Like A Swarm of Bees

Sister Lucinda Savage, CSJ  tells us a lenten story from our pioneer days,

Blocked by the ice in the Mississippi river, Lent 1839, Bishop Matthias Loras of Dubuque and the soon to be Bishop of St. Paul, Mgsr. Joseph Cretin was obliged to stay in St. Louis with Bishop Rosati and thus Bishop Loras gave a three-week mission there. Due to the cramped space in Bishop Rosati's house, however, it was decided that both were to dine every day at the  Sisters' convent in Carondelet!

Sister Philomene was distressed that their meager resources would hardly be "worthy of a Monseigneur” but she soon found out that the monseigneur was a missionary bishop, accustomed as such not only to partaking of homely fare but to preparing it on occasion for himself.  

Her cookbook was richer when he left for many simple recipes which he dictated, among them "bouillon without meat"!

         Sister Lucinda Savage, The Congregation of Saint Joseph at Carondelet

        [St. Louis, Missouri: Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, 1923, 54)

A Palm Sunday Unlike Any Other

To imagine is to form a mental image or concept of something.  All my life, for example, I have never had a ‘mental image’ of churches being closed, all public Masses being cancelled, people being asked to stay at home or self-isolate for weeks on end with no sign of this ‘new normal’ returning to what each of us considers to be our normal, familiar everyday life. I can’t even begin to imagine what our, what my, new normal will look like once this pandemic is behind us.  But this I know.  It will never be what it was.

Some of you may remember my previous Palm Sunday blog, “A Donkey’s Tale”.  This year I would like to focus on quite a different tale, our tale amidst this covid-19 crisis. With Churches closed and no public Palm Sunday celebrations nor the distribution of palms, it strikes me that it might be good to focus on the alternate title of Palm Sunday, Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord. 

It is customary, to read the Passion at Palm Sunday liturgies.  During the reading done by several selected readers, the congregation usually represents the crowd, those who at the crucifixion clamoured for Jesus to be crucified.  Hence, at intervals during the reading of the Passion, the congregation responds with the verse, “Crucify him!”  I have at times heard some folks respond quite vociferously. I don’t know about you, but I have only ever whispered that response. I just cannot get myself to shout it out loud.  To me, it just seems obscene to holler, “Crucify him.” 

Over the years, though, I have examined my conscience and asked myself, when and how have I ‘crucified’ others?  I recognize that it is those closest and dearest to me, whom I, at times carelessly, at times unintentionally, ‘crucify’ with hurtful words or unnecessary, thoughtless comments.  While living in proximity with my fellow Sisters during this time of lockdown, I have had to pull in the reins on myself, keeping myself in check and thinking twice (or even three times) before speaking or acting. 

Times of crisis, such as the current lockdowns, tend to bring out either the best or the worst in all of us.  There are numerous stories about generous people who reach out to the house-bound, the isolated, the lonely during this terrifying, draining, disorienting moment in time.  Then there are those panic buyers who stockpile toilet paper and hand sanitizer, most probably not in order to share them with those who cannot find any of these items in the stores.  So, on this Palm Sunday, let us not harshly judge the crowd that merely five days before the crucifixion had chanted for Jesus to be their king, and now clamour for his arrest, trial and sentencing, wishing to see him nailed to a cross. If we are honest with ourselves, we will surely recognize that we are not always that different from them.

We live in dark, frightening times, where we might bemoan the fact that even Churches are closed.  Let us remember, the buildings may well be closed, but the Church is not closed.  The Church has been deployed.  We are ‘out there’ even when we are ‘staying at home’ in order to keep ourselves and others safe.  Of course, frontline workers do not have that privilege, and they need us to hold them in prayer.

I would like to close with Fr. Bernie Carroll, SJ’s mantra, so fitting for this time of isolation during this pandemic,

“I am here, YOU are here; YOU are THERE, I am THERE.”  [We do not have to imagine this, we know] we are in complete union with God and with everyone and everything else on this planet; and God is in union with [us] and with everything in the universe. (igNation.ca; 27 March 2020)

May each one of us be conscious that we live and move and have our being in God who journeys with us through this difficult time of suffering.

“Imagine all the people, living life in peace … imagine all the people, sharing all the world.” (John Lennon)

- Sr. Magdalena Vogt, CPS

Fifth Sunday of Lent

In anticipation of Holy Week the readings for the Fifth Sunday of Lent speak to us of the promise of new life, affirm the gift of the Spirit and the assurance from Jesus that, those who believe in him will have the gift of new life in him.

The readings for this Sunday, from Year A, are the readings used for those who are preparing for baptism, confirmation and reception of the Eucharist at the Easter Vigil.  They are central to the teaching of Jesus and speak to us of this life and the life to come as a result of Jesus’ Resurrection.

In the gospel reading, John weaves, the story of Lazarus, a lengthy story of love, friendship, faithfulness, sorrow and sadness, trust and belief in Jesus.  Jesus knows that his “hour” is coming as the religious establishment  grows more and more intent on stopping his growing  influence and popularity among the people.  It is at this point that John focuses on Jesus and his relationship with his Father, Lazarus, Martha and Mary, his disciples and friends.  Why?  Jesus gives us the answer near the end of the story:   “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”  Jesus is prompted by the spirit to show forth the glory and power of his Father.  This is the same power and glory that will be manifest in Jesus’ Resurrection.  Through his deep relationship with his Father, Jesus, in his very being, shows us the importance of love and relationships in our humanity.  Weaving many threads, John reveals the depths of Jesus’ humanity.  Jesus, in a mix of emotions, shows his great love for Lazarus and for Martha and Mary, and is touched by their great pain at having lost their brother.  He weeps with them and their friends.  Yet, Jesus calls forth faith and belief from them, so that the glory of the Father can work through him.  Jesus, knowing that the Father’s spirit is with him calls, “Lazarus, come out.”  And wonder of wonders, Lazarus, already dead for four days, comes out.  Jesus simply says to those gathered, “Unbind him, and let him go.”  And John relates that many of the Jews, who “had seen what Jesus did, believed in him.”  This belief in Jesus precipitates the events that flow as Holy week unfolds.  Today, we who believe in Jesus, are reminded, as we walk yet another Holy week with Jesus, that relationships are so important and that we are called by our baptism to unbind and let one another go free to live the precious gift of life to the full and to support one another, as we journey in hope, to the fullness of new life made possible by Jesus’ Resurrection.

- Sister Lynn Rouleau, csj

A Lenten Reflection

Christ Among Us

“If you cannot find Christ in the beggar at the church door, you will not find Him in the chalice.”

Recently, while reflecting on the corporal work of mercy, to feed the hungry, this profound quote by St. John Chrysostom really touched me. Yes, it is true in our lives that we sometimes walk by the poor as they stand on our street corners, or church steps or at the traffic lights, holding signs made of cardboard, begging for money or food handout. Often, we feel their presence is an intrusion into our space and we would prefer if they would get lost, move on, not bother us by pricking our conscience. One can easily protest, “Surely, they can get help from social agencies, soup kitchens, church programs, from others” …. not from me. The key concept in the above quote is “finding Christ.” Where do I find Christ? In the hungry? In the Eucharist?

Tied into this quote is today’s Gospel story of Jesus’ hunger in the desert, “He fasted 40 days and nights and afterwards was hungry (famished)” Matt. 4:1 ff. Truly an understatement!  Food, a basic physical need, became an opportunity for Jesus’ first temptation namely, to turn stones into bread; to be a miracle worker who impresses others by feats of power. Despite his human need, Jesus rejected this challenge. Indeed, food is essential for physical sustenance but more importantly, the feeding of one’s whole self with “food from the mouth of God,” which nourishes one’s spiritual encounter with God, is paramount. In fact, we hunger for this WORD, this word of love, compassion, saving, forgiveness.

Over the last 5 years, I have been involved in two “feeding” programs, one for migrant workers in California and the other during the winter months for the homeless and marginalized poor in Toronto. Having seen personally the truly hungry, the deprivation and also the understandable, but also shocking, is the grabbing, the craving for food and resulting hoarding, my comprehension of hunger has increased. The needs seem never-ending and almost insurmountable.

As Pope Francis continuously points out, Jesus wants us to touch human misery, to touch the suffering flesh of others; to enter the reality of other peoples’ lives and know the power of tenderness. We cannot preach the gospel message to the famished. First, we need to meet their physical need and then they will be open to the message of God’s love. So, what can I, what can you do?  For one, we cannot continue to stand by when food is thrown away while people are starving. We could make it a good Lenten practice to not waste any food.  During Lent, could we occasionally and joyfully, do without, modeling Christ who emptied himself for us? Could we allow all who suffer to encounter us and count on us to give them our time in their need?

It is easy to dismiss taking on this corporal work of mercy because it is inconvenient and makes us uncomfortable, but this is what encountering the suffering Christ in the poor is all about. As Precious Blood Sisters this is what we are called to do.  Will you join me in feeding the hungry during this Lent?

- Sr. Gabriel Mary Riddle, CPS