Christmas 2022: Sounds of the Season

   Every Christmas card we see shows the Baby Jesus either sleeping peaceful or attentive and happy. Mary is put together, hair neatly tied backed and ready to welcome guests after giving birth. Joseph often stands beaming with delight just gazing at the beauty of the scene. While this is beautiful and invites us into the peace we are seeking, it does not capture the sound, the noise, the reality of the holy night. On the night of nights when God came to earth, birthed into the world by a teenager, it wasn’t sanitized and perfect; it was messy and organic. This is beauty, this our God meeting us in the reality of our lives.

   This Advent we have been pondering sounds of the season. I have offered reflections from my life; some of the stories were moments captured from my childhood while others were stories invoked by images and items. Sound is one of the great gifts of our senses; it alerts us, it expresses emotions, it invites us into living. I have met very few people who are deaf, and yet in their not hearing there is still a sense of sound or ways to express it. As we step into Christmas, I continue to ponder sound and also the messy, and beauty. Those of us who have the gift of hearing are invited into this season with story, scripture, music, greetings and even creation. Can we take this gift and allow it to penetrate these holy days? We must not let words or songs just loft past us but allow them to touch our hearts, awakening us to the Word Made Flesh – God With Us here and now. Let us remember Mary cried out in labour pains, the Baby Jesus cried, Joseph (although silent in scripture) had to have asked for a place to stay and to find some words of comfort for his new family. Remember the sheep bleated, other animals nestled in the hay, birds chirped, the angels sang, the shepherds fell down in praise then spread the good news, and heaven and nature sang. There is nothing silent, tidy or perfect about any of this. In the intrusion of a birth, our God came to us and the message has been love ever since. Let us again pick up this love message of good news – Our God With Us in this season and sound it into the new year.

   In the messiness of our lives during the Christmas Season with people coming and going, life unfolding, sickness and health still present, world issues still unfolding, conversations wanted and unwanted, longings not being met and so on, let us be attentive to what our heart is hearing. How are all of these an invitation to come to the crib and hear the chaotic cacophony of joy, hope, longing, seeking, promise, hurting, unfolding and love?

Do you hear what I hear?

   I hear the voice of Divine Love – Our God. In the everything of this feast, in the moments celebrated and the moments hurting our God again declares, “This is for each one of you my beloved children, for you are always in my heart.” Let us attune our heart this season to voice of love again and again, it will come in unexpected ways; like a child of long ago born in stable, letting out his first cry while lying in a manger.

   A dozen songs for your listening and heart reflection as we celebrate the season of Christmas:

Do You Hear What I Hear? – Harry Simeone Chorale or Bing Crosby

Come Darkness, Come Light – Mary Chapin Carpenter

The Friendly Beasts – Burl Ives

Children Run Joyfully – St. Louis Jesuits

Hark the Herald Angels Sing – L’Angelus

Joy to the World – Boney M

Now the Bells Ring – Rita MacNeil

Ding Dong! Merrily on High! – Choir of Clare College

The Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth – Jann Arden

Go Tell It On The Mountain – Anne Murray

Momma Mary – Roger Whittaker 

My Soul Magnifies The Lord – Chris Tomlin

   Each of these songs move us beyond being caught up in perfectly crafted nativity scenes. They invite us to hear and notice the sounds which filled the first Christmas and continue to speak to our heart this Christmas and always.

As we celebrate this Christmas Season

may our ears and hearts be attentive

to the song of God sung into our heart

and may the sounds and songs of the season guide us

into new encounters of Divine Love – God With us

as we journey into a New Year.

Amen.

Christmas Blessings 

and Much Peace and Goodness 

as we Welcome 2023!

Thank you for journeying with me this past year.

Photo Credit: 

Stephanie Klepacki

Advent 2022: Sounds of the Season IV

When I was very young, my bedroom was at the top of the stairs which led down to the kitchen. Our original home was built in the early part of the 1900’s. This meant there was a floor grate in the landing at the top of the stairs to allow heat to fill the second floor. It also meant voices lofted up into my bedroom.

 

Many of us would have memories of having to go bed while there was still company at the house. I also have these memories. Laying in bed, trying to fall asleep as my parents and their adult friends would visit into the night. No matter how hard I tried to stay away, I would be lulled to sleep by their voices and laughter. A place of comfort and security.

 

As I ponder this memory, I can’t help but consider those who have no shelter or safe place to rest. As we draw near to Christmas we may be longing for moments of the past, hopeful for a miracle, or seeking to let go or make changes. Yet there are those who will simply take a clean bed, a hot meal and warm smile. As we draw near to Christmas let us not only get caught up in the delights of the season but also in what we see and hear around us. Let us get caught up in the voices we hear, the longings expressed and the reality of our God desiring to come to us.

 

Unlike the guests welcomed to my parent’s table well into the night, Mary and Joseph did not receive the same welcome. Consider as, artist Scott Erickson points out, it would have also been family and relatives which would have closed the door in Joseph and Mary’s face, not just some strange innkeeper. Let us remember Mary and Joseph were not in the comfort of their home and within days of the birth of Jesus they became refugees. Consider all they heard and saw and endured. In this final week of Advent as our anticipation turns into excitement and creates demands to make it all perfect, let us remember God came (and still comes) to us in the messiness of life. This Fourth Week of Advent invites us to tune our ears to the voices of loved ones and strangers, of the orderly and disorderly, for we never know when we will hear, “do you have room for us tonight?”

 

May the doors of hearts open this week greeting the Word of God and fellow companions on this last stretch of the Advent path. Let us be attuned to the quiet knocking, the loud banging and the gift of listening which transforms our heart this week and always. Like my bedroom of long ago may the sound of goodness loft into our hearts and fill this week with peace.

 

For your listening and heart reflection as we journey in this Fourth Week of Advent:

 

Listening again to People Look East is always good during this final week of Advent.

 

Beyond the Moon and Stars  - Dan Schutte

This Advent hymn is a story of journey. It calls us to listen for the voice of hope in the unexpected God moments of our daily encounters.

Where have you heard the voice of hope this season? Who has caught your ear and heart this season?

 

O Come Divine Messiah - Fr. Kent O’Connor has a good version with hint of Irish.

A French Carol dating back to the 16^th century. This seasonal favorite is full of life and echoes our longing for hope and light to fill us.

What are you hoping for in this final week of Advent? What do you need to hear?

 

O Come, O Come Emmanuel  - Friar Alessandro sings a beautiful version in the traditional Latin.

Dating to the 9^th century this is the hymn of the season. The lyrics match the O Antiphons which mark the last week of Advent, announcing titles of the Messiah.

By what name do you call Christ? What is your prayer to Emmanuel?

 

His Name is Joseph – Sarah Hart

This song is written from the heart of Mary as she receives news of God with us and her prayer for Joseph.

What invitation do you hear in this song? Who are you praying for?

 

O Little Town of Bethlehem

This haunting tune is an invitation to notice how our God comes to us in the humblest of places.

Are we places of welcome? Are we ready to welcome the Light?

 

 

 

As this Advent Season enters its final leg,

may the familiar sounds of life awaken us

to the song of our heart and to those seeking shelter,

and may the sounds and songs of the season guide us

as our God comes to us in unexpected ways.

Amen.

 

 

Photo Credit: Kraken Images

Advent 2022: Sounds of the Season III

Ding Dong! Ding Dong!

Their chime echoes through the sky!

Ding Dong! Ding Dong!

They carry our prayers to the Most High!

 

Growing up in rural Saskatchewan, there were two things that caught your attention in town – the bells of the churches or school and the bells of the fire hall. Either of these bells called us to pay attention and more often than not prayers came with them as they rang.

 

Our church bell always rang five minutes before Mass, for the most part it still does today. While I was growing up, a gentleman by the name of Sam would ring the bells. He would sit in the same spot in the choir loft near the bell chord right at the top of the stairs. Sam had a bright smile and was always welcoming. When he rang the bell, everyone in town knew that the Catholics were up to something. Bells ringing from a church are a powerful witness of where two or more are gathered in the name of Christ, he is present. It is also a great invitation to come and see, come for you are welcome or to pause and offer a prayer.

Here at the Retreat Centre where I minister, we ring bells several times over a retreat weekend. We ring them to call people to prayer, to meals, to presentations and to gather. They echo out across the yard down into the ravine and bounce off the hill. They catch your attention, delighting children and calling retreatants to notice the gift of the sacred they are encountering. They are rung for justice, freedom and peace.

 

This past summer at my Grandmother’s funeral, as we left the church with her casket, the church bells tolled. Slow, long gongs echoed down the streets as the family gathered to bid farewell. You could feel the vibration of the bells in your body. They were in a way uniting us as a family. As each bell tolled it was a testament to a life well lived, a life rooted in Christ and again invitation to pay attention. The invitation to pay attention was for each of us there to carry forth her legacy.

 

As we come to this mid point of Advent, with this Rejoicing-Joy Sunday, I have been thinking about the bells. Their different tones and the way they cry out (like John the Baptist) and the different invitations they are on our journey. As we enter this Third Week of Advent, I have also been thinking about bells that ring inviting donations to help those struggling. Another invitation to pay attention; this journey is not done alone we are always in relationship. Sadly, I have also been thinking about the bells which are not ringing out in churches and communities where war is wrecking havoc. This too calls us to pay attention. It is an invitation for us to be the vessels who will restore joy and hope, even in the simplest of ways.

 

As we enter this Third Week of Advent let us be attentive to the bells we hear.

What are they calling us to pay attention to? What is their invitation?

How are they reminding us of hope and joy as they echo out?

Do you have a bell in your home? Ring it a few times this week – it may even vibrate some joy!

 

For your listening and heart reflection as we journey in this Third Week of Advent:

Awake! Awake, and Greet the New Morn – Marty Haugen 

(Brent Holl cover is good)

This lively hymn is about invitation and paying attention. It speaks to our struggles and longings but like a bell chiming calls out with hope.

 

What are you being awakened to this Advent?

 

Let the Valleys Be Raised – Dan Schutte

This anthem speaks to the joy and hope that comes with the dawning of the birth of Emmanuel. The lyrics tell the story of John the Baptist. This song like a chorus of bells rings out with promise.

 

                What area of your life is in need of being made smooth?

 

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day – various artists have covered this song

(Casting Crowns and Johnny Reid have great versions)

This poem written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in 1863 during the American Civil War, is now a song which may touch our hearts deeply this year and remind us we too are vessels of hope, justice, joy, freedom and peace.

         Who do you need to make peace with this season?

Who do you need to offer hope and joy to today?

 

As this Advent Season enters the midpoint,

may the gifts of bells and paying attention help us 

to attune to the song of our heart

and may the sounds and songs of the season guide us on the journey

as our God comes to us in unexpected ways.

Amen.

Photo Credit: Chris Barbalis 

 

Advent 2022: Sounds of the Season II

 

    I grew up in an amazing time of listening options for music. The coming to life of an 8-track, the warmth of vinyl records, the convenience of cassettes and the clarity of sound on CD. Now I simply just go to my favorite app and scroll. I realize now with listening to a record I was being taught in small ways the gift of waiting and patience. It takes time to prepare the player, select the right side of the record and then carefully place it on the turntable and if the needle (or stylus) did not have an automatic option, you had to lower it to the record. Each of these important elements so as to hear the songs were lessons in waiting and patience.

    The season of Advent is a call to waiting and patience. The world around us is in Christmas overdrive and yet our Advent journey is slowly (or even if quickly) unfolding with invitations to be attentive to how we wait and lessons of patience. Are we agitated in our waiting? Do we see the gifts patience is teaching us? Can we invite waiting and patience into our Advent days ahead?

    When I was a child, I loved the day Mom reached out the Christmas records. Her stack of vinyl was stored away each year and released sometime in December (another lesson in waiting and patience). It was a magical day when returning from school or from some snow time and the lights of the living room were turned down, the winter darkness was settling in and the big chest record player lofted out carols and hymns to greet us as we entered our warm home. Walking into the darkened living room was like walking into a grand concert hall as the songs crescendoed and faded out. With only the light of the record player control panel gently I would stand and watch the tender ebb and flow of the record producing sounds of orchestras and beautiful voices. I was captivated and held (then and still today when I stop and listen to a record). In some ways I was caught up in waiting and patience, allowing this moment to fill me and simply be.

    I’ve been thinking about the records and songs and the need for waiting and patience as we journey in this Advent time. I am being reminded in this season to wait with expectant hope; listening for the invitations of newness and revival. I am patiently tuning my ears to the voice of God which comes to me in others, in creation, in the quiet and in the music as my heart prepares room for the One whose birth we wait to celebrate.

What are you listening too?

What are you waiting for this Advent?

What is patience calling you to pay attention to?

 

For your listening and heart reflection as we journey in this Second Week of Advent:

Come Thou Long Expected Jesus – Rain for Roots

A familiar Advent hymn with an awareness of patient waiting. This version features children voices calling out with longing and promise.

    How are you waiting for the Savior?

 

People Look East – Marty Haugen

This is one of my most favorite Advent Hymns. It has a great feel of preparation to it and yet an invitation to patiently wait for the time to celebrate.

    How does patience invite us into greater awareness in our living?

 

As this Advent Season unfolds 

may the gift of waiting and patience help us to attune to the song of our heart 

and may the sounds and songs of the season guide us on the journey 

as our God comes to us in unexpected ways.

Amen.

 

 

               

 

Photo Credit: Joe Vasquez

Advent 2022: Sounds of the Season

 

When I was a child, my bedroom was at the top of the stairs which lead up from the kitchen. For years I woke up to mom and dad in the kitchen getting ready for the day and the radio playing songs (still on the same station to this day). I can’t recall if any of the songs I heard lofting up the stairs to my room had an impact on me, yet what they always felt like was an invitation to leave the womb of my room and join the day.

Each day we are surrounded by sounds and noise. Some we tune out, others when upon hearing them we quiet down to listen up and still others happen without much attention from us. Advent is an opportunity to pay attention. What sounds and songs are speaking to us? Which ones have become just noise? Which ones are inviting us to leave our surroundings to encounter our God in the unexpected during this short, holy and busy season?

Whether this season is a mad rush or has plenty of space to be, songs will loft into our space and invite us to pay attention. Carols play above us in grocery stores and shopping centres, we find radio stations to match our moods, and our playlists will bring us comfort and joy. The invitation of songs this season is to let the words speak to our heart the messages of hope, peace, joy and love. These become the foundation for the year ahead not just in the moments of the season, when these words are most on our mind.

Music has long been a gift for me, although I do not play an instrument, music gets under my skin and into my bones, awakening my soul. I have found music wraps itself around my heart and calls me to pay attention, or in Advent terms to “Keep Awake.” Christmas Carols bring me great delight and yet over the past few years I have found Advent Hymns have reclaimed their place in this season. Instead of rushing to carols for the whole month of December I often find myself lingering with Advent Hymns. Whether that is humming O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, or listening to People Look East or singing Listen, My People, I am invited into the waiting of this season and I find my heart eagerly looking forward to the coming celebrations.

Jeanne Hunt has written a beautiful Advent Prayer, which in part prays: In night’s quiet, when we have time and silence to think, the songs of this season come drifting into our minds. In the quiet they are welcomed, and our spirits somehow delight in this sweet Advent time.

May our spirits delight in this season with hymns and carols and sounds as we journey the road to Bethlehem. Throughout this season I will recommend some Advent Hymns (and a maybe a few Christmas Carols too!) for reflection. May they loft into your space, into your mind and and invite you to join the day meeting God in the unexpected.

For your listening and heart reflection as we journey in this First Week of Advent:

 

The King Shall Come – Trevor Thomson

A beautifully haunting reflection on the twofold nature of Christ coming among us in Bethlehem and Christ coming again.

 

What are you longing for?

Where are you noticing light as winter settles in?

 

Blessed Be the Lord – The Dameans

This folk tune is scripted from the Canticle of Zechariah. The words of praise Zechariah gave when John (the Baptist) was born, the precursor of Christ.

 

What promises keep you grounded?

How is hope defined in your life?

 

As we step into this Advent Season,

may are ears attune to the message of hope,

and may the sounds and songs of the season guide us on the way

as our God comes to us in unexpected ways.

Amen.

 

Advent Blessings!

 

 

 

 

Photo Credit: Rod Flores

Remembered in the Kingdom

 

 

Jesus remember me

when I am your kingdom focused and when I am not,

when I radiate your goodness and when I do not,

when I love well and when I can not.

 

Jesus remember me

when I cry out in anguish,

when I declare in joy,

when I whisper in concern.

 

Jesus remember me

when I am your hands and feet and when I am not,

when I see with your eyes and when I do not,

when I hear with your ears and when I can not.

 

Jesus remember me

when I raise my eyes to heaven,

when I lower my eyes in shame,

when I close my ears in fear.

 

Jesus remember me

when I am a reflection of you and when I am not,

when I shepherd in your ways and when I do not,

when I break bread with others and when I can not.

 

Jesus remember me

in your kingly ways of love,

in your gentle shepherd ways of compassion,

in your resurrected cross of life.

 

Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom.

 

Your kingdom come…

now in this moment and the next,

tomorrow and then again,

into my heart each day.

 

Your kingdom come…

in the way I live,

in the words I speak,

in the worth I carry.

 

Your kingdom come…

with true justice for all,

with the respect and dignity you showed,

with freedom in the letting go.

 

Your kingdom come…

during the dark and trying times,

when all seems right around me,

as suffering and anguish try to consume.

 

Your kingdom come…

in pains and hardships,

in quiet and rest,

in wonder and awe.

 

Your kingdom come…

for it is life-giving,

into my heart now,

and it is already here,

your kingdom come,

your kingdom here.

Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

Photo Credit: Isaac Quesada

Inspired

    Maybe it is because I am in a season of farewells or maybe it is because we have begun the final descent of the year, but those who inspire me have been on my mind as of late. I’m always amazed at the people who intersect with my living. Those who provide me with an insight, a new way, an encounter with the divine or a breath of fresh air. God must delight in these moments when we realize how another has led us to a deeper truth of not only ourselves but also of God’s deep and intimate love.

In the past four months I have stood at the graves of both my Grandmothers as we buried them and prayed at the grave of a childhood neighbour. Three remarkable women who impacted my life greatly, not just with their faith but also with the way they embraced the journey which was theirs to walk. Each one unique with each one being a light for my path. The way they lived was an encounter with our living God; I always felt seen, heard and loved. I heard stories of days gone by and hopes they continued to live with and navigate. Their eyes were fixed not on themselves but on those who shared the journey with them. These three women inspired me and will continue to do so as I carry on with my own walk.

I have also been considering others who have inspired me. Some for a season of my life – like a creative babysitter or the mom of a high school friend or a few former teachers. I consider those who are newer to my life walk such as colleagues, friends, friars and retreatants who have introduced me to new ways in seeing the beauty of God, the daily divine encounters and to what my living means when reflected from the encounter with another. I consider those who are with me for a life time; my closest friends who are from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences and how each awakens me to God’s voice. I consider those who have companioned me on my spiritual journey; who through their relationship with God have encouraged me to see the gifts born of own relationship with God. I consider those who have raised me – my parents, relatives, even my siblings; as they gave me shelter and a place to grow, dream, stretch, “freak out” and become who I am. These mentioned few and several others have inspired me and when I stop to think about it inspiration comes to hope. Jesus said, “by your endurance you will gain your souls” (Luke 21.19). I read this as encouragement and motivation, for endurance and hope are indeed the fruits and strengths of inspiration. Endurance is laced with hope and in this we live and move and have our being as children of God. Inspiration comes in many forms with many people. Where are you noticing it? How is God nudging you to pay attention to what and who is inspiring you? Let us be attentive this week and let us be inspired again.

Photo Credit: Jacob Campbell

Sainthood: We Are Light

Last week I had a conversation with a bright young man with a deep soul. When asked about what he wants in life, he was quick to reply, “To be a saint, that’s all I have ever wanted to be.” This statement comes from a paying attention to the journey, going to the depth of the heart, being able to sit in the silence and also wrestling with God. His statement is not about canonization, rather it is about the orientation of his life. He desires to keep Christ his center and to live his life well from that central narrative no matter where his life leads him. 

We are each called to sainthood. To live our lives from the place of holiness, worth and goodness which called us into life and has woven these gifts into our very DNA. Our call to sainthood is a mark of our baptism; a being branded with Christ. Yes, the gifts of holiness, worth and goodness are obvious in the markings of baptism but it is in our living these out which becomes an expression of this deep God truth. It means we have to be vulnerable, trusting and open. It calls us to surrender, into relationship, and to pause and be. It always calls beyond ourselves to see how we are part of a community.

It is here in community we are reminded of our sainthood. No matter our vocation, age or location our sainthood is constantly unfolding. Others notice it in us. They call forth our gifts and abilities. They acknowledge our goodness and worth and speak to our holiness. We in turn are called to do the same for others. This is the great gift of the body of Christ, for we are God’s children now (aka saints) and what we will be has not yet been revealed (1 John 3.2). The invitation to claim who we are now and to continually grow in Christ is a beautiful one. There is no time like this moment to claim your worthy gift of sainthood, humbly sharing who you are with the world around you. Saints are vessels of light and our world indeed needs more light. Let yours shine knowing Christ is its source. 

Photo Credit: Dewang Gupta

Reminders from the Journey

   This past week we had two events in our Franciscan life which caused me to pause and ponder. As one journeys in this way of life, there are moments which awaken within you not only memories but also encouragement in one’s vocation. Both of the events this past week have been invitation and awareness.

   The first of the two events was the First Profession of Vows of our two novices. It is only because of a timing issue which allowed for this important moment to take place here. Typically, our novices are in Ireland for this moment in their Franciscan life. As someone who has lived this vowed life for seven years, to witness this simple but powerful commitment reminded me again of my own “yes” and resolution to live our vows in the context of today’s society. As I heard our novices make their vows while placing their hands into the hands of our Provincial, my heart was agreeing again to live out these same promises. It was again an invitation to trust in God’s will and love at work in my life. It was an awareness of the support and growth we find in fraternal community. It was a fire enflamed for the core of who we are as Franciscans to live the gospel, to embody it a bit more and to witness it again and again. The moment of Vows is a moment of surrender. To be reminded of this again was gift and in some heart anchoring way strengthen my own yes made a few years ago. 

   The second event was a Memorial Mass and interment of cremated remains of one of our Friars, Anthony. A Friar who had lived this way of life for nearly 75 years. A Friar who came from humble beginnings near to where my story begins. A Friar who had lived the gospel in a variety of locations, always meeting people and offering them a sense of God with us. As we honored him and celebrated his eternal reward, I was taken by the reality check of life. We may live to be into our mid-nineties or we may not, we may have a humble beginning or not, we may have a varied life or not. Regardless of any of this, God is at work in us and for us. It again requires trust and surrender. Just like Friar Anthony continually trusted God was present with him in his mission as a Friar. Just like Friar Anthony surrendered not only his lived life but also his final breaths into the love and mercy of God, each of us must do the same; Friar or not. 

   During his homily at the Memorial Mass, our Provincial read a portion of a letter which Friar Anthony had left. Friar Anthony concluded his letter, “I have come to love and appreciate St. Francis and St. Clare, and I hope that I have made them known better through my talks and homilies.” This struck me, for this is what I hope I am doing with my vocation as a Friar and my current ministry. For in loving and appreciating St. Francis and St. Clare I am loving Christ and making him known to others. St. Francis and St. Clare, Friar Anthony and our two newly professed Friars Aldin and Hawkins each carry a light in them; a divine spark. By encountering this again this week I am reminded of my own light and divine spark which I carry with me into what is mine to do. I hope in doing this I encourage others to pay attention to their divine spark, the light which they carry and how God is at work in their life. 

   It is good to be reminded time and again of the gifts of our journey and of the “yes” we say. It is in these moments we see our faithful God, are met with the gifts and challenges of relationships and are encouraged to continue to shine like the stars.

Photo Credit: Susan Campbell

Beginning Now

I think there is an illusion that once someone joins a religious community their life is set for them with a steady pattern of the same day in and day out. Let me tell you that is furthest thing from the truth. For sure there are patterns and routines which are a part of every religious community as there are with every family. For the Franciscan community I belong to, everyday patterns of community prayer, weekly Eucharist, monthly and yearly retreats are some of our steady patterns. However, in between these anchors a lot shapes each day in the unfolding of our charism and life as religious. 

When I joined the Friars, I may have had an illusion of how I thought our life would be and how it would unfold. At the beginning of something new I believe we set expectations and goals to keep ourselves focused and aware of our intention to enter into this newness. At times it might be a way of convincing the brain it can handle the changes. At other times it maybe a way to reassure ourselves in our calling. As I began my life with the Friars, I soon discovered the patterns of the community and also realized I needed to set some of my own patterns to be part of this community in healthy ways and to also maintain and foster my relationship with Christ. My personal prayer life leads me into our community prayer life. Time spent in quiet allows for me to be present to others. Serving others and taking on daily tasks within our fraternity fosters the bonds of our shared life. No matter if one is in a religious community or not, healthy patterns are key parts of our living and provide structure. I don’t see this as a dull routine rather as ways to be attentive, to seek Christ before me and to be reminded of my call to serve.

After sharing my reflections last week, a dear friend of mine sent a response which included the following, ““We always begin again.”  It is true in the end we really only have the One who created us.” How true! As soon as I read this, I thought of St. Francis, who near his death, said to his brothers, “Let us begin again for up to now we have done very little.” All he had was that moment and his God, nothing else. His invitation to his brothers was to be attentive to the now and to all you will have in the end which is God. 

This is the gift of beginning again which is daily invitation. In beginning again, we encounter God afresh and experience the fullness of life. We trust our healthy patterns of the everyday and every thing in between them are leading us to the One who created us and loves us.  The wisdom of St. Francis always came from the awareness of the every day and encountering God in the moments. If he could near death, ask his brothers to begin again, in other words to recalibrate to Christ again, how can I not each day of my life in the patterns and the unexpected? It is an invitation to trust and surrender. It is an opportunity to examen my living. It is honouring the healthy patterns which guide my living and not turning them into rigid rules. It is the gift to be in the moment of now. It is knowing if all I have now or at the end of this life, is the One who created me then I am richly blessed. It is always worth beginning now or even again.

Photo Credit: Jon Tyson

Heart Space at Thanksgiving

Ten years ago, on Thanksgiving weekend, I told my parents I was considering joining the Franciscans. I statement which I don’t believe I would fully understand and I’m not sure if I do even now. As I shared with my parents about my encounters with the Friars and how I thought I was being called to this way of life, it was the start of a discernment process. I was filtering the questions of my heart, but also the questions from those whom I was allowing into the process at the time. It was a lot to try and understand or even process. I knew I didn’t have answers or clarity in the moment yet my heart was not burdened it became a place of trust and openness.

This Thanksgiving as I consider the Thanksgiving of a decade ago and all the changes, opportunities, prayers, gratitude and challenges which have been, I look to my heart again. I’m trying to pay attention to it in new ways or renewed ways. Is it still trusting – not in myself, not even in my community of Friars? Rather is it trusting in the spirit of St. Francis which is to ask; is it trusting in our co-journeying God? Is my heart open to the ways to which God is stirring it again? Am I open to the continual working of the Holy Spirit in my daily living? 

So often we can get caught up in the “glamour” of newness or the projected images which come in a time of transition that we forget to pay attention to our heart. Our heart is the bank of trust and guide to our openness. I know I have had to work past this “glamour” several times over the past decade and go beyond the surface of emotions, of support and even of my prayer to stop and listen, to pause, and to let the “still small voice” speak up and strengthen me. As I continue on in the Franciscan life, I come to appreciate more and more how St. Francis struggled with being both contemplative and active. I appreciate how he took time to be in creation and be away from the demands so to clear his head and tune again his heart to the melody of love which Christ always sings. I too must do some heart tuning. I appreciate how St. Francis continued to trust and surrender into God, even if life around him seemed so uncertain or the fraternity was not grasping the vision he had for living. I too must continue to trust and surrender my living into God. The invitation is always to the “still small voice”, which is always of deep love.

As we celebrate Thanksgiving and walk into the autumn weeks which build upon it; I know I must continue to make heart time. This is not always easy, just as it was not necessarily easy to tell my parents about becoming a Friar, however every time I return to my heart trust and openness meet me there and I can make steps forward. No matter where you are in your life journey, no matter how you spent Thanksgiving weekend, I encourage you to pay attention to your heart and give thanks for the journey it has guided you on and how it is the place which will encourage your next steps. Gratitude is not just for a season it is a life time perspective and the heart is the vessel for this daily living.

Photo Credit: Priscilla Du Preez

A Letter to St. Francis

 

October 4, 2022

Dear Brother Francis,

As we come to this annual celebration of your life, I am again reminded of how you have called me to an awareness in living for today. You were not perfect. Although history has tried to paint you as perfection, when one spends time with your story one sees your humanity and appreciates the journey. You were very human with a range of emotions and dreams. This gives me hope for my continued journey and my discernment which is a part of the journey. You had a sense of both the contemplative and of mission. I am encouraged by these qualities as both speak to me and call me to life in ways unique to me but also in fraternity. Your patterns of pause, pray and presence seem to continually factor into the patterns I try to have shape my life. 

This year as I mark my mid-forties, I am now older than you when you died. This has given me some perspective as I consider what is mine to do in this second half of life. You in your life had journeyed from illusions of knighthood to a complete surrender of your life to God. You continued to work through the trauma of life and in embracing the journey you attracted followers. This following of men and then women to a specific way of life took hold continuing still today. I know that I am not called to form a new religious community, I am however aware of your way of life rooted in Christ as a source for living, freedom and hope. It gives me pause to reflect. Every day provides an opportunity to align my day and living in the way of Christ. Every day the gospel gives me hints of how to better step into lived realities and how to carry the good news to people. Every day I pay attention to the details of life which speak of the grandeur of God and how I am a part of this magnificent creation. As I ponder at this midpoint of another decade and consider your life, your words, “up to now we have done very little, let us begin again” echo again and again in my ears.

These words of yours resonate with me for they are invitation to continue to hope and dream. They are an invitation to reflect on what is mine to do and how I to live out this charism you left for us decade after decade, generation after generation, century after century. My dreams are a long list, some of them realistic, some of them lingering from stories of you or moments you created in your life time and some are pure illusions of my daydreams. Yet, I am learning my dreams are about surrendering into God again and again instead of “forcing” what I think is mine to do. I must rather pay attention to my relationship with God and how this invites me to dream beyond the limitations I create for myself. As I continue to surrender, I then see how this creates space to dream again and to realize hope is about an encounter with a person. The same person who you had an encounter with – Jesus the Christ. 

Surrendering is never an easy step but it is always an opportunity to trust in God and to listen. To clear my head of all the unnecessary “worldly stuff” to pay attention to the heart, the soul - the space where God meets me. This again leads me to the hope of the person of Jesus Christ. His life, which so encapsulated you, was rooted in love poured into him through God, which he in turn poured out this hope through his Spirit. You were so caught up in this triune relationship of love as it impacted your heart time and again. It shifted your view to hope and in turn to dream because you were open to this Divine Love living, moving and being in you.

As I ponder on this and what is mine to do at this time; in this time, I could be left overwhelmed or stunted by pressure. I choose rather to come back to the man of hope - Jesus. I pay attention to how you interacted with his gospel and allowed it to shape you. This is what is mine to do for this time and place. I must continue to allow the gospel to be the shaping pattern of my life so I can truly be a vessel carrying Christ forward in deed and in word being welcoming and hope-filled.

As we again this year mark your life and ponder your openness to God at work in your life, I look to you as my brother. I am beginning to pay attention more to you and your little moments and the few details we have of your life. I find they serve as a reminder of true hope and dreams. They are means for me to pay attention to how Christ is at work in my life. They are a means for me to do what is mine to do each day and in doing so I am present to the gospel at work here and now, not then and not tomorrow. And this is what it means to begin again.

Francis, my brother, your life does not simply fascinate me, it speaks to my heart and again calls me to pay attention to my living. My life is in union with the One who is Hope, the One who sent him and the One who breathes through each one of us today. I pray for an attentive and open heart so to step into each day knowing I too carry the dignity of my humanity and the invitation to divinity which intersects my life.

To you my brother, with gratitude for your legacy and how God is at work in all of this still today… much peace.

Your little brother,

Michael

Artwork: Yevgenia Petrenko, OFS

Always With Me

 

“You are always with me.” (Luke 15. 31) the father says to the elder son in the parable of the prodigal son. The father is speaking to the sense of security and shelter which has been overlooked or taken for granted. Here the father reminds his son, of all that is his because he has remained present and faithful as his child. He also is reminding his son that he can be as generous as he desires. This is not shocking news for us who have read this parable many times.

 

What stands out for me in this simple line scripture of the dialogue between father and son is the invitation of God. God invites us to awareness whether I am the prodigal son lost in my own world or the elder son blinded to the bounty which is always offered to me. God’s abounding, bountiful and steadfast love always meets us where we are and transforms the heart. Here God is, always with us, with the invitation to step into God’s lavish love which is always extended no matter what. As the prodigal child it is mine to receive again and again. As the elder child it is mine to rediscover again and again. Regardless of which of the two sons we feel we are more like, the love of God declares, “you are always with me.” May this be our constant assurance in the week ahead.

 

God of Lavish Love,

you are always with us,

extending your generosity

and mercy each and every day.

 

If we feel lost this week

and separated from you

whisper into our ears, “you are always with me.”

 

If we feel defensive this week

from not feeling seen

whisper into our ears, “you are always with me.”

 

May our eyes, ears and heart

be opened to where you meet us

each and every day.

Amen.

 

 

Photo credits: Denny Muller and Cyrus Gomez

Season of Creation: Listening to the Voice of Creation

The Season of Creation begins on September 1 and continues to the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi on October 4. It is a season which Pope Francis and Patriarch Bartholomew have implemented and have encouraged. It is a time to not only enjoy the bounty of the earth but also to consider our actions or lack of actions towards safe guarding the environment.

Our sister Mother Earth continues to provide for us, and we (selfishly or not) receive her gifts. As we begin this month of listening to the voice of creation, I have to ask myself what am I grateful for in the small part of this sacred ground on which I live? And what is creation inviting me to do to help sustain her? I ask you these same questions as means of reflecting during this season.

I am thankful for the colours of sunrise and sunset, for the variety of produce coming in the from the garden, for the cool breezes after warm summer days, for the trees of all kinds and styles, just to name a few.

Creation is inviting me to pay attention to her rhythms and cycles, so as to set mine to be more in tune with creation. This is an invitation to use less energy and pay attention to times of rest before producing again.

May our common efforts, individual efforts and prayers continue to be a witness of giving glory and praise to our Creator God.

 

Creator God,

you call us co-creators and stewards,

stir up in our hearts

the courage to listen to creation

and so listen to you

in the messages of hope,

sustained life and beauty.

 

Bless those who daily work

for the good of the environment

and bring to our attention the

goodness of Mother Earth.

 

Amen.

 

St. Francis of Assisi – pray for us.

 

 

 

Photo credit: Gabriel Jimenez

August Moments

 

The summer sun high in the sky

so warm, strong and bright.

The shades of pink, purple and orange

fill the eye with much delight.

 

The gentle breeze which greets the day

breathing life and hope along the way.

 

The produce from Mother Earth

filling buckets and pails with great worth.

 

Bright blue skies stretch on and on

inviting the traveler to new adventures

suddenly a storm is brewing, rains fall

providing renewal; a much-needed quencher.

 

These August summer days

amazed by these gifts, we give praise.

Summer Early Morning

Summer Early Morning

Cool summer air

pushes its way

past the boundaries

of the open windows

filling the room with freshness

cradling me

as the sun makes its 

warm claim on the day

stirring me.

Breathing in this cool summer air

feeling the warming sun

I am filled with gratitude for 

Divine Grace

Divine Love

this near.

I rise from sleep

refreshed

ready to make 

my claim on the day.

~~~

Continued Summer Blessings.

July 2022

Photo Credit: John-Mark Smith

God the Restorer and Nourisher Prayer

“God shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher…”  - Ruth 4.15

You, O God,
Are my restorer of life
like the rain and sun are for the earth.
You are a nourisher
like the variety of foods that fill my plate.
You restore me
awakening in me all that is good and holy,
the truth of who I am.
You nourish me
with your life your life-giving word
and the Body and Blood of Christ your Son.
You restore me
to fullness filling me with hope.
You nourish me
for the journey of today and all days.
With gratitude, I give you praise
and bless your holy name!
Amen. 

Summer Blessings! 

Let us be open to where God is meeting us this summer!

Posts will continue to be sporadic over the next few months.

Photo credit: Mehmet Ali Turan

Called to Life by the Holy Spirit

 

The season of Easter is drawing to a close as the great feast of Pentecost draws near. The feast celebrates the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in a special way. This feast through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit shows us that community and openness are valuable gifts. It is an invitation to new beginnings and to celebrate our inherent goodness.

In the letter to the Ephesians (1.17-19) we read: “I pray that God… give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know Jesus, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you.” 

Each day the Spirit is present in our living, moving, and being. Each day the Spirit infuses us in our vocation and the way we carry ourselves in it. Each day the Spirit enables us to share, serve and create. Each day the Spirit awakens us to the depths that are stirring the soul. Each day the Spirit encourages us in our relationship with Christ, to allow the wisdom and revelation of God to penetrate our living and lead us into the fullness of life. Each day the Spirit asks us to utilize the eyes of the heart and listen well for we are enlightened by God, whether we can see it or not. Each day we are invited to know the hope which is ours, for in Christ hope is our daily blessing.

As the feast of Pentecost draws near and then as we live into the days and months after Pentecost let us ask ourselves:

How am I part of the community? 
How do I value others in community?

How open am I to the promptings of the Spirit?
What new beginning am I being asked to consider? 
How am I inviting the Holy Spirit into this new beginning?

Where is the Spirit calling me to live, move and be in new ways?
Are the eyes of my heart opened or closed? 
Can I trust enough that the Spirit is present if I allow them to be opened?

What signs of hope have I encountered in these weeks of Easter?
What is my prayer to the Holy Spirit?

Holy Spirit, 
enkindle in us the fire of your love,
stir up in us the valuable gifts you willing share with us,
so that we may continue to be vessels of all that is good
and in turn be a blessing to others.
Amen.

Pentecost is the Feast Day for the Franciscans of Canada. 
The Holy Spirit is our patron as we continue to preach the gospel in Canada. 
We humbly ask for your continued prayers and support.

Peace and All Good.

Photo Credit: Jon Tyson