First Pauca Verba post was in 2013...

 

Now nearly 2000 posts later, 

taking a vacation from blogging for a time

Oremus pro invicem!

Intercessions ~ Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

It is World Series time/ where the purpose of every baseball game is to "get home."/ Spiritually, there is our heavenly home to hope for,/ but there is also that immediate home/ which is to live in the heart of Christ/ becoming fully Christ's sister;/ Christ's brother./ May we desire this above all else./ We pray to the Lord.

We pray for our parish family at Mass today./ May there be a spirit of openness among us,/ where we share and lift up each other's prayer as we pray our own./ For the gift of persistence in prayer./ We pray to the Lord.

For those who lead nations,/ states,/ counties,/ communities and neighborhoods./ Grant that they may not despair of doing good,/ living in justice and fairness for all./ We pray to the Lord.

There seems to be a great emergence of violence all around./ We pray for Ukraine/ where war has killed more than 1000 children./ For those who live by and in/ gang,/ gun,/ or domestic violence./ For those who are discriminated against because of race,/ ethnicity,/ gender,/ sexual orientation,/ religion/ or any of the ways we sort and divide people./ May we come to see each person as God's child./ We pray to the Lord.

For the many whose lives are ruined by natural disasters and climate change,/ those who are struggling through floods,/ fires,/ hurricanes,/ drought and famine./ For the strengthening and perseverance of the good people who work to help./ We pray to the Lord.

For those who are sick,/ physically,/ emotionally or spiritually./ We remember those in chronic pain or weakness./ For doctors,/ nurses,/ technicians/ and those who staff hospitals,/ clinics,/ nursing homes and hospices./ We pray to the Lord.

November is the month of prayer for the dead./ We pray for our departed loved ones,/ friends and family,/ especially those who I now bring to mind _______./ May they delight in God's mercy,/ light and peace./ We pray to the Lord.

In movies we often hear the name of Jesus used as a curse or expletive./ Many Christians offend in this regard as well./ May be revere the name of Jesus/ which the angel gave to Mary in the Annunciation,/ and be more brave in calling offenders to attention./ We pray to the Lord.

Blessed be God forever!

weightless wren's enormous song

At every Mass we hear the priest, "Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, through your goodness we have this bread, this wine to offer..." And we respond, "Blessed be God forever!"  A lovely brief moment of grateful praise. But it is also a phrase we can take with us through the day, acknowledging the gifts along the way. I've tried it out and left lines at the bottom for you add your own praises.

All that awakens...

noisy flock of sparrows in a bamboo grove,

the English Gothic church made of schist-rock sparkling,

White Pine needles pouring down like rain,

geranium's blood-red flowering — brought in before first frost.

Blessed be God forever!

All that astonishes...

fritillaria bulbs are planted on their sides,

feathered ferns turned bronzy-red,

the compost pile crumbly, warm and black,

the green chasuble's orphrey, blue and gold,

weightless wren's enormous song.

Blessed be God forever!

All that dazzles...

autumn's sunrise pink and yellow,

Witch Hazel's buds—holding orange petals,

the potted cypress leaves lemon scent on my hand,

Monarchs are Mexico bound,

two feet of snow in the drought stricken states.

Blessed be God forever!

All that is marvelous...

Van Gogh's pounding waves — white paint squeezed right out of the tube,

crisped sycamore leaves make clacking sounds in high winds,

morning tea from Kenya and "Ceylon,"

Blue Heron's appearing — its vertical flight,

waking seconds before the black cast iron clock strikes a long mid-night.

Blessed be God forever!

All that is praise-stirring...

this morning's conscious breath,

first thought of God — creative gift-giver,

first thought of Christ's kindness; his Mother's joy,

hearing weather — wind and rain on my window,

tonight's waning crescent — deep yellow-green.

Blessed be God forever!

All that is wonderment...

God's patience with our stupidity and death-stained sin,

a lawn-full of gray acorn-ing squirrels,

the seven year old, styling a yellow yarmulke, zooming around on his Shabbat scooter,

Robin's request—"Are the holly berries ripe?"

September through October—God's resplendent smile.

Blessed be God forever!

All that is delightful...

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The Abundant Gifts of Christ Jesus

 

This is an illuminated page from a 15th century liturgical book. Of course it is a tender depiction of Christ's Nativity. We see the Father en-rayed, looking down on Bethlehem through the night sky. The Holy Child is there on a bed of straw which is placed on a red-royal second bed. Mary prays. The cow and donkey stand outside the wattle fence. They know who this Child is. The monk who created the page must have been a tender-hearted and thoughtful fellow — he has Joseph seated and warming the baby's blanket by the fire. 

But what I find most intriguing is the larger stylized garden in which the scene sits. From the bottom center urn springs far reaching vines of flowers, leaves and even tiny berries. They might well be strawberries — a Medieval symbol of the Virgin Mary, the delicate berries growing close to the ground, emblematic of the Virgin's humility (down to earth-ness). The entire page speaks of God's super abundant gift-ing of us in Christ. So here is my prayer growing out of pondering the page and for a world that everyone seems to agree, is in great need. 

May the love Christ Jesus gave, expand hearts in every place.

May the joy Christ Jesus gave, gladden the world gone sad.

May the hope Christ Jesus gave, keep us from dark despair.

May the peace Christ Jesus gave, be shared by all.

May the friendship Christ Jesus gave, be cherished by us.

May the forgiveness Christ Jesus gave, search us deeply.

May the kindness Christ Jesus gave, form us.

May the reconciliation Christ Jesus gave, enliven us.

May the spirit-gift Christ Jesus gave, grow us up.

May the glory-promise Christ Jesus gave, be cherished.

May the light Christ Jesus gave, be kept burning brightly.

May the God-presence Christ Jesus gave, be reassuring.

May the wonder-healings Christ Jesus gave, find us.

May the prayer Christ Jesus gave, inspire us.

May the promises Christ Jesus gave, encourage us.

May the Word Christ Jesus gave, live within human hearts.

May the invitation-call Christ Jesus gave, awaken sleeping minds.

May the Holy Food Christ Jesus gave, sustain us.

May the cross-carrying Christ Jesus gave, quiet the complaining.

May the blood and water flow Christ Jesus gave, free a self-burdening world.

May the Resurrection-life Christ Jesus gave, be the air we breathe.

Intercessions ~ Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

The name Gethsemane means olive press./ As Jesus prayed in that garden the night before his death,/ was it the vision of all the world's horrifying wars that pressed him to the ground?/ On Sunday,/ we ask the Risen One for the healing of our war obsessed world./ We pray to the Lord.

Like much of the world,/ the church is bitterly polarized and distracted./ Many people long for a return to the past/ while others are satisfied only with innovation./ "May the Church be overwhelmed by joy,"/ Pope Francis prays./ Grant that the Christian people would re-discover Christ,/ where this First Love has been exchanged for another./ We pray to the Lord. 

Seemingly every day there is news of yet another mass murder in our country./ The nation's children are being trained in sorrow,/ pain and home-grown violence./ May God forgive and heal us/ covered in shame/ as innocent people die by gun violence./ Give new hearts to those in leadership who do nothing to remedy this illness./ We ask for a prolife vision that extends far and wide./ We pray to the Lord.

As Election Day is close,/ grant that we would be kept safe from leaders who want only to perform and secure power./ May we elect people who are qualified for the positions for which they are running;/ who want to help and serve./ We pray to the Lord.

Safeguard our families,/ friends and colleagues with good health and safety./ Heal the ones who are feeling afraid or sad./ Bless the parish family as we worship together:/ the pastor/ and those who assume liturgical roles and ministries of teaching and service./ Take us beyond good intention and talk,/ to action/ born of Christ's Gospel./ We pray to the Lord.

Every week at Mass/ we hear the scriptures./ May we be saved from those who use the bible as a hammer to control people/ and instead open it as the living Word of God,/ revealing God's presence among us/ in love,/ encouragement and promise./ We pray to the Lord.

This week,/ the insanity of war was made apparent in the death of a Ukrainian man and his wife,/ six months pregnant/ and even the family cat./ Nothing is spared./ May God heal us of the evil we do./ We pray to the Lord.

Christ of the Fiery Eye and Some Prayer Starters

 

I stumbled upon this 18th-19th century icon recently and felt drawn to it immediately because Jesus is a little tilted. Has he stopped along the way, seeing me in the crowd? His eyes are bright; he seems to be smiling. He understands. His head is large because it's filled with us and with heavenly ideas. His hair reminds me of nature's lines and folds — a palm frond, tree rings, the underside of a mushroom, a tilled field, a striated rock, the ripples of water. The icon is called, Christ of the Fiery Eye. 

Here are some possible Prayer-Starters as we sit or stand before this icon which seems to invite contemplation (seeing beyond or beneath the outer thing.)

Jesus,

you have revealed yourself as

light of the world.

Would you shine brightly

into the life of 

_____________

who seems to be 

bumping around in darkness these days.

Jesus,

you welcomed,

gathered and blessed the little children.

Bless ___________________

the youngest member of my family.

Bless all the children of 

______________.

Jesus,

 you didn't give  material gifts to people —

money or possessions,

but the gift of your presence.

_________________

needs to feel your presence today.

Jesus,

your fiery eye is not a scary eye,

not a suspicious

nor evil eye,

but an all-seeing eye.

Look deeply within

 where I've got a lot on my mind.

Look into my heart where I am feeling

_____________so deeply. 

Jesus,

you provided an abundance of wine

for the wedding guests at Cana,

and bread and fish for the

crowds in the wilderness.

Thank you for the abundance of my life,

especially the abundance which fills my heart.

________________________

Jesus,

joy was restored to the family

 in the room where you 

raised up the little girl to life.

Thank you for the joy I feel

in my own life,

especially the joy of

________________.

 

Prayer After Mass

 Monastic Chapel ~ Weston Priory, Vermont

Prayer After Mass

Strengthen, O Lord, the hands which have been stretched out to receive your holy things, that they may daily bring forth fruit to your glory.

Grant that the ears which have heard your songs may be closed to the voices of clamor and dispute;

That the eyes which have seen your bright love may also behold your blessed hope;

That the tongues which have uttered your praise may speak the truth;

That the feet which have trodden your courts may walk in the regions of light;

That the souls and bodies which have fed upon your living Body and Blood may be restored to newness of life. Amen. 

 

Intercessions ~ Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

The United States grows about 200 unique varieties of apples in 32 states./ As we appreciate this tremendous variety during October,/ National Apple Month,/ may we also be the nation which all the more appreciates people/ in their tremendous variety and need./ We pray for the conversion of hearts filled with fear and the hatred of others who look,/ sound or think another way./ We pray to the Lord.

Catholicism is the largest Christian denomination in the United States./ The second largest denomination is fallen-away Catholics./ Many claim to have abandoned the Church because they do not feel genuine community,/ welcome or joy./ May we grow as Jesus would have us grow/ into a global community/ affording humanity an experience of the enfolding love of God./ We pray to the Lord. 

A Florida woman was interviewed who had lost everything to Hurricane Ian./ She lay on the ground with her dog where her house had been and said to the interviewer,/ "Tell me what to do and where to go."/ Many people exist this way/ due to famine,/ war or disaster — having no where to go,/ not knowing what to do./ St. Francis said, "I can't do everything, but I can do something."/ We pray to the Lord.

The brutal bombardment of Ukraine continues/ and the world feels more vulnerable by the day./ Grant peace to our  world,/ save us from failed leaders — soul-surrendered and shameless in their own obsession with power./ And may we pray this prayer not only for places faraway,/ but for our own country as Election Day approaches./ We pray to the Lord.

We pray for Pope Francis/ and for the Church where it is fractured or marked by distracting tensions./ For the Church where it has not recovered from covid,/ where it is  exhausted or tormented by enemies./ For Christian communities which have become complacent or have lost their sense of the Gospel./ We pray to the Lord.

October is the Month of the Rosary — a prayer of going around and around in mystery and contemplation./ May we discover God's Christ-closeness in our own lives/ as we go around and through our day-to-day lives/ where there is joy,/ but also fear,/ loneliness,/ pain,/ doubt,/ trouble and challenge./ We pray to the Lord.

October is the Month of Mary's Rosary

This tender painting is titled, Old Lady with a Rosary. It was created by the Scottish portrait painter, George Fiddes Watt (1873-1960).  

There is so much to notice here. This elderly woman lives in extreme poverty. Her dress is faded and worn. Her threadbare, tattered curtains are useless. There is what's left of a broom leaning against the wall under the window. Her spinning wheel is there as well, but I sense she is now too frail to use it. The wooden table with the damaged edge has been around a long time.

There is a small pitcher on the table and a cup of tea perhaps. She has just placed it there — see the steam rising from it. The walls and the floor are the color of the earth. They remind us that death is near, as does the clock on the wall.

What thoughts fill her rosary prayer? What does she bring to her prayer? Maybe just an uncomplicated love of God. Is she lonely, having outlived everyone? Is she mourning the loss of dear ones? Has her poverty reduced her, such that she is asking for death? Maybe she is praying for strength to accept the challenge of dimmed sight, arthritic hands and spine? The beads she holds delicately have gone round and round for a very long time — what stories they could tell. I think she is an image of a faithful soul, accepting what comes each day. She is taking her time — a contemplative soul, full of inner awareness, and I expect gratitude for all that has upheld her over the years.

Even to hold the rosary is a prayer. But if we learn nothing else from her, perhaps this, that finishing the whole thing in record time isn't what matters, but that we pray even the littlest bit of it with attentive love.

Feast of the Archangels ~ Thoughts a little late

 

There are two angel feast days on the liturgical calendar: October 2, the Feast of the Guardian Angels, and September 29, the Feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael.  The flowers in the picture above are called Michaelmas Asters as they are guaranteed to be in full bloom for the archangel's celebration, even into October's first frost The flower's name is surely a survivor of the Protestant Reformation  which changed the names of all the flowers that had spiritual significance.

Anyway, Father Rahner writes that angels are the Entourage of Jesus. Lovely. Entourage (19th c. French for surround) means a group of people who attend or surround an important person. Synonyms would be retinue, escorts, company.  We encounter these surrounding angels in the gospels.

The Archangel Gabriel announces the conception of Jesus to the Virgin Mary. Luke 1:26-38

Angels fill the sky with song on Christmas night. Luke 2: 8-20

While angels are not mentioned in the account of Christ's Baptism, they are often present in iconology.

An angel ministers to Jesus at the end of his wilderness fasting. Matthew 4:11

Another angel ministers to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Luke 22:43

There is an angel at the empty Easter tomb. Mark 16:5

And there are angels of instruction in the Ascension sky. Acts 1:10-11

Are they real? Why not? Though statues and icons are only attempts at depicting invisible realities. More importantly (and don't you feel this too?) I want to be counted among Christ's retinue, known to be one of his company, found among those who surround Jesus in love and learning. Happy Feast Day!

Intercessions ~ Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

We pray for our world,/ so full of variety and beauty,/ so self-renewing,/ but also so lacking in joy,/ light,/ certitude,/ peace or help for the many who are pained./ May we not hide/ or run away in fear from the struggle,/  where ignorance and brutishness seem to win,/ but may we learn God's true love./ We pray to the Lord.

Columbus Day is Monday./ Like every story,/ this one is tainted./ We pray for our country which bears the stubborn stain of hatred for persons of color./ We pray for those who deny ugly truths./ We pray for the indigenous peoples of this land whose story is rife with exploitation,/ theft,/ disease,/ lies,/ cultural destruction and murder./ We pray to the Lord.

More than one hundred people were left dead after Hurricane Ian./ We pray for them and for those who mourn them./ We pray for the injured and those who have lost everything./ For those who so carefully continue recovery efforts./ We pray to the Lord.

Ours is an often violent country./ But today,/ violence has been given a new permission or empowerment./  There are politicians who everyday receive violent threats in numbers beyond counting./ People in high places spew violent, hater-rhetoric and speak of others in degrading and menacing ways./ We ask God for the much needed healing of the national heart./ We pray to the Lord.

October is the month when the leaves change their colors./ May we experience the change or transformation that comes with knowing Christ deeply./ October is also the month of leaf drop and behind each fallen leaf is next spring's leaf-bud./ May we drop resentment/ and know Christ's promise of new life./ We pray to the Lord.

Gun manufacturing and gun sales are big business in our country./ More than 1400 people have been shot in Philadelphia alone this year./ In that same city there have been more than 400 gun deaths./ Some of the injured and dead are children./ This gun defense and gun adulation is simply not the way of Jesus./ May we learn what he has to teach us./ We pray to the Lord.

We pray for ourselves and those around us at Mass today./ For the many who stay away./ For those who have lost faith or who are discouraged./ We ask the Lord to bless us with gifts of renewed hope and joy./ We pray to the Lord.

Turning the Pope's Sunday Reflection Into an October Rosary Decade

There is the long-standing tradition of the Pope greeting the many thousands of people in St. Peter's Square each Sunday to offer a reflection on some spiritual theme and to pray the Angelus. This past Sunday Pope Francis used the occasion to plead for an end to the terrible and costly invasion of Ukraine. I have broken up the address into ten sentences, suggesting we might use them as brief reflections between the Hail Mary's of a rosary decade, at the start of October — the month of Mary's Rosary.

Our Father...

"The course of the war in Ukraine has become so serious, devastating and threatening, as to cause great concern. Indeed, this terrible and inconceivable wound to humanity, instead of healing, continues to shed even more blood, risking to spread further."

Hail Mary...

"I am saddened by the rivers of blood and tears spilled in these months. I am saddened by the thousands of victims, especially children, and the destruction which has left many people and families homeless and threatened vast territories with cold and hunger."

Hail Mary...

"Certain actions can never be justified, never! It is disturbing that the world is learning the geography of Ukraine through names such as Bucha, Irpin, Mariupol, Izium, Zaparizhzhia and other areas, which have become places of indescribable suffering and fear. And what about the fact that humanity is once again faced with the atomic threat? It is absurd."

Hail Mary...

"What is to happen next?  How much blood must still flow for us to realize that war is never a solution, only destruction? In the name of God and in the name of the sense of humanity that dwells in every heart, I renew my call for an immediate cease fire."

Hail Mary...

"Let there be a halt to arms, and let us seek the conditions for negotiations that will lead to solutions that are not imposed by force, but consensual, just and stable. And they will be so if they are based on respect for the sacrosanct value of human life, as well as the sovereignty and territorial integrity of each country, and the rights of minorities and legitimate concerns."

Hail Mary...

"I deeply deplore the grave situation that has arisen in recent days, with further actions contrary to the principles of international law. It increases the risk of nuclear escalation, giving rise to fears of uncontrollable and catastrophic consequences worldwide."

Hail Mary...

"My appeal is addressed first and foremost to the President of the Russian Federation, imploring him to stop this spiral of violence and death, also for the sake of his own people. On the other hand, saddened by the immense sufferings of the Ukrainian people as a result of the aggression they have suffered, I address an equally confident appeal to the President of Ukraine to be open to serious proposals of peace."

Hail Mary...

"I urge all the protagonists of international life and the political leaders of nations to do everything possible to bring an end to the war, without allowing themselves to be drawn into dangerous escalations, and to promote and support initiatives for dialogue. Please let the younger generations breathe the salutary air of peace, not the polluted air of war, which is madness."

Hail Mary...

"After seven months of hostilities, let us use all diplomatic means, even those that may not have been used so far, to bring an end to this terrible tragedy. War in itself is an error and a horror!"

Hail Mary...

"Let us trust in the mercy of God, who can change hearts, and in the maternal intercession of the Queen of Peace, as we raise our supplication to Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompei, spiritually united with the faithful gathered at her shrine and in so many parts of the world."

Hail Mary...

Glory be to the Father...

Blessed Assurances

Rembrandt ~ The Head of Christ ~ 1640's

There is a wonderful hymn sung in African American churches called, "Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine." Here I have tried to expand on that — celebrating and invoking Christ who hopes for each of us to become awakened and true human persons. That's what authentic religion should do. Might I suggest a slow read with pauses and deep breaths.

The birth of Christ blesses me.

The beauty of Christ cheers me.

The call of Christ my re-creation.

The word of Christ my absolution.

The spirit of Christ brings me to life again.

The arms of Christ enfold me.

The gaze of Christ protects me.

The presence of Christ watches over me.

The light of Christ by which I see.

The uniqueness of Christ evolves my own.

The heart of Christ awakens mine.

The face of Christ restores my smile.

The tears of Christ compassionate me.

The prayer of Christ removes the weapons from my heart.

The breath of Christ to make my speech loving.

The ears of Christ heighten my listening.

The eyes of Christ recognize me.

The side wound of Christ, my entre.

The Kingdom of Christ, I belong.

The Mother of Christ — may I say, merriment?

The miracles of Christ surround me by thousands.

The hands of Christ the touch of peace.

The Cross of Christ dilates my mind.

The Rising of Christ — I am alive!

Intercessions ~ Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

Monday is National Butterfly and Hummingbird Day./ May we love our planet/ with care for the smallest of God's creatures,/ all of which play a part in sustaining life and wellbeing./ We pray to the Lord.

Tuesday is the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi,/ who (perhaps shockingly) said to his religious brothers,/ "Better for you to go out into the street and kiss donkey dung than to even touch money."/ May we be a rightly prioritized people/ who try to live in the simplicity of the gospel,/ keeping far from power and money-love./ We pray to the Lord.

Wednesday is the Jewish Feast of Yom Kippur,/ the Day of Atonement./ We join the Jewish people in asking for the forgiveness of the world's sins:/ the atrocities of war,/ the distribution of increasingly destructive and easily gotten weapons,/ the exploitation of the world's resources,/ the leaving behind of so much of the world in poverty,/ the myriad ways in which we fail the world's children./ We pray to the Lord.

At the start of October we pray for those who celebrate birthdays,/ anniversaries,/ and other days of remembrance./ We ask good health for our relatives and friends/ and strength in the challenges,/ changes and difficulties they contend with./ We pray to the Lord.

Sunday Mass (Eucharist) is an answer to the alienation and polarization we experience these days./ Not only do we believe in/and receive the life of Christ hidden under forms of bread and wine,/ but we do so together./ Mass is the Sacrament of Unity./ May we know,/ experience and value this./ We pray to the Lord.

We make a mistake when we reduce Christianity to being simply a way of believing,/ when it is all the more a way of the heart,/ an inner path of becoming alive and whole./ May we experience a kind of heart-dilation,/ a waking up in awareness,/ listening and seeing deeply and truly,/ friendship/ and even the possibilities for growth through the suffering we experience./ We pray to the Lord.

We pray for the many who suffer through the destructive hurricane this week over Florida and other states:/ evacuees,/ the displaced,/ and those whose property is destroyed./ For helpers and rescuers./ For the healing of the ruined environment./ We pray to the Lord.

Matthew 23:37 ~ Jesus in the Wildernesss ~ the Hen

 

In the Winter of 1938/39 the English artist, Stanley Spencer (1892-1959) set out to paint forty pictures of Jesus in the wilderness. He knew well the scriptures that tell us Jesus went there for forty days and nights and that at the end he was tempted. But the gospels are silent about what Jesus did the other days. Spencer fills that out for us in his creative, spiritual imagination. Of the forty paintings he intended, only eight were completed. Here is Jesus with the hen and her chicks. 

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! You murder the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would never have it! Matthew 23:37.

The image is vivid. Jesus is on the ground with the hen. Young roosters are in the background. His body forms a kind of protective wall around the vulnerable bird and her chicks. He sits with his head in his hand looking down tenderly on the scene. The hen has three chicks. One is pecking the ground. One  peeks out from under its mother's wing and a third looks out from under Jesus' tunic. Notice the sleeves of Jesus are billowed open — forming a kind of tunnel or point of entry.

But what strikes me most is that there is a fourth bird — a little sparrow or wren flying into the scene. There is a circle of soft light around it. Maybe these other verses come to your mind at once:

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father's knowing it. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear, you are more valuable than sparrows. Matthew 10:29-31

But there's more, isn't there? The little sparrow is zooming in and Jesus is not brushing it away. He will welcome it, glad for its presence. There's no in and out with Jesus. No inclusion and exclusion. No shut doors.

Something very crude and exclusive has found a fresh way into our nation. Something very ugly has been unleashed recently. We think of ourselves as the great melting pot. Really? We are indeed a nation of immigrants, but every group that comes here is at first hated and then, after having found their way in (often through great suffering) they become the new haters. 

Before Pope John Paul II asked for every parish to enshrine the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, I had a lovely space in my church where I placed a framed copy of the Guadalupe tilma and a fine hand printed copy of her litany. You could light a candle there. A beautifully carved box received petitions. When I visited an elderly parishioner I said, "Have you seen the new image of Our Lady of Guadalupe we've put up in church?" She answered with a dismissive waving of her hand, "O I don't even go back there; she's for the Mexicans." What a pity. You'd think she'd have known better, having supposedly heard the gospel for many years and her own people having long ago been immigrants to this country. 

There's not a little of this kind of thinking, much of it having taken nasty, menacing and even deadly turns. Hate crimes are on the increase across the land. Politicians portend violence if things don't go their way. Christian Nationalists thinks white people were the first ones here. They, and others who think as they do, show up at rallies with bibles in hand and loaded guns strapped to their hips.

Anyway, in this painting here Stanley Spencer (who was a field orderly during the most horrific fighting in the First World War) has given us a gift to contemplate for the expansion of our hearts. Contemplation is not nuns and monks flying around the chapel in ecstasy. Contemplation is seeing the sacred quality in the most unexpected places. "Otherism" is not allowed. Jesus-God has made a circle of protective and comfortable welcoming love around all of us — as has the mother hen with her chicks and the inclusion-seeking sparrow coming in for a landing. How can a Christian not understand these things?

Time to Start Living

A friend recently passed on this little video (just shy of ten minutes): an older retired man reflecting on his life. But we don't need to retire before thinking about what really matters. I'd suggest there are messages in the man's reflections from which any person of any age might benefit. Would Christians have additional insights?

Intercessions ~ Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

Wherever Ukraine is able to take back villages and towns,/ mass graves are discovered,/ some containing many hundreds of people,/ including children and those who appear to have been tortured and executed./ We pray for our poor, tormented world,/ where the most awful things happen./ We pray to the Lord.

Poor Puerto Rico is again destroyed by another hurricane/ five years after hurricane Maria./ It is said that the island was only half way back from that storm which leveled everything and left thousands dead./ Again,/ there is no electricity,/ no clean water./ We pray for those who suffer there and for those who help./ We pray to the Lord.

It is the fall season of Jewish Holidays./ May these days bring peace/ and the lessening of hatred and violence./  We pray to the Lord.

We hold in our minds and hearts the members of our families who are struggling and who ask for help or healing./ For the ones addicted/ divorcing/ whose relationships are broken or stressed,/ who have money problems,/ who are in mourning,/ where things seem to be falling apart./ We pray to the Lord.

Autumn has begun,/ the season of leaf-fall./ But behind each fallen leaf there is already next spring's leaf-bud./ And so we ask not to lose hope these days/ when even at the highest levels,/ lies,/ ugliness,/ dishonesty,/ corruption,/ theft,/ threats of violence,/ obfuscation and disintegration,/ seem to win./ We pray to the Lord.

We pray for Pope Francis,/ his health,/ strength and endurance./ May he be effective in leading the Church in a stressed world./ May his enemies not prevail./ We pray to the Lord.

Walsingham Feast Day ~ September 24

The Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham is in North Norfolk, England. In 1061, an Anglo-Saxon woman noblewoman, Richeldis de Faverches, had a vison of the Virgin Mary in which she was instructed to build a replica of the Holy House in Nazareth where the Annunciation took place.  Hence Walsingham became known as England's Nazareth. For centuries people, in all their variety, pilgrimed to the great shrine from all across Europe.

But Mary's shrine fell victim to the English Reformation of Henry VIII. Once her greatest devotee, who even paid to have a candle burning before her image year round, in 1538 he had Mary's shrine, the Holy House and monastic priory plundered and leveled. It is said that the shrine's image of the Mother of God was dragged behind a horse from Norfolk to London where it was burned. Another version claims the broken remains are possibly kept in The Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Either way, since the 1930's the shrine has been modestly restored and pilgrims in increasing numbers return.

Here is a small wood carved statue of Our Lady of Walsingham I bought when I was in seminary a long time ago. The tiny lily which Mary held in her right hand got lost somehow over the years. Anyway, I keep the candle lit before the statue as one of the first acts of my day. For me, lighting a candle before Mary's image keeps hope alive. 

And here is a a litany prayer I've composed for her feast day which is celebrated this Saturday, September 24.

My Lady Mary —

Who dwelt at Nazareth as a flower in its niche.

Who understands the language of angels.

Who is God's new home on earth.

Who is God's joy.

My Lady Mary —

Who is true and noble.

Who is is right and pure.

Who is lovely and admirable. 

Who is excellent and praiseworthy. Philippians 4:8

My Lady Mary —

Who praises God in the midst of creation.

Whose image so pleases us.

Whose lap a great throne.

Whose holy well a blessing place.

My Lady Mary —

Who bids us pray our own Magnificat.

Who gathers people in prayer.

Who heals hearts for loving.

Who understands the Beloved's mind.

My Lady Mary —

Who knows we are willed by God.

Who knows we are loved by God.

Who resides enfolded in the everlasting arms.

Whose praises on earth endure.

My Lady Mary —

Whose name, Miryam, is sweet.

Whose name is created for our encouragement.

Who creates an atmosphere of love around your son.

Who I approach in silence.

My Lady Mary —

Who restores comfort.

Who restores joy.

Who is my soul's fire.

Who is clean of heart.

My Lady Mary —

Who births the deliverer.

Whose enduring story is gladsome.

Who is there, with us, in our spiritual yearning.

Who reconciles visible and invisible worlds.

My Lady Mary  —

Who sees the desecrator.

Who has compassion for minds turned coarse and cold.

Who pities our world of flame.

Who knows us in our cruel losses.

My Lady Mary —

Who will be there in joy on my resurrection day.

Who I serve reverently.

Whose protection covers me as with a vestment.

Who delights me like the golden hour.

Fr. Stephen Morris

All Things Little

In late August moving into September, when the rest of the garden is showing signs of exhaustion, clematis paniculata blooms. This deciduous vine, a native of New Zealand, reveals masses of star-shaped, creamy-white and sweetly scented flowers. Here, called Sweet Autumn, it is growing over a stone wall. The Maori Polynesian people call the plant, puawhanaga which means flower of the skies. 

All of this loveliness is shared by little flowers no more than an inch across. I can't pass by without sticking my nose into the white clusters and inhaling deeply. Little flowers with a big delivery!

Jesus is a master of little things that furnish a big divine message:

a group of shepherds at his birth — considered God's little ones.

a little girl raised up talitha koum

a lost sheep (I have always imagined to be a lamb)

a hen with her chicks

a little pearl

a little yeast

a little boy's gift of a little fish and a little bread that feeds thousands

a poor widow's littlest coin

a lot of seed thrown, but a little bit landing safely

a little sparrow

a cluster of mothers escorting their little children

a little boat on a stormy sea

a little Easter morning breakfast for friends

a little cup of water

a Passover passing a little bit of bread and wine

There are as well the little things of life full of meaning:

We come into the world as little.

At an early age we learn the power of the littlest words, Please and Thank you.

We are baptized with a little bit of water.

My first catechism was a little blue book.

At Mass we receive the little Bread we call Bread of Life.

We end our prayers with the little word Amen.

Even through the night there's the little flame by the tabernacle.

As children perhaps we developed an appreciation for life planting little seeds;

  caring for little animals.

"It needs a little salt," we say.

A little cricket's chirping can fill an entire garden.

To send a little note; a little gift.

A vignette (from the French vigne, meaning little vine) is a short, evocative life moment, a kind of frozen scene which invites some emotional response.  I take care of a garth (a low walled garden) in an old church cemetery. This morning I watered the garden very early, even before there was full light. Before rolling up the hose I quickly washed off the bluestone slabs which cap the stone wall all around. It only took a moment to bend over to turn off the faucet, but in that split second, already a robin had flown down out of a nearby tree to have a drink from the water that had puddled in the shallow irregularities of the stone. I stood watching for a full minute while he filled up. Then he flew off.

Our lives are filled with these little "frozen" moments. The earth is charged with God's energies and gifts. I want to watch and listen so as not to miss them.

Intercessions ~ Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

El Greco ~ St. Matthew ~ 1610-1640

Wednesday is the Feast of the Apostle and Evangelist,/ St. Matthew./ We pray for our lives to be marked by knowledge of Christ in the Gospels,/especially conscious of Jesus' teachings found in the Sermon on the Mount as recorded in St. Matthew's Gospel./ We pray to the Lord.

We pray for the sick,/ the wounded,/ the disabled,/ those who receive no medical attention./ We ask blessings for doctors,/ nurses,/ technicians and rescuers,/ all who bravely and generously put themselves in harms way for the life and well-being of others./ We  pray to the Lord.

The Jewish Holidays are observed soon:/ Rosh Hashanah — celebrating that God re-invests Himself in Creation/ and Yom Kippur — the Jewish Days of Atonement./ May they be days of safety,/ peace and renewal./ We pray to the Lord.

Pope Francis has said,/ How good it is for us when the Lord unsettles our lukewarm and superficial lives./ May we believe this/ and possess that kind of religion which even invites God's new direction and purpose./ We pray to the Lord.

We pray for the world where there is great suffering caused by fire,/ flood,/ drought,/ famine, and war./ Grant that those who are in positions of authority would be wise servants/ who have foremost in mind, not profit, but the protection and wellbeing of those they govern./ We pray to the Lord.

It has been said that with the death of Queen Elizabeth/ we have witnessed the end of an era of courtesy and grace./ We pray for the restoration of decency and respect where it has been lost./ May we understand even more deeply that each human person is a child of God,/ possessing a unique dignity,/ even if they are unaware of it themselves./ We pray to the Lord.

A Great Personal Challenge

 

So, instead of loving what you think is peace, love others and love God above all. And, instead of hating the people you think are warmongers, hate the appetite and the disorder in your own soul, which are the causes of war. If you love peace, then hate injustice, hate tyranny, hate greed - but hate these things in yourself, not in another. Thomas Merton

 

September 11 ~ A Picture and Prayer

To Liberty Park c 2000 ~ With Permission Richard C. Morris

For Those Who Died in New York City, Washington DC and Shankesville, PA 

For Those Who Mourn

Dominus regit me

The Lord is my shepherd;

therefore can I lack nothing.

He shall feed me in a green pasture,

and lead me forth beside the waters of comfort.

He shall convert my soul,

and bring me forth in the paths of righteousness 

for his Name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death

I will fear no evil;

for you are with me; your rod and your staff comfort me.

You shall prepare a table for me in the presence of those that trouble me;

you have anointed my head with oil

and my cup shall be full.

Surely loving-kindness and mercy will follow me all the

day of my my life;

and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Psalm 23

 

A new psalm of lament and confidence

We pray a psalm at every Mass. But we never hear a complete psalm — the lectionary producers having taken out the verses which might in some way be problematic — where the psalmist seems to be fed-up, fearful or obsessed with enemies and troubles. The psalmist holds no emotion back from his prayer. Sometimes his/her thoughts turn violent. Our picked over Mass versions leave us with just the cheery bits. Were we to hear each psalm in its entirety, we might finish up scratching our heads. So I've composed my own psalm here (yes, we can do that) — holding nothing back from God. Notice I said we. Try it. No judging. God doesn't think less of us for our confusion, doubts, anxieties, distractions. In fact, I expect God would welcome it. It means we take God seriously.

There is the light at the east end of the street

rising and poised perfectly

through a tunnel of sycamores —

prototype of anything else

we might call golden globe.

But it's the mind-darkness 

that terrifies,

depresses me, 

O God —

our paradise planet

born of light,

parched and withered,

starved and weary.

The list of extinctions grows.

And it is our own fault.

Astounded —

that despite the signals

we've failed to take the hint!

Silly us,

to call anything, the war to end all wars,

when even now

   theaters,

   nurseries, 

   maternity hospitals,

   parks, farms, forests, 

   schools and rural villages

are disappeared by missile-strikes

ordered by a dark mind,

yet another incarnation of evil.

The new clouds are smoke clouds,

poison

ash-clouds,

rising up,

Vesuvius-like

from cities wasted.

Hear my pro-life lament:

  for the baby girl blown up in her stroller,

  the four year old boy dead and

  undiscovered under fifteen stories

  of crumbled cement and steel,

  the family running with their little luggage and their cat crate,

  the old man targeted from the sky while tending his bees.

I hold this sorrow,

even sorrow for you, God of Light.

Could it be that we've robbed you of omnipotence,

   who called the oak trees and ferns,

   the giraffes and frogs into being,

   who opened the sea for freedom's sake,

   who gave new sight to the blind man,

   who left behind Turin's shroud.

So unconscious,

we've insisted you go away.

Have you left us? 

Gone to another planet?

Perhaps a safer, non-weaponized world?

We have a telescope now that sees back to the origins of light —

   are you there, Holy One?

Have we frightened you away by our political party cult-darkness,

   who elect ignoble souls, 

   cheer them on,

   hooting,

   fist pumping the air,

   chanting their slogans,

   ignoring their lies,

   wearing their colors,

   waving their banners —

   ridiculous in our shame.

Do you remember the night,

when I brought the eight girls 

who had done terrible things

to pray before the myrrh-streaming icon

of the Mother of God?

And the gentle priest said,

"The icon is dry tonight,

so let's bless only

the children who are here."

And when my group approached the icon

it started to pour scented oil,

flooding off the bottom edge.

And the little acolytes rushed

to stretch the

red cloth to keep it from

landing on the floor. 

The poor girls didn't notice,

but I did,

wide-eyed for the faith-stirring sign.

But the devil is a spoiler,

and we need the autocrats of power-love,

and the pillocks of money-love

and their celebrators 

to see,

to inhale this too.

Show yourself again, O Blessed One,

whose omnipotence is love;

hearts have grown cold;

and the forests are on fire.

Intercessions ~ Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

Pope John Paul I/ whose papacy lasted only thirty-three days,/ was beatified last week./ At the Vatican ceremony Pope Francis said of him:/ "How beautiful is a church with a happy, serene and smiling face, that never closes doors, never hardens hearts, never complains or harbors resentments, isn't angry, does not look dour or suffer nostalgia for the past." May we learn this lesson well./ We pray to the Lord.

We pray for this community of faith,/ worship and service today./ We ask for the blessings of courage and strength/ to live well the vocations God has called us to/ for the good of others./ We pray to the Lord.

Children and young people have returned to school./ We pray for them and for their teachers,/ administrators and staff./ May they learn well,/ be kept safe,/ and preserved from the bitter contention that weakens and tires and distracts./ We pray to the Lord.

Today marks the anniversary of the terrorist attacks on New York's World Trade Center,/ The Pentagon in Washington D.C./ and outside Shanksville, Pennsylvania. A total of  2977 people died./ We pray for those who mourn loved ones still,/ for the many who still suffer physical and emotional effects for having worked in and around these sites long after September 11./ For recovery,/ wellness and courage./ We pray to the Lord. 

All around the world there is great suffering from unprecedented heat,/ forest fires,/ drought and conversely/ in other places,/ floods./ Lives have been lost and winter food supplies have been negatively impacted./We will need understanding,/ generosity and patience this winter./ We pray to the Lord.

The soil,/ air and water of Ukraine are being laid waste and left toxic by this invasion/ that began in February./ We pray for the cessation of violence and for restoration.// We pray for the children,/ the elderly and the weak./ Some of those left behind./ who survived the brutalities of the Second World War/ are now once again living in fear and extreme need./ The winter will claim many more lives./ We pray to the Lord.

Beautiful too...

 

Muscovite Schist

The beauty of the schist-y stone church

Beautiful too the Sunday Song.

The beauty of Nazareth's Ave

Beautiful too Bethlehem's Gloria.

The beauty of the cricket awake all night

Beautiful too the silence of dawn.

The beauty of the purple crocus

Beautiful too the pollen-laden bee.

The beauty of Aquila, Cygnus and Phaeton

Beautiful too the night flight on its way to JFK.

The beauty of the womb's conceptus

Beautiful too each person born.

The beauty of spring's greening

Beautiful too autumn's leaf-drop.

The beauty of the cirrus sky

Beautiful too the cloudless. 

The beauty of God long ago

Beautiful too a present life in Christ.

The beauty of the weather's changing

Beautiful too a gentling heart.

The beauty of the icon's lamp

Beautiful too Venus at midnight.

The beauty of meeting a saint

Beautiful too expecting to hear God.

The beauty of eyes lifted to heaven

Beautiful too one's feet on the ground.

The beauty of God's reliable love

Beautiful too compunctive tears.

The beauty of the Divine Face

Beautiful too the I and the Thou.

Fr. Stephen Morris

Window at night

 

My little dog puts his front paws up

on my bed to wake me at 4:00 A.M.

I don't mind at all —

the day begins with this small act of mercy —

his need to go out

for business and a biscuit

and for me

the first of the day's perceiving.

It is the hour of the nocturnal animals,

the ubiquitous  rabbits,

the solitary red fox,

the toad sitting under the street light

  waiting for a moth to fly by,

the night crickets

  which pitch

  varies with each turn,

and the "night owl"

  whose lamp is lit

  on the second floor.

Who's there awake at this hour?

  the collegian cramming for the first period class?

  a nurse who's needed to relieve the night shift?

  an insomniac who dozes by day

    then tosses and turns the night away?

  the parent who soothes the frightened child or

    the grown child who consoles the frailing parent?

  a worrier who prays the comfort restoring rosary?

  a loner who's afraid of the dark

  or the couple who have argued through the night.

My matins prayer is a prayer of gazing

and an upward sending of every good wish.

Intercessions ~ Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

This is 91 year old Ukrainian Holocaust Survivor Vanda Obiedkova/ who died last April while seeking shelter in a basement during the bombing of  Mariupol./ Pope Francis has called this invasion:/ morally unjust, unacceptable, barbaric, senseless, repugnant, sacrilegious./ May we not forget/ and pray for the restoration of sanity wherever there are wars./ We pray to the Lord.

At the start of September we pray for those who celebrate birthdays,/ anniversaries and other days of remembrance,/ asking for good health,/ safety,/ well-being and growth in the things of God./ We pray to the Lord.

It is Labor Day weekend./ We pray gratefully for the many whose work provides the basic necessities of our lives:/ food,/ health care,/ law enforcement,/ safety./ For those who are paid unjustly./ For anyone whose work is dangerous./ For those who are out of work./ We pray to the Lord.

Thursday is the Feast of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary./ We pray for the little girls of the world,/ mindful that many are not allowed to attend school,/ others are enslaved or sex-trafficked,/ still others live sad lives where there is domestic violence or poverty./ Some little girls are thrown away./ We pray to the Lord.

In some places the Church is divided,/ having been infiltrated by political and cultural ideologies./ We pray for those Christians,/ including some among the clergy,/ who have lost the joy of the gospel,/ choosing instead a life of contention./ We pray for our healing and growth in Christ./ We pray to the Lord. 

It seems that now for many,/ our go-to emotion when we disagree with others is to make death threats./ Some,/ including politicians and media types stir-up violence,/ danger,/ menace and fear./ We pray boldly for God to heal the national soul./ We pray to the Lord.

A Rosary Decade When Feeling Hopeless or Heavy Hearted

A few years ago Pope Francis lovingly referred to the Rosary as, "the sweet chain that ties us to God." And recently a friend and I were talking about her rosary prayer group and she asked about the rosary I own. I sent this picture of the rosary I made when I was newly ordained nearly forty three years ago. It has gone with me all along the way. I can imagine you have your own. I enjoy presenting it here every now and again, inviting folks to pray with me. 

Here are short meditations to aid focus between each Hail Mary when perhaps feeling hopeless or heavy hearted. Or maybe you're just sitting in a waiting room and the magazines are a waste of time and you'd care to join the prayer.

Our Father...

I woke this morning beginning the new day with gratitude. God's mercies are all around — that I am God's dear child even when I don't feel it, that I am forgiven what happened even a very long time ago. God did not create me simply to figure out what work I have to do, but how to be, how to live — authentically, like Jesus.

Hail Mary...

Perhaps there is something that weighs heavily on my heart — something which threatens hope in me, which steals away energy, sleep or joy — which tests faith.

Hail Mary...

Is there worry in my life because I feel my aging (or someone dear to me)? I detect physical changes, weakness or losses that concern me. My sight, my hearing, my bones, my mind, my energy? Perhaps these signs of outer loss are an invitation to live more interiorly? In an extroverted world, to go inside. In a world that can't stop talking, to listen, to be more still. 

Hail Mary...

The state of the world is causing many people to feel hopeless. We need servant leaders. I pray for them, and that the world would be done with autocrats, liars, cowards, power-grabbers, conspiracy creators, manipulators, disrupters, soulless people devoid of conscience. What grief these people cause.

Hail Mary...

A woman who survived the Yugoslav war said, "We couldn't believe anyone would bomb a medieval city?" But here we are again with the invasion of Ukraine. It is unthinkable that in our time a single man could cause so much death, pain and destruction. Even the churches of his own publicly claimed religion are blown up. In my helplessness I pray...

Hail Mary...

Perhaps there is a person with whom I feel distance. Maybe there has been a disagreement or there is simply physical distance. The nation feels at times as if it is poised for a new war of division. There are people who call for it. Our poor weaponized country. Even the children seem to have lost their right to go to school feeling safe. In my frustration I pray...

Hail Mary...

Some events can cause us to say, "There are no words to describe how I feel." Maybe some trauma, guilt, disappointment, mistake or failure. Is there perhaps some life-turn that I simply can't make sense of, or a worry that I can't seem to shake? In that helplessness I can pray...

Hail Mary...

Is there someone I know whose struggle is chronic — a disability, a wound, handicap, some emotional problem, addiction, depression or physical disease. In my fear of the unknown or not knowing how to help I pray... 

Hail Mary...

I only have to walk outside and feel the unrelenting heat and drought to become worried. Or in other places the problem is floods. Everything seems to be record breaking or un-precedented. The covid pandemic and threats of new diseases have left us alienated and worn out. The new weapons the world continually turns out are increasingly fearsome. In my discouragement I can pray...

Hail Mary...

Before I end this rosary decade can I simply be still, quiet, silent — giving heaven some moment or space in which to speak a word. 

Hail Mary...

Glory be to the Father