Monthly Mary

On the 10th we celebrated the Feast of St. Scholastica, first Benedictine woman. Sr. Anne's reflections from Evening Praise are here. About 100 came--great time for all.

Daisies in February for the feast!

February's Mary Oliver poem is from her new book, Swan: "In Your Hands"

The dog, the donkey, surely they know
they are alive.
Who would argue otherwise?

But now, after years of consideration,
I am getting beyond that.
What about the sunflowers? What about
the tulips, and the pines?

Listen, all you have to do is start and
there'll be no stopping.
What about the mountains? What about water
slipping over the rocks?

And, speaking of stones, what about
the little ones you can
hold in your hand, their heartbeats
so secret, so hidden it may take years

before, finally, you hear them?

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The answers I received for "OMS" were better than the real one I came up when I started this! They included: Old Monastic Scenarios, Old Monastic Stories, Old Monastic Services, Old Monastic Signs, Old Monastic Symbols, Old Monastic Sights, Old Monastic Sagas and Old Monastic Sayings. Runner-up prize goes to BR for entering Old Monastery Stuff, which was so-o-o close. But, the winner is VE from northwestern England: Old Monastic Stuff! Just "stuff," anything I come upon. Hope you enjoy the upcoming OMS--watch on Thursdays.