Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow

Throughout a year Friars take part in Days of Recollection. A day set aside to purposefully be quiet, pray and reflect on a specific topic. A retreat day if you will. We just had our first one for the year. We headed out of town to the nearby San Damiano Friary (same community of Friars as us) about an hour from our Friary. It was a beautiful day that began cloudy but then the sun burst through. The surroundings near the Friary are wonderful for such a day. Quiet, places to walk, places to sit and ponder and the Friary itself provides enough room for each of us to have our own space.

 

My morning was spent in quiet (and some napping) in a huge recliner chair in a corner of the basement, secluded by myself. I read and reflected on the provided text, I had a nap (I like to think I napped in God’s arms) and then I sat in quiet. Our reflection was about creation, and Francis’ love for it, how he viewed it as a sacrament and how it is beyond him in pictures with animals. As I read and reflected and napped music kept running through my head. I was so happy I had put my mp3 player in backpack, so before lunch I pulled it out and ‘got lost’ in music that was bubbling up inside of me. ‘Blessed Be Your Name”, ‘Awesome is the Lord Most High’ and ‘He Reigns’ are three songs that allowed me to connect with God and reminded me of the gift of creation, and how God’s love is poured into it.

 

We gathered for lunch and after a lunch a discussion on the text we had read. The discussion was very good and allowed everyone to express their insights and what touched them. It also became a forum for us to discuss Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation issues. This discussion came to a close in just over an hour and then the rest of the afternoon was spent in quiet. I took advantage of the weather and area and went for a walk and then spent time journaling on the patio.

 

Our day ended with Mass at the Monastery with the Poor Clares. What a joyful celebration to end the day with Eucharist, great music and conversation after Mass. Talk about getting filled up. After Mass we enjoyed supper before heading home.

 

We now head into the rest of the week a little more filled up and in tune with God.

How are you doing? Are you filled up? In tune with God?

 

I invite you to spend just a few minutes today or sometime this week and stop for a quick tune up.

Stop and listen to the three songs I mentioned above, if you don’t already have them on your play list I know you can find them on YouTube.

 

 

 

I also invite you to read St. Francis’ famous “Canticle of Brother Sun” and also the ‘Canticle of the Three Young Men’ – Daniel 3:52-90. Both are easily found online. (I love both of these writings.)

Both of these are excellent reads and remind us of God’s great love poured forth for us in creation, where everything is ‘the creative intent of God and manifests the creative wisdom of God.’ Just think if God is doing that in creation God is for sure doing that in our lives.

 

That is awesome! Praise God from whom all blessings flow…. Holy God we praise thy name…