Pentecost 2010

Fr. Bob Struzynski, OFM, and Paul Kline offer their thoughts about Pentecost. You're invited to share your thoughts and reflections.

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READINGS

Acts 2: 1-11

When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were.

Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem. At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd, but they were confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. They were astounded, and in amazement they asked, “Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans? Then how does each of us hear them in his native language? We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God.”

1 Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13

Brothers and sisters:

No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit.

As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.

John 20: 19-23

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”

And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”

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By Bob Struzynski, OFM

I have been a prison chaplain for 16 years now and one thing that has impressed me is the number of men who have had genuine religious conversions in prison. This is not the “jailhouse religion” often spoken about in a pejorative sense, but a real, deep experience of God as a much needed “higher power.” There is first an experience of powerlessness over some addiction and an experience of an absolute need for a power greater than oneself, followed by a surrendering to a Higher Power. The result is a relationship with God now that is real, personal and meaningful, often for the first time in one's life.

It seems to me we all need such a conversion today without going to prison to find it. We need a fresh experience of our need for the “Power on High” - the Advocate who will be with us always, teach us all we need to know and remind us of all that Jesus taught us. We need to realize that we cannot do it on our own. When the test comes we fail without the help of the Holy Spirit.

Pope Benedict while flying to Portugal for his recent visit to the shrine at Fatima, told reporters that the church has always been tormented by “problems of its own making, a tendency that is being witnessed today in a truly terrifying way.” The prosecution of the church today connected with the clerical sex abuse scandal the Pontiff said is “born from the sins within the church” and the church needs to “profoundly relearn penitence, accept purification, learn forgiveness, but, also, justice.”

I think that means that, above all, we need to realize our need for our higher power, the Holy Spirit, in order to meet the challenges of our day. We simply cannot do it on our own, yet if we live on the surface level of our culture that is the message we “absorb.” That, perhaps coupled with a tendency toward arrogance in us, can cause a terrible fall when the challenge comes our way. You don't need to be a Bishop to know that!

Nor do you need to be a priest, but recently this priest has been led by the Spirit to pray more fervently than ever the last part of the prayer that Jesus left us. I still say it as we did in Jamaica with a few additional words: “do not bring us to the test we cannot pass but deliver us out of the clutches of our own created evil”.

Come Holy Spirit. Come!

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By Paul Kline

Reflecting on the readings for Pentecost, my imagination has been captured by the images of "each" and "together". The story of Pentecost paints a picture of Jesus’ friends and family “all in one place together”. Jesus speaks to all of them, shows his hands and his side to all of them, and blesses all of them with his peace. Through the intimate sharing of his very breath, they all receive his spirit.

At the same time, the readings also note that the Spirit “came to rest on each one of them”. Paul’s message to the Corinthians offers a beautiful, almost rhythmic movement from “all” to “each”, from “different” to “same”, and from “many” to “one”. I am reminded that individuality and collectivism are not in competition and need not be experienced as opposites. We gather together, pray together, sing together, grieve together, and suffer together. At the very same time, we listen and respond to God who whispers to each one of us a private message of love and mercy, inviting us into a personal relationship of love, calling us to realize our “true self” – a self unlike any other.

For me (and I think for so many of us) the mountain offers an experience of Church that powerfully expresses this dimension of the Pentecost experience. We may arrive as “outsiders” but, through the grace of warm hospitality, we are transformed into “one who belongs”. We “lose ourselves” as we burrow deeper into the peace of the mountain community, yet, at the same time, we are “seen”, “heard” and cherished by that community for our uniqueness.

What a joyful paradox!

Palm Sunday and Holy Week Reflection

Mt. Irenaeus Reflections for Palm Sunday and Holy Week 2010:

Voices from the Mountain and from the Valley

This year, Palm Sunday arrives at a time when many friends of Mt. Irenaeus feel the acute stab of grief at the passing of our beloved brother and friend, Dan Hurley, ofm. Perhaps it is a special blessing that we have the opportunity to grieve our loss during these prayerful days of Holy Week.

We invite you to join us in our remembering and in our contemplation. Let us pray together and teach one another as we walk the journey that leads to the cross and to the exquisite sweetness of Easter morning. Father Lou begins with a reflection rooted in the readings from the Palm Sunday liturgy. Having listened to Father Lou’s gentle teaching, several members of mountain Sojourners offer responses.

Reflections for Palm Sunday, 2010

Lou McCormack, ofm

The readings for Palm Sunday this year are from Isaiah (50:4-7), Paul’s letter to the Phillipians (2: 6-11), and from Luke’s account of the Passion of Jesus (22: 14 – 23: 56).

Palm Sunday (or Passion Sunday since the Gospel is the reading of the passion of Jesus) brings us to the end of our Lenten journey. It is also the threshold of the holiest week in the year for Christians.

Part of our share in the passion of Jesus this year is the absence of our brother Dan Hurley,ofm who died on March 13^th. Dan loved the meaning and memory of Holy Week; he will be with us in a powerful way this Holy Week.

Paul in the letter to the Phillipians encourages us to have the same mind in us that was in Jesus. That mind of Jesus is total self-giving as He became one of us for our salvation. Jesus is the love of God the Father poured out on the earth for all time.

In an attempt to help us enter into the mind of Christ, the evangelists - Luke this year - have told His story. It was their hope that believers could move beyond logic to understand the love that moved Jesus. It was the desire of the evangelists that readers put aside their objections and allow themselves to be taught by this great mystery.

In narrating Jesus’ passion, Luke brings his own insight by repeatedly affirming the Lord’s innocence. Only in Luke does the centurion declare that Jesus was an innocent man, does Pilate issue a triple verdict of “innocent” upon the falsely accused Jesus, and does the trial before Herod get mentioned when Jesus is again declared innocent. Luke shows us through these declarations of innocence that Jesus is the suffering servant of Isaiah who willingly suffered and died, but in the end was vindicated by God in the resurrection.

The passion of Jesus continues today in so many ways and people. We do not open ourselves again to hear the word to mainly engage in some form of sympathetic catharsis. We open ourselves to this living message of love and sacrifice and pain and dying and sin and unjustice so as to be changed by it, graced by it and moved by it to ease the ongoing suffering of the Body of Christ.

Let’s not just weep for Jesus on the way, but give ourselves over to those whose lives continue to be painful. We are called, like Simon of Cyrene, to help alleviate suffering by shouldering some of another person’s cross. Following Jesus means seeking solidarity with the suffering of others and working for their liberation.

Peace and Joy!

Sojourner Reflection for Palm Sunday, 2010

Mike Fenn offers the following memory of Father Dan Hurley:

“I had the great blessing of spending a good amount of time with Father Dan over the past twenty years and I carry many vivid memories in my heart. The one I recall most powerfully now, during our time of grieving, is from this past January when I was sharing evening prayer with him and the rest of the Friar community. Fr. Dan's eyesight had become very poor, yet his desire to open himself to God's word never diminished. There he sat with his glasses on, using a large magnifying glass and holding a psalm book as close to his face as he could. It was as if he was reading for the first time, not wanting to miss a word. Fr. Dan lived his life, as Fr Lou speaks above, listening to Gods message, constantly being changed by it, graced by it, and moved by it.”

Kate Nolan Clemens reflects on the power of service:

Lou's reflections help to focus my thinking and perspective around keeping others in mind and under our care. Jesus sacrificed His life for us... what can we do for others in our daily lives that might lessen the suffering of others? What can we do on a human level that might make even the smallest impact, possibly multiplied by doing it every day? Yesterday was Bona Responds Day. I spent a few hours with one of our sons at a soup kitchen/shelter. We had the humbling experience of witnessing - first-hand - the suffering of our fellow neighbors, the innocent -- so close, yet so very far away from what we know in our own lives. I'm thankful today for so much and glad for the inspiration of the Gospel and Lou's words that help to re-focus us.

Paul Kline responds:

Kate’s story teaches me that service, rooted in humility, can open my eyes and heart to God’s presence in those we are privileged to feed, clothe, and comfort. We are reminded by Father Lou that, as we approach the Gospel with an open heart, we experience a deeper awareness of Jesus’ love for us. Mike’s simple and beautiful story helps us to remember Father Dan Hurley as a man whose hunger to hear God’s voice could not be restrained by the limitations of age or infirmity. We see the humility of our friar-friend at evening prayer and, encouraged by his example and by Father Lou’s teaching, we open ourselves to the simple beauty and power of the stories of Palm Sunday and Holy Week. We see Jesus entering Jerusalem riding a colt - an itinerant preacher with no home, no wealth, and no earthly power. We see Jesus bending low in love for his friends, tenderly washing their feet. We hear the voice of Jesus on the cross offering forgiveness to the criminal who dies next to him. Perhaps we, too, ache with hunger to hear God speak tender words of love and mercy to us? I pray that I am open to hear God’s voice in the words and actions of those I meet this week – and in those moments of silence and contemplation that Holy Week offers to me.

We welcome your voice!

(To share your thoughts, post a comment below on the Mountain's blog or on the Mountain's Facebook Page.)

(Mt. Irenaeus Web Site)

Ash Wednesday Reflection

Br. Kevin Kriso, OFM, and Joe Aini offer their thoughts about Ash Wednesday. You're invited to share your thoughts and reflections.

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READINGS

Reading I: Joel 12: 12-18

Even now, says the LORD, 
return to me with your whole heart, 
with fasting, and weeping, and mourning; 
Rend your hearts, not your garments, 
and return to the LORD, your God. 
For gracious and merciful is he, 
slow to anger, rich in kindness, 
and relenting in punishment. 
Perhaps he will again relent 
and leave behind him a blessing, 
Offerings and libations 
for the LORD, your God.

Blow the trumpet in Zion! 
proclaim a fast, 
call an assembly; 
Gather the people, 
notify the congregation; 
Assemble the elders, 
gather the children 
and the infants at the breast; 
Let the bridegroom quit his room 
and the bride her chamber. 
Between the porch and the altar 
let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep, 
And say, “Spare, O LORD, your people, 
and make not your heritage a reproach, 
with the nations ruling over them! 
Why should they say among the peoples, 
‘Where is their God?’”

Then the LORD was stirred to concern for his land 
and took pity on his people.

Reading II: 2 Corinthians 5:20 – 6:2 
 


Brothers and sisters: 
We are ambassadors for Christ, 
as if God were appealing through us. 
We implore you on behalf of Christ, 
be reconciled to God. 
For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin, 
so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

Working together, then, 
we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 
For he says:

In an acceptable time I heard you, 
and on the day of salvation I helped you.

Behold, now is a very acceptable time; 
behold, now is the day of salvation.

Gospel: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 


Jesus said to his disciples: 
“Take care not to perform righteous deeds 
in order that people may see them; 
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. 
When you give alms, 
do not blow a trumpet before you, 
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets 
to win the praise of others. 
Amen, I say to you, 
they have received their reward. 
But when you give alms, 
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, 
so that your almsgiving may be secret. 
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you pray, 
do not be like the hypocrites, 
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners 
so that others may see them. 
Amen, I say to you, 
they have received their reward. 
But when you pray, go to your inner room, 
close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. 
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you fast, 
do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. 
They neglect their appearance, 
so that they may appear to others to be fasting. 
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. 
But when you fast, 
anoint your head and wash your face, 
so that you may not appear to be fasting, 
except to your Father who is hidden. 
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”

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REFLECTIONS

By Brother Kevin Kriso, OFM

At a former ministry of mine, Ash Wednesday was our busiest day of the year. Being in a city, people would line up around the block to get ashes. It was an exciting day. The sheer number and variety of people touched my heart, little babies in strollers, tottering elderly, teenagers with acne, sophisticated office people, police officers, salespeople from department stores, homeless. It was a real cross section of humanity.

As excited and grateful as I was for this day, I was bothered by the question, “Where are they the next day or the next Sunday?” Maybe ten percent of the people who came for ashes also came for the Eucharist later in the week. I wondered why ashes which are described as a “sacramental” (with a small “s”) had a greater pull than the Eucharist which is a Sacrament (with a capital “S”? The Eucharist is, after all, the source and summit of our faith, they very Body and Blood of Christ. Ashes are, quite frankly, just dirt. Yet ashes had the greater power to pull people into Church, even if it was for just one day.

Some easy answers were given. One is to blame the people, “Well their priorities are all messed up.” Another was to blame “liberal” priests and sisters, “The reason for the lack of respect for the Sacrament is that is that these people are not stressing the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and the importance of obligation.” There is probably some truth in these answers but not the entire truth.

Then someone else made the suggestion that maybe it is because everyone feels they are worthy to receive ashes, but not everyone feels worthy to receive the Eucharist. I think that was a bigger part of the answer. Maybe the way many perceive the message of the Church is that the spiritual life is mainly equated in following rules and laws. When many people measure their own lives against these rules and laws, they find they come up short. Instead of feeling encouraged to try harder, they feel their only option is to “opt out” of Church because they do not “want to be a hypocrite.” Church feels like it is for “holy rollers,” not a “real” flesh and blood person like me. So ashes seem to be an OK thing for real people to receive while the Eucharist is for that theoretical group of people who are “worthy.”

Interestingly enough, Jesus tried very hard to teach that the spiritual walk has more to do with love than rules. But somehow his message does not always come across. Even in the Guidelines for the Reception of the Eucharist it says that reception of the Eucharist is for people who are “properly disposed” to receive the Sacrament and “not conscious of grave sin.” Somehow that is interpreted as “you must be perfect” and the Eucharist is reserved for those who are perfect. Since this feels impossible, people “opt out” of Church. So as it is now, more people receive ashes than the Body and Blood of Christ. That is sad.

Hopefully, ashes can not only be seen as a sign of penance but also as a sign of hope. We can help pull each other up, to rise. We can remind each other that the love of God, not our conduct is what “makes us worthy.” God knows all about us and loves us anyway. Church is not for holy rollers but for people who know they are not perfect and are doing their best. Even after you confess your sins, you will probably end up sinning again. That’s just the way it is. Don’t worry about being a hypocrite. None of us are perfect and as Jesus said, “It is the sick who need the doctor.”

As a friend of mine who is in Alcoholics Anonymous likes to say, “God loves me just as I am. But God also loves me too much to let me stay that way.”

By Joe Aini

"Lord, as I walk through Lent I pray to love you in a more genuine way and to open my heart to what you want from me in this life you have given me. Archbishop Fulton Sheen once said, "Unless we die to a lower life, we'll never rise to a higher life." Lord, although I know you love me for who I am, I pray for the light of your grace to help me move to where you want me to be.

Take my faults and transform them and turn them around to be ways that will lead to my salvation. I feel like I've burrowed myself into a hole of hostility where I brood over the hurts others have inflicted on me. I brood over my own shortcomings, my imperfections and ways I've failed to practice the Christian faith that I love. Change my brooding into forgiveness---toward others as well as toward myself, and transform my hostility to charity. Transform the daily frustrations I experience both at home and at work into patience. And help me to see others in the light of your love. Help me to love you in a new way.

Bless whoever reads these words and, as they read these reflections, renew their love for you so together we can rebuild the Body of Christ in this world. . . . "

(To share your thoughts, post a comment below on the Mountain's blog or on the Mountain's Facebook Page.)

(Mt. Irenaeus Web Site)

Christmas Reflection

Fr. Lou McCormick, OFM, and Christine Cusick-Prellwitz offer their thoughts about Christmas. You're invited to share your thoughts and reflections.

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READINGS

Is 9:1-6
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom
a light has shone.
You have brought them abundant joy
and great rejoicing,
as they rejoice before you as at the harvest,
as people make merry when dividing spoils.
For the yoke that burdened them,
the pole on their shoulder,
and the rod of their taskmaster
you have smashed, as on the day of Midian.
For every boot that tramped in battle,
every cloak rolled in blood,
will be burned as fuel for flames.
For a child is born to us, a son is given us;
upon his shoulder dominion rests.
They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero,
Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.
His dominion is vast
and forever peaceful,
from David’s throne, and over his kingdom,
which he confirms and sustains
by judgment and justice,
both now and forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this!


Ti 2:11-14
Beloved:
The grace of God has appeared, saving all
and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires
and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age,
as we await the blessed hope,
the appearance of the glory of our great God
and savior Jesus Christ,
who gave himself for us to deliver us from all lawlessness
and to cleanse for himself a people as his own, eager to do what is good.

Lk 2:1-14
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus
that the whole world should be enrolled.
This was the first enrollment,
when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town.
And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth
to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem,
because he was of the house and family of David,
to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
While they were there,
the time came for her to have her child,
and she gave birth to her firstborn son.
She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger,
because there was no room for them in the inn.

Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields
and keeping the night watch over their flock.
The angel of the Lord appeared to them
and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were struck with great fear.
The angel said to them,
“Do not be afraid;
for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy
that will be for all the people.
For today in the city of David
a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.
And this will be a sign for you:
you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes
and lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel,
praising God and saying:
“Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

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REFLECTIONS

By Fr. Lou McCormick, OFM

“She wrapped him is swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger.” The infant Jesus was wrapped in the long narrow strips of cloth wound around his limbs and body which made freedom of movement impossible. It was the custom of the time. It seems unbelievable that the Savior, on whose freedom and power we all depend, should be bound to lie helpless on the straw.

Paul tells us that Jesus emptied himself to come among us; not empty of his divinity but of his glory. “He took the form of a servant” (Phillipians 2). Jesus makes himself vulnerable. Paul says that we should have the same mind that Jesus has – obedience to the Father’s will and vulnerable – in order to manifest the great power of God.

Francis of Assisi was overwhelmed b y the humility of God, especially as expressed in the Incarnation and the crucifixion. Francis wanted to relive that first night of Jesus’ birth so long ago by gathering people and animals together on the hillside of Greccio to celebrate the wonder of Jesus’ birth.

As well as being wrapped in bands of cloth at birth, bodies were wrapped the same way for burial. When Jesus called Lazarus from the tomb, his first instructions were “unbind him.” Jesus became vulnerable so that all of us could become unbound. How many things there are that bind us, not allowing us to grow and develop as God intends.

Life in Jesus helps us to stay free. Our rejoicing at Christmas comes from knowing that our unbinding is possible and very real. When we enter into the life of God in Jesus we become more free and help others to come to that freedom.

The Incarnation challenges us to acknowledge the values of Jesus and to assert that love is stronger than force. We should rejoice in our vulnerability because then God’s power comes forth more strongly because we are less in the way.

I pray that your Christmas is filled with peace and the love of God that comes to us in Jesus.


By Christine Cusick-Prellwitz

Amidst the advertisements, tips on holiday shopping, recipe exchanges, and travel warnings, if we really listen, in sometimes hushed voices, we can hear people talk about the “true meaning” of Christmas. Sometimes these conversations surround fundraising efforts, other times they are stories about communities reaching out to their neighbors in need, and sometimes they are captured in small moments when we turn and see a child’s awestruck gaze into the sky, anticipating the implausible.

When I hear these stories of good works, see these gazes of wonder, the Gift that we celebrate on this day seems so simple, so unencumbered. Fr. Lou’s wise words remind us not just of what happened on the still dark night in Bethlehem, but perhaps more importantly, how it happened. Amidst the lavish celebrations, the ornate gifts, all of the things that sometimes keep us “bound,” how far do I fall away from the deep humility, the profound simplicity, of what God made possible, through the faith of Mary and of Joseph, in the birth of their young son, Jesus, Love, Emmanuel, “God is with us.”

When I think of the power that St. Francis heard in the materiality of this “how” I understand with more clarity why Mt. Irenaeus, and all the lives and spirit it embodies, remains, even through physical distance, such a force for so many of us. This tenor of the Gospel message, the emphasis on not just what we are called to do, but the spirit in which we are called to act: the prayer, the embraces, the laughter, the honesty, the conversations, the silence, the nourishment—the Mountain, molded through the example of the Friars, has shown me this “how,” as Fr. Lou reminds us, “love” is “stronger than force,” a love that relies on a beautiful, powerful vulnerability, the truth that we cannot realize Christ’s teachings unless we unfold our sometimes stubborn selves into the arms of community.

As I look up into the depths of this Christmas night sky, I think of St. Francis’s first crèche, the humble lives of a woman called Mary, of a carpenter named Joseph, of tired shepherds, of blessed oxen ass, and sheep, all surrounding a seemingly helpless infant, and I pray that the hope that ties us to one another, in body and spirit, might give stronger voice to the hushed stories of a radiant, lived Christmas Love.

(To share your thoughts, post a comment below on the Mountain's blog or on the Mountain's Facebook Page.)

(Mt. Irenaeus Web Site)

First Sunday of Advent

Fr. Bob Struzynski, OFM, and Martin Shields offer their thoughts about the beginning of Advent. You're invited to share your thoughts and reflections.

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READINGS

Jer 33:14-16
The days are coming, says the LORD,
when I will fulfill the promise
I made to the house of Israel and Judah.
In those days, in that time,
I will raise up for David a just shoot ;
he shall do what is right and just in the land.
In those days Judah shall be safe
and Jerusalem shall dwell secure;
this is what they shall call her:
“The LORD our justice.”

1 Thes 3:12-4:2
Brothers and sisters:
May the Lord make you increase and abound in love
for one another and for all,
just as we have for you,
so as to strengthen your hearts,
to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father
at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones. Amen.

Finally, brothers and sisters,
we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that,
as you received from us
how you should conduct yourselves to please God
Cand as you are conducting yourselves
you do so even more.
For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

Lk 21:25-28, 34-36
Jesus said to his disciples:
“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars,
and on earth nations will be in dismay,
perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves.
People will die of fright
in anticipation of what is coming upon the world,
for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
And then they will see the Son of Man
coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
But when these signs begin to happen,
stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.

“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy
from carousing and drunkenness
and the anxieties of daily life,
and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.
For that day will assault everyone
who lives on the face of the earth.
Be vigilant at all times
and pray that you have the strength
to escape the tribulations that are imminent
and to stand before the Son of Man.”

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REFLECTION

I read recently of a teacher who had an interesting way of teaching children about the Bible. He took them to the local library and showed them the different kinds of books in the library: history, fiction, poetry, biography, reference books and then he said: “ Now the bible is really not a book but a library. And it is important to know which book you are reading in this library too so you read it correctly.

Now that little lesson is important for our reading from the Gospel today. We read from the Book of Revelation and that is an apocalyptic book, a special type of literature prevalent in the 1st Century A.D. and connected with the experience of persecution. It is not to be taken literally, rather through its fantastic imagery the message for those first believers is that, in spite of their terrible situation, the Lord has not abandoned them. He is present in the midst of what they are going through and he will come again so fear not, just persevere, don't give up hope!

This message rings loud and clear in the spirituality of A. A. and I try to deliver it weekly in the prison where I am Chaplain. I often put it in the words of a recovering alcoholic priest who wrote a book of meditations for “all people recovering from life”:

“Everything can be used for good if it is perceived realistically; destructive experiences, painful moments and failed relationships can all be used to create a new tomorrow.”

For me this is a wonderful restatement of the same message from the Book of Apocalypse for all of us today. Be hopeful, no matter what you are going through as we begin this season of Advent. The Lord has not abandoned you. He has come! He comes into the present moment no matter how dark it might seem and He will come again.

We live in a world where we currently face significant problems both domestically and internationally and, for many people, these problems have impacted them in a very personal manner. Throughout the Readings and Gospel the themes of hope and confidence are present. Confidence that God will help all of us persevere through both our personal and communal troubles and hope that we can find solutions to our problems at some point in the future. Most likely our solutions will be far from perfect but, through God, we will find a way for them to work for us and all others involved. This hope and confidence will provide a strong foundation for all our days until we no longer have a physical presence on the earth.

(To share your thoughts, post a comment below on the Mountain's blog or on the Mountain's Facebook Page.)

(Mt. Irenaeus Web Site)

Feast of St. Francis

Brother Joe Kotula, OFM, and Paul Kline offer their thoughts about the Feast of St. Francis. You're invited to share your thoughts and reflections.

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READINGS

Sirach 50:1, 3-4, 6-7
The greatest among his brethren, the glory of his people, was SIMON the priest, son of Jochanan, in whose time the house of God was renovated, in whose days the temple was reinforced. In his time the reservoir was dug, the pool with a vastness like the sea's. He protected his people against brigands and strengthened his city against the enemy. Like a star shining among the clouds, like the full moon at the holyday season; Like the sun shining upon the temple, like the rainbow appearing in the cloudy sky.

Galatians 6:14-18
But may I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither does circumcision mean anything, nor does uncircumcision, but only a new creation. Peace and mercy be to all who follow this rule and to the Israel of God. From now on, let no one make troubles for me; for I bear the marks of Jesus on my body. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.

Matthew 11:25-30
At that time Jesus said in reply, "I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him. Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your selves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."

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REFLECTIONS

By Brother Joe Kotula, OFM
St. Francis was a man who kept his eyes on the cross of Jesus Christ. The holy Bible was his road map and he had a strong desire to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and his life reflects that desire. When Francis was approaching his last days he said to his brothers: “I have done what was mine to do; may Christ teach you what you are to do.”

I feel confident that God teaches each of us what we are to do. However, we need to listen deeply to hear God’s call. St. Paul writes to the Galatians: “ All that matters is that one is created anew.” The Mountain mission statement is, “To join with Jesus Christ in making all things new!” How do you and I experience these bold statements? Are we created anew as we live and experience the Mountain culture? St. Francis was created anew as he journeyed through life focused on the cross of Jesus. I would suggest that being created anew is coming to understand that all of life is in God. When we recognize that, we, like Francis, will relate to everything as brothers and sister.

Imagine that!

The first reading beckons us to imagine the pool with the vastness of the sea, a star shining among the clouds, a full moon on a holyday season, the sun shining upon the temple, and a rainbow in the cloudy sky. St. Francis could imagine God’s total presence and so he knew that everything had the same creator as himself. Scripture call us to imagine the wonders of a loving creator.

Finally, Matthew's Gospel tells us “no one knows the Son, but the Father and no one knows the Father but the Son- and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.” I would suggest that St. Francis knew the Father through Jesus and we, too, know God through Jesus.

Imagine that!

Can you accept that? Praise God! Seek and you shall find; knock and the door will be opened. Francis is a model who showed us how loving Jesus reveals God and affects our daily walk. So, as we celebrate the feast of St. Francis may we, too, hear his words ring in our hearts: “I have done what was mine to do; may Christ teach you what you are to do.”

Trust and be not afraid for God has promised so much and God keeps his/her promises.

By Paul Kline
My favorite experiences at the Mountain are morning and evening prayer in Holy Peace Chapel. The serenity of praying with others while, at the same time, being drawn deeper into my own, interior conversation with God helps me to lower my guard and open my heart. During our Franciscan Sojourner weekends, in that most peaceful place, Gospel stories, stories connected with the Franciscan tradition, and stories from our own travels have come alive offering new discoveries about who God is calling us to become as His sons and daughters and how, as a community travelling together, can best serve others.

The feast of Francis provides an opportunity to wonder how we might learn from the remarkable story of his spiritual journey. For me, it is a journey that brought Francis deeper and deeper into radical humility. His journey reveals the freedom and grace that await us when we let go of our attachments to familiar ways of thinking and patterns of living that fail to bring us closer to God’s heart.

Ilia Delio writes that Bonaventure understood humility to be "a self-knowledge grounded in truth, patience with others, simplicity of life, attentive listening to others, courage to overcome temptations, and a compassionate heart." Through humility, we celebrate the holiness of all creation and open ourselves to be shaped by the wisdom and grace present in the insignificant moments of our day. Through humility, the least among us become our greatest teachers.

Humility, I think, helps us to re-focus our eyes and attune our ears to quiet sources of grace where wisdom speaks in a gentle whisper. Francis’ encounters with others and with the world around him powerfully reveal to me a passionate wish, even longing, to meet Jesus in every twist and turn in the road he travelled. He enjoyed, I think, an authentic zeal for experiencing the specialness of each living creature. Falling in love with every unique expression of God’s creation – people, animals, and nature - was also a way of falling in love with God, over and over and over again.

As each new day dawns, we, too, are invited, again and again, to enter into this love story.

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(Mt. Irenaeus Web Site)

Christmas Reflection

Br. Joe Kotula, OFM, and Denise Null offer their thoughts about Christmas. Please share your thoughts and reflections, too.

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Christmas Day Readings

Isaiah 52: 7-10
Hebrews 1: 1-6
Gospel of John 1: 1 18


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By Br. Joe Kotula, OFM

The readings for Christmas Day seem to move us from the story of a child being born for us to the deep message of the incarnation. God became man and the gospel writer points out that those who accept him, Jesus the Christ, he gave power to become children of God. As children of God, we know that Jesus is the light that shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.

This Christmas there is much darkness in our world. There are wars, famines, global recession, oppression, child abuse, and many other forms of violence, yet as children of God we know there is a great light. We are called to give witness to that light. Scripture tells us that we are the body of Christ, so we must be that light. Truly a mystery. All things came to be through Jesus, and without Jesus nothing came to be. We are intimately connected in this mystery to one another and to God and God taught us that on Christmas Day. It seems to me that we can be bright lights when we live with faith, hope and love.

I want to end my reflection with a meditation from a book written by Megan McKenna.

The One who holds all creation in the hollow of a hand

is born today of a virgin.

The One who hung the earth upon the waters

is hung today upon the Cross.

The One whose essence none can touch

is wrapped in swaddling clothes as a mortal.

The One who rules the angles

is crowned today with thorns.

God, who in the beginning created the heavens,

lies now in a manger.

God, who wraps the heavens in clouds,

is wrapped in mocking purple.

The One who rained manna down on the people in the wilderness

is fed on milk from a Mother's breast.

The One who set Eve and Adam free in the Jordan

is slapped in the face.

Today the Church's Spouse calls forth the magi.

Today the Church's Spouse is nailed the cross.

The Virgin's child accepts their gifts.

The Virgin's Child is pierced with a spear.

We worship your nativity, O Christ!

We worship your passion, O Christ!

Show us your glorious Theophany!

Show us, too, your glorious Resurrection.

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By Denise Null

As the most magical day of the year approaches, we find ourselves amid the hustle and bustle of Christmas preparations – shopping, decorating, gathering with friends and attending children’s festivities. We have also been preparing our hearts during advent as we watchfully wait for the birth of Christ. There is excitement and anticipation everywhere! The magic of Christmas can have many meanings. What makes Christmas magical for you? Family traditions, Mass on Christmas Eve, the joy of giving, witnessing the wonderment through children, gathering with loved ones, laughter, baking cookies or the white elephant gift exchange. In our house “Christmas magic” is a common answer for those tough Santa questions!!

The best Christmas magic is God’s great love for us. Love is about sacrifice, giving without expectations and selflessness. God made a huge choice when he sent Jesus into the world. I can’t imagine how hard it was to allow Jesus to be born when he knew he would be crucified thirty something years later. What a gift of love, what an act of love. What a privilege to know this God, to have him dwelling in us to be our source of strength! The best thing about this Christmas magic is that we can have access to it year round.

In closing, I thought I would share “The Story of the Candy Cane”

There was a time, during the later part of the eighteenth century in England, when all religious symbols were banned from public display. During this time, there was a dedicated Christian candy maker who set out to find some way for members of the Christian family to identify each other, in spite of the ban. He began with a piece of pure white candy to signify the purity and holiness of Jesus Christ. Next, he fashioned the candy into the shape of a shepherd’s staff as a reminder that our Heavenly Father is the Good Shepherd. Then he places three small red stripes around the candy to represent the encompassing power and presence of the Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Finally he placed a single bold red stripe through the candy to demonstrate the redeeming power of the blood that Christ shed upon the cross for each of us and the forgiveness of our sins.

Taste and see the wonderful truth of Christmas.

“I bring you good news of great joy which is for all people; today in the city of David there has been born, a Savior, who is Jesus Christ the Lord.” He brings forgiveness…cleansing…new life…an eternal home. “O taste and see that the Lord is good!” PS 34:3

Merry Christmas to you and blessings in 2009!


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(Mt. Irenaeus Web Site)

Feast of St. Francis

Fr. Dan Riley, OFM, and Mike Fenn offer their thoughts about the Feast of St. Francis. Please share your thoughts and reflections.

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Matthew 11: 25-30

At that time Jesus said in reply, "I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.

Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.

"Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your selves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light”

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By Dan Riley, OFM

Reflecting with Mike Fenn I think of how so many of us might consider ourselves clever and well educated. Francis did not see himself that way, but he certainly understood himself as a “child of God.”

Occasionally we might hear someone speak of hoping for or espousing “a new world order,” “a new consciousness.” We roll our eyes, don’t we sometimes not in wonderment, but I would suggest in judgment. Ironically … tragically, the judgment is actually on ourselves.

Jesus, the Christ, is the new consciousness and he has ushered in a whole new world order … truly a wonderment to behold. It is only as a child, “child like,” that we are able to see that we wonder more than worry and behold rather than shut down or close out this most amazing “new.” With all that is going on and the pain within our families and our country, this promise is at our door, invites us to open up the eyes of our hearts.

As Jesus says, “All things have been handed over to me by my Father.” He also instructs us to say, “OUR FATHER!” All of us are children and we have a new life for us to live as we choose not to roll our eyes, but open our eyes to this new order, this new reign, this Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

Even as we might be gripped by a sense of powerlessness or with tragedy in the midst of ourselves, a new hope wants to blossom, a hope only a child could see, a hope we are invited to see as children of the same God. A whole new order wants to break out on the place and the feeling of powerlessness. It is the power of God’s reign which only comes to children, to the child like. I dare say that it is the “plenty” that we only sense when we feel empty. It is the hopelessness that carves at our hearts at times that opens us space for the light to break in.

The reflection of Mike recalls for us now, as brothers and sisters, the risk of believing that there is One who calls us from our labor and our burdens to find rest, the arms of a loving God and in a family of faith. Especially when we feel we carry the burden of the world, Christ asks us “to take my yoke upon you and learn from me.” The One who is “meek and humble” is also the One who empowers us in the conversion of our hearts and the change in our world.

Let us risk, then, seeing as children on this Feast of our little brother Francis and work for it as grown-ups, brother and sisters, who share this re-newed consciousness. Let us step up and step out risking, as a child, to believe that Jesus means each of us when he says, “Come to me … my yoke is easy … my burden light.”

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By Mike Fenn

As I reflected over this reading and what is going on in the world today, I thought about the uncertainty our country faces, and the anxiety that coincides with this. Seemingly the past two national elections couldn’t have been more divisive, yet once again we face polarizing alternatives, with partisans on either side perceiving doom and gloom if their choice doesn’t get elected. In the personal finance sector, there’s been a jolt to the fundamental structure of our economy that my generation has never experienced before. In times like these, I find it impossible not to think about the worst case scenarios, and how I will support my family if those circumstances arise.

It is easy to withdraw and want to insulate ourselves from the risk of the world, taking care of only those we care for the most, while we try to make sense of all this from “the wise and the learned” on Fox News, or CNBC.

Opportunities such as these shared reflections help me break away from this cocooning instinct, and to ask how Francis would behave in such times. We know the world Francis lived in was a time of turmoil as well. The middle class was slowly forming, with the world predominantly made up from the wealthy and the poor.

Yet while Francis chose to turn away from a life of riches, he did not focus on two classes of haves and have-nots, or party affiliations of Democrats and Republicans. Francis followed the words of Christ that taught we all called to be brothers and sisters with one another and nothing more.

If our political and business leaders behaved in this manner, I wonder how much worse off we would be?

In these times of volatility and confusion I find great joy from a God Who implores me that revelation comes from behaving like a child, and great solace from my troubles when Jesus reminds me that “All who labor or are burdened, I will give you rest.”

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(Mt. Irenaeus Web Site)

Feast of St. Irenaeus

Paul Kline and Fr. Dan Riley, OFM, offer us the gift of their reflections for the Feast of St. Irenaeus.

 

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By Paul Kline



I felt just a little anxiety when I was asked to offer a reflection marking the memorial of St. Irenaeus. Truthfully, I know very little about the life and good works of Irenaeus. I thought I might carry out some quick research in order to sound smarter and, perhaps, fool everyone! In the end, however, I decided to put my anxiety aside and wait and listen for where the invitation might lead me.





As a boy, I remember that I loved reading books written for children about the lives of the saints. They seemed very much like the people in my family and in my neighborhood. To me, they were men and women who could be funny, angry, and even silly. They were sometimes smart, sometimes foolish, and often seemed dedicated to shooting themselves in the foot! Many did not seem to be looking for sainthood. They argued with God even as they longed for wisdom and grace.





The stories of their lives were told in such a way that I felt that sainthood was not so far out of reach. It seemed to me that a common feature of their stories was the experience of a moment in their lives – a turning point - when their eyes and hearts were opened and they experienced an overpowering awareness of the miracle they were truly meant to be.





Over the years I have sometimes lost contact with the power and beauty of this lesson from childhood. We are all called to sainthood and to discovering and re-discovering our true self. Grace waits for us in the great and small moments of our lives; each moment offering a window into the miracle of whom we are in the eyes of a loving and merciful God.





Thomas Merton writes:

“The eyes of the saint make all beauty holy and the hands of the saint consecrate everything they touch to the glory of God…the saint is never offended by anything and judges no man’s sin … (the saint)…knows the mercy of God… (and)… brings that mercy to all….”

And so, on the feast of St. Irenaeus, I pray that I might always see, touch, and hold family and friends with the tenderness and love that respects and reveals their holiness. I pray that I may know God’s mercy ever more deeply and be generous in sharing the grace of forgiveness with others. 

 



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By Dan Riley, OFM

The tender, homey truthfulness of Paul's reflection invites me to say more about this early Christian saint, Irenaeus, Bishop and martyr. Irenaeus’ faith grew about a generation after the evangelist St. John and his Gospel of light and peace. The unity, beauty and community unfolding from God through Christ to all creation is amazingly illuminated by Irenaeus in his writings. The harmony he longed for and believed in, we long for and work for today.



Irenaeus defended the Christian faith. As well he is often quoted as saying, “The glory of God is a human person fully alive.” He opened reflections on God's goodness and love, seeing each of us “in Christ” in whom all creation and everyone began and comes to their final beauty and fullness of life.



We chose St. Irenaeus as a patron for our Franciscan Mountain Retreat because of the holy, gentle friar, Fr. Irenaeus, a long time friend of Thomas Merton's and the beloved St. Bonaventure University librarian.



Though many of us have come to say and think of "Old and New Testaments" and sacred scripture, Irenaeus saw and taught a flow of history formed by God as an unfolding covenant over and over again with human kind and all creation. From the prophets to the "Good News" to carrying "News" out to the world there is an out flowing and unfolding God ever creating and holding us ... holding us to love one another.



Let me only add now a little more - from St. Irenaeus - as a close to our sharing here and opening to your own reflection.



In our House of Peace at Mt. Irenaeus, on the wall of our entrance over jackets and sweaters, sneakers and flip flops, we have these lovely words of St. Irenaeus framed. As you reflect on them, my prayer is that all of us may be touched, as Paul Kline prays, “we are all called to sainthood and to discovery and rediscovery of our true self." We are called to be like "soft clay" in the loving hands of our God who holds and shapes us all.

"It is not you that shapes God, it is God that shapes you. If then you

are the work of God, await the hand of the artist who does all things in

due season. Offer God your heart, soft and tractable and keep the form

in which the artist has fashioned you. Let your clay be moist, lest you

grow hard and lose the imprint of God's own fingers!"



- St. Irenaeus of Lyon

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(Mt. Irenaeus Web Site)

Pentecost Reflection

Fr. Bob Struzynski, OFM, and Mike Fenn offer us the gift of their reflections for Pentecost.
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Gospel Reading


On the evening of that first day of the week,
when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,
for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in their midst
and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained.”

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By Fr. Bob Struzynski, OFM

I get very excited about the Feast of Pentecost. Someone has said that the Spirit is the presence of Jesus when Jesus is absent. That sounds pretty good to me except I would add “the loving, healing, life-giving presence.” I love the message of the Risen Lord as he “breathes” this presence on the first believers – it would be a powerful presence that enables them to break through fear into peace and that would enable them to carry on his mission of reconciliation through forgiveness.

I would like to share briefly on the first part of this message. I experienced the Spirit's power in my life to break through fear into peace in a special way when I decided to leave Bona's in 1978 and join two other brothers to begin St. Francis Inn in Philadelphia. After I made the decision I went for a retreat in Maine and during the retreat became very fearful of following through with my decision to leave the academic life behind and live a simple life with the poor.

One night I had a dream and in the dream I saw myself enclosed within a field by thick heavy walls. Combined with this dream was a certain experience of God through the Scriptures that I was reading at this time. I read the passage about Jesus curing the man who was crippled and was laying by the healing waters of the pool of Siloam. Jesus asked the man if he wanted to walk and the man complained that he could never get to the healing waters in time to be cured, someone always got there ahead of him. I was the imprisoned man who was not able to get up and walk.

But I heard the words of Jesus very strongly “Get up, pick up your mat and walk!” in a very personal way. Jesus was saying to me just get up and walk and I would find I was walking into my new life. I did, and those seemingly thick, impenetrable walls were nothing but an illusion created by my fear. As I went to touch them my hand went right through them. There was nothing to stop me. Jesus led me right through my fear into greater freedom and new life.

This is only one story from one life. I'll bet all of you reading this little sharing on the bible readings for Pentecost could add many many more stories of God's loving, healing, strengthening presence through the gift of the Spirit. In true “Mountain” fashion let us rejoice, give thanks and spread the Good News!

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By Mike Fenn

“As the Father has sent me, so I send you”

I am thrilled to partner up with Bob on this special holy day of Pentecost, as we have common threads related to this day. I, too, was called from St. Bonaventure (as a student) to live at St. Francis Inn. While my work there could only have taken place through the pioneering of Bob and his Brothers, it was a wonderful year of truly walking the spirit in everything I did.

Another connection that Bob has drawn out is my recent dream that has been on my mind for a few weeks now. On March 24, my father passed away in North Carolina after a few years of being in poor health. We had a wonderful funeral, recalling his life dedicated to Christian ministry. However he was to be buried in New York City about a month later. The planning for this second event was difficult as many from our family lives far from there. It was also difficult to go through the grieving process for a second time. Truly my spirit was down, and I was depressed at trying to help in the planning while life continues forward at a fast pace in every other respect.

About a week before the memorial service my father visited me in a dream. He was the giant I remember him being when I was young, wearing one of his three-piece business suits. I ran up and hugged him, asked him if he was back. He said, “No, but I’m OK.”

As I read the gospel quote above, and thought about Bob’s own dream, I felt my dream was a message from my father and the Holy Spirit to continue all the goods works he had ministered through his long life. In a way my Father was sending me forth. I pray the Holy Spirit will support me and my family to follow my father’s significant footsteps.

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(Mt. Irenaeus Web Site)

Holy Week Reflection

Mike Fenn and Fr. Dan Riley, OFM, offer us the gift of their reflections for this Holy Week.
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By Mike Fenn

Our sojourner group recently spent a weekend in reflection on Francis’ celebration of the Incarnation – of God coming to earth in the form of Man. We learned that Francis considered Christmas “The Feast of all Feasts” because it meant that the divine is here on Earth, not just up in the heavens. With this perspective, I sit here on Palm Sunday thinking about the upcoming week Jesus endured. The jubilation of his entrance in Jerusalem, the bittersweet mix of companionship and betrayal experienced with His Brothers at the Last Supper, the incredible angst He endured in dialogue with His Father in the garden. And the humiliation, pain and suffering that took place on the day of His death.

From my own experience I know life can bring emotional ups and downs as well - the jubilation of living in a house filled with love to the angst of raising a family in times of moral indifference and economic uncertainty. The companionship of being blessed with good friends made over the years, to the difficulty of watching our adolescents find their way, their identity, and sometimes experience rejection from others. Finally the pain and suffering we are witnessing this very day – a teenager we know passing over after battling cancer for years; someone close to us admitted to the hospital with heart problems.

It can be easy to focus on this Holy Week and – using words Fr. Dan shared with me while collaborating on our reflections – “get lost in the dark.” Jesus experienced sin in many ways on the day of his death. Yet we know what happened by week’s end; the glory of the resurrection, Jesus conquering death.

The primary message of this week is not one of pain and suffering, but of hope. Hope that comes from Resurrection after the darkest of all days. This hope helps me through the darkness in my life and gives me strength to walk with each other through this great gift of life on Earth.

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By Fr. Dan Riley, OFM

While I was reading Mike Fenn’s reflections (above) for the Triduum, the three Holy Days – Holy Thursday, Good Friday, through Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday morning – I thought again and again, about how much I admire him, his wife Julie and their children. I am so grateful that they share their life with us at the Mountain and that a number of us have had a chance to see them grow as a family over the years. This year the celebration of the incarnation, the time when we hear the Christmas story and the story of the Holy Family, has been closer now to this Holy Week and these two great Christian Feasts will be again for almost 100 years.

We come so quickly this year from the "stable," "the flight into Egypt," the early days of Jesus' ministry and now intimate lessons of "the upper room," the deep getting-down foot washing love of Jesus for each of us. His example I see in mothers for children, the great concerns that Bona Dads have for their families. Jesus tells us and then shows us as he washes the feet of Peter, that he "came to serve, not be served" - and I am blessed to watch some of you understand this as you reach down and care for your children and lift them up in love ... care for a sometimes dark and cold world.

The "ups and downs" of family life and daily life and the challenges that we all have, including parents with children (and yes, sometimes children with their parents!), shows me the great example that reflects the love of Jesus who suffered so much to show us love, ultimate love. Jesus' own struggle with his Father that we heard on Palm Sunday in the reading of the Passion in Matthew's Gospel is not unlike our own uncertain struggles with parental figures, with our own uncertainties occasionally about God. Jesus' own words, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; ..." suggests an inner dialogue that wants to grow within us all.

It is Christ's struggle for all of us and an invitation for us to enter more deeply into our own struggles with hope.

I have always had a special love for the Easter Vigil, which is to be celebrated when darkness has come over the whole earth and when we long, not only for the light of day, but the light of Christ. The Vigil takes time and takes us through many passages of Scripture which tell us of God's covenant with us. I find myself turning tonight to close these reflections with some words from Isaiah.

Much of our country has been thirsty this year and some of it still is in drought. In other parts of the world hunger is still a great problem, here and elsewhere money is a confusion and at our Easter Vigil this year Isaiah the prophet proclaims, "Thus says the Lord, all you who are thirsty come to the water. You who have no money, come, receive grain and eat; come without paying and without cost, drink wine and milk! Why spend your money for what is not bread, your wages for what fails to satisfy. Heed me, and you shall eat well, ..."

Tonight in Devereux Hall a student from another country, one of our Bona athletes, told me he thought he would go back to his native country after graduating here because, "Americans worry too much about spending their money and finding some more."

Bona families and God's "Bona word" invite me not to be preoccupied with "what fails to satisfy," but turn my thirsts to the Living Water and to the Light of Christ that blazes in this Easter Vigil. The love that has bent down to wash our feet and lift up our faces so that we can see each other, love each other and bring peace to our world in these coming days.

Feel free, if you wish, to join into this conversation. You might want to read Isaiah 55: 1-11, any of the other Vigil readings, Romans 6: 3-11 is a wonderful reading that comes just before the Easter Vigil Gospel for this year, Matthew 28: 1-10. There we are told by the Lord after he has risen and speaks to two of the Mary's, "Do not be afraid, go tell my brothers to go to Galilee and there they will see me."

We too will see the Lord when we enter the world with the courage he gives us and the love he has planted in our hearts to serve others.

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(Mt. Irenaeus Web Site)

Lenten Reflection

By Lou McCormick, OFM

Lent has been an intense spiritual experience for followers of Christ throughout the centuries. Our forty days of Lent are modeled after the forty days Jesus spent in the desert immediately after His baptism in the Jordan River. At the end of that time, Jesus was tempted by the devil. Those temptations which Jesus experienced and rejected had to do with POWER, PRESTIGE, AND POSSESSIONS. Anyone the least bit in touch with themselves and events in our world know that these temptations to power, prestige, and possessions are still very operative. I would say that all the problems and pain in our world are because of the desire for power, prestige or possessions.

Following the example of Jesus' words, the traditional practices of Lent are prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Notice how all three of these activities focus on God and others. Prayer brings us into God consciousness; fasting brings us into a sense of God's many gifts to us and expresses a desire to give up some of these gifts temporarily for the good of others; and almsgiving is a sharing of some of these gifts with others.

The fundamental Franciscan charism (spirit) has to do with relationship. Francis of Assisi had a profound understanding of God the Father as creator of everyone and everything. If all that exists is created by God, then we are all “brothers” and “sisters” to all that is created.

Relationship is the core of the Christian life because Jesus tells us that love of God and love of neighbor are the core of religion. Jesus came to show us that relationship and how it is to be lived.

The spiritual journey for any of us is the lifelong movement from ego-centered to God-centered living. As we move along this journey, our lives become more and more influenced by the life and teaching of Jesus. Power, prestige, and possessions become less important because others become more important. How I relate to the world becomes more informed by the needs of others, as do my patterns of consumption. We are gradually able to differentiate between “needs” and “wants.” In most cases our needs can be taken care of fairly simply, and in that simplicity, we are better able to share with others.

Through the Lenten practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving we are able to reflect on our ways of relating to people and things. We may even be moved by God's grace to change some of the ways we do relate so that the needs of another may be met and Jesus' message made more clear.

The Franciscan “thing” is to love the best way we can today, live as simply as possible, and always give thanks and praise to God who loves us and desires us beyond our imagining. The Lenten journey can help us along this path when we enter it with some intentionality.

God loves me so much that He can't take His eyes off me. As I come to understand and believe this, my way of relating to the world changes. My life becomes one of relating in love to the presence of Jesus among us.

Peace and love to all of you.

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(Mt. Irenaeus Web Site)

Christmas Reflection

Season's greetings to you all! We welcome you to take a moment to read this shared reflection from Fr. Dan Riley and Christine Cusick. Christine is a St. Bonaventure grad that has recently become active with the Franciscan Sojourners group. Feel free to share your thoughts after reading through their reflection.

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“Yet in thy dark streets Shineth,
Thy everlasting Light”

As we reflect on the readings from the Midnight Mass for the Nativity of the Lord, we turn to this familiar line of “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” This nineteenth century hymn recalls for us the layers of meaning we find in the image of star against sky that we hear in the first reading from Isaiah: “The people who walked in darkness / have seen a great light.” This is indeed a season of Light. Even in the season of Advent, the wreath unfolded its light with the turn of each week, and in the circle of the candles, the deep color of the evergreen remained constant in hue and in shape, no beginning, no end: an eternal rhythm.

So many of us have heard this rhythm in the whisper of the pines that embrace the trails of Mt. Irenaeus, and so we know that God gives us the power of His hope on all nights, and on all paths. The richness of this Christmas green is granted meaning in its own contrast against the season’s rich reds: the bow to the wreath, the berry to the bough. These powerful reds remind us of the blood that Christ shed so that His full message would be revealed to us, in His death we would come to more fully realize His light.

“The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight.”

“Hopes and fears…” these simple words, in all their meanings that experiences grant us, are held in such contrast to one another, are of such different shades in our ordinary lives, and yet, as this traditional hymn reminds us, they “are met in thee, our Savior, tonight.” Such a tender image of meeting, of convergence, and in Christ’s glory, this beautiful paradox resonates to unite and embody all that we are, all that we yearn to become, through His power and His grace.

“But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him still,
The dear Christ enters in.”

When we search for rest in our own lives this Christmas season, we are undoubtedly challenged by the unrest of our world; we are a people in need of Light, in need of peace, in need of meaning. And yet each of these readings reminds us that what Christ brings to us, in all the grandeur of humility, is justice.

We hear in the Psalm: “He shall rule the world with justice / and the peoples with constancy.” We see from the details of that deep dark Christmas night that this is not the justice of human law and nation. It is the justice of Christ, of Love, which came in the stillness of night, warmed by “swaddling clothes,” humbled through God’s power to share our flesh, our fears, our hope, so that through Him we might find peace.

“O holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us, we pray
Cast out our sin and enter in
Be born to us today.”

As we reflect on our shared place of the Mountain, we might recall how the rays of God’s Light pour abundantly through the canopy of the pines. Christ’s Light is indeed with us, not just in the depths of this midnight hour of Christmas, but also in each turn of the day.



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(Mt. Irenaeus Web Site)

All Saints Day

By Fr. Dan Riley, OFM:
Mike Fenn is one of our Franciscan Sojourners and “Guardian” of this gathering of Bonaventure women and men, spouses, friends and friars. He offers us here a rich personal and timely reflection. Michael, father of three young women with his wife Julie, have been living and seeking to live even more of our Franciscan Gospel life since their St. Bonaventure University days.

Enjoy his reflection and enter into the conversation he has begun for us, lending your own words and wisdom for others to “taste and see” God’s goodness shining forth in ourselves and in the world.

Mike helps us know that we share, even now, in God’s holiness and are invited to live it even more as we celebrate All Saints and All Souls days.

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Readings:

Reading 1 Rv 7:2-4, 9-14

I, John, saw another angel come up from the East,
holding the seal of the living God.
He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels
who were given power to damage the land and the sea,
“Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees
until we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.”
I heard the number of those who had been marked with the seal,
one hundred and forty-four thousand marked
from every tribe of the children of Israel.

After this I had a vision of a great multitude,
which no one could count,
from every nation, race, people, and tongue.
They stood before the throne and before the Lamb,
wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.
They cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne,
and from the Lamb.”

All the angels stood around the throne
and around the elders and the four living creatures.
They prostrated themselves before the throne,
worshiped God, and exclaimed:

“Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving,
honor, power, and might
be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”

Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me,
“Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?”
I said to him, “My lord, you are the one who knows.”
He said to me,
“These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress;
they have washed their robes
and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb.”

Reading 2 1 Jn 3:1-3

Beloved:
See what love the Father has bestowed on us
that we may be called the children of God.
Yet so we are.
The reason the world does not know us
is that it did not know him.
Beloved, we are God’s children now;
what we shall be has not yet been revealed.
We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him,
for we shall see him as he is.
Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure,
as he is pure.

Gospel Mt 5:1-12a

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
He began to teach them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven.”

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By Mike Fenn:
In a few weeks I’ll be heading back to the NYC area to attend my 20th year high school reunion. For the most part I’m really looking forward to catching up with old friends, and share stories of what were great years in our lives. On some level I’ve already begun thinking about how I will answer the obvious “So what have you been up to?” question.

On the surface I’ll be able to get through the small talk banter, but the question also hits me in a deeper way, as if God is asking, “Really, Mike what HAVE you been doing with the first 20 years of your adult life??!!” That’s the part that’s had me feeling a little uneasy these last few weeks – aside from the extra pounds I’ve put on since my last reunion!

I think this perspective is why the words of the second reading have struck me so poignantly today. They are truly words of encouragement from John. He reminds us that we are children of God, yet to be revealed to the world. No matter our age, we are always being formed by the Holy Word and God’s Grace. We know there will be times when we stumble along our walk through life, where we don’t make the decisions of a Saint. Yet John shows confidence that ultimately when God is revealed we will be like Him, provided we hold on to the faith that binds each of us together.

I’m fortunate enough to live within 90 minutes driving distance from the Mt. Irenaeus and made it down to mass last Sunday along with two of my daughters. Fr. Lou’s homily struck me and it ties in nicely with our All Saints celebration. Lou shared that as Believers we are divine based on “invitation and participation.”

The invitation part is easy, and can be a little dangerous on its own. I can sometimes sit in the chapel and think how good I am to be spending my free time at the Mountain. I know accepting the invitation needs to be coupled with the participation element. What am I doing after I drive down the Mountain road and join the rest of the world? Am I walking the talk, am I following the rules Jesus gave to us during the Sermon on the Mount? And while I know we can beat ourselves up at times when we have fallen out of step, I now take comfort in John’s words: By holding on to that hope that I am God’s Child, I may share in the Purity that is God’s.

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By Fr. Dan Riley, OFM:
Our hope, as Mike points out is God’s promise in St. John’s words, “We are God’s children!” now. We know that in especially painful or confusing times it is difficult to see each other and ourselves in this way, as images of God, God’s children now. This is the vantage point, the scene and scenery of "blessedness" that Jesus teaches his disciples amidst the "crowds." This is why he went "up on the mountain" as we read in Matthew’s Gospel for "All Saints Day."

A number of years ago Terri McFadden Marrie brought to us "The Mountain Song." Steven Curtis Chapman tells us in this song that we go to the mountain to "rest, learn and grow." I think Mike lifts this up for us and invites us to do the same … to find a “mountain” possibly away from the Mountain where we might ride in a car to work, walk home or a late break after our children have gone to bed to savor again the goodness of being members of one family - to be “God’s children.”

We are welcomed to the table of God’s goodness to celebrate it already and share it with others. To “rest, learn and grow” is a simple movement in holiness … we are already holy … saints of God … sharing in the great banquet, the expansive table, the “playground of paradise,” the “communion of saints.”

With Mike’s reflections and the Scriptures before us we might wonder as we remember all the “holy ones” – our deceased relatives and friends and the others that we now call “saints” and who have gone before us as well – how their lives are “invitations to participation.”

• Do you now “see” yourself with “every nation, race, people and tongue” standing before “the Lamb” as God’s children now. (Rev. 7:2-4, 9-14)

• What will open my eyes so that I might both see and hear this invitation to participation in this “holiness” already ours and inviting us to somehow live and share in today, do I hear us called to “rejoice and be glad!”? (Rev.)

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(Mt. Irenaeus Web Site)