Fall Triduum

Every year, our “Fall Triduum” of All Hallow’s, All Saints, and All Souls

becomes more precious to me as each one focuses my attention on how connected we are

to not only those who are alive, but to all those who have gone before us –

relatives, friends, enemies, muses,(i.e. the communion of saints.)

Yesterday we celebrated All Saints Sunday

with one of the most “thin place” services of the year –

the one in which we commemorate all the saints

by posting their names on the walls of the sanctuary.

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Whether they are from long ago....

(Saint Leontia)

Or more recently...

(Jill Cooper, a friend)



Or a close relative like my father,

(Kenneth)

Or even the name of a woman

who has the same name of my

own mother who is still alive!

(Ok, I have to admit,

it was pretty weird to see

my mother on the wall)...



What wasn’t weird or strange was the feeling of their presence in the room with us.

What the Celts call a “thin place”

All of us together. In one place.

One very “thin” place.

These 3 days are as intertwined as a Celtic Knot.

With themes of death and resurrection,

we are reminded that there is no beginning or ending to our souls.

We move and have our being in a continuous flow of God’s love,

knowing that we are always in the presence of God.

 

“Beannacht De le hanama na marbh

(The blessing of God on the souls of the dead.)

Ta siad imithe ar shli na firinne

(They are gone on the way of truth.”)

Irish Blessing



So until it is our time to join all those saints who have gone before us on the way of truth,

may we continue to enjoy their presence, and

walk in love, seeking and serving Christ in all we meet today.



(last photo is of Fall colors outside the Columbarium at St. Paul’s)

Celebrate St. Francis Day

 

 

During group this morning we looked at the following prayer

from the book, "Prayers for Healing"  edited by Maggie Oman

 and since this is the Feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi let us

remember all the creatures, both past and present,

that God has so lovingly created. 

Let us also remember and be thankful for all who devote

their lives to caring for our friends, the animals.

 

"Hear our humble prayer, O God,

for our friends the animals,

thy creatures.

We pray especially for all that are suffering in any way;

for the overworked and underfed,

the hunted, lost or hungry;

for all in captivity or ill-treated,

and for those who must be put to death.

 

We entreat for them Thy mercy and pity;

and for those who deal with them we ask

a heart of compassion,

gentle hands and kindly words.

 

Make us all to be true friends to animals."

 

- Christian, date unknown

 

Here is the link for the Humane Society website in the

picture above.

 

Bernard and the Breast Milk

 

Tis the feast day of St. Bernard of Clairvaux- a well known 12th century French abbot.

Bernard was known for many things - his strong views on Mary, his building of 163 monasteries, and his development of the Second Crusade.

But you just can't stop looking at that picture can you?

Yep, that's Mary squirting breast milk into Bernard's infected eye,

which miraculously cured it. 

And to this day mums still use breast milk to combat "pink eye"

though I doubt they use this same technique. 

You gotta hand it to Mary though - great aim! 

Here are a couple of quotes to take your mind off the picture...really, stop looking at it!

 

"We find rest in those we love, and we provide a resting place for those who love us.

 and my favorite -

 "Qui me amat, amat et canem meam."

 Who loves me, loves my dog!

My favorite blessing

"Live without fear; your Creator has made you holy,

has always protected you, and loves you as a mother.

Go in peace to follow the good road

and may God's blessing be with you always. 

Amen."

Happy Feast Day, St. Clare of Assisi! 

be fully alive

June 28th, Feast of St. Irenaeus

Bishop of Lyons, c. 202

"The glory of God is a human being fully alive;

and to be alive consists in beholding God."

— Saint Irenaeus

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Many depictions of the life-giving event that occurred

at Pentecost craft the Holy Spirit as a tiny flame

resting on the top of the disciple's heads,

but this artwork by Estella Canziani draws us into

a wild, all-encompassing, uncontainable Spirit who

filled every ligament, every vein of those present.

No wonder some thought they were drunk!

Gotta have me some of that!

A Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Breathe in me O Holy Spirit

that my thoughts may all be holy;

Act in me O Holy Spirit

that my works, too, may be holy;

Draw my heart O Holy Spirit

that I love but what is holy;

Strengthen me O Holy Spirit

to defend all that is holy;

Guard me then O Holy Spirit

that I always may be holy.

St. Augustine of Hippo (AD 354-430)

Feast of Julian of Norwich

"As truly as God is our Father,
so truly is God our mother.

And he revealed that in everything

and especially in these sweet words
where he says,

“I am the power and goodness of fatherhood,

I am the wisdom and lovingness of motherhood.

I am the light and grace
which is all blessed love.”

Julian of Norwich (1342-1416)

author of first book written in english by a woman

do you know what she is holding in her hand?

Saint Eunice

You know I love to talk about saints from ages past - but today I want to honor one that just left us this week, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, (7/10/1921 - 8/11/2009.) This was a woman who had a dream and didn't let anyone or anything stand in the way of seeing it to fruition. What a role model for the rest of us. Here is an excerpt from a statement released by the family:

"Inspired by her love of God, her devotion to her family, and her relentless belief in the dignity and worth of every human life, she worked without ceasing - searching, pushing, demanding, hoping for change. She was a living prayer, a living advocate, a living center of power. She set out to change the world and to change us, and she did that and more. She founded the movement that became Special Olympics, the largest movement for acceptance and inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities in the history of the world. Her work transformed the lives of hundreds of millions of people across the globe, and they in turn are her living legacy."

Whatever your dream, pursue it. Believe in possibility.

photo from Washington Post, 1965. from Josh