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To give you a more personal insight into who we are as BVMs, several members of our community will share reflections on spirituality, our daily life, and our charism as BVM Sisters. We invite you to share your comments, your reflections and your questions.
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One a day reflection 2010/03/09 by Mary Healy, BVM 1. The disciples asked Jesus, Who has sinned? This man or his parents? Jesus brushed aside their notions then, but Who has sinned? is a good question now. Who is responsible for a child being born blind? Is it a mining company polluting the water his mother drinks? Or a corrupt official embezzling the funds that should have vaccinated her against measles? Or some other preventable cause? Have I sinned in enjoying the benefits of a system that enables this evil? Today when I hear bad news, instead of thinking, How terrible! Ill try to think, How could this have been prevented? Can I do something? 2. Jesus spat, made mud with his saliva, smeared the mans eyes and told him to wash. This seems a bit unsanitary, but it certainly didnt bother the man born blind. Where do my cultural assumptions about cleanliness, punctuality, decorum, even noise interfere with my relations with persons from other backgrounds? Today I will ride the bus among folk who have different standards. Can I avoid judging them? 3. Some of the Pharisees said of Jesus, He does not keep the Sabbath. Moses wrote, Keep the Sabbath holy. How? Curing blind men seems plenty holy to me, but other rules, some of which make no sense to me, had been made for the Sabbath. This makes me think of the current inquiry into U.S. religious women. The sisters vowed to live according to the Constitutions of their congregations, not according to the rules of outsiders. What can I do among the people I meet to clarify that?
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Reflection on Third Sunday of Lent 2010/03/03 by Elizabeth Fitting, BVM Associate Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well.(It was about noon. A woman of Samaria came to draw water.(Jesus said to her,(Give me a drink.(His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.(The Samaritan woman said to him,(How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink? John 4:6-4:10 Doesnt this passage knock our stereotypes if we understand the culture of Jesus! Jesus is asking a woman, a Samaritan woman no less, for something! The Samaritans were considered impure and only in certain situations could a male converse directly with a female. Here Jesus is crossing both religious and social boundaries. That in itself is a lesson for all of us as we worry about who we might offend when we feel the wish to speak out or take some risky action. The path of risk was one Jesus walked most of his public life since his first allegiance was to the Kingdom of God, not to the often petty laws and practices of religious or social leaders. The more touching aspect of this story however is Jesus delicate sensitivity to the Samaritan womans deepest needs despite her off-putting response to his request for water. He shows her first his own need his thirst, making himself vulnerable. Then in a few words he lays opens her life before her, speaking respectfully but honestly. In this place of mutual vulnerability an exchange happens that causes a transformative experience for the woman. Its impact is such that she wants all those in her village to hear the good news Jesus brings and she becomes one of Jesus disciples. She is not one of the well know 12, but one of many generations of woman who, in their own, usually quiet and forceful way, live and spread the gift of searing love and inner freedom that Jesus taught and lived. This story is worth reading and pondering many times with its multiple layers :the vibrant encounter between Jesus and the unnamed woman, the examples of vulnerability, courage and compassionate love, and the symbolism of water from the well- Jacobs Well. Imagination can lead one into the tangled past of the Samaritan woman before the point of meeting Jesus and we can only begin to feel what must have broken open for her in this encounter. Can we allow ourselves this type of vulnerability, courage? Can we let flow the deep wellspring of love that God wants to pour out from our hearts and see where it will take us? |
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Second Week of Lent 2010/02/22 by Irene Lukefahr, BVM Reflection on the Second Sunday of Lent: The Transfiguration The Gospel for the second Sunday of Lent gives us a glimpse of Jesus in all his glory. Lukes account of Jesus Transfiguration holds familiar images and many questions to ponder. What was this transfiguration moment like for Jesus? How did he experience more deeply the fullness of his identity as Gods Beloved One? What specifically were Jesus, Moses and Elijah discussing together? Why did Jesus choose Jesus Peter, James and John to this communal mountaintop revelation? Did Jesus gain strength and courage for what lay ahead or did the experience leave him with a heavy heart&a heart filled with unconditional, steadfast love? What meaning does Jesus transfiguration have for you? When have you felt Gods transforming love in your life? Are you growing in the awareness that the same Divinity that shone through Jesus humanity dwells within you and all creation? Have you grasped the reality that the glory of the Resurrection is already at the very core of your being, shining forth in a world searching for light?? Are you willing to open your heart more fully to Gods transforming grace? How does the realization that you are Gods beloved strengthen you for the Lenten journey? Pray Psalm 105 this week: Glory in the radiance of the Beloved". Know you are Gods beloved one.
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Ash Wednesday and the First Week of Lent 2010/02/15 by Harriet Holles, BVM See, now is the acceptable time. .JPG) See, now is the time of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:2) Lent offers us its gift of “nows” -- forty days and forty nights – hours, minutes, seconds. I AM, the great Mystery, holds God’s Being totally in every instant. We, the creatures, breathe in and out, inhale and exhale, receiving our lives one moment at a time. Stay, stay in the now reality. No two---are alike. Now can be a moment of presence. Now, a moment of opportunity. Now, a moment of challenge. Attend to your breathing, in and out, slowing and calming. No longer do I have yesterday, and I do not yet have tomorrow. God’s faithful favors are not exhausted, but are new in this moment. Stop your words and listen. Quiet your thoughts and accept. Become aware of your spirit, energized by the Spirit. Cherish the gift of consciousness. Delight in its possibilities. Notice your longing, seasoned by your imagination. Now is the time of choice. Now is the time of transformation. Now is the time of union. “. . .the past is the past, and the present is what your life is, and you are capable of choosing what that will be, . . .” (Mary Oliver) Have the time of your life this Lent!
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Gentle Discourse or Not? 2010/01/08 by Elizabeth Avalos, BVM Sandra Schneiders, IHM has written 5 essays for the National Catholic Reporter on religious life. What struck me more than her very articulate and thought provoking essays was the strong attack of those opposed to her description of religious life as prophetic witness. It seems that we are moving away from on opportunity for discourse that allows us to delve deeper into the heart of an issue, but instead we are plunging into the depths of hostile verbal confrontation. In Sandra’s second essay she unpacks the story of the woman accused of adultery. The punishment for such a crime is very violent and those coming with the woman to Jesus, were in a very hostile mood. Yet Jesus diffused the incident and all walked away without a stone being thrown. It is my hope that we will be able to read Sandra’s essays and take the time to reflect on their content and then have a meaningful gentle discourse.
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Christmas Silence 2010/01/04 by Mary Therese Finan, BVM Associate Little Christmas is almost here which signals the end of the Christmas season, but the silence and gift of this season continues. Carolers singing, bells ringing, children laughing…now. It seems that there are many sounds connected with Christmas. As I sit at my harp playing carols that are triumphant, charming, or lullabies, I realize that so many carols end in with the child asleep, with heavenly peace or with the awed act of adoring the new born. The night, a time of quiet is called “divine”. It is in this quiet silence that we receive the gift, New Life, newly born for us. And it is in silence that we come to see for ourselves, to join with the angels, the shepherds, the wise people in deep adoration. It is only in silence that we can receive the Gift of God, the person of Jesus. And it is in silence that the Spirit joins us to the depth of God’s giving.
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Christmas Season and National Public Radio 2009/12/29 Every day on my way to work the public radio morning news becomes part of my morning prayer. On Fridays, at 7:30 a.m. right before I make the final turn I catch the Story Corps* portion. Often times I find myself close to tears, or experiencing an “Ah! Ah! moment or just in awe of the humanity around me. There are stories of death and life, hardship and hope, joy and pain. Though I do not know the persons formally I feel that they have invited me into their most precious lives for the 3-4 min of my listening. And isn’t that much of what this Christmas season is all about. The Son of God becoming human, one of us. Flesh of our flesh. Jesus is entering into our humanity in all its aspects – in all our relationships. Father/son, mother/daughter, sister/brother, friend/ friend, coworker and companion. parent/children, husband/wife and employer/employee and on and on. God’s ultimate love relating to us in all our emotions, thoughts, desires, and longings. So as one moves through this all too short liturgical season may we reflect on, share and honor our collective and personal relational stories and be willing to share them with one another. Bonds will be strengthened, insights deepened and love expanded. Perhaps the world will be a better place, truly a place of peace, which this Incarnational event promises. -- Marilyn Wilson, BVM INFORMATION ABOUT STORYCORPS StoryCorps is an independent nonprofit oral history project whose mission is to honor and celebrate one another's lives through listening. Since 2003, over 50,000 people have shared life stories with family and friends through StoryCorps. Each conversation is preserved at the Library of Congress. http://www.storycorps.org/ From StoryCorps participants. “This project makes it possible to connect the past present and future, which is all we have. What can be more exciting than that?” “The StoryCorps project may well be the most important cultural event in America today. It's about us. About who we are. About where we've come from, and where we want to go.”
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Mary and Child 2009/12/28 by Joni Davis, BVM Associate As we enter the days after Christmas we continue to reflect on the meaning and impact of Jesus birth into our world. MARY AND CHILD Mary, your yes changed the world, but especially your world.To first feel the baby in your womb move and know that this was God. Wow!! As a young girl this must have been remarkable to know that the child you were carrying was the result of your Yes to God. As the months moved on the time for the census came just as your time drew near. The trip to Bethleham must have been very long and hard on you. With (no inn( to stay in, a stable will be your birthing room. Joseph and you( deliver God's son Jesus. What a beautiful boy! As you hold him in your arms and kiss him, do you know you are kissing your creator? Mary, the shepherd's, poor and the lowest of people, come to adore Jesus. They tell you Angels told them of His birth. In the stable, as Jesus lay in the manger, did you ever realize how important your Son would be to the poor and down trodden? Mary, as you feed Jesus, do( you feel you are being fed immense love? Joseph was always there to help by cleaning up the stable, getting water and food. How kind, loving and patient he was. Joseph was in awe as he watched the Mother of God holding Jesus. When the Kings came bearing gifts, the rich and noble were paying( Him homage. Did you think that your Son would be important to all people, rich and poor alike? A pure Virgin, Mary, there must have been so many(things running through your mind. Your complete trust in your creator, God, was a blessing. It kept you focused on the now moment. When Jesus smiled up at you he must have lit up the place. The love that You and Joseph experienced would light up hearts forever. The love of having Jesus with us would change our lives also.
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December 23rd 2009/12/23 by Rose Mary Meyer, BVM December 23rd Reflection Advent prepares us to celebrate Christmas. Excitement builds, even in the midst of days brimming with busyness. During these last couple days of Advent, we feel a call to stillness, to contemplation. We find ourselves humming “O come, o come Emmanuel.” We already know that God is within and among us, but celebrating Incarnation is the heart of Christmas. Even though we might feel fatigue, we’re dancing from task to task in anticipation and awe. The mystery of Incarnation enlivens hope in our lives. We live in hope --hope for the millions in refugee camps, that a “star” may guide these people safely back to a peaceful homeland; --hope for those seeking food and shelter, that human beings will be “houses of bread”, reaching out with open arms and hearts, offering nourishment for bodymindspirit; --hope for a renewed consciousness of Earth as a living entity, as “house of bread” for all species; --hope that people will live the implications of interconnectedness and interdependence with all creation; --hope for the victims of trafficking, that we will dismantle the interlocking systems of entrapment so that victims might be released from their bondage; --hope for the restoration of human dignity for workers when they receive living wages and benefits; --hope for healing the scars of colonialism, dualism, racism, sexism, all systems of oppression; --hope, hope, hope…. The mystery of Incarnation is always unfolding hope among us. May we live the miracle and hope of Incarnation every day! Merry Christmas! --Rose Mary Meyer, BVM
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4th Sunday of Advent 2009/12/19 by Rose Mary Meyer, BVM As I light the fourth candle on the Advent wreath, I imagine Mary and Joseph discussing their plans for their trip to I wonder why Mary decided to go to On their journey, Mary and Joseph probably noticed the fields around As they walked along, did Mary and Joseph express their gratitude for their daily bread, gift of Earth? Did they remark about the flour ground from the grain in the surrounding fields, the water from the nearby wells, the leaven, the kneading, the fire for baking? Did they feel gratitude and awe that these natural ingredients are transformed into bread to be broken and shared? Did Mary speak about the ongoing mystery of her pregnancy, her delight that she and Elizabeth were able to be together and support each other, her excitement and her fears about possibly giving birth away from home, perhaps in Those of us living in the 21st century retell this meaning-full journey story. What a powerful story to have lasted for generations! How does this story motivate us to be a “house of bread”? What is the meaning of being a “house of bread” in this century where billions worldwide are experiencing the aches of many hungers? How do we express our appreciation for Earth, sharing an extravagant abundance of ingredients for “bread”?
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Sisters of Charity, BVM - 1100 Carmel Drive - Dubuque, Iowa 52003 - 563.588.2351