Benedictine Sisters of FL

Holy Name Monastery
Founded 1889

Holy Name Monastery

Juneteenth

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Have A Proud and Happy Juneteenth!

Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.

From its Galveston, Texas origin in 1865, the observance of June 19th as the African American Emancipation Day has spread across the United States and beyond.

Juneteenth commemorates African American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement. It is a day, a week, and in some areas, a month marked with celebrations, guest speakers, picnics and family gatherings. It is a time for reflection and rejoicing. It is a time for assessment, self-improvement and for planning the future. Its growing popularity signifies a level of maturity and dignity in America long overdue. In cities across the country, people of all races, nationalities and religions are joining hands to truthfully acknowledge a period in our history that shaped and continues to influence our society today. Sensitized to the conditions and experiences of others, only then can we make significant and lasting improvements in our society.

 

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Feast of the Sacred Heart

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July is fast approaching when summer’s heat begins to wear down even the most dedicated of beach goers, sun lovers and spontaneous ball players. Life begins to feel sticky; nights get close; days get long and dry – and in Florida, very humid! Everything becomes a major effort; we slow down like rusty cogs on old wheels. Time seems suspended. Nothing much gets done. Day follows day with not much to show for any of them. Oh, yes, monastics know all about that kind of thing. Ancient monastics warn us to “beware the devil of the noonday sun.” Spiritual sloth they called it.  Rather, keep up your practice of lectio and don’t let lazy summer weather slow down your response time to others’ needs nor the whirling storms cause lightning-fast thunderous boisterous uncharitable remarks.

Who is it that gets us through our down times?  Who is it that gives us a boost “up” when life seems “blah”?  Jesus takes all our burdens and gives us every good thing.  In the end, we simply must confess, “Lord, my times are in your hands: my future, you’re my daily bread – you’ve carried it all and always will for me.”  What are we left with?  Comfort, confidence, joy…rest for our souls.  Trust Jesus’ promise.  Take his easy yoke, don’t fight it – trust. It is only when we wrestle with a yoke that it chafes our necks.  Jesus says: “My yoke is easy; my burden is light.  Learn from me – I am meek and humble of heart.”

The evangelist Matthew tells the story in his Gospel of the day Jesus offered us a bequest that gathered many of His lessons into one gift-wrapped package we call the BEATITUDES.  The evangelist Luke, too, relates his version of that afternoon on the mountainside.  Both men may have been there in the crowd on the hillside with Jesus but Matthew’s version contains more details.  We know that Luke gleaned an insight into Jesus’ home life from Mary, Jesus’ mother.  This particular day I know Matthew was there, hearing Jesus firsthand.  He was seated right beside me.  I can conjure up his image now.  He wasn’t very agile so he kept squirming to find a comfortable position on the grassy slope.

 LISTEN UP NOW!  Jesus is getting ready to speak.  Look around you. The Beatitudes that he’ll share are not some pie-in-the-sky sayings.  What Jesus says reflects what He saw so often.   He gives us a gift to unwrap and remember in our everyday life.  “Blessed are they.”

Jesus spots a rich man and his wife who live very simply.  Did you notice her peasant style dress?  She got it at the Jerusalem Good Will store.  This couple has a reputation for generosity.  Raising his hand in blessing over the crowd, Jesus says: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, the kingdom of God is theirs.”

See that family there that is mourning the death of their infant daughter?  Hear Jesus when he says: “Blessed are the sorrowing, they shall be comforted.”

Turning to make eye contact with the family whose only child is in a wheelchair and has many special needs, Jesus says: “Blessed are the lowly; they shall inherit the land.”

 Seeing some of John’s disciples, Jesus senses the people’s hunger for His words.  But, the sun is high in the sky.  Some have traveled far and Jesus knows they must be weary and hungry.  But they wait with an air of expectancy to see if He will offer than a word.  Jesus does not disappoint them as he says: “Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for holiness, they shall have their fill.”

Oh, look over to your right.  Do you see the older woman gently soothing a fretting infant so a young mother can rock her fretting toddler to sleep?  Hear Jesus when he says: “Blessed are they who show mercy, mercy shall be theirs.”

Why is Jesus looking over there?  He seems to be focusing on some who’ve lost interest in his sermon.  He knows that they’ve heard this before in different ways.  This time it might soak in if they’d just listen.  He knows their deep desire to be always in his presence.  He reminds them: “Blessed are the singe-hearted for they shall see God.”

 Why is He smiling now?  Oh, I see.  It’s that young father rolling a yarn ball back and forth to his two young sons.  A moment ago they were squabbling over the ball. Gently flicking the ball in the direction of each boy in turn seems to be a habit of his. And all the time Papa’s listening so intently to Jesus’ words.  “Blessed are the peacemakers; they shall be called children of God.”

Jesus’ express changes.  Mmmm.  He’s looking at those church officials.  The ones who have dared to follow him.  They know they’re going to be the object of tomorrow’s gossip fest.  Jesus speaks directly to them.   “Blessed are those persecuted for holiness sake; the reign of God is theirs.”

Slowly scanning the entire crowd, Jesus goes on to say: “Blest are YOU when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of slander against you because of me.  Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is great in heaven.   You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.”

 Again, I remind you: You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its lampstand so it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, “let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in

heaven.”

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

 

 

 

 

 

First Reading: Zechariah 9:9-10                    Second Reading: Romans 8:9, 11-13
Gospel Reading: Matthew 11:25-30
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Flag Day

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Did you know…

 

Flag Day commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States which took place on June 14, 1777 by resolution of the Second Continental Congress. It was not until August 3, 1949 that President Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14th of each year as National Flag Day.

The origin of the display of the American flag in many parishes in the United States appears to have its origins in the offering of prayers for those who served during the Second World War (1941-1945). At that time, many bishops and pastors provided a book of remembrance near the American flag, requesting prayers for loved ones – especially those serving their country in the armed forces – as a way of keeping before the attention of the faithful the needs of military families. This practice has since been confirmed in many places during the Korean, Vietnam and Iraqi conflicts.

 

                                                                        US Conference of Catholic Bishops

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Corpus Christi

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Solemnity of the Most Holy Body

and Blood of Christ

This crowd that Jesus is speaking to had made a pilgrimage to see him in person, instead of going to Jerusalem for the celebration of Passover.   It would have been easier to go to the nearby city, but something was drawing them to the great teacher.  And, walking was their mode of transportation, and the distances were often across rough terrain or long detours around lakes. Someone has calculated that in his 3-year public ministry Jesus walked 912 miles.  (Now, I thought that was an interesting tidbit in case you play Catholic trivia.)

Here’s another.  Someone has calculated that Mary, the mother of Jesus, walked 12,187 miles by the time she was 50 years old.  The distance around the world at the equator is 24,901 miles.  This means that in her lifetime Mary walked almost half the distance around world.  (No wonder she waited until after her death to make so many miraculous appearances.)

Now, come with me back to Jesus and the crowd who wanted to take Jesus by force and make him their king.  In other words, Jesus is speaking to a crowd that has felt the pangs of a deep, deep longing for something more than physical hunger.  But as so often happens, they have misplaced the object of their yearning.  They have placed their longing on “king.” Jesus wants them to see that their true longing is for “living bread.”.

Today, Jesus is asking us to defog our soul’s glasses in order to bring our longing into clearer focus.  John wants us to see into and through Jesus, that our real longing is not for things that pass away but for things that endure for imperishable Light, and kinship (not kingship).

Jesus keeps referring to bread, living bread.  We know that the majority of Jesus’ followers were the poor.    And it is a known fact that 50% of a poor person’s diet was (and often is) some form of bread.  Life was a struggle, not unlike the fate of many of the people we know.  Each day’s food had to be earned that day; and was just enough for a day’s survival.  This is not the bread that Jesus is talking about.  He is talking about a Living Bread:  an abiding, dynamic relationship with Him.   “They who eat my flesh and drink my blood will abide in me, and I in them.”

In response to the people who quarreled over his words, Jesus doesn’t seem to answer the question posed about how salvation will come about, perhaps because this reality can only be understood after his death and Resurrection.   They could not imagine a future supper with such significance, or the horrific suffering and death of the One they so admired, nor the resurrection that would startle the world.  They did not yet know the gift of self in Bread and Wine.  As one writer says it, they could not conceive of the Eucharistic presence that Jesus would give us so that He might continue to “mingle with us.”  Isn’t that a touching phrase – mingle with us?!

The bottom line is that people are scrambling like crazy to find the diet that is right for them. But there is a diet you don’t hear much about – the one presented in today’s gospel – the “Bread of Life Diet.” It’s spiritually high-carb but offers full nutritional value. Jesus says, “I am the bread of life,” and promises that people on his program “will never hunger or thirst again!” This is an extravagant claim!  But, unlike some TV ads that offer guaranteed fat burners, Jesus can deliver on what he promises!

We’ve heard the Good News … now it’s our task and obligation to share that news!

~Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

 

 

 

 

 

First Reading: Proverbs 9:1-6              Second Reading: Ephesians 5:15-20
Gospel Reading: John 6:51-58
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Trinity Sunday

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We know from other Gospel readings that Nicodemus went to speak with Jesus first under cover of darkness. It was his role to “break the ice” because he was the leading Pharisee in the group. He wouldn’t risk open association with Jesus, this strange but compelling teacher, until he had verified and tested his credentials. (You know: He verified Jesus had safe environment training and a clean driving record.)  We can be forever grateful to Nicodemus that he approached Jesus. For his courage, we thank, God, for taking this risk. His encounter with Jesus has left us with words that have been quoted lovingly among Christians ever since. The passage from John 3:16 is a thumbnail sketch of God’s initiative on our behalf.  “God so loved the world that He gave his only son.” Our entire life in return is a grateful response to God.

The response to “I love you” is ordinarily not “What do you want me to do about that?” It is “I love you, too,” followed spontaneously by evidence that we mean what we say.  Believing this way takes a lifetime for some, an instant for others. Time is irrelevant. From the moment we begin to want to believe in this way, we become truly Christian. It really is that simple.

Today we celebrate the reality of the Holy Trinity.  Our triune God is, of course, a mystery – an incomprehensible concept.  How is it that three Persons exist together in one trinity of being?  Thankfully, mysteries can be talked about. They can be described. They have clues that our minds can grasp. But a mystery remains a mystery unless and until we grasp it in its totality.  When it comes to God, we simply cannot grasp the total reality of God.

Mysteries, after all, are made up of clues that can be talked about.  In a mystery story the author gives hints, clues to piece together in order to see the whole picture. In God’s mystery story, the Holy Trinity, we have lots of clues. When we pursue them and piece them together, we get a good glimpse into what kind of a being our God is.  Our God is all about love. When we live in love we live in God, and God lives in us. Living in love, however, does not mean we all must be the same.  That’s not written anywhere.  The Father is a distinct Person, the Son is a distinct Person, and the Holy Spirit is a distinct Person. Distinct though they are, they exist in one being of infinite love; they exist in one unbreakable bond, in one infinite union of being together.

While that all remains a mystery to us, it is not so mysterious that we cannot live with each other in a reality of life that reflects and shares in the reality of God’s life. To live a God-like life we must build-up and affirm one another and see the best in each other.  We must be self-sacrificing and not self-centered. We must be giving rather than grasping, offering hope rather than mutual misery. We must seek to heal rather than rub salt on the wound.  It is in shared living that we not only belong but also where we discover, nurture, and affirm our own unique and individual personalities. It is in living the reality of being truly a family in Christ that we have a glimpse into the life of the Trinity: Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

There is story about one of the great theologians of the 20th Century, Karl Barth. When he was in New York for a conference, at the end of his talk he asked if anyone had any questions. He got a few questions about what he had been talking about, some theological questions that, quite frankly, were rather boring. Then someone asked Barth what in all his years of Biblical study was, for him, the greatest theological discovery he had made.  He was quiet for a moment, pondering and he then responded that there was one truth that really had become real to him as he spent more and more time studying scripture and trying to know God better. And that truth was, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”

This one simple truth can be argued for children and yet has so much meaning and power. It is also the truth that one of the great theologians of this last century claimed as central to his whole understanding of theology.   This simple truth comes to us as a children’s song, “Jesus Loves Me This I Know”.

We all have different views about who God is and what God is like. Early on I fell in love with God the Spirit … always with me … touching me lightly on my head, holding my hand as I drift asleep.

 

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

 

 

 

First Reading: Exodus 34:4b-6, 8-9             Second Reading: 2 Corintians 13:11-13
Gospel:  John 3:16-18
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Pentecost

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Have we really come 50 days since Easter?  In the Gospel narratives, Jesus has told his disciples that he’s going to prepare a mansion for them in his Father’s house. He’s promised them that where he is going, they will be able to follow.  You’ll remember that Thomas told Jesus they did not know where Jesus is going – so, how can they get there?  Jesus explains that he himself is the way, the truth, and the life.

It was Philip who made a request that challenged Jesus’ words. Philip wanted Jesus to show the Father to the disciples.  Remember what Jesus has just told his disciples? “If you know me, then you also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”   Like the good teacher that he was, Jesus responded to Philip by elaborating on what he has just told the disciples: they have seen and known Jesus, so they have seen and known the Father. Then Jesus offers another reassurance about his departure: because of faith in God and in Jesus, the disciples will do the work that Jesus has done and more.

Jesus promises that the Spirit of truth will reveal all that He, and the Father, know and all that is to come.  This connection between Jesus and his Father, between Jesus’ work and the work of the Father, is made clear in today’s Gospel. Jesus is in the Father, and God the Father is in Jesus. As God spoke his name to Moses, “I am,” so too Jesus speaks his name to his disciples: “I am the way and the truth and the life.”

Do you recall the theme music and opening words from “Mission Impossible!”  “Good morning, Mr. Phelps!  Your mission, should you choose to accept it…”  Just before Jesus returned to heaven, He charged us to do something which seems impossible…one of the most amazing verses in the Bible.  In one translation: “Verily, verily, I say to you: You that believe the works I do, you also shall do – and even greater works than these shall you do.” Sounds like mission impossible! And yet, our God, who cannot lie, has said it… …so, how can we make it a reality?

We can’t share the Good News if we have not heard the Good News.  We must have a mission that is a vision of what Jesus meant by “greater things.”  Our coming retreat time might be a good time to re-read and spend some time in private self-evaluation with our Vision and Core Values statement.

Jesus fed 5,000 people with a lad’s lunch.  He walked on water.  He raised the dead?  How can we do “greater?” Jesus raised the dead?  How can we top that?  Well, let me ask you: “Did Jesus say we would be able to top his works?”  No, He did not say we’d work greater miracles than He, but that we’d do greater works!  What are the greater works?

Jesus raised Lazarus and the widow’s son – a physical miracle.  Greater than raising someone physically is to raise them spiritually.  And, our corporate commitment empowers us to do just that …  to respond to the hungers of the people of God …. With the same compassion that Jesus showed the hungry crowd and a grieving family.   The greater work is salvation…seeing people pass from spiritual death to spiritual life.

Jesus’ primary work was not walking on water, healing people physically, raising them from dead…though He did all of those things.  His primary work was to seek and save that which was lost.  The miracle of Pentecost convinces us of the greater work the Spirit accomplished through the disciples.

Jesus says His miracles were nothing compared to what is coming.  The greater things we can accomplish will not happen by merely focusing on our community. It’s “mission impossible” to reach the world unless we have a plan of how to reach outside of our geographic limits!  The price will be in going the extra mile: attentiveness, physical expenditure, emotional drain, consideration for the details of hospitality and self- and interpersonal care.  This is what we’re all about…bringing glory to God by seeing people saved!  That’s a purpose worth committing ourselves to. It’s bigger, greater than just ourselves and our problems. In so doing we bring great glory to God!  Jesus BEGAN a work that we are to bring to completion. He BEGAN it in His earthly body, and He will CONTINUE it through us.  The ultimate purpose is to bring glory to God.  That goal is impressed on us every time we enter the chapel: that in all things God may be glorified!  I’ll close with a little story that reminds us we can do greater things.  Three friends were spending the day fishing in Lake Jovita.  After they were out in the boat, one realized she had left the bait on the dock.   So, she stepped out of the boat and walked on water to the shore and back to boat!

The others marveled at such faith!   With that another girl, discovered she had forgotten her lunch box back in the car.   She nimbly trotted across the water and back.  The third fisher exclaimed: “That’s incredible!  I am in the presence of greatness!  But I believe – I have faith, too!  She needed to use the restroom, so she stepped out of boat and promptly sank to bottom of the lake!  Her two fishing companions looked at each other: “Should we tell her where the rocks are?”!   We can depend on Jesus to be there when we need a stepping stone – He IS our rock.

~S. Roberta Bailey, OSB

 

 

 

First Reading: Acts 2:1-11              Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 17:3b-7, 12-13
Gospel Reading:  John 20:19-23
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