of the ways in which I believe I've received a "sign" .... or I could take it on faith that perhaps there's a deeper meaning to it all. It's all in the perspective taken towards life.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#990000;"><center>Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.</span> </center>Benedictine Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03286950396742232921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35309815.post-1166633106312453162006-12-20T11:22:00.000-05:002006-12-20T11:52:21.366-05:00I just wanna know<center><a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/122006.shtml"><span style="font-size:180%;color:#990000;">Third Wednesday of Advent</span></a><span style="color:#990000;"><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Isaiah 7:10-14<br />Psalm 24:1-2, 3-4AB, 5-6<br />Luke 1:26-38</center></span></span><br />So, in this reading from Isaiah, we've got God <em>telling</em> Ahaz to ask for a sign?!?!? I thought we weren't <strong>supposed</strong> to ask for signs. I thought we were supposed to take things on faith and trust and all that, praying that we'll "discover" the proper way to go ... <strong>not</strong> ask for signs and proof.<br /><br />Or maybe Ahaz is trying a little "reverse psychology" here .... "I'll pretend like I don't want a sign, that it would go against everything I believe in, and then maybe God'll give me a sign anyway." Who knows .... could make sense ...<br /><br />It reminds me of a time back in college, at a point when I was obsessing over the whole "nun-thing" .... there was one week at the end of September where I just had everything coming due and had no clue how it was all going to happen — major exam in Music History, game board due in Recreational Music, arrangement due in Music Theory, and I don't even remember what all else was up. I think it was either that Sunday or Monday night when I began the thought "If I can just make it through this week ...." but then I stopped. I knew it wasn't right to play that game with God, and so I stopped myself right there. The follow-up thought <i>would</i> have been something dealing with the whole nun-thing, but, like I said, I didn't go there. After all, "You should not put the Lord your God to the test" <em><span style="font-size:85%;">(</span></em><a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/deuteronomy/deuteronomy6.htm#v16"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Deut 6:16</span></em></a><em><span style="font-size:85%;">).</span></em><br /><br />So, like I said, I didn't go there. It was just left hanging, a simple "If I just make it through this week ...." and was completely forgotten. At least, until the beginning of University Chorale on Friday, right after Music History, and I looked again at the test we just got back ..... and noticed that I got a 98% ..... which was <i>beyond</i> good ..... and I thought about the great score that I got on my arrangement .... and the game board that was not-quite-finished-but-done-enough-to-get-major-gush-points .... and the everything else that had been completed .....<br /><br />Which, while I was grateful for having survived, at the same time I wasn't quite sure what this meant about the nun-thing. Would I still be held liable even if I hadn't finished the thought officially? And how did this work anyway? I specifically <b>didn't</b> throw that little fleece out there because I knew it wasn't the right thing to do. And yet ... I got it anyway.<br /><br />All of which is the reason why I'm a firm believer in the line: <span style="font-size:130%;color:#990000;"><strong>Be careful what you ask for.</strong></span><br /><br />It's funny, though, because we so often think our life would be easier if we just had a sign. "Oh, if only I could have the big loud voice booming down from heaven telling me what to do" .... and yet, do we <i>really</i> want that? I mean, seriously. If all the sudden an angel showed up and told me "Thou shalt become a nun" .... somehow I think I'd put myself in a <i>very</i> different kind of institution. And would we even listen, even if we <i>did</i> get the "voice"? I often joke that God kept smashing me over the head with those cartoon anvils, but I <i>still</i> wouldn't get the point. Sure, I'd hear it for a little bit, but then I'd move on to whatever it was that <b><i>I</b></i> wanted to do. Just because we get the voice doesn't mean we listen to the message; just because we see the sign doesn't mean we still don't make wrong turns.<br /><br />So maybe <i>that's</i> what it was with Ahaz. Maybe he didn't want the sign, not for pious and holy reasons, but for more purely practical reasons. If you don't get the sign, you don't have to act on it.<br /><br />And that's what makes Mary's <em>fiat</em> so noteworthy. Not only did she hear the sign and accept it, she followed through with it, even after the angel left. It's one thing to get a sign; it's another thing to live it out.<br /><br />So .... do you <i>still</i> want a sign?Benedictine Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03286950396742232921noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35309815.post-1166133147862156062006-12-14T16:51:00.000-05:002006-12-14T16:52:53.676-05:00Happy ..... umm, what're we supposed to call it again?OK, so school has kinda interfered with my <a href="http://fishingforfaith.blogspot.com/2006/12/advent-reflections.html">good intentions</a> for reflections --- <em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;">(but only 20 more hours or so till I'm free!) <span style="color:#663366;">{well, at least free of having to go -- I'm thinkin' I might not have all my stuff done by then ....}</span> </span></em>I've got some snippets jotted down; I'll post and back-date them to the appropriate date as I get the chance. In the meantime, I thought I'd share something a teacher sent. I'm usually not big on email forwards, but I liked the reasonable spirit of this one. <blockquote><center><span style="font-size:130%;color:#000099;">Letter from Jesus, concerning his birthday celebration</span></center><br /><span style="color:#6600cc;">Dear children,<br /><br />It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. Maybe you've forgotten that I wasn't actually born December 25th and that it was some of your predecessors who decided to celebrate My birthday on what was actually a time of pagan festival - although I do appreciate being remembered anytime. How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth just, GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER. Now, having said that, let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town. Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can & may remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching explaining who I am in relation to you & what each of our tasks were. If you have forgotten that one, look up John 15:1-8. If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it.<br /><br />1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.<br /><br />2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.<br /><br />3. Instead of writing George complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family. Then follow up. It will be nice hearing from you again.<br /><br />4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.<br /><br />5. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.<br /><br />6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference. Also, you might consider supporting the local Hot-Line: they talk with people like that every day.<br /><br />7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families.<br /><br />8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary, especially one who takes My love & Good News to those who have never heard My name. You may already know someone like that.<br /><br />9. Here's a good one. There are individuals & whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them (and I suspect you don't) buy some food & a few gifts & give them to the Marines, the Salvation Army or some other charity & they will make the delivery for you.<br /><br />10. Finally if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.<br /><br />P.S. Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me & do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above &amp;amp;amp;amp; get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember, I LOVE YOU!</blockquote></span>Benedictine Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03286950396742232921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35309815.post-1165769659090199552006-12-08T11:53:00.000-05:002006-12-10T11:54:19.100-05:00But I Don't Wanna<center><a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/120806.shtml"><span style="font-size:180%;color:#990000;">Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception</span></a><span style="color:#990000;"><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Genesis 3:9-15, 20<br />Psalm 98:1, 2-3AB, 3CD-4<br />Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12<br />Luke 1:26-38</center></span></span><p>What struck me from this first reading from Genesis <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(besides the throwback once more to the <a href="http://fishingforfaith.blogspot.com/2006/12/peaceable-kingdom.html">Peaceable Kingdom</a> from Tuesday)</em></span> is how truly deep-seated our human inclination for blame really is. Even back then, barely a week into the world's existence, when humanity was a mere three or four days old, there's already this urge to hide, blame, pass the buck, or otherwise create excuses to take the attention off of our own wrong-doing.<br /><br />But that's not the only use of our traditional blame- and excuse-making. Often, these tactics are also used to get us out of things. That, too, is a legacy that dates back to the early scriptures. <a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/exodus/exodus3.htm#v10">Moses</a> did it. <a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/jeremiah/jeremiah1.htm#v6">Jeremiah</a> did it. Heck, <a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/jonah/jonah1.htm#v3">Jonah</a> even got himself swallowed by a whale to avoid God's call. <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(All of which, I suppose, puts me in good company, but somehow I <b>still</b> don't see <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20040329032144/http://www.thedome.org/new/NewsDesk/Archives/Vocations/CotHNews/2003/FebMar2003/SYoustra.htm">myself </a>on the same level as these folks!)</em></span> Yeah, sure, all these folks <i>eventually</i> did God's will, but it wasn't their first <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(or second or even third)</em></span> choice.<br /><br />But Mary .... she's different. True, it's not an <i>immediate</i> yes from her, but she only asks one question: <span style="color:#6600cc;">How can this be?</span> And, even without a logical answer to the question <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;"><em>(because you <b>can't</b> tell me that the angel's answer makes immediate <strong>perfect</strong> sense once taken out of the scriptural context)</em></span> ... Mary agrees. It's almost like an "Ummm.... I'm still not sure if I get it, but ..... OK. If you say so."<br /><br />That immediate acceptance, that <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;">almost </span>unquestioning agreement ... consent without hesitation, without having to run off and consult with this person, or "take some time to think about it" ... but just a full giving of self: <span style="color:#6600cc;">Whatever you say, let it be done.</span><br /><br />Now <i>that's</i> obedience. Saint Benedict, in his <a href="http://www.osb.org/rb">Rule</a>, stresses the importance of obedience. In fact, "unhesitating obedience" is seen to be the "first step of humility" <span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;">(another big important thing for Benedict)</span>: <span style="color:#6600cc;">Almost at the same moment, then, as the master gives the instruction the disciple quickly puts it into practice in the fear of God; and both actions together are swiftly completed as one <em><a href="http://www.christdesert.org/noframes/holyrule/chapter5.html">(RB 5:9)</a></em>.</span> Fortunately for us, Benedict includes himself as one of the "slothful and negligent" (RB 73:7), and thus reminds us that much of what he teaches is the ideal for which we should strive, and that it will be a life-long journey to get us there.<br /><br />But, considering Mary's unhesitating obedience on such a <b>huge</b> instruction as an out-of-wedlock pregnancy <em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;">(which, at that time, was generally rewarded by having big huge rocks thrown at you until you died!)</span></em> .... I suppose it's only fitting that we see her as such a model for us all. And, especially those of us <a href="http://www.thedome.org">Benedictines from Ferdinand</a>, who make our home at <a href="http://www.thedome.org/VisitUs/OnlineTours/index.html">Monastery Immaculate Conception</a> .... this is our patronal feast; the Mary that we celebrate today is our special patron and our guide. May we learn from her the obedience that will lead us to God's will.<br /><br /></p><span style="color:#990000;"><center><span style="color:#cc0000;"><span style="font-size:130%;">But as we progress in this way of life and in faith, we shall run on the path of God's commandments, our hearts overflowing with the inexpressible delight of love. Never swerving from his instructions, then, but faithfully observing his teaching in the monastery until death, we shall through patience share in the sufferings of Christ that we may deserve also to share in his kingdom. </span></span><span style="font-size:85%;color:#990000;">(RB Prologue 49-50)</span></center></span></span></span>Benedictine Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03286950396742232921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35309815.post-1165557275096131252006-12-07T21:53:00.000-05:002006-12-08T00:54:35.100-05:00Shifting Sand<span style="color:#993399;"><em><span style="font-size:78%;">Lifted from last year's monastery reflections ...</span></em></span><br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.usccb.org/nab/120706.shtml"><span style="font-size:180%;color:#990000;">First Thursday of Advent</span></a><span style="color:#990000;"><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Isaiah 26:1-6<br />Psalm 118:1, 8 and 9, 19-21, 25-27A<br />Matthew 7:21, 24-27</center></span></span><br />Perhaps it’s because I’ve got a student who transferred into one of my classes from New Orleans back in September, or perhaps it’s because I spent two years living and working in Cajun Country myself, but I found all three of these passages for today sending my mind repeatedly back to tsunamis and hurricanes and landslides and earthquakes.<br /><br /><span style="color:#6600cc;">Opening the gates, tumbling cities to the ground</span>, winds and floods – levees, ninth wards, superdomes … is that really the imagery God wants us to take from this? “<span style="color:#6600cc;">A nation that is just and keeps faith</span>” – doesn’t that just support the people who say that the sinful New Orleans deserved its destruction? If <span style="color:#6600cc;">the needy trample the lofty city underfoot</span>, then why are they the ones most left out in the cold? How in the world does this fit?<br /><br />So maybe we need to dig a little deeper. Perhaps the trust in God’s protection is the “strong” house, and trusting our own abilities builds the “weak” house. Maybe having the physical house is the “Lord, Lord”; to merely hide in the house will gain us nothing. The Three Little Pigs didn’t just hide from the Big Bad Wolf’s buffeting winds; they took action. In the same way, if we’re going to beg God to let us win the lottery, we have to at least purchase a ticket. If we insist that “My God will save me,” we must be willing to acknowledge God’s saving actions in the boats, helicopters, and friends that he sends our way.<br /><br />But … sometimes the floods do come, and sometimes our faith gets shaken. Sometimes we open the gates, expecting to see how strongly we stand; sometimes we open them only to discover that our trust isn’t as solidly in the Lord as we’d like to think. But that’s when we discover what’s truly at our core.<br /><br />Maybe … sometimes … it takes the buffeting winds to make us realize that we don’t always realize what our foundation is. <blockquote><span style="color:#990000;">Waters rose as my doubts reigned<br />My sand-castle faith it slipped away<br />Found myself standing on your grace<br />It’d been there all the time<br />My faith is like shifting sand<br />Changed by every wave<br />My faith is like shifting sand<br />So I stand on grace<br /></span><span style="color:#660000;"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">~ “</span></em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/music/wma-pop-up/B00000IFUT001003/ref=mu_sam_wma_001_003/105-1785677-9646854"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Shifting Sand</span></em></a><em><span style="font-size:85%;">” by </span></em><a href="http://www.caedmonscall.com/home.htm"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Caedmon’s Call</span></em></a></span></blockquote>Benedictine Sisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03286950396742232921noreply@blogger.com0