Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Morning Poem by Mary Oliver and pictures of Spring


Morning Poem
Every morning
the world
is created.
Under the orange

sticks of the sun
the heaped
ashes of the night
turn into leaves again

and fasten themselves to the high branches ---
and the ponds appear
like black cloth
on which are painted islands
of summer lilies.
If it is your nature
to be happy
you will swim away along the soft trails

for hours, your imagination
alighting everywhere.
And if your spirit
carries within it 


the thorn
that is heavier than lead ---
if it's all you can do
to keep on trudging ---

there is still
somewhere deep within you
a beast shouting that the earth
is exactly what it wanted ---
each pond with its blazing lilies
is a prayer heard and answered
lavishly,
every morning,

whether or not
you have ever dared to be happy,
whether or not
you have ever dared to pray.
from Dream Work (1986) by Mary Oliver

The Beauty of Nature Abounds in our Monastery Yard.
Praise to our Creator for all His Gifts.

© Mary Oliver

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Holy Name Province Postualnts





Yesterday, the five Holy Name Postulants visited our Monastery to celebrate Mass with us and share their
vocation story.
We were very impressed with these  wonderful young men who  desire to become Franciscan Friars and to join the Franciscan Family.

There is a blog that you can follow and learn what these young men think and do as they venture forth on this journey into God. The link is below
.

breakinginthehabit.org/ 


Spring 
The Monastery Trees are all in bloom, well almost, since we had warm weather, unusual for this time of year.
And in the midst of this beautiful garden
you look toward the East and see  five graves , lined up one next to the other.
Our own dear Poor Clares  lie there, rejoicing in the  Resurrection 
of  the Lord and are in the light of His Face.
We move and pray at these graves often, for they, buried there, are our dear ones and now intercede for us here below.
Watch over us dear ones, we pray.
You were once young with hearts burning to love God
and desiring to set the world ablaze with your love.
Help us to do the same.
"What does it matter if you gain the whole world but lose your soul in the process."
     gospel


Sunday, April 8, 2012

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Easter Victory



Easter Vigil
From Cyber-Psalms by David Kerr

Sing and hum and whistle!
Snap your fingers and tap your toes.
Walk each step to the rhythm of praise.

Wipers on windshield set the song.
Raindrops on roof tops sing along
Every laugh a line of love.


Fill your mouth with words of praise.
Every expression an exclamation.
Every thought a meditation.


God fills the kitchen.
The steam of a pot is his hurrah.
Clatter of crockery is His applause.

Landscape, seascape, miniature and massive.
Every sight a shout of glory.
(Rainbows)
All around us is His and sings to Him.

Join in the song.

Sing and hum and whistle!
Snap your fingers and tap your toes.
Walk each step as a rhythm of praise.

Alleluia!

He is Risen!

Easter Shalom
עאסתער סלומ

The Easter Vigil
Friar Michael Lasky, a Conventual Franciscan  who works
at the UN with the Non Governmental Organization,
gave us a retreat from Palm Sunday to Easter
and preceded over
the Easter vigil.
We are grateful to him and his presence among us.

Friday, April 6, 2012

Good Friday April 6, 2012



Good Friday Meditation

From Cyber-Psalms 
by David Kerr

I try to put on a sad face and think
somber thoughts
on this the darkest of days in our
year.

Good Friday!

When the inner eye should fill with scenes of storm
and mangled men dangling from
poles.

But I can't.

I'm too conditioned by the Christian optimism
that sees a risen Savior where others
see a dead Messiah.

And yet.

This world exhibits no cause for
Easter hymns.

Cains are still striking down Abels.
( sins go on)

Each song of hope smolders like
smoke from a guttered candle.

Then the house itself is flattened by
the howling storm.
And all is darkness.

My God, my God, why have you
forsaken us?



Wednesday, April 4, 2012

The New Easter Proclamation. and Easter Blessings


Holy Thursday - Our Refectory Fixed for the Meal

Click to Hear Music Below
Ubi Caritas

Our Chapel decorations
Click to Hear Music
This simple fare of living bread and living water,
These new words from a new God on a new Mountain.
Yon Pantokrator shimmers among candlesticks.
Transubstantiates on cupolas and over cup.
Delicacies. And still I hunger.My soul is dried away.
Rough fare tastes better to rough Faith.
From Cyber-Psalms by David Kerr