The stories we live and those shared by loved ones shape the person we ultimately become. Epic narratives chronicling the life changing events of our forerunners emerge like a spiritual watchtower to see God’s fingerprint on our lives. As a young girl, my grandmother’s re-telling of the story of how her beloved sister (Lucimelia) tragically lost her life showed me what it means to carry a torch of love that stays lit till forever. I could not know at the time how those unforgettable remnants from long ago would help me through the immeasurable loss of my own brother James on September 11, 2001. My grandmother lived in South America and traveled to the United States whenever possible. Hence, the time we had together was limited. I was only too happy to share my room whenever she visited, usually taking place during the hottest summer months. She…
So many wonderful things happen in June. Nature is working its magic in visible and invisible ways. It is the time of year for taking walks in the woods; delighting in scampering red breasted robins and watching the sea bobble its waves. In June, the summer solstice quietly shifts the sunrise and sunset southward again. The sun has now taken its highest position in the sky and a harvesting “strawberry” moon holds its own place on earth. And little by little, daylight starts to decrease. At dusk, whisking fireflies arrive to illumine the darkening blanket of night. We wonder how it is that this sixth month emerged so quickly, now surrounding us with its beauty on all sides. Splendor present for just awhile. Oh happy June – is there no way that you can stay with us just a bit longer? After all, the first pitcher of lemonade has just been…
Christ tells us that “It is the Spirit who gives life. The words that I speak to you are Spirit, and they are life” (Jam 6:63). God spoke the first words, electing to use them to make himself known to us. And by the Word of Scripture, the beloved can envision all that can be known about God. God also uses his creation as the means to reveal Himself. Every blooming flower and soaring bird speaks to the nature of God’s beauty. Poetry, works of art and the giving of one’s love to another reflect his love, holiness and wonder. The Word of God is like an expectant garden waiting for searching hands to dig into its soil. The gardener sifts for the best place to plant seeds. They are left hidden beneath the soil, watered and given back to God. The expectant garden soon…
St. Bernard (1090-1153 A.D.) lived at a time of splintering turmoil within the Church. Monasteries that were once devoted to the “desert way” of life fell victim to worldly temptations. Spiritually, traditional practices in the monastic way were slowly fading away. However, it was Bernard’s “honey tongue” steeped in Scripture that knew how to redirect the heart of society back towards God. At the young age of twenty-four, Bernard was given the seemingly impossible task to establish a new foundation at Langres (1115) as abbot to twelve monks. Living the Christian state of life as consecrated religious calls for the removal of whatever is incompatible with the practice of love of God and neighbor. Hence, Bernard accepted the enormous task to carry out Christ’s mission with a heart of love. Known as the “bitter valley,” the uncultivated Langres was depleted of natural resources and basic…
St. Francis of Assisi – Conformed in the Body and Image of Christ. Reflecting on the life of “Francesco,” the acclamation “another Christ” among the greatest saints is attributed to him with reverence after Blessed Mary. It is St. Francis who first receives Christ’s stigmata so that his lowly body would conform to Christ’s glorious body (Phil 3:21). That which follows highlights the ways in which St. Francis is esteemed as the most beloved reflection of Christ the world has ever known. In his younger years, St. Francis experienced the many comforts that come to a prominent family managing a successful business. Even so, the wealth that lay waiting for him did not have the same life changing impact as the Gospel of St. Matthew. The message “Do not get any gold to take with you in your belts” dramatically drew Saint Francis into a life of…
