Fall and Falls

It was one of those autumn days that makes you wonder if it really is the "last day" of summer. Cool in the morning, but warm and wonderfully sunny by the afternoon.

How fortuitous that my parents had come up for a visit and that we had already decided to make a trip up to Niagara Falls after a very, very cold attempt last year.

A small glimpse of the appropriately-named Rainbow Bridge...

And a ride on Maid of the Mist...

And yes, there still have been two more "last days" of summer that followed Saturday. Glory be to these splendid days!

Let us walk in the holy presence.

Searching for God

Psalm 84 begins this way (from the translation we pray in our office book):

How lovely is your dwelling place,
God of Life.

I am longing and yearning,
Yearning for your presence.
My whole being cries out to you,
To you, the living God.

Even the sparrows find a home,
And the swallows a nest for their young.
As for me, I search for you,
God of Life, Eternal One.

We prayed this psalm on Sunday at morning praise, and it was those last two lines that got me.
“I search for you, God of Life.”

It’s all I really want to do—search for God, the One who gives me life. Maybe it resonated more this past Sunday because it’s been almost two years since I made my first vows to God—to search for the Divine Presence in and with this community.

What have I found? Mostly just the reality of being human—challenge, sadness, confusion, clarity, abundant joy, and plenty of love.

I shouldn’t have expected much more, I guess!

Let us journey on, sister sparrows!

Let us walk in the holy presence.

passion flower

Life and Death

I enjoyed some quiet time this weekend, taking the opportunity to reflect on a few different parts of my life.

As I looked out the window, I couldn’t help but notice how the autumn season was displaying herself.

The fullness of life and death all in one view. It reminded me of the liturgical environment created two years ago in chapel when one of our sisters made her perpetual profession—another display of life and death exhibited through nature.

That is what the vows that we, as monastics, profess are all about—embracing the inevitable death of some parts of ourselves that must happen in order to experience the fullness of life.

The self-centeredness, the desire to accumulate, the close-mindedness—all of this and more must go.

What parts of yourself do you need to embrace to live and to celebrate life? What parts must slowly fade, like what we witness in nature during these autumn days?

Let us walk in the holy presence.

Long Afternoon at the Edge of Little Sister Pond 
Mary Oliver

As for life,
I’m humbled,
I’m without words
sufficient to say

how it has been hard as flint,
and soft as a spring pond,
both of these
and over and over,

and long pale afternoons besides,
and so many mysteries
beautiful as eggs in a nest,
still unhatched

though warm and watched over

by something I have never seen —
a tree angel, perhaps,
or a ghost of holiness.

Every day I walk out into the world
to be dazzled, then to be reflective. 
It suffices, it is all comfort —
along with human love,

dog love, water love, little-serpent love,
sunburst love, or love for that smallest of birds
flying among the scarlet flowers.
There is hardly time to think about

stopping, and lying down at last
to the long afterlife, to the tenderness
yet to come, when
time will brim over the singular pond, and become forever, 

and we will pretend to melt away into the leaves.
As for death,
I can’t wait to be the hummingbird,
can you?

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.