ADVENT - A Time to Say YES

At dinnertime one evening just after Thanksgiving a few of us commented on how quickly the month of October was slipping away and I casually remarked that ADVENT would soon be on our doorstep and how much I loved the Season!  To my amazement, everyone chimed in “I love it too”!  Little did I know that I would receive a phone call the next day from one of our Sisters asking me to write a little reflection on “ WHAT ADVENT MEANS IN MY LIFE”.  Nothing happens by chance…our God is always at work!

ADVENT…a time to say “YES” to my life.  Maranatha, come Lord Jesus, come! Both of these prayers or mantras are implicit in Mary’s Magnificat.  I’m sure that after Gabriel’s visit, Mary was awed and humbled in remembering what God had done for her. Her response, immortalized in the Magnificat, also sings and resonates in my heart.  My soul celebrates Yahweh my God, and I rejoice constantly in LOVE, for all the great blessings my God has given me, one of no renown and nothing to offer nor attract the world, yet greater ones have not received as much. 

Image: Kenny Eliason/Unsplash

As I pondered these words, I was drawn last Advent to participate in a four week circle of friends united in contemplative reflections on our own stories and memories of the faith journeys we have been living.  Modeled on the four weeks of Advent and on the four mysteries of Mary’s life, we reflected on MARY as a LISTENING  WOMAN at the ANNUNCIATION, a WAITING WOMAN at her VISITATION WITH ELIZABETH, a DISCERNING WOMAN at the WEDDING FEAST OF CANA and a PROCLAIMING WOMAN at PENTECOST.  In these four roles, I saw Mary at PRAYER at both the Annunciation and at Pentecost and in ACTIVE SERVICE at the Visitation and at Cana.  Isn’t this the full CONTEMPLATIVE LIFE…PRAYER AND SERVICE? Both are DISCIPLESHIP and faith-filled experiences of her life and ours also.  As I recalled and celebrated my own stories, I realized just how much I too, have been touched and graced by such a merciful Saviour who has prepared great things for me and “called me by name”.

Praised be my God who fulfills all!   

-Sister Maureen Meloche, csj

First Sunday of Advent

Reflection 

Image: Waldemar Brandt/Unsplash

In today's gospel St Matthew tells us, " you must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour." This calls us to be aware of Christ's presence in ourselves and those around us - that is being aware of the importance ofthe way we speak to, are present to, and treat others.

One evening in late November a few years ago an elder who was not in very good shape came to my door. I will call her Clara. It was cold and stormy, so I brought Clara into the porch and closed the door to keep her out of the cold.

She told me that she needed some chippin (money). Clara asked me for $50 and told me that she would pay me back on Friday. I told her I didn't have any money to give out. She continued to lessen the amount all the way down to a loonie and I continued to tell her that I didn't have any money to give away.

I was aware of what she wanted the money for, and also of her real need - that was food. Finally, I was able to ask Clara if she would like something to eat. With her positive response I prepared a lunch for her, and she happily went on her way.

Awareness brings presence, acceptance, and openness to others and this is what God is calling us to this week - that is being ready because, "we do not know the hour when the Son of Man is coming."

Sister Bonnie Bryson, csj

Braiding New Relationships

Food For Thought: Braiding New Relationships

-by Sister Priscilla Solomon, csj of Sault St. Marie on behalf of Federation Ecology Committee

As I child I learned to identify and pick it. As long as they were able, my parents used to pick it every June or early July.  We were taught that it is the hair of Mother Earth and that it was not to be over-picked. Sweetgrass. We were shown that each single-stem plant is rooted in the earth just as our hair is rooted on our heads. That speaks to a very different relationship to the earth than the kind of relationship that sees primarily financial or economic benefits in the land and its life. I remember seeing braids of sweetgrass, and my Mom teaching me that a single blade of sweetgrass is not as strong alone as three clusters of sweetgrass when they are braided together. I was also taught that sweetgrass is a sacred medicine of purification and blessing.

If you have read Robin Wall-Kimmerer’s book, Braiding Sweetgrass, you might remember her teachings on sweetgrass that are so like the ones I received.

I was thinking of these teachings as I reflected on the recent visit and apology of Pope Francis to Indigenous peoples on this land. Not that there is anything sweet about the horrific history that necessitated an apology but rather, that his apology was one of the strands of a braid that carry the hope of new relationships. He was responding to the Truth and Reconciliation’s Call to Action that the Pope come to apologize to Indigenous people on our own lands. The commission itself, the courage and determination of survivors, the growing awareness of the painful and damaging past as experienced by Indigenous people, and efforts by both Indigenous people and people of Settler origins to develop a new relationship are all part of this strand of the braid.

The second strand of the braid includes the efforts of Pope Francis to engage Catholics and all people of good will in addressing climate change and the ongoing destruction of our planet. Laudato Si’, The Synod on the Amazon, Querida Amazonia and Fratelli Tutti communicate very clearly and powerfully the need to recognize that everything is related. Destruction of one part leads to destruction of the whole; healing of one part can lead to the healing of the whole. Pope Francis listened to the people of the Amazon. He responded with a clear call to us to hear the cry of the earth itself and the cry of poor people of the earth as one cry for healing and the transformation of our relationships with them. Not dominance and extraction but rather, respect, compassion and care. Not arrogance but rather respect for Indigenous peoples’ wisdom gained over centuries, even millennia, of living in harmony with the land and the rest of creation.

“Destruction of one part leads to destruction of the whole; healing of one part can lead to the healing of the whole.”

The third strand of the braid leading us to hope and transformation is the recent preparation for the Synod on Synodality. Already, the work that is being done is engaging people at various levels of the church. Both locally and globally, structures have been created to enable people to speak their truth and offer their ideas and opinions on how we might move together into a new future.  Pope Francis vision is one of a church - a people of faith - walking together encouraging, supporting, serving and strengthening each other in faith, hope and love. This is a vision of church that prioritizes life-giving relationships with other living beings over one that focuses on management and control though structures and laws. Like the apology and the concern for new relationships with others in our common home, this strand of the braid seeks a new quality of community and solidarity with others.

When we braid these three strands together we can create a stronger, more unified effort to transform our own lives, the lives of others and the whole of creation. Even more, we can strengthen and grow our relationships with our Creator, with the Living Word and with and the Spirit who lives and works in each of these strands of life. Let us walk together in hope and trust!

-Sister Priscilla Solomon, csj of Sault St. Marie on behalf of Federation Ecology Committee

Garnishes of Beauty - Edible Flowers

At Stillpoint House of Prayer, we are blessed with Karen and Jasmine, a mother and daughter team, who prepare nutritious and appealing meals for our guests.  Admiring their presentation of food, someone on retreat commented “They have a spiritual gift.”  This statement got me thinking.  When someone takes a bit of extra time to add a garnish as a creative touch, this gesture shows that person cares.  The added ‘ingredient’ brings beauty with the potential to touch a person’s soul and can stir up a natural response of gratitude to God. Edible flowers are garnishes that offer a delightful sensory experience. The thought of eating them may seem unnatural to some; however, for centuries, cultures around the world have brightened their recipes by adding flowers. When innovative cooks use flowers and artistically arrange them on a plate, they enhance our lives with a burst of colour, interest, taste, and texture.  The flowers are meant to harmonize with the foods and accurately represent what is contained within the dish, give a clue to the flavour of the meal, complement the taste of the dish, enhance food’s aromatic qualities, and fill empty space on the plate.

There are many options for edible flowers that can be used throughout most seasons.  Nasturtium, pansies, marigolds, tulips, cornflowers, verbena, geraniums, honeysuckle, johnny jump-ups, and calendula flowers are just some of the varieties available.  When the anthers are removed, gladiolus act as lovely receptacles for sweet or savory spreads or mousses.  Roses are sweet with subtle overtones, ranging from fruit to mint to spice, reminiscent of strawberries and green apples.  Although all roses are edible, the darker varieties have a more pronounced flavour.

Always check to make sure a flower is edible and, when in doubt, don’t eat it!  Azaleas, buttercups, daffodils, delphinium, and wisteria are poisonous. Never use pesticides or other chemicals on any part of any plant that produces blossoms you plan to eat.  Roadside flowers are not to be harvested because they may have been exposed to vehicle exhaust and salt runoff from the winter months.  Anyone with allergies proceed with caution.  When dining out, ask if a flower used as a garnish is edible.   

Edible flowers are always best when picked fresh from the garden at a cool time of day; morning is often best.   Be sure to wash the flowers and check to be sure that no insects are stuck inside your flowers. The petals are the best parts of many edible flowers so remove the heel at the base of the petal as well as the stamens, pistils, and calyx of larger flowers.  Some, like pansies, however, can be eaten whole.  After cutting the petals away from the bitter base of the flower, carnations can be steeped in wine, candied, or used as cake decorations.  

Every year when planning the landscape of your garden, be sure to add varieties of edible flowers.  These flowers not only add beauty to your landscape, but valuable nutrients as well.  As perfect companion plants, they will naturally enhance your gardening success.  Most edible flowers like roses and lavenders contain vitamin A, C, and E.  Antioxidants also protect the body from damage linked to disease and ageing. Now, this is “flower power”!

-Sister Kathy O’Keefe, csj on behalf of the Federation Ecology Committee

RESOURCES from Google:  The Ten Best Edible Flowers to Grow in Your Garden    Stephanie Rose      Mission on The Tabernacle:  The Spiritual Gift of Creating Beauty    Becca Hermes          10 Benefits of Edible Flowers    Teleflora

IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS:

  • BEFORE CONSUMING ANY PLANT OR FLOWER, CHECK WITH A MEDICAL OR PLANT PROFESSIONAL.

  • NOT EVERY FLOWER/PLANT IS EDIBLE – In fact, sampling some flowers can make you very, very sick.

  • You also should NEVER use pesticides or other chemicals on any part of any plant that produces blossoms you plan to eat.

  • Never harvest flowers growing by the roadside.

  • Identify the flower exactly and eat only edible flowers and edible parts of those flowers.

  • Always remember to use flowers sparingly in your recipes due to the digestive complications that can occur with a large consumption rate.  Most herb flowers have a taste that’s similar to the leaf, but spicier.  The concept of using fresh edible flowers in cooking is not new.