By Sister Stefanie MacDonald, OSB
“Benedict was quite precise about it all. Time was to be spent in prayer, in sacred reading, in work, and in community participation … No one thing consumed the monastic’s life. No one thing got exaggerated out of all proportion to the other dimensions of life.” – Joan Chittister, Wisdom Distilled from the Daily
Easier said than done. Especially for me this past few weeks. Continue Reading
By Sister Catherine Cleary, OSB
For many Christians, Christmas and Easter are fairly simple to understand.
We know the Bethlehem story. We love gift giving at Christmas. We work at understanding the crucifixion, burial and raising up of Jesus on Easter Sunday. We “get it.”
But a bird with wings settling on the heads of the Apostles while they hide from the Jews?
Preposterous.
Yet, that’s what we are taught on Pentecost. How can we assimilate this unlikely scenario into our faith?
First, let’s recognize we ALL struggle with understanding and faith. (“Lord help my unbelief.” Mark 9:24)
This bird is symbolic of the Holy Spirit, pure gift of God.
The Spirit called the Apostles to a new beginning, where fear gives way to faith, and timidity to bold proclamation.
The bird was a visible sign, as the wind, fire and earthquake were visible signs on Mt. Sinai when God shared the 10 Commandments.
God’s visible signs indicated Presence, Gift and Expectations throughout both the Old and New Testaments. Now, they invited the Apostles to become new people; new creation.
Other signs included the fact that they had gathered on the “first day of the week,” the day of a new creation and that the Risen Lord breathed on them as God first breathed life into creation.
Jesus said, “Peace be with you.” Twice. In Hebrew, peace means more than the absence of conflict. It suggest the fullness of life and blessings. This was God’s intended plan for creation.
Jesus again commanded forgiveness, the cornerstone of peace.
It seems God intended the dawning of a new age, one predicated on peace, and one for which we would be amply prepared, by virtue of the Holy Spirit.
As we celebrate Pentecost, how are you using the gifts of the Spirit: wisdom, understanding, knowledge, counsel, fortitude, piety and fear of the Lord?
What are you doing to practice – and promote – peace?
Who have you forgiven?
How are you bringing about your own new beginning, where fear gives way to faith, and timidity to bold proclamation?
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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