The White Poinsettia

It wasn’t just a different color. It was so small. Since Christmas Day I have looked at that white poinsettia at every liturgy. At first it struck me as a humble plant among giants. But humility is more attitude than size.

My next thought was of John the Baptist:

…I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him…

He must increase, but I must decrease.

John thus placed himself in right relationship to Jesus the Messiah, as one who was sent, whose role would now diminish. The Lamb of God to whom he pointed, the Light of the World, makes the days longer and lessens the night.

            Thomas Merton writes about material things in the liturgy as speaking eloquently of God, and as a means or conduit for God’s grace.

            We must see all material things in the light of the mystery of the incarnation.

            We must reverence all creation because the Word was made flesh…

            The material things which surround us are holy because of our bodies,

                        which are sanctified by our souls,

                        which are sanctified by the presence of the indwelling word.

In this relationship the plant life behind the altar sparks our imagination and acts as an accessory to the liturgy itself. A noble role for a small white poinsettia.

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

Humility of Jesus

           The stable scene was the source of my meditation through the Christmas holidays.  At one point I was overwhelmed by the humility of Jesus.  Jesus is God.  A God who is all in all. Jesus is the baby lying in the straw, completely dependent upon the two human beings watching over him.  How could God do this?  How could One so powerful accept such limitations?  It had to be Love, complete, unconditional love for us His limited creatures. 

          Shepherds and seers come bringing gifts.  Jesus came to the Jews but, he came for all of us.  In the encounter with the wise men, Jesus’ love overcame the hatred and jealousy of a self-centered king.  Jesus’ life continues in semi-obscurity not in royal splendor.

          John the Baptizer recognized Jesus’ divinity and questioned baptizing “the one whose sandal straps he was not worthy to loosen.”  Jesus allowed John to dunk him then, rose from the water to the Father’s proclamation:  “You are my Son in whom I am well pleased.”  Jesus is the one for whom John prepared the way.  “Listen to him.” Words addressed to John’s followers.  Words addressed to us.

          “Listen to him,” Mary said to the wine stewards at the wedding feast at Cana.  Jesus “listened” to his Mother when she asked him to do something to save the young wedding couple from embarrassment.  Humility is not an easy virtue.  Jesus tells his Mother that his “time has not yet come.”  Yet, He changed water into wine. He accepted the humble position of “son of Mary.”  How many guests at the wedding went home better, not because of the wine but, because they witnessed Jesus’ first miracle?  The humble water became festive wine.

           Megan McKenna in her book Advent, Christmas and Epiphany seems to sum up humility, God’s and ours, with these words, “Divinity has made itself small enough for us to hold it in our arms and bend our heads tenderly over it.” 

       Sr. Kathleen Ryan, OSB