Benedictine Sisters of FL

Holy Name Monastery
Founded 1889

Holy Name Monastery

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Mark verseOne Sunday a young father came into church with his three young children. As was their family custom, they sat in the very front row so the children could see what was going on in the sanctuary.   This particular service included an infant baptism.  The six year old was quite taken by this, observing that Father was saying something and pouring water over the baby’s head. With a puzzled look on her face, the little girl turned to her father and asked, “Daddy, why is he brainwashing that little baby?”

 

Indeed what is required by each of us is that we allow our brains to be washed by God – our brains and our hearts as well.  Jesus was telling us that what really counts is that which is in our hearts. It is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come….  and defile a person.”
We need to be heart-healthy — taking seriously what is in our hearts – people who spend time in lectio, time in the presence of the Lord.   We have a responsibility to do what we can to make our community a heart-healthy place.  It follows that to have a heart-healthy community requires for each of us to feed on a steady diet of soul food – and just the ham hocks and collards greens kind. Good things come from hearts that have been fed on soul food — Scripture — love of neighbor — devotion to God – nourished by prayer both communal and private.

 

Jesus makes it clear – in so many words – “We have met the enemy and they are us.”  We are at one and the same time perpetrators and victims.  And being the victim of our own making furthers our capacity to inflect ill on another.   “The human heart,” or the human will, remains a complex thing.  But if we fill our hearts with good things, our minds with chaste, charitable, other-directed thoughts – that’s what will come out of our mouths.   God will bless us, and through us, will bless the world.

 

The words of a hymn we sang earlier this week say it well:

May we be blest with hearts full of love – hearts full of joy – with peach in our days … this will enable us to be a blessing to others – keep God’s presence abiding with in – and reap the reward of an abundance of friends at our side.

 

Have you ever seen Suze Orman on TV?  Well, she is a financial planner and author. She tells of a period when her career was not so successful.   During that time she struggled to save face, to maintain an image of success.  She continued to entertain her friends at fine restaurants and to drive her luxury car to keep up the image of a successful professional. The truth was that every dinner, every car payment, every tank of gas was putting her deeper into debt.

 

Many folk who believe in God are like Suze.  They look good.  They keep up the appearances.  They try to conform to the traditions of culture and our faith – but inwardly they are empty… inwardly they are impoverished – and the more they try to conform on the outside to what supposed to come from inside, the worse off they get.

 

What defiles a person are the unclean things that originate from within a person, not those that come to us from without. What defiles a person is not what it is we eat, nor who it is that we eat with, rather it is our anger, our pride, our jealousy, pride and superiority that forgets Benedict’s lesson “obedience is a blessing to be shown to all.”

 

Our acts of goodness and love arise from within when we allow God to do good within us.  Our gentleness, our faithfulness, our kindness grow not according to our attempts to keep some law or directive about how we should act … how to be faithful, kind or gentle …  but rather they grow out of the word that is implanted within our hearts and minds by God – by meditating on what it is that God has done for us – and is doing for us – when we practice an attitude of gratitude.

 

But, this can occur only if we welcome the Word, ponder the Word, let it take root in us and then allow it to prompt us to action.   It is God who makes us holy.  For our part it requires perseverance in the journey.  As Joan Chittister writes in this week’s eblast: “The gift of perseverance in the journey to wholeness is the treasure trove of the human spirit. Sanctity, like everything else in life, is not an event. It is a process of coming to know the clay of the self and then shaping it into a thing of beauty. This thing called union with God, sanctity, holiness, is not a matter of going through religious hoops. It is a matter of winning the contest with the self that leads us to the best in us. Becoming holy is not an attempt to become someone else. It is about becoming the fullness of ourselves.”

 

Back to the 6-year-old’s query:  Are you ready to be brain-washed?

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21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

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jeopardyImagine you are playing in a game of Jeopardy.  The category is “Who Said This?”  And, the clue is, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?”  You are unfamiliar with Scriptures so you make a guess: “Someone’s mother? The moderator of Are you Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?  St. Benedict?”     You’d be partly right.  Your mother probably told you more than once, “It’s good for you or it builds character.”  And, St. Benedict did say “… we hope to set down nothing harsh, nothing burdensome.”

 

But this is Jesus.   Jesus offers no comfort, no wiggle room and no grading on the curve.  He offers us a choice:  “This saying is hard; do you want to leave?”   

 

We used to have a superior, who will remain unnamed, who minced no words.  She’d calmly say: “If you like, you can pack you little black bag and go home.”  It got to be a way of making light of a situation to repeat her words.  Or, because we read the Martyrology (for the newer people, the Lives of the Saints) for supper table reading, we would slough it off with, “Oh, well, I’ll just put it in my martyrology!”  That got two of us is trouble when a newer member believed us and reported to the superior that that we were writing our own martyrology!”

 

Will you walk away?  The choice is ours each day, every hour:  Accept the grace of the moment or turn our backs on it.  Each person must make her own judgment about who Jesus is and determine the way of life that she will follow.  We get the same invitation but each person must respond to the grace of God in her own unique way.   When truth is revealed to us, there are only two possible reactions to it: It can be received, or it can be rejected.  

 

Jesus never panders to his would-be followers. He neither strokes the fickle nor pampers the undecided. He fully knows that the way he offers is a most difficult path – this saying is hard – costing the disciple everything,  He is willing for the one in front of him to walk-away, literally, should they so choose.  What tremendous trust binds Him to his beloved!   He holds us in his hands, but without grasping.

 

It used to be part of the ritual just prior to the liturgy for the final vow ceremony, that the abbot would take the scholastic aside and question her in private: Are you sure you are  doing this of your free will?  No one coerced you or promised you anything if you make vows?  It was a little late, perhaps but it was the moment of truth.  This is Jesus asking: Will you, too, leave me?

 

Imagine how Jesus must have felt when the reaction of some was: “This is a hard saying. Who can accept it?”  And, they walk away.  Not just down another path to the truth – but away, they leave him and his way!
What is more astounding in today’s Scripture is Peter’s memorable immediate and fiercely honest reply: “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”  In other words:  “Walk away? How can we walk away? What do you mean? Where else can we go? We’ve nowhere left; we’ve given up everything! We’ve burned all our bridges!”

 

It’s the teaching, not the words of Jesus that are HARD. The words are not difficult to understand, but the meaning is hard for some people to comprehend.  A young man from the city was visiting a dude ranch and wanted to appear as if he was used to the surroundings. So he went out walking with one of the hired hands. Going through the barnyard, the visitor tried starting a conversation: “Say, look at that big bunch of buffaloes.” The hired hand replied, “Not ‘bunch’ but ‘herd.’” “Heard what?” “Herd of buffaloes.” “Sure, I’ve heard of buffalo. There’s a big bunch of ‘me right over there.”

 

No, the words aren’t hard.  The teaching is – hard on our pride, hard on way of life, hard on our ego.

 

This definition of a Christian fits here: “A Christian really is one who cannot walk away.”  Parents worry when their teenagers and young adults seem to walk away from their faith.  But very often, it’s more like they’ve taken a holiday.  A personal crisis or break in a relationship or a family tragedy has them calling out for God’s help.  The foundation was firm.  How many young parents return to the church of their childhood when they have children to be baptized?  A Christian is one who cannot walk away!

 

The liturgies this week have prepared us well for this weekend’s Scripture.  The Gospel verse on Thursday, “If today you hear his voice” with the hymn “Here I am Lord.”  Noon Prayer on Tuesday “You have solemnly declared ‘With my chosen I have made a covenant. Of this I am sure – that your love lasts forever.”  The Gospel of the missing wedding garment, the day-laborers who earned a day’s pay for an hour’s work, hearing the disciples question “Who then can be saved?” and Peter’s direct gut-wrenching question: we’ve given up everything to follow you.  What’s in it for us?”

 

All these strands come together tomorrow when Jesus asks us: Do you also want to leave?  Firm in faith, we answer with Peter:  To whom can we go?  You have the words of eternal life.  We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”

 

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16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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16th sundayHere in Mark we see an example of the kind of tension that exists in the life of every committed Christian.  On the one hand, there is the need to draw away to a quiet place and to recharge our batteries, to regenerate our spiritual energy.  At the same time, there are constant demands on our commitment to serve. We want to respond generously where there is real need.  But, how do we know what is a ‘real need’ and what is just another’s whim or our own desire to be in demand.

To be in touch with the difference calls for a life immersed in discernment.  There are times when, no matter how weary we feel, we know we should say ‘Yes’. There are other times when, in spite of the criticism it may generate, we know ought to say ‘No’. There are human limits to the quality of service we can give.  In the life of Jesus, we see him at times leaving the people, in spite of their demands, and going away to pray.  This kind of rest is not laziness or irresponsibility.  This is the Sabbath rest our retreat director called us to.

Last weekend the apostles were sent out two-by-two. Today, they are re-gathering two-by-two.  They had had exhilarating, but exhausting, experiences. For the first time they had been on their own without Jesus.  They had preached, casted out demons, anointed the sick, and called people to respond to God’ message.   Now Jesus invited them to “come away to a deserted place all by themselves and rest a while.”  Notice there are four parts to the invitation:  “Come away – to a deserted place – all by yourself – and rest a while.”  Each phrase means something on its own, but none stands alone … we have to accept the whole package.

We are reminded that we must be on guard not to make busy-ness a badge of honor.  That blinks an implicit message:  I’m worthwhile because I’m so busy.  I’m always tired equals “I’m important”.  Busy-ness is not a badge of honor!  On the contrary, it is the mark of a life way out of balance.  It is NOT Benedictine!

It’s good to keep in mind about the idea of busyness that one person’s “work or drudgery” may be another’s “leisure or pleasure-filled activity.”  That I enjoy ironing may seem very strange to those who bless the one who invented wash-n-wear fabric.  Kneading bread may be a spiritual experience for you but your friend may find it stressful and just something she HAS to do to put bread on the table.  Pulling weeds may offer one a chance to commune with God and nature and to another it’s just a hot, sweaty job she was told to do.  Yes, it’s true one person’s pleasure is another’s pain.  So, be slow to judge “she’s always so busy” – she might be using her hands to free her mind to get touch with the Spirit.

Jesus said: “Come away.”  He did not say “Go away.”  His is an invitation to a communal experience.   It’s “coming away” to be with Jesus.  What a beautiful words …  Come away and rest … an invitation to step out of all the bustle and activity of life.  Rest … a chance to slow down, to change the pace.  If we don’t rest, we won’t be able to take care of others. If we don’t slow down, we will be of no use to anyone, especially God.

As Jesus listened to each of the two-by-two teams give their reports, he was moved by their tender stories of healing children, inspiring people, and boldly witnessing to Jesus. But the Lord must have also seen fatigue in their faces and so, in a gracious moment of concern, Jesus said to them: Come away for a while and rest. I know a place close by ~ just across the lake ~ a deserted place, a bit of wilderness.  Jesus made no suggestion that their ministry of witness and compassion was over but he offered them a respite from busyness.  They got into a boat and headed off for the first Christian retreat.

And you know what greeted them!  Mark says, over 5000 figured out where the boat was going and got there ahead of them.  You can probably imagine how the disciple felt when they saw that waiting crowd.  They had had visions of having a little quiet time with Jesus.    And, now, my, oh, my you’ve got to be kidding!  Can’t we have any break?  Or, maybe that wasn’t their reaction.  Maybe they saw the same thing Jesus saw: sheep without a shepherd.  It was clear that the needs of the people called for a positive response.  Like Jesus, their Shepherd, the disciples’ hearts were moved to pity – to reach out, setting personal wishes aside in deference to the needs of others.

To be sure, there is weariness in ministry.  We know this is true, but weariness is no excuse to quit, and weariness is no excuse to back-off and let others pick up the torch. Like a runner or a swimmer, we need to catch our second breath and snuff out the rising murmur: “I’ve done my part; I’ve served my time – it’s someone else’s turn!”  Somehow we must discover Jesus’ compassion for the crowd within our own heart.

It’s just not as easy as it sounds.  Sometimes life just gets too serious…too busy…and too complicated. We don’t mean for it to happen, but we wake up one morning to discover the fun has slipped away.

Several years ago a health study determined there are 3 main reasons people can’t cope with the demands in their lives:   They live in the past.   They have a low self-esteem.  They can’t laugh at themselves.

In fact, the study indicated that we need approximately 12 laughs a day to stay healthy! Yes, life throws us curve balls just when we least expect it (like being paged to a guest just when we finally got a chance to zone out for a few minutes).  To stay sane we need to sit back and enjoy a good laugh.  So here’s your laugh-vacation for today.

Not long ago a lady I know sent flowers to her friend who had opened a new restaurant. When she arrived at the grand opening, she looked for the flowers. Imagine her consternation when she found them, and saw that, in her haste in placing the order, she had sent a white wreath that said, “May you rest in peace.” She panicked, of course, and called the florist who said, “Honey, I’m not worried about you because as we speak, there’s a lady being buried across town who got a dozen roses that said, ‘Good luck in your new location!’”

 

                                                                                                               Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB
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Real Wealth

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jesus-sending-out-disciples-2-by-2We’ve just heard another version of a “sending out” gospel story.  On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday we heard the event from Matthew’s memory.  Here from Mark we hear that Jesus sent out THE twelve.  Without an understanding of Scripture and the difference between APOSTLE and DISCIPLE it could be difficult to comprehend just who it was that Jesus sent out.  This little nugget will help:  disciples are called; apostles are sent.  So it was the 12 apostles that Jesus sent out unimpeded with totes, snacks and carry-on luggage.  Some scholars will tell you there were 86 DISCIPLES – the original 12 who were called by Jesus and whom we know by name plus the 72 that were later sent out by Jesus to spread the good news.  All apostles were once disciples, but not all disciples became apostles.  Disciples are learners; “apostle” comes from the Greek word for ambassador or messenger.   The number twelve is symbolic of the twelve tribes of Israel. Thus, showing that Jesus’ mission is a continuation of God’s to and among the Israelites.

Jesus’ instructions to these apostles are very specific. There is the idea here is that they were to go as they were, without making any special preparations for their travels.  There is also the idea here of urgency. Jesus wants them to go now!   He repeats that their mission is to preach and to share his authority to heal and to drive out demons. He sends them in pairs, establishing that his mission is a communal endeavor. He instructs them to travel lightly, without the customary food, money, or an extra set of clothes. They will be dependent on others’ hospitality, just as Jesus depended on others to provide for his needs.  Remember, his words: “foxes have their dens but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

[Jesus sent them out two by two …. I guess because this is the summer feast of our holy founder Benedict,]     The two-by-two concept reminds me of Benedict’s description of “good monks” – cenobites – who of their own free will choose to belong to a monastery … living with others of similar mind and attitude … under a Rule and a superior.

It seems pretty obvious, too, that this Gospel story prompted Benedict’s directives to monks on a journey: Chapter 51 “Monastics on a Short Journey” should not presume to eat outside, even if they receive a pressing invitation…” thus emphasizing our dependence, and interdependence on community.

Chapter 55 on clothing of monastics … this one may cause the listener to smile: “monastics going on a journey should get underclothing from the wardrobe.  On their return they are to wash it and give it back.”   Forget the jockey or boxer shorts, or for the ladies the panties and bra kind of under clothing … Benedict’s monks probably wore next to nothing under their monastic tunics.  The clothing from the wardrobe may well have been a pair of trousers and a coarse undershirt.  Benedict made provision also for a better than daily quality of tunic, we’d say habit and, as needed some better foot wear (sandals for summer; lined boots for winter).

Perhaps because Benedict came from a wealthy or noble class family, he retained his concern that his monks not look shabby on a journey.  He calls the superior to take notice of the fit and cut of the members’ garments.   Ever-concerned about the vice of murmuring, he reminds the members not to complain about the color or coarseness of their clothing, but to use what is available in the vicinity at a reasonable cost – as long as the measurements of their garments are “not too short but fitted to the wearer.”

So, the TWELVE went out two by two and what did they do?  It wasn’t for a leisurely afternoon stroll.   Two by two, they sought hospitality from strangers, they cast out demons and they anointed many with oil.  Two by two is still the best method today. When two people go out to share the Gospel together (eg Jehovah’s witnesses and other door-to-door, or street corner preachers) it provides companionship, encouragement and they can pray for each other – it makes the job easier especially for shy, reticent, introverted evangelizers.

Probably, most of us have never seen a genuinely possessed person as described in the Scriptures.  But, in our own time, there are many other kinds of demons which can control people, where people become the slaves of these things.   For instance, there is the demon of nicotine, the demon of alcohol, gambling, promiscuous sex, or materialism and consumerism as well as the demon of gossip or murmuring or any other activity which somehow can take control of our lives. All of these, or any one of them, can reduce our freedom and turn us into slaves of the particular vice.

When we are not enslaved, when we are free, we can do what Jesus wants us to, what the apostles did:  “anoint many.”  When we are free of busyness and busy-body-ness we can more liberally anoint others through our ministry of hospitality … anointing each other – and our guests – with the oil of kindness, compassion, sharing of joy and mutual respect.

Let there be no doubt: it takes a constant effort to practice the self-disciplines that ensure our freedom as children of God:  …  the disciplines of custody of the eyes, custody of the ears, custody of the tongue and curbing our curiosity to be the “eyes and ears” of the community.

Like the first apostles and disciples, we are not sent alone. Jesus has given us the companionship of the Holy Spirit and the community of the Church, which strengthens our life of discipleship. And more than that, we are blessed with the community of our Benedictine family.  The companionship we share can help free us from worries and anxieties in our heads which can paralyze us and prevent us from living rich and enriching lives. It would be worth reflecting today on how free our lives are and where our real wealth is to be found.

 

                                                                                                              Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB
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Being Opened Minded Enough To Listen

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PopeFrancisThis reading reminds us that God sends prophets into our midst for our benefit.  The question is: Are we open-minded enough to listen to new ideas and insights, to allow our attention to be re-directed to things we have ignored or taken for granted?   Can we listen to Pope Francis’ invitation to care for all of creation, human and non-human?  Normally, papal documents are addressed to the bishops of the Church or the lay faithful. But, similar to Pope Saint John XXIII’s Pacem in Terris, Pope Francis addresses his message to all people.

In the few weeks since the release of the papal encyclical there has been much debate – surely more to come – about whether the pope has any place speaking out on issues that some consider should be no concern of his because they are not about religion.     But, keep listening because more and more are expressing the opinion that environmental issues are not simply scientific, or economic, or political issues — they are moral issues as well. There is a connection between changes in our earthly environment and what happens to human life and dignity around the world – especially to the poor and vulnerable.

You’ve heard the expression: “You can’t tell a book by its cover.”  All too often we judge the “cover.” We get so bogged down in appearances, in the humanity of the proclaimer that we refuse to listen to the proclamation.  Who does she think she is?

This was the unanimous reaction recently by the judges on “America’s Got Talent.”   Three fellows looking like they’d just rolled out of bed came on stage.  When they opened their mouths, spell-binding tenor music poured forth into the auditorium where hundreds sat open-mouthed, on the edges of their seats realizing what a terrible presumptive judgment they’d made.

Perhaps what is even worse is when we view ourselves in such a negative way that we say: “Who am I to tell anyone what to do or not do, when I know that often I do things far worse?”   The reality is that every one of us, simply because of our baptism, has been called to be a prophet. There are some things over which we cannot compromise. There are some times when we cannot keep silent.  We cannot be dissuaded by our own shortcomings.  God will stand by us and give us what we need when we need it. We don’t have to live tomorrow on today’s graces.

No one wants to be seen as self-righteous. But we don’t claim that the wisdom of the Gospel is a product of our own.  We humbly proclaim what we have received. Not to proclaim it would be ungrateful to God who revealed it to us. We need to hand on the heritage that has been passed down to us. Without a heritage, every generation has to start over.  If we fail to share the prophetic message of the Gospel other louder voices will be happy to impose their godless vision of society on us.

It’s difficult to be a prophet because we’re afraid of appearing to be judgmental.   Keep in mind the message Fr. Joseph preached last week: “It is better to be loving than to be right.”  Mentally, step back and ask yourself – in the overall view for eternity, is what you are insisting on even worth the so-called “hill of beans.”

It’s not easy to prophetic. It never has been and it never will be, but nevertheless that’s what God calls us to be and He promises a prophet’s reward for fidelity to our mission. On the other hand if we prefer not to rock the boat, as Aristotle said “To avoid criticism…say nothing, do nothing, and be nothing.”

When Jesus preached, His words were filled with divine authority. He did not speak like the local rabbis. When the people of Nazareth heard Jesus speak, they were amazed.  But, his enemies could not explain Him, so they rejected His message.  They thought they knew everything there was to know about Him. They knew that He had never been to divinity school. They knew that He had no formal training.

They also knew His occupation. They saw Him as a common craftsman. They looked at Him and said, “You are no better than we are! Why should we listen to you?”  They knew everything there was to know about Jesus, or so they thought!   To them, Jesus was just another boy from Nazareth.

These people did what all people do when they cannot understand someone. They resort to rejection or ridicule – the final refuge of a small mind! They called Him “the son of Mary”. This was never done in that society! A male was always referred to as the son of his father, even if his father was dead. To call a boy the son of his mother was to imply that His mother had been a harlot.

Jesus was amazed that these people had heard the truth, seen the truth and still turned a deaf ear and a blind eye to that truth. As a result, He left Nazareth, and there is no record that He ever returned there.

We may sum up the story in the words of William Barclay: “There can be no preaching in the wrong atmosphere. The listeners are responsible for at least half of every sermon. In an atmosphere of expectancy, the least effort will catch fire. In an atmosphere of coldness or indifference, the most spirit-filled of sermons will fall flat.”

To be a prophet is difficult because the message of the Gospel is challenging and sometimes controversial, but it’s a message that people (we) need to hear whether or not we want to hear it.

 

                                                                                                               Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB
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