Announcing Your Place

The other night we walked over to the lake for sunset. A perfectly gorgeous end-of-summer evening, all was in harmony.

A friend had also reminded me that we are nearing that moment of beautiful natural synchronicity when the temperature of the evening air matches the temperature of the lake. Into the water I stepped.

And then I saw this right over my head...

And how can I resist?

Wild Geese

Mary Oliver

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about your despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting—
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.

Let us walk in the holy presence.

Closer and Closer

We attended another formation weekend in Villa Maria, PA. These are formation weekends where we hear a speaker while interacting with others in initial formation from different communities as well as those journeying with us. Nancy Schreck, a Franciscan sister, spoke to us on the vow of poverty, in a conversation titled, “The Terrible Grace of Poverty.” She gave us great food for mental fodder.

What makes me chuckle about these weekends is that we call them “Total Formation weekends.” Yes, I know it takes a different meaning than the one that brings me a laugh, but “total formation”...ha. When will that happen?

I thought about the phrase while I walked on Saturday morning. I decided I would keep my eyes open for photos that I could post here. Enjoy some of them below. But towards the end of the walk, I saw young ivy crawling up a wall; the contrast between the green ivy and cement brick caught my eye. I tried to find the right framing for the photo, and I found myself moving in—closer and closer.

As I moved closer and closer, I kept becoming aware of more and more complexity and detail in the ivy’s growth. See that newest growth right at the top? Look closely. As we move closer and closer to God’s “total” embrace, may we continue recognizing more and more that Love is the only true thing calling us to grow.

Let us walk in the holy presence.

A-sailin' we will go!

Last week we enjoyed our once-a-year treat...a sailboat ride offered by a friend and supporter of the community. One cannot complain too much about that. It was a beautiful evening, just enough wind to tip the boat just enough to frighten some, and a colorful evening sky to boot. Again, one cannot complain too much about that. We here in Erie savor, soak up, and relish in these moments, storing them up in our spiritual muscle memory for winter hibernation.

(For a few more photos from another sister's blog, click here.)

Let us walk in the holy presence.

Catholic Day of Action for Immigration

Tomorrow, in Newark, NJ, there will be a Catholic Day of Action for Immigration. Let us send prayerful support to all those who will be there calling for just immigration legislation and practices. A few people from our own Erie Benedictines for Peace are going to support this demonstration, and there will be a vigil here in Erie as well:

Vigil for Immigrant Children
Wednesday, September 4th
12:15 to 12:45 pm
Governor's Northwest Regional Office, 100 State Street

Another way to support is to call your Senators (202-224-3121) or call the White House (202-456-1111). Use your democratic voice to say that you respect all life and desire justice for all people.

We are grateful to Benedictines for Peace for also sharing/providing a suggested text for calling:

I am a person of faith and I am calling to demand that [Senator ____ ] [President Trump] immediately end the unjust and immoral practice of detaining children and families. Family is sacred. It is the cornerstone of our church and our communities and it must be protected. Guided by our Catholic faith and our national values, we affirm the dignity of all people and our call to love our neighbors. We can and must remain a country that provides refuge for children and families fleeing violence and persecution. Thank You!

And a suggestion for spreading the word through social media:

#Catholics have a sacred duty to defend the rights and dignity of all immigrants. On 9/4 Catholic leaders from all over the country are demanding an end to child and family detention. #CatholicDayofAction.
We're joining #CatholicDayofAction in Newark to urge #Trump and #Congress to end child and family detention. We must end the injustice. #Catholics4Migrants.
Prayers + statements are not enough when immigrant childrenand families are in cages and the powerful refuse to act. Catholics will risk arrest 9/4 in a demonstration of sacred resistance @Newark. Stop the Inhumanity #EndChildDetention.

*Watch/share the Facebook Live-Stream of the Newark action: https://facebook.com/ignatianSolidarity

Let us walk in the holy presence.