Whom Do You Seek?

       Mary of Magdala comes to the tomb early on Easter morning.  She looks in
the tomb and she believes someone has taken the body of Jesus from the
tomb. Later she would meet Jesus in the garden and thinks he is the gardener until He speaks to her.  "Mary".
       In reflecting on this Easter Gospel account, I place myself in the sandals of Mary of Magdala and experience doubt and fear when I see the empty tomb.  Where and who has taken the body of Jesus?  I run to tell the apostles that He
is gone!  I go back to the garden later and meet Jesus and do not recognize Him, believing He is the gardener.  When Jesus speaks, I recognize Him.
       There is a sense of overwhelming joy and excitement!
       In our day, we also go to the tomb on Easter morning. We know that Jesus is risen and we find an empty tomb. At Easter Eucharist we read the Gospel account of the Resurrection and we meet the risen Christ sacramentally in the Eucharist. We too experience joy and peace in His presence. He sends us forth at the end of Mass to experience His risen life in all who we meet.
      We are called to bring Christ to others and called to receive the risen Christ in those we meet.
       Yes!  Christ is truly risen and we rejoice and will one day experience Him fully in eternity. Happy Easter!

                    Sr. Barbara Woeste, OSB

Transforming Power of Forgiveness

              As the culmination of this Lenten season draws near, what have you found that brings you hope, restores peace of heart, renews your energy? Or what keeps you starting over, persevering, keeping faith?   

             When I reflect upon the Lenten Scriptures, the transforming power of forgiveness jumps out at me. The woman at the well, the prodigal son, Peter in the courtyard…  Forgiving oneself and forgiving others is no easy task. Only God’s grace can give us the strength and the trust to do either. Our more frequent failures can attune us to possibly needed changes in our attitudes. Sometimes, though, we can only pray to begin a heart-changing process. Sometimes, this takes years. What The Rule (of Benedict) makes clear is that forgiveness is not a bolt of lightning, but a slow, steady slog through sand.*

            As we look forward to this Palm Sunday and the sacred days of Holy Week, let us remember the loving embrace of the father, the woman’s restored dignity, and Peter’s denial -conversion.  Let us pray to be open to receiving this graced gift of forgiveness and to passing it on to another – living or deceased.

                Sr. Sharon Portwood, OSB

                                                                   *How To Live by Judith Valente c 2018

Benefits of Group Lectio

       A short time before Lent, a note on the bulletin board gave us the opportunity to join a prayer group to reflect on each Lenten Sunday Gospel if we so desired. Names of sisters who were willing to lead a group were also provided. I was delighted to put my name under one of the leaders as my past experience in such groups has been grace-filled.

       On Saturday, March 30, the group I joined met for our 4^thtime to reflect on Luke’s  story of the prodigal son. On this particular Saturday I felt worn out and edgy over how I would meet two other commitments due soon. God graced me to choose to attend the group—always a blessing.

       You may well be familiar with the format that is frequently used for group“lectio divina” (“holy” or “sacred reading.”) A group member reads aloud the gospel, and each one present listens for a word or phrase that particularly strikes him/her. That word or phrase is then shared aloud. The phrase that touched me was “The Father was filled with compassion.”  

       Someone then reads the gospel for a second time and each member shares more about the feeling, image or thoughts she/he experienced regarding his/her chosen word or phrase. I shared that the phrase, “The Father was filled with Compassion,” seemed to wash over me and calm my tiredness and anxieties regarding my other commitments.

       After all have shared the gospel is read a third time and individuals share what the chosen word or phrase is calling him/her to do during the following week. Each member then prayed for the sister on her left and it was time to attend the community’s communal evening prayer at 5 PM. I made sure to remember to let “my” phrase wash over me and soothe me throughout the coming week.

       Every Lent and Easter season Sr. Mary Tewes leads a weekly evening  lectio group here at the monastery and invites lay people to attend. If you would like to come, just give Sr. Mary a call to have a seat ready for you.

Sr. Victoria Eisenman, OSB