merciful like the father

The Jubilee Year of Mercy began in late 2015 and continues through late 2016.  Around the world, various sites have been declared Pilgrimage Sites and the faithful may obtain indulgences by visiting there and fulfilling certain conditions.  Without getting into all kinds of nitty gritty theology, if you want to know more, you can look up Fr. Champagne's "Mercy Minutes" on Facebook's Fete Dieu du Teche page or use Google.  I was kind of surprised to find out several years ago that indulgences are still around - after all the drama their abuse caused in the Middle Ages  -  but they are.

Entering through the Holy Doors can symbolize entering into Christ.  So, inspired by a friend who undertaken a similar local pilgrimage earlier this summer, I asked a group of Boy Scout mom friends if they would join me.  Our boys have grown up and gone down different paths, but we still enjoy each other's company.  One was busy, but the other two agreed.

We began our day at our local Cathedral.  As we arrived, we noticed other cars in the parking lot, and realized that today was the day that our diocese was ordaining 3 new priests.  People had already started to gather.  We located the stamp and ink pad to stamp the back of our booklet and then slipped into a pew near the back to pray.

Having received Your Mercy and forgiveness, we seek to pray for Your Mercy for others.  We lit our brothers and sisters up to You to be blessed and forgiven.  We call upon your Sacred Heart to fill them with Your boundless compassion.  We ask you to listen to their prayers, to inspire their hearts, to comfort their fears.  Assure them of Your love as we remember them to You. 

As we were leaving, I encountered a former co-worker from many years ago.She was there for the ordination...she had graduated with one of the men being ordained.  I remember long ago - maybe 15 years or more - a priest asking for prayers for this particular seminarian, who had just been diagnosed with leukemia.  She told me that he had not only fought leukemia, but had also lost both of his parents and had a heart transplant due the side effects of chemo.  Now in his 40's, God had continued to call him into His merciful heart.  His story in this video:  

 

For those who have sinned against others by selfishness or greed - who have become blinded by self-interest and allowed others to pay the price of their selfishness. 

We continued on to our next stop - Our Lady of Mercy.  We parked in the shade and entered the dimly lit church.  We located the stamp in the back, stamped our booklets, and knelt down to pray. 

For those who have sinned against others by prejudice and discrimination - who cling to graven images rather than bow before the dignity of  others.

After a few minutes there, we headed off to a Shrine to the Sacred Heart.  It was a good distance out of the way, but worth the trip.  None of us had ever been there before.  Probably none of us even knew of its existence.  

The miles passed and the conversation flowed.  Google Maps led the way.  To the middle of nowhere, it seemed.  

We located the Shrine easily enough. We opened the car door and a million a swarm of mosquitoes invaded the car.  But they weren't too hungry and left easily enough later on.  Our first priority was restroom facilities, and [mercifully] this location had them.  

We wandered around the outside of the Shrine.  It was so peaceful, with the sounds of nature.  There were outdoor Stations of the Cross, a basketball goal with a ball sitting....waiting.  The Blessed Mother, too, seemed to be waiting, inviting those who were burdened to come, sit, and reflect, so that she could lead them to her Son and His mercy.  Maybe it would be a nice retreat venue. 

We entered another Holy Door, signed in, stamped our books and knelt to pray.  

For those who have sinned against You, Lord by disrespecting Your creation: who regard Your precious gift as something to be exploited or destroyed.

The Shrine was built in the early 1980's.  It was the result of a dream that the priest assigned to the nearby church had while on retreat.  So many things fell into place for him to literally make the dream come true.  

The statue of the Sacred Heart had been offered to him by his physician.  The doctor's family had sold to the state a local hospital they had owned, and as such couldn't have a statue of the Sacred Heart in a publicly owned hospital.  The stained glass windows were offered to him by someone who had them in their shed.  They depicted Canadian martyrs and ironically the priest was Canadian.  The windows were over 200 years old.  

We lit candles at this location, but nearly all of the places we visited had candles. The lit candle symbolizes a way of extending prayers.  

We de-mosquitoe'd the car and continued our trek - back the way we had come to our next destination...an outdoor grotto to Our Lady of Lourdes.  

This location was a little harder to find.  We arrived at the church, but there was serious construction going on nearby.  Just as we were about to set out on foot to find the grotto, an angel of mercy in an SUV drove into the parking lot and pointed us towards the right direction.  She even showed us where to park and told us where to find the stamp for our booklets.  

Built by a husband in memory of his wife who had passed away from ALS in 2003, the brochure noted that they had faithfully prayed the Rosary every night and had received "innumerable graces". God's mercy.  The path had a marker for each of the 20 decades of the Rosary. 

We noted that it might be a quiet place to return to for prayer.  Maybe when it is cooler.  Note to self: October is the month of the Rosary, and it is cooler then.  

Soybean ? fields nearby.  It was quiet and peaceful.  We returned to the church parking lot since the stamp for the booklets was located inside the church. 

We prayed for a bit in the quiet coolness.  Maybe we gave thanks for God's merciful love in our lives and the lives of those close to us or maybe we prayed for good health or asked him to draw close to Him those who are wandering or any number of other things. 

For those who have sinned against You, Lord by offering the lives of others:  who see the human life as useless or expendable.  

We were starting to feel hungry, so we headed on towards our predetermined lunch destination. 

It was a fairly leisurely, delicious meal.  I'm pretty sure there wasn't a morsel of food left on any of our plates.  We split a slice of salted caramel cheesecake three ways.  Pure awesomeness!  Maybe we were merciful to our server when we left a tip.  

There had been a downpour while we ate lunch, and we stepped back out into the steamy summer day and headed for our next stop.  Another Our Lady of Mercy.  

We parked and entered through the doors.  We stamped our books, surveyed our surroundings and knelt to pray.  Maybe we said a prayer for those in our families who have passed away or for those in the world without enough to eat or for those who are struggling with their vocations in life.  

For those who have sinned against themselves by surrendering their truest identity:  who surrender their authentic self as Your child to the lure of addictions or the expectations of the world.

There is a Vietnamese community in this area.  Their heritage was recognized in one of the stained glass windows.  

There was also an icon of St. Maximilian Kolbe that was unlike anything I'd seen before.  

We journeyed on through sugarcane fields and beautiful oak trees to the oldest church parish in our area.  

They celebrated 250 years last year.  The current church building was built in 1836.    

It was after 3:00 and the 4:00 Mass crowd was starting to assemble.  We parked across the street and approached.  

We followed an older couple who were both walking with canes.  They, too, were on a pilgrimage. They had started at a church much further south and were making their second stop of the day.  An usher held the door open for us and welcomed us.  

We entered, stamped our books and looked around a bit.  There were quite a few things that caught our attention.  The pews still have doors on the ends, as they did in colonial days.  

There was a grotto on one side.  It was constructed by a freed slave in the late 1870's. The Stations of the Cross were massive and came from France in 1904. 

We settled into a pew for a bit and prayed as people arrived for Mass.  

For those who have sinned against themselves by tuning from freedom:  who choose to accept the bondages of sin, resentment, despair and rage by refusing Your invitation to Mercy. 

There was one more stop that we hoped to make on our journey and the hour was getting late.  We headed out.  Rain threatened.

We arrived at our final destination with 10 minutes to spare, but found that it had closed early due to the threatening weather.  A little disappointed, maybe, but it is local to us, so we can go another day.  All in all, a peaceful, relaxing day with a good mix of conversation and friendship, quiet and prayer. Time to be grateful for God's great mercy towards us and contemplate ways that we might be merciful like the Father.   

Merciful Father, You leave the ninety-nine in desperate search of the one.  You place the lost on Your own shoulders to secret away to greener pastures.  You kill the fatted calf to rejoice with the found. There is no limit to Your Mercy.  Your embrace leaves us breathless and forgiven.  Teach us to be instruments of Your Mercy in this Jubilee Year of Mercy.  

From Prayer of Pilgrims of Mercy

Diocese of Lafayette  

undoer of knots

A while back, a friend told me about a Mass that she had attended where there had been reference to "Mary, Undoer of Knots" in the homily.  We both quite aware of many of the titles that our Blessed Mother claims....Our Lady of Guadalupe/Kibeho/Fatima/Lourdes, Mary Queen of the Universe, Mother of Perputal Help, Mary Mother of God, and many, many more.  But Mary, Untier (or Undoer) of Knots was a new one for both of us.

About a month or so ago, I got an email from a friend, who asked for prayers for her stomach issues.  Knots.  My mind went back to this particular Marian title, and I did a quick google search for it, so I could send her more info.  I came across this wonderful website.  And there was this image of Our Lady, undoing the knots in our lives which hold us bound. 

As I read the description, I was pretty sure that this novena fit my life every bit as much as it did hers - maybe more. 

But what are these knots?


There are the problems and struggles we face for which we do not see any solution … knots of discord in your family, lack of understanding between parents and children, disrespect, violence, the knots of deep hurts between husband and wife, the absence of peace and joy at home. There are also the knots of anguish and despair of separated couples, the dissolution of the family, the knots of a drug addict son or daughter, sick or separated from home or God, knots of alcoholism, the practice of abortion, depression, unemployment, fear, solitude…Ah, the knots of our life! How they suffocate the soul, beat us down and betray the heart’s joy and separate us from God. (from theholyrosary.org) 

Not one for novenas, and not a totally committed Rosary pray-er, I felt drawn to this one.  And besides, October is the month of the Rosary, I reasoned.


Each evening for 9 days, I made time to say and mediate on the mysteries of the Rosary and added in the designated Novena prayers at the end of the 3rd and 5th mysteries.  I don't know if you are supposed to have a different knot for our Blessed Mother each night, but mine was pretty much the same one every night.  I couldn't tell much difference from day to day.  On the ninth day, the prayer was one of Thanksgiving, thanking the Blessed Mother for untying whatever knot, and I couldn't help but think, "but I don't think anything has happened yet....I'm not even finished with this rosary."

Oh, me of little faith.  It HAS been better.  Can't explain it.  Can't say how long it might last.  But, as has often happened, grace entered my life when I least expected it, and at least for a little while...that knot is no longer holding me bound.

Your mileage may vary.

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for us.

(PS - I know how long it has been since I blogged.  Insert random excuse - broken laptop, busy crazy life, lack of subject matter.  Take your pick!)

riding shotgun with Jesus

I've mentioned Ad Altare Dei before, I think.  It's a religious award that Boy Scouts can work on.  It takes an in-depth look at each sacrament and tries to draw connections between the sacraments, scouts, and real-life, I think.

My little group started working on it in earnest in January, 2011.  We took off the summer (moving, vacations, summer camp) and most of the fall of 2011, and got things rolling again in 2012.  We have been through Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick, and Holy Orders.  Only Marriage remains.  Saving the most difficult or the best for last??

As part of Anointing of the Sick, the boys are supposed to spend a month (?) helping the sick or elderly in some form or fashion.  We weren't really that enthused about going to a hospital (too many super-icky germs there) and not real comfortable with nursing home service.

So I emailed the husband of a couple I have gotten to be friends with through church.  He and his wife are my parents' ages, and she had surgery back in February.  There were many complications...a stroke during surgery that caused a loss of sight (they are hopeful this will improve some, but it has been months), diabetes that has caused the wound to heal painfully slowly, chronic diarrhea that makes it risky to go in public.  I had visited them one afternoon earlier in the summer and quite enjoyed myself, and thought that perhaps the boys could be of assistance to them.

Yes, he said, there were flower beds that needed weeding.  And so we set the time for Friday evening, when it would be cooler.  As luck would have it, it has rained all week, and the flower beds were a little soggy, but I knew my friends were looking forward to company.  I also know that our priest has visited them once in the months since the surgery (he has had a lot going on), but I know I would not want to go months at a time without the Eucharist.  So I asked if I could take Communion to them.  We had to work out some bugs (like I had to get the sacristan to open the church in the evening so I could get the Blessed Sacrament and I had to borrow a pyx from my SIL), but it all worked out!

My teen drove while Jesus and I rode shotgun. (Nothing could be better with a teen driver!)  I held the pyx in my hands, conscious of the incredible privilege.  My boys tried to avoid questionable language.

My friends were so happy to see us and Jesus!  As soon as I could work it in to the conversation, (did I mention they were happy to see us?) we had a brief communion service...a few prayers, a reading from the day's Gospel, a short discussion/homily, the Lord's prayer and Communion.  It was special to be a part of.

After that, we visited.  My boys did not turn their noses up at the talk of adult diapers, scabs, and wounds.  They got a good feel for the frustration and isolation of someone who is house-bound.  They enjoyed talking about the sports they participate in at school, things they are doing in Scouts and heard stories about our hosts' grandchildren. I saw them smiling and laughing.  It was really a wonderful evening.  We enjoyed strawberry cupcakes and a couple of hours later left with some to take home.  It did my heart good to hear my boys say that they had enjoyed the evening, rather than acting like they were being tortured to fulfill this particular requirement.  Before we left - we looked at the flower beds....we'll be back!

We are called to bring Jesus to others, to be Gift for others.  Most often, it is in an abstract way, but this time  it was in a literal, concrete, truly present way.  But in the awesome, perfect way that Jesus works, we all left richer!

reunion anticipation

Oh...how I am missing my laptop.  The screen has stopped working. So my options for blogging are to use the desktop or to disconnect the monitor from the desktop and connect it to the laptop (which pretty much turns the laptop into a desktop - just in a different location).  But the desktop is so old and slow, and it has no slot to put the SD card from my camera....

It makes blogging harder than it should be.  And my iPad - as much as I love it - is still not a fully functioning computer.  There are some things that it just does not do and interacting easily with Blogger is one of those things.  And posting pictures....still haven't figured that out.

Nonetheless...

My THIRTY year high school reunion is coming up at the end of this month!  I went ahead and pre-registered.  My high school was such a neat place.

(Image from http://www.waymarking.com )

It was built in 1925, and has undergone major renovations during the past 2 years.  It was a special place to be then, and I am excited to see how it has been updated.  I have memories of climbing out of windows and eating lunch on the front lawn.  When I attended there in the late 70's/early 80's the curriculum had been changed to a magnet format that attracted those interested in academics and fine arts.  Our football, baseball, and basketball teams had been discontinued, but we had gymnastics, cross country, and fencing that no one could touch!  No cheerleaders, but classical ballet and full scale dramatic productions.  Radio and TV stations.  German, Russian, Latin, French and Spanish.  No marching band, but vocal music, orchestras and jazz bands...sometimes playing at lunch.  It was a whole high school of the Geek Squad!

We came from hellacious middle school experiences (judging from this past week's Facebook postings) from all over the parish (the Louisiana equivalent of county).  Some of us arrived our freshman year knowing no one.  But I think the overwhelming majority of us found acceptance and freedom.  Because of that acceptance that I found then, I am not too nervous about our reunion.  We were generally drama free, even if we didn't move in the same circles.

A picture of me and my BFF - probably our Senior year.  I would guess that it is before school, and we are sitting in front of our locker on the third floor, outside of French class doing last minute homework.  I am the stick-figure on the right!

This is a picture of us 20-some-odd years later.... I'm a little sad that she won't be at the reunion...that darn vow of enclosure thing.

But at least a few from our gang will be there.  There is a walking tour of the school scheduled for Saturday morning, and then some of us will be meeting for lunch.  A big shin dig that evening, and that makes me the most nervous.  What if my purse doesn't match my shoes?  I don't like make-up and never wear it.  Should I make an exception?  What about my hair?  It so has a mind of its own,  Should I buy a new dress or just go with one of the two in my closet?  Sigh.

A picture of our gang.  ^^^  My BFF is second from the left. I think the two on the right will be with us on Saturday, plus a couple of others.  We determined that this was taken the morning of graduation rehearsal (probably with my Kodak Instamatic!)  Don't we look ready to take on the world??

So anyway...no real point to my ramblings.  Just recording, documenting, putting the little bit of nervousness and anticipation out there!

Anyone else with reunion anticipation??

a holy orders kind of weekend... part one

For the past year and a half or so, my two sons and two other teen boys have been working on the Ad Altare Dei award.  It is a religious award that Boy Scouts can earn.  Many hours have gone into this, as we have worked our way through the sacraments.  Baptism.  Confirmation.  Eucharist.  Reconciliation.  Anointing of the Sick.  Holy Orders.

As we opened our books a few weeks ago to begin learning about Holy Orders, we realized that we were nearing the end (only Marriage remains), and that our timing was perfect because our Diocese was ordaining a new priest soon.  One of requirements gave us two options - attend an ordination or read the rite from the back of the book.  [For Anointing of the Sick, we had done the read-from-the-back-of-the-book option, and I was afraid someone was going to need some actual anointing by the time they were done.  The "sick person" kept punching the "priest" as he attempted to anoint him and lay hands on him.]

So Saturday found our little group of 4 teenage boys and 3 moms of teenage boys nicely dressed, at the Cathedral to witness the Ordination to the Holy Priesthood of a new priest for our diocese.

My younger son and I had once attended an ordination of a young man to the Transitional Diaconate, but the ordination of a Priest was a first for all of us.  

Different things caught our attention.  The music was key for some.  The laying on of hands moved others.  I think all of us moms were taken by the youthfulness of the seminarians who were present.  Some of them looked like there were not much older than our teen sons sitting in the row in front of us.  Holy Communion found us receiving from "the new guy". 

Although there were varying degrees of enthusiasm among them (moms of teenage boys will understand)....we were there about 45 minutes before it was scheduled to start, and it lasted about 90 minutes....all survived.  Here is a picture to prove it - taken in front of the 500 + year old Cathedral Oak.  It as hot, and they were looking into the sun, and one shirt was untucked as soon as the final notes sounded from the organ, but they can all say that they attended an ordination.  :-)

Today, at our regularly scheduled meeting, our good priest dropped in so that the boys could "interview" him.  More on that next time.

gratitude, with a little grumbling

First of all - Happy Mother's Day to all mothers and those who are like mothers!  Sometimes I really think these holidays are over-rated.  And I have gradually come to realize that I have married into a family - an entire family - of holiday-ruiners!  Do you know the type?  Perhaps it comes with  high expectations, and then when those expecations don't come to pass, there is a holiday melt-down.  Or maybe it is just too much stress to be with each other.  There is always someone that has to have drama on a holiday!  Today was brother-in-law's turn.  But that is not worth giving much attention to. 

What I would want to remember is my sweet son, lighting the charcoal in the bar-b-q pit and cooking me a delicious steak.  Love you, B!  And the other Sweet Child 'o Mine...A.  I dropped him off at a party on Saturday afternoon.  He left his phone in my car, so I got out to give it to him after he had already joined his group of friends.  He gave me a hug and told me he loved me...in front of other people. 

I'm not sure exactly what the red flower is.  I've been pulling the vines...thinking they are weeds, but they don't pull very easily. The roots don't come out.  Kind of like my marriage in some ways.  Almost not sure where the weeds are.  I am trying to discern what to do in the way of counseling.  I really would like a Catholic viewpoint - at least to start.  Since it is my "fanatical" participation in my faith that is the focal point right now.  A couple of emails to the diocesean Office of Family Life netted me 4 pages of names and phone numbers and prices.  There is one that I am drawn to, but at $165/hour.... On the other hand, my employer offers an Employee Assistance Program, which is no cost. 

There seems much to pray for these days.  My pastor's elderly mother has been in ICU in critical condition for the past several days.  Complications from elbow surgery, I think.  His update on Friday at Mass was that she was "continuing to sink lower and lower".  Today I got a call from a good friend who moved away several years ago.  I thought it was to wish me Happy Mother's Day, but it was to let me know that she is in her hometown....a couple of hours from here because her mother passed away last week.  The wife of an older couple that I have gotten to be friends with at church - my pew buddies - had surgery in February.  Complications - plural.  A stroke.  Her vision was affected.  It had begun to improve, but is now regressing.

Things are winding down at school.  I have 10 days left.  One of which will be a field trip, and another half of which I am going to take off to visit with my friend.  Much paperwork left to do, and trophies to order for Honor's Night...but I'll get it done.  And bread to order for our po-boy sale next weekend.  At least the Super Moon is over with....

 
My boys and I were scheduled to serve at Mass today....the late one that we never go to.  Our pastor was not there....he has had a tough week with his Mom.  The person who was supposed to read was not there, either.  Lectoring duties fell to me.  I've had thoughts of volunteering for that ministry at various times, but have never taken the big leap. Especially after I was asked to be an Extraordinary Minister for Communion.  I was a little nervous, and I know you could hear it in my voice, but I made it.  I got a text this evening from our music director giving me a pat on the back and hoping that it would be a recurring thing. 

When all was said and done this evening, I went to the little chapel by my house and spent a wonderful hour with Jesus.  I could have easily stayed for another.  While there is much to pray for, there is also much to be thankful for....  This picutre is a few weeks late, but my Granddad celebrated another journey around the sun.  With daily assistance from my parents, he still lives fairly independently. 

Have a great week, y'all!

oh brother

Yesterday after daily Mass, I had a conversation in the parking lot that stayed with me all day.

I like how God set it up for me.  My church-lady friend, who sat next to me, looked at me at the end of Mass and said, "I think I'm going to stay for a little while."  Sometimes she does that.  So I went on without her.

There is a gentleman who began coming to daily Mass a month or so ago.  You know when someone is new because we all sit in the same places every time.  Even new people.  He has been sitting at the other end of "my" pew.  I nod "good morning" to him when I arrive, and we have chatted briefly on the way to our cars, introduced ourselves, etc.  So yesterday, we struck up a conversation on the way to the parking lot.

He seemed to want to talk, and I had plenty of time to listen.  It seems weird to say that there has been some kind of "connection" with him, but there has been.  He is probably older than my dad.  He mentioned that he had a daughter with my name, and I made a pretty safe bet that she, too, was born in the 60's.  I don't usually stand in the parking lot and visit with men I barely know after Mass, but this just drew me in.  There was nothing uncomfortable or strange. 

I have been observing bits and pieces of his journey from an outsider's perspective, but yesterday, I heard it from him.  He and his wife are separating.  I hate to hear that when people who have been married for a long time separate.  I would like to think that my marriage is "safe", but I'm not sure that ever happens.

I have tried to put my finger on what it was about this conversation that stayed with me, and I think that more than anything, it was listening to him talk about the kindness and grace that he has received and the ways that the Holy Spirit has moved in his life in the past few months in the midst of personal difficulty.  Grace in suffering. 

He told me that when he first started coming to Mass, he was going up for a blessing during Communion.  This I knew because I followed him in the line, and there was an ever-so-slight change in the rhythm as the priest put down the host, blessed him, and picked up the host for the next person.  He told me that he had gone to ask our pastor how he felt about him going up for a blessing (some priests have more issues with the practice than others, I suppose) and our kind priest had told him that he COULD receive Communion, even though he and his wife were separated, but first he needed to go to Confession.

He was surprised to hear that he could receive Communion as his first wife is still living, and the Confession requirement didn't seem unreasonable.  He told the priest that he had quite a list after 36 years.  "I'm sure you do," was the reply.  They arranged to take care of business one morning after Mass, and I had figured that much, too, because one day there was no break in the rhythm of the Communion line.

He told me that Confession had just been in our pastor's office with "just you, me, and God" - according to the good monsignor.  "Tell me what you need to tell me," the priest had invited.  He said that when they had finished, he asked if it would be possible for him to receive the Eucharist that day, as it was his mother's birthday.  (Do you think SHE was celebrating in Heaven?)  Our kind pastor had unlocked the church and obliged.  He was so touched by this and by the kindness of our pastor, walking him to his truck with his arm around his shoulder and telling him it would be "OK".    It was beautiful to hear him tell it.

He said he'd had a court hearing the previous week, and he'd stopped the day before and asked our priest for a blessing and a prayer.  He had blessed him, and then told him that he would offer the Mass he was saying at the elementary school the following day for his intention.  He was so humbled, and so happy that everything had gone as he wanted in court. 

I serve as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion at our parish, and last weekend was my turn to serve.  This is a ministry that I would never have sought on my own, but I serve because I was asked.  It just so happened that this man was one of the people in my line last weekend.  He said he had hoped that it would happen that way.  Truth be told, it was kind of neat for me, too.  Certainly not in any kind of romantic way, but in a working of the Holy Spirit kind of way.  It is an undeserved privilege to offer the Body of Christ to fellow travelers along the way.  I am touched by his reverence, appreciation, and respect for the Eucharist, and it was a bit of a divine touch to be with him on that little part of the journey. 

He won't be with us long.  In the next month or so, he says, he is moving back to his hometown.  But there is a sense of him dropping into my life for some purpose.  What, I don't know.

I have no idea how long my church lady friend stayed inside the church after Mass.  I never saw her leave, but I noticed that her vehicle was gone when I left.  I spent some time with the Blessed Sacrament last night while my kids were at CCD.  I wish I could tell you that it was the peaceful prayer of the week before - praying for my friends with cancer.  But I just ended up praying for those in need of healing - physical, spiritual, and emotional.  I imagine that covers about the whole human race.

And my new friend - he told me his given name, but he says "just about everyone" calls him "Brother".  And so I have been given a new Brother-in-Christ.

comfortable silence

My best friend is a cloistered nun.  We've covered that before, right?  She wasn't always a nun.  When I explain that I went to a monastery to visit my friend, people find that a little curious.  We went to high school together.  "Did you "know" then," they ask?  No, she was pretty much a "regular" person.  We ate pizza, saw movies (Return of the Jedi and Footloose come to mind), rode bikes, went swimming, worked on research papers, shared a tent, yakked on the phone, and went to CCD together. 

Even later, after college, she worked in NYC, and I visited her there when our family celebrated my grandparents' 50th Wedding Anniversary in New Jersey.  We went to the top of the Empire State Building and saw an off-Broadway play...Nunsense...maybe that was a "clue."  But she was in her 30's...after a variety of jobs and after living in a variety of places...when she heard God's call clearly enough to listen and follow.  She wasn't born wearing a veil or a habit.

 Can you guess who's who?  

One of the benefits of this for me, is that in recent years, I've been able to take a little time during the summer to visit her.  No matter where I am or what I am doing in my life, it is a [welcome] change of pace. 

I am able to stay "on site", which is pretty cool.  We meet a few times a day to visit for a few hours (that always go by pretty quickly).  Because they are "cloistered", we meet in a "parlor" each entering through a different door.  There is not grate or grille, as there was in years past, but still a barrier...kind of like a desk between us. 

My accommodations are fairly simple, but always comfortable, and always welcoming.  Everything that I need or want is right at my fingertips.  Including a plate of fresh brownies in the fridge! Part of the charm is that it is like taking a step back in time.

The phone in the next room!

 

 This greeted me upon a arrival.  Loved the welcome note from Sr. J.  

Doesn't the flowered glass just take you back to a simpler time?

Part of the "charm" is the scent.  

The incense, to be sure, but also the smell of the evergreen growing outside my room.  

I find myself breathing deeply.  

Here, the spiderweb growing in the evergreen captures the rain droplets. 

There is a schedule...a time for everything.

Morning prayer is at 5:30.

Mass, followed by prayer at 7:15.

Midday prayer at 11:50.

Evening prayer at 5:00.  

We visit at 2:00 and at 7:00.

I am free to participate in as much or as little as I choose.

Usually, I do most of it.  Why not?

Praying the Liturgy of the Hours with a group is not something I can do everyday.

The freedom to slow down, to not have to run here or do this

frees me to notice other things in life. 

The chapel is "empty" a good bit of the day, when the nuns are busy about other things.

And so I visited a couple of times a day.

This time, the Lord and I mostly sat in comfortable silence.

Neither one of us had much to say, as far as I could tell. 

But maybe after the craziness of this summer, He figured I needed a rest.

Just for the record...

a couple of  lovely naps were included in my time there...

and my friend and I did NOT sit in comfortable silence - we talked!

There is a basket under the altar that holds prayer intentions in preparation for an upcoming celebration.

Behind the altar are windows, opening onto a beautiful garden.

The gate that you see separates the sisters from others who come to worship at the chapel.

  

There are always birds, but I have little success in "capturing" them.  

 The deer, however, are not shy at all.  

They do not realize that in Louisiana, they would soon be a tasty addition to the dinner table.

The weather was wonderful.

I went a whole day without turning on my A/C.
(Quite the contrast to the 105 degree blast that greeted me at the Dallas airport yesterday.)

One night, I fell alseep with the windows open, listening to the sound of rain.

God always seems to paint a masterpiece for me on my last evening there.

And so, a wonderful end to a very busy summer...one where there seemed to be only limited time for even the Creator of the Universe.  It is back to work for me next week, and the year ahead promises to be a challenging one, with staff cutbacks and whatnot. But God is still the One in control of the world!  Can I get an Amen?