skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Oh my gosh! It seems like it was just a couple weeks ago since my last post and now I am fully aware that it has been a whole month! Sorry about that :(
A LOT of water has gone under the bridge since then, or to go along with my visual aid - a lot of water has gone over the Falls ... My life has certainly been moving at a fast rate since May 6th! Almost a week in the Seattle/Tacoma area for meetings and gatherings, a trip to Southern Oregon for the wonderful occasion of my nephew's wedding and some fun family time, a trip to Philadelphia for meetings and "Sister" connections at my Franciscan Motherhouse, and a return to Portland in time for the Memorial Day weekend and some enjoyable time with east coast company. In the course of all my traveling around I have been blessed with some spring time "ahhh" moments of being in the Cathedral of God's beautiful creation.
As I was playing "tour guide" to two "Sister" visitors from the east coast - Sr. Pat and our Candidate, Sara, we spent a beautiful, sunny day at Cannon Beach on the Oregon coast and then spent a day driving up the scenic Columbia River Gorge stopping at a number of gushing waterfalls along the way. That day brought to mind a very powerful image of God that St. Bonaventure captured and that I was reminded of as we visited Latourell Falls (shown here). 
I'm not sure right now of the exact words, but he said something like, "...the revelation of God is the outpouring of the 'fountain fullness' of God's self and of Divine love for us..." Or, as I read somewhere else, "God the Father is the 'fountain fullness' overflowing with goodness and love..."
All of the waterfalls on this day trip were gushing with water and were so beautiful and really did speak of God's outpouring of love and goodness! In all my busy-ness this past month God certainly has had a way to shower that love on me and to let me know I'm not alone! I celebrate the generosity of our God!
*Sisters Guadalupe, Pat and Sara enjoying the water spray at the bottom of Latourell Falls
"Everything that lives is holy, life delights in life."
~ William Blake 1757-1827
As we continue in this beautiful Easter Season, I wish you many blessings!
It has taken awhile, but it seems spring is finally making it to Portland. I love this beautiful season even if it causes a bit of a challenge to the allergies....
This has to be a quick post as I need to leave shortly for a five night stay up in the Seattle area. I'm heading up for several meetings next week, but first I am looking forward to a fun weekend to be with family and to help my great nephew celebrate his First Holy Communion! On Saturday morning St. Monica Church is going to be "a buzz" as 74 children participate in this First Communion - it will be a wonderful celebration! A good contrast to a couple of billboards I have been passing on my way to work each day...
I have been a bit disturbed by these billboards that say, "You don't need God to hope...to love...to care...to live". I know that there is and can be a lot of hope, love and care that non-believers have and show, but my question is about the "to live" part. I deeply believe that to live, to have life is so much a gift from the One who created us! I believe that our good and loving God has created all of life ... I have experienced too many affirmations and confirmations in my life to doubt God's presence. God's life and love abounds!
As I look around me every day at the miracle of life that surrounds me, especially during spring and in this Easter Season of new life, I pray and proclaim as St. Francis of Assisi did:
"Most high, all-powerful, all-good Lord! All praise is yours, all glory, all honour and all blessing .... All praise be yours, my Lord, through all that you have made ...through Sister Earth, our mother, who feeds us in her sovereignty and produces various fruits with coloured flowers and herbs ..." All praise be yours my God! Touched by Your hand, O God, our world is holy!
The Lenten days are over and now we are caught up in the middle of the beautiful, holy day of the Triduum. I taught elementary school for many years and Good Friday was always a day I loved being in the classroom. Usually we only went a half day... For many years we made it a "whisper day" in the school to set the day apart and help the students to understand the significance of the day. It gave me the chance to plan quiet activities that helped my class know better what the day was about. Of course the students would often wonder why today is called "Good" Friday when it is the day that Jesus died on the cross. Part of my simple explanation was/is that we have to remember that THAT was not the end of the story ~ we only need to look to Easter to know more.
Today on my walk I was reflecting on that myself and had a few other thoughts. The events of Jesus' passion and death were horrific, but ... Jesus taught us about love and preseverance in his suffering and dying ~that is good. There were people who were faithful to him and stood with him to the bitter end~that is good. Jesus did not think of himself when he comforted the women of Jerusalem; a lesson for us~that is good. Jesus showed us how to forgive and also to befriend the one next to him~that is good. And greatest of all, Jesus gave us an example of total trust and letting go into God ..."Abba, into your hands ..."~ and that is good.
Hopefully today...tomorrow (and other tomorrows too) you have and/or can spend some time in quiet and prayer pondering the mystery of this holy time. The words of St. Clare of Assisi come to my mind. "Place your mind before the mirror of eternity! Place your soul in the brilliance of glory! And transform your entire being into the image of the Godhead Itself through contemplation." and "Gaze upon Christ, consider Christ, contemplate Christ, as you desire to imitate Him."
Gaze ...Consider...Contemplate...Imitate
I suggest that we might need to do just that over these holy days ... gaze, consider, contemplate so that we can imitate Jesus ...Imitate ~ live bold, live with passion as Jesus did so that we may turn the world upside down and others will know that Jesus is Alive ~ Alleluia! Happy Easter!
"Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is, falling in love in a quite absolute, final way.
What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything. It will decide what will get get you out of bed in the morning, what you will do with your evenings, how you will spend your weekends, what you read, who you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.
Fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything." *Pedro Arrupe, SJ
This month of February is just zipping by! Since Valentine's Day was just Monday, I decided I could still start this entry with Fr. Arrupe's beautiful words above. I have visited several high schools in the past couple of weeks with other vocation directors and this quote is part of a power point we have used, so it is fresh on my mind. A good one especially for this time of the year!
... and the picture ...Well, I took that several summers ago when I was on my annual retreat. As I was hiking around Kairos House of Prayer just outside Spokane, WA which is run by one of my Franciscan Sisters, I happened upon this rock! It became a a great meditation for me and a big part of my retreat. The ways God shows love and sends little signs/symbols into my life never cease to amaze me!
Yesterday I had a chance to catch up on the blog site, "Mascara and Prayer" in which Sara - a friend and Candidate in my Congregation - writes about her candidacy year. I have so enjoyed her sharing and insights. Anyway, in the February 11th entry Sara quoted and reflected on the words of one of our elderly Sisters in a presentation for the Community year-end Retreat. This morning it dawned on me that they were the same words that caught my attention when I "retreated" in December with my local community. The words ... "Change is inevitable, growth is a choice!" resonated with me for a number of reasons. They are true, but it is a challenge sometimes to not let changes ruffle the feathers, to resist change and block growth that can come.
After more pondering on all of this - Sara's reflection on that quote, my own thoughts, and thinking of the "heart" rock picture above - I conclude .... There will always be change in things whether I like it or not, sometimes for better and sometimes not, but I must always allow, must choose growth to happen with the change! ... and that also means, allowing myself to rest in God's loving embrace (as the little tree growing in the picture) and align myself with the heart and mind of Jesus - each day! That way, change doesn't have to be fearful or an obstacle to growth ....
Today we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes! We also celebrate World Day of the Sick ... and in a couple of days Valentine's Day. It has been awhile since I last wrote and today is a good day to write for several reasons. As we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, I recall my own wonderful pilgrimage to the Shrine in Lourdes, France in the 80's with my Mom and my younger sister - it was a very special trip with many beautiful memories! Since today is also World Day of the Sick, I also want to remember and continue to pray for all the people in Haiti who are still suffering so from the earthquake. Many people in Haiti and other parts of our world need our loving God's healing care right now in their lives! May Our Lady of Lourdes intercede on their behalf. This morning I was looking though a booklet that I bought when I was at Lourdes. A line that I read as I glanced though the pages stuck out to me ...in the context of the place, the faith, the welcome to all people, the respect in silence and the kindness that is so present there I read,"This language of love is used habitually between pilgrims from all over the world. It is a language spoken without words."
Last night on CNN, Anderson Cooper was reporting from Port-Au-Prince and was telling of all the individuals who are still working so tirelessly to help the people, care for the orphans and some who are working none stop to help recover bodies under the rubble so that they may be buried with dignity - the "language of love"! (see stories @ http://www.hospicesaintjoseph.org/blog/wordpress/- this is where I stayed during my two trips to Haiti, http://crs.org/haiti/stories/ and http://www.haitichildren.com/ ) Today in the Gospel reading at Mass I heard the story of the Wedding Feast of Cana (John 2:1-11) ~ Mary asking Jesus to change the water into wine - the "language of love" with her concern for the wedding party. So whether it is in Haiti, or at a wedding feast, in your neighborhood to a lost stranger, listening to an upset loved one, or a kindness to a homeless person, it is the language of love that will make the greatest difference in our world!
I want and need to pay tribute as well to the one who taught me the language of love in my life ~ my wonderful mother, Ruth, whom my family and I buried this past week. Mom died on January 26th and even at the grand age of 96 my Mom was still a person who reached out to others - always wanting to offer a visitor coffee, candy, or a cookie even when she really couldn't get up to serve it any more, who paid attention to the stories and activities of others, who loved unconditionally and had a deep faith in God. With eight children, my Mom always seemed to make things work for us kids and made many sacrifices to give us a good home and education. Mom was a nurse by training and was always watching out for the health needs of those around her, offering a compassionate hand of healing whenever it was needed! We celebrated her life on Friday, Feb.5th. There is so much I could say ... but mostly I am grateful for the gift of her in my life, and for the example of the good and loving person/mother that she was to me and so many others! Mom, you were my first Valentine and you always will be in my heart! Deo Gratias!
Oh my gosh! It seems like it was just a couple weeks ago since my last post and now I am fully aware that it has been a whole month! Sorry about that :(
