REFLECTION ON THE ‘O’ ANTIPHONS

REFLECTION ON THE ‘O’ ANTIPHONS

DECEMBER 17 – 23

The Advent season is a time of preparation that directs our hearts and minds to Christ’s second coming at the end of time and also to the anniversary of the Lord’s birth on Christmas. (USCCB)  It is a grace-filled time of anticipation and preparation, a time to also reflect on how Christ is present in our lives each day, most importantly, in the Blessed Sacrament.  He is also often present in hidden ways. In our time and society, the preparation all too often takes priority over the anticipation, the waiting with great expectation.  Our challenge as Catholic Christians – especially as Catholic Christian women – is to embrace the waiting and prolong as much as possible the preparation.

We think of Mary and Martha in Luke’s Gospel.  Martha was about preparation; Mary understood the idea of presence and anticipation.  Sometimes what we most need is that silent presence with our Lord – without activity, just being with him.

 

As we move through Advent the waiting and longing for Christ intensifies.  We experience this in the Scripture we hear at Mass.  We experience it in the season itself – as time grows short, the anticipation is almost palpable.  Those with young children awaiting all that Christmas Day will bring understand this well!  Our hearts yearn for Christ to come with even greater anticipation than little ones awaiting the appearance of Santa.

 We often miss daily opportunities to be aware of the presence of Christ in our life – in the many small ways, particularly.  These days of Advent are an open invitation to us to spend time with a heightened awareness of God among us.

The final days of Advent, from December 17 to December 24, focus particularly on our preparation for the celebrations of the Nativity of our Lord (Christmas). (USCCB)

 

During these days, the Church gives us signposts that we are soon to behold the coming of Christ.  The Lectionary readings at Mass are specific to these days, allowing us to reflect on the passages in the Old Testament which point to the coming of our Savior.  Additionally during these final days of Advent, the Church gives us what we call the ‘O’ Antiphons.  These are prayed at Vespers each day just before the singing of Mary’s hymn, the Magnificat.  The words of these antiphons are also used in Mass each day in the verse of the Gospel Alleluia Acclamation.  The exact origin of the antiphons is unknown, but they date back to the 6^th century.  The importance of the O Antiphons is twofold. First, each one is a title for the Messiah. Secondly, each one refers to the prophecy of Isaiah of the coming of the Messiah. 

 The text of these antiphons appears in the hymn, O Come, O Come, Emmanuel and in other modern Advent songs (e.g., My Soul in Stillness Waits).

They are a magnificent theology that uses ancient biblical imagery drawn from the messianic hopes of the Old Testament to proclaim the coming Christ as the fulfillment not only of Old Testament hopes, but present ones as well. Their repeated use of the imperative "Come!" embodies the longing of all for the Divine Messiah. (USCCB)

 The original antiphons are, of course, in Latin.  We will look at the first word(s) of each in the Latin and then the English.

 So we begin on December 17^th, the first of what are sometimes called the “Golden Nights.”

 English translations from USCCB

 

O Sapientia

O Wisdom, you came from the mouth of the Most High,
reaching from end to end mightily

and loving disposing all things:

Come and teach us the way of prudence.

 

Wisdom is here personified, present with God at the beginning of creation.  This is a prefigurement of Jesus, the eternal Word of God, the "logos" John described in the opening of his gospel.  In our finite way of thinking, it is difficult to grasp the eternal nature of God – Wisdom reaching from “end to end.”  Wisdom is the foundation of fear of the Lord, of holiness, or right living: it is wisdom whom we bid to come and teach us prudence.  The cry "Come" will be repeated again and again, insistent and hope-filled. 

 

O Adonai

O Adonai and Leader of the House of Israel,
You appeared to Moses in the burning bush

and gave him the law on Sinai:
Come, with outstretched arm, redeem us.

 "Adonai" is Hebrew for "my Lord", and was substituted by devout Jews for the name "Yahweh", out of reverence.  With this second antiphon we progress from creation to the familiar story of God manifesting himself by name to Moses and giving his law to Israel as their way of life.  We are also reminded of the Israelites' deliverance from bondage under pharaoh - a foreshadowing of our own redemption from sin.  The image of God's arm outstretched in power to save his chosen people also brings to mind the later scene of Jesus with his arms outstretched for us on the cross. 

O Radix Jesse

O Root of Jesse,
You are a sign for all the people,

Before you kings remain silent and to you the nations make supplication:
Come to deliver us and do not delay!

Isaiah prophesied a restoration of David's throne - a new branch budding out 
of the old root.  Christ is the root of Jesse in a two-fold sense: he is the descendant of David, who was the youngest son of Jesse, and he inherited the royal throne.  The angel foretold to Mary, "The Lord God will give him the throne of David his father.  He will rule over the house of Jacob forever and his reign will be without end" (Luke 1:32-33).

Our hearts more and more urgently cry out for God's reign to extend over all humanity: "Come, save us, and do not delay". 

 O Clavis David

O Key of David,
and scepter of the house of Israel,

You open and no one shuts,
You shut and no one opens:
Come, and free the prisoners sitting in darkness,
And in the shadow of death.

The key and scepter are traditional symbols of kingly power and authority. Christ, the anointed one, is the heir of David and possessor of the kingdom. Jesus himself also made use of this symbol, showing the prophetic relationship of the earthly kingdom of David to the kingdom of God.  All power and authority was given to him after the resurrection, and he entrusted this power to "bind and to loose" to Peter and the ministers of his church.

In the closing petition we look to Jesus to unlock the fetters of sin that keep us tightly chained.  It is he who frees us from our captivity.  We recall the deliverance proclaimed by the psalmist of old: "they dwelt in darkness and gloom, bondsmen in want and in chains,...and he led them forth fromdarkness and gloom and broke their bonds asunder" (Psalm 107: 10, 14).

 O Oriens

O Rising Sun, brightness of eternal Light

And Sun of Justice:
Come and enlighten those that sit in darkness
And in the shadow of death.

 

This title is variously translated "morning star", "Dayspring", "rising sun", "radiant dawn", "orient".  All beautifully express the idea of light shattering the darkness of night, of sin and death, of sickness and despair, with its brightness bringing healing and warmth to cold hearts.  Jesus is indeed the true light, the radiance of his Father's splendor. The church prays this petition daily in the Benedictus, joining in the words of Zechariah: "He, the Dayspring, shall visit us in his mercy to shine on those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death" (Luke 1:78-79).
 

O Rex Gentium

O King of the nations,

and their Desired,the Cornerstone,
you make all things one:
Come and save mankind whom You have formed out of clay.

The earlier antiphons have already alluded to the Messiah coming not only to Israel  but to convert the gentile nations and redeem them for his own. Now this sixth antiphon clearly addresses the savior as the king of the gentiles (Jer.10:7) and the Desired One of the nations.  The Messiah is the cornerstone on whom our spiritual foundations are laid, but on whom unbelievers stumble (Matt. 21:42).  This cornerstone unites and binds Jew and gentile into one, making peace between them.

The plea is that God save all humanity, all his creation that he formed from the dust of the earth (Gen.2:7).  We yearn for him once again to breathe the breath of his new life into us.

O Emmanuel

O Emmanuel, our King and Lawgiver,

you are the Expected of nations and their savior:
Come and save us, O Lord our God.

With this last antiphon our expectation finds joy now in the certainty of fulfillment.  We call Jesus by one of the most personal and intimate of his titles, Emmanuel, God-with-us.  We recall that in his birth from the Virgin Mary God takes on our very flesh and human nature: God coming nearer to us than we could have ever imagined!  Yet he is also to be exalted above us as our king, the lawgiver and judge, the one whom we honor and obey.  And he is our savior, long-expected by all creation.  The final cry rises from us urgent in our need for daily salvation and forgiveness of our sins, and confident that our God will not withhold himself from us.  

 

In Latin the initials of the titles make an acrostic which, when read backwards. means: "Tomorrow I will be there" ("Ero cras").  To the medieval mind this was clearly a reference to the approaching Christmas vigil.

 As we move ever closer to the celebration of Christmas, please know that you all are remembered in our prayer of the Christmas Novena.  May you and your loved ones be abundantly blessed these holy days.

 

Sister Christine

 

 

Vespers Opening Year of Consecrated Life

Remember to include us in your Thanksgiving weekend plans! Vespers Saturday, 7:00 pm in Marian Chapel (St. Joseph Monastery, 2200 S. Lewis Ave, Tulsa, OK) to open the Year of Consecrated Life (and the season of Advent). Join us and please share!

Year of Consecrated Life

MONASTIC MOMENT

Our Monastic Moment Experience will be this weekend.  It is an opportunity for single, Catholic women open to Monastic life as an option to come and see what life at Saint Joseph Monastery looks like. It is a great opportunity for the women to come, meet and interact with our Sisters and for us to reflect on our life and the discernment process.

Please pray for the women attending that they will be open to God's direction in their lives and for our Community and Vocation Committee that we may truly be an inviting community.

Sister Catherine

Heroes and Superheroes

Growing up heroes and superheroes were goals to aspire towards. These were the bigger than life personalities which covered my imagination with tales of amazing feats. While these characters were "superheroes," they were not fictional persons like Superman, Spiderman or Wonder Woman, they were actually men and women who had lived in former times yet still lived heroically.



These were a few of my superheroes:

• Mary--a young peasant girl called by God to be the Mother of Jesus, our Savior;
• Monica--a mother who prayed incessantly for the conversion of her son, Augustine (who later lived his own life in an extraordinary way);
• Paul--a zealous defender of his Jewish heritage until he had personal encounter with Jesus;
• Miguel Agustin Pro--a Mexican priest martyred during the religious persecutions of the 1920's in Mexico.

 As a young child, I heard the stories of these Christians and many others from my grandmother. These were the stories that she remembered from her own formative years.

As we prepare to celebrate the Feast of All Saints and the Feast of All Souls this weekend, let's take a few minutes to reflect on the influence of these men and women in our lives and in our faith.

How can we continue to inspire future generations with the memory of the lives of these heroic men and women?

Sr. Catherine

Traditions and Celebrations

One of the best parts of autumn for me, other than the endless football games, the changing of the leaves and the evenings on the patio making s'mores, is the community traditions which all fall in October. 

One of those family celebrations is our annual Chicken Day.  While the rest of the universal Church celebrates St. Teresa of Avila on Oct 15, it is the day that we have fried chicken for dinner in honor of our founding generation of Sisters.

Here is the story, as I remember it (apologies in advance for any mistakes or omissions which may occur in this story).  When our Sisters were still living in Creston, IA, they were moving to a new, larger convent about 6 blocks away from St. Malachy's Church where they had originally resided. Our Sisters packed everything in crates including the chickens. Someone forgot to put air holes in the crates for the chickens. So at the end of the day after the long day of moving, the Sisters discovered that the chickens had all smothered in the crates. Being mindful never to waste anything, they fried the chickens that evening and used them as an evening snack.

Our Sisters love fried chicken and use any excuse available to have a celebration. So even more than 130 years later we still celebrate this event in our history.

This year we are also blessed to celebrate 135 years since our founding day on October 28. On this date we remember Mother Paula O'Reilly and her two companions who travelled from Pennsylvania to Iowa to start a new Benedictine foundation. May the spirit which enlivened these women continue to inspire us as we progress along the monastic way of life.

What are some family traditions that are important in your life?

Sr. Catherine

An Invitation...and A Challenge

Do you know a single, Catholic woman between 18 and 35 who might be interested in a 24 hour monastic experience?

Do you know single, Catholic woman who is looking for something more in her life?

Is there a single woman in your family, parish, Newman Center, college dorm, workplace that might possibly benefit from our 24 Monastic Moment experience?

If the answer is yes (or even maybe) to any of these questions, feel free to direct them to our website for more information or give them the information provided below.

Studies tell us that many of the men and women who are currently priests or religious brothers or sisters first thought of it after a personal invitation. It could be as simple as the question: Have you ever thought about religious life? It is okay to ask even those that don't seem like likely candidates...God can work with all kinds of people.

When I was young, my parents were pretty confident that there was a potential vocation in our family. We have a history of religious vocations in our extended family...so why not ours. My brother, John, proclaimed that he wanted to be a priest after he served his first Mass. My younger sister, Juli, could rattle off her prayers and bible verses before she was 4.  Then, there was me, the oldest who couldn't seem to sit still very well, loved to sing in the kid's choir and was always looking for the next adventure. Well, with two potential vocations--I guess I was okay. Oh, and I also proclaimed loud and long that I had no visions of religious life in my future.

When I was 18, one of our parish priests invited me to spend a weekend with some friends of his. He asked me not once but multiple times until I said: Okay, I'll go. That was about 35 years ago now. What I found in that weekend was that religious women could be fun and funny, intelligent and competent...and they even liked some of the things I liked. After that weekend I decided to give religious life a serious look. I entered St. Joseph Monastery 4 years later and have been here ever since.

That one invitation from that priest opened my mind and many doors for me.

Do you know a single, Catholic woman who might be ready for a change? Invite her to Monastic Moment.  For more information visit our website: stjosephmonastery.org or call (918)746-4203.

Sr. Catherine

Seeking Escape

Today we are looking at the fourth step of humility. This step encourages quiet acceptance of life circumstances, patience, and steadfastness of purpose. All of which are qualities that I struggle with regularly. It definitely seems counter-intuitive to me (my nature and will) to strive for these characteristics; yet I need to accept the fact that Benedict saw great value in these personality traits.

Quiet acceptance of life circumstances

There are some things in life that cannot be changed no matter how hard I try, how sincerely I wish things were different or how much I bargain with God or with myself to change it. It could be my height and weight, my quickly graying hair or my difficulties with a work situation. Benedict sees merit in simply acknowledging the reality and then moving forward rather than fighting, stomping my foot against life or yelling about the unfairness of my life. My tendency is more towards creating a fan base around my issue and rallying for support...unfortunately this does little to move me towards greater humility.

Patience
 
Patience has never come naturally to me. My preference is usually towards instant gratification--as in as soon as the idea comes into my mind. I pray daily for a greater appreciation and awareness of patience in my life.

Steadfastness of Purpose

For me, this aspect of humility deals with focus, perseverance and intentionality...none of which is high in my list of personal qualities acquired. I like things that are quick and don't require lots of effort.  As I tell my friends, I am much more likely to be a "sprinter" than a "marathoner." While there is definitely value in perseverance in life, I know that I do not have the stamina necessary to see things through to completion.  While I have completed many tasks in life, I know that about half way through my interest starts to waver and the only thing that sees me through to the end of a project is God's grace and lots of determination on my part.

Today I am being invited to reflect on what part these qualities have in my life and how I can increase them daily through prayer and continued effort.

Sister Catherine

Going Beyond Myself

The third step of humility is that a man submits to his superior in all obedience for the love of God, imitating the Lord of whom the Apostle says: He became obedient even to death (Phil 2:8). RB 7.34

I have definite ideas and opinions about what I like, what is acceptable, what is necessary, what is essential and tons of other issues. I am usually quick to search for the point or benefit of new projects or thoughts and am often reluctant to let go of my way of seeing the world. This comes naturally to me; partly because I never learned the skill of keeping my thoughts to myself. I have always liked telling others what is happening with me...and being an extrovert I cannot fully engage my brain unless my mouth is involved.

Today, I am being invited to at least be open to the idea that there might be someone who might know more than I do or who might have a fuller vision of reality than I do. I am encouraged to not feel compelled to fight to the end for my way of everything. Sometimes, it actually might be better for the whole group to do things in a way which seems opposite to my thoughts. Benedict reminds me today that it is okay to lay down my will once in a while for the benefit of the whole or simply so that I can follow Jesus' example of obedience.

I can choose to accept Benedict's challenge today to quietly accept a different way of living out of love for God and those with whom I live.

How is God inviting me to express humility today?

Please pray for the participants and staff of our School of Lectio which takes place October 1-4, 2014.

Sr. Catherine

The Way of Life

"...the Lord shows us the way of life."  (RB. Prologue)

I like self- help books and diy guides. I use them as suggestions for how to achieve a desired goal. So while I would never really follow a pattern exactly I would at least use it as a guide for knowing what the basic result should look like upon completion. The experimentation that I do along the way as I aim at this goal just adds more excitement and variety to the journey.

St. Benedict tells us that God shows us the way of life--in a sense, God hands us a basic plan of what life can look like if we follow the advice and guidelines set before us in the Rule. I like that because although the process for baking a cake or making a decoration might not be that important within itself; my life is. I want to make sure that I am heading at least in the correct direction in my life. I desire to know at the end that I have been heading towards God all along not just wandering about aimlessly. This knowledge gives me a little peace as I continue on my journey.

May God bless everyone today as we continue on our journey towards God.

Sr. Catherine

Now Is the Hour to Arise from Sleep

I am most definitely a "morning" person. Actually, more like a late night/early morning person. I function best between about 1:30 and 6:00 am. My thinking seems to be clearer (or at least, the racing thoughts are more slowed down) and I can be quiet and reflective. There is not much else that can happen at this time of day. Usually, I don't even feel tired or sleep deprived...just kind of calm and secure. I have been this way since childhood...my favorite time of day was early mornings sitting in the corner of the kitchen as my grandmother would get things started for the day.

Today, Benedict invites us to rouse ourselves and to face the deifying light which is Christ in our daily encounters. This search for God in daily life reminds me of waiting for the sunrise early in the day. Sometimes the wait can be long and seemingly eternal, at other times, it can be surprisingly quick. Sometimes seeing God in my life can feel like an impossible "treasure hunt" and other times it is an amazing gift. Yet, everyday (at every moment) God is there if my eyes and ears and heart are open to the encounter.

How is God being present in my life today?

Sr. Catherine

Listen with the Ear of Your Heart

I recently finished a major translation project for the Communio Internationalis Benedictarum (CIB), an international consortium of Benedictine Women. They are preparing to have their Symposium in Italy in a few weeks. Their Symposium is held every four years. The topic for this conference is "Listen with the Ear of Your Heart."  I was privileged to be invited to provide the Spanish translations for this event.

As I worked on preparing the texts, I was invited into the experience of attending this conference (although from a distance) since I had access to the material for all of the keynote speakers and most of the other information provided for the participants. In the process I learned a couple of things:

1. I was able to see that although I have good language skills in both English and Spanish...there is still plenty of space for growth in both.  Yet, once again, I do not know EVERYTHING...this time, though, I could be okay with this new understanding.
2. There is lots to continue learning and listening to and I can get really excited about all that is happening today in the areas of monastic research.
3. It is good to be able to do some of the background preparation to get an international event going--although I would love to be there one of these years.
4. In listening to one another and in sharing different insights everyone grows.

I can definitely see where there is a need for more collaboration on a global level. And I am excited to be able to participate even on a small scale.

Today, as we stop and ask for God's blessings on human labor, I pray for all to be able to find dignity and worth in whatever their work or ministry is in our world.

Sr. Catherine

Sister Mary Brandt, OSB (1928-2014)

Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. (Mt. 5.8)

Sister Mary Brandt passed into eternal life this past Tuesday morning. As we sat with her and kept vigil at her bedside the final days before her death, I kept reflecting on the many ways in which she had touched my life and the lives of countless others throughout the years.

I met Sr. Mary shortly before I entered our monastic community. We actually became familiar with each other over the dishwasher--not usually something terribly memorable but for us it was. We had dishes the same night every week for my first few years in community so there was a sort of rhythm to it.

We also had the language bond since she had been a Spanish, French and Latin teacher and I was fluent in Spanish and had taken some French in school. She tried a couple of times to improve my Spanish skills but she would eventual say that I was probably not destined to be her language student. She and I would sometimes read Spanish poetry together. She had a great love for poetry.

In her later years, she and I would enjoy going out into our rose beds and grotto area on nice days for a ride in her wheelchair. We always had fun and enjoyed one another's company.

I learned many things from her about life. I learned how to grow old gracefully and to accept whatever life offered us. As she aged, she was a person who mellowed and accepted her declining health with a good attitude, her sense of humor and a sweet smile that she never lost.  I need to remember that as I grow older because that type of disposition does not come to me naturally or easily.

Sr. Mary will be greatly missed by many.

May she enjoy eternal rest in God's care. May her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. 

Sister Catherine

 

The Road to Peace

The road to peace is based on the principle that every human being is a person endowed with intelligence and free will and therefore has rights and obligations.

A Model of Peace

The Rule of Benedict offers a model of peace that depends on being gentle with ourselves, being gentle with others, and being gentle with the earth.

Minding about God

Peace comes into our lives when we mind more about God than we do about ourselves.

Walking through Life

Walking through life lightly without bitterness, greed, jealousy or selfishness leads to peace.

 

Life

We cannot expect our life to be perfect, but we are still expected to deal with this life reverently.

Benedictine Spirituality

Benedictine spirituality with its emphasis on prayer, work and listening is an invitation to personal peace.

Fruits

The fruit of silence is prayer.  The fruit of prayer is faith.  The fruit of faith is service.  The fruit of service is PEACE.

An Attitude of Peace

Peace comes from the attitude we bring to situations, not from the power we bring to them.

Gentleness

Be gentle with others and you will have peace in your heart.

PEACE

We commit ourselves to seek peace within ourselves, with the other and with our environment.

“If you have a dispute with someone, make peace...before the sun goes down.” Rule of Benedict 4

 

Tuesday, July 1  Feast of Blessed Junipero Serra, priest

            “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you.” PEACE is Jesus’ gift to us.

Balance

God graces us with leisure, and as we respond with gratitude and receive the gift, we begin to live that balanced life that is our destiny as the people of a loving creator.

 

Spiritual Discipline

The practice of leisure is an essential spiritual discipline:  God commands rest, the body refuses rest.

 

Finding Balance

Leisure enables us to find balance in our lives—balance among the needs of body, mind and spirit.

Growing Us

Leisure is meant to “grow us.”  It gives us a divine encounter with the Spirit who sends us forth to live as persons of great love.

 

Taking Time

Taking time for leisure reminds me that God gives us a divine pattern of work and rest for our health and our pleasure.

Following the Gospel

Leisure enables us to step back and try to understand what it means to follow the Gospel in this situation.

 

Filling our Vessel

We can’t give anything unless we have something inside us to give—leisure provides us time and opportunity to fill our empty vessel.

Leisure is an act of trust and witness: God is able to act in the world apart from human effort and achievement.

"Busy-ness" in Life

No life is to be so busy that there is no time to take stock of it—leisure gives a person time to take stock.

Holiness in Life

Leisure reminds me that all life is sacred, all life is holy, all life is to be held with reverent            hands.

Staying Focused on God

Leisure keeps my heart centered on God and keeps my mind open.

Sabbath Rest

Sabbath rest, leisure, is a gift and a challenge to our lifestyles and a means of God’s saving grace in our lives.

The World Around Us

Leisure puts us in touch with the world around us by giving us the distance we need to see where we are.

 

Holy Leisure

Benedict speaks of holy leisure, the leisure that makes us more human by engaging our heart, broadening our vision, and deepening our insight.

Play

Play and holy leisure are what make work possible, that make work worthwhile.

Prayer

If the only prayer you say in your whole life is “thank you”  that will be enough.

Creating our Own Future

We can create our own future through the amazing power of gratitude.

Thank You

“Thank you” are two of the most powerful words in any language, but they may very well be the most under-used.

Thanksgiving

The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts; no Americans have been more impoverished than they, who, nevertheless, set aside a day of THANKSGIVING.

 

Key to a Happy Life

Gratefulness is the key to a happy life that we hold in our hands, because if we are not grateful,         then no matter how much we have, we will not be happy, because we will always want to have          something else or something more.

 

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.

 

Loved Ones

 

I am thankful for the piles of laundry and ironing because it means my loved ones are nearby.

 

For Granted or Gratitude

When it comes to life, the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them                 with gratitude.

Home

I am thankful for a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning, and gutters that need         fixing because it means I have a HOME.

Focus on the Good

If you concentrate on what is good in every situation, you will discover that your life will suddenly be filled with gratitude, a feeling that nurtures the soul.

Counting Blessings

The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings.

Affects of Gratitude

Gratitude can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home and a stranger into a friend.

The Heart

Gratitude is always wholehearted—our whole person is engaged in it—the heart is the symbol of the whole person.

Joy

Joy is the outward sign and true expression of gratitude.

Celebrating the Bond

Gift-giving is a celebration of the bond between the giver and the receiver—that bond is                 gratitude.

Seeing with the Eyes of the Heart

To be always open for surprise, for gratitude, we need to awaken the child in us so that we may        see with the eyes of the heart.

Circle of Gratitude

The circle of gratitude is not complete until the giver of the gift becomes the receiver—a                 receiver of gratitude.

Whole-Hearted Gesture

Gratitude is a gesture of the whole heart.

Going Beyond Myself

Gratitude always goes beyond myself for what makes something a gift is precisely that it is given—the receiver depends on the giver.

Gifts

Gratitude enables me to be amazed at the gifts I take for granted—a flower as an expression               of surprise, the sky as a marvelous piece of art.

Moments of Surprise

Feast of St Athanasius, bishop/doctor of Church

Moments of surprise—a rainbow, a sunset, a thunderstorm—teach us that everything is a gift, a gift to be grateful for.

Gratitude

May – GRATITUDE

We commit ourselves to live a life of gratitude--awakening daily to the wonder of God’s presence everywhere.

Text:  Live this life and do whatever is done in a spirit of thanks, praise and blessing.   Prologue   

 Thursday, May 1  Feast of St Joseph the Worker

  Surprise is the beginning of gratitude; only if we are aware of the world around us can gratitude

  become our basic attitude toward life.

Learning and Society

Love of learning can help us produce out of the society we live in a vision of the society we all            want to live in.

 

Attention and Devotion

Love of learning nourishes habits of attention and devotion enabling us to accept, to receive and        to understand the world as well as to seek to transform and improve it.

Learning and Maturity

Love of learning helps us to mature into interesting, caring and creative persons.

Hunger for Learning

Love of learning prompts me to pray to God to make me hungry to learn and humble enough             to enjoy it.

Discovery

A lifetime is hardly enough time to discover all there is to learn about this world God has created.

Learning Together

We live in a family at home, at school, in the community so that we can learn how to pray, how          to seek God, how to live with others and to learn the basics of being a human being.

Experiencing learning with someone is fascinating and enduring; those involved in education               have this opportunity day after day.

Awakening to the New

Love of learning awakens and breaks open the ordinarily unseen, unheard and unexpected.

 

Sparking the Imagination

Love of learning sparks the imagination; it is through the imagination that we reach beyond our          present situation to the “why not”  or the “not yet.”

A Teachable Spirit

Love of learning requires me to have a teachable spirit so that I may be aware of how much I               have yet to learn and to inspire me to be a person who passionately pursues whatever God                wants me to learn.

Learning Through our Lifetime

If we let our teachers and Jesus be in charge of the “command center” of our lives, they will                shape our learning journey throughout our lifetime.

Waiting

We need times of silent waiting when the busy intellect is not leaping from problem to problem         or puzzle to puzzle.

Silence

Love of learning takes place in silence.  Silence allows the intellectual soil to be tilled and ready          for planting seeds of ideas which will ultimately yield unexpected outcomes.

Whole-Hearted Listening

Learning goes well beyond intellectual activity; it involves wholehearted listening—listening with      our whole self—body, mind, heart and spirit.

The Human Imagination

The human imagination hungers for substance, for meaning; it must have something to chew             on.  One of the primary tasks of educators is to feed the God-hungry imagination.

 

Balancing Word and Silence

A balance of the word and silence is essential for learning.  Our culture is so oriented toward               word and so ignorant of silence that we must learn to shut out the noisy word so as to

experience the power of silence.

Trying the New

Love of learning means we are willing to ask questions, to try out new ideas, to never tire of

discovering the why and what for of all the mysteries around us.

Being Open

Love of learning involves being open to thoughts and perspectives not my own and reflecting  on      these differences with an open heart and an open mind.

 

Developing Skills and Talents

Love of learning is a holy work that develops the skills and talents God as gifted us with so                 that we might serve others and give praise to the Lord.

 

Learning and Listening

Learning comes through listening; listening to the voices around us and responding to the                 messages

Giving Thanks for our Senses

We give thanks each day for our senses—sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch—these senses    enhance our love of learning.

Love of Learning

April – LOVE OF LEARNING

We  commit ourselves to seek knowledge with a respect for and appreciation of God, as Creator.

Text:  “As the teacher gives the instruction, the student quickly puts it into practice out of reverence for God.”   Rule of Benedict  5-paraphrase

Stewards of God's Word

We are stewards of God’s Word—the Gospel; we exercise this stewardship of the Word by

receiving the Word, sharing the Word and reflecting on the Word.

An Expression of Discipleship

Stewardship is an expression of discipleship with the power to change how we understand and           live out our lives.

Seeking God's Presence

Stewardship calls us to seek God’s presence in each guest, in each stranger and in one another.

Communicating Enthusiasm

A good steward communicates enthusiasm.

Feast of the Annunciation of the Birth of the Lord to Mary

Stewardship is all-encompassing:  it provides a place for the simplest individual gesture of kindness as well as for a community working for peace and justice.

Stewardship of Property

Our stewardship of property calls us to receive God’s material gifts to us with gratitude and to share these gifts with people in need.

Stewardship as a Way of Life

FEAST OF ST. BENEDICT, FATHER OF WESTERN MONASTICISM

Stewardship is not simply making donations to take care of buildings and grounds; taking care             of the buildings and grounds and the environment we enjoy is a spirituality, a way of life.

Life as Stewardship

The way we live our life  is a stewardship; it makes a way for those who come after us:  a path of blessing, a path of beauty.

               

Good Stewards

Feast of St Joseph, the Husband of Mary

 

A good steward is one who works as partners with God in the redemption of the world.

Spirit of Accountability

Feast of St Cyril of Jerusalem, bishop/doctor of the Church

Stewardship calls us to stand before the Lord in a spirit of accountability.

 

Gratitude

Feast of St Patrick, bishop, apostle of Ireland

Stewardship calls us to receive the gifts of God with gratitude and to cultivate them responsibly.

 

Our Talents as Stewardship

Our talents are a stewardship:  God gave each of us specific talents so that we might share in His       plan in our own special way.

 

Health of Body as Stewardship

Health of body is a stewardship:  God gave us miraculous bodies to be treated with loving care and respect to accomplish His work on earth.

 

Health of Mind as Stewardship

Health of mind is a stewardship:  God gave us superior minds to be used to fullest capacity in discovering God’s plan, in understanding ourselves and others.

 

Time as Stewardship

Time itself is a stewardship:  we don’t know how much time we have on earth, but God expects  us to use the gift of time wisely on every activity throughout the day.

Life as Stewardship

Life itself is a stewardship.  God depends on us to use our lives to accomplish his purposes.

Feast of Sts Perpetua and Felicity, martyrs

 A good steward serves God out of love and gratitude for the gifts he has received knowing that         it is not how much he has that is important,  but what he does with what he has.

God has made each of us a steward and given us unique abilities and talents to use in His                 service.

Managing God's Affairs

Ash Wednesday  --  the first day of the Lenten season

 As stewards, we are the managers of the affairs of God on earth.

 

Life of Stewardship

Feast of St Casmir, Prince of Poland       

 

MARDI GRAS ….celebrate

 Every person is called to a life of stewardship—a life of reverence for each person, a reverence

  for each tool he uses, a reverence for the environment.

Stewardship

Feast of St Katherine Drexel, virgin

·         March – STEWARDSHIP

We commit ourselves to care lovingly for the persons and goods of this place.

Text:  “Regard all …as sacred vessels of the altar.” Rule of Benedict 31

Benedict's Simple Lifestyle

Benedict’s simple lifestyle  asks us to care for the goods of the earth, to revere one another, to eat and drink in moderation, to pray where we work, to think deeply about life every day, to read, to sleep well, to be content with what we have, to pray daily and to treasure community.

Living in Enough

In his Rule Benedict tells us we need enough food so that we are not hungry, enough clothing so that we are not cold, enough tools to get the job done, enough laughter to keep a pleasant attitude towards life, and enough correction to keep us on the right path.

 

Conversion and Growth

If we live the divine rhythm of prayer, work, study and leisure that God gives us we have time to deal with the broken places in our lives and come to recognize that we aren’t what we ought to be, not what we want to be, but thank God, we are not what we used to be.

 

Benefits to Living Simply

Living a simple lifestyle enables us to let go of a critical spirit, to let go of things we cannot change, to let go of resentments, of pride, of heaviness of heart that weighs us down.

 

Travelling Light

Living a simple lifestyle enables us to loosen our grip on material things; letting go of our stuff enables us to travel light, to leave  baggage we don’t need behind.

Letting Go

In some ways, living in moderation, in harmony and balance, is a process of letting go.

 

Slow Down

Benedict, in his Rule, asks us to slow down so we can be human as well as efficient, be loving as well as informed, be caring as well as knowledgeable, be happy as well as respected.

 

God-hungry Imagination

The human imagination hungers for substance, for meaning, for God.  Benedict’s simple lifestyle       provides the harmony and balance to feed our God-hungry imagination .

 

The human imagination hungers for substance, for meaning, for God.  Benedict’s simple lifestyle           

 

The Gift of the Present

The here and now, this present moment, is all we have to make something beautiful of our life for God; if we hurry through the present moment, we often squander the gift of the day.   

 

Living in Nature's Rhythms

Our left-brain dominant culture, always in a hurry, tricks us into believing there is never enough time for what we need to do, so we ignore nature’s slower rhythms and measure time in minutes and  seconds, burn the midnight oil rather than sleeping under the light of the moon, and begin to live into the worries and “what ifs” of tomorrow.

 

Giving Time

Living simply—a balanced life--affords us time to calm down, to breathe deeply and to discern our choices.

Leisure

We need times of leisure – times to ask forgiveness, to encourage others, to give us the grace to keep on going.

Doing Nothing

Every person’s day should contain time for “doing nothing” but enjoying the sights and sounds around us—the whistling wind, the birds’ songs,  the children playing, the colorful flowers, the sunset.

Being

Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes

Our lives get lopsided when we stuff them with too much activity; we get so packed down  with things to DO that we have no time to BE.

Restoring the Divine Image

Feast of St Scholastica, virgin  - sister of St Benedict

The invitation to enter into a life of prayer, work, study and leisure is a gift to restore the fullness of the divine image in which God has made us.

Living in Moderation

According to Benedict, all things—eating, drinking, sleeping, reading, working and praying—should be done in moderation; there should be something of everything and not too much of anything.

 

All-day, Everyday Living

This simple lifestyle requires an all-day, everyday living of all of life—work, study, prayer and leisure—in moderation and in balance.

Balanced Rhythm

The life of PRAYER—personal and communal—is holy;  STUDY—improving and enriching one’s knowledge is holy; WORK—on a job or at home—is holy; LEISURE—renewing of mind and body--is holy.  This whole balanced rhythm is holy.

 

Living in Enough

Benedictine spirituality calls us to strive to live in that “state of enough”—not too little, not too

much—a lifestyle with a rhythm of the four aspects of living:  prayer, study, work and leisure.

 

Simplicity and Balance of Life

February – SIMPLICITY & BALANCE OF LIFE

We commit ourselves to be faithful in finding God in the ordinary circumstances of our life.

Text:  “Benedict prescribed ‘nothing harsh, nothing burdensome’ for his followers.” Prologue, RB

 

Monday, February 3  Feasts of St Blaise, bishop & martyr; St Ansgar, bishop

The simplicity of the Benedictine lifestyle has a lot to do with living in a state of “enough.”  Benedict didn’t advocate living in a state of lacking, nor espouse living in excess, but rather living in a state of “enough,” a state of moderation.

Let the Children Come

Friday, January 31   Feast of St John Bosco, priest

            And Jesus said,” Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of     

             God belongs to such as these.”

 

Indifference

Thursday, January 30  in the 3^rd week of Ordinary Time

            The greatest evil in the world today is the terrible indifference we have to one another.