Build God's Kingdom

 

This past weekend I was engaged in Retreat Ministry. I was part of a Team presenting one retreat and led another retreat for a parish group. While I was preparing for the retreats I came across this verse which ran in a parish bulletin years ago and shared it as part of the retreat.

Come and work beside your brothers

Serve God upon God’s throne

Come and labor with your sisters

Build God’s Kingdom stone by stone

See the fields so ripe for harvest

Take your place among the rows

Come and labor with God’s children

That God may reap where we have sown

This verse is a simple reminder that we each have a part to do. Each one of us has gifts and skills, talents and abilities to build the kingdom. Each day we are given an opportunity in both great and small ways. That thought was part of my message for the retreats. We are all called to sainthood; each and every one of us. We continually achieve this by building the kingdom and pointing towards Christ. Where have we done so today? Where have we built the kingdom? Where have we shown Christ to others?

This is what St. Francis strived for each and every day. He desired nothing more than to build the kingdom and point to Christ; to be a true reflection of Him who was brother and savior. It began in the simplest of ways – embracing of a leper, rebuilding little churches and transformed into a way of life, a surrendering his all, a devouring of God’s goodness and mercy which he continually discovered in the world around him.

As we begin our journey towards the Feast Day of St. Francis (October 4) I invite you to ponder your building up of the kingdom, your serving, and how you are a vessel of Christ in our world. I also invite you to prayer. Traditionally a novena (9 days of prayer – asking a saint to intercede for us before Christ) are prayed leading up to a feast day of a Saint. Today (September 25) marks the start of the novena for St. Francis.  I invite you to join me in praying the prayer St. Francis composed before the crucifix at San Damiano and to conclude with an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be.

Most High, Glorious God,

Enlighten the darkness of my heart

and give me true faith, certain hope

and perfect charity,

sense and knowledge, Lord,

that I may carry out

Your holy and true command.

Amen.

St. Francis… pray for us.

Guide us on the path of Christ so we too may build Christ’s kingdom with you.

 

 

 

For the Sake of the Gospel

For the sake of gospel

We are called to

Love God

Carry our cross

Be a light to the world.

 

For the sake of the gospel

We are called to

Be salt of the earth

Follow Christ

Strive for God’s kingdom.

 

For the sake of the gospel

We are called to

Love our neighbour

To give our all

To labour generously.

 

For the sake of the gospel

We are called to

Sow seeds of hope

Be welcoming

Work for peace and justice.

 

For the sake of the gospel

We are called to

Embrace the dignity of all

Be nourished by the Bread of Life

Abide in the Holy Spirit.

For the sake of gospel (Mark 8.27-35) was the way St. Francis lived his life after his conversion. It was central to who he was and the decisions he made about his living and the fraternity of brothers that followed him. It was the gospel that propelled him into a deeper communion with God. It was the gospel that showed him the Christ whose very life Francis desired to be his all. The gospel is a powerful gift and tool which speaks to us and challenges us to a life-giving way of living. That being said it is not easy, it is not a life gift that comes fully assembled, it requires us to read the instructions, to assemble, to ask for guidance, to listen well, to start again. I guess what I’m trying to say is that gospel is relevant and demanding. If St. Francis could give his all for the sake of the gospel, because it was here that his life intersected with Christ, then why can’t we? What holds us back? Fear? Pride? The World? Judgement?

Being a follower of Christ like St. Francis is not about halos and ease, it is about reality. It is about the reality that the gospel calls us to each day; living in the world, encountering each other, hardships, joys, and decisions. It is about the reality that our lives are shaped for good because we are created good and the gospel nurtures this goodness. It is about the reality of reading, listening and taking to heart the words of the gospel to shape our living. It is about the reality that each day we are called to live for the sake of the gospel, to amplify the love of God into our world. The gift is ours, the challenge to follow Christ and to lose our lives for the sake of the gospel so as to truly have abundant life. St. Francis accepted the gift and encourages us to do the same reminding us in his Praises of God:  “You are our eternal life; great and wonderful Lord, Almighty God, Merciful Savior.” Truly this is our source for gospel living.

The Source of Strength

 

“Be strong, do not fear!” the prophet Isaiah (35:4) tells us.

Lately I have been engaged in an ongoing conversation with my mom about strength (and not simply physical strength). We have been tossing ideas back and forth on what it means to be strong, how we act when we feel strong, sources of strength and what inspires and amazes us about strength. It has been an interesting conversation and one that has revealed a bit more about each of us.

The other day I called her and asked, “Mom, when we were kids and teens and you were running a business and catering with dad, making sure we had what we needed, getting us to places we needed to be, volunteering in the community and church and chairing a committee or two, did you lock yourself in the bathroom and cry? How did you do it?”

She laughed, admitted to tears a few times and said she just continued on day by day. It was in that moment that I realized that the source of our strength is so important. The prophet Isaiah doesn’t stop with “be strong, do not fear” no, he continues on saying, “Here is your God.” It was in asking my mom that question and listening to her honesty and reflections on life then and life now that the source of her strength was obvious; it is God.

This our God who walks with us when tears need to fall in the shower, when we need to stand next to someone we struggle with, when we mourn and hurt, when the plate seems too full, when no answer seems to be the right answer, when we are confident, when all things come together, when reconciliation is achieved, when we step forth in freedom and when tasks are accomplished with ease. Our God is here and now, always. Our God is our strength. Our God opens our eyes to see, loosens are tongues to sing, nourishes us with the gift of his Son and enables us to rise and up and dance the dance of life.

Truly our God is our strength and our God loves us so much that he offers examples and images of strength to inspire and encourage us.  Such as people (both great and small – think of wise leaders and then think of a baby in NICU), to situations or movements that stir us, to the voices of justice, to a waterfall or a mountain or a crocus in the spring time, or lone leaf on a tree or mustard seed or a blind man called to “be opened” (Mark 7:31-27) and see; truly see the love and strength of God.

I know this conversation with my Mom will continue. We will discuss life’s stories and adventures that call upon the gift of strength, we will remember people and situations that demanded strength, we ponder what strength we carry and poses and it will lead us again and again to our God who is here, who is our hope and in who we put our trust and who says to us, “Be strong, do not fear! I am here.”

How will you be, receive and share strength this week?

Be sure to pause and thank God for being the source of that strength!

 

 

If you need a bit more to chew on may I suggest reading  Romans 8:31-39.

Amplify

 

Have you ever considered the word ‘amplify’? It means “to make louder or louden or turn up, it also means to intensify, increase, magnify, boost to step up or raise.” This word has been on my mind over the last few weeks. I thought of it as my summer vacation was winding down, I thought of it while I was on the road, I pondered it in preparation for the renewal of my vows, I pondered it as I enter into new routines and I’ve been trying to listen to what it is saying to me and my walk with God.

Last year about this time I wrote about the word ‘strive’ and how it was motivating me in my journey. I believe amplify is doing the same thing. Maybe it is a September thing, maybe it is a mid-life thing or maybe it a word that God is tossing around with me so I can connect deeper with God. Whatever the reason or maybe it is all three reasons the word won’t release its hold on me.

This word is challenging me to look at my living. How am I doing? How am I living as brother? How am I living my vows? How am I claiming the gift to be alive? “Am I” can be found in the word amplify, which leads me to the great and puts my “am I’s” into perspective. If my “am I” remains focused on me, and only on how I am doing and living then I believe amplifying becomes selfish and simply a motivation that may fade like a new year’s resolution. However when my “am I’s” causes me to look to the great then my desire to amplify the journey I am on makes more sense and is in greater perspective.  

There is a line from Deuteronomy (4:7) that says, “For what other great nation has a god so near to it that the Lord our God is whenever we call to God?” Each of us are a great nation, fashioned by our loving God, created for goodness, with a heart that strives to be one with our God and a desire to amplify our lives as witnesses to God’s great love and mercy. Each of us are these vessels of greatness and I think this why the word amplify continues to stir me. Our God is so near to us: a prayer whispered, a silent pleading, a weeping cry, a broken heart, a gratitude inspired moment, an ordinary day, a low moment, gathered in prayer together, nourished at the Eucharistic table, admiring creation, reflecting back on the day and journey so far, this is us calling out to our God. Indeed our God is near to us always.

With our God that near to us, it is no wonder that amplify sits on my heart. I now believe it has been on my heart from the moment of my first heart beat just like it has been for each of us. Our lives are gifts that are to be amplified. Some of us amplify it with good others desire to amplify in ways that are empty. Choosing to amplify means getting out of the way and allowing God to work through each of us. And it is in writing that statement that another light bulb goes on for me and the volume is turned up and the letters are magnified. Amplify continues to stir my heart and blends with the gift to strive because it reminds me that I need to continually rely on God, not get stuck on my “am I’s” but let go into God. I must entrust myself again and again to our God who is so near to us and trust that God indeed amplifies my life in so many ways. God also desires that I amplify it and help others to amplify their lives by the gifts he has instilled in me.

 

Hmmm… amplify – you very interesting word at work in me because our God amplifies love for us always for God is so near. It is not easy to let go into God and allow God to work in me. I want to know the right path right now. I want to be in control. I want to amplify my life in the way I see fit. Then I realize how empty that sounds and how I am limiting myself and so I desire again to let go into God and give God permission (if you will) to amplify my life in the ways that are life-giving, servant-hearted and draw me closer to our great God and reflect God more.

 

God of Life, the great

as the journey continues on I once again entrust myself

to your amazing love which is amplified in my life,

intensifies the journey and magnifies how truly close you are

to not only me but to each of us.

 

Help each of us to see beyond the illusions that cloud our focus.

Help us to push beyond the barriers we create which only limits us.

Help us to let go into you so that the world around us

may truly encounter your goodness which is ever near to us.

Amplify in us your heartbeat

made known to us in your son Jesus

and is continually activated by his Spirit.

Amen.

 

Amplify… today and tomorrow.

Amplify… God at work.

Amplify… we are worthy.

Amplify… life as gift.

Amplify.

 

Summer Perspectives

 

As summer days begin to slip away into fall routines and with the calendar soon turning to a new month so I have been reflecting on the gift of this past summer.

Life:

In this season of sunshine, growth, first fruits and long days I have appreciated the gift of life. The very blessing that our lives are and the ways our lives intertwine, connect, change and are celebrated. Over the course of the summer I have had the great gift of gathering at table and raising a toast with many great people (and still didn’t have enough time to see everyone). There were three occasions where the beautiful gift of life was really heightened. Both of my dear Grandmothers turned 90 this summer and we celebrated! Family gathered from near and far, hugs were shared, stories told, feasts enjoyed and tributes and love abounded. The third occasion where the gift of life was made evident was in the celebration of the baptism of my niece and nephew. A simple Sunday afternoon gathering, united in faith, reminded of the source of our life and a time to reasure the beauty of a journey just begun.

Also in the ordinary was the gift of life appreciated from baking with a couple of nieces, to crafting with another, to hearing about summer adventures from my young nephews, to seeing the talents of horse and rider skills, to listening to my teenage nieces chattering about their life, to meeting as my mom would say “a friend that is a boy and friend that is a girl” of my oldest niece and nephew, to watching sandbox toys litter the box, to sunroom snacking, to perfect lamp… well you get the picture. Life unfolds each day and there are blessings to behold most often in the simplest of everyday things. I am so grateful for these summer ordinary moments. I hope each of us can reflect back on our summer and see where life called us to life and fullness.

Religious Life:

For one week I was on retreat this summer and it not only challenged me it also encouraged my religious life journey. I gathered with 19 other religious both male and female from all walks of religious life from just beginning to several years of being perpetually professed and from thirteen different orders. We were guided by a great leader who is also a religious and could speak from the depths of expereince. We spent time in quiet prayer, we spent time alone, we spent time sharing about the journey, celebrating the gift of religious life and discussing the hopes, the dream and the challenges. It was a time of grace and the Holy Spirit was indeed moving in and through the retreat. 

The gift of being able to reflect on a way of life that one has been called to and hear others speak of their journey is an amazing opportunity. Struggles do surface but joy always supersedes. Letting go is always evident but more so the beauty of what we embrace is evident. Purpose and affirmation rise up and the need for community is always unmistakeable. I am so grateful for this retreat, the opportunity that it allowed for dialogue with God, with others who know the religious life journey and for the reminder that religious life calls us to “do the puny well!”

Franciscan Life:

Up until August 15 I was a student Friar and although learning is lifelong my role as student shifted a bit over the summer. After three years of full time study usually over 3 semesters per year and add in a couple of summer courses I will be walking down the graduation aisle this fall with my degree. Amen! The journey has been at times challenging but always rewarding. I studied with some remarkable people who have helped me to express my faith in new ways. I have been taught by brilliant men and women, priests, religious and laity who have helped me to deepen my faith. I have served in ways that called forth my gifts and abilities. I have met men and women that I not only called classmates but now call friends. My daily routine of classes will shift as I begin a new program in Spiritual Direction, work on my French and minister in both retreat ministry and in schools. I look forward to the new paths and the being able to live out my Friar life in new ways.

My Franciscan life was also affirmed again this summer as I renewed my vows. For the first time since I made my first vows I renewed my vows with another Brother. What a gift to stand with my Brother and profess together to continue to live our vows for another year and be supported by our Brothers. Our renewal calls us to be both active and contemplative, to walk with the saints both those here on earth and those in heaven and to trust in our great God that our vows are life-giving and are serving a purpose. Together along with our two Brothers in Quebec we step forward – hope-filled, challenged and open to the gift of Franciscan life that will come with a new Canadian Franciscan Province.

Remembering Life:

Finally as summer slips way I am reminded that life too slips away. Sometimes slowly and other times in a flash of moment. I attend 2 funerals for 4 people over these last days. We celebrated and remembered the life of two of our Franciscan Brothers (one in his eighties and one in his nineties). Their lives were honored, toasted (maybe even roasted a bit) and celebrated. The gift of these two men who I lived with reminded me of the value in serving well, saying ‘yes’ with my all, the gift of brother and of being part of a brotherhood/fraternity and community.

The other funeral I attended was for a couple who were killed in a tragic car accident. They had just celebrated 65 years of marriage. I have the great honor of knowing a large part of their family and have had the privilege to visit with them and hear some of their story. The pain in this family robbed of both their mom and dad/grandma and grandpa in such a sudden way is heart wrenching and yet in their great loss great love, dignity, strength, bonds and unity has arisen. The family was and continues to be surrounded by great people. The gift of the lives of this couple we honored and celebrated has reminded me to look at my legacy, to ponder what my legacy will be and I can only work at making it one of faith, charity and service inspired by the portrait of their lives.

Lives remembered and cherished.

And so life calls us to step forth from summer delights into fall routines more aware of life… moving, twisting, and breathing in us each day. How do we choose to do this? I know I have work cut out for me, I hope you do as well and together we are inspired to do so with perspective.

Know of my prayers. I humbly ask for yours.

 

 

 

Summer

 

 

 

Growth

yet slow down

 

Life

bursting forth today

 

 

Dreams

more abundant awareness

 

 

Rest

body, mind, soul

 

Listen

differently this season

 

Delight

simple pleasures abound

 

Wisdom

sinking in slowly

 

God

present. here. now.

 

 



 



 



 

 



 

God's Image?

Created in the image of God.

This phrase is something that has been on my mind a lot lately and one that I must spend time with over the summer. It is one that invokes positive images, depth and hope and also challenges me and pushes me not to leave it only as a nice positive statement but live out of its truth.

In the book of wisdom we read “God created all things so that they might exist; the generative forces of the world are wholesome” (Wisdom 1.13-15). We are created good and this goodness calls us to life, to share life and to build up the lives of others. It calls us beyond the ups and downs that are the journey for we are more than the journey, we belong to God and God dwells with us.

As we journey into July and August days take the time to ponder the gift of being created in the image of God and take in the fullness of life all around us that God created. It is a generative force of life and love faith and hope; and we all know we need more of this in our world. These summer days are a gift from God, regardless if we are studying, working, on vacation, moving, starting again, getting married, having a baby, beginning a new job, working at getting back to Church, hosting friends, camping in a tent or whatever summer may hold in store we must make the time to connect with our God. God who made us in God’s image – which we know is love and good.

I’ve been challenged to spend time with Psalm 139 this summer (a familiar and favorite)  psalm of mine). 

I leave you with the same challenge.

What does it say to us about being created in God’s image?

What does it say to us about being created good and as a generative force?

What does it say to us about being created as holy?

What does it say to us about our families, community and creation?

May your summer paths lead to great insights, deeper awareness and the beautiful gift of knowing our God is walking with us always.

Peace and All Good.

Please note blog posts throughout the summer will be less frequent, regular weekly posts will begin again September.