Reflections

Pentecost Sunday

This Sunday, June 8, Christians celebrate the feast of Pentecost when the apostles gathered in the upper room, “They were all filled with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:4

What does it mean for us to be “filled with the Holy Spirit” in this modern time?

This is an unprecedented time of chaos in our world: uncontrollable wildfires, political unrest throughout the world, the threat of Democracy being replaced by autocratic leaders who seek only the power that grants them wealth at the expense of others; the crisis on the Gaza strip; the war in Ukraine; the unrest worldwide due to the Tariff war initiated by the administration of the US; the very threat to our own Canadian Sovereignty. There is indeed a wind blowing that seems to fuel only disaster. It would seem that the “spirit of the Lord” is needed even more than ever.

“Why are you downcast, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God. For I shall again praise him. He is my help and my God. ”
— Psalm 42:5, 11; 43:5

For Christians today, what is the upper room in which we find solace and where that new spirit of HOPE and LOVE can flourish? There is solace in each other working together for a better world.

I sincerely believe that in these times, there is also another kind of wind that is blowing that can and will change the face of the earth. There are so many new expressions of love, of hope being made available to people. One example, The Portal of Hope program initiated by Krista Tippett.

Ilia Delio in this 4-minute clip, brings real hope and love to our world.  As she indicates, we need to plan for the future, live for the future and live with dreams and imagination...live into those dreams and imagination. She adds that “the only way to predict the future is to create it.” We can do this by focussing on one core value and that is the value of LOVE that holds us together no matter who God is or isn’t to us. We need to live as one big family together.

There are other signs of hope in today’s world that include acts of kindness, collaboration, and progress in addressing global challenges. Individuals and communities demonstrating compassion and resilience, as well as nations working together, indicate a commitment to a better future. Additionally, efforts to address the climate crisis and promote sustainability, such as green recovery packages and corporate initiatives, also offer hope for a more resilient future. 

Where I live, in London, Ontario, Canada, amongst a community of Sisters, I see DAILY, many small acts of kindness: one Sister or staff member pushing another who is wheelchair bound, many examples of patient listening to each other, as conversations emerge,  enjoying a joke together, praying together in or outside of the Chapel; using technology to bond us, connecting by countless Zoom calls, enjoying card games together. For this, we are grateful.

So when it seems that the spirit of evil is overtaking the world, let us also be mindful of another Spirit that is operative: the spirit of Love and in that alone can we place our hope.

In conclusion: what it means for us to be filled with the Holy Spirit is to know that love and to spread it over all the earth by beginning right where we are.

Prayer to the Holy Spirit by Diarmuid O’Murchu:
Come Holy Spirit, breathe down upon our troubled world.
Shake the tired foundations of our crumbling institutions.
Break the rules that keep you out of all our sacred spaces,
and from the dust and rubble, gather up the seedlings of a new creation.

Come Holy Spirit, enflame once more the dying embers of our weariness.
Shake us out of our complacency. Whisper our names once more,
and scatter your gifts of grace with wild abandon.
Break open the prisons of our inner being,
and let your raging justice be our sign of liberty.

Come Holy Spirit and lead us to places we would rather not go.
Expand the horizons of our limited imaginations.
Awaken in our souls dangerous dreams for new tomorrow,
and rekindle in our hearts the fire of prophetic enthusiasm.

Come Holy Spirit, whose justice outwits international conspiracy,
whose light outshines religious bigotry,
whose peace can halt our patriarchal hunger for dominance and control,
whose promise invigorates our every effort:
to create a new heaven and a new earth, now and forever. Amen.

-Sister Kathleen Lichti, csj 

Feed My Strength: A New Way to See Ourselves

The other day the Greek yogurt Oikos tagline, “Feed My Strength” caught my attention. At first, the phrase struck me as counter to the usual human modus operandi. Most often, inner dialogue tends to center more around shortcomings, vulnerabilities, and areas for enrichment. This tagline advocates for a completely different approach. Instead of being overly conscious of my weaker suits, why not put greater attention on my strong suit?

It made me pause and wonder:

What if my personal strengths also deserve my attention?

What might happen if I shifted even slightly how I saw myself?

What if my strong, capable, and consistent parts need just as much attention and nourishment as the parts I'm trying to strengthen?

The more I reflected, the more sense it made. Recognizing my strengths is not about being boastful. It's about finding equilibrium, recognizing  and embracing my whole self, not focusing only on what needs improvement.

“Strength doesn’t come from what you can do. It comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn’t. ”
— Rikki Rogers

I then recalled a personal experience. Years ago, I took part in a summer leadership training program. In a particular class, the presenter wrote down and discussed all the internal skills that come into play before a single word is uttered. Skills like determining a purpose, forming ideas, understanding one’s audience, choosing one’s words, and constructing the message.

Formally, I often found myself shying away from speaking in public and feeling quite incapable of doing so. That day, to my surprise ranking myself on those inner speaking abilities, my score was quite respectable. I realized that I had never really valued those abilities before. Suddenly, I discovered I had been overlooking my strengths. I acknowledged that I had a good start in delivering an oral message. That shift in perspective made a significant difference. I became more confident. Not because I was suddenly “better,” but because I was finally recognizing and nurturing what was already strong within me.

““The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.””
— Carl Jung

Of course, I am still mindful of areas for improvement. However, I am becoming  more fully aware that my strengths and weaknesses are partners. All my personal traits deserve my attention. Thank you, Oikos, for the reminder that our strengths are worth feeding too.

Here’s  a question worth asking: What strength in you is quietly waiting to be fed?

-Sister Nancy Wales, CSJ

IMAGE: Vicky Sim/ @speckfechta | Unsplash

Acknowledging Victoria Day

This full-length state portrait of Queen Victoria, executed in 1842 by British artist John Partridge, hangs in the foyer of the Senate Chamber in Parliament Hill’s Centre Block. It was rescued from four fires, including the 1916 inferno that destroyed the original Centre Block.

Victoria Day, the last Monday before May 25, is synonymous with the start of summer.

Because of my maternal roots in having a staunch British grandfather, whose loyalty to the crown was impeccable, I felt drawn to write about Queen Victoria through another lens, probably unknown to my dear grandfather, who may well “turn over in his grave” at what follows.

The lens I propose is through the Indigenous peoples of this land which they occupied long before the British empire was established.

Queen Victoria reigned from 1837-1901, having ascended the throne at the young age of 18. Her reign was marked by significant industrial, political, scientific and social changes, as well as the expansion of the British empire. In the 63 years and 216 days of her reign, the Victorian Era was born.

With this expansion of the British empire, she enjoyed the support from the previously enacted Doctrine of Discovery of 1534 by Pope Alexander the VI.  Although succeeding popes renounced this doctrine, its sentiments remained strong in the minds and hearts of Europeans, for by it, this meant that European colonizers had the blessing of the Pope to claim and occupy these “empty lands” (Terra Nullius)  

As a result, Victoria’s reign was marred by the establishment of Residential Schools which were established solely to wipe out the Indigenous peoples by separating children from their parents and educating them into the “civilized” way of life, as defined by European standards.

This continues to be the case in our system of childcare:

“Recent statistics paint a troubling picture of the challenges facing Indigenous children in Canada. According to 2021 data from Statistics Canada, despite making up only 8% of the child population in Canada, a staggering 53.8% of children in foster care are Indigenous. There are more than 28,000 Indigenous children in government care today, which is 2.5 times the number that were in residential schools at their peak in the 1930s.”

Queen Victoria is also known as the “Mother of Confederation”:

As the reigning monarch, she granted Royal Assent to the British North America Act, which established the Dominion of Canada in 1867. She also appointed Canada's first senators and proclaimed the act's commencement. Victoria was a strong supporter of Confederation, believing it would benefit the provinces and strengthen relations with the United States. 

A stained-glass window above the Senate entrance to Centre Block depicts Queen Victoria on the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee in 1897, beside her great-great-granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth II, who marked her own Diamond Jubilee 115 years later in 2012. Below Victoria appears the original Centre Block and its iconic Victoria Tower, 19 years before they were gutted in the 1916 fire.

Here's a more detailed look at her role:

  • Granting Royal Assent:

    • Queen Victoria's signature on the British North America Act, now known as the Constitution Act, officially brought Canada into being as a unified nation. 

  • Appointment of Senators:

    • She appointed Canada's first 72 senators, establishing the upper house of parliament. 

  • Proclamation of the Act:

    • Victoria proclaimed that the British North America Act would come into effect on July 1, 1867, effectively marking the beginning of Canadian Confederation. 

  • Support for Confederation:

    • She actively encouraged the idea of Confederation, believing it would strengthen the colonies and reduce defense costs. 

  • Symbol of Unity:

    • Queen Victoria became a symbol of national unity and identity for Canadians, as the country was emerging as a self-governing dominion within the British Empire. 

  • Victoria Day:

    • To honor her role as the "Mother of Confederation," Victoria Day, a federal statutory holiday, was established in Canada and is celebrated on the Monday between May 18 and 24. 

We begin summer usually by celebrating the birthday of Queen Victoria as her legacy continues to influence how we govern ourselves as Canadians.

With the current threat to our sovereignty from our southern neighbour, it is with a sense of gratitude to Queen Victoria for “pulling us together” as a sovereign nation.

BUT it is also incumbent on us to right the wrongs from her reign in how we continue to be in a flawed relationship with the Indigenous peoples of this land. Thanks to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of 2015 in demanding attention to the 94 recommendations, we do have a positive way forward.  Are we ready to take this path?

So, Queen Victoria, we remember you on this holiday weekend, with mixed emotions, that invite us as Canadians to “right the wrongs” as we move forward in our relationship with the First peoples of this land.

And “Gramps” forgive me if I have offended you, but the TRUTH will set us free!  I am just sorry that you were deprived of this in your latter years. ☹

 -Sister Kathleen Lichti, csj

Moving Together

Good Shepherd Sunday and the World Day of Prayer for Vocations

Together, this week we have celebrated the election of a new Pope, Leo XIV and we have continued to give thanks for the life of Pope Francis, his predecessor. Both have something to say to us regarding Sunday’s celebration of the World Day of Prayer for Vocations held on Good Shepherd Sunday.

Written just before his death, Pope Francis wrote his Message for the 62nd World Day of Prayer for Vocations in which he reiterates that each and every one of us is called in a particular way through the God who is Love to live lives of love. He wrote: “A vocation is a precious gift that God sows in our heart, a call to leave ourselves behind and embark on a journey of love and service. Every vocation within the Church, whether lay, ordained or consecrated, is a sign of hope that God has given for this world”

““move forward, without fear, together, hand in hand with God and with one another! We are followers of Christ. Christ goes before us.””
— Pope Leo XIV

In his first public words, Pope Leo speaks of that same universal call, from “the God who loves us all unconditionally.” He reminds us to “move forward, without fear, together, hand in hand with God and with one another! We are followers of Christ. Christ goes before us.” The Christ who goes before us is the Good Shepherd who gives his life for each one of us. It is precisely from such self-giving love that we are chosen, called and affirmed in life and in our faith and service.  

As we go forward in hope and in the integrity of our vocations we strengthen one another. Each vocation faithfully lived out becomes gift in helping us hear God’s call anew each day, we become witnesses to one another, a revelation of fidelity in the whole mosaic of God’s design – each, a part of the whole. Pope Francis left us a reminder that “a vocation is never a treasure stored away in the heart; rather it grows and is strengthened within a community that believes, loves and hopes. No one can respond to God’s call alone, for all of us need the prayers and support of our brothers and sisters.”

So, today, on the World Day of Prayer for Vocations – first instituted in the Church in 1964, we pray for one another for our fidelity to that way of life to which Love calls us.  We also remember, in a special way, to pray for an increase in vocations to religious life and priesthood. We pray that the Good Shepherd will seek out many who will respond with joy to God’s call in a world hungry for hope.

-Sister Mary Rowell, CSJ

Image: Jaka Škrlep/Anna Church/ Unsplash