The Longest Night

 

As I write this on December 21, we are officially 9 minutes away from the winter solstice occurring at 10:58 a.m. EST. The shortest day and the longest night. On Wednesday, December 22, the people will–as they have for thousands of years–be celebrating the solstice at Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England. This monument was constructed around 4500 years ago, likely by farmers and herders. Ancient cultures built such structures to align with the sun at specific times, some performing sacred rituals at sunset each day to ensure its return the next day.

 According to a Newsweek article, “When people talk about the winter solstice they are often referring to an entire day. But technically this astronomical event occurs at a specific moment in time—the point in the year when the Earth's North Pole is pointing farthest away from the sun. The solstice marks the shortest day of the year and the beginning of astronomical winter in the Northern Hemisphere. The day on which the December solstice occurs in the Northern Hemisphere has the fewest daylight hours and the longest night.”

How appropriate that this takes place during our Advent, our season of waiting. During Advent we quickly approach the darkest night of the year. Our days are shorter and colder. This is part of a cycle that repeats year after year, age after age. Pre-Christian peoples associated this natural phenomenon with their religious beliefs. They experienced the disappearance of the sun as a loss of life. Yet, they had rituals to lure back life and hope. Nature and mystery were combined. They seemed to suffer from, what we call, separation anxiety. They longed for light and life. They thought ritual observances would restore their precious sun. Their solution was to bring all ordinary action and daily routine to a halt. 

We do experience a loss of light, perhaps even a feeling of separation during the season of Advent. Yet, we, like our ancient ancestors, have customs and rituals that symbolize our longing for Christ, our Light. At evening prayer on December 17, we chanted the first antiphon of a seven-day series. These O Antiphons are to be sung at the Magnificat on the seven days before the vigil of Christmas. As our natural world waits in stillness for a brighter dawn, our own anticipation and longing grows as even our liturgy pleads to our Savior with the cry “Come!” The fifth antiphon is addressed to the Morning Star. It falls on December 21, the darkest day of the year. “O Morning Star (Zech 6:12), brightness of eternal light (Heb 1:3) and Sun of Justice (Mal 4:2), come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.”

We long for the splendor of Christmas. The excitement is palpable. Decorations are in place, special cookies are made, gifts are ready (for the most part!). We are ready. Today marks the first day of winter in the world. But, for Christians, winter is over. The time for love has come. 

Merry Christmas! --Sr. Eileen O'Connell, OSB

P.S. On a personal note, I was lucky enough to visit Stonehenge several years ago. It is fascinating and does not disappoint! To learn more about Stongehenge or to view the sunrise earlier this morning, visit this website: English Heritage Stonehenge

There Is Room in the Inn!

 

With all the refugee families coming from Afghanistan, we made it known to the refugee agencies that we had space available to house one or two families, depending on their size.  St. Joseph House, the three-story house next to the monastery building has plenty of room.  There is a fully equipped kitchen, dining room and two living rooms on the first floor.  There are 8 bedrooms on the second and third floors.  It is ideal for housing a family rather than individuals

    We were anticipating the arrival of some folks.  In the meantime, Sr. Nancy and several members of the community readied the house with new bedspreads, linens and other supplies. We also filled their grocery needs from a list of foods proper to their Muslim tradition. 

A family of six arrived today: Mom, Dad, three girls and one boy, ages 1 to 8. They are getting settled. None of them speaks English so it will be a major adjustment for them. The Kentucky Refugee Ministries is providing support and volunteers to help them adjust to their new life. We are happy to offer them a safe place to live.

     In the Holy Rule, St. Benedict has much to say about the Reception of Guests in Ch.43: “Any guest who happens to arrive at the monastery should be received just as we would receive Christ himself, because he promised that on the last day we will say:  I was a stranger and you welcomed me. (vs. 1) The greatest care should be taken to give a warm reception to the poor and refugees, because in them above all others that Christ is welcomed. (vs. 4) One God-fearing member of the community should be put in charge of the accommodation for the guests, which should be furnished with sufficient beds and bedding, for this is the house of God and it should always be wisely administered by those who also are wise themselves.” (vs. 6)

A reading from the Golden Legend on Joachim and Anna

 

On the Feast of the Immaculate Conception I thought it fitting to remember a story of Joachim and Anna, Mary’s parents—it’s an Annunciation story. A reading from the Golden Legend on Joachim and Anna Saint Jerome relates that Joachim, who was of Galilee and of the town of Nazareth, took for his wife Anna of Bethlehem. Both were just, and walked without reproach in all the commandments of the Lord. They divided all their substance in three parts, allotting one part to the Temple and its ministers, and another to the poor and the pilgrims, reserving the third part to themselves and the uses of their household. Thus they lived for twenty years, and had no issue of their wedlock; and they made a vow to the lord that if He granted them offspring, they would dedicate them to the service of God. For this they went to Jerusalem to celebrate the three principal feasts of each year. And once, when Joachim and his kinsmen went up to Jerusalem at the Feast of the Dedication, he approached the altar with them, in order to offer his sacrifice. A priest saw him, and angrily drove him away, upbraiding him for daring to draw near the altar of God, and calling it unseemly that that a childless man, who gave no increase to the people of God, should stand among men who bore sons. At this Joachim was covered with confusion, and was ashamed to return to his home, lest he have to bear the contempt of his kindred, who had heard all. But one day when he was alone, an angel appeared to him, surrounded by dazzling light. He was frightened at the vision, but the angel bade him be without fear, saying: "I, the Lord's angel, am sent to announce to you that your prayers are granted. I have seen your shame, and heard the reproach of barrenness wrongfully cast upon you. For God indeed punishes not nature, but sin; and therefore, when He closes a womb, it is only that He may later open it more wondrously. Did not Sara, the first mother of your race, bear the shame of barrenness until her ninetieth year, and yet bear Isaac, to whom was promised the blessing of all nations? Did not Rachel also long remain barren, and yet beget Joseph, who was the ruler of all of Egypt? Who was stronger than Samson or holier than Samuel? Yet both of these were the sons of barren mothers!  Thus Anna thy wife will bear a daughter, and you shall call her name Mary. In accordance with your vow, she shall be consecrated to the Lord from her infancy, and shall be filled with the Holy Spirit from her mother's womb. And as she will be born of a barren mother, so will she herself, in wondrous wise, beget the Son of the Most High. Whose name will be called Jesus, and through Whom salvation will come to all nations! And this will be a sign to you: when thou shall come to the Gold Gate of Jerusalem, Anna your wife will meet you there, who now grieves at your absence and will rejoice to see you!" And with these words the angel left him. Meanwhile Anna wept bitterly, not knowing where her husband had gone. Then the same angel appeared to her, and revealed to her the same things which he had announced to Joachim, adding that as a sign she was to go to the Golden Gate of Jerusalem, to meet her husband at his return. Thus it was, following the angel's command, they came face to face at the Golden Gate and shared their joy over the vision which they had both seen, and over the certainty that they were to have offspring. Then they adored God and set out for their home, awaiting the Lord's promise in gladness of heart.  Sr. Deborah Harmeling, OSB

Are You Ready?

 Am I ready? From December 1st until the 31st or from the beginning of Advent until Christmas Day many of us seem to be assessing our preparedness for holiday observances. There may be shopping and gift wrapping involved; there may be card writing, phone calling, reservation making, cookie baking, and visiting on our “to do” lists. And, of course no preparation is complete with taking the time and energy to rest and reflect on why we do what we do.  

Our First Sunday of Advent Scriptures shout to us, “the days of fulfillment are at hand”. There is a sense of the cycle of life embedded in this message. A season is ending; another anticipated – just like in the garden where the annuals have died and need to be taken out and the daffodils and other bulbs planted for spring. As in the garden, the preparatory transition will go better with gentleness and patience. If you are like me, you get focused on what needs to be done and lose the spirit of the season. So perhaps the invitation here is to be alert to opportunities to be kind and to be thoughtful of others, so that our festivities at Christmas and other holidays will truly be what we intend for them to be, celebrations of love and bringing “the whole family” together, in spirit if not physically.



This year, especially, as the threat of Covid continues to haunt us, we are reminded to respect the needs and choices of others. Indeed, family members and friends may be at a distance geographically, but are kept near in our hearts. Likewise, the serious divisions within our society are in need of our acceptance and healing. The promise of Messianic fulfillment is the Reign of Justice and Peace. Let us be ready for the coming of the Lord first of all by fixing our hearts on this and then directing our hope, love and caring outward from ourselves to all of creation. Come, Lord Jesus Christ! -- Sr. Dorothy Schuette, OSB

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is always, well usually, a very pretty time of year in northern KY. Today, The sky is bright blue; the air is close to 40; leaves, though nearly gone, have a bit of color. Best of all, I just saw, for the first time, a hawk sitting in the grass finishing off lunch. Usually, I see them in the air looking for prey.

Thanksgiving is also a time when I remember my parents who were married on this date in St. Bernard's Abbey Church in Cullman, AL. On that day, the abbot told them "to send one back." I am grateful I'm the one who entered this community of Benedictine women. I've never regretted that decision.

May each of you have a very happy Thanksgiving as you gather with family and friends.

Sr. Mary Catherine Wenstrup

Christ the King Ends the Liturgical Year

 1925 Feast has Local Connection

The feast we celebrate on Sunday, instituted in 1925 by Pope Pius XI, was born from a desire to combat the secularism and nationalism of the times. One year later the pope gave his consent to the first church to use the title, Our Lord Christ the King Church in Mt. Lookout, Cincinnati, then operating out of a pharmacy. The church was constructed in 1927; the parish thrives today.

Novena for Religious Liberty: US Bishops

The US bishops urge Catholics to pray a novena for religious liberty preparatory to the feast of Christ the King. Half of the world’s population live in countries where religious freedom is under attack. Hate crimes with a religious bias, vandalism of places of worship and religious symbols, and violence against believers of all faiths are increasing. Below are a few of the intercessions the USCCB website suggests: 

• May God give us the grace to remember the dignity of all people.

• May governments respect the consciences of all people who care for the sick and vulnerable.

• May Christians in the Middle East be free to live in peace.

• May the freedom of the Chinese Church and the rights of all religious minorities in China be respected.

• May all Christians serve Christ the King and bear witness to his reign. 

In such manner, let us pray together.

Sr. Christa Kreinbrink, OSB

Habits

Have you ever thought about the role of habits or routine in your life? Some of us are more habitual than others, but I think everyone is to some extent. It could be as simple as how you comb your hair, use a phone, or feed the dog.

Habits can make life easier and more comfortable because they eliminate hundreds of minute decisions every day. On the other hand, habits can be detrimental. Author Samuel Beckett says “Habit is a great deadener.” I can see how at times this could be true because judgments and creativity aren’t often tapped when habit already has the plan laid out.

Habits or routine can also make us blind or deaf. If we are sure we know what is going to happen or what someone is going to say, we don’t expect anything other than what is already in our own head. As Jean Cocteau said, habits keep things covered and prevent us from seeing. In fact, they can lock us into routines that become semi-rules we expect for ourselves or others and prevent something new from ruffling our expectations.

These thoughts about habit are not exactly theological language, but God’s life-giving actions don’t follow the rules that we humans create for ourselves. In fact, God breaks rules a lot.  Have you ever noticed how many times the OT prophets did irrational things following God’s commands? One strange story has Jeremiah buying new underwear then burying it so it would rot. (Jer. 13:1-11) Then, in the New Testament, Jesus’ life was one unexpected action after another, beginning with a virgin as mother. Time after time he broke with the expectations of religious leaders and his own apostles. In the end he broke out of the box of a tomb. All of this was the surprising work of God.

These scripture stories tell us God’s ways are not ours, but we often unconsciously act as though the divine will and our will is the same. We forget or ignore the fact that the God of surprises is beyond our grasp. This situation should make us more attuned to not letting our habits get the upper hand in our daily lives. As St. Augustine said, “Habit, if not resisted, soon becomes necessity.”

Where does this meandering leave my thinking? I need to continue to give time to reflection about God’s value system and the way Jesus exemplified them; I need to pay more attention to the people around me and how God loves them; when I pray, even for the end of horrible things, I need to remember that God has shown us many times if we pay attention, that good can emerge from evil. The crucifix is our perpetual reminder of this.--Sr. Colleen Winston, OSB 

New Beginnings

Every year when September 8 comes around I remember the first day that I came to the monastery, the feast of Mary's birthday. There were four others who came that day, so we joined a class that already had two who came in June, and five others who had entered August 15. The next week on Sept. 15, another feast of Mary, three more postulants arrived. We were a class of fifteen, the largest group to enter in one year in our community! Those were the days when religious vocations flourished. Our group filled the entire Communion railing in our chapel.

I remember my mother fighting tears that day, telling me that she felt a promise she had made to our Blessed Mother on December 8  before she was married, had been fulfilled. I kissed her Good-bye, together with Daddy, and my younger brothers and sisters. (I was the first of ten children born our family.)

I remember the feeling I had when we came into the chapel, with the Blessed Sacrament exposed, and began to join in the Latin chant of the Sisters. I thought, "This is it! I am going to be here forever and ever!" I was so happy that day.

It was the beginning of a new life for us postulants! I soon began to feel at home with all the Sisters who had taught me in grade school and high school who were still living.  I was part of them!

On the following March 21, ten of us fifteen postulants who had persevered became novices, in a beautiful ceremony. We were dressed as brides and given a new name along with the white veil and habit of a Benedictine Sister. We no longer use this symbolism in the reception for new novices, but I am so glad that it was there for me. It sealed my relationship with Christ, which has strengthened  my perseverance and stability in the seventy years that have followed. In the 60’s and 70’s I grieved as my classmates were leaving, and  was constantly asking myself, “Why am I still here?” There were only two of us remaining  to celebrate silver and golden jubilees; then Sr. Marilyn died, so I remain, the only one of that class.

But over all those years, new beginnings kept occurring: my first profession and the teaching career that lasted fifty years in several parishes and our academy as well as serving as organist and choir director throughout Vatican II and all the changes in the liturgy and its music, and in religious life itself.   

Opportunities to study at CUA in Washington, D.C., Cuernavaca in Mexico, and Vienna in Austria, as well as a Benedictine Renewal program in Rome gave me a global perspective that enrich my teaching  and my life. I have been so blessed!

In this past year of the pandemic, I began to make new adjustments such as teaching piano students with Zoom, and the reality of retirement and aging.

What plan does the Lord have for me now? I keep my thinking positive: the best is yet to come!                  Sr. Mary Carol Hellmann

Discovering My Dramatic Roots

During the past six months I have discovered Henry Louis Gates’ show on PBS, Discovering Your Roots. The show not only introduced me to the scholar, Henry Louis Gates, but also made me interested in genealogy for which I never had much interest. On the show Gates, with his staff of back-up researchers, talks with some celebrity guests about their ancestors and their interesting experience. Gates usually finds that with African-American celebrities, their ancestors were affected by slavery and with immigrant ancestors, theirs lives were affected by the Holocaust. There are usually surprising and dramatic finds in people’s pasts.

When I had a chance for a 14-day trial on Ancestry.com, I thought I would look at my roots. I expected them to be interesting but not surprising or dramatic. And what did I find? My grandfather killed a man was tried for murder!

It took place in a small town in Eastern Kentucky. Newspaper articles at the time quoted witnesses. On June 16, 1913, my grandfather confronted a wealthy business owner whose sheep had gotten on to my grandfather’s farm and trampled and ate some corn. My grandfather (who was a tenant farmer of the sheep owner) demanded damages but the sheep owner thought the demand was too high and offered a lower fee. The story according to witnesses is that after some sharp words, my grandfather pulled out a knife and stabbed the sheep owner twice. My grandfather then fled. He was apprehended two weeks later and declared he was defending himself even though most witnesses said it looked as if he stabbed the sheep owner deliberately.

My grandfather was tried for murder in court December 5, 1913 and was acquitted on the grounds of self-defense. It isn’t clear when my grandfather moved to Michigan but it must have been shortly after he was acquitted. He was also a farm laborer in Michigan and on December 2, 1917, at the age of 34, he died of a skull fracture in a farm accident. A local newspaper in Michigan said “he was a most industrious young man and well liked by all who knew him. The family moved here from Kentucky and lived in the village a few months but worked most of the time as farm tenants.”

After I had gotten over the shock of finding a dramatic and sad story about my grandfather, I decided that all I could do about it was offer him and other family members up to God’s mercy. He was a poor farmer whose future was not hopeful. If he had lived, he probably would have been a tenant farmer all his life. After his death, my grandmother moved back to Eastern Kentucky. The story of my grandfather’s stabbing and killing another man was a family secret which I had never heard. Telling the story now reminds me how blessed I have been and a large part of that blessing was my grandfather.

Gleanings

 

This year I started a new job here at our monastery. I became the gardener for the interior patio. I expected to like the work. I had helped Sr. Mariana for a couple of seasons beforehand and still depend upon her wisdom and experience for advice and methods. But I had never seriously planted anything much before, at least anything that actually grew up to be something. So now as I see the abundance of color and lots of foliage, I am amazed and proud.

 

It’s rewarding to hear the Sisters talk about how much the beauty of the garden lifts their spirits. We certainly have had limited opportunities for “new growth” of any kind during this year and a-half of Covid-induced isolation. Those who keep an eye on things in the patio discover something new everyday: an emerging tiny bud, an expanding blossom, visiting birds and butterflies, greenery that exceeds all expectations and some plants that are already completing one phase of their life cycle for the year, providing us with a metaphor for the Paschal Mystery.

 

The garden has taught me. (Mostly about the weeding needed in life.) I offer the following verse as an example of nature’s lessons that make me smile:

 

Yesterday's Blossoms

     have turned to brown.

I would have preferred them to keep

so that every flower

     might be glorious together.

But that is not the way.

And so, I treasure

     each

     in turn.

 

May the Spirit of God in me reflect the beauty and wisdom of this day!

How Does Your Garden Grow?

 

Until I did a bit of research on the title of this blog, I only knew it as a line from an English nursery rhyme. I had no real idea of its history, but it is interesting if you are curious. I only intended to write something about the pleasure I get from our small community garden!

One theory is that the bells represent the Sanctus bells at Eucharist. Another is that the cockleshells are the badges of the pilgrims to the shrine of St. James in Spain. A third is that the bells referred to Mary, the first, of England who could not bear children. Wikipedia can provide more info if you are curious.

Our garden is rather small and enclosed by a wire fence that keeps the deer from eating whatever each prefers. We have tomato plants, basil for making pesto, cucumbers to turn in pickles and the inevitable weeds. Best of all, it gets me outside during the day and evening!

"Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary"

Mary, Mary quite contrary

How does your garden grow?

With silver bells and cockleshells

And pretty maids all in a row.  

“

Having Faith in an Assumption

         We are counseled not to make assumptions about people. How is it then that one of the solemnities of the church goes by that very name, and is in itself an assumption?

        In 1946 Pope Pius XII gathered petitions received in the preceding 100 years about the Assumption of Mary, and then surveyed the bishops:

Do you, in your outstanding wisdom and prudence, judge that the bodily assumption of 
[Mary] can be proposed and defined as a dogma of faith? Do you, with your clergy and 
people, desire it?

It took until 1950 for the Assumption to be declared and defined as dogma. I was surprised to read that the pope had consulted so widely. A common practice in community life, but in the church in the 40’s and 50’s? Perhaps I am revealing my ignorance of hierarchical procedures.

The roots of the feast can be traced to the faith of the eastern church in Jerusalem. The feast was called the Dormition, or the falling asleep of Mary. Although there were no witnesses, no scriptural record, the Assumption became a commonly accepted belief. Within the biblical tradition, holy and unique individuals (like Elijah and Enoch) were taken bodily to heaven. Making this assumption about Mary has precedent in the church’s tradition.

        Germanus of Constantinople, reflecting the faith of the eastern church of the 7th-8th centuries, addresses Mary directly:

        Since you are the Mother of God, it was appropriate that you accept a death that was like sleep, undergo a translation like an awakening. It is fitting that you should be restored to the companionship of your Son.

        And in the 21st century, Pope John Paul II quoted the gospel of John as a scriptural basis for understanding the dogma of the Assumption:

        
        If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to myself, that where I am, you may be there also.

Sr. Christa Kreinbrink, OSB

 

A Seat of Solace

 

    Recently the old rocking chair in my room with a wayward spring was replaced by a new rocker. As I looked at different styles I thought about the wooden rocker at my parent’s house, the glider in the community room, even the rocking chairs while waiting to get into Cracker Barrell. I thought about replacing the old rocker with a different type of chair but came back again and again to the wooden legs and rhythm of rocking back and forth.

     Rocking chairs have long been a refuge in my life through different homes and circumstances. The soothing rhythm slows my breathing and grounds me.  Rocking chairs remind me of conversations in the living rooms of friends or talking on porches into the twilight hours. Rockers provided seats of healing following surgery or recovery from illness.
            

Since I’ve been working from home due to the pandemic I often pray in the morning from my rocker, a hot cup of coffee close at hand.  It is where I bring to God my gratitude, my searching and all which plays and sometimes weighs heavy upon my heart.  My prayer recently is messy and often bears petitions and questions which are not quickly resolved. Even in the mess, I rock and I’m soothed, my trust reinforced that God is there listening and at work in ways I cannot yet imagine.
      
        We each need a space to go where we can find solace and grounding. That space often comes to represent something much bigger and broader than the physical space we dwell.  It is where we meet God, ourselves and come to attempt to make sense of the wild, wonderful and often perplexing world in which we live. It is also a space where we connect with others through laughter, stories, and musings that weave into the conversation of friends.  I am grateful for the many rocking chairs through the years which have provided solace and connection to others. I encourage you take a moment to visit or appreciate the seats of solace you find in your life which bring you grounding and connection.  Blessings!

                    Sr. Kimberly Porter, OSB

A model for tribute, prayer and process

     

I attended a funeral recently that was introduced with a tribute written by one of the daughters of a man who was 93. He had recently suffered a major stroke.  She was inspired to write this as she sat with him one night. With her permission I share part of it.

I never saw my father dying

Instead I saw a family tirelessly

caring for a father they adored.

I never saw my father dying

Instead I saw respect and admiration

from friends whose lives he enriched.

. . . I never saw my father dying

Instead I saw Love.

Such a beautiful tribute! I have reflected on it often.  I love the content and the format resonated with me. It is a beautiful way to live with difficult situations, to process encounters of significance,  and to inspire prayer.  With  gratitude and humility, I offer a few  examples.

Connecting with the news

I do not see the pile of debris in the Florida building collapse.

Instead I see lives lost and dreams shattered.

I do not see the pile of debris in the Florida building collapse.

Instead I see the dedication and jeopardy of first responders and  generous citizens.

I do not see the pile of debris in the Florida building collapse.

Instead I see a mayor who cares and a country holding its breath.  . . .

Perhaps a remedy for negative judgement

I never saw her outburst of anger.

Instead I saw a frustrated, overworked, unsupported woman. 

I never saw her outburst of anger.

Instead I saw a woman doing her best to love her children.  . . .. .

Grateful for our natural world.

I do not see the brown ends of tree branches.

Instead I see Nature producing new life for those pesky little cicadas .

I do not see the brown ends of tree branches.

Instead I see relief from noise and freedom from discarded body parts.  . . .

May you likewise be inspired.

                Sr. Mary Rabe, OSB

The Blessings of Routine

 

    Sometimes I’m really grateful for routine. Special event, guests for dinner, change in schedule, a celebration, all so welcome at the time. Later I am happy to have done something different, and also glad it’s over.

    Travel carries with it an illusion of freedom. Freedom from normal responsibilities, the ability to do what you want when you want. Or so you think. But what will you do and when will you do it? How will you each show hospitality to the other’s preference?

It is a revelation to learn from yourself and others that vacationing calls for creating routines. It is a relief to do “what we usually do” at least part of the time. St. Benedict advises moderation. Is the key a balance of routine and “specials”?

            St. Aelred of Rievaulx gives practical advice on dealing with routine in his Rule for Recluses:

 

Make use of the psalms as long as you find them helpful.

When they begin to be burdensome, turn to reading;

            as soon as that wearies you, give yourself to prayer.

When you are tired of all these exercises, go to work.

Thus by a healthy alternation

            you will refresh your spirit and drive off weariness. 

How often have you heard from friends returning from work or fun trips, “It was great, and I’m glad to be back home.” Would that we each can find that healthy alternation, the usual patterns in our good life that root us, and the special occasions that refresh the spirit.

                Sr. Christa Kreinbrink, OSB

 

 

Habits

Have you ever thought about the role of habits or routine in your life? Some of us are more habitual than others, but I think everyone is to some extent. It could be as simple as how you comb your hair, use a phone, or feed the dog.

Habits can make life easier and more comfortable because they eliminate hundreds of minute decisions every day. On the other hand, habits can be detrimental. Author Samuel Beckett says “Habit is a great deadener.” I can see how at times this could be true because judgments and creativity aren’t often tapped when habit already has the plan laid out.

Habits or routine can also make us blind or deaf. If we are sure we know what is going to happen or what someone is going to say, we don’t expect anything other than what is already in our own head. As Jean Cocteau said, habits keep things covered and prevent us from seeing. In fact, they can lock us into routines that become semi-rules we expect for ourselves or others and prevent something new from ruffling our expectations.

These thoughts about habit are not exactly theological language, but God’s life-giving actions don’t follow the rules that we humans create for ourselves. In fact, God breaks rules a lot.  Have you ever noticed how many times the OT prophets did irrational things following God’s commands? One strange story has Jeremiah buying new underwear then burying it so it would rot. (Jer. 13:1-11) Then, in the New Testament, Jesus’ life was one unexpected action after another, beginning with a virgin as mother. Time after time he broke with the expectations of religious leaders and his own apostles. In the end he broke out of the box of a tomb. All of this was the surprising work of God.

These scripture stories tell us God’s ways are not ours, but we often unconsciously act as though the divine will and our will is the same. We forget or ignore the fact that the God of surprises is beyond our grasp. This situation should make us more attuned to not letting our habits get the upper hand in our daily lives. As St. Augustine said, “Habit, if not resisted, soon becomes necessity.”

Where does this meandering leave my thinking? I need to continue to give time to reflection about God’s value system and the way Jesus exemplified them; I need to pay more attention to the people around me and how God loves them; when I pray, even for the end of horrible things, I need to remember that God has shown us many times if we pay attention, that good can emerge from evil. The crucifix is our perpetual reminder of this.--Sr. Colleen Winston, OSB

The mystery unfolds gradually

 

    This Sunday’s readings of the cedar tree from Ezekiel, which when cut down and planted on the heights, then withers, still blooms again, and Mark’s parable of the mustard seed, too small, but grows big enough for the birds of the air to build their nests in its branches, stirred many stories for me. 

    I grew up in a family of farmers.  Dad’s father dreamt of having a farm early in his life, starting the poultry business in his yard and basement immediately after marriage, and became an avid flower and vegetable gardener as well.  Mother’s dad started a farm early on with cows, pigs and large fields of hay to cut and bail.  We all learnt the importance of patience and waiting for the crops and animals to grow and become productive, and then we worked together to prepare them and move them to the customers.

    First of all, todays date, June 16, was a very special day in the life of my family.  It was 112 years ago today that my TEWES grandparents got married, then 85 years ago so did my parents, then, 76 years ago one aunt, and 72 years ago the other of dad’s sisters.  So, this was a day when the TEWES clan celebrated.  We all gathered for Mass, as my mother had organized, then to our farm for a family photo and a big picnic dinner, complete with mother’s fried chicken.  Every year the photo got larger and larger.  If we were still able to meet that would include some 425 persons today.  (My mother’s family would be another whole story.)  Notice how long it took for that large family tree to grow, and is still growing.

    In 1937 our monastery building was completed.  And 8 young oak trees were planted in the front yard.  Over these many years they grew to be very tall sturdy oaks, weathered many storms, and finally became too unsafe to walk or park under.  So, 82 years later they were taken down leaving a whole in our hearts as well as in the view of our monastery.  By Dec. 7, 2019 a grove of 18 young trees were planted to fill up the front yard.  They are a joy to watch day after day.

    There are moments when we are powerless to do anything more than plant whatever seed we have, then go on, sleeping and rising, night and day.

    Mary M. McGlone reminds us that “as we enter into these summer months, hoping that this is the end of COVID-19, the liturgy invites us to imitate the farmer of Jesus’ parable and watch for the wonders God is working - hidden in plain sight.  We can no more predict what the harvest will be than we can cause its growth.  This is how it is with the kingdom of God.”   We are confident and full of hope, for the reign is not just our project – it is God’s.  As Ezekiel says with such power; “As I, the Holy One, have spoken, so will I do.”  But it is our project too, God creating in and through us.  So, we need to nurture and support one another, to accept our own gifts, to live the Gospel as faithful community.  Our ordinary lives of love, joy, patience, goodness, gentleness – make a difference!  So, we can say, “We will do it!”

                 
  Sr. Mary Tewes, OSB

Anti-Racism

 Anti-Racism: A Benedictine Concern

            The recent national observance of the 100^th year marker on June 1^st of the Tulsa Race Massacre and my current awareness of the upcoming celebration of Juneteenth (June 19^th) woke me to the question, “How is this my concern?”

            The responses to this question have been developing throughout my whole life. My parents raised me to respect all people regardless of color or creed. (Ageism and sexism were not “on the table” in those days.) Mother’s consistent emphasis that black people were treat
ed unfairly, and often with malice, influenced my life-long thinking, study and real-life observations and interactions with and about people of color.

            In the Rule of St. Benedict which governs our life here at St. Walburg Monastery, we discover that this 6^th Century author was sensitive to the social factors that keep people from becoming family to each other. He specified that there shall be no distinction between high-born and low-born monastics. All follow the same schedule, all wear the clothing and use the tools provided by the monastery and call each other brother/sister. This wisdom for the ages has been faithfully passed down to us to practice in our varying circumstances across the world. In fact, the solidarity of Benedictine Communities around the world witnesses to the equality we experience throughout our global family.

            Personally, I am honored to be trusted as an ally by a number of people of color whom I have encountered through my ministries over the years. I recognize that there are bridges yet to be built. And I welcome those opportunities to develop additional multi-cultural relationships that are in God’s Providence for me and my community.

            In solidarity with these friends and potential friends, I mourn the injustice and cruelties inflicted especially upon black people in the past and which are still in the hearts of so many. And I pray that God may remove the stones of fear, anger and vengeance for all who maintain the wall of separation.

 

https://www.history.com/topics/roaring-twenties/tulsa-race-massacre https://www.history.com/news/what-is-juneteenth

 

Sr. Dorothy Schuette, OSB

Remembering Those Who Serve

 

As I write this on Tuesday morning, we as a nation just celebrated Memorial Day weekend. Here at the monastery, we also buried the remains of Srs. Charles, Rita, and Margaret Mary in our cemetery. While they did not die serving in the Armed Forces, it seemed an appropriate weekend.

 

The Civil War, which ended in the spring of 1865, claimed more lives than any conflict in U.S. history and required the establishment of the country’s first national cemeteries. By the late 1860s, Americans in various towns and cities had begun holding springtime tributes to these countless fallen soldiers, decorating their graves with flowers and reciting prayers. It is unclear where exactly this tradition originated; numerous different communities may have independently initiated the memorial gatherings. On May 5, 1868, General John A. Logan, leader of an organization for Northern Civil War veterans, called for a nationwide day of remembrance later that month. “The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land,” he proclaimed. The date of Decoration Day, as he called it, was chosen because it wasn’t the anniversary of any particular battle.

 

Memorial Day, as Decoration Day gradually came to be known, originally honored only those lost while fighting in the Civil War. But during World War I the United States found itself embroiled in another major conflict, and the holiday evolved to commemorate American military personnel who died in all wars, including World War II, The Vietnam War, The Korean War and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/memorial-day-history).

 

This weekend I  honored and prayed for those who have gone before us, our Sisters, but also those who gave their lives in defense of freedom. I also remember that with that freedom comes great responsibility. St. Benedict tells us in the prologue to his Rule, “If you desire true and eternal life, let peace be your quest and aim.” We now carry the torch. As we hold it high, may it light the way to peace.

 

“In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae

 

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

 

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

 

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

Sr. Eileen O'Connell