Lent week 4

We're three weeks into Lent and I forgot to share this hilarious Lenten graphic back on Ash Wednesday, but because I think it's so clever---and funny---I'm sharing it now. How do people think of these things?! Were they just sitting around on an Ash Wednesday with a bunch of friends, and they got into one of those conversations about going for ashes as children (or that very day), sharing how their parish priest gave them out---and one thing lead to another, someone started to doodle on a napkin, and this emerged at the end.

If you haven't had a chance to contribute to any cause that is helping the refugees from the war in Ukraine and have been meaning to do so, here's a place you might consider: Caritas International. David Muir, on the daily ABC news, has been sharing a UNICEF website, too, as the number of children displaced hit 4 million this week. Amazing.

One more Lenten reference: this weekend we re-opened for guests, after 10 days of closure, and it was so nice to see our friends and other guests at both the Saturday night Lenten vigil prayer and at Sunday Mass. 

Weekend sharings

A turn down Carter Beach Rd. this weekend showed us the progress on the first of the houses there. Things have really picked up now that the winter weather is quickly passing. In a large cleared area you can see lots of cemented pieces and lots of wooden markers to assist the builders, I guess. It's exciting to know that we will have a new home there, probably this summer. I'll keep giving you updates as the months progress.

 

Coming over the Catholic News Service (CNS) this weekend was the heart-warming and quite awe-inspiring news that Polish sisters in over 1,000 convents in Poland are helping thousands of Ukrainian refugees who have fled the war. The story is amazing. Read it here.

All I can think of is that these women must have grown up hearing the horror stories of WWII from their parents and grandparents and seen the lifelong lasting effects of that suffering on their people. Now it is their turn and the whole country seems to be responding generously and without hesitation. 

Why be transfigured/transformed?

This second weekend of Lent brought the familiar gospel story of Jesus going up the mountain with three of his disciples for a spiritual "event,"  the transfiguration. The disciples are overwhelmed with the joy of the experience, so overwhelmed in fact that they wanted to stay, suggested erecting tents,  staying in the moment, savoring the experience. 

I think we've all been there. And you do want it to go on forever. But as the gospel goes on to say, as does the poet Jan Richardson, these moments are for "coming back down."  

Dazzling

Believe me, I know
how tempting it is
to remain inside this blessing,
to linger where everything
is dazzling
and clear.

We could build walls

around this blessing,
put a roof over it.
We could bring in
a table, chairs,
have the most amazing meals.
We could make a home.
We could stay.
 
But this blessing
is built for leaving.
This blessing
is made for coming down
the mountain.
This blessing wants to be in motion,
to travel with you
as you return
to level ground.
 
It will seem strange
how quiet this blessing becomes
when it returns to earth.
It is not shy.
 
It is not afraid.
 
It simply knows
how to bide its time,
to watch and wait,
to discern and pray
 
until the moment comes
when it will reveal
everything it knows,
when it will shine forth
with all it has seen,
when it will dazzle
with the unforgettable light
you have carried all this way.

What a week!

It was a busy week for us in many ways...some exciting, some sad, some in between.

Lent started, of course, and with it comes special psalms, readings and songs that liturgical seasons such as this bring. We had a nice Mardi Gras party Tuesday night, with puzzles and prizes. The prizes for the winners were a pack of one dollar bills that we all promptly deposited into a special box we just put out that day to collect money to send to the Benedictine sisters in the Ukraine. The American communities are responding to the sisters' present and near future needs by collecting funds here and sending them to a community in Poland who can get them to the Ukrainian communities when they can.

The first full weekend of Lent found us opening the monastery to our publics--both for prayer/liturgies and overnight guests. The latest closer lasted two months. It was a very happy and excited group that joined us Sunday morning. Erie County entered the "low" rating on the CDC's latest scale this week. Alleluia--oops, Lent...no shouting Alleluia!

And finally, the weather took a turn bringing late winter teasers---not only did we experience 50s and even 60s, but warm sun and the formation of ice floes in the creeks and along the lakeshore. Here's the view along our own Glinodo shore this weekend. These huge blocks of ice that build up every year at this time never cease to amaze me.

See our community website for the prayer card and obituary for our Sister Bernadette Sullivan who died Thursday. She was a true Irish leprechaun in personality, we will miss her.