tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54394657698569497132024-03-14T02:37:02.758-07:00Amuzing Grace - Confessions of a Vocation DirectorThis blog is meant to help women as they discern a possible call to religious life. I will share from my own experience living in a contemplative monastery and from my experience as vocation director. God's grace is amazing and can be amusing as we shall see...Sr. Ruth, OSBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17327137578189409891noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439465769856949713.post-13255252196470002022015-03-15T17:44:00.001-07:002015-03-15T17:44:57.354-07:00Advice from a Canyon..or a Vocation Director<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Have you ever seen the t-shirts, books or bookmarks bearing the slogan <i>Advice from a ________ </i>(fill in the blank with just about anything in nature)? They were created by a gentleman named Ilan Shamir who started the <i>Your True Nature</i> company that sells the <i>'Advice from Nature'</i> products. You can get advice from bats, blueberries, moose, and wood ducks just to name a few.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was introduced to these clever slogans a few years back when my vocation director mentor, Sr. Lupita, showed me some bookmarks she had collected when I was visiting our Tucson monastery. I happened to run across one this past week that she had given me and this one said <i>Advice from a CANYON. </i>Having just had the opportunity to hike in a couple of canyons while in Arizona, I took special note of it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I read through it, it struck me that if I changed a few words here and there, I could apply it to discernment. So consider this <i>Advice from a VOCATION DIRECTOR</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Instead of <i>Carve Out a Place for Yourself ... </i>I would say<i> -</i></span><br />
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Carve out a Place for God</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Instead of <i>Aspire to New Plateaus</i> ... I would say -</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Aspire to</i> G<i>reater Love</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Instead of <i>Stand the Test of Time ... </i>I would say -</span><br />
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Stand the Test of Time - Discernment doesn't happen overnight</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Instead of <i>Don't Get Boxed In</i> ... I would say -</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Don't Get Boxed In by Discouraging Voices</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Instead of <i>Listen to the Voice of the Wind</i>... I would say -</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Instead of <i>It's OK to be a Little Off the Wall ...</i> Actually, I wouldn't change this one. Most people think you are a little off the wall if you want to be a nun! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Instead of <i>Reach Deep</i>... I would just add a couple of words here -</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Reach Deep Inside your Soul to find the answers</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you need more advice than that, ask a blueberry or a moose and click here </span><a href="http://www.yourtruenature.com/bookmarks">http://www.yourtruenature.com/bookmarks</a><br />
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Sr. Ruth, OSBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17327137578189409891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439465769856949713.post-81297407723622107302015-03-01T15:00:00.001-08:002015-03-01T15:00:13.831-08:00sightings in the Tucson monastery<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I arrived at our monastery in Tuscon, AZ 10 days ago to help host a Come and See weekend for interested discerners. I am still here enjoying the sunshine and warm weather while I await other sisters from Missouri to fly in for a meeting we will be attending. Meetings have never been something I look forward to...perhaps loathe would be too strong a word...but I offer it all up for the coming of the Kingdom!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've had ample time to wander around our lovely monastery and take pictures of our lovely grounds and lovely sisters. Many sisters have graciously allowed me to take their picture after a little hemming and hawing...after all, who really likes to get their picture taken? If I'm not careful they will soon be turning and walking the other way when they see me approaching.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I thought I would share some of the sights to be found around our monastery. Tucson is in the Sonoran Desert which is one of the prettier deserts of our world. It is not endless sand dunes like the Sahara. The famous Saguaro Cactus makes its home here. Cactus do abound on our property but I want to share some 'color' I found in our courtyard.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is a cool oasis of pansies in our courtyard that delight the eyes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; text-align: start;">Below is a great spot for meditation and </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium; text-align: start;">lectio divina</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; text-align: start;">.</span></span></td></tr>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t3ftACAB5XQ/VPOD8nUFvqI/AAAAAAAAAzI/lMiEBQsD1Ew/s1600/courtyard%2Bchairs72.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t3ftACAB5XQ/VPOD8nUFvqI/AAAAAAAAAzI/lMiEBQsD1Ew/s1600/courtyard%2Bchairs72.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We also have a meditation garden outside of the monastery walls with</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-44x3NchazVY/VPOJoQqsR6I/AAAAAAAAAzg/P3R8g52agv4/s1600/fountain%2Bin%2Bmed%2Bgarden%2Bfor%2Bgall%2Bpic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-44x3NchazVY/VPOJoQqsR6I/AAAAAAAAAzg/P3R8g52agv4/s1600/fountain%2Bin%2Bmed%2Bgarden%2Bfor%2Bgall%2Bpic.jpg" height="306" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And here are some cactus by our back door...we let God water these...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">he does it better than we could.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1VXd1Yo6coQ/VPOXLa2wATI/AAAAAAAAAz8/RTVsqrnQ5d8/s1600/IMG_0674.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1VXd1Yo6coQ/VPOXLa2wATI/AAAAAAAAAz8/RTVsqrnQ5d8/s1600/IMG_0674.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally, one of the loveliest things about Tucson is that it is surrounded by </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">mountains on 3 sides. So as I take my daily walk around the grounds I get glimpses</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of the Catalina Mtns peering above the oleander bushes and the <i>palo verde</i> trees. </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-etTvjuJJ0h0/VPOWzHSgfpI/AAAAAAAAAz0/McTipB03l3c/s1600/mtns%2Bfrom%2Bbkyrd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-etTvjuJJ0h0/VPOWzHSgfpI/AAAAAAAAAz0/McTipB03l3c/s1600/mtns%2Bfrom%2Bbkyrd.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of my favorite verses from the Old Testament is from the prophet Hosea where God says, </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>"I will lure her into the desert and speak to her heart." </i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">God doesn't have to twist my arm to get me to come to our Tucson monastery </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">during the winter months!</span></div>
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Sr. Ruth, OSBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17327137578189409891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439465769856949713.post-80096076903015450252015-02-22T16:50:00.001-08:002015-03-01T15:03:53.980-08:00Ever feel like you are being driven into the 'desert?'Lent having rolled around again, it's time I start blogging again. The last post was during Lent of 2014. Where did the year go!!?? <br />
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I am currently at our lovely monastery in Tucson, AZ. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Front of our monastery and bell tower on chapel</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">view of Catalina Mountains from the roof deck</td></tr>
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We usually host a Come and See weekend in February (which we just finished) and it doesn't take much arm-twisting to get me to spend a few winter days in the Southwest. When I left Clyde, MO last Thursday it was 2 degrees. When I stepped off the plane at the Tucson airport it was 75 degrees.<br />
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two degrees...seventy-five degrees...which would you choose?<br />
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I actually like winter and snow so I CAN enjoy either temperature.<br />
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The Gospel reading for the first Sunday of Lent is the bare bones account from the 1st chapter of Mark of Jesus being <i>driven</i> by the Spirit into the desert. I felt 'driven' by the Spirit to consider a religious vocation all those years ago. Actually, it was more like the Spirit 'haunting' me than 'driving' me. But in either case, when one starts to discern a religious vocation, it does feel like you are now in the desert. <br />
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It is unfamiliar territory...landmarks are fewer and far between...there is a thirsting for answers but they can be hard to find, just like water in the desert.<br />
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Satan can be hanging around also, tempting the poor hapless discerner. <br />
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<i>"Don't waste your life on a religious vocation, you won't be very happy."</i></div>
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<i>"You would be wasting your talents in a religious community. You can do so much more good out in the world."</i></div>
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<i>"You would be much happier married and can you really give up wanting to have children?"</i><br />
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These are all common thoughts that might zoom across our gray matter when we start thinking about a (gulp) religious vocation. However, all is not lost. Just as angels ministered to Jesus in the desert, 'angels' appear on the scene to help us. Angels can appear in the form of a spiritual director, just the right book at the right time or perhaps hearing just the right homily at the right time. Look around for those angels in those times of doubt and confusion. They might be hanging around the next cactus in your desert...</div>
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Sr. Ruth, OSBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17327137578189409891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439465769856949713.post-42655699036216445352014-03-13T09:09:00.005-07:002014-03-13T09:09:51.450-07:00Burying the Fat<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Each year I usually get some little booklet for Lent that has daily reflections. There were some 'freebies' sitting out in our mail room so I grabbed one with reflections by Fr. Thomas Connery. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There was an interesting tidbit of information in the reflection for the Thursday after Ash Wednesday which said, <i>In medieval times monks would give up butter, lard and fat for Lent. They had an Ash Wednesday ceremony called "Burying the Fat," in which they put butter in a casket, held a funeral service and actually buried the casket They took it quite seriously. They felt it was their way of sharing in the sufferings of Christ.</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I tried to imagine my community doing this...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There we are standing around an open coffin...Sr. Rita, our prioress, tosses in the Crisco while we sing an appropriate funeral song...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next, Sr. Jane, subprioress, tosses in the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">butter and margerine sticks...we sing something somber...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is debate as to whether the canola and olive oil should go in...it is 'heatlhy' after all. But no...it's Lent! "It all has to go!!!!" roars our prioress. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We slam the coffin lid down and carry it out back where we drop it into the earth and each toss in a shovelful of dirt to cover it up. For good measure we stand on the top of the 'grave' and stamp the dirt down with our feet.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While I may poke a little fun at my ancestors in the monastic timeline, it does give me food for thought...or fat for thought. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are other things I could be serious about burying.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even discerning a life choice such as whether to enter a religious community will entail burying a few things. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I would suggest tossing in these two things: </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> 1. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The desire to make a decision only after you are 100% sure. (This one can really slow you down or in fact paralyze you). I've come to realize that God lets us live with a whole lot of ambiguity in these matters. I think it is a matter of strengthening our faith. As much as we might not like to stumble around in the dark, it is those times when we have to exercise the most faith and trust in God. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. The desire to find the perfect community. The reality is that there are no perfect communities. And if there were, as soon as you would enter it, it wouldn't be perfect anymore (unless you are willing to claim that you are perfect). The women and men in religious life are human with their own weaknesses. God wants us to live with each other with all our annoyances and disagreements in order to teach us to really learn to love each other and practice self-giving and humility. God does not promise us rose gardens in our communities. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are a host of other things that may need to be buried at some time. But I suspect God is even willing to help us do the shoveling if we just ask...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>Sr. Ruth, OSBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17327137578189409891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439465769856949713.post-76234655734309330822014-01-28T11:37:00.001-08:002014-01-28T11:42:15.073-08:00Has the Pope written yet?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had just arrived in my office this morning when my phone rang. Our own Sr. Maria Victoria was on the line, <i>"The letter I was expecting finally arrived. If you want to see it swing by the portress desk." </i> I had no idea what she was talking about but was curious and so I trotted 15 yards down the hall to our front entrance. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A little back ground information needed: Sr. Maria Victoria was born in Argentina and made Final Profession on January 18 of this year. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cuq5bfohmFs/UufrMesOogI/AAAAAAAAAns/NJDAYujOzkw/s1600/reading+vows+small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cuq5bfohmFs/UufrMesOogI/AAAAAAAAAns/NJDAYujOzkw/s1600/reading+vows+small.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sr. Maria Victoria reads her Profession Vows</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"The pope finally wrote back,"</i> she said as I approached her desk. She gave me an envelope with the return address of the Aspostolic Nunciature in Washington DC. Inside was a blue rosary case with the papal seal containing a pearl white rosary and a picture of Pope Francis signed "Francesco." Alas, there was no actual letter in the envelope.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And, the signature was printed, not written, on the card.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She grinned as she related how after Cardinal Bergoglio was elected she had sent a congratulatory card to him at the Vatican. "I told him I was from HIS city in Argentina and we were praying for him because that is what our community does." She also had sent him a birthday card last month with an invitation to her Final Profession. And just yesterday Maria Victoria's younger sister had written to her asking cheekily, <i>"Has the pope written back yet?"</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our Sr. Cathleen Marie got wind of the fact that Sr. Maria Victoria was trying to contact the pope and decided in December to e-mail Pope Francis himself, but alas the e-mail returned to her. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So she e-mailed <i>L'Osservatore Romano</i> (the Vatican newspaper) asking them to tell Pope Francis about Sr. Maria V</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ictoria with the suggestion that he call her. (With periodic news reports that Pope Francis has called someone out of the blue, maybe it's not so far fetched.)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, at least someone somewhere in the halls of the Vatican forwarded these requests to the Apostolic Nuncio office in Washington DC where they dutifully sent a rosary and a card. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Heck, it's better than nothing.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wait...do I hear a phone ringing?<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 15px;"></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span>Sr. Ruth, OSBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17327137578189409891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439465769856949713.post-21052103020664936772014-01-01T11:48:00.000-08:002014-01-01T11:52:10.334-08:00At the Gate of the Year<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happy 2014! To begin this new year I would like to share one of my favorite poems: </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"<i>Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown."</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And he replied,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Go into the darkness and put your hand </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">into the hand of God</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">that shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way!"</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I went forth and finding the Hand of God</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trod gladly into the night</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He led me towards the hills</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And the breaking of day in the lone east.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So heart be still!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What need our human life to know</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If God hath comprehension?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In all the dizzy strife of things</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Both high and low,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">God hideth his intention.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Minnie Louise Harkins 1875-1957</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Sr. Ruth, OSBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17327137578189409891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439465769856949713.post-62927358842616279262013-12-05T09:55:00.001-08:002013-12-06T07:23:13.530-08:00Mt. Carmel meets Monte Cassino<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In listening to the vocation stories of my sisters here in community, I have found that several of them considered Carmelite life before settling on our own Benedictine community. I was also among that group. My discernment ‘road’ wound through visits to two Carmelite monasteries in Maryland where I was living and working at the time. </span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Pretty much every Catholic who grew up in a devout home was exposed to the <i>Little Flower </i>at some point because of her reputation for being a powerful intercessor in heaven. I found an old yellowed, dog-eared copy of <i>The Story of a Soul </i>(St. Therese’s autobiography) in a box of books that had been sitting in the ‘junk’ room of our farm house when I was in high school and was intrigued enough to read through it. Because of that exposure, when I found myself discerning a contemplative religious vocation, it was natural to think of Carmelites first. (I had not even heard of St. Benedict at that time) Considering there is a Benedictine Convent in a city close to where I grew up and that I was born in a Benedictine-run hospital, I must have not been paying attention when I was younger!</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">So, I visited a place called Port Tobacco, MD. I had a lovely drive through the countryside of southern Maryland to get to what was the first Carmelite community established in the U.S. I drove up to a structure that had a WALL stretching as far as I could see. I went into the little house that had a sign “Guests” and entered a small room without a door but with a ‘round thing’ jutting out of the wall. There was a door bell to ring, so I did, and a voice from the other side of the wall said, “Praise be to Jesus” and asked me what I wanted. I told the voice I was there to visit with Sr. so-and-so. Then the ‘round thing’ jutting out of the wall began to turn. “Take this key and let yourself into the the visitor’s parlor next door” the voice called out. Sure enough, there was a key there lying in the ‘round thing’ which I now know is called ‘The TURN.’ I thought to myself, “this is a little spooky...if I just got in my car and left right now, they would never know who I was...” </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">But I didn’t...</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I bravely went next door, let myself in to the visitor’s parlor and sat down in a room divided in half by a ‘grille’ consisting of a wall about waist high with widely spaced bars on top of the wall going up to the ceiling. I was soon joined by 2 brown-clad Carmelite nuns. I had a delightful conversation with both of them that afternoon as they explained what their community was like and I told them a little about myself. They gave me a video to bring home that was a documentary on their life style and showed what their place beyond the WALL looked like. So I drove home, watched it, was fascinated and attracted by what I saw...</span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">...but never went back to continue discernment with them. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I guess it just wasn’t my call...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I still continue to appreciate the works of St. Theresa of Avila, John of the Cross and other Carmelite writings. They do feed my contemplative soul.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Fast-forward to the year 2013. We had been in contact with a Carmelite community in Jefferson City, MO over the years because they were in the altar bread production business to support themselves just as we are. In the past few years their community had dwindled down to just three members and it was clear that they could not continue to live in their now too-big monastery. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the idea was put forth that perhaps they could somehow share in our life up here in Clyde, MO. The more we prayed and discerned, the more it just seemed like the right thing to do. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We greet the arriving Carmelite sisters at<br />
the front entrance to our monastery</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">So we were pleased to welcome into our midst on December 2nd, three Carmelites from southern Missouri who have turned one of our guest houses into the newly re-located Carmel of the Sacred Heart and St. Joseph. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">There is no intention to become Benedilites or Carmedictines...</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">But we do look forward to sharing our distinct contemplative lifestyles and traditions in order to make this corner of northwest Missouri even more of a power house of prayer!</span></div>
Sr. Ruth, OSBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17327137578189409891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439465769856949713.post-83307408679583893532013-11-25T08:19:00.001-08:002013-11-25T08:19:08.847-08:00Thankful for the healing power of faith<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The end of November has once again rolled around and Thanksgiving is looming upon us. I try and take stock of what I am thankful for each time this holiday rolls around. Of course there are the standards:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">my faith...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">my community, family and friends...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">my health...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This year I am especially thankful for the young adult Catholics I have met the past year. I had the opportunity to spend time at Mizzou (slang for the University of Missouri) for a busy student retreat the first week of this month. The students who participate in this retreat are in love with their Catholic faith and wanting to go ever deeper into prayer and living with God's presence in their lives. It gives me hope that 'all is not doom and gloom' for the future of our church or our world. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some of these splendid young adults also happen to be related to me! I have already mentioned my niece Sarah in an earlier post this year who spent 2 months volunteering at our monastery this past summer. My niece Kelly, a senior pharmacy student at Creighton University, loves adventure and loves to trot the globe. She is currently in Uganda doing a 6 week pharmacy internship. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She writes a great blog <a href="http://kraestarman.blogspot.com/">http://kraestarman.blogspot.com/</a> about her adventures and I want to share this post in particular she wrote about being thankful for the healing power of faith:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've been in college for eight years now studying to become a pharmacist, but throughout all of those years and endless hours of study, I've honestly never felt like anything more than a student. The concept of graduating and being a doctor seemed absurd to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But for the past month in Uganda, people assume I’m a doctor. They bring their sick children to me, and plead with me to help their beloved grandparents, husbands, wives, friends, and children. And I've done the best I can.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s truly humbling to have people place such hope in you, especially when you know your own limitations and frailties and doubts and humanness. But it’s a powerful thing as well. It’s made me fight to be a better doctor, wanting to answer their faith with medicines that I know can offer them real hope in life and in health.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've seen patients recover. I've had patients return to the pharmacy to see me and to shake my hand with tear-filled eyes because they were healed. I've seen patients in the hospitals rebound from terrible infections, waiting with a smile the next morning when I see them on rounds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But I can honestly say that I don’t know if their recovery has much to do with me. Here in Uganda medicines, facilities, diagnostic tests, bandages, means for operations and even physicians are all lacking. I’ve seen patient wards where three tiny children share a hospital bed because there is no space to hold them all. The disparity between the healthcare I have seen in the US and here in Uganda is tragic, and to be honest, numbing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Such disparity should quite honestly be a death-sentence – and result in a hopeless situation for many of the people here. But the miraculous thing is that it’s not. Despite what they're lacking, I believe that these patients largely recover because of what they have in abundance, <i>faith</i>. The doctors and nurses pray together before starting rounds. Many of the patients have rosaries clasped in their hands. People walk miles in the rain to attend church services where they sit shoulder-to-shoulder on hard wooden benches for twice the length of time as the same prayer service in the United States, lengthened by a genuine joy and desire in their praise and in singing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The people I’ve met here have faith that extends far beyond the fleeting realms of mortality. When the limited accessibility to healthcare means that hope for healing in a traditional sense is lost, they cling to hope in an eternity greater than this life, free from the burdens of their heavy labors and travails.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I was rounding with a doctor on a pediatric ward today, I realized that in my time here I've not only become a student of pharmacy, but a student of faith and hope. The ward I was in was pierced with the desperate, heart-wrenching cries of sick and sometimes even dying little children. Their mothers held them, fed them if they would eat, and waited. They didn’t demand answers from the doctors. They didn’t pace nervously around the room. They just sat with their babies in their arms and faith in their hearts. I tried to hide my own heart full of panic and desperation, and replace it with a calm and persevering faith to match theirs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This week I’ve learned that the resiliency of the human spirit carried by faith is absolutely miraculous. And today, I’m thankful for that lesson. I’m thankful for the healing power of faith. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Sr. Ruth, OSBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17327137578189409891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439465769856949713.post-8739315546277206782013-11-02T18:21:00.002-07:002013-11-02T18:23:14.846-07:00All Saints November always brings with it the solemnity of All Saints on the very first day. We Catholics are privileged to recognize the ''Communion of Saints." We have a wonderful custom at First Vespers of All Saints of gathering in our relic chapel and then singing the Litany of the Saints before we process into our main chapel for Vespers. Our relic chapel contains over 550 relics and is one of the largest collections in the U.S. It is an ideal place to begin our celebration; in the actual presence of the saints!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">interior of relic chapel</td></tr>
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Our chapels are also a stopping off point for the local "tourist industry." With a local population numbering at 82 in the nearest town of Clyde, there aren't a lot of 'tourist' type activities except for ourselves and nearby Conception Abbey. There isn't even a good coffee shop within 20 miles!<br />
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I gave a tour to a class of 8th graders just last week. As you enter our relic chapel your eyes are drawn to a glass covered altar at the far end of the chapel in which you can see a clothed body reposing. Now inevitably, the first question these kids always ask in a bit of a whisper is -"Is that a real body back there?" <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Beatrice the Martyr</td></tr>
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It certainly isn't something one sees every day! "If you aren't afraid to look," I tell them, "you can actually see the bones of the hands through her gloves and the bones of the feet through her slippers." This either brings a look of fear or excitement. St. Beatrice is a martyr from the catacombs near Rome and is thought to have been about 13 years old when she was martyred in the early centuries of the church.<br />
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Being in a room full of relics of so many holy men and women really gives one pause. Some of these saints were willing to spill their blood for the faith such as St. Beatrice. None of us know for sure what we would do if faced with the situation of giving our life for our faith. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Therese relics</td></tr>
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One of the more popular saints for our visitors is St. Therese of Lisieux. She is also my confirmation saint so I have a great respect for this cloistered Carmelite. <br />
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I have no doubt the saints would have just described themselves as ordinary people like you and me...not doing anything extraordinary...just living their lives as best they could with the help of the grace of God. <br />
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...that is really our call, too...no heroic circumstances required...just continued faithfulness day after day in good times and bad...<br />
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<br />Sr. Ruth, OSBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17327137578189409891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439465769856949713.post-64995993222746928792013-10-18T09:20:00.004-07:002013-10-18T09:24:58.474-07:00Westward Ho!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had the wonderful experience of traveling to the Pacific Northwest the first week in October to attend a Benedictine vocation director's meeting. It was held at Queen of Angels Monastery in Mt. Angel, Oregon which is in the lovely Willamette Valley - the destination of wagon trains back in the 1840's and 50's. I had never been to Oregon or Washington so I was glad to have the opportunity to see this magnificent part of our country.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our congregation is a 'sister' monastery to the Benedictine women at Mt. Angel. Five sisters arrived in Maryville, Missouri from Maria Rickenbach, Switzerland back in 1874 to start a new foundation. In 1876, a few more sisters arrived from Switzerland to help the new foundation. Sr. Bernardine Wachter was in this group and in 1882, left for Oregon to start a new foundation that would become the current Queen of Angels Monastery. It seems the fledgling foundation in Missouri had a lot of women with differing opinions on how the community should live out its Benedictine charism in America which eventually led to a foundation in South Dakota and Arkansas as well as Oregon. God used all things to spread the Benedictine charism in the U.S.!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They have this lovely redwood sequoia smack dab in the front of their monastery. According to the story, a sister back in 1893 found a little sapling next to some nearby railroad tracks and planted it there not knowing what kind of tree it was. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course one lesson from this is - be careful what kind of 'seeds' you plant. Another is - take delight in the surprises God gives us when we plant 'seeds' in reckless abandon. If they are meant to be, they will take root. If not, nothing ventured, nothing gained!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was also able to spend a few vacation days up at Mt. Hood after our meeting. I was warned it rains a lot in Oregon and therefore was prepared with the proper jacket, boots, etc. I was hoping God would take pity on me, though, and dispense the clouds enough to let me see the actual summit of Mt. Hood since I had travelled all the way to Oregon...I've seen it in calendar pictures after all. And besides, God knows I love mountains! Well Day 1 was this... </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Day 2 was rain in copious amounts...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However, Day 3 was this!!!!!....at least part of the time.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It became this before long...yes, the summit IS right there just above that snowy ridge. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's not unlike getting glimpses of the 'summit' in our spiritual life or discernment journey. Is it not wonderful when the clouds part and THERE IT IS?! God seems so near, so close, so beautiful. And then, the ceiling lowers, visibility is reduced to 10 ft and nothing is familiar. </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-69ILxN1Np7w/UmFdkcZHuvI/AAAAAAAAAkk/qzG_ssoKmbQ/s1600/tree+ferns-r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-69ILxN1Np7w/UmFdkcZHuvI/AAAAAAAAAkk/qzG_ssoKmbQ/s1600/tree+ferns-r.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However, all that rain in Oregon molds the beauty that </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">is there, even if you only get glimpses of it now and then.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I mean, how many times have you </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">seen ferns growing up the side of a tree? Unless a lot of rain falls, that isn't going to happen. I think it is God's gift to us when He lets us see the goal, the summit of our life in Him. But we can't stay there, the beauty is too overwhelming in this life. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I will be content to slog around on the forest floor until the next great 'lifting.' There is plenty of beauty to see here...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Sr. Ruth, OSBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17327137578189409891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439465769856949713.post-87574299213290484432013-09-22T12:06:00.000-07:002013-09-23T09:30:52.352-07:00Jesus was not a hypnotistWe celebrated the Feast of St. Matthew on this past Saturday. The gospel reading was of course, that wonderful story where Matthew is sitting at the Customs Post and Jesus walks up and says, "Follow me." I'm always intrigued by the 'call' stories in Holy Scripture. They seem to take place so quickly. Jesus looks at you, says a few words to you and boom…the next thing you know you are wandering around the country preaching the coming of the kingdom. Nowhere is the word 'discernment' mentioned anywhere. There are no Come and See weekends for these people, no psychological testing, no interviews with a vocation director to see if they are 'fit'…they just go. <br>
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Now I realize that in reality perhaps some of these encounters with Jesus were not actually the first time they ever saw or heard of Jesus. Our evangelists were making the point that following Jesus is primary to anything else so dropping everything to follow him is a worthy image to portray. <br>
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Pope Francis gave a homily on Saturday that talks about the gaze of Jesus in relation to the Call.<br>
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<i>When Jesus looked at Matthew, “that gaze overtook him completely, it changed his life,” </i>said the Pope to the congregation at Casa Santa Marta on Sept. 21.</div>
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<i>“The gaze of Jesus always makes us worthy, gives us dignity. It is a generous look.”</i></div>
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He explained that the an encounter with Jesus<i> “gives the courage to follow Him.”</i></div>
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<i>“Jesus’ gaze always lifts us up,” </i>continued Pope Francis.<i> “It is a look that always lifts us up, and never leaves you in your place, never lets us down, never humiliates. It invites you to get up – a look that brings you to grow, to move forward, that encourages you.”</i></div>
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<i>The gaze of Jesus is incredibly powerful, </i>said the Pope<i>, but it is not “magical.”</i></div>
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<i>“Jesus was not a specialist in hypnosis,” </i>he quipped.</div>
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<i>Rather, Christ’s gaze is one that “makes you feel that he loves you.”</i></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px;"><br></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px;">Jesus does not hypnotize us to get us to answer a call to religious life. But sometimes we have a hard time believing that his gaze is one of love when he calls us. We can think that a call means suffering and hardship and something we wouldn't choose to do. But God does not purposely call us to misery. </div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px;"><br></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px;">Another image our chaplain used in his homily on Saturday was that of "Christ passing by." Jesus passes by us even if we are a 'sinner' sitting at a customs post. Who knows he may be passing by right now...are you going to ignore him or take a chance?</div>
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Sr. Ruth, OSBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17327137578189409891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439465769856949713.post-40713271367314681992013-09-16T09:00:00.002-07:002013-09-16T09:06:44.087-07:00'Wine' a little, it will make you feel better.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">September 14th marked the 20th anniversary of my entering the postulancy of the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in Clyde, MO. I remember the day well, excited, but also thinking to myself, "What in heaven's name have you done, Ruth?!" Something took though...I'm still here...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So what did I do to celebrate? I went grape picking at a local winery named <a href="http://www.holyfieldwinery.com/" target="_blank">Holy Field</a>. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What a great name for a winery for nuns to go pick grapes at. Don't ask me what makes that field holy. I cajoled our three women in formation to join me. Actually, I didn't have to cajole them, any outing is a nice break when you are in formation! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> A cousin of one of our sisters has the winery outside of Kansas City. I've been there a few times over the years to pick grapes. A few years ago our Sr. Gladys, a wine guru, agreed to teach me how to make wine. So I dutifully brought back 100 pounds and we used about 75 lbs for our project. It seemed at the time that we had a river of wine with all those grapes. We ended up with 75 bottles of varying sizes with inflated balloons on top during the fermentation process down in our basement. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We still have not finished drinking it and I am proud to say that no one has died from it!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We probably brought back around 140 lbs this time, seven 5 gallon buckets full. Since we have not finished the last batch of wine I made, we will use these grapes for grape jelly. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">St. Benedict in his Rule absolutely </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">despises murmuring in community members. I suppose he wouldn't like whining either...none of us do unless perhaps we are the 'whinee.' Do we not feel justified in the righteousness of our whining? But I was amused by a saying on some napkins that the winery sold in their gift store:</span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">"Wine a little, it will make you feel better."</span></i><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our Lord is not against feasting or he would not have changed water into wine at the wedding feast in Cana.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Benedict lets his monks have wine in chapter 40 of his Rule but wants them to drink moderately. He phrased it this way (he knew his monks well) -</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">"We read that monks should not drink wine at all, but since the monks of our day cannot be convinced of this, let us at least agree to drink moderately and not to the point of excess."</span></i><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is good advice...even for the eating of grape jelly!</span>
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Sr. Ruth, OSBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17327137578189409891noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439465769856949713.post-47188628384485858112013-09-03T12:32:00.003-07:002013-09-03T12:34:51.617-07:00Wedding day of a nun<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This past weekend was a time for celebration in our community as Sr. Nancy Rose Gucwa made Final Profession at Eucharist on Saturday. (I was especially happy to see one of my first 'vocations', after becoming vocation director, make it to the big day!) It is the closest thing we nuns get to a wedding day. And just as brides 'glow', so was Sr. Nancy Rose glowing as seen in the picture to the right. The light happened to be streaming through the windows at just the right time...or maybe it really is her natural glow!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Final Profession is THE commitment...no more messing around with temporary vows. It's time to stop sitting on the fence...are you in or are you out? We all hark back to our own Final Profession day whenever we celebrate someone else. I remember it being one of the happiest days of my life. I was rather chicken to make the commitment, however. It took me six years in temporary vows to decide that 'yes, this will be forever.' (Temporary vows can be anywhere from 3 - 6 years long.) I suppose I suffered from wanting to keep my options open AND a fear of commitment. But God gave me the grace at the right time.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When we make Final Profession we get THE RING. People often ask if they notice it, "What does the IHS stand for?" It's a Greek shortcut for the name of Jesus. It is NOT as some may joke, "I have suffered." (although there is suffering involved in lasting long enough to get the privilege of wearing one! :)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The ceremony is rich in symbolism. The sister prostrates herself before the altar and the whole assembly prays Psalm 51 over her. Psalm 51 asks God to create a pure heart and steadfast spirit, the monastic ideal. The thing I remember about prostrating there is feeling an energy pass through me during the recitation. I can only assume it was the Holy Spirit!</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1jY3bgwKIAE/UiYTG07SehI/AAAAAAAAAhs/YZR5kvEb1iw/s1600/suscipe-72.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1jY3bgwKIAE/UiYTG07SehI/AAAAAAAAAhs/YZR5kvEb1iw/s1600/suscipe-72.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Another part of the ceremony involves the singing of the <i>Suscipe. </i>This can often be the scariest part of the ceremony for those women who don't sing confidently. Nancy Rose did just fine.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Receive me Lord,</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>and disappoint me not in my hope.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">(Ps 119:116)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In today's hook-up culture it is easy to be cynical about 'forever.' With over 50% of marriages failing, we can easily get cynical and say - "Nothing is forever." But in this northwest corner of Missouri we celebrate the fact that yes, there are people who really do mean it when they say " forever"!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>Sr. Ruth, OSBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17327137578189409891noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439465769856949713.post-17063067056719441012013-08-28T09:45:00.001-07:002013-08-28T09:45:27.431-07:00a Sister on vacation<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had the great pleasure of being on vacation last week. My idea of vacationing is pitching a tent and going hiking in the mountains which I don't get to do very often here in northwest Missouri. The closest 'mountains' to us would be in the Ozarks which is a several hours drive to the south. We, Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, are fortunate to have a little monastery in Dayton, WY at the foot of the Bighorn Mountains (real mountains!) so that was a good excuse to head west for a little R&R. My intrepid companion was our novice Maria who also loves to hike and camp. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The fastest route to Dayton is through South Dakota so we had to make some side trips to some notable sites. One cannot be close to Mt. Rushmore and not drop in. I am also fascinated by the area known as the 'Badlands.' It's like a 'moonscape' in many areas. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The colors are incredible, though, as your eyes travel down the formations and you travel eons through time. It just goes to show that even something called the Badlands can be a place of great beauty. Even here there are grassy meadows so there is sustenance for creatures even amidst the 'moon scape.'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once we hit the mountains we sought out cold refreshing mountain streams. Neither one of us fish, (the fish are certainly grateful) but we would plop on a rock and meditate on the water rushing by. If you have ever sat on a rock in the middle of a madly rushing mountain stream, you will know what it feels like to read Psalm 36 verses 8 - 9:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;"><i><span class="text Ps-36-8" id="en-NRSV-14447" style="position: relative;">They feast on the abundance of your house,</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-36-8" style="position: relative;">and you give them drink from the river of your delights.</span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-36-9" id="en-NRSV-14448" style="position: relative;"><sup class="versenum" style="display: block; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; line-height: normal; position: absolute; vertical-align: top;">9 </sup>For with you is the fountain of life;</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-36-9" style="position: relative;">in your light we see light.</span></span></i></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the stream there are little waterfalls, pools of quiet water and always the water rushing down, down, down. Some of the droplets leap as they race over the rocks...if this water could talk, I would imagine it screaming wildly for joy and perhaps some fear too. I am reminded of the book <i>Hinds' Feet on High Places </i>by Hannah Hurnard. It is an allegory of the Christian life and the journey of faith as we make our way toward the High Places of the Shepherd. I read this book when I was discerning a religious vocation many years ago. I highly recommend it for anyone who has not read it. I just finished re-reading it a few weeks ago. When I was discerning I could very much identify with the main character 'Much Afraid', who belongs to the Fearing family. Even as I re-read it, I had to admit there are areas where I am still 'Much Afraid.' </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In one chapter she is standing at the foot of a high water fall. The Shepherd asks her,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"What do you think of this fall of great waters in their abandonment of self-giving?" </span></i><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"I think they are beautiful and terrible beyond anything which I ever saw before. It is the leap they have to make, the awful height from which they must cast themselves down to the depths beneath, there to be broken on the rocks."</span></i><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Shepherd asks her to watch the water from the moment it leaps over the edge until it reaches the bottom. <i>Once over the edge, the waters were like winged things, alive with joy, so utterly abandoned to the ecstasy of giving themselves that she could almost have supposed that she was looking at a host of angels floating down on rainbow wings, singing with rapture as they went.</i></span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"It looks as though they think it is the loveliest movement in all the world, as though to cast oneself down is to abandon oneself to ecstasy and joy indescribable." </span></i><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is what I thought as I watched the river race down, down, down... exploding on rocks... leaping in the air...perhaps a respite in a quiet pool until once again a water droplet was drawn into the current to start down again. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have to ask myself, am I still ready to abandon myself in the Lord's river of delights even though it might mean crashing into rocks and leaps of faith. Hopefully, I say YES!!! And hopefully you do too!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Sr. Ruth, OSBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17327137578189409891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439465769856949713.post-84845863619862324572013-08-16T09:37:00.001-07:002013-08-16T09:39:27.558-07:00Summer Hiatus<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's been a couple months since I posted anything. I didn't intentionally take a summer hiatus...it was lack of inspiration...or pure laziness. It's not that it has been a really dull summer; although some may wonder if ANYTHING exciting ever happens in a contemplative, semi-cloistered monastery located conveniently next to no-where. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We had a lovely college student volunteer for most of the summer here in Clyde. She was the best volunteer ever! She also happens to be my niece Sarah (not surprising that she was the best ever, then). She is going to be a senior at Benedictine College in Atchison, KS this fall. You can read her story here at <a href="http://www.benedictinesisters.org/articledetail.php?id=259&start=0&status=1&m_year=2013" target="_blank">student volunteers</a>. She decided that hanging out with the sisters would be more exciting than assembling sandwiches at the local Subway where she has spent other less than exciting summers. I must say, at her age I think volunteering at a convent would have been the last thing I would have wanted to do. I wanted to go work in Yellowstone Nat'l Park during my college summers, which I never did do!</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ikaD0m-Mjg8/Ug5OyDipX3I/AAAAAAAAAfM/XXkMex7Os4M/s1600/arana+knocking+72.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ikaD0m-Mjg8/Ug5OyDipX3I/AAAAAAAAAfM/XXkMex7Os4M/s1600/arana+knocking+72.jpg" height="120" width="200" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just this past Tuesday we had another woman cross the threshold of our monastery chapel to enter our postulancy. We have the ritual at our Noon Prayer and it began by having Arana knock on the chapel doors while we awaited her coming in. (If anyone was going to cut and run, that would be the time to do so because she is out there by herself...nobody ever has, though :)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sr. Cheryl, Assistant Prioress General and Sr. Lynn, formation director, officially welcomed her into the postulancy during the ceremony. Arana brings Cajun cooking skills to our midwest monastery which will be something new for our meat and potatoes type of community. But, we do have other sisters among our newer entrants who like 'hot' food with a kick to it.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We also hosted a week-long monastic experience here in July. "Listen with the Ear of your Heart" was our theme. The attendees received input on - Why pray the Psalms?, Lectio Divina, Centering Prayer, Discernment, Life in Formation and heard great vocation stories.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One highlight when guests come to our abode is to take them out for ice cream 10 miles away to the nearest ice cream stand. That might not sound so exciting but the local town of Clyde has a population of 82 and Baskin Robbins is 45 miles away! </span><br />
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One can also get fried gizzards at this<br />
ice cream stand, but I generally pass on that<br />
option. I would say both Dairy Queen and<br />
Baskin Robbins would have a hard time matching<br />
up with that!!!! </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Postulant Rosa enjoying a cone as it<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Sr. Ruth, OSBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17327137578189409891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439465769856949713.post-6718137619024678092013-06-04T08:47:00.001-07:002013-06-04T09:13:20.790-07:00The Body of Christ meets celiac disease<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We celebrated the Solemnity of Corpus Christi this past Sunday which is a special solemnity for our congregation. We joined Pope Francis and the rest of the world in the world-wide Holy Hour which was 10am-11am our time. As I sat in our chapel I was thrilled to know that millions of Catholics around the world were simultaneously joining in prayer before our Eucharistic Lord. We had it easy here in Clyde...we didn't have to get up in the middle of the night to be synchronized with the 5pm Rome time!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One special way our community contributes to the greater church is by producing</span><br />
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the communion hosts that will be changed into the Body of Christ. We have been doing this for over 100 years now. The 'old-timers' in community fondly recall the old bakers we used to have that required one sister at a baking machine to produce the single sheets that would be cut into the round hosts.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If a sister was really good, she could handle 2 bakers at a time. I've heard some claims to handling three!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">pouring batter </td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By 1992 we upgraded our altar bread equipment and switched to one large baker that contained 30 plates - the equivalent of 30 baking machines, as seen below and to the right. This monster baker can churn out 1 baked sheet every 5 seconds or so and only </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'new' baker</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Needless to say, we were able to produce more breads in a shorter amount of time than previously. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In recent years, celiac-sprue disease or gluten-intolerance has become an issue for many people. Our community was the first altar bread producer to create a low-gluten bread that still satisfied the requirements that 'some' gluten be present to make it valid in the Catholic church but was a small enough amount that most celiac sufferers could take it. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-whLpGWacleg/Ua4Jowd0jCI/AAAAAAAAAdc/e1aE-MzR6sI/s1600/Jane+lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-whLpGWacleg/Ua4Jowd0jCI/AAAAAAAAAdc/e1aE-MzR6sI/s1600/Jane+lg.jpg" height="200" width="195" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sr. Jane spreading batter on<br />
waffle irons</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think it took about 10 years to come up with the right recipe. This has been a labor intensive project as we have used basic breakfast waffle irons (with flat plates instead of ridges) for years until a recent generous gift of a modern baker from an anonymous religious community no longer using it. The 'waffle-iron' breads were kind of crunchy and rough looking (but decent tasting). The breads from our new baker are smooth and almost melt in your mouth.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This has been a blessing for us to do as we receive letters or e-mails like this one just sent yesterday from a woman in Connecticut:</span><br />
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<i>Dear sisters:</i><br />
<i>We just received a new box of your low-gluten hosts. I just want to tell you that I am forever grateful for your efforts on the behalf of Catholics with celiac disease. I never receive Communion without having you in prayer. I have to admit that part of me is going to miss the funky handmade hosts, because it was such a tangible demonstration of your commitment to this small population. </i><br />
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<i>I was desperately sick when I was finally diagnosed with celiac disease in 2000. I was literally dying of starvation--90 pounds at 5'8". But I accepted the gluten-free diet with bitterness until you produced your low-gluten host. THAT the was one thing that changed everything. After that, I could accept everything else. Thank you for everything you have done for us, the celiac Catholic community...</i><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's hard for me to imagine what it would have been like to have celiac disease and NOT be able to receive the Bread of LIfe before our community was able to produce low-gluten breads. But we get new e-mails like the one above several times a week so all the years of failed experiments were worth it to our sisters. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Truly we ARE all ONE body in Christ.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Sr. Ruth, OSBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17327137578189409891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439465769856949713.post-35873711890771641662013-05-26T21:06:00.001-07:002013-05-26T21:06:24.248-07:00I love a good mystery<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was a big fan of mystery novels when I was growing up. I think I started off with the <i>Bobsey Twins</i> and then moved onto the <i>Hardy Boys</i> and <i>Nancy Drew</i>. Good ole Nancy was my favorite, I thought she was so cool. I have since become a fan of <i>Brother Cadfael</i> who is a monk in a medieval monastery in England. In fact, there are several murder mysteries set in medieval monasteries on the market today. It's amazing how many people die under suspicious circumstances in or at a monastery in the middle of nowhere in these stories.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why do I bring up mysteries? </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Because every year when we celebrate Trinity Sunday, it reminds me of the great mysteries of our faith. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I went to Google Images and typed in "Trinity" to see what would pop up. Try it, it is rather interesting. There are a lot of triangular images and a woman wearing black leather appears rather frequently...I had no idea what THAT connection was so I had to click on it to see where it would take me. When I saw the MATRIX, I realized it was that movie I had heard about that came out a few years ago. (I never did see it, don't know if I ever will)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They offer semester long classes in seminaries and tomes have been written over the centuries to try and make sense of it. If I were to take such a class I am pretty sure that after it was all said and done the most I would be able to say is, "It's a great mystery."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Three persons in ONE God?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Come on, that makes NO sense logically if you really think about it. But what about God IS logical? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We have the luxury of living with 'defined' doctrine about the Trinity because of those church councils that hashed all that out in the 4th and 5th centuries. So in one sense all I have to do is sit back, accept it and not worry about it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However, last year I had a niece ask me, "Where in the Bible does it mention the Trinity?" She asked this because she was contemplating becoming Mormon and apparently that is an argument a Mormon will bring up. I had never really thought about it before so I was a little stunned by the question. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My first thought was "You silly child", but my actual response was, "It's all over the place, just because it isn't formally defined in scripture doesn't mean that the Trinity doesn't exist." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our beloved John is really a great Trinitarian Gospel writer even though he probably didn't know it at the time. He talks about the Father and the Spirit a lot, especially in the Last Discourse during the Last Supper. I especially like this from John 14:16-17:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span class="text John-14-16" id="en-NIV-26685">And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate<sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-26685W" title="See cross-reference W">W</a>)"></sup> to help you and be with you forever—</span> <span class="text John-14-17" id="en-NIV-26686"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>the Spirit of truth.<sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-26686X" title="See cross-reference X">X</a>)"></sup> The world cannot accept him,<sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-26686Y" title="See cross-reference Y">Y</a>)"></sup> because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don't believe I'll try and wrestle with trying to understand the Trinity beyond the above scripture passage. Why mess with what already works?! :)</span><br />
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<br />Sr. Ruth, OSBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17327137578189409891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439465769856949713.post-29961422396099345252013-05-01T11:30:00.000-07:002013-05-01T11:33:05.335-07:00The Long Arm of the Law<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I got to experience something I've never done before in my life this past Friday, stand before a judge in a court room! Why would a Benedictine Sister of Perpetual Adoration in quiet little Clyde, MO have to appear in court?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My crime...I had a car accident in St. Joseph, Missouri in March that I must admit was my fault. Being good Benedictines we don't own our own personal cars but our convent has five general use cars that we can sign out when we need to go somewhere. I was on my way to Atchison, KS with another sister for a vocation fair at Benedictine College when a closed interstate forced me into a part of the city of St. Joe that I was not familiar with. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were lost, we were trying to figure out how to get back on the highway, the two-way street we were on became a one-way with both lanes going in the same direction which I was not aware of. I was driving along in the right lane and proceeded to turn left when suddenly, there was a huge bang/jolt on my left and I looked up to see the front of a pickup sticking in my driver's side door. We were very shook up but no one got hurt thank God. The police were called, I got a traffic citation and we were towed to our car dealership. Our Sr. Cheryl who is in charge of the cars has a reputation for being hard on any sister who gets a little dent, etc. She was very kind to me, though, and was more concerned about our health than the state of the car. (She is actually a softie inside...but she likes having that reputation :) Of course, the car I was driving had to be our newest car! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've never been to court so I was nervous not knowing what to expect. However, a part of me was very curious to experience a court room. I was sort of familiar with those TV shows like "Judge Judy." My 'appointment' was at 8am and after checking in I was told to proceed to the court room. It was a small room in the basement of the courthouse and 20 people were already sitting on the benches around the room. I thought to myself, "Great, this is going to take forever." Plus I also thought, "Hmmm...I wonder what they are here for?" There were people of all sorts...but no other nuns as far as I could tell! I wouldn't be surprised if as they were looking at me they were asking themselves, "What did that Sister do?"</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A judge's bench was at the front of the room. At 8am the TV screen lit up and our judge appeared on screen in a video. He explained what would happen during our appearance and what would happen if we plead guilty or not guilty. I was grateful to hear at the very end of the short video that traffic court violations would be heard first. After the video ended, our judge appeared in 'real life.' </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My name was the third one he called so I didn't have to wait very long. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Do you understand the charges against you?" he asked. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Yes," I replied. "How do you plead?" </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Guilty." </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Okay, that will be a fifty dollar fine plus court costs, that total will be $76.50. There will also be a couple of points on your license." Then he smiled and said, "And have a nice day."</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That took all of 45 seconds! I was expecting a bigger fine so I was grateful. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sometimes I think about judgement day, especially if we have had a scripture reading at Mass pertaining to that. What will it be like to be thrust suddenly before the face of God the instant we die? </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I will have to plead 'guilty' in that instance also.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I trust that God's mercy is as great as his justice so I'm counting on a big smile and "have a nice eternal life" from God, too!</span>Sr. Ruth, OSBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17327137578189409891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439465769856949713.post-23996602150985581912013-04-16T17:43:00.000-07:002013-04-16T17:43:31.733-07:00What 2nd graders teach me<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yesterday afternoon I had the pleasure of helping out with a tour group from the nearby Catholic grade school in Maryville, MO. These 2nd graders just made their first communion on Sunday. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I remember making my first communion many years ago and thinking I was a 'big person' now that I could go to communion and not have to stay back in the pew while everyone deserted me and went up to do something I couldn't really make out. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do these kids look happy or what? This picture was taken outside of a Marian Grotto we have on our property. Now of course a field trip day always makes kids happy. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The kids received a tour of our main chapel and relic chapel and then I gave them a little speech on where their communion breads come from. The thing I love about 2nd graders is that they are pretty attentive (not sure what the attention span for an average 8 yr old is), do look at you, listen to what you are saying and aren't afraid to ask questions...perhaps with their teacher and parent chaperones hovering over them they do better. :) My experience with teen agers is often that they don't look at you and are pretending that they aren't interested in what you have to say lest their peers pick up on that and tease them. However, once being a teenager myself, I can't hardly blame them!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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I told them we use 100 pounds of flour and 16 gallons of water in each mix of batter. In one week of production we use 5200 - 6500 pounds of flour and 832-1040 gallons of water. We also produce approximately 2 million breads per week. If you were to stack up all the breads we make in one week it would stretch 1.97 miles! It is really a sacred work for our community to produce the bread that will be changed into the body of Christ.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The beauty of these kids is that the whole Eucharist experience is new for them. They are excited to receive Jesus and proud to be one of the older crowd now. They haven't been jaded by scandal in the church and they aren't arguing about church doctrine. They are just happy to be receiving Jesus. (Once you get through the scariness of your first confession, everything is pretty much downhill when you are 8 yrs old.) These kids are the ones just doing what Jesus commanded 2000 years ago, "Do this in remembrance of me." </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> So what these kids teach me is to see the beauty of our Eucharist with fresh eyes. As a daily Mass goer, I know that the Eucharist can lose it's luster when you receive every day. I can take it for granted and be very complacent. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As a Conception Abbey Monk used to say in his homilies to us - "those things you do daily, you do dully, unless you do them deeply."</span><br />
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Sr. Ruth, OSBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17327137578189409891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439465769856949713.post-44469464311947178752013-04-10T15:00:00.000-07:002013-04-10T15:03:30.474-07:00Did St. Benedict really say THAT?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This past weekend my community celebrated one of our postulants moving on to the novitiate. One sister remarked that it was significant to happen on Divine Mercy Sunday, "Let's pray your novice director has mercy on you!" Poor Maria had to endure for the first couple of weeks after entering as a postulant hearing sisters sing, <i>"How do you solve a problem like Maria?" </i>Not because she WAS a problem but because <i>The Sound of Music</i> is a perennial favorite movie of nuns.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sr. Pat gives Maria the <br />
Benedictine medal to wear during<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sr. Pat gives Maria a copy of<br />
the Rule of St. Benedict </td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our dear holy father St. Benedict in his Rule starts out Chapter 58 (The Procedure for Receiving Members) by writing - </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>"Do not grant newcomers an easy entry</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, but, as the Apostle says, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Test the spirits to see if they are from God</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">." </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It seems a little harsh to say that...it doesn't seem to be very inviting. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Benedict apparently made those poor men stand outside knocking for 4 or 5 days and made them bear 'harsh treatment' to see if they had patience and persistence. He doesn't describe what the 'harsh treatment' is, however. Apparently it wasn't too devastating because men did enter the community. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Candidates often remark to me, even in 2013, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"You really don't make it very easy to enter religious life."</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> They are referring to the autobiography they have to write, various interviews and the dreaded psychological testing. I've been tempted to make them wait outside the door but I'm sure my community would disapprove. :0 <i>"Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger," </i>is not always a good maxim to live by!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Postulant Rosa shares in the<br />
joy with new novice Maria.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suffice it to say that while we do still have to test the spirits; we go about it in a more civilized manner (I think). Life in general tends to be enough of a tester without adding more to it!</span>
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Sr. Ruth, OSBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17327137578189409891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439465769856949713.post-39503386549394016492013-04-02T18:46:00.001-07:002013-04-03T09:43:23.013-07:00Another year older...Christos anesti! Alithos anesti! (Greek)<br />
Christ is risen! He is truly risen!<br />
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I took a hiatus from by blog during Holy Week and the days of Triduum to enter into the quiet and meditate on the great events of the Paschal mystery. Here we are now in Easter Week and I am one year older as of yesterday, the Feast of Fools, and as it so happens this year - Easter Monday. If anybody wants to do the math, I was born in 1964.<br />
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Today I showed my age by coming in late for Lauds...accidentally, of course. My clock radio/alarm was set but the volume was turned down so while it 'went off' at 5:10am I was awakened by the bells for Lauds at 6:30. I knew I had less than 3 minutes to get to chapel so the adrenaline rush got me out of bed at least. <br />
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This has happened to me twice in my monastic life - which covers a 20 year time span so that isn't too bad a record. On one occasion I dashed out of bed with my heart a pumpin', threw some clothes on and ran (as fleet as a deer) down the halls and arrived in chapel with about 30 seconds to spare. The other previous time I lay in bed and said, "I'm never going to make it, now" so I decided to sleep a little longer. <br />
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Today, I knew I wouldn't make it but I am the organist so I knew showing up late was better than not showing up at all. It's amazing how you can't find things right in front of your face when you are in a hurry. My hair was a bit askew and I couldn't find my emblem (it was sitting in plain sight on my sink) but I managed to look at least presentable. I did not rush madly down the stairs, (I'm more dignified in my 'old' age) but I did make it to chapel by the end of the opening hymn. Apparently there was an awkward silence after the bells stopped ringing, which is when the organ usually intones "O Lord open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise." Sisters were looking over at the organ wondering why nothing was happening. Sr. Cheryl, another organist, covered things over by going to the piano and beginning Lauds when she realized I wasn't there. Sr. Nancy Rose who is taking lessons to play the organ, was just hoping she didn't have to play because she hasn't learned the Lauds Office, yet.<br />
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I sheepishly strode in, signaled Cheryl I was there and was on the organ bench for the 2nd psalm. Even St. Benedict in his holy Rule has a chapter on tardiness at the Work of God so things haven't changed much in 1500 years since he lived. <br />
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Thanks be to God my alarm did go off at 3:10am on Easter Sunday morning. Our Easter Vigil began at the un-Godly hour of 4 am. There is a reason I did not become a Trappistine - I didn't want to get up every morning to pray Vigils at 3:30am! Usually I don't sleep well on a night like that because I'm worried I won't hear my alarm and I usually set another one as a back up. But my alarm went off like it was supposed to. I went down for just a bit of coffee to help the wake up process and stuck my head out the door to get a take on the early morning weather. There had been a chance of rain. It was chilly, but the stars were bright, the moon was shining, a great horned owl called into the night and the Spring Peepers were singing down in our lower pond. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kk6QTCFakG8/UVuIu505jDI/AAAAAAAAAao/dRY9zzHdkKM/s1600/peeper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kk6QTCFakG8/UVuIu505jDI/AAAAAAAAAao/dRY9zzHdkKM/s1600/peeper.jpg" height="176" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spring Peepers</td></tr>
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As I stood there listening I smiled to myself and said, "It's a good day to rise...It's a good day to rise."<br />
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<br />Sr. Ruth, OSBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17327137578189409891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439465769856949713.post-56449476508760972682013-03-17T09:07:00.001-07:002013-03-17T11:41:19.951-07:00Habemus Papam!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first Latin American...the first Jesuit...the first Francis...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last Wednesday we were just finishing up the noon dishes when a rumor spread that there had been white smoke. Our TV room is on 2nd floor above the kitchen so we left the silverware behind and dashed up the stairs to see what was happening on TV. (A couple of sisters on the dish crew nobly stayed back to at least dry the silverware and put it away...they did feel a bit abandoned but Pope Fever had taken hold.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When we got up there the TV reporters were saying it would be at least another 50 minutes before the new pope appeared. Whew...all that excitement and then...waiting....</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I plunked myself down in a chair to wait and listen to all the filler commentary. I found myself glad and proud to be a Catholic as I looked out on St. Peter's Square and saw the crowds braving rain and cold weather to welcome the new pope. "What other faith tradition has something like this?" I asked myself. And what other faith would command such media coverage? </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I also found myself feeling sorry for the poor man who was now getting vested in the white robes of the pontiff. I found myself praying silently in my heart for whoever it was. What a load to carry! So much scandal to deal with. Nobody can ever be trained to be in charge of 1.2 billion people. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When the cardinal came out and announced THE name, I couldn't make out anything recognizable as a name or a country. I noticed the translators on TV didn't even translate it right away. Our Sr. Lynn, who does not speak Italian, managed to be the first to figure it out. I was pleased to have a non-European man selected and very pleased by the name of Francis. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When he first appeared on the balcony I couldn't understand why he just 'stood there.' "Why isn't he waving or gesturing to the crowd?" I thought to myself. But then I thought, "What would you do if thousands of people were all looking at you?" I would be like a deer stuck in the headlights.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Francis is a dangerous name to take - it's hard to live up to that one which is probably why no pope has ever picked it before. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I just read where he spoke 'off the cuff' at his first Sunday window appearance and earlier that morning made an impromptu appearance before the public from a side gate of the Vatican, startling passers-by and prompting cheers, before delivering a six minute homily at St. Anna's, the Vatican's tiny parish church. His security detail is not going to like this kind of activity, I'm sure!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The headlines at this time about the church are mostly about our new pope and generally positive. In a short time this will be forgotten and other news will be fresher and more titillating. The headlines will emphasize the scandals in our church again. Or they will express how disappointed people are that the new pope isn't changing the teachings on abortion, gay marriage, etc. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I plan to keep on praying for Pope Francis and for the Holy Spirit to guide him as he takes on this unimaginable job.</span></div>
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Sr. Ruth, OSBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17327137578189409891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439465769856949713.post-8109364769436158502013-03-10T16:55:00.000-07:002013-03-10T18:06:04.634-07:00White smoke on the horizon<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Wow, these are exciting times in our Roman Catholic Church! Our cardinals go into conclave on Tuesday to begin an election for a new pope. An interesting note about the word conclave - </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px color: #333233; text-shadow: 0.0px 1.0px 0.0px #000000;"><b>Origin:</b></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px color: #444444; text-shadow: 0.0px 1.0px 0.0px #000000;"> French from conclave, a room that may be locked up; con- + clavis key.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The election of popes has a storied and colorful history.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>From Wikipedia: To resolve prolonged deadlocks in the earlier years of papal elections, local authorities often resorted to the forced seclusion of the cardinal electors, such as that first adopted by the city of </i><i>Rome</i><i> in </i><i>1241</i><i>. In 1269, when the forced seclusion of the cardinals alone failed to produce a pope, the city of Viterbo refused to send in any materials except bread and water. When even this failed to produce a result, the townspeople removed the roof of the </i><i>Palazzo dei Papi</i><i> in their attempt to speed up the election. </i></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>In an attempt to avoid future lengthy elections, Gregory X introduced stringent rules with the promulgation of Ubi periculum. Cardinals were to be secluded in a closed area and not accorded individual rooms. No cardinal was allowed, unless ill, to be attended by more than two servants. Food was supplied through a window to avoid outside contact.</i></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px color: #2245ad;"><i> </i></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>After three days of the conclave, the cardinals were to receive only one dish a day; after another five days, they were to receive just bread and water. During the conclave, no cardinal was to receive any ecclesiastical revenue. </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Hmm...imagine being locked up until you come out with the answer. What if we locked ourselves into a room while discerning religious life until we had the answer? Not a good idea most probably...forced discernment isn’t proper discernment. Besides, it took me three years to discern...I would have starved by then!</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I must say, having been in the Sistine Chapel in 2008, if you are a Cardinal that must be an incredible place to sit and muse who should lead the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics. The Last Judgment Scene that covers the wall behind the altar is a rather terrifying scene. In the centre of the lower section are the angels of the Apocalypse who are waking the dead to the sound of long trumpets. On the left the risen recover their bodies as they ascend towards heaven (Resurrection of the flesh), on the right angels and devils fight over making the damned fall down to hell. Finally, at the bottom Charon with his oars, together with his devils, makes the damned get out of his boat to lead them before the infernal judge Minos, whose body is wrapped in the coils of the serpent.</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">If one seriously meditates on that, one would not take the election of supreme pontiff lightly. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The stories in the Gospel remind us that sinners have always been in the church and will continue to be in the church, including our leaders. My spiritual director related a story (not sure if it is true or not) about Pius VII and Napoleon. Supposedly Napoleon had threatened to ‘bring down the church’ to which Pius VII replied, “If our priests have not managed to bring down the church in all these centuries, you will not be able to either.” </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The church is made of sinners and saints; mostly sinners.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Let's pray for wisdom and guidance for the Cardinals as they go into conclave on Tuesday. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">May they elect the man who can best guide us mostly sinners on our earthly journey to the Kingdom.</span></div>
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Sr. Ruth, OSBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17327137578189409891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439465769856949713.post-65768101906846443062013-03-03T12:20:00.002-08:002013-03-03T18:03:10.618-08:00Fig trees, Manure and the spiritual life<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Excerpted from a reflection I gave at our Saturday Lenten vigil service.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This gospel of this 3rd Sunday of Lent (Luke 13:1-9) once again gives us that very biblical image of a fig tree. At least in Luke's gospel, Jesus isn't cursing it because it hasn't bloomed as he does in Mark and Matthew. Here, the fig tree gets another chance and extra care...but the threat of later being cut down still lingers. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We have a sanitized translation where the gardener says he will cultivate around it and fertilize it. The literal translation is manure. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span> The ancients were smart enough to know to use animal waste even if they might not have known why it was so helpful. If you go into the Lawn and Garden section of Wal-Mart you can find numerous sacks of various fertilizers or boxes of plant food to meet all of your planting needs. If you look carefully at the description of the fertilizer usually three alphabet letters will stand out - N, P, K. These letters stand for nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. These are the three main ingredients that plants need. Think of them as “up, down and all-around”. Manure is extremely rich in these ingredients, especially nitrates. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Nitrogen helps keep leaves green, promotes healthier blooms and aids in the manufacture of chlorophyll. Phosphorous is primarily responsible for keeping the trunk/stalk healthy and helps with root growth and development. Potassium is a general help to the entire plant. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The phosphorus component of our lives helps our trunk/stalk and helps us put down strong roots. I would think of this as our monastic, Catholic infrastructure - the Rule of Benedict, the teachings of our Catholic faith, the sacraments, our monastic horarium. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The nitrogen component of our lives is what we can see - the leaves, the blossoms, the fruits we bear. I would think of this as all the acts of our daily living, speaking words of charity, acts of kindness, faithfulness to the Divine Office, Mass, lectio and adoration; how we live in community.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The potassium component of our lives is whatever is a general help to us. This will vary for each of us. It is those things that we do that help our spiritual growth and deepen our relationship with God. For some it might mean keeping more silence, for others it might be some sort of fasting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">If any one of these components is missing, the whole plant will suffer. If we don’t have the right quantity of each, those parts of us don’t develop like they should.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The thought I would leave you with is to have you ask yourself: What areas in my life may need a little more fertilizer or different fertilizer? Do I need more nitrogen, phosphorus or potassium? Am I honestly bearing any fruit at this time in my life? Or am I just exhausting the soil? ouch!!</span></div>
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Sr. Ruth, OSBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17327137578189409891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5439465769856949713.post-26561794065852599482013-02-24T17:22:00.001-08:002013-02-24T17:24:09.622-08:00When was the last time you saw God's glory?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This second Sunday of Lent gives us the Gospel passage about the transfiguration. Wouldn't that be something...to see God's glory...in dazzling, blinding light!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our celebrant at Mass this morning started his homily with the question, "When was the last time you saw God's glory?" </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hmmm....I thought to myself, I don't know that I ever have...at least not like we just heard in the Gospel. What came to my mind first was the memory of our snowstorm this past Wednesday and Thursday. When the sun finally came out and lit up the landscape, it was rather blinding. That was sort of an image of dazzling white, much like it says Jesus' clothes became while he was praying. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But the glory of God is so much more.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the bible it seems to produce the response of fright most often because it is just too overwhelming. We don't know what to say. Those types of manifestations of God have been few and far between for me. I would venture to guess that it is the same for 99.9% of people who call themselves Christians. God's preferred method seems to be subtlety. Which I suppose is a good thing or we'd all be running around building tents (like Peter wanted to do). God knows how easily frightened I am, I can be grateful he's a little sneaky.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">view from my monastic 'cell'</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I experienced his subtle glory when I heard robins and cardinals singing the past couple of days. It's not necessarily unusual for this time of year but it's 20 degrees outside with snow on the ground! What I like about birds is they follow the rhythms built into their DNA. It is as if they say to themselves, "If I'm supposed to be in Clyde, MO in February and getting ready for spring, then that is where I will be, whether it feels like winter of not."</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I experienced his subtle glory in the sunrise this morning. I'm fortunate to have a bedroom that faces east so I can catch the first rays.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I experience his subtle glory taking a walk in the snow with a full moon overhead.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">God's glory doesn't have to always be dazzling. But we do have to have the proper eyes to see. I hope you see God's glory in abundance this coming week!</span>Sr. Ruth, OSBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17327137578189409891noreply@blogger.com0