Covid-19 and the Paschal Mystery

       Have we ever had such a challenge to our belief in our own survival as we have now in this perhaps early stage of the Covid-19 Virus pandemic? We are reminded, especially during Lent, of the Israelites setting out through the desert without water or provisions to last more than a few days.   “there was no water for the people to drink, and so they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses replied to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the LORD to a test…saying, “Is the LORD in our midst or not?” Exodus 17:2-7

       Water means life; it reverses the course headed for death. That fact is emphasized in our Easter Sacrament of Baptism as we recall the saving action of God providing for the Israelites in First Covenant Faith and the saving action of Jesus who sealed the New Covenant with blood and water flowing from his side.

       We are in the draught of this pandemic. Our faith is challenged as we hold onto the belief that God is with us. A belief that does not have even a foggy vision on the horizon on how the drama unfolds or how it will end. Belief that is totally and frighteningly open to affirming that God is with us and will be with us no matter what happens, even the worst-case scenario. Belief that God is good; Creation is good. I can endure when I know positively that I am held in love by my Creator. Paschal Faith means that death is the door to life. Death of the fulfillment of my wants, even of my needs. (Not just the “bad stuff”, but potentially everything that seems to define who I am is on the chopping block. Think tornado.) We might find ourselves crying out with the Israelites of old, “Is the Lord in our midst or not?”

       During this Holy Week, we walk with Jesus as he dealt with this in is own life. “Why”, he might have asked the Father, “didn’t you make them listen to me? How could those who claim to be your ministers of the faith reject me so completely? Why did you harden their hearts and close their minds? Where were you when I brought them your message of love? When I showed them the beauty, joy and holiness in life?”  Did Jesus’ questions die on his lips as he hung on the cross? Or shall we find in our scripture, that ray of hope/trust expressed in his “Seventh Last Word” Father, Into Your Hands, I commend my Spirit” Luke 23:46

       Our Easter Vigil breaks open the meaning of death. Or put more emphatically, breaks out of the tomb of death. Life emerges from what has seemed irrevocable death. But this is not a resuscitated life, the same as before. It is a totally new reality. The resurrected Jesus is the same yet vastly different. How might my death/tomb experience of Covid-19 quarantine change me? What is this best self that I hope emerges? How can I use my time and energy now to grow into my truest, post resurrection self? What grace shall I pray for?

       Sr. Dorothy Schuette, OSB

Holy Week

Sr. Mary Tewes

      Beginning with the procession into Chapel on Passion Sunday with our palms and hymn, we are lead to review our lives as disciples of the Christ we follow, especially this week.  Holy Mother Church gives us such powerful readings and rituals each day of this holiest of weeks carrying us through the Triduum to the celebration of Christ’s Resurrection, next Saturday Evening.

      In reviewing the year, I am grateful for the wonderful opportunity I had accompanying our Benedictine Oblates on the study of Chapter 7 of the Holy Rule, on “Humility,” using a book by Fr. Michael Casey, OSB “A Guide to Living in the Truth: Saint Benedict’s Teaching on Humility.” Beginning in November, this study has led us on through the Advent-Christmas Season, through Lent, and will go into the Easter Season. 

      Oblate Dottie Due lead the first session with a prayer she compiled from various sources on humility.  I asked Dottie if I could share her prayer which we used opening other sessions as well. Key to her prayer was Jesus telling us, 

               “Learn from me for I am meek and humble of heart” (Mt 11:29)

Benedictine Oblate Dottie Due

Prayer:  “Gracious God, in Jesus we witness your humility, and in your Spirit we know ourselves to be called to humble service.  Break our pride, remove our fear, and heal us in our blindness.  Grant to each of us the grace of humility, so that we might realize the truth of our being and the glory of your majesty.  As we gather to discuss the book we have been reading, may your Spirit fill us with the wisdom that might lead us down a path of understanding the humility that St. Benedict calls us to embrace in our lives.

God you are present at every moment of our lives.  You see us for what we are, blessed and limited, gifted and in need of healing.  Keep us close to the earth.  Empower us to bless you for our weaknesses and our strengths.  May we say yes to your creation and to how we are made.  Reveal to us your love and mercy that we might come to understand our true identity.  Gift us with humility, the virtue of authentic self-knowledge. Then in our lowliness, we will ascend to you.

Gentle Jesus, by accepting the plan of redemption and by giving up your life for us, you have taught us humility.  Strengthen us so that we can follow in your way.  Make us true disciples of the cross.  May our humility overflow into joy, the delight of sharing our entire lives with you.

May what we reflect on and discuss together, become a part of our lives so we can become more like you, Jesus, meek and humble of heart.  Amen.” 

      I see now that the work/study we did together was a perfect preparation for celebrating the Paschal Mystery this week. And on Saturday we will get to add our “Alleluia”!

         Sr. Mary Tewes

Dying to self: coming to new life

“Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies,
it remains just a grain of wheat;
but if it dies, it produces much fruit.” John 12: 24

     This verse is very powerful for me at this time – it seems to highlight the convergence of three related story lines. The first story is this past Sunday’s gospel in which Jesus has us reflect on his coming hour of death on the cross and his veiled warning to us that this (dying) is what it means to follow in his way. The second story line is the bigger picture of how this fits into Lent – we are nearing Holy Week, just days away from the remembrance of Jesus’ Passion and the conclusion of this penitential season. The third story is that of the sainted Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador who was assassinated twenty two years ago this past Saturday. Allow me to share with you three short quotes of his that are meaningful to me: 

      In the sermon just minutes before his death, Archbishop Romero reminded his congregation of the parable of the wheat. "Those who surrender to the service of the poor through love of Christ, will live like the grains of wheat that dies”.

"I am bound, as a pastor, by divine command to give my life for those whom I love, and that is all Salvadoreans, even those who are going to kill me." …
“I must tell you, as a Christian, I do not believe in death without resurrection. If I am killed, I shall arise in the Salvadoran people.” 

     Only a few weeks ago one of our RCIA participants asked me to explain paradox. The first thing that came to mind was the example of Jesus’ teaching that we must die to self in order to live fully. Everyone in the group had examples in their lives about self sacrifice for loved ones that resulted in greater love and freedom for themselves and those with whom they are in relationship. And that is yet in this life; and only a foretaste of the Holy Mystery beyond. 

     Still, all in all, dying is dying. It’s never easy and never going to get easy. Everyday I know that I need to make choices. Some days I make some really good self-sacrificing choices, some days I could do a lot better. And everyday I need to look over the day and be as honest with myself as I can be. Only by trusting in God’s great love for me can I have both the courage to do this and the enthusiasm to keep growing in my spiritual life.

Sr. Dorothy Schuette, OSB