We were in Washington for the weekend celebrating 30 years of marriage. Washington is a great place to visit and we were among thousands of other Americans who were in the nation’s capital for the weekend. Among those who came to Washington, DC this weekend were the members of “Rolling Thunder“, a group that makes it point to remember and advocate for prisoners of war and those missing in action in all of our wars. As my wife and I walked from our hotel towards the National Mall we could see and hear the thunder and rumble of the engines of these valiant bikers many of whom traveled hundreds of miles to attend. As we made our way past the Institute of Peace and walked toward the Lincoln Memorial the din from the roar of motorcycle engines grew louder. As we walked past these men and women many of whom sported Vietnam Campaign ribbons and clothing reminiscent of Vietnam I was deeply moved. Tears came to my eyes as I recalled an earlier time when many of these veterans like myself served our country at a difficult time in our history. Eventually we made it to the Vietnam Wall itself and joined thousands who were on hand to pay tribute to the men and women whose names are on that wall and to the many more who were forever touched by Vietnam but whose names will never be known except to their families. A few decades from now there will be no Vietnam veterans on the National Mall. Only the memories of the men and women who served valiantly at a particular time in American history.
One with creation
Yesterday as I made my way around the Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC I was struck by how much these wonderful indigenous people were in tune with the earth. The wisdom quotes which ringed the walls of the museum bespoke a culture that respected life. All life including relationships with plants, rocks and anything created was sacred. I appreciated the parallels with the Franciscan intellectual tradition in the writing of Bl. John Duns Scotus, St. Bonaventure and more recently Ilia Delio, OSF. We have much to learn and apply from our native brothers and sisters. We need a renewed kinship with all creation.
The Cracked Pot
Today in reading and preparing for class I came across and old favorite and it’s worth sharing again. It’s author is unknown, but we’ve all known what it is to feel inferior and to wish to be more than we are. Too often we fail to see that our imperfections are what makes us valuable to God and to those around us. Franciscans see God in everything. God is very much in this world and God made all of us, even with our imperfections. Native Americans in the American Southwest deliberately knit an imperfection into all the blankets they produce because it is their belief that this is the mark of the Creator.
A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master’s house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his master’s house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.
After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. “I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you.”
“Why?” asked the bearer. “What are you ashamed of?”
“I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master’s house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don’t get full value from your efforts,” the pot said.
The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, “As we return to the master’s house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path.”
Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.
The bearer said to the pot, “Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot’s side? That’s because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you’ve watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master’s table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house.”
Now, aren’t you glad you are a “cracked pot” too!
Author Unknown
Franciscan Philosophy of Social Engagement
I recently signed up for a course at The Franciscan Institute at St. Bonaventure University. It’s my first course in a program of study that could lead to a Master of Arts in Franciscan Studies. I’m anxious and excited. I’m a layman, a Secular Franciscan, and I’m likely to be surrounded by highly educated Friars & Nuns who’ve had a number of theology courses. Nonetheless, I’m blessed to be included in such a group. In some way I’m pursuing a vocation I once considered as a young man.
Our teacher will be Keith Douglas Warner,OFM of the Saint Barbara Province. I’ve never met him, but he comes highly recommended and this course just kind of leapt out at me as I perused the course catalog a couple of months ago. The title of this blog is the title of the course. Dr. Warner included a reading list to our class that will provide me with more than enough to keep me occupied for awhile. Dr. Warner also provided a link to a fellowship whose focus is Social Entrepreneurship. I think this is going to be an exciting summer.
The Primacy of Christ
The Pope’s homily which I have written about earlier today has come at a time when I have been reading a lot from writers within the Franciscan Intellectual tradition. When I read Pope Francis’ homily earlier today I was reminded of this “paper” that I read a number of years ago on the internet. Its author, Seamus Mulholland, OFM, is a Franciscan friar who authored this piece in 2001. The Incarnation in Franciscan Spirituality came along at a time after I had heard a talk by Fr. Lou McCormick, OFM at Mt. Irenaeus. I was intrigued by Fr. Lou’s talk about the Primacy of Christ. Though I had been raised a Roman Catholic and even attended Catholic primary and secondary schooling I don’t remember ever hearing about anything other than a sin-centered universe. The Incarnation in Franciscan spirituality is centered on love and not sin. Lately I’ve been reading a number of books by Ilia Delio, OSF who also references the approach of Scotus to soteriology. I love this quote from Seamus Mulholland’s article:
“God is love and that love is our redemption and redemption is not primarily being saved from sin, but is rather the gift of the possibility of openness to the experience of the divine Other in our life.” — Seamus Mulholland, OFM
Called to be a Franciscan
In the past year I’ve looked more and more what it is to be called to be a Secular Franciscan. I was professed into the order in April of 2002 and since then I’ve grown in fits and starts. What is it that I’m called to be? Am I to be a pious “stick in the mud?” I hope not. As a Secular Franciscan I’m called to live the Gospel and to move from “Gospel to life” and “life to the Gospel.” That’s a tall order most of the time, but that’s the ideal. I’m blessed to be a member of the Secular Franciscan Order and refer to myself as the “least of the brothers.” I’m drawn to shrines, monasteries, quiet chapels and working with people. My heart breaks when I’m confronted with injustice. Being a Franciscan is a blessing of tremendous consequence in my life.
United by their vocation as “brothers and sisters of penance” and motivated by the dynamic power of the gospel, let them conform their thoughts and deeds to those of Christ by means of that radical interior change which the gospel calls “conversion.” Human frailty makes it necessary that this conversion be carried out daily.
My life is one of conversion and each day I become a little more converted. I can live with that. A simple daily walk of conversion that has produced a radical interior change. Not perfect. Perfection is not the mark of the creator. Imperfection is a blessing bestowed by God.
Yoga & mindfulness
Who doesn’t like warm weather? I long for these lovely sunny days we are experiencing right now. This morning I was able to head to work with no jacket. A tie, a shirt and slacks. What a great day! Add to that the sun was shining and that’s not a given here in Western New York. Much of our year is spent under overcast skies. I was relaxed thanks to a morning routine that includes yoga and meditation. It’s been 14 months since my first yoga class. Who would think that some asanas and mindful breathing could provide the relaxation they do. My thoughts too went to those souls in Oklahoma whose lives have been seriously changed and impacted by the recent horrific weather. Pray for Oklahoma!
Going with the flow
Yoga was such a relief today. I’m not sure why but lately Yoga has been getting better for me. I mean that I’m getting more out of it. Maybe I’ve given up trying to do it right and just going with the flow. Today started off very good too! Up early and rested and a bowl of oatmeal with honey and rice milk. I’m blogging too and I’ve been reading “Franciscan Prayer” by Ilia Delio, OSF. This is the third book I’ve read in the past couple months by the same author. I recommend her to anyone interested in prayer and the Franciscan intellectual tradition.
Namaste Fr. Bob
Today was bitter sweet for me at Mt. Irenaeus. It is the Feast of Pentecost and I got to read the first reading for the Mass. It’s always an honor to be asked to do that and since the celebrant, Fr. Bob Strusynski, OFM was celebrating his last Mass at the Mountain it was deeply significant. I’ve grown to love Fr. Bob in the past almost dozen years since we first met at Mt. Irenaeus. He’s quiet, thoughtful and scholarly. He’s has a Ph.D. in theology and his homilies always reflect that scholarship. Soon he will be retiring to Butler, New Jersey. I’ll miss him very much. Today’s homily was typically about love. That’s often the topic of Fr. Bob’s talks. In the last couple of days I’ve finally come to understand at least intellectually what Franciscans mean when they speak of poverty. Poverty is ultimately about love and relationship. Forgiveness is in there too as God is always doing everything to bridge that gap that separates us from his love. Fr. Bob ended his homily with one of my favorite quotes from PierreTeillhard de Chardin,
“Someday, after mastering the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity, we shall harness for God the energies of love, and then, for a second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire.”
― Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
Thank you Fr. Bob for helping me to know more about love and specifically God’s love for me. Peace!
Corpus Christi thoughts and more
Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray.– Rumi
I got to Mt. Irenaeus on time today but the liturgy had already started in the Friars garden as Fr. Dan Riley, OFM was leading those present and the other friars in prayers, blessings and incense. Dan reminded us that we are conjoined and consecrated by all creation and that it all is the Body of Christ. That simple yet powerful reminder is why I make the trek of 30 miles each week for Eucharist. Liturgies at the Mountain are more than typical “McChristianity” that is the norm in much of the world. At Mt. Irenaeus each of us is blessed and reminded of that blessedness each week. Dan’s homily invited us to think of ourselves as co-creators of the Body of Christ. We are invited to a feast at which we are both sacred creator and consumer. There is no one in this creation who is greater or less than another. This intentional hospitality is what draws those who journey each week to Holy Peace Chapel. I am drawn by that not so strange pull that animates my life. What and where it is leading now I don’t know but I have every intention of following.