Benedictine Sisters of FL

Holy Name Monastery
Founded 1889

Gospel

The Prodigal Son

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This Gospel says that while away the prodigal “came to himself.”   Developmental psychologists say that some young people need to reject their conventional faith (e.g. of their family) in order to come to their own faith.

Put another way, at least some may need to go to “a distant land” in order to “come to themselves.”  Note that the second son who stayed home also had his rebellion from conventional faith as he talks back to his Father, refusing to go to the feast.

Rather than having failed, parents of prodigals or rebels may have succeeded – in giving their young person the confidence to leave home to spread their wings and find their own faith.  You’ve probably heard the saying: “If you love something set it free, if it returns it was meant to be, if it continues to fly let it soar, and have faith that God has something better in store.”  And another one: “Sometimes, you just have to take the leap, and build your wings on the way down.”

The gospel suggests that the Prodigal Parent is on the look-out for their wandering child, scanning the horizon, hoping against hope for their return.   Upon sighting their child, the parent’s heart is “filled with compassion” and rushes out to welcome the one for whom they have yearned and prayed.   “Prodigals” of all ages need to know that we are hoping for their return and that they will always be welcome home – with open arms.

Our Gospel shows us the difference between “coming home” and a “home-coming.”  The son approached in fear and trepidation; the parent flung aside any resentment and ill-will.  The child was coming home to he knew-not-what kind of a reception.  The parent threw a spontaneous homecoming party.

The Parent welcomed and embraced the Prodigal before an apology crossed his lips.  What a picture of unconditional love!  Our diocesan motto “Live the Gospel Courageously” includes the theme of welcome to all, Saints and Sinner alike.

It doesn’t matter if prodigals don’t return to our particular expression of faith within God’s family.  We hear the expressions “fallen away Catholic” or “lapsed Catholic.”  We remain hopeful that they will make their way home to God.  The path may not be ours.  We pray that the good values that were instilled and modeled for them over the years – will sustain their journey, whatever road they take.  And, we pray that we remember: true “forgiveness” is present long before the embrace of a homecoming.

The waiting father, the renegade son and the “look at how good I have been” son … all knew peace at the end of the day.  The father seems to have completely forgotten his agitation, worry and concern as peace overwhelms him at the return of his younger son.  That wayward son must have been so very relieved at the response of his father that peaceful gratitude must have washed over him.  I suspect that the older brother forgot to sweep at his own front door – yes?   What peace must have invaded his attitude as his father – and younger brother – assured this embarrassed, humbled fellow of their never-ending love.

We believe Benedict when he says that seeking peace is the way to heaven – heaven in the after-life and a little bit of heaven here on earth.  In the Prologue to Benedict’s Rule we find the admonition: “If you wish to have true and eternal life, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit; turn from evil and do good; seek PEACE and pursue it.”  Another translation says, “seek peace and go after it.”  That conjures up quite an image…  dashing out of the chapel, into the dining room, down the halls, out the door, into the neighborhoods, climbing God’s holy mountain pursuing PEACE – never abandoning charity nor giving a false peace, peacefully performing whatever duties are entrusted to us, ensuring we have made peace before sundown.

Let us renew our commitment to make PEACE more than a concept that we talk about … let us make a daily pledge to be people of peace, to be a peaceful people.   Make each day an echo of what Paul tells us in the second reading: “the old things have passed away; behold new things have come….  We have been reconciled through Christ and (this is the punch line) WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN A MINISTRY OF RECONCILATION.”

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB, Prioress

 

4th Sunday in Lent (March 31, 2019)
Joshua 5:9a; 10-12      2 Corinthians 5:17-21     Luke 15:1-3; 11-32

 

 

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What is your BE-attitude?

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Surely at least once in your life you’ve experienced a sinking sensation when your superior, your mentor or novice mistress, principal or boss sent for you, and maybe several others, looked you in the eyes, and said, “There’s something you need to understand….”  You felt quite literally like this was a “come to Jesus” moment.”  That’s the setting for the story in this Gospel reading.  This account according to Luke looks and sounds a lot like Matthew’s account of the Sermon on the Mount.  The difference is that in Matthew we find only the “blessings.”  Here in Luke we find a set of contrasts: blessings vs woes.

Why do you suppose this is?  Well, like most people who have many speaking engagements, Jesus had in mind several basic concepts he wanted to be sure to cover.  Jesus spoke without notes, repeating the same truths from various angles.  In this particular talk He may have styled his presentation on the writings of the prophet Jeremiah (that we’ll hear in tomorrow’s first reading) – the section on curses and blessings.

Over Jesus’ three-year public ministry the disciples would have heard the same parables, the same stories, the same truths with some variation.  And, like any human being, their memories would have taken on different colors.  Surely you’ve been at a family or community gathering where inevitably the “do you remember when” stories come up?  You may have listened in amazement as your sibling related her memory of an event.  You thought you were there when it happened, but, my goodness, do the details differ!

So, it shouldn’t surprise us when we hear differences between accounts in the four Gospels.  And, we shouldn’t get all worked up, jump in to correct Sister X when she tells a tale with embellishments we don’t recall.  It shouldn’t destroy our trust in the evangelists when we encounter differences in their accounts.  After all, one evangelist calls the occasion “the sermon on the PLAIN” and the other the “sermon on the MOUNT.”  So, maybe it was two different occasions.

The match up of the blessings and woes in Luke is interesting to note …  they’re separated by several verses in the text.  For example: In the first comparison we find Jesus’ words on the blessedness of the poor, and a hopeless future for the rich.  “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” (v.20) “But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.” (v. 24).  Because of their faith and trust in God the poor are God’s beneficiaries.

The next parallel: “Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied.” (v 21) paired with “Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry.” (v 25).  Jesus knows the people have experienced actual hunger… hunger for food and the necessities of life.  He contrasts it with being well-fed.  In our culture there are many overweight people.  But in a culture where poverty is rampant, only the rich are plump.  It’s easy to tell who is well-fed.  Jesus reminds us that there is something that is more valuable than “bread” – there is spiritual food that feeds our souls.

The third blessing/woe pair is weeping and laughing. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.” (v 21).  “Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.” (v 25).  We have all felt the pain of disappointment and loss, or rejection and struggle.  But the typical depiction of the well-to-do is of someone who is always partying and enjoying themselves.  They laugh and joke now while tragedy takes place all around them.

You can find many self-help aids on Amazon and Goodreads… POD casts on the Internet, books and tapes and DVD in the public library … in our library.  The more you read, and hear, about happiness – the longer you live – the more you will realize the impact attitude makes in one’s life.

Attitude is more important than facts. (Are you measuring the depth of emptiness in your glass?  Or, do you smile as the fullness in the glass of life expands?)  Attitude is more important than the past, than one’s education, than money, than circumstances, than failures or successes, than what other people think or say or do.  Attitude can make or break a person’s spirit; can build up or destroy a community …  a parish … a home … family.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace.  You can’t change our past …  we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way.  We can’t change others’ attitudes.  The only thing we CAN do is adjust our own attitude.  It has been said that life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how we react to it.  We are each in charge of our own attitude.  What will be your attitude?  That is your BE-attitude.

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB, Prioress
First Reading  Jeremiah 17:5-8
Second Reading  1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20
Gospel Luke 6:17, 20-
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Is Your Badge a Badge of Busyness?

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It seems to me we would be hard put to find a more appropriate Gospel to lead into our annual retreat at Holy Name.  Jesus invites us: “Come away by yourself to a deserted place and rest awhile.”

We would think it bizarre for a traveler not to be prepared for a journey.  We would feel pity for the poor traveler who never read his/her itinerary.  Which of these hundreds of aircraft is my flight?  Usually we have a destination in mind when we set out.  It is rare that the journey is the destination.  But it is a great feeling to just relax and enjoy the drive without wondering “are we there yet?”

This week Jesus invites us, “come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.”  There are four different parts to that statement – each one means something on its own:  Come away.  To a deserted place.  All by yourselves.  And rest a while.

Some people (surely not any of us) wear a badge of busyness as if it were a badge of honor.  “How are things going?”  “Well, it’s been pretty crazy, I’ve been busy all day.  Not enough time for everything.”  The implicit message being: “I’m worthwhile because I’m busy.”  But, you and I know it’s not a badge of honor – it a sign of an imbalanced life … Remember the little saying: “all work and no play makes Jill a dull person.”  There’s a better one: “Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.”

Let’s pick apart Jesus’ invitation.  Come away, he says. It’s not just “going away,” but it’s “coming away” with Jesus, the one whose yoke is easy, whose burden is light; the embodiment of refreshment.  Come away from the daily grind whatever that may be.

To a deserted place.  Our retreat director, Abbot Primate Gregory Polan has written: “It is my conviction that monasteries are among the most important places to our world today …  what we offer is a warm welcome, whoever you are and whatever your story in life tells; we say, ‘come and be with us and find healing in the Word of God that we offer you’.”  During our days of retreat we have the opportunity to recharge our spiritual batteries – to get out of the busyness trenches – to keep company with God.

From the street our grounds are an oasis for world-weary guests.  But the seeds we plant must be sown more deeply than the grass.  How good would a farm be if the owners only painted the silos and mended the fences?  If the farmer never sowed seeds: no veggies, no fruit, no dinner.  Retreat is a time to steep ourselves in Scripture and the words of the retreat director, to have a head-conversation with an author you’ve been anxious to meet or take time to get better acquainted with a confrere.

In case you missed it, the invitation Jesus extends to us for this time of retreat is to be “All by yourselves.”  Jesus really means it.  Thus especially during retreat we foster an environment of quietness and prayer, alone and together in chapel, so that each of us can delve into spiritual practices that “tightened the bonds that bind us ever closer to God and each other.”

And finally, Jesus says: Rest a while.  This isn’t laziness.  It’s not a perpetual state.  It’s temporary.  It’s for a while.  But, for that while, it’s about rest.  We cannot just minister to others day by day, month by month.  We won’t be able to take care of others if we don’t make time to cater to ourselves and our own needs.  We need to embrace the spiritual practice of rest.  And, while some may think you’re a little crazy…you’ll be crazy in all the right ways.

So, how will you prepare for your journey into our annual retreat?

First, forget technology exists – except maybe for some soft, calming music.  Use the down-time in the retreat schedule to explore your feelings and get to the core of changes you need to make.  Seize the opportunity to enjoy nature, try new exercises physical and spiritual, time to just BE.

The retreat time gives you the excuse to try something different, to step out of your comfort zone and experience something new – to read about, pray about new things, new ways of living, and give yourself options for how you may want to make changes when you get back to “the real world” of everyday.  In other words, a retreat can lift you out of a rut and be restorative for body and soul.

During these graced days of retreat let us pray for each other – and for all who will benefit from our “time apart by ourselves.”

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB, Prioress
First Reading  Jeremiah 23:1-6           Second Reading  Ephesians 2:13-18
Gospel Mark 6:30-34
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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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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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“I should have known” experiences

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On this third Sunday of Easter, we continue to hear Gospel accounts of Jesus’ appearances to his disciples following his Resurrection.  In each account Jesus greets his disciples with the words, “Peace be with you.”  Peace is their most obvious and pressing need.  They have witnessed the death of someone they loved dearly.

Two of the disciples recounted this touching story of PEACE invading their lives.  They had been pondering, exchanging views when suddenly a stranger slipped into their midst.  Now the Jewish custom of the day required that they invite the stranger, whom we know is Jesus, to join them for a meal.  In this case, the invitation included an overnight’s rest.  Later they realized Who had broken bread in their company.  Can’t you see Jesus’ delight in revealing himself.  He’d kept His identity hidden for a time.  Now the friends realized that their hearts had been afire as they listened to him break open the Scriptures with him.  What a Lectio experience!

We believe God is all around us: God is in nature, God is here with me now.  But do we really believe that God – in the person of Jesus – will drop into our company and chat with us…  in the person who is walking toward us?  How interesting that two people can be in the same circumstances but have two distinct “I should have known” experiences.

Once upon a time a child delivered something to me from her kindergarten teacher.  As I thanked her, she stepped back and politely said: “May I ask what you are going to use that wrapping paper for?”  From there the conversation went like this:  “Well, I am planning a prayer service for the Sisters at our chapel and I want to make a pretend well.”  “For the Sisters?”  “Yes.”  “Are you a Sister?”  (Now this was Lent and she had known me since August.)  When I answered, “Yes, that’s why you call me SISTER Roberta.” She slapped herself aside her head … “I should have known!”  Like the disciples’ AH-HA moment – they knew later if they had listened to their heart that they would have known Jesus in the breaking of the bread!

I am reminded of another story that the author calls:  The Best Sermon I Never Heard (By Frederick Hermann)  [Adapted here to fit our time constraints.]  Perhaps you will identify with one or the other of the players in the story.  I’ll relate it as if it happened to me …

“As soon as he started, I knew it was going to be bad.  The old priest began his sermon with a faltering voice, and proceeded to tell an obscure story that made no sense to me at all. I was quickly lost and bored.  This was not the church I usually attended but I was traveling, and went to a local church for evening Mass. The priest seemed unprepared, vague, and detached.  So I tuned him out, and started fuming inside my head – why hadn’t I pushed it to drive home tonight to the monastery?”

“Why didn’t he prepare better?  Didn’t he take a homiletics course (like Father Mike) in the seminary”   I felt like I had endured an eternity when finally the priest ended his sermon.

After Mass, I walked to the car in the parking lot. No longer able to contain my irritation, I complained out loud to a stranger walking beside me – and you know that’s like me to speak to a perfect stranger.   “So, what did you think of that sermon?”  She walked in silence beside me, lost in thought.  Actually I thought maybe she was deaf or that I hadn’t really spoken aloud.  Then she softly and gently spoke; “That was the most beautiful sermon I have ever heard.”

I was stunned, and looked up at her, expecting to see her grinning sarcastically. To my astonishment, I saw that tears were streaming down her cheeks …  her eyes glistened in the evening sunlight.  Finally she spoke: “I’ve spent most of my life estranged from God, going my own way, and doing my own thing. Last year I found God, or rather he found me.  Now I find him speaking to me in the most unusual ways. Like that sermon we just heard. It was all about waking up, and listening, and hearing God in new ways. That describes my life, and the love I have found.”  I was speechless!

As I drove away, I marveled at how God could use such a dull and ordinary priest to speak in such an extraordinary way to one of his beloved.  What is meaningless for me to hear, and a cross for me to bear, may be the fruitful words of life to a person sitting nearby – who may be hearing the voice of God speaking directly into their heart.

In the words of Job:  “God thunders with His voice wondrously, doing great things which we cannot comprehend.” (Job 37:5).  And, in the words of our Responsorial Psalm: “Know that the Lord does wonders for his faithful ones; and puts gladness into my heart.”

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB, Prioress
First Reading  Acts of the Apostles 3:13-15,17-19  Second Reading 1 John 2:1-5a
Gospel Luke 24:35-48    Intention Mentally Ill
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