Benedictine Sisters of FL

Holy Name Monastery
Founded 1889

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Who is Family?

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A crowd so large has gathered that Jesus and his disciples are not even able to eat their bread.  His family comes to take him away because they think he is beside himself.  This gives Jesus the opportunity to point out that family for him is not based on results from a search on Ancestry.com.

Have you ever accused someone of being out of their mind?  Probably…. but then you might remind yourself, you can’t judge a book by its cover.   And, remember the ancient American Indian proverb: “Before you judge another person, walk a mile in that person’s moccasins.”  If you lived in that person’s head, if you had the identical life-experiences you’d really have no other choice than to do exactly what she did.  It’s advisable to refrain from statements that begin: she “coulda, woulda, shoulda….”  And, obey the maxim “thou shalt not should upon thyself.”  Crazy is how some people viewed Jesus during his early ministry.

The evangelists tell us that some people were quite alarmed by Jesus’ behavior.  His family was certainly alarmed.  Mark reports that when his family and friends heard about his preaching and behavior they went out to seize him: for they said, “He is insane.”

We might take a benevolent interpretation of their action and suggest that the family was taking an intervention action out of loving concern and support for him.  They wanted to make sure he was eating right, getting enough sleep and not working too hard.  But, it seems unlikely that was the honest motivation for the intervention.

In his youth, most of the time his family probably thought of Jesus as a normal boy.  His cousins and friends accepted him as one of the neighborhood kids, just one of them.

I suspect he might have tried to keep their nonsense under control and lead them down the right path.  So, they were not overly surprised when he began street preaching, but now he had gone overboard.  He was so often in the public eye, things were getting a little out of control and they urged him to quit.

In the instance reported in his Gospel reading, several of them came as a group ready to distract and get him away from the crowds.  But, their attempt at an intervention wasn’t working.  They tried sending him a message that his family was waiting to talk to him.  He left them standing on the outside.  He seemed to dummy up; he threw the messengers a zinger with the question:  “Who are my mother and my brothers?”

His family is frustrated with him, or just plain worried about him.  They hear that Jesus is drawing crowds again, and they go to rescue him — because people are talking about “our boy.”  Some of the people think he’s loony.   His family is embarrassed and worried of what might become of him.  But, Jesus doesn’t seem to mind at all.  After all, he knows how badly it’s all going to turn out.

He tells the crowd, and us, mine is an extended family – everyone is welcome.  I embrace anyone and everyone.  These people may look like a group of misfits, but they’re family.

So, I wonder: who might be at our door, looking to get in, to speak to us?   Be a part of our family, preserve our reputation and tell the world what a great place we have here and what a pleasant group of people we are?

Our oblates come immediately to mind.  You probably realize this, there are more Benedictine Oblates in the U.S. than the combined number of professed Benedictine men and women living in communities.  Worldwide there are currently 25,000 oblates compared to 21,000 Benedictine monks and sisters.

You see it here on Oblate Sunday.  We could have upwards of 30 Oblates gather for the day.  That’s almost 3 times the size of our community.  In the interim between meetings, they are reaching out into the greater community, telling our story, often better than we do.  They are immersed in “the world,” living out the values and mission of our community.  It’s true that they come to us to get refueled, to learn more about the Benedictine charism, but it’s equally true, as Joan Chittister says in the recent issue of BENEDICTINES, “Oblates are the hope in this century that the life and values of the Benedictine vision can be born … again and anewed.”

So, when we hear the summons, “Your family is outside asking for you,” how shall we respond, what shall we do?

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB, Prioress
First Reading Genesis 3:9–15   Second Reading  2 Corinthians 4:13—5:1
Gospel Mark 3:20–35
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SOLEMNITY of the TRINITY

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May 27, 2018

You may have heard the expression, when referring to age: 70 is the new 50.  Well, in Scripture seven is considered to be a sacred, perfect number.  But today’s feast, the solemnity of the Trinity, tempts me to say “3 is the new 7.”

Some say that “Two’s company; three’s a crowd” but today’s feast would have it otherwise.  In this instance, the figure three symbolizes completeness and perfect symmetry.  The Holy Trinity is a mystery beyond the grasp of human reasoning.  It reminds us of some key moments of the Christ story.  For example, when Jesus stood before John in the River Jordan, the Spirit hovered and the Father’s voice was heard: “This is my beloved Son.”

Recall the Christmas nativity scene.  There were three figures: the Holy Family – Mary, the mother, Joseph, the guardian, the stand-in father, and the infant Jesus.  And, according to tradition, who tracked them down through the desert and into Egypt – the three wise men.  33 or so years later, when Jesus was preparing for his public life he went back to a desert.  And, there he was tempted three times by the devil.

All of us like a good story.  And, Jesus was a story-teller par excellence.   He learned early on at his mother’s knee, or watching her bake bread for the day, or from his favorite bedtime stories that every good story has a beginning, a middle and an end.

We see this in Jesus parables.  The story of the Prodigal Son is about a father and his two sons.  How many passersby were in the story of the Good Samaritan?  A priest, a Levite and the Samaritan.  And, what about the farmer who went out to sow his seed?  Jesus talks about three different types of terrain yielding three different levels of harvest.

At the end of Jesus’ life, like at the beginning, we see the three motif.  During his Passion, Peter denied him thrice.  On the road to Calvary, he fell three times.  In the Crucifixion scene, you’ll recall we see three figures, Christ between two thieves.  At the foot of the cross stood Mary, his mother, and two other Mary’s.  Before his resurrection, he spent three days in the tomb.

Scripture does not explicitly teach the doctrine of the Holy Trinity; it is rather assumed especially through the story of Jesus’ baptism.  The early Christians struggled to explain their understanding that Jesus was God on earth as a human being.  “Trinity” or ‘tri-unity’ was the term that developed in an attempt to explain the relationship between God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.  The Apostles Creed predates the Nicene Creed which was decreed in AD 325, to formalize the teaching about the Trinity.  Either Creed is approved by the Church to be recited during the Eucharistic liturgy.  “We believe in one God.  We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God.  We believe in the Holy Spirit, the given of life.”

This inner relationship of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is such that each of them is fully and equally God, yet there are not three Gods but one God.  This is incomprehensible to the human mind.  It is a mystery.  Together the three Persons in the Trinity, the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit represent the fullness of love.  The Father loves the Son, the Son loves the Father.  The Holy Spirit is their love for each other.

But love is only a word until someone gives it meaning.  We are made in the image of a triune God – God the Father, who created us, his Son who saved us, and the Holy Spirit who continues to guide us.  To be true to our calling we must be the ones who give meaning to Love in our world.  As Paul says in the second reading to the Romans: We did not receive the spirit of slavery, but of adoption …  we are heirs of God with Christ and destined to be glorified with him.”

A “Trinitarian- like movement” in our prayer life echoes the rhythm of our whole lives.  In Lectio we go up the mountain with Jesus, we have conversation with Him there, and we return to life among his people.  In our community prayer, (again a three-fold movement) we bow, we sit, we stand.  In our chants, we don’t always have to harmonize but we do strive to keep our voices in harmony with each other – one heart, one voice.

In tomorrow’s Responsorial Psalm we will sing: “Blessed the people (that’s us) the people the Lord has chosen to be His own!”  Our lives, individually and as a community, reflect the Trinity.  We are called to be creative like the Father, compassionate like God the Son, and, like the Holy Spirit to use our gifts and talents in service to others.

For “There are three things that last: faith, hope and love.  And the greatest of these is Love!”

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB, Prioress
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What if …

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Pentecost  2018

This weekend, for the Solemnity of Pentecost, between the Vigil Mass and the “During the Day” Mass there are eleven (11) selections for readings.

We’re all familiar with the Pentecost story.  The Apostles, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, had locked themselves in an upstairs room.  They were frightened by all that had happened, anxious and terrified that at any minute the authorities would come crashing through the door.  Looking back on the mystery of Pentecost, Paul wrote to his followers exhortations to live by the Spirit.  He reminds them “no one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord’, except by the Holy Spirit.”  He tries to unravel the mystery in terms they can relate to.  He speaks of gifts of the Spirit, forms of service, different workings, and the fruits of the Spirit.  He explains how those who are filled with the Spirit will conduct themselves and what vices they will refrain from.

In this reflection I’ll circle through the readings from the Letters of Paul to the Galatians, the Romans and the Corinthians.  I wonder what would Paul say to us today?  I suspect he would say much the same things he wrote to his audience of his time.  He might personalize it a bit to highlight the gifts present particular body of people he was addressing  – gifts that manifest the Spirit for the edification and benefit to the community.

He might say: You do know that to all of you, and each of you is given the gift of faithfulness to prayer, stability to each other and an endeavor for life-long learning.  To one may be given the aptitude of expressing psalmody in musical settings; to another the skills to lift the notes off the page in song and to another the gift of prayer in poetry.  To one is given the gift of sensitivity to the needs of the poor and to others the gift of touching the heart of the weary.  One may have the gift of never knowing a stranger, and another the flair and daring to entertain the community with her ability to emcee a party.  To one is given the gift of calligraphy and to another the proficiency and insight to write icons.   To one is given the gift of fingers that dance across the keyboard and to another a green thumb that provides food for the table; to a gardener the knack that raises flowers from the dirt and another the gift of arranging bouquets that inspire prayer.  To some there is given a volunteer’s heart with a seamstress skill or a caterer’s aptitude.  You are witness to a woman’s response to begin a journey in community and you are daily graced to witness each other’s perseverance in a life-long commitment to community and a combined effort to feed the hungers of the people of God.

Paul speaks again: “There is diversity of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.  There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.”

“But, what if,” you may ask, “I haven’t found my gift yet.  Or my gift seems to be changing over the years?”  Listen to the voice in your heart: “My child, you always have the gift of prayer …  that doesn’t change … the expression of prayer, the words you use, the method you practice are all conversation with God, spoken or unspoken.”  Remember the old Chinese proverb: “A Bird Does Not Sing Because It Has an Answer.  It Sings Because It Has a Song.”  Fr. Ed Lamp recently shared this message inspired by a poster with that saying that he saw in a family’s home in Merida.  He wrote:

When it comes to living our lives, we seem to always be looking for a purpose – a reason for everything, and a reason to do anything.  We seek fulfillment through love, and our family, through jobs and careers, and through our friends and hobbies.  We’re desperate to have a purpose and to understand the meaning of all of it – the meaning of life.  Why are we here and why do we do what we do?

But what if you let go of the idea that everything needs a purpose?  What if you let go of all the “musts” for a moment, just to be present right here and now?  What if you decided to sing, just to sing, but not necessarily because you have an answer?

Because I’m not so sure that we really need an answer, if we can find a way to just enjoy where we are at this moment.  Isn’t it enough to just be alive, and to be here, experiencing the full beauty and wonder of life?

“A bird does not sing because it has an answer, but because it has a song.”  It sings simply because it wants to, and to share something beautiful with its surroundings.  And what other purpose do we humans really have, other than to be alive and enjoy the moment that we are in, making ourselves and the people around us happy; doing what comes naturally to us, and to just live in the present and enjoy the beauty of life.

So try to release the stress of finding a purpose.  You are living your purpose right now.  …Singing a song with your life for no special purpose …  just “because” you have a song – a part in the grand harmony of the miracle of Pentecost – They were filled with Holy Spirit and began to sing in different voices, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim the mighty acts of God.

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB, Prioress

 

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Ascension of our Lord

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So when is the last time you “grabbed the devil by the tail?”  Or sought a big rock to dash your unruly thoughts against?  Uttered something in a language you never studied?  Or, like happened to St. Benedict, had a goblet crack down rim to stem and spill out its poisoned contents?  After all we live at HOLY NAME monastery and the evangelist Mark quotes Jesus telling us these will be our signs if we are baptized and believe in the holy name!  And, on top of that we have the command to: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.”

A little over-whelming, right?  But we best take this message to heart all the while assured by the words that follow in the Gospel: Jesus took his seat at the right hand of God, but they (meaning we) went forth and preached EVERYWHERE, while the Lord worked with them.”

Praise God the full brunt of the message does not fall on us alone.  But we must take seriously our commitment to shoulder our share of the burden to spread the Good News to all with whom we come into contact.  We express this in a variety of ways in multiple community documents:  in our PHILOSOPHY statement, our MISSION statement, or VISION statement, our CORPORATE COMMITMENT and our CORE VALUES.  We recognize and acknowledge our responsibility to harken to Jesus’ call personally and to contribute to its fulfillment in the context of our Benedictine vocation.

There is an ancient beautiful story about the ascension of Jesus into heaven.  When the grand welcome ceremony was over, the angel Gabriel quietly approached Jesus and shared some doubts.  “I know that only very few in Palestine are aware of the great work of human salvation you have accomplished through your suffering, death and resurrection. But the whole world should know and appreciate it and become your disciples, acknowledging you as their Lord and Savior.  What is your plan of action?”  Jesus answered, “I have told all my apostles to tell other people about me and preach my message through their lives. That’s all.” “Suppose they don’t do that,” Gabriel responded. “What’s your Plan B?” Jesus replied, “I have no other plan; I am counting on them.”  That fanciful story reminds us that Jesus is counting on each one of us to make him known, loved and accepted by others around us.

Perhaps what this means can best be illustrated within another story…

A man was stumbling along in a desert, thirsty and with little hope of survival.  All he had was a one small disposable bottle of water.  When it was gone, he knew that certain death lie in store for him.  But, wonder of wonders, as he topped the next dune, he saw what he took to be an old decrepit shed.  He dragged himself on this elbows over to it, hoping he might find some source of water.

Ah, thank God, there was a pump outside the shack.  Frantically, the man pumped the handle.  Nothing happened.  Then his eyes fell on a crude hand-lettered sign that read: “This pump must be primed to work.”  His dreams of survival seemed dashed.

He held up what was left of the bottle of water, rolled it across his cheek, cuddled it, kissed it and prayed for faith.  Then he acted.  He primed the pump with all the water he had.  He closed his eyes and pumped the handle.  Wonder of wonders out came streams of fresh, cool water!  He was saved because he gave of all he had.  (Based on a story in Unity Magazine November 1986.)

Pope Benedict XV expresses well the attitude and necessity of self-giving: “My deep personal sharing in the needs and sufferings of others becomes a sharing of my very self with them….  I must give to others not only something that is my own, but my very self, I must be personally present in my gift.”

Like the man who sacrificed his last drop of water on the rusty, frozen well we step out in faith with no plan B in mind.  In the words of a hymn made popular several years ago by the Medical Mission Sisters: “Give it all we’ve got!”

God loves a cheerful giver, give it all you’ve got.

He loves to hear you laughing when you’re in an awkward spot.

When the odds add up against you,

It’s time to stop and sing:  Praise God, to praise Him is a joyous thing!

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB, Prioress
First Reading  Acts of the Apostles 1:1-11                             Second Reading  Ephesians 1:17-23 or Ephesians 4:1-13 (shorter form: Ephesians 4:1-7,11-13)
Gospel Reading  Mark 16:15-20
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A Particular Kind of Love

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The theme of this Gospel is clearly love but not the kind of love we see a film or television program, or hear on the radio or a CD.  Even in church hymns, we speak frequently about love.  But, as Oliver sings in the musical based on Charles Dickens’ story, “Where is love?”  We ask: what is love?

First, let’s look for a minute at where John places this reading.  It fits squarely between the Gospel readings from this morning (Saturday) and yesterday (Friday) and immediately after the Gospel proclaimed last Sunday: the vine and branches wherein we were reminded that it is only in our union with Jesus that we can render fruitful service.  Today’s reading, then, extends this teaching to the kind of service that we are called upon to offer: a particular kind of love, sacrificial love.

In the Greek, there are two words for love that are used interchangeably in this passage.  The first is agape. It is understood as the highest and most perfect kind of love and is used to describe love for persons and for God. The second is philia and is used to describe the affection of friendship.  John appears to use these words as synonyms so that we understand our relationship with God is based on friendship.  Sometimes we hear this word “love” used in such a way that we degrade, lessen or weaken its significance.  The way Jesus, or in this case John, uses the word for love just doesn’t apply to chocolate, a long drink or an afternoon nap.  We may like and enjoy those things a lot, but we don’t “love” them in the way we love our neighbor.

It is notable, I think, that Jesus gives us just one love commandment.  He does not say, “Love me, love my father or love God as I have loved you”. No, he says, “If you want to be my disciple, then you must love one another.” If we really love our brothers and sisters we do not have to worry if we love God. But, if we do not love everyone unconditionally, then there is no other way we can claim to love Jesus.  We need to love like God loves: without exception.

So we do not really have to ask or worry, “Is it a sin to do or say or think such and such a thing?”  The important thing to worry about or ask is: “When I do, say or think such and such, am I really a loving person?”  As our relationship with our Redeemer grows, the less and less we are hung up on rules and regulations.  We know in our heart what is the appropriate, loving thing to do or say.

In practice, of course, it’s easier said than done.  We are slow learners …some slower than others.  Some have a family history that promotes love in action; others struggle with a history of abuse in the home.  In addition, the prevailing culture thinks and acts differently.  Rough, raunchy, abusive language and tone of voice; behavioral violence can invade our homes every day on televised news.  The sounds of fictionalized gun and interpersonal violence may come into our living spaces.  Our blood pressure rises unnoticed, we flinch and blink our eyes not realizing that we are desensitizing ourselves to what we say we want controlled and petition lawmakers to protect us against.

Deep down, we all want to love people.  We like people to be our friends.  Yet, because of our past experiences, the influence of parents and other people around us, the pressures of our society and our traditions, we often do not know how to love, do not know how to forgive, do not know how to be reconciled, we do not practice the skills that promote healthy relationships.

Sometimes people will love us back; sometimes they will not.  Sometimes, even though we want to love people, they may reject us.  If they do reject us, we need not necessarily think that we have done wrong.  When people cannot return genuine love, it is they who have the problem.  Sad to say, due to past experiences not everyone is capable of loving.  All the more reason why we need to pray for and reach out to them.  People learn to love by being loved.

The most important thing is not that I am very clever, very successful, very rich, very famous… The most important thing is that I am someone who really loves.  When I genuinely love others, there will always be some who cannot love me back but there will be others who will really respond in love.  And it may be that my love has empowered them to be loving too.

Recall last evening reading from the Prologue of the Rule (of Benedict): “See how the Lord in his love shows us the way of life.  Let us set out on this way, with the Gospel for our guide,that we may deserve to see him who has called us to his kingdom.”

You’ve heard the saying, when in doubt, don’t!  But maybe a better point to ponder is:  WWJD – what would Jesus do?

 Our rose garden is in full bloom – certainly an example of “April showers bring May flowers!”

Next Sunday, Mother’s Day, our Sisters and volunteers will be serving the area’s monthly free Sunday meal for the homeless and needy.

First Reading   Acts of the Apostles 10:25-26,34-35,44-48
Second Reading   1 John 4:7-10    Gospel John 15:9-17
~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB, Prioress
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May: Month of the Blessed Mother

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May is the month dedicated to Blessed Mary, mother of Jesus Christ.  A ceremony is scheduled at St. Jude’s Cathedral on Sunday, May 6th during which Bishop Parkes will consecrate our diocese and all people who live in the five counties of the Diocese of St. Petersburg to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. “Consecrating ourselves to Mary means accepting her help to offer ourselves and the whole of humankind to Him who is holy, infinitely holy; it means accepting her help – by having recourse to her motherly heart.”  (Bishop Parkes)

The Benedictine Sisters suggest this month that you consider reading and sharing with family from At Prayer with Mary by John Phalen, CSC and James Posluszny, CSC.  Or , you may choose to use any other material on Mary and the church, or spend some special time pondering the life of Mary and her impact on your life.    As Phalen outlines on the cover of the book,  readers are invited to reflect on the realities in the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary: her humanness, her poverty, and her daily struggles.  In focusing on these aspects of her life, we discover in Mary a model of Christian living who invites us to join her as disciples of her son, Jesus Christ.

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