Tag: Mt. Irenaeus

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We are not saints

The following quote comes from a Quaker house of worship and it is prominently displayed in the library under the chapel at Mt. Irenaeus. I first saw it on a Sunday in the spring of 2000 and it still is powerful for me. That Sunday I was wondering what God may be and I’m still wondering. I hope the wonder never ends.

If you are wondering what God may be, looking for a purpose in life, craving company, or seeking solitude come to our Meeting for Worship! We shall not ask you to speak or sing. We shall not ask you what you believe. We simply offer you our friendship, and a chance to sit quietly and think, and perhaps somebody will speak, and perhaps somebody will read, and perhaps you will find here That which you are seeking… We are not saints, We are not cranks, We are not different… Except that we believe that God’s light is in everyone waiting to be discovered.

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The Little Flower

I came to Mass today feeling a bit under the weather but glad to get out if town for awhile. It has been two weeks since my last visit to the Mountain. I am really glad I came. At brunch I met several people who touched my life and gave me direction. I’m sitting now in La Posada reflecting and listening to the silence that surrounds me. It is here that I come often to listen and along the trail is the statue of St. Theresa. I have stopped often to pray for her intercession.

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The lilies of the field

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Driving toward Mt. Irenaeus this morning I stopped along Hydetown Road and these buttercups invited a photograph and a moment to recall Matthew’s Gospel. Not even Solomon was arrayed as one of these.

“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
“Therefore do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?’ or “What shall we drink?’ or “What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. — Matthew 6: 28-34

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To garden is to walk with God

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“To cultivate a garden is to walk with God”

This quote hangs at the entrance of the friars garden at Mt. Irenaeus. My wife is one of the angelic gardeners in my life. Today she begins the transformation of our front yard to her own prayerful garden.

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Happy Birthday Fr. Dan

This is about a day late, because it was at Mass this morning that I learned that this is the birthday of a beloved Friar and the protector of Mt. Irenaeus, which has become my second home in the past eleven years. Sixty-eight years ago William Francis Riley was born and raised in Rochester, New York. He often speaks of his public school legacy but eventually he would find his way to St. Bonaventure University and graduate from there and later become Fr. Daniel P. Riley, OFM.  If he hadn’t disclosed his age at Mass today most folks would think they were talking to a man twenty or thirty years younger. He has a vitality that is unmatched and a personality that attracts others easily. I first met him nearly eleven years ago when I began attending Mass at Mt. Irenaeus. I had been away from the active practice of my Catholic faith for nearly thirty years at that point. One Sunday morning in February 2000 I called the Mountain and learned how to get there. My wife and I made that first trip and it’s one that I’ve been making nearly every Sunday since. Dan has been so much a part of that journey. It was his vision to build this off campus retreat center in the hills of Allegany County in Western New York. Mt. Irenaeus is almost thirty miles from the campus of St. Bonaventure University.

From my first visit to the Mountain I felt welcomed and ultimately attracted but it was something Dan said early in my journey’s there that made me realize that I had finally come home. Mt. Irenaeus is home to many people like me who are looking for a place apart a place where solitude and the Gospel are celebrated. Mountain spirituality welcome all who come there and all are transformed by the hospitality that knows no bound. Everyone regardless of spiritual tradition is welcomed and they all know it soon after arriving.  This video embedded here was made a couple of years ago and it pays tribute to this wonderful man who is a brother and father to us all.  Happy Birthday Fr. Dan! We love you.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbCVbCn2Z4c]

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Rabbi’s Gift Story

This is a beautiful story of community building. It’s one we need more of. I spotted in on the bench next to me while at Eucharist this morning at Mt. Irenaeus This is just the kind of story that needs to be celebrated because regardless of your tradition or no matter what you believe it is important to love and respect each other. Great power in those two actions.

“I have no advice to give. The only thing I can tell you is that the Messiah is one of you.”

Rabbi’s Gift Story -Different Drum Version

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

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Midnight Mass

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This is the way the chapel looked at Holy Peace following this year’s midnight mass. We began the experience in darkness and were escorted from our car by Brother Kevin. A local power failure had blanketed the area in darkness and just like the shepherds 2000 years ago we were greeted by an angel with a torch as the Brits call them. Our escort guided us to the chapel where we joined dozens of others in a candlelight vigil. A few minutes prior to the start of Mass the power was restored and we celebrated the Nativity of Our Lord. It was very Franciscan, lovely and mystical too.

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Mountain Madonna

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After midnight Mass we joined the friars for juice, coffee and freshly made Christmas cookies. I love this picture of Mary and Jesus and I often imagine her holding me or any of us. Protecting us from harm. “Come down we beseech you O Lord and protect us. Let your holy angels guard us and keep us in peace.”  Merry Christmas everyone. 

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Being fed

This has been one heckuva’ year. In the last year I’ve been through the entire gamut of emotion. From dejection, and despair to times of great elation and satisfaction, but central to this is the sense that all of this has been from a power beyond my reckoning and even in spite of me. I’ve been so busy I haven’t had much time to write any of my thoughts as I had been in the habit of here on this blog. Tonight I’m taking the time to record them and also to attach a picture of a sumptuous feast from today’s brunch following Mass at Mt. Irenaeus. The beauty of the food and its bounty really caught my eye today and I had to share them.

Following brunch I spent sometime walking up the Mountain Road all the way to one of my favorite haunts, La Posada. I spent sometime just sitting quietly in the middle of the woods in my favorite hermitage.  This year has been hectic but fun and the weeks ahead seem to be more of the same.  I’m still reminded of Thomas Merton’s prayer about the road ahead.

MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone. — Thomas Merton

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My soul proclaims

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord. That short sentence is the beginning of the Magnificat and it’s what I was listening to this morning as I drove along the country roads leading from my home in Franklinville, New York to the Franciscan Moutain Retreat in West Clarksville. I’ve written often of Mt. Irenaeus and its my home on Sunday morning. I enjoyed the ride and on the way I prayed the Franciscan Crown Rosary and listened later to John Michael Talbot sing the Magnificat.

I was feeling very grateful this morning as I reflected on the goodness of God and his expression in my life. When I came to live in the Southern Tier a bit over thirty years ago, I was a bit down on my luck and for many years I struggled to move elsewhere. There was a restlessness that brought me some emotional discomfort from time to time. In the past ten years and especially since I’ve been a Franciscan coming to weekly to the Mountain as it’s called,  that drive has been eliminated. Today I was reflecting on the goodness of my creator and the beauty of my surroundings. Even though it was raining this morning I felt the presence of the Lord and thought of his many blessings.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
My spirit rejoices in God my savior.
For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness;
behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed.
The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him.
He has shown might with his arm,
dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart.
He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones
but lifted up the lowly.
The hungry he has filled with good things;
the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped Israel his servant, remembering his mercy,
According to his promise to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.