Saturday September 12, Meeting of the Holy Name Federation and of the combined Federation of the Bentivaglio

Holy Name Federation

left to right Sisters Nancy, Ann Carolyn(HN Federation President) Barbara and Etta

Combined Federation

Left to right

Sisters Nancy, Dianne(Bentivaglio Federation President) Claudia, Carolyn, Eileen Clare, and Ann   

It was a joy to have these Sisters with us and we continue to pray for their work for the Poor Clare Communities

Words of Pope Francis

When we stand before Jesus crucified, we see the depth of his love, which exalts and sustains us, but at the same time, unless we are blind, we begin to realize that Jesus’ gaze, burning with love, expands to embrace all his people. We realize once more that he wants to make use of us to draw closer to his beloved people. He takes us from the midst of his people and he sends us to his people; without this sense of belonging we cannot understand our deepest identity. Source: The Joy of the Gospel (Evangelii Gaudium) Daily Prayer for September 12 Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains...And the gospel must first be preached to all nations...Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. Mark 13:7–8,10, 13, NIV Lord our God, Ruler over the world, whose longing is to see your thoughts and your will in all peoples, we come before you and ask that we may find strength in your Word and never cease to hope for the coming of your kingdom. Even when the world storms and rages, even when earthly kingdoms rise up against each other and everything seems dark, even then be present. Let your kingdom go quietly forward, to the honor of your name. Help us come closer to the goal Jesus has shown us, closer to the time we wait for, the day of his coming when all shall be made new and good through your power, through your Spirit. Amen. www.plough.com

9/11 A day of Prayer at the Monastery as we remember all those who died especially our Friar Mychal Judge OFM of the Holy Name Province and for all the Families who have lost loved ones.

September 11. Prayers for all Who died and for Their Families

Walt Nenycz

We rarely get a chance to see another country's editorial about the USA

Read this excerpt from a Romanian Newspaper. The article was written by Mr. Cornel Nistorescu and published under the title 'C'ntarea Americii, meaning 'Ode ToAmerica ') in the Romanian newspaper Evenimentulzilei 'The Daily Event' or 'News of the Day'.

~An Ode to America ~

Why are Americans so united? They would not resemble one another even if you painted them all one color! They speak all the languages of the world and form an astonishing mixture of civilizations and religious beliefs.

On 9/ll, the American tragedy turned three hundred million people into a hand put on the heart. Nobody rushed to accuse the White House, the Army, or the Secret Service that they are only a bunch of losers. Nobody rushed to empty their bank accounts. Nobody rushed out onto the streets nearby to gape about.

Instead the Americans volunteered to donate blood and to give a helping hand.

After the first moments of panic, they raised their flag over the smoking ruins, putting on T-shirts, caps and ties in the colors of the national flag. They placed flags on buildings and cars as if in every place and on every car a government official or the president was passing. On every occasion, they started singing: 'God Bless America !'

I watched the live broadcast and rerun after rerun for hours listening to the story of the guy who went down one hundred floors with a woman in a wheelchair without knowing who she was, or of the Californian hockey player, who gave his life fighting with the terrorists and prevented the plane from hitting a target that could have killed other hundreds or thousands of people.

How on earth were they able to respond united as one human being? Imperceptibly, with every word and musical note, the memory of some turned into a modern myth of tragic heroes. And with every phone call, millions and millions of dollars were put into collection aimed at rewarding not a man or a family, but a spirit, which no money can buy. What on earth unites the Americans in such a way? Their land? Their history? Their economic Power? Money? I tried for hours to find an answer, humming songs and murmuring phrases with the risk of sounding commonplace, I thought things over, I reached but only one conclusion... Only freedom can work such miracles.

Cornel Nistorescu

(This deserves to be passed around the Internet forever.) It took a person on the outside - looking in - to see what we take for granted !

GOD BLESS AMERICA !!!

Ground Zero Prayers for those who died and for their Families

Daily Dig for September 7 Hans Scholl This war (like all major wars) is fundamentally spiritual. I sometimes feel as if my puny brain is the battleground for all these battles. I can’t remain aloof because there’s no happiness for me in so doing, because there’s no happiness without truth – and this war is essentially a war about truth. Every false throne must first crack and splinter, that’s the distressing thing, before the genuine can appear in unadulterated form. I mean that personally and spiritually, not politically. Source: At the Heart of the White Rose Daily Prayer for September 7 Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you. 1 Peter 1:3–4, NIV Lord our God, remind us again and again of what you have done in our hearts and lives to make us certain of the resurrection. Help us to live in this certainty and to hold fast to everything good and great which you bring into our lives. Grant us the assurance that we are gaining ground in the battle for the redemption of those who are still in darkness and in the shadow of death. May we find joy in what we have here and now. Give us patience in our struggles. Give us hope for all that has gone wrong, because even what is in darkness is still in your hands. In the end everything must be brought to the light so that all humankind may glorify your great name. Amen. www.plough.com

Monday September 7 Labor Day and thoughts of Ground Zero 9/11

Wednesday September 2 - Kindness in Words holds a relationship together

Daily Dig for September 2 Hermann Hesse We kill at every step, not only in wars, riots, and executions. We kill when we close our eyes to poverty, suffering, and shame. In the same way all disrespect for life, all  hardheartedness, all indifference, and all contempt is nothing else than killing. With just a little witty skepticism we can kill a good deal of the future in a young person. Life is waiting everywhere, the future is flowering every­where, but we only see a small part of it and step on much of it with our feet. Source: Vivos Voco, 1919, as quoted in Salt and Light. Daily Prayer for September 2 Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger...through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. 2 Corinthians 6:4–5, 8b–10, NIV Dear Father in heaven, you are always near to us on earth, and we thank you for all the love you put into our lives so that we can be joyful, even in all kinds of temptations and struggles. How much you have given us and how often you have rescued us from distress! Again and again you have let the light of life shine out. You give us light not only for the moment but also for the future, enabling us to draw strength and assurance from the present, the past, and the future, to the glory of your name. Amen. www.plough.com

Tuesday September 1 Care of Creation

Tuesday  September  1  Pope Francis' Prayer for Our Earth

All powerful God,

you are present in the whole universe

and in the smallest of your creatures.

You embrace with your tenderness all that exists.

Pour out upon us the power of your love,

that we may protect life and beauty.

Fill us with peace, that we may live

as brothers and sisters, harming no one.

.....

O Lord, seize us with your power and light,

help us to protect all life,

to prepare for a better future,

for the coming of your Kingdom

of justice, peace, love and beauty.

Praise be to You!

Amen

Pope Francis

September 1st has been designated for all Catholics by Pope Francis as "Care of Creation " Day - Go Hug a Tree

Meister Eckhart , born around 1260, had a Creation-centered spirituality. the spiritual tradition that is most Jewish, the most biblical , the most prophetic, and the most like the kind Jesus of Nazareth preached and lived.  It has almost been lost in the West since Eckhart's condemnation of HUMANS not living it.

Thanks to many young people, scientist, and Pope Francis

we are  beginning to turn back to an appreciation of the gift of creation. 

Meister Eckhart has confessed that he finds the world amazing. He is amazed by the grace-filledness of creation. He calls creation the "first grace,"  the grace of creation."

He advises us to alter our way of seeing creation, to alter our consciousness.

Pope Francis has urged Catholics to set aside every September 1st as"Care of Creation" Day.

It is a good day to plant , garden, recycle and

GO HUG A TREE.

Thoughts from above taken from the book Breakthrough, Meister  Eckhart's Creation Spirituality by Matthew Fox

Sunday August 30, Reflections on the Sunday Gospel

JESUS REBUKED THE PHARISEES FOR RELYING ON OUTWARD PURIFICATION by achristianpilgrim JESUS REBUKED THE PHARISEES FOR RELYING ON OUTWARD PURIFICATION (A biblical refection on THE 22nd SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME [YEAR B] – August 30, 2015)  Gospel Reading: Mark 7:1-8,14-15,21-23  First Reading: Deuteronomy 4:1-2,6-8; Psalms: Psalm 15:2-5; Second Reading: James 1:17-18,21-22,27  The Scripture Text Now when the Pharisees gathered together to Him, with some of the scribes, who had come from Jerusalem, they saw that some of His disciples ate with hands defiled, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they wash their hands, observing the tradition of the elders; and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they purify themselves; which they observe, the washing of cups and pots and vessels of bronze.) And the Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with hands defiled?” and He said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me; in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’ You leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men.” And He called the people to Him again, and said to them, “Hear Me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside a man which by going into him can defile him; but the things which come out of a man are what defile him.” For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a man.” (Mark 7:1-9,14-15,21-23 RSV)  As the Son of God who took on our humanity, Jesus knew two universal truths about the human heart: First, that we were created with a deep longing to be united with God; and second, that because of sin, we are constantly found loving ourselves more than anyone else. We are unable to remain united with God because of our sinful desires: “For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these things come from within, and they defile a man” (Mark 7:21-23). Jesus knew how easily we can deceive ourselves about what lies within us. Religious discipline – which controls exterior action – can sometimes result in a stale, legalistic piety. By avoiding gross sin, we may presume to reach a comfortable plateau in our relationship with God. Knowing this tendency, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for relying on outward purification. He did not condemn their traditions from any persevere rebellion against authority. He wanted them as Israel’s spiritual leaders, to realize that laws and regulations while affecting outward behavior can leave interior drives unchanged. Jesus knew that in order to abide with God, we must constantly be purifying the way we live. Jesus was not condemning religious rituals; rather He was condemning inner inclinations which can be masked by participation in religious ceremonies. Jesus, however, through the Holy Spirit, truly transforms the wicked heart. He alone can remove the obstacles that prevent us from loving God and other people. He give us genuine power to love, not based on moral will-power or efforts toward self-improvement, but from a true reflection of God’s boundless love for all: “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world”  (James 1:27). The human heart finds it natural to be wary of the Lord’s call for constant purification. Yet we must not deny the interior longing within each of us to come into God’s presence. Centuries ago the psalmist expressed thing longing: “LORD, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy mountain?” (Psalm 15:1 NAB). Jesus was the first to ascend to God for our sake, as our high priest. He invites us to be purified by the power of His blood, by becoming one with His body. Let us respond to Him, confident that Christ will complete the purification He has already begun. Prayer: Lord Jesus, You alone can remove the obstacles that prevent us from loving God and other people. Through the Holy Spirit, transform our wicked hearts, and make us Your faithful disciples. Amen. Jakarta, 28 August 2015  A Christian Pilgrim achristianpilgrim | August 29, 2015 at 1:48 pm | Tags: DO NOT LIVE ACC Daily Dig for August 30 Meister Eckhart For God does not give us anything in order that we should enjoy its possession and rest content with it, nor has he ever done so. All the gifts which he has ever granted us in heaven or on earth were made solely in order to be able to give us the one gift, which is himself.…We should learn to see God in all gifts and works, neither resting content with anything nor becoming attached to anything. For us there can be no attachment to a particular manner of behavior in this life, nor has this ever been right, however successful we may have been. Source: Meister Eckhart: Selected Writings

Saturday August 29 Reflection on verse 3 of Psalm 119

Happy are they who never do evil

but walk in His ways.

What is evil?

Saint Thomas Aquinas tells us that evil is the absence of good.

So when we have this absence of good in us we cannot be happy.

Why do we want the good or happiness?

First and foremost when we choose the good we are doing ourselves the biggest favor. The good  brings  in us contentment.

We pass this contentment on to others, splashing all around us with happiness.  People are happy to be in our presence.

When we have this contentment  we are right with God and that adds to our happiness and peace.

The second part of this verse is "to walk in His ways.

What are His ways?

God's ways are to be in line with Jesus' Father's will

And What is His will for us?

Dorothy Day says this:

Paperwork, cleaning the house, dealing with the innumerable visitors who come all through the day, answering the phone, keeping patience and acting intelligently, which is to find some meaning in all that happens-these things,too, are the works of peace."  From the Catholic Worker, Dec 1965

and for me this is God's Will, the daily grind of life. Doing what my Superior wishes, my Sisters wishes  and choosing the good, day in and day out.

  

Friday August 28 St. Augustine - Saint of Second Chances

Daily Dig for August 28 Amy Carmichael Many have forgotten that unofficial witness-bearing used to be the chief way by which the good news went around the world. I tell you, and you believe and receive and tell someone else, and he tells others. Frank, vital telling in ordinary language that the Lord Jesus Christ lives and loves, and can save and keep, and can be known like a real friend, and is a Master who gives real orders and strength to carry them out – think of the power that is in that! Can you wonder that the devil detests it? Source: Fragments That Remain Daily Prayer for August 28 Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength; indeed, the world is established, firm and secure. Psalm 93:1, NIV Lord our God, you are king, founding a kingdom that reaches to the ends of the earth, establishing it to endure forever. We thank you that we may be sheltered in your hands and that no sickness of body or soul can do us lasting harm. We thank you for lifting us again and again to true life with the light and power to overcome what is earthly, true life with the flexibility to remain trusting and confident no matter what happens, true life directed to the great goal of God's kingdom, promised to us in Jesus Christ. Amen.

St. Monica

Wednesday August 26 Feast of Our Lady of Czestochowa

Prayer to the Black Madonna

Our Lady of Czestochowa, the Black Madonna, you show us the way to your Son. With one hand, you hold him tenderly near your heart; with the other hand you point to him. Help us to imitate you by always carrying Jesus with us, and lifting the vision of the world to him as the source of our life.

You are queen and protector of the people of Poland, and millions have entrusted their prayers to you. Watch over all of us with your motherly love, bring our hopes and fears before your Son, and guide us to eternal life through his life, death, and resurrection. Amen.

Queen of Poland , Pray for Us