Tree-Sure6/30/2022 Thursday of the 13th week in OT
We know that the prophet Amos was a “dresser of sycamores.” Here’s a description of the tree and what Amos would have done. SYCAMORE (שִׁקְמָה, H9204; συκομορέα, G5191). The word “sycamore” appears seven times in the OT—for instance in 1 Kings 10:27, “He made cedars as plentiful as the sycamore,” and Amos 7:14 “a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore.” The most important mention is, however, in Luke 19:4 when Zacchaeus climbed up into a sycamore tree in order to see the Lord Jesus. Sycamore comes from sykē (fig) and mora (a mulberry). In the NT the tree is mentioned under its Gr. name συκομορέα, G5191. There is no doubt that the tree is the sycamore fig, Ficus sycomorus, often called the fig-mulberry. The fruits produced by the tree are in clusters and look like small figs; they are sweet, but by no means as good as the true fig. The fruit is produced several times during the year. It is a popular tree under which to pitch a tent, because of the ample shade it gives. The prophet Amos says in Amos 7:14: “I was a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees.” This word “dresser” should have been tr. “cultivator.” Amos not only looked after sheep, but also the sycamore trees which grew in the grass orchards. Amos was a shepherd and a gardener. It is necessary with sycamore figs to puncture each fruit with the point of a knife at a certain stage so as to help insure that the little figs ripen properly. Amos thus tended the trees. The words “dresser of” prob. means “one who cut or scraped.” Incidentally, Pliny in his writings refers to this garden operation on sycamore trees. Just as he did as “dresser of sycamores,” as a prophet Amos “punctured” the pride of the Israelites and cut away and scraped away at their infidelity. Trees have been on my mind of late. The photo above is the cross made from the wood of Petronella, our pine tree. Hopefully soon the cross will be raised up an take its rightful place where she once stood. Meanwhile, I’m spending time in the afternoons pruning and cutting away at the vines that are choking another pine tree. One that towers over the vegetation in the grove. In the process, I’m getting lots of “scrapes.” I’m happy to do this for the sake of the tree. No sour “scrapes” for me. This tree like Petronella is a “tree-sure” (Treasure.)
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Passion's Flower6/29/2022 The Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul
Every time I write “Solemnity” instead of “Feast” for these important moments in the liturgical calendar, my heart sinks. "Solemnity" sounds so, solemn. Feast sounds festive. Neither Peter nor Paul strikes me as “solemn.” Rather, I think of them as passionate, alive in love for Jesus Christ The photo above contains a passionflower and fruit. I’m not suggesting that Peter is a fruit and Paul is a flower or vice versa but rather what unites the two is their Passion, suffering for the sake of the Gospel and their passionate love of Jesus Christ. The passion fruit was named by missionaries in Brazil around1700 “flower of the five wounds.” When opened, they saw an image of Christ’s passion and his wounds. The flower, as you can see, is an exquisite exemplar of God’s passionate love given expression in the beauty of creation. On this feast of Saints Peter and Paul, inspired by the passionflower and fruit, I’d like to share with you two pieces of choreography that embody the passionate love for Jesus Christ as well as the exquisite beauty of creation captured in the image of the passionflower. I discovered the musical settings of Benjamin Britten to poems by Gerard Manley Hopkins on retreat at Eastern Point a number of years ago. I was planning to do some new choreography for a presentation at Boston College entitled: Two Jesuit Choreographers: East Meets West. The program would contrast the choreographies of Indian Jesuit, Fr. Saju George as well as my own. When I discovered the Britten pieces, O Deus, Ego Te Amo and The World is Charged with the Grandeur of God, I knew that this was the music and text that I would use. (Years later I found it “interesting” that the Hopkins poem was based on a prayer attributed to St Francis Xavier.) O God, I love thee, I love thee — Not out of hope of heaven for me Nor fearing not to love and be In the everlasting burning. Thou, thou, my Jesus, after me Didst reach thine arms out dying, For my sake sufferedst nails and lance,┬░ Mocked and marred countenance, Sorrows passing number, Sweat and care and cumber, Yea and death, and this for me, And thou couldst see me sinning: Then I, why should not I love thee, Jesu so much in love with me? Not for heaven's sake; not to be Out of hell by loving thee; Not for any gains I see; But just the way that thou didst me I do love and I will love thee: What must I love thee, Lord, for then? — For being my king and God. Amen Here is the link to “O Deus, Ego Te Amo,” beautifully danced by Darren Devaney. I hope it embodies for you some of the Passion expressed in the poem. I hope you can see the “fruit” of his labor and the beautiful “flower” of a movement prayer. The second piece is “God’s Grandeur.” The world is charged with the grandeur of God. It will flame out, like shining from shook foil; It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod? Generations have trod, have trod, have trod; And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil; And wears man's smudge and shares man's smell: the soil Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod. And for all this, nature is never spent; There lives the dearest freshness deep down things; And though the last lights off the black West went Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs -- Because the Holy Ghost over the bent World broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings. https://vimeo.com/344685605 This was the reflection I did a few years ago. I was planning to use the homily I’m giving twice today, but it seemed to fall flat the first time I gave it. I’m questioning whether it was worth the effort. I’ll share it here anyway. Do you remember the TV show The Odd Couple? If you weren’t around in the 1970’s and haven’t seen it in reruns or in updated versions, it’s about two very unlikely people living together. Felix and Oscar couldn’t be more different. One is neat, tidy, erudite, fussy. That’s Felix and Oscar is anything but. I was reminded of this odd couple on a day when the Church joins together the memory of Peter and Paul, a very odd couple indeed. Peter, the fisherman, no formal education, rough, and impulsive, and who must have spent more time in a boat than in the local synagogue. If Peter were visiting Gloucester, he would be hanging out in Pratty’s, the local watering hole for fishermen and women. It’s the bar that’s featured in the movie Coda which was filmed here and won the Oscar for best picture this year. It’s fitting that Peter, who I think of as “Oscar-like” in the odd couple is associated with winning an Oscar! And then there’s Paul. He’s highly educated, ,articulate, polished, methodical and very must have spent most of his time studying the Torah when he wasn’t making tents. I see him as “Felix” in the analogy with the Odd Couple. And Felix is the Latin word for “happy”. If Paul were here in Gloucester, I imagine he would be very “happy” to dine on lobster at the Beauport Hotel. And continuing the analogy with the “odd couple” Peter and Paul were sometimes at odds with each other. They didn’t see “eye to eye” In fact in the Letter to the Galatians, Paul calls Peter a hypocrite. When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. 14 When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs? So why do we celebrate them together? Yes, they are the two most influential men in the foundation of the Church. Although it might have made more sense to include Mary of Magdala in this solemnity. Then we would have Peter, Paul and Mary. So what did this “odd couple” have in common. Or better “whom” did they have in common? Despite their very different personalities and backgrounds, they each heard the voice of Jesus. Peter heard the voice of Jesus calling him to follow him. And Peter heard Jesus at times affirming him, rebuking him, challenging him, and loving him. And Paul heard the voice of Jesus on the road to Damascus, revealing himself when Paul asks him? Who are you? And he hears the voice of Jesus say, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. For both Peter, Paul and Mary too, it’s the personal encounter with the Risen Jesus that is transformative. And what this “odd couple” of Peter and Paul has in common as well is passion for the good news of Jesus Christ. And here you are on your 8 day/30 day retreat, listening for the voice of Jesus, hoping for another encounter with the Risen lord that will be transformative for you. What is it that you hope to hear from the Lord? “Trust me” “I am with you” “Don’t be afraid” “I call you friend.” “I know you and love you as you are.” And what if you hear what the disciples on the road the Caesarea Phillipi heard, “Who do you say that I am?” How will you respond. Or as the French translation says. “Pour vous, qui suis-je?” Who am I for you? What difference do I really make in your life? Glory Be!6/28/2022 Tuesday of the 13th Week in Ordinary Time/ Memorial of St Irenaeus Last night after a rain-soaked day, the Rainbow in the sky was simply “glorious” as you can see. The word “glorious” is on my mind this morning since it’s the memorial of St Irenaeus. This 2nd century bishop is most noted for the “catchy “phrase, “The glory of God is the human person fully alive.” Out of context this “catchy” phrase seems to suggest that we are a reflection of God’s glory if we are “fully” alive. Or, as some would say,” If we are living life to the fullest, we are giving glory to God.” But what does that mean? Engaging in extreme sports? Pushing ourselves to the limit? Here is the quote: For the glory of God is a living person; and the life of man/woman consists in beholding God. For if the manifestation of God which is made by means of the creation, affords life to all living in the earth, much more does that revelation of the Father which comes through the Word, give life to those who see God." For Irenaeus, to be “fully alive” is to live “through, with and in” Christ Jesus since He is the one who reveals the hidden God. In God’s embracing our humanity fully in Jesus Christ, God’s glory is ours. Irenaeus echoes the words of St Paul in his letter to the Romans: For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen For those retreatants beginning the Spiritual Exercises, they will be invited by St Ignatius to reflect on what it means to be “fully alive.” For Ignatius, the principle and foundation of being fully human is to realize that the human person is created to “praise, reverence and serve” God and in this way to attain our full potential; the reason for which we were created. For Ignatius, like St Paul and St Irenaeus, “to live is Christ.” Jesus Christ is more than a “model of how to live.” He is the way to live, the truth to live, the life to live. Through him, and with him and in, all glory be to God! Here are a few more glorious images of the rainbow in the sky. The sunset clouds were pretty amazing as well! Imagine That!6/27/2022 Monday of the 13th Week in Ordinary Time
I chose the image of the labyrinth for today since 22 retreatants are beginning their 30 day retreat very soon and I thought the labyrinth was a fitting symbol of the twists and turns of one’s spiritual life journey. It’s certainly appropriate for the experience of the Spiritual Exercises with the graces that lead you in different directions but with the confidence that the Spirit is always leading and guiding. The Mass I will celebrate today will be the Mass of the Holy Spirit as we begin the retreat together. I’ll have more to say about that tomorrow. For now I have to prepare a presentation on the Imagination in prayer. Imagine that! Furrow and Follow6/26/2022 13th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Furrowed brows usually signify worry, puzzlement, anxiety of some kind. The “plowing” imagery in today’s scriptures led me to think of the furrows that plows create. Elisha is plowing the fields with twelve yokes of oxen when Elijah calls him Jesus says, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is worthy of the kingdom of God.” The question of what to make of these scriptures left me with “furrowed brows.” They are not easy to understand or apply to our daily lives. Is Jesus saying we should just “plow ahead” and not care about what’s behind us? Should we ignore the hurt and damage we may do to another as we “plow” over their feelings? What is Jesus really asking his followers in this passage? Reading the Gospel passage again, it was the adverb “resolutely” that caught my attention. In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus is resolute in his determination to face his destiny in Jerusalem. Where for three years his ministry in this Gospel was focused on the region of the Galilee, now he was on a journey that could only go in one direction. He could not look back. He could only look ahead to what awaited him. (We know that the Synoptic Gospel writers, Matthew, Mark, and John have only one journey to Jerusalem. They do this for dramatic effect. John’s Gospel with Jesus’ frequent journeys to Jerusalem is most likely more credible.) Jesus is asking those who want to follow him to do something that he is demanding of himself. In some way, he is asking his followers to be “yoked” with him and share his burdens as he shares theirs. What is interesting about Jesus’ “resolve” is that the word “resolute” comes from a Latin word that means “loosened, released, paid.” Although we may think of one’s being resolute as being bound and determined to do or be something, there is genuine freedom that comes from the resolution. In the context of today’s scriptures, I can’t help but think of Paul’s words: “For freedom Christ set us free.” The question I’m asking today is what kind of freedom do we experience in being “yoked” to Jesus? When we think of a “yoke,” i.e. the yoke of slavery that Paul refers to, we think of something that binds us. How can we be free, when we are yoked to something or someone? (More furrowed brows!) Today we are welcoming 22 retreatants who will begin to prepare for the 30 day Spiritual Exercises. I hope and pray that their yoking their minds and hearts to the person of Jesus will be a source of great personal freedom for them. I’m sure I’ll be writing about our journey together for the next 30 days. The drawing below was the work of one of our bi-lingual retreatants who was praying on the Matthean text about Jesus's gentle yoke. She says the yoke is Love, the burden is life... Triptych6/23/2022 June 23rd/ 24th/ 25th
Nativity of John the Baptist/ Sacred Heart/ Immaculate Heart of Mary Ordinarily the Nativity of John the Baptist is celebrated on June 24th, but since tomorrow is the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus which takes precedence over John’s solemnity, all bets are off and JB is moved up a day. (I had originally intended to call this reflection “Trifecta.” Hence the reference to “bets” A Trifecta is picking the first three winners in a race.) So this is my post for the next three days. A triptych is “ a picture or relief carving on three panels, typically hinged together side by side and used as an altarpiece” or “a set of three associated artistic, literary, or musical works intended to be appreciated together.” A classic triptych, would have the Crucifixion in the center panel which was the largest, the beloved disciple on one side and Mary the Mother of Jesus in the other panel. Attention is visually focused on the center but the two side panels are important because they frame the center. Can you see these three days as a triptych with the Sacred Heart as the center panel, the birth of the Baptist on one side and the Immaculate Heart of Mary on the other? Usually, the feasts of the Sacred Heart and Immaculate Heart create a “diptych” One falls on a Friday and the other the next day. They are hinged together, not only as mother and son but in the image of the heart of each. But this year the “diptych” becomes a “triptych” with the addition of John the Baptist. In todays’ first reading from the prophet Isaiah, we hear these words The LORD called me from birth, from my mother’s womb he gave me my name. He made of me a sharp-edged sword and concealed me in the shadow of his arm. He made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me. You are my servant, he said to me, Israel, through whom I show my glory. Although this passage is used for the birth of the Baptist, it is also used for Jesus during Holy Week. But it’s the image of the arrow that has me all “aquiver” this morning. It may be that I first thought of these three days “all in a row” that made me think of an arrow piercing the heart of Mary, of Jesus, of John. It’s the arrow of God’s passionate love for each, and their passionate love for God and the “things of God” that has me all “aquiver.” And then there is the Triptych you see on the stage of A Dancer’s Christmas. This triptych was built in 1984 by my friend and artistic collaborator, Howard Enoch. It became the center piece of the first Act of ADC for the next 25 years. It provided a beautiful frame for the stories of the Nativities of John the Baptist and Jesus of Nazareth. I also used it as a frame for the Crucifixion with Jesus in the center, Mary and Mary Magdalene on either side in “For All Time” which paralleled the stories of the birth of Jesus with those of his ministry and death. I’ve shared this piece before but I think it’s appropriate for a triptych of three days that celebrate the birth of John the Baptist, the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. For All Time Wool Pull6/22/2022 Wednesday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time
Have you ever wondered where the expression “to pull the wool over another’s eyes” comes from? My research was inconclusive, although some suspect it had to do with the custom of men wearing woolen wigs. If the wig were pulled over the eyes, the person couldn’t see what was right before their eyes. I thought of that expression when Jesus says to beware of false prophets, who come in sheep’s clothing. In other words, don’t trust outward appearances. As I prayed with this image today, I was thinking about how many voices we hear that are intended to deceive us and “pull the wool over our eyes.” They go from conspiracy theorists, robo calls which threaten or promise big bucks, to the voices that clamor for our votes, our money, our support. The question, of course, is how do you shear off and shut out the voices of the false prophets and discern the voice of the spirit? Reading the liturgy of the hours this morning, I was struck by two verses of Psalm 108: For your love reaches beyond the heavens and your faithfulness to the clouds. Looking out at the vista of sea, sky and clouds this morning, I felt that this verse was reverberating in my soul. This is the voice of God that I hope to listen to today. This is the truth that should supersede and silence the voices of the false prophets of doom, destruction and hopelessness. (A special thanks to Judy Schiavo who wrote about "robo calls" and false prophets in her Wednesday morning reflection for Loyola Jesuit Center in Morristown, NJ) What voices will you listen to today? How will you discern God's voice in the cacophony of the many voices that claim your attention? Soul-Stice6/21/2022 Tuesday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time/ Memorial of St Aloysius Gonzaga
I’m very grateful that today happens to me the memorial of St Aloysius Gonzaga, the patron of our retreat house as well as the beginning of the summer solstice. It gives me the opportunity to focus on the ministry of hospitality that we offer here at Gonzaga as well as sharing the poem I wrote for solstice day two years ago. It also gives me an excuse to avoid today’s scriptures which are not easy to preach about or reflect on. Soul-Stice Be still my soul! Stop brooding over flaws, faults and failings, missteps, faux pas, paths mis-taken, foot falls and fault lines. Falling afoul in death traps, the fowler snares, foul, not owl- wise always, whispers of wrongs done, your undoing, transgression trapping you still. Is there egress from past’s failures, a greener grass on the other side, an escape cause for the unshriven soul? Be still my soul! Be brewing a love potion, A double portion of mercy’s minding, mending, easy to swallow. A brood of sparrows (more than two) be Soul’s solace, be an arrow piercing you with Love’s luster! Be still my soul! Still as the waters running deep within, still as ocean’s entrancing tranquility, lapping quietly, an infant’s sleep in her mother’s lap a child a sleep in his father’s arms. Still. On this memorial of Aloysius, you may want to reflect on the hospitality of God that you have experienced while here at Gonzaga, EPRH or if you’ve never been here in person, the inspiration that you have received through the images and reflections I have shared over the past few years. On this, the longest day of the year you may want to find some time to simply be “still” and notice the gifts of creation from the morning’s dawn to the sun’s setting. For Go(o)d Measure6/20/2022 Monday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time
“and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.” That’s a lot of measurement! In the Gospel today, Jesus tells us that we must not judge others, lest we be judged, and yet we need to judge ourselves in the way we measure out forgiveness and understanding. Yesterday, I posted a new poem titled “Unfathomable.” It’s been a long time in the making. More than a month, I measure. The initial inspiration for a poem came from Lucille Schultz who made her retreat here in early May. She left me a note with the words, “Feet, Feat, Fiat” I took this as a movement of the Spirit to encourage me to write a poem playing with those words. As much as I tried to force some inspiration, I was stymied. I knew I just had to wait. The other morning in prayer, I began thinking about “feet” in a way other than “walking.” I thought of how we use “feet” as a measurement rather than just our bodies’ extremities that enable us to stand, walk, run, skip, hop, dance etc. I began thinking of how we measure the length, breadth, height, depth of our friendships, and especially our friendship with Jesus Christ. If you read the poem again, you’ll notice the various ways I play with variations of “feet and feat” There’s also a “fiat” for good measure. There are, as well, allusions to the scriptures of this past week; the mantle passed between Elijah and Elisha, the “storehouse” or “treasury” of our heart’s memories. Earlier this month, I mentioned that I was reading Brian Greene’s “Until the End of Time.” One of his early chapters is on “entropy.” I have to admit that I was unfamiliar with the term, but it captured my imagination. A thermodynamic quantity representing the unavailability of a system's thermal energy for conversion into mechanical work, often interpreted as the degree of disorder or randomness in the system. ‘the second law of thermodynamics says that entropy always increases with time’ I interpreted that as the energy that is unavailable for a purposeful use. How hard we may try, but so much time and effort is wasted. You may notice that I use the word in the first two stanzas of the poem. Another word that may be unfamiliar is “anamnesis” which is the Greek word for “remembrance” and refers to the power of remembering the saving action of God in Jesus Christ. Today’s version of the poem is slightly different. I added an “s” to feat which became “feasts.” Certainly appropriate for the feast of the Body and Blood of Chrits! For feasts of daring to call fragments of bread thimbles of wine more than mere symbols more than enough to feed the many unfathomable.docx The photo frame for today is a reminder of how we really cannot "measure" the height, length, breadth, width, depth of God's handiwork in creation. Unfathomable6/19/2022 Body and Blood of Christ 2022
I’d like to invite you this morning/ evening to bring to mind some “old friends.” You don’t have to be as old as me to have “old friends,” since it’s not so much about chronological time but those people in your life with whom you’ve shared the bonds of friendship over time. Are you thinking of someone from your childhood, from elementary school, high school, college, university, the workplace or ministry, or just neighbors? And if you are as old as I am, some of those “old friends” may be old enough to be facing the loss of memory, or health issues that compromise their ability to be what they once were for you. And where once your friendship was a “mutual exchange,” now there is more that’s asked of you to be there for an “old friend.” The experience of being friends has been on my mind of late. One reason is an old, dear friend has been suffering significant losses over the past few years and I find that I’m being asked to be a “better” friend. The second reason is that during this Easter Season, we heard the readings form John’s Gospel in which Jesus calls his disciples friends ans says “No greater love is there than to lay down one’s life for a friend.” But the “icing on the friendship cake” came yesterday when I went to a day of prayer and memorial for Fr. Bill Barry who died last year. You may be familiar with Bill’s many books on prayer. One of them, A Friendship Like No Other, is often mentioned by retreatants as “eye-opening” and transformative. They say that they never realized that prayer could be about friendship with Jesus. As St Ignatius says, “Speak to God, Jesus, Mary as one friend speaks to another. This morning/evening, I’m thinking of this Eucharist, bread broken, wine poured out as an “old friend.” And so here we are at this Eucharist with our “old friend” Jesus, who has been with us through “thick and thin.” Jesus must be “thick-skinned” to put up with our cries and complaints and comes to us in “thin” places like Eastern Point. And as he did for his first friends after his death on the Cross, when he showed up for them, he shows up for us now, in the elements of bread and wine. How many meals in memory of Jesus have you shared over your lifetime? Countless? How many “loaves and fishes” miracles have you witnessed when the “few” becomes so much more than imagined? And just think of the left-overs. The Eucharistic leftovers are what sustain us day and night, whether we know it or not. Here's my latest poem entitled "Unfathomable" You can find Eucharistic themes woven within. Tomorrow I'll write about the genesis of the poem. The photo of the morning glory was sent to me by my "old friend" Tony Compagnone who took it when he was here for the day of prayer last Sunday. It's pretty unfathomable how it could grow out of a crevice in a rock! unfathomable.docx AuthorAs an ordained Catholic priest for 45 years and a member of the Jesuits for 57 years, I've had a great deal of "spiritual" experience! This is a place where I can continue to share my thoughts about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and what it means to live the "mystery of God." Categories |
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