communitas et caritas

Today we learned that one of our sisters from Australia was on board the plane that was shot down yesterday over Ukraine.  Her name was Phil (Philomene) Tiernan, and she was much loved by so many.  I had only met her about three weeks ago, and had lovely and meaningful conversations in a very short time.  She will be missed, that is certain.  Her presence on that plane makes the violence of our world more real and personal, too.  (Her story has been picked up by news sites, which include some lovely pictures:  try here , and here , and from our own website .) On a completely other note, today is the second anniversary of my first vows.  I know I'm in the right place, and that makes me totally content with life right now, and yet life can be a little sad, too.  So, today, as I give thanks for the Society of the Sacred Heart, my own little heart is tenderly holding my sisters and remembering the fragility of all that we have. 

Life can get going so fast--lately, I've been feeling the need to slow down, to rest and pray, to just be.  On an academic schedule, that peacefulness is what summers are sometimes (definitely not always) about.  I am grateful to have the next four weeks to work on projects that can't get done in the midst of classes, to rest, and to be. I just got back from a wonderful trip to London, where we celebrated the life of one of our Superiors General, Janet Erskine Stuart, who died 100 years ago this year. While she is not formally canonized in the Catholic Church, her holiness and her writings on education and spirituality are an inspiration to many.  We heard people speak on so many facets of her life, and many of those talks will be made available on the RSCJ England/Wales province website . (I don't think those talks are up yet, but there's lots of good information on Janet Stuart's life there already.) What I take away most from that experience is the human...

It has been way too long since I've posted! Today I preached for our mid-day prayer service, an impossible gospel!  And so I would like to share my preaching here.  Today's gospel reading was Mark 5:1-20, the healing of the Gerasene demoniac, but I also talk about yesterday's gospel, the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple.  Both readings can be found at the USCCB's website . -------------------------- The contrast between the Gospel reading from yesterday and that of today is striking.   Yesterday, the infant Jesus was brought to the temple by his parents to fulfill the sacrifice required by the Law.   There in the temple, they met Simeon and Anna, who recognized the greatness of the tiny, helpless infant. Today, we see the adult Jesus, a strong, miracle-worker, who casts out a legion of demons from a man who had been tormented for a very long time. Instead of being received by the local community with open arms and great praise, Jesus is met with...

Happy Feast--just a few days late! I preached this morning at our mid-day prayer service, using the Gospel reading of today, which is not one of my favorites.  But it gave me an opportunity to talk about St. Philippine Duchesne, whose feast day was on Monday.  Enjoy! Gospel: Luke 19:11-28 While people were listening to Jesus speak, he proceeded to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem and they thought that the Kingdom of God would appear there immediately. So he said, “A nobleman went off to a distant country to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return. He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins and told them, ‘Engage in trade with these until I return.’ His fellow citizens, however, despised him and sent a delegation after him to announce, ‘We do not want this man to be our king.’ But when he returned after obtaining the kingship, he had the servants called, to whom he had given the money, to learn what they had g...

We are the communion of saints--imperfect, and deeply loved by God. For several days I've been reflecting with God's desire to be with me, right here, right now.  Not to be with me as I wish or plan or plot out my future, but to be with me in all that I am and all that I am capable of on this day and at this moment.  Today's lectionary brought this back to me... Wisdom 11:22-12:2 (today's first reading): Before the LORD the whole universe is as a grain from a balance or a drop of morning dew come down upon the earth. But you have mercy on all, because you can do all things; and you overlook people's sins that they may repent. For you love all things that are and loathe nothing that you have made; for what you hated, you would not have fashioned. And how could a thing remain, unless you willed it; or be preserved, had it not been called forth by you? But you spare all things, because they are yours, O LORD and lover of souls, for your imperishable spirit i...

At my school, we do a weekly mid-day prayer service with preaching, planned and preached by the faculty.  I was on for yesterday's prayer.  It was a good reading for me to consider at this moment.... hope you find some good in it! Gospel Reading:  Luke 4:38-44 After Jesus left the synagogue, he entered the house of Simon. Simon’s mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever, and they interceded with him about her. He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up immediately and waited on them. At sunset, all who had people sick with various diseases brought them to him. He laid his hands on each of them and cured them. And demons also came out from many, shouting, “You are the Son of God.” But he rebuked them and did not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Christ. At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place. The crowds went looking for him, and when they came to him, they tried to prevent hi...

At least, that's how I felt at Big Basin Redwoods Park yesterday.  It was beautiful, glorious, total peace. And then... Went here and met this guy. :) However, this is a postcard I bought...the museum itself is a little more worn and dusty than it looks here.   The guy is about the same, though.