It's still the Christmas season! Everybody in our neighborhood here in Northeast Philadelphia has taken their lights down and thrown out their tree, but not us. We're keeping our lights, tree and nativity sets up till Sunday, the official end of the Christmas season for Catholics. Most folks go along with the stores, and more on towards Valentine's day, but why rush? It's such a wonderful time of year and such a wonderful theme to dwell upon. Emmanuel: God is with us. God loves us so much he sent his only son. Now God can be so subtle. We don't get hit over the head with the all powerful magnificence of God in all his splendor and glory, no, God decides to slip in as one of us, as one of the most vulnerable and unthreatening forms one could assume, a baby.
Actually in our Missionary Cenacle spirituality, we have the tradition of beginning to prepare for the next Christmas the 26th of December. Our founder Fr. Thomas Judge said,
"The Cenacle has been preparing for this holy festival since last Christmas, for this is our custom, that we begin on Christmas day to prepare for the next Christmas.
The whole year, indeed, should be a preparation."
So we need to continue to get ready not only to celebrate Christmas but to continually welcome Jesus into our heart and into our life, everyday of the year. Merry Christmas!
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Advent
Advent is a busy time of year. Stressful for many because of the many expectations around Christmas and other holidays celebrated around this time of year, it is still for me a time of peace. Well at least interiorly. I hear from many of our sisters of their activities. Those in ministry with Latinos have just finished the celebrations of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Dec 12th ) and are now engaged in the Posadas. See: http://www.mexconnect.com/MEX/austin/posadas.html
Others are involved in the many, many activities of this time of year no matter if they minister in parishes, agencies or retreat houses. Life is full.
Traditionally Advent has been a time of preparation to welcome Jesus into the world, your life, your heart. One of the sisters told me that Pope Benedict said Jesus isn't coming he's already here. That's 3rd hand info what I know he said is this, "We could say that Advent is the time when Christians should awaken in their hearts the hope that they can change the world, with the help of God,"
It is a time of waking up to the fact that God is with us. Here among all the messes we have made are making and will make, God is present. We just need to be aware of that presence.
This Advent was so very different for me because I went on my yearly retreat and had lots of time for prayer, silence, reading scripture and reflection. So very different from most of my past Advents when I was involved in counseling and direct service at Catholic Charities.
Besides using scripture I had the daily podcast from the English Jesuits, www.prayasyougo.org
For Advent they are using quotes and scripture from Pope B16,s 2005 Encyclical on love, Deus Caritas Est. Wow, are they beautiful! Anyhow all this has helped a lot with my awareness of the presence of Jesus. I know of Jesus' bringing to us, to me, the great compassionate and merciful love of the Trinity.
I do pray that the awareness of God's love would spread all over the world and impact the way we live. Not just at this time of year, but throughout the year. I know my responsibility is to make that awareness present in my actions and in my treatment of others, to the folks in my daily providence. I am impatient though, I wonder why the fulfillment of God's plan can't be NOW! Why aren't we all living together in peace, harmony, justice and love. Why are so many people suffering violence , hatred, hunger? Why don't we all get off our butt stop focusing on the trivial, the greedy and the me, me, me attitude towards life. Well too bad I have to be patient and let life unfold as God would have it. It is after all God's world, God's plan, God's mission and I am a just a little spec in the great overall workings of God's effective love in life.
Which reminds me of another thing, letting go. That was another theme of my retreat; that letting go of the illusion of control. It's a great secure illusion for sure. We all like to think we're in control of ourselves, other and events. The reality is the only control possible is over myself and even that is at times tenuous. Anyhow let me pay attention to you Lord in the ways you give me in my daily life and let me respond to other with your love and compassion. Amen.
Others are involved in the many, many activities of this time of year no matter if they minister in parishes, agencies or retreat houses. Life is full.
Traditionally Advent has been a time of preparation to welcome Jesus into the world, your life, your heart. One of the sisters told me that Pope Benedict said Jesus isn't coming he's already here. That's 3rd hand info what I know he said is this, "We could say that Advent is the time when Christians should awaken in their hearts the hope that they can change the world, with the help of God,"
It is a time of waking up to the fact that God is with us. Here among all the messes we have made are making and will make, God is present. We just need to be aware of that presence.
This Advent was so very different for me because I went on my yearly retreat and had lots of time for prayer, silence, reading scripture and reflection. So very different from most of my past Advents when I was involved in counseling and direct service at Catholic Charities.
Besides using scripture I had the daily podcast from the English Jesuits, www.prayasyougo.org
For Advent they are using quotes and scripture from Pope B16,s 2005 Encyclical on love, Deus Caritas Est. Wow, are they beautiful! Anyhow all this has helped a lot with my awareness of the presence of Jesus. I know of Jesus' bringing to us, to me, the great compassionate and merciful love of the Trinity.
I do pray that the awareness of God's love would spread all over the world and impact the way we live. Not just at this time of year, but throughout the year. I know my responsibility is to make that awareness present in my actions and in my treatment of others, to the folks in my daily providence. I am impatient though, I wonder why the fulfillment of God's plan can't be NOW! Why aren't we all living together in peace, harmony, justice and love. Why are so many people suffering violence , hatred, hunger? Why don't we all get off our butt stop focusing on the trivial, the greedy and the me, me, me attitude towards life. Well too bad I have to be patient and let life unfold as God would have it. It is after all God's world, God's plan, God's mission and I am a just a little spec in the great overall workings of God's effective love in life.
Which reminds me of another thing, letting go. That was another theme of my retreat; that letting go of the illusion of control. It's a great secure illusion for sure. We all like to think we're in control of ourselves, other and events. The reality is the only control possible is over myself and even that is at times tenuous. Anyhow let me pay attention to you Lord in the ways you give me in my daily life and let me respond to other with your love and compassion. Amen.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Thanksgiving to God
In 1621 the Pilgrims decided to celebrate a day of gratitude to God. Why? Because they believed that they had survived their first hard winter and reaped their first harvest in their new home thanks to the grace of God. The 56 survivors gave God the glory for their surviving the dangerous journey, the rough winter, the goodness of the indigenous people and the food they had been able to grow and harvest for the winter ahead. They considered themselves blessed by their creator God.
Today most of us in the U.S. don't have to worry about survival the way the Pilgrims did. I for one take for granted the food, shelter, clothing and good health I have. Perhaps my blessings are not so concrete as the Pilgrims were, but they are there just the same. My list of blessings looks like this: faith in the Triune God, people; the ones I live with now, my family living and dead, my friends, my community, the capacity to enjoy other people, nature, colors, music, books, computers, etc. sleep!, energy, health, humor and laughter and I could go on.
One more big gift is a good attitude, maybe I'm an optimist but from what I see of pessimists being an optimist is more fun.
A good sight for focus on blessings: www.americancatholic.org/Messenger/Nov2006/Family.asp#F1
Thanks be to our good and loving God!
Today most of us in the U.S. don't have to worry about survival the way the Pilgrims did. I for one take for granted the food, shelter, clothing and good health I have. Perhaps my blessings are not so concrete as the Pilgrims were, but they are there just the same. My list of blessings looks like this: faith in the Triune God, people; the ones I live with now, my family living and dead, my friends, my community, the capacity to enjoy other people, nature, colors, music, books, computers, etc. sleep!, energy, health, humor and laughter and I could go on.
One more big gift is a good attitude, maybe I'm an optimist but from what I see of pessimists being an optimist is more fun.
A good sight for focus on blessings: www.americancatholic.org/Messenger/Nov2006/Family.asp#F1
Thanks be to our good and loving God!
Friday, October 26, 2007
Franz Jaegerstaetter
"I can say from my own experience how painful life often is when one lives as a halfway Christian; it is more like vegetating than living." Franz Jaegerstaetter
Almost 100 years ago a humble and just man was born.
He is on the road to being declared a saint because he resisted being a Nazi soldier because of his faith.
A devout and defiant Austrian farmer he was beheaded by the Nazis in 1943 for his resistance.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.”
Matthew 5: 8 -12
"I can say from my own experience how painful life often is when one lives as a halfway Christian; it is more like vegetating than living." Franz Jaegerstaetter
Almost 100 years ago a humble and just man was born.
He is on the road to being declared a saint because he resisted being a Nazi soldier because of his faith.
A devout and defiant Austrian farmer he was beheaded by the Nazis in 1943 for his resistance.
He was charged with treason after his request to be excused from regular army service for religious reasons was denied. The married father of four was posthumously exonerated in 1997 by a Berlin court.
"Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.”
Matthew 5: 8 -12
Monday, October 22, 2007
S-Chip
There's 9 Million children is the U.S.A. without health insurance and I will bet that not one of them is a child of a senator or congress person. It seems that the reasons legislators voted against it had to do with it being an imperfect bill. They quibble over a 35 million dollar bill for health care for children cause it's not perfect but vote billions for a war based on lies which we're now stuck in due to the incompetent management of the the same folks who oppose increased health care for kids. I am angry about this. Some times its embarrassing to be an American!
Catholic Charities has a good page on the policies to reduce poverty. Their take on S-Chip is at
http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=617&srcid=329
Catholic Charities has a good page on the policies to reduce poverty. Their take on S-Chip is at
http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=617&srcid=329
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Humility and Charity
"It is not enough to give soup and bread; this the rich can do. It is only for your love alone that the poor will forgive you the bread that you give them."
—St. Vincent De Paul
I have too much. Too much access to info, too much to do, too much choice about the course of my days and too much stuff.
I have to wonder why I have so much while so many people lack what they need to survive?
Vincent De Paul was big on charity and humility, which makes sense because without humility, without really accepting oneself as a creation of God, dependent on God for all, its just too easy to get caught in the trap of thinking I am the center of the universe and I am responsible for all the good things I have and all the good gifts with which I've been blessed.
It's too easy to have an attitude of - I am better than the next one because I have ... fill in the blank ______ health, friends, brains, virtue, energy, education, money, good looks, access to power and choice and so on... With such an attitude it's impossible to act with charity.
Of course all these things could be taken away in an instant! When that happens and I believe it does happen in some way to each person, I hope to have the grace of forgiveness for those who will give to me.
In thinking about Vincent De Paul and these two favorite virtues of his. Three people in my life came to mind, Fr. Vincent Fitzpatrick, Dona Juana Rivera and Sr. Cass Kohler. These three people are, I'm sure, in heaven. They vary greatly in their talents, backgrounds and gifts but are alike in possessing great charity and humility.
Dona (the n ought to have a squiggling line above it) had little education, was very poor and had nine children and many grandchildren. She gave away freely what she had, shared her project apartment with strangers in need and was friends with an amazing variety of people.
Sr. Cass Kohler was a down to earth person. She admitted she wasn't the brightest person as she struggled to get through nursing school, but her sense of humor and her awareness of others needs should have been noted summa cum laude. It was a joy to live with her. Her death at 41 due to breast cancer was a great loss to many.
Fr. Vincent was 90 when he died in 2006. Revered by many, well educated in the classics, he taught Greek and Latin to seminarians, was Novice Director for many years and held high positions in his community, yet he seemed equally at doing home repair projects at our camp like retreat center in CT. Fr. Vincent had many gifts but he had a special gift for relationships. He was warm and accepting of people, yet you always wanted to be and do your best around Fr. Vincent.
Three people of humility and charity! May their example and their prayers help us to be like them in the practice of these virtues.
—St. Vincent De Paul
I have too much. Too much access to info, too much to do, too much choice about the course of my days and too much stuff.
I have to wonder why I have so much while so many people lack what they need to survive?
Vincent De Paul was big on charity and humility, which makes sense because without humility, without really accepting oneself as a creation of God, dependent on God for all, its just too easy to get caught in the trap of thinking I am the center of the universe and I am responsible for all the good things I have and all the good gifts with which I've been blessed.
It's too easy to have an attitude of - I am better than the next one because I have ... fill in the blank ______ health, friends, brains, virtue, energy, education, money, good looks, access to power and choice and so on... With such an attitude it's impossible to act with charity.
Of course all these things could be taken away in an instant! When that happens and I believe it does happen in some way to each person, I hope to have the grace of forgiveness for those who will give to me.
In thinking about Vincent De Paul and these two favorite virtues of his. Three people in my life came to mind, Fr. Vincent Fitzpatrick, Dona Juana Rivera and Sr. Cass Kohler. These three people are, I'm sure, in heaven. They vary greatly in their talents, backgrounds and gifts but are alike in possessing great charity and humility.
Dona (the n ought to have a squiggling line above it) had little education, was very poor and had nine children and many grandchildren. She gave away freely what she had, shared her project apartment with strangers in need and was friends with an amazing variety of people.
Sr. Cass Kohler was a down to earth person. She admitted she wasn't the brightest person as she struggled to get through nursing school, but her sense of humor and her awareness of others needs should have been noted summa cum laude. It was a joy to live with her. Her death at 41 due to breast cancer was a great loss to many.
Fr. Vincent was 90 when he died in 2006. Revered by many, well educated in the classics, he taught Greek and Latin to seminarians, was Novice Director for many years and held high positions in his community, yet he seemed equally at doing home repair projects at our camp like retreat center in CT. Fr. Vincent had many gifts but he had a special gift for relationships. He was warm and accepting of people, yet you always wanted to be and do your best around Fr. Vincent.
Three people of humility and charity! May their example and their prayers help us to be like them in the practice of these virtues.
Monday, August 6, 2007
The Pool
It's been a while since I wrote anything between a week with my family in MA. and a week at our Family Life Program. It was not on my agenda to go online very much. Now I'm back and I'm reflecting on my recent experiences.
I have spent from a week to seven weeks each summer at the Trinita Family Life Program for the past 18 years. The Trinita Retreat Center is in New Hartford, CT. (45 minutes NW of Hartford) in the summer the Trinita Family Life Development Program, which is primarily for families from inner-city neighborhoods happens. The summer program is a combination of camp fun, communication-building activities and a chance to deepen spiritually. "Blanket time" is a daily hour of family sharing, and in peer group discussions mothers & fathers are able to support one another in their struggles to raise a family in the inner city. There's lots of opportunities for fun, for doing silly things you wouldn't do at home in the neighborhood and for enjoying the open space of gentle green hills. Plus there's a pool!
The pool is open two hours a day and everyone seems to enjoy it.
A fond memory I have is of one day at the pool when it started to lightly rain. The parents and kids asked me in my capacity as MSBT at the pool (there's always one of us present) if the pool was to be close. It was quite warm and this rain was the kind of light shower not accompanied by thunder and lightning. I said no, the pool's not closing, no lightning no closing. Everyone cheered and jumped in the pool. Spontaneously every child adult and volunteer present starting bobbing up and down in the pool, shouting Trinita rules, Trinita rules! It was pure joy!
City pools tend to be crowded and at times dangerous. At Trinita it's clean, roomy enough and safe, so everyone can enjoy. Thanks be to God for the pool!
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