He Didn't Even Take Off His Shoes...!

My nephew was away for several days. After his return, I said to his four year old daughter, “I bet your Daddy was happy to see you when he got home.” With a big smile she said, “He sure was. When he saw me, he rushed over and scooped me up and hugged me and he didn’t even take off his shoes!”

It struck me then and has since that this is a wonderful image of God: a God who is so eager and loves us so much that God scoops us up in a loving embrace without even taking the time to take off his shoes.

-Sister Nancy Sullivan, csj

World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation

An Echinacea flower unfolds one petal at a time, a raindrop glistens translucent on a leaf, a red-tailed hawk soars overhead. Our Earth held in a counterpoint of balance. Yet how often do we humans disrespect and harm this sacred balance that our Creator fashioned to ensoul our world?

When Pope Francis launched his encyclical Laudato Si’ in 2015, he also named September 1 as the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation - that we might take time to honour, celebrate and renew our spirits together in prayer for our common home. It is a time for contemplation and reflection that ushers in the entire Season of Creation that begins September 1st and concludes October 4th on the Feast Day of St. Francis. This is a sacred time to reflect on our human journey and renew our relationships with the natural world that sustains us with life-giving oxygen, soaring skies, and the breath-taking moments of beauty. It is also a time to recommit ourselves to the sacred task of healing our Earth and humanity’s journey that are inseparably bound in one continuous act of creation.

We have seen how Covid-19 has devastated our world, and yet it has marked a moment out of time when all the human world had to pause and come together to feel once more our common threads of humanity with its diverse religious, political and cultural aspects. And our Earth began to breathe once more, as our technological and industrial world slowed its hectic, life-depriving pace. It is important that we now pause to reconnect and heal amongst ourselves and with all God’s sacred creation. We are at a moment, a crossroads for the future of life in all its possibility on our planet. With this awareness, the year’s theme for the Season of Creation has been named as “Jubilee for the Earth.” This theme invites us to reflect upon the integral relationship between the Jubilee sense of rest for the Earth and the intersection of our lived social, economic, ecological, and political lives. How might we live integral ecology in this time, in this world?

“May the whisper of butterfly wings and the joy of a child’s smile meet with the choices we make today.  ”

As we celebrate the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, it is our time and our choice for life, all life on this Earth that most counts. We each have a moment, an opportunity to re-commit, to renew, and to grow in the wonder of one whole and holy life for all beings of this planet. Whether it seems small and perhaps not to matter much -it does matter where our hearts and souls say yes to life for all. For the future of all the children of Earth today and the generations to come. Our souls were birthed in this rare and wonderful Earth by our Creator God. May the whisper of butterfly wings and the joy of a child’s smile meet with the choices we make today.  

                                                                                                   - Sister Linda Gregg, csj

What Kind of Tomorrow Do we Want?

With September just ahead of us, I hear a lot of conversation that expresses our longing to return to some kind of “normal”.  Usually, shortly after that, I hear other talk wondering what the new normal is going to look like.  And at the same time we are witnessing the struggle all of us, governments included, wondering what kind of choices are before us. 

We have all been impacted by this pandemic.  But we have never before in our lifetime had the opportunity to make real substantial change in our programs, our economics, and our social lives.  The kind of change needed affecting jobs, education, investment, health care, etc. are not minor things that just tinkering around the edges of policy can fix.  We need changes to lift everyone to a place where they can participate in their communities using the abilities, and creativity of everyone.  That means acknowledging the inequities around us.

On our social media platforms – Twitter and Facebook - we are posting ideas encouraging all of us to talk with others suggesting ideas about creating a society that allows all of us to use and enjoy the goods and services in our towns, cities, and beyond.  Talk with your MPs or MPPs, or city Councillors.  And talk with your neighbours.  The magnitude of these changes will not be easy, but we will never again have an opportunity like now to reshape the communities that can include all of us.  Often the best ideas begin with the ordinary and casual conversations with those around us.  Be curious about what others are thinking, and ask questions of why, or how.  Be curious and not certain – all change begins with curious questions.  Let’s not wait to begin these conversations!

- Joan Atkinson, CSJ

My First Zoom Wedding

They planned their wedding for August 2019 but life got in the way.  So it was rescheduled for August 2020 before COVID was a world phenomenon.  She was so excited, he wanted it to be her special day; both of them put personal preference aside to accommodate the other.  As the pandemic gained momentum and uncertainty mounted about what would be allowed, wedding plans took a hit and were scaled back, and back and back.  The big day arrived, many of the original guests were sent a zoom link rather than an escort down the aisle. Now it didn’t matter if you were a guest of the bride or groom. It also wasn’t important if you were wearing night attire or yard clothes. It actually didn’t feel like a real wedding anyway.

Much to my surprise, I found the close-up pictures of the families and chosen guests arriving in their Sunday best most exciting.  The mother-of-the-groom lit a candle for the groom in the rotunda of the church a few minutes before the mother-of-the-bride did the same.  I think originally they were meant to do this together in the sanctuary, but physical distancing put a stop to that.  The groom arrived and took his place beside the best man and anxiously started counting down the minutes wondering what could possibly be keeping the bride.  Little did he know that any self-respecting bride had to be politely late to raise the temperature of the occasion.

She arrived stunningly beautiful on the arm of her father carrying white and pink roses.  The wait was well worth it. The groom visibly relaxed and the ceremony began.   What was a pure gift to us zoomers was the close-ups of each and every detail of the wedding.  So in the end, although disappointed at not being present I have to say thank you to technology or I wouldn’t have had such a great front-row seat.

-Sister Ann Marshall, csj