Month: May 2017

May 31, 2017

Part 10: Resurrected life is now

new sunrise

There’s lots of talk about resurrection this time of year, from the good news of the Easter story to what we witness outdoors in every new flower. But what does it really mean to us, in a practical way? The Catholic Benedictine Sisters of St. Mary Monastery collaborated on this 10-part answer to the question of How to Practice Resurrection Every Day. This is the final part. We hope you enjoyed it!

Resurrection will be now. Every moment, a new beauty. – Rumi

Resurrection – the moment when we rise, all new – is the life to which we are called.

Not once, as we give up our corporal bodies, but always. Continue Reading

May 30, 2017

Part 9: Heaven is closer than we think

purple violets

There’s lots of talk about resurrection this time of year, from the good news of the Easter story to what we witness outdoors in every new flower. But what does it really mean to us, in a practical way? The Catholic Benedictine Sisters of St. Mary Monastery collaborated on this 10-part answer to the question of How to Practice Resurrection Every Day. We will publish it in installments over the next couple of weeks!

Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads. – Henry David Thoreau

“How far from heaven are we?” asks Sister Mary Schmidt, OSB. “Not very. It’s here and now.”

Heaven is all around us, sometimes apparent and sometimes not. Continue Reading

May 25, 2017

Part 8: Path to freedom

on path

There’s lots of talk about resurrection this time of year, from the good news of the Easter story to what we witness outdoors in every new flower. But what does it really mean to us, in a practical way? The Catholic Benedictine Sisters of St. Mary Monastery collaborated on this 10-part answer to the question of How to Practice Resurrection Every Day. We will publish it in installments over the next couple of weeks!

Death is just another path, one that we all must take. – JRR Tolkien

A resurrected life is a path along which we are free of selfishness and self-focus.

Free of anger and recrimination. Continue Reading

May 22, 2017

Part 7: Practice, practice, practice

sisters basketball for fb

There’s lots of talk about resurrection this time of year, from the good news of the Easter story to what we witness outdoors in every new flower. But what does it really mean to us, in a practical way? The Catholic Benedictine Sisters of St. Mary Monastery collaborated on this 10-part answer to the question of How to Practice Resurrection Every Day. We will publish it in installments over the next couple of weeks!

Every passing moment is renewed. Ovid

Every moment presents an opportunity to rise from the ashes of yesterday. To choose to begin again. And again. And again. Continue Reading

May 18, 2017

Part 6: Recognize the Risen One

pink wildflowers loud thunder

There’s lots of talk about resurrection this time of year, from the good news of the Easter story to what we witness outdoors in every new flower. But what does it really mean to us, in a practical way? The Catholic Benedictine Sisters of St. Mary Monastery collaborated on this 10-part answer to the question of How to Practice Resurrection Every Day. We will publish it in installments over the next couple of weeks!

We can now live a new life. – Romans 6:4

Letting God in is not always a straightforward affair. We don’t always recognize divine guidance. We are, as scripture repeatedly warns us, often blind.

Fortunately, God has ways of communicating with us in spite of our spiritual myopia, as Jesus’ friends discover after the Resurrection. Continue Reading

May 16, 2017

Part 5: Roll your stone out of the way

burial cross

There’s lots of talk about resurrection this time of year, from the good news of the Easter story to what we witness outdoors in every new flower. But what does it really mean to us, in a practical way? The Catholic Benedictine Sisters of St. Mary Monastery collaborated on this 10-part answer to the question of How to Practice Resurrection Every Day. We will publish it in installments over the next couple of weeks!

See, I am doing a new thing. Do you not perceive it? – Isaiah 43:19

Alone in our mini-graves, we emulate Jesus’ time in the tomb.

There, we must open ourselves to healing, so that we can be reborn as the stronger and more compassionate people we will become.

But we have to let God in. Continue Reading

May 11, 2017

Part 4: Get down off your cross!

blurry to clear cross

There’s lots of talk about resurrection this time of year, from the good news of the Easter story to what we witness outdoors in every new flower. But what does it really mean to us, in a practical way? The Catholic Benedictine Sisters of St. Mary Monastery collaborated on this 10-part answer to the question of How to Practice Resurrection Every Day. We will publish it in installments over the next couple of weeks!

As long as we’re alive, choosing resurrection is always worth the risk. – Parker Palmer

Rev. Debra Jarvis, a hospital chaplain and writer, had been listening to a patient retell her story of diagnosis and treatment for cancer.

Jarvis had heard it all before. Despite getting a clean bill of health during her one-year follow-up exam, the patient was sharing how she had suffered and struggled all year, finally concluding, “I felt crucified.” Continue Reading

May 7, 2017

Part 3: Accept Your Cross

viola in crack for fb

There’s lots of talk about resurrection this time of year, from the good news of the Easter story to what we witness outdoors in every new flower. But what does it really mean to us, in a practical way? The Catholic Benedictine Sisters of St. Mary Monastery collaborated on this 10-part answer to the question of How to Practice Resurrection Every Day. We will publish it in installments over the next couple of weeks!

This being human is a guest house.

Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
As an unexpected visitor. Continue Reading

May 5, 2017

Part 2: We Fall Down, We Get Up

bleeding heart and autumn leaf

There’s lots of talk about resurrection this time of year, from the good news of the Easter story to what we witness outdoors in every new flower. But what does it really mean to us, in a practical way? The Catholic Benedictine Sisters of St. Mary Monastery collaborated on this 10-part answer to the question of How to Practice Resurrection Every Day. We will publish it in installments over the next couple of weeks!

Still, like dust, I’ll rise. – Maya Angelou

New life takes place every moment of our lives, literally.

With each breath we ingest new atoms that are incorporated into our very cells. Researchers estimate that we replace 98 percent of the atoms in our body ever year. Continue Reading

May 3, 2017

Part 1: Rising Up, Again and Again

mary on bench looking at field

There’s lots of talk about resurrection this time of year, from the good news of the Easter story to what we witness outdoors in every new flower. But what does it really mean to us, in a practical way? The Catholic Benedictine Sisters of St. Mary Monastery collaborated on this 10-part answer to the question of How to Practice Resurrection Every Day. We will publish it in installments over the next couple of weeks!

Ove was deeply wounded. His cherished wife was dead. His job was eliminated. All love, purpose and hope now gone, the irascible 59-year-old decided to do the only logical thing: kill himself. Continue Reading