What I won't forget #2

The first word of the Rule of Benedict is "listen." A holy listening is an absolute necessity in cenobitic monastic life--on everyone's part. And listening is the beginning of obedience.

Mary Oliver's take:
I ask you again, If you have not been enchanted by this adventure--your life--what would do for you?

And where are you, with your ears bagged down as if with packets of sand? Listen. We all have much more listening to do. Tear the sand away. And listen. The river is singing.

Let me put it this way--if you distain the cobbler may I assume you walk barefoot?

For myself, I have walked in these woods for more than forty years, and I am the only thing, it seems, that is about to be used up. Or to be less extravagant, will in the foreseeable future, be used up.

What I won't forget #1

Retreat 2012

To the Cave of Wisdom and Life came three seekers. The guard at the gate said, "Before you enter you must answer one question: How far do you wish to go into the Cave of Wisdom and Life?"

The three went into consultation and discussion about their answer. After awhile they returned to the guard, who asked again, "How far do you wish to go into the Cave of Wisdom and Life?"

And they answered, "Not really very far; just enough to say we've been there."




And as T. S. Eliot wrote, "Where is the life we've lost in living?"

Another Haunt

Within about 4 miles of the Mount we have a WalMart and a KMart. Both have grocery sections--WalMart's is quite large. But we also have a grocery chainstore from the Pittsburgh area, Giant Eagle, and although lots of folks shop at the two other stores, Giant Eagle does a huge business, too. So big in fact that it just finished building a new, bigger store which is set to open this Thursday. Here it is shiny new!





One of its big draws is their 10 cents off a gallon of gas for every $50 spent there--and that includes prescription drugs, dry cleaning or anything else they sell there. With gas about $3.59 in our area right now, 40 or 50 cents off/gallon can save some serious money.

Most of us frequent Giant Eagle regularly, just to pick up something special that our kitchen doesn't usually stock or to buy flowers, a USAToday newspaper, Tootsie Roll pops from the bulk candy bins, Pittsburgh Steelers paraphernalia, special ice cream treats, personal items, a particular food favorite or a host of other things that are sold along with the standard groceries.

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An aside: we'll be starting our annual community retreat Monday night and I think I'll post just a little something from the day each evening. The director is a Benedictine sister from the Midwest and I know she'll have lots of good reflections on our life as monastic women. Check in if you wish

Creativity

At our peninsula, officially known as Presque Isle State Park, they posted this on their facebook page this week. Just can't resist sharing it:

"Students who were participating in a field trip lesson yesterday with the Environmental Ed. staff got a real learning experience. A fawn came and laid down near our boots and took a nap. When students asked why the EE staff weren't going to do anything for the fawn they explained that the animal is fine and just needs to be left alone, the mother is nearby. Sure enough, later in the lesson the mother doe called out and the fawn got up and walked back into the woods. A good reminder for everyone to leave young animals be. The mothers are close by and the young don't need to be 'rescued.'"

I have a friend who is a wonderful graphic artist. From her I've learned countless things from the world of visual artistry: font types and sizes, layout tips, ways to take good photos, how to crop them and use them in all types of areas. The most important thing I've learned from her is how to see better.

If you enjoy the creativity and delight of graphic design you've got to get into the habit of checking the Google Doodles page every week or so as they post the word "GOOGLE" in every imaginable manner (see link on sidebar). This is the peak of creativity and there seems to be no end to their ideas. But be warned, this is not one of those quick look pages....once you get hooked it's very, very hard to leave the site!

Here's one from last week that celebrated the birthday of the Russian artist Fabergé---with commentary by the artist.

"An artist whose ornate sensibility earned him royal regard, Peter Carl Fabergé is a jeweler worthy of a doodle! Best known for his intricate eggs, Fabergé caught the attention of the Russian court. The Tsar commissioned eggs from him every year, and each time he crafted gems that were more surprising and florid than the previous. With such a reputation, he even represented his home country in the 1900 World's Fair in Paris.

"His discriminating eye did not stop at detail, he and his studio were also perfectionists. Perhaps in the spirit of finding just the right composition to celebrate Fabergé's birthday, I went through numerous positions/designs for this doodle."

June is here

Here is a very interesting "letter" from the writer Mary Gordon of The Company of Women, Final Payments and others. She is a longtime Catholic. I think you'll find it quite something.

We had a lively retreat here this weekend in which Sr. Carolyn used as the theme the life and works of our Brother Thomas, the potter, who passed away four years ago now, I believe. Many of the retreatants are also oblates, which reminded me that I wanted to share these unique photos that I received from one of my oblate friends who lives in Colorado. You won't believe your own eyes. The photos of the flowers are really photos of people!

Two of the best

Lots of new things on our community website. If you haven't been there lately take a look.

Of all the hundreds of columns and articles about the LCWR and the Vatican's CDF findings here are two of the best I've read. This one is from The Nation.

And here's a statement from a group of courageous priests:

A Statement of Support For the LCWR

The members of the Association of Pittsburgh Priests would like to add our name to the chorus of support for the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, Network and the Resource Center for Religious Life.

We want to thank the sisters for their major role in building the Church in the United States from coast to coast.

We want to thank them for their whole hearted response to the request of Vatican II to return to the charisms of their founders and continuously seek renewal.

We want to thank the sisters for answering the call of Vatican II to minister to those at the margins of society as well as those suffering most in society.

We want to thank the sisters for not judging or condemning our brothers and sisters who are gay or lesbian or women who feel called to ordained ministry.

We want to thank the sisters for their radical obedience to the voice of God in spite of opposition from those who should support them.

We pray that the outpouring of support from many quarters for the sisters and these brave, professional, and Spirit-filled organizations will shield them from the attacks of our modern day Pharisees.

We are grateful that the sisters have read the signs of the time in the light of the Gospel in so many ways, especially in their positive understanding of feminism which by its nature is “radical”, thank goodness.

We hope that the Holy Spirit will enlighten the American bishops, archbishops, and cardinals as he/she did Peter and Paul so that they defend wholeheartedly our American sisters and seek the immediate end to the outrageous, hurtful and scandalous mandate of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Years ago Father Bill Bausch wrote a book called Take Heart Father. We want to say,” Take heart sisters!” You are not alone!

Pentecost 2012.

Two meditations

What a magnificent Pentecost Sunday Liturgy we had yesterday. Very special--and a large and involved group of people who came to share it with us. We had singing, a little dance, memorized and read readings, great homily and much celebratory music. Spirit-filled for sure!

Two "meditations" from Mary Oliver that seem fitting for the day after the celebration of Pentecost:

So Every Day

So every day
I was surrounded by the beautiful crying forth
of the ideas of God,

one of which was you.


Where Are You?

Where are you?
Do you know that the heart has a dungeon?
Bring light! Bring light!

This little chipmunk was trying to figure out a way to leap from this tree over to my feeder. Ha, ha little fella, no limb gets close enough---I hope.

And here is one of the 10 blue spruce saplings that I received from the Arbor Association just for asking. One of them is struggling, but the other nine seem to have adapted to this new home, right below my windows, in a protected area of other bushes and trees. They stay there for about 18 months and then can be transplanted to grow to full stature, which I believe is about 25 feet high.