Benedictine Sisters of FL

Holy Name Monastery
Founded 1889

Mary

Second Sunday of Easter

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christ is risen w tombWelcome to the Second Sunday of Easter.  Notice it’s “of”, not “after” .. because, you know this, Easter’s not a single day, or even an octave but a season of 50 days.

There’s no question that we know how to do Easter as an even: the question is … How are we at Easter as a way of life?

The great Easter truth we celebrate is not that we are going to live anew after death, but, by the power of Jesus’ resurrection we are new here and now!

“Here and now” – that’s easier said than done. If it’s any consolation, the first Christians: those who had the direct experience of our risen Lord don’t seem to have been much better at it than we are.  During the Easter season we’ll be reading a series of “post – resurrection” stories: the women at the tomb who seemed to have forgotten the “punchline”: that Jesus told them he would rise after three days. It took the angels to remind them of that rather important detail. And then they ran back to tell the disciples, but, the men didn’t believe them!  And, Mary in the garden?  She thought Jesus was the gardener

Imagine today’s Gospel scene.  It’s a week later.  Without warning, Jesus is in their midst – no time to run and hide under the table.  He’s THERE.  Someone’s first reaction was probably, who left that door open?  Immediately, Jesus “breathed on them”.

Some things we just can’t see. But we know they’re there anyway. Like the air when a gentle breeze caresses our cheek.  God’s love is sort of like the air, isn’t it? It fills us up –  even though we can’t see it – we can feel it in our hearts.  When Jesus breathed on them, Thomas who had missed Jesus’ first visit and wants to see Jesus with his very own eyes, expresses his belief. But Jesus reminds him of something very important.   Sometimes we just have to believe in things that we can’t see. We have a special name for that. We call it “faith.”

You may recall the words of several hymns that refer to the spirit breath of God: “Be our breath,” “fall afresh on me,” “whose breath is seed outpoured –  calling all things to birth,” “with your breath melt the frozen, warm the chill,”        One of my favorite Marian hymns often heard at Christmas, is sung by Amy Grant, entitled “Breath of Heaven.  It’s the story of Mary’s pondering the workings of the Incarnational Spirit within her.  Mary’s prayer becomes mine: “Breath of heaven, Hold me together, Be forever near me, Breath of heaven – Be with me now, lighten my darkness, Pour over me your holiness, for you are holy, breath of heaven.”

It has become for me a prayer: to be filled with the breath of God … And, that’s what Easter as a way of life is all about. And it’s a way of life we live one day at a time: one step at a time — trusting that even if we take a mis-step, we never journey so far from God that the life-giving breath of that Spirit is beyond our reach: even when that seems impossible to believe.

That’s the lesson we learn from Thomas who has gone down in history as “doubting Thomas” because he refused to accept the testimony of others, but demanded his own experience.  He has borne the brunt of almost two millennia of bad press because of His skepticism about the resurrection and Jesus’ appearance to the other disciples.  Yet, what did Thomas ask for that the others had not received?  They had seen Jesus. They had maybe had a chance to touch His wounds.  Why is Thomas ridiculed for his insistence that he see for himself?

I’m a little intrigued, actually, about how quick we are to make Thomas the poster child for faithless doubt. As a matter of fact, the rest of the bunch didn’t do any better.  Remember:  the women at the tomb, the men who didn’t believe the women’s story, Peter who runs back to see for himself …. and here are the “faithful” disciples, after the appearance of Jesus: still locked in the upper room.

Think about it:  why did Thomas come back at all. Whatever had taken him away from the community, he came back. And it was in the midst of the community that Jesus came to him, and without so much as a confession or absolution, offered him what he needed to believe: “Touch, me Thomas. Do not be faithless, but believing.”

One of Thomas’ great virtues was that he absolutely refused to say that he understood what he did not understand, or that he believed what he did not believe. There was an uncompromising honesty about him: he would never still his doubts by pretending they did not exist.

But, he refused to surrender to the fear, too, which kept the other disciples shut up in that locked room. He ventured out and then had the courage to come back – to face a community which had had an experience that he had not shared.  At first he insisted on his own experience of God.   Jesus knew what he needed – He extended his hand to him – not a hand out; but a hand up, the nudge Thomas’ needed to bolster his faith “my Lord and my God.”  This is our challenge, and our privilege, to figure out what people need –  to offer the comfort, security and peace that will bolster their faith in a loving God.  This, too, is the challenge the Good Shepherd extends to us on Divine Mercy Sunday: to lead people to green pastures, where, surely goodness and kindness and mercy may follow them all the days of their lives.”

With Thomas, and all whose faith wavers:  we pray, “Breathe on me breath of God, until my heart is pure. Until with you, my will and Yours are one – not my will but yours be done.”

~ Reflection by Prioress, S. Roberta Bailey, OSB

 

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The First Miracle

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water to wine(John tells us that Jesus and his disciples were invited to this wedding at Cana, as was Jesus’ mother, Mary.) There is no parallel report of this miracle at Cana in the other three Gospels. Don’t you think it is significant that John included the story – about Jesus and his disciples at a wedding – at a PARTY – as the very first miracle Jesus performs? Of all that Jesus said and did in his three years of ministry, this is first – Jesus at a party, turning water into wine. (and not communion size wine but party size wine)

John must have kept his eye on Mary whenever he was in her company.  Even after Jesus’ death, at Jesus, behest he took Mary into his home and heart until her own death.  Though in relating this story he does not call her by name, he must have been deeply touched by her gentleness and gutsiness; keen intuition and comfortableness in staying in the background.  Only Mary, Jesus and the wine steward (and, of course, our writer John) apparently noticed the exchange between Jesus and his mother – and the miraculous result.  There is no mention about whether the other wedding guests are aware of what happened.  This lavish response to a simple human need is a vision for us of the abundance of God’s workings in our lives. Jesus got involved in a BIG WAY – those six jars of wine would fill 6 to 9 HUNDRED bottles.  That’s a lot of wine, even for a wedding party that would, in Jesus’ time, last a week.

Jesus quiet generosity challenges us to respond generously when confronted with human need today – simply, quietly without looking for credit or announcing the “miracle.”   We respond as best we can, fully confident that God can transform our “water of humility into wine of unselfish generosity” bringing the Kingdom of God to fulfillment among us.

Do you know people who ‘feel bad about feeling good’?   (Or are you one of them?)  Do you feel that Jesus should have just attended the wedding ceremony (the ‘religious part’) and kept away from the festivities?  Do you have a problem with Mary enjoying a glass of wine or two?  There are some people, maybe more than we know, who seem to feel that, in order to be a ‘good’ person they always have to be denying themselves, always ‘making sacrifices’ or putting themselves down and minimizing their God-given talents.  If they think they are really enjoying life, there must be something wrong. They are in a constant state of waiting for the other shoe to drop.

To echo Pope Francis’ thinking: “Our religion is a religion of joy.”  But people miss his point when they spend their time living Lent but without Easter.  Pope Francis says in his introduction to THE JOY OF THE GOSPEL,” Joy adapts and changes, but it always endures!”   He continues: “I understand the grief of people who have to endure great suffering, yet slowly but surely we all have to let the joy of faith slowly revive as a quiet yet firm trust, even amid the greatest distress.”

And, we really do have much to celebrate, to be joyful and be thankful for in so far as so many people have used their gifts to promote our well-being and support  our community.

I quote here Max Lucado from When God Whispers Your Name:”

Why would Jesus, on his first journey, take his followers to a party? Didn’t they have work to do? Didn’t he have principles to teach? Wasn’t his time limited? How could a wedding fit with his purpose on earth? Why did Jesus go to the wedding?

The answer? It’s found in the second verse of John 2. “Jesus and his followers were also invited to the wedding.”

Why did they invite him? I suppose they liked him.  Big deal? I think so. I think it’s significant that common folk in a little town enjoyed being with Jesus. I think it’s noteworthy that the Almighty didn’t act high and mighty. The Holy One wasn’t holier-than-thou. You just don’t get the impression that his neighbors grew sick of his haughtiness and asked, “Well, who do you think made you God?” His faith made him likable, not detestable. Would that ours would do the same!

Lucado asks:  May I state an opinion that may raise an eyebrow? May I tell you why I think Jesus went to the wedding? I think he went to the wedding to-now hold on, hear me out, let me say it before you heat the tar and pluck the feathers-I think Jesus went to the wedding to have fun.”

So here’s a question for us:  Jesus took time for a party.  So, shouldn’t we?

How are you going to party?  And who is God using – like Mary speaking to Jesus – to give us a nudge in the right direction?  If you don’t know – as Benedict says:  listen more carefully.  And, if you do know – take the hint!

                                                                                                        Reflection by Sister Robert Bailey, OSB, Prioress

 

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Fourth Sunday of Advent 2015

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May the last few days building up to Christmas not become too hectic doing for others …  save time for you and the Babe whose birth we will celebrate on Friday! 

In thbethlehem2is Gospel reading Mary, the girl-mother goes to visit Elizabeth, her cousin, who, in advanced age, is also with child.  She traveled approximately 103 miles over not the kindest terrain.  It sounds like perhaps Elizabeth learned of Mary’s approaching arrival.  Whether or not, Elizabeth greets Mary with full recognition of the roles that they, and their unborn children, will play in God’s plan for salvation

Thus, it is appropriate in this season of Advent that we consider the role of Mary. Mary is the one who believed that God’s word to her would be fulfilled.    Mary shows us “blind” faith, deep trust and an abiding peace.   She ask only, how can this be – listens to the angel’s reply …. nods her head and sets off across the hill country to be midwife to her cousin.  Her faith enabled her to recognize the work of God in her people’s history and in her own life. Her openness to God allowed God to work through her so that salvation might come to everyone: those who had gone before her and all of us who come after.

Martin Luther King, Jr once described faith as: ”taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole stair case.”   This is Mary … the angel sent by God said it can happen, so who am I to question God?   At this stage, she has no idea what is in store but she has said her Yes and she will be faithful to it.  May we always be like Mary, open and cooperative in God’s plan for salvation.

A few years ago there was a TV ad that ended with the question: Have you said ‘Yes’ yet?”   It is a question that tomorrow’s Mass are asking each one of us.  Have we made the most important preparation of all? Yes to the Father, Yes to Jesus, Yes to all that we will experience in the coming year, Yes to every call that God makes and will make of us?  We learn from Mary, and her son Jesus, how to say an unqualified, unconditional and unreserved YES!  That’s where the real joy and happiness of Christmas lies. All the rest is (so to speak) tinsel on the tree of our lives!

As Advent time winds down it is almost impossible not to be sucked into celebrating the feast before it occurs.  We struggle to remain grounded in the spirit of Advent.  Like children we just can’t wait for the big birthday party.  It’s as though even the most beautiful liturgies and symbols fail to communicate, because God is so much greater than all our frail efforts.  But, God doesn’t need our feeble attempts in order to communicate with astonishing clarity.    If we look and listen closely – like we look forward to the rising sun each morning from the breakfast table – we remember God is greater than any Advent wreath.  When the rich melodies of the O Antiphons course through us we are reminded we do indeed stand on holy ground.

On Monday we will mark the shortest day of the year.  Isn’t it strange that we refer to it as “shortest day” not the longest night?   The light of day gradually increases and we witness the sunrise earlier and earlier each day.

And, the Advent wreath’s purple candles increase until all four give light to our darkness and hinting at the more brilliant light that God promised: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.”  God hasn’t forgotten or given up on us.  How fitting to have had the Penitential Service this past week … Any debt or guilt we may have felt or imagined is erased: the jail door sprung. The prison gate opens as wide as a proverbial smiley face!   The light within us is even more dazzling than you can imagine!

In the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer we hear a message of hope and reassurance:

“Just when everything is bearing down on us to such an extent that we can scarcely withstand it, the Christmas message comes to tell us that all our ideas are wrong, and that what we take to be evil and dark is really good and light because it comes from God.  Our eyes are at fault, that is all.  God is in the manger, wealth in poverty, light in darkness, succor in abandonment.  No evil can befall us; whatever others may do to us, they cannot but serve the God who is secretly revealed as love and rules the world and our lives.”

Let’s not be counted among the people who miss out on the gift that God sent to them. You see, God’s Gift didn’t come in a beautifully wrapped package. God sent Jesus, His only Son, as His gift to us. Jesus’ mother was young virgin…his earthly father was a poor carpenter…he was not born in a beautiful palace…he was born in a manger. Not a very pretty package, is it? But do you know what? It was the greatest gift the world has ever known. It was the gift of salvation and it had your name on it.

Our prayer bubbles forth in the words of Psalm 40 (which we prayed in Noon Prayer yesterday) “O God, your wonders and designs are beyond imagining; you have no equal.  Should I proclaim your blessings, they are more that I can tell!”

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