Some Thoughts on Lent from Pope Francis

 

Antoine Saint Exupery says

"To convert is

to welcome in "

 

Pope Francis  - Lent- 2014

"For though He was rich,

yet for our sake He became poor,,

so that by His poverty you might become rich." St. Paul

 

What does this invitation to poverty, a life of evangelical poverty, mean for us today?

 

First, Jesus does not reveal Himself cloaked in worldly power and wealth but rather in weakness and poverty.

 

By making Himself poor, Jesus dis not seek poverty for its own sake but that by His poverty you might become rich.

These are no mere play on words or a catch phrase.

It sums up God's logic, a logic of love.

We are set free, not by Christ's riches but by His poverty.

There is only one real kind of poverty:

not living as children of God

and brothers and sisters of Christ.

 

Christians are called to confront the poverty

of our brothers and sister,

 to touch it , to make it our own

 and to take practical steps to alleviate it.

Our consciences

thus need to be converted to justice,

equality, simplicity and sharing.

 

We would do well to ask ourselves

what we can give up

in order to help and enrich others

by our own poverty.

Pope Francis

 

Lent is not too far away

 

As horses can be taking to the river to drink

one can't make them drink.

 

May God be  with you and may you always be with Him.

St. Clare

 

T

As we get ready for Lent
some thoughts on Conversion:
 

Following Quotes are

From the Wisdom of the Sands

by Antoine Saint Exupery

 

 

 

To convert is to welcome in.

 

Building peace is building the shed large enough

for all the herd to sheep in it.

 

It is the art or reasoning that leads us to make mistakes.

 

we argue from cause to effect but  -

Life is.

The Tree is.

 

All that is changing its condition travails and suffers.

 

And when we are changing and in travail

we may make others suffer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Thoughts from Some Contemplative Books

 

 

From Centuries of Meditations

Thomas Traherne

 

The image of God implanted in us,

guided me to the manner wherein we were to enjoy.

 

A sight of happiness is happiness.

It transforms the soul and profoundly calls us to communion with God and weans us from the emptiness of this world.

 

It puts a light upon God and all His creatures and makes us
 see them in a Divine and Eternal light.

 

All things were well in its proper place. 
 I alone was out of frame and need to be mended.

 

The Hawk and the Dove

Penelope Wilcock

We give our weakness to God and it becomes our strength.

 

One person's sin is not

an appropriate topic

for another person's conversation.

 

We can offer no solutions

no easy answers to other people's tragedies.

We can only be there.

It is Jesus they need.

 

The Wisdom of the Sands

Antoine Saint Exupery

 

You stablish that on which your heart was set.

 

We do not deceive the tree.  It grows as a tree- and all else

is words that weave the wind.

 

What sets us at variance is but the confusion  of language
for we desire the same thing.

 

Never have I met anyone who desires disorder.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Two Presidents We Admire

      

 

We all have heard the story of Washington that when his father asked him,  "Who chopped down the cherry tree," told his father, "I cannot tell a lie, I did." and so we attribute to George, truthfullness,  a wonderful quailty in anyone .

 

And we know the story of Lincoln who bought something at the general store and discovered when he retruned home that he had received too much change. He then  walked back miles to return the extra money.  So he is know as Honest Abe. 

 

Whether these stories are true or not they have come down to us as attributes of  these great men  and which are a good example for children, grownups and presidents.

 

Prayer of George Washington

 

Almighty GOD; we make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy holy protection, that thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government; and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow citizens of the United States of America at large. And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of The Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation. Grant our supplication, we beseech thee, through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen

Prayer and Lincoln

 

Lincoln's devoutness grew throughout his life; when he spoke of God, he never spoke pro forma. In his message proclaiming that November 1864 Thanksgiving, he said that the Lord "has been pleased to animate and inspire our minds and hearts with fortitude, courage and resolution sufficient for the great trial of civil war." And he prayed for the "blessings of Peace, Union and Harmony throughout the land, which it has pleased him to assign as a dwelling-place for ourselves and for our posterity throughout all generations." The Biblical language is typical of Lincoln. Like many Puritan-minded Americans, he thought of his country as a new promised land. Thanksgiving has been celebrated annually ever since. But the day of thanksgiving Lincoln proposed in his last public speech that final April of his life was a bonus, over and above the annual observance. * * *

Valentine's Day -a time to reflect on Love and Hearts

We live in all those we Love

and in them enjoy all their treasures.

 

 

Praises are the breathings of interior Love,

the marks and symptoms of a happy life,

overflowing with gratitude

Thomas Trahearne

 

We find in Christ's face

the Love we never inspired, never won, now given to us as a gift in the midst of our helplessness and pain.

 

When people dislike each other

they have as many reasons for loving each other.

We build with the same stones of dislike that might have served to build up love.

 

The Whole of life is a love story

about a tender and passionate God.

 

Your heart must truly have an unlocked door or

you will become sour.

Penelope Wilcock

 

Happy Valentine's Day

February and the winter of 2014

Nature is glorious and to know it is glorious.
All happiness consists in the enjoyment of all the world, to know that it was prepared for me before I was born and that nothing was more divine and beautiful. 
Thomas Traherne  1636 from Centuries of Meditations

The February snowfall around the monastery grounds especially from the chapel windows was this glorious scene to admire and gaze upon.