Lord

“I Will Teach You How to Fish for People”

January 23, 2024 by Holy Name Monastery Leave a Comment

A variety of motives influence people to exchange their old lives for new ones. What convinces a “seeker” that it’s worth leaving behind life as they know it? Most of us know from our own and each other’s vocation stories, it’s the relationships we witness and experience within a community much more than our ministries that prompt newcomers to “test the waters.”

We, (individually and as a community), can put our full energy into the production all kinds of “lures” and “bait” … retreats and workshops, attractive vocation materials, holy cards, videos, websites and other social media … but that’s only part of what Jesus meant when he promised to teach us how to fish for people. But, keep in mind that vocation – to any and every state in life – is GIFT! And, remember fishing from our boat requires that each one has to do her assigned task of mending the nets, casting the line or preparing bait … no slackers allowed. And, all of us have to row in sync lest we tangle oars or go in perpetual circles. Look to Jesus – how did He fish? He taught, He gave witness, He invited; He did not disappoint, He was (and is) faithful to His word.

So, what kind of witness do we need to be constantly giving? What do we need to leave behind (individually and communally) to convince an observer that our community is worth a further look? It’s an exceptional challenge in these pandemic times. But the phone calls and email messages; the ZOOM Oblate Meetings, the videos on our website, the personal letters, the eblasts from our Advancement Staff keep our readers coming back. In current lingo, the “soft touches” are ways to seal the friendships and supportive interest that last a life time. What is the bait, the lure that will prompt more questions, extended visits, developing relationships and finally prompt someone to dare to say, “This is where I feel God is calling me; I’m willing to follow His lead, to leave all behind for the sake of Jesus’ call, with these Sisters (whom I now call my own) here at Holy Name Monastery.”

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

Have a good week… Be good Fishers for Christ… God Bless

First Reading: Jonah 3:1-5,10 Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 7:29-31
Gospel: Mark 1:14-20

New Year 2024

January 4, 2024 by Holy Name Monastery 1 Comment

“I Hope You Dance”

“The shepherds made known the message that had been told them about this child. All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them.” (Luke 2:17)

Those shepherds accepted the challenge of allowing God’s glory to be seen in their lives. That same challenge is ours! And when we manage to perceive God’s working in our lives, amazing things can happen! People behold the divine glory present and working in and through us. That’s why we dare to commit “ourselves and our resources to respond to the needs of our times with the very compassion of Christ.” We respond not simply with Christ-like compassion, but with the very compassion of Jesus, our new-born savior and Lord of our lives.

I perceive that’s our challenge at this point in our history as individuals, and as a community. On the cusp of one year, and the dawning of a new one, we have come to a greater acceptance of the reality of what Joan Chittister describes in her book THE WAY WE WERE: (Joan says) “Only one thing I know for sure. I know we have to do more with less. (I know) We are getting older. And, we are getting smaller. Most of all, I know we have to do it together.” Think about it: (I am not the first to says this) the miracle of the Red Sea was not that the waters parted. The miracle was that the first Jews dared to step into the open chasm. And others followed their lead. And, miracle of miracles, they came out on the other side.

Recently I got a new purse. That meant emptying the old one, digging to the bottom where I found a crumpled scrap of paper. I smoothed it out as best I could. What I read scribbled there must have been important the day in the past when I first wrote it. And it seems to me it’s a good directive as we contemplate the days ahead in our unfolding future: “Look to the past. Look to the future. And, then do the dance in the middle.” And I’ll add: don’t be afraid to be the first one on the dance floor. But neither do you have to be the first one – just don’t be a wall-flower. Heed the words of the Dan Schutte’s hymn: “Join in the dance of the earth’s jubilation! This is the feast of the love of God.” Join the dance, be it a two-step or a three-step waltz, the twist, the Bunny Hop, a line dance, a square dance or a reel; a gentle swaying of the body or drumming one’s fingertips. Do not fear, others will eventually join in. Remember, we’re together in the rhythm of the dance of community life. We’re the ones who give expression to the music of creation that we call Community.

Dance to the rhythm of communal prayer and meal times. Dance to the call for extra service when substitutes are requested or extraordinary tasks need doing. Dance to the silent beckoning of objects you spy out of place – return them to their usual home. Don’t ignore the nudge of a soiled surface and dusty corners. There’s a reason why God let you see their longing for a cleaner’s touch. Dance lightly when a person’s distracted or has a blank look, a pinched brow, or seems to be waiting for a smile or a “hello” or “want to talk?” Bend low with a ballet dancer’s grace as you offer gesture of gratitude. And, when you feel like you’re dancing as fast as you can but the whole world is spinning beneath you, it is. In the words of Albert Einstein: “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”

Singer-Song writer Lee Ann Womack put words on my wish for you, for each, and all of us. I paraphrase her life-affirming message that invites us to step out and embrace life, in her uplifting song, “I Hope You Dance.”

“I hope you never lose your sense of wonder but always keep that hunger.
May you never take one single breath for granted.

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean.

Promise me that you’ll give faith a fighting chance;
And when you get the choice to sit it out, or dance? I hope you dance.

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance,
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Livin’ might mean takin’ chances but they’re worth takin’.

Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you’ll dance.”

Please, “when you have the choice

to sit it out or dance, I hope you’ll dance.”

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

First Sunday of Advent

December 5, 2023 by Holy Name Monastery Leave a Comment

Do you think maybe Jesus knew the childhood game of Hide and Seek? There are two ways to play the game. In one version, one person is the “hider” and everyone else is a “seeker”. The seekers close their eyes and count loudly from 100 down to 1. When the counting is done, all the seekers scatter and start searching for the hider. When a seeker finds the hider, then he or she joins that person in their hiding position. In the more familiar version of the game, one person the seeker, is “It”, and covers their eyes and starts counting down from 100. All the hiders scramble to the best place they can find to avoid being discovered. When “It” reaches 1, he or she calls out, “Ready or not — here I come!” He/she then begins searching and tagging all the hiders. In today’s gospel lesson Jesus is “IT,” the “seeker” saying to the world, “Ready or not — here I come.”

Ten years after the death of St. Paul, Mark reminded his community in Rome of Jesus’ words – and he shouts the same warning to us today: “Be constantly on the watch! Stay awake! You do not know when the appointed time will come.” Mark knew well the lesson we gradually learn i.e. when events don’t happen as quickly as we expect, we tend to forget what we know and slough off doing the things we know we ought to do.

There are no magic Advent practices to prepare for Christmas. There are the classic Christian exercises: works of charity, prayer, self-sacrifice, and penance. The Advent gospels will perk up your ears and catch your attention: “Take heed!” (Be on guard) and “Watch!” (Be alert, stay awake, and don’t grow careless). Don’t give up! St. Benedict admonishes us: “Never swerve from God’s instruction but faithfully observe God’s teaching in the monastery until death.”

In Chapter 67 of his Rule Benedict reminds us of the mutuality of journey prayers for each other. As travelers on our Advent journey, we ask for a blessing. And in return we promise to always remember in daily prayer our journey companions.

Advent is our annual journey from the warning to “stay awake” and “be alert” to the glorious memorial celebration of Jesus’ birth. Let’s heed the words of Benedict and be prayerfully conscious of each other on our individual and our communal Advent journey. We know this: God is in charge and God can be trusted. We just have to: “stay awake – be alert – watch!”

Here’s a simple Advent project that can help keep us alert and watchful. Every morning as you get up, pray, “Lord, show me someone today with whom I may share your love, mercy and forgiveness.” As you settle down for the night, ask yourself, “Where did I find Christ today?” The answer will be God’s Advent gift to you that day. It reminds me of a saying attributed to St. Thomas Aquinas: “Without God, I can’t. Without me, God won’t.”

~by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

Giving Tuesday was a huge success!

We couldn’t be more appreciative for the outpouring of generosity.

We exceeded our fundraising goal and raised $44,898 and with the generous match from John Picciano that gives the Sisters $82,398!

First Reading Isaiah 63:16b-17 Second Reading 1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Gospel Reading Mark 13:33-37

“Christ Jesus Ruler, Christ Jesus Victor”

November 27, 2023 by Holy Name Monastery Leave a Comment

As we observe the Feast of Christ, the King, we are celebrating a ruler who was willing to die for us, for all humanity, to give us true freedom. Jesus radically redefined the traditional concept of kingship. His example of radical love and kindness is lived out by us, his followers, in our reaching out to those in need – beginning with those with whom we live.

For over four and a half thousand years there has stood a great obelisk in St. Peter’s Square in Rome. The structure, originally located in the Temple of the Sun in the Egyptian city of Heliopolis, was brought to Rome by the dreaded Emperor Caligula. He had it set right in the middle of a Roman racetrack known as the Circus of Nero. It was in that Circus that St. Peter was martyred. On the base is inscribed two phrases, The first, in Latin, the words of a familiar hymn: Christ Jesus Victor! Christ Jesus Ruler! Christ Jesus Lord and Redeemer!” The other is an inscription that proclaims: “The Lion of Judah has conquered.” It may well have been the last earthly thing that St. Peter saw as has he hung upside-down crucified to die.

In 1925, Pope Pius XI universally instituted the Feast of Christ the King to be celebrated on the last Sunday of October. However, since the reform in the liturgical calendar in 1969, the feast falls on the last Sunday of Ordinary Time, the Sunday before Advent.

At the time of the institution of the feast, secularism was on the rise and respect for Christ and the Church was waning. Today, we witness the same sense of distrust of authority – accelerated by political situations and the rise of individualism. Some reject the titles of “lord” and “king” for Christ, believing that such titles are borrowed from oppressive systems of government. History proves that some kings have been oppressive. Others have been converted to a more Christian style of ruling, often by the influence of a woman.

In 2015, during the Jubilee year of Mercy, Pope Francis added another part to the title: “…the living face of the Father’s mercy.” The combined readings this year for the solemnity give us a glimpse of how Christ is at the same time both king and the face of the Father’s mercy. In contrast to the oppression so prevalent in Jesus’ day, he connected his role as king to humble service, and taught his followers to be servants as well. “You are my disciples if you do what I command you: love one another as I have loved you.”

Deep down do we believe JESUS IS LORD or is it just from force of habit that we say or sing those titles for Jesus? At the opening of every Eucharistic gathering, the celebrant greets us with the words: “The Lord be with you.” In tomorrow’s Responsorial Psalm we will proclaim: “The Lord is my shepherd.” We will profess in the Creed: “I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ.” We often raise a hand in benediction as we sing: “May the blessing of the Lord be upon you.” If we believe it’s true that Jesus is Lord, why do we sometimes scramble to find a substitute to replace the word “Lord?” It strikes me that while we may struggle with the concept of Jesus as king, somehow, especially on feasts of Mary most of us have no problem calling Mary queen: Queen of the Universe, Queen of Heaven, Regina Caeli.

At the end of this coming week, we will be jump-started into the season of Advent: an experience of an “ending that is a beginning” – a time of waiting for the One who will come. This is the One who is promised to us in the Book of Revelation: “Behold, he is coming and everyone will see him; the Alpha and the Omega, the one who is and who was and who is to come.”

Let us pray that we can portray to the world the beneficence of a humble king, truly putting flesh on our Corporate Commitment: to be Christ to one another. For it is not so much what we say or what we do that puts flesh on our commitment. It is who we are that “responds with compassion to the hungers of God’s people.”

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

First Reading: Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17 Second Reading: 1 Cor 15:20-26, 28
Gospel: Matthew 25:31-46

Come!

August 14, 2023 by Holy Name Monastery Leave a Comment

It is the 4^th hour of the night; sometime between 3 and 6 a.m. The sun is just beginning to peek over the horizon. Earlier, Jesus had shepherded his disciples into a boat and pushed them off deeper into the lake. Jesus himself headed toward one of his favorite places for solitude, up the hillside by himself. Out on the lake, until a few minutes ago, everyone in the boat was asleep or in that twilight state between sleep and alertness; that brief moment when you’re not quite sure if you’re awake or still dreaming. Suddenly, the rocking of the boat shook them all awake. Gasping for air they shouted to each other: “Where’s Jesus?”

Then Peter spied Jesus in the mist and heard “Come!” At Jesus’ beckoning, Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. As long as he kept his eyes on Jesus, his feet found steady grounding even in the liquid churning sea. It’s difficult, isn’t it, to keep your eyes on the goal when there is a whirlwind surrounding you? But, remember, as long as we keep our eyes focused on Jesus, on our overall goal, and on each other, we’ll stay afloat with a tangible sense of peace. Don’t disregard that fact that it was at dawn when Jesus came toward his disciples walking on the water. You may have to squint until your eyes adjust to the darkness to make out clearly your surroundings. But listen! It’s not a ghost. There is a whisper that, strange as it seems, is booming over the sound of the threatening waves of the storms in life: “Do not be afraid. It is I.”

Jesus is reaching out a hand toward us, but it will fall empty to his side if we do not reach out in return. Jesus, in the person of our donors, reaches out with eager hands to help us; sometimes in ways we may not be sure we really need. For the gift to be received we figuratively grasp their hands in acceptance of their generosity. We strive to respond without fear when we see them walking on the water toward us with their gift of self. Like impulsive Peter, we speak up: “If that is really you, Lord, command me to come to you on the water.”

There is a story about Mark Twain on one of his visits to the Holy Land. He and his wife were in Capernaum. One moonlit night they were walking along the Sea of Galilee and decided to take a romantic boat ride. Twain asked how much the charge would be. Assuming the couple to be wealthy Americans the owner of the boat told them an outrageous fee. Mark Twain thanked him and walked away. After a few steps he turned to his wife, “Now I know why Jesus walked!”

At some point in our lives, we just have to leave behind the safety and security of our boats. We have to step into the realm of the unknown. We must be willing to trust our life to our God’s care. It’s difficult to leave our safety nets. We work hard to insulate ourselves from the danger of failure. The threat of the unknown can be paralyzing. It’s pretty comfortable in the boat we’ve constructed. It’s not fancy but we have everything we need. Then God invites us to step out of our boat and venture into an unknown future.

Gesturing with his hand, Jesus repeats, “Come.” Why did Jesus not go to Peter; why did he beckon him to “come”? That’s the lesson for us. We can’t sit, as they say, on our laurels, in our boat and do nothing. When the storms of life are blowing all around us, Jesus says: COME. Like a parent coaxing an infant to take a first step. “You”, Jesus says: COME; Come apart and rest in Me. I am always within reach. Grab that life jacket or that raft or an inner tube and get those arms and legs moving. SWIM! Pray, yes, but don’t forget to paddle, swim or row. Take your time if you need to; catch your breath. And don’t worry about calming the storm; I’ll take care of that. You just calm yourself. Look around. You will spot me in the mist, beckoning to you: COME!

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

Please join us this week as we pray that all people will realize the profound impact of gun violence. Help us to be peaceful and diplomatic in times of trouble. Guide us, we pray towards peace, and away from all forms of disrespect and violence.

We also call to mind this week the peoples of India who, on August 15^th will be celebrating the 77^th Independence Day, marking 76 years of freedom from British rule. In India, the people are suffering the effects of the Monsoon season: heavy rains and flooding; loss of crops in infestation of creatures seeking higher ground.

In your prayers bet God’s mercy and kindness for the peoples who are suffering the devastation of fires, flooding and extremes of heat.

First Reading: 1 Kings 19:9a,11-13a Second Reading: Romans 9:1-5
Gospel: Matthew 14:22-33