Holy Thursday is one of my favorite days and nights in the church year. It always has been. It’s kind of celebration at the end of Lent. In the last eight years it’s become tradition for me to be at Mt. Irenaeus for supper with friends and then the Liturgy of the Lord’s Supper in the chapel. Because of my schedule this week I didn’t think I was going to make it but it all worked out. I had to drive 150 miles round trip to meet with representatives of Dell Computer and then climb into my own car to drive the thirty or so miles to the Mountain. Continue reading “Presence”
Prelude
This morning I drove toward Mt. Irenaeus in with a hint of snow in the air and a pall of overcast. It didn’t look like an idyllic Palm Sunday. Our liturgy began in the library under Holy Peace Chapel. Fr. Dan Riley, OFM blessed the palms and invited us to process outside, along the path and up the steps to the chapel. As we walked we sang, “oh Sacred Head surrounded by crown of piercing thorns, oh bleeding head so wounded, reviled and put to scorn…” It’s a song I remember well from my youth. The words of the song are ascribed to Bernard of Clairvaux. That information was new to me but the symbolism was not lost as I am a frequent visitor to Trappist Abbeys. Continue reading “Prelude”
Angels in our midst
I was on Route 1 nearing the turn for Mt. Irenaeus when suddenly I spotted three deer entering the roadway about a tenth mile ahead. One looked normal and the other two looked different. From a distance they almost looked like fawns, but then as I got closer I realized that two of the deer were albino. I have never seen anything like that, but here on Sunday morning as I neared Mt. Irenaeus I saw three deer. Continue reading “Angels in our midst”
Jesus Wine of Peace
Today was very cold. I think it was about 7 degrees fahrenheit this morning as I ventured up to Mt. Irenaeus for Mass. The roads up to the mountain were snow covered but passable. My journey was very peaceful. There is something very contemplative in winter. A stillness that occurs when the earth and most everything on it is frozen. The chapel was full this morning. Mostly St. Bonaventure University students. They were Students for the Mountain, which is a ministry group organized by the Franciscan Friars who live at Mt. Irenaeus and minister on campus at St. Bonaventure. There were some familiar faces among the students there. Chris a senior at Bona and Monica a sophomore are old friends. There were new faces there too. Names I don’t recall. Fr. Dan Riley’s homily invited lots of comments. The mood today was both animated and prayerful. The communion hymn today was “Jesus Wine of Peace,” by David Haas. I love it’s lyrics and the melody. Jesus is truly the wine of peace and today these lyrics moved me deeply.
Jesus wine of Peace, wine of love, may we drink of you, may we taste your presence, your promise, our future. Drink well and live.
Who are our partners?
Today is the Feast of the Epiphany and also my brother’s 54th birthday. I called him on my drive over to Mt. Irenaeus for this morning Mass to wish him a Happy Birthday. I had sent him a couple of cards but I decided this morning that I would risk waking him on my way to Mass. Light fog and rain seem to ad to the mystical quality of holy places. Continue reading “Who are our partners?”
Humanity to others
I’m a Ubuntu Linux user and a Ubuntu affiliate. I’m always looking for ways to use open source software and I’ve often thought that the open source philosophy is very biblical. There is a real tie to relationship with others in the open source community. Today in my reading I came across a wonderful story about how a poor man in San Francisco was helped at St. Anthony’s, a Franciscan mission to the poor and homeless much like St. Francis Inn where I volunteered last summer. St. Anthony’s networks with some other Bay Area ministries and tries to help the less fortunate gain the skills they need to obtain a higher paying job. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awrK28aV-Rc]
In the beginning was the word
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Christmas is a celebration of the word made flesh that has come to dwell among us. The incarnation blesses the world because God loves the world and always has. Jesus was not created for the world. The world was created for Jesus. Continue reading “In the beginning was the word”
Christmas blessing
This comes from another site and its one of my favorite blessings. I hope it gives you a sense of what I believe is truly important at Christmas.
A Franciscan Christmas Blessing for Justice and Peace
May God bless you with discomfort…
at easy answers, hard hearts,
half-truths ,and superficial relationships.
May God bless you so that you may live
from deep within your heart
where God’s Spirit dwells.May God bless you with anger…
at injustice, oppression,
and exploitation of people.
May God bless you so that you may
work for justice, freedom, and peace.May God bless you with tears…
to shed for those who suffer from pain,
rejection, starvation and war.
May God bless you so that
you may reach out your hand
to comfort them and turn their pain into joy.And may God bless you with
enough foolishness
to believe that you can make a difference
in this world, in your neighborhood,
so that you will courageously try
what you don’t think you can do, but,
in Jesus Christ you’ll have all the strength necessary. Continue reading “Christmas blessing”
Biblical socialism
Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.- Acts 4:32-35 Continue reading “Biblical socialism”
Gratitude
Tonight our Secular Franciscan Fraternity hosted a dinner for the friars at Mt. Irenaeus. The core community at Mt. Irenaeus are five Friars of Holy Name of Jesus Province who live and work at Mt. Irenaeus. Without their presence in our lives I doubt few of us would have become seculars. But, with their animation and encouragement we have grown from a dream to a reality and tonight was a chance to honor them with a dinner at the House of Peace at Mt. Irenaeus. Continue reading “Gratitude”