Thursday, September 26, 2019

Befriending Death


          Recently with increasing age and increasing disabilities I have been contemplating end of life issues at the behest of my primary doctor. Many know that Henri Nouwen and Thomas Merton have been my favorite companions for many years; likewise my spiritual director for 20 years Louis J. Lipps SJ who is currently enjoying his reward in heaven. My OSB Benedictine Monastery has also been rich in fertile ground for contemplation and spiritual enrichment through examples of holy women in their pursuit of holiness in becoming one with Jesus. Much of the following thoughts are coming from reviewing some of my past journaling.

          2 Cor.4:18 “ So fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”  It seems that one of the mysteries of life Is that memory may often bring us closer to each other than actual physical presence. Physical presence not only invites but can blocks communication. In our pre-resurrection state our bodies hide as much as they reveal, indeed, many of our conversations only touch on the periphery of our lives while ongoing sharing of deeper thoughts creates this closeness we seek. The more experience in living we have the more we sense that this continuous interplay between both memory and felt presence the closer we become within the body of Jesus Christ. Nouwen mentions times he has sat before the tabernacle for an hour of prayer and meditation which ends up not being a period of serious attentiveness to the divine.

         Mysteries but rather fatigue, distractions, inner restlessness confusion and sleepiness.
That describes my attempts to quiet meditation. However he/I still seek this that knowing That being in the Presence of the Lord and knowing that that He knows me and understands me is still fulfilling. God is truly greater than our/my senses, greater than my seemingly scattered thoughts, and definitely greater than my heart.

       I have become much more attuned to our daily recitation of the Divine Office which we pray
4x daily. Since retiring from work because of these noted disabilities I am not quite as distracted as previous. It is amazing how these psalms inspire us to voice our own deepest feelings and aspirations. Psalm 139 has become my go to psalm with its many lofty thoughts of God’s knowledge of all my thoughts and inability to hide from Him even if I flee to the heavens to get away.

        Happy befriending death.
                    Sr. Joan Gripshover, OSB



1 comment:

  1. Dear Sister thank you for these good thoughts thank God we live today and not yesterday -- what does the third millenium mean to our faith, now that the Lord put into our hands so many of the miracles that he performed in the holy gospels, and more miracles being achieved in the hospitals this very day? Push forward struggle forward into the height of age in this task, and gentle sleep to wake to heaven. Thank God for the kindness of good medicine today. Reading about the dawn of modern medicine and the lessons taught by the unacknowledged saint JK
    (who was admired and loved by JHN and GMH) how lucky we are today. What a battle they fought to reveal those foes, the bacilli of Tuberculosis and Leprosy which we have defeated in our modern lifetimes. Now the struggle is age and survival, and merging together our strength. Help us Lord in our struggles Amen. God bless OSB amen Merry Christmas soon.

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