April 27, 2012

Reflection on the Spirit of the Sacred Heart April 27, 2012

Gratefulness I sing in gratefulness I sing in great-fullness The stars are stars, Water is water And cannot itself be a star  I sing in great-fullness Of the blessings of God Earth and air and fire, This planet bluegreen New to the ways of human life  I sing in great-fullness That I am here To be part of it all- To know the sound of falling rain To hear the silence of snow Poem by Sandra Schadewald rscj, province of the United States     (http://www.rscjinternational.org/en/spirituality/seasons-of-prayer-publicmenu-37/119-intros/1228-marzo-mars-march-2007.html)

For Reflection...   In this season of Easter, of Resurrection, how grateful am I for the gifts of life, and of love; how blessed am I to have relationship with God, with self, with others, with earth. All of these are rooted in Divine love, Divine compassion, Divine mercy.   Let me not take for granted these gifts and blessings but rather rejoice in the gift of human relationship and of earth relationship, that is the bridge to the Divine; let me  recognize, respect and rejoice in the Christ in all.  When I bow to the Christ in another, when I honor the divinity of creation, I kneel to the Christ in myself.    And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, even these least, ye did it unto me. (Matthew 25:40)     Painting by Trinidad Alvarez, rscj http://www.rscjinternational.org/en/spirituality/creative-space-publicmenu-35/2613-spain-center-south-artwork-by-trinidad-alvarez-rscj.html

April 20, 2012

Reflection on the Spirit of the Sacred Heart April 20, 2012

God of surprises,  we come together to praise You and to open ourselves wide to your touch. Surrounded by a cloud of witnesses, women and men of history, named and unnamed, known and unknown, we drink deep of the wisdom and fidelity of the past, the faith of our foremothers and forefathers who showed us how to live what we believe. When driven to doubt, when close to despair, may we still believe in miracles and witness courageously to what might be, in Jesus the Christ. Amen.  Opening Prayer from, Pentecost: You Shall Be My Witness, by Maureen Currie, rscj Canada      (http://www.rscjinternational.org/en/spirituality/seasons-of-prayer-publicmenu-37/119-intros/457-junio-june-juin-2004.html?showall=1)

For Reflection...   To be a witness means coming to terms with 'stones' and with 'believing'. On Easter morning the women encountered a series of strange occurrences:    The stone had been rolled from the door of the tomb, but no one would believe them. The stone was a seal, and the seal was broken, and nobody would believe them. The hearts of the leadership had turned to stone. No wonder they couldn't believe them. The hearts of the women were heavy as stone, because nobody would believe them.    'Stones' are the tests of believers. Do we believe the living God can roll aside any stone so that we might experience Resurrection?   (http://www.rscjinternational.org/en/spirituality/seasons-of-prayer-publicmenu-37/119-intros/457-junio-june-juin-2004.html?showall=1)                      Photograph by Margaret Phelan rscj      http://www.rscjinternational.org/en/spirituality/creative-space-publicmenu-35/2377-united-states--photography-by-margaret-phelan-rscj.html

April 13, 2012

Reflection on the Spirit of the Sacred Heart April 13, 2012

Concluding Prayer: (Taken from Isa Upanishad) The face of truth remains hidden behind a circle of gold. Unveil it, O god of light, that I who love the true may see! O life giving sun, offspring of the Lord of creation, solitary seer of heaven! Spread the light and withdraw thy blinding splendour that I may behold thy radiant form:   that Spirit far away with thee is my own inmost Spirit... By the path of good lead us to final bliss, O fire divine Thou God who knows all ways. Deliver us from wandering evil. Prayers and adoration we offer unto thee. From Hope in the Risen Lord, Easter reflections compiled by Mary Varghese rscj and Millicent Francis rscj, Province of India     (http://www.rscjinternational.org/en/spirituality/reflections/99-0405/343-hope-in-the-risen-lord.html)

For Reflection...   "On the first day of the week, at early dawn, [the women] went to the tomb..." (Luke 24, 1) Christ is alive. I ask the grace of entering into the joy of the Risen Christ. I reflect and ask myself what resurrection is in my own life...I speak to the Lord about what I understand.   ( http://www.rscjinternational.org/en/spirituality/pray-with-sophie/celebrate-with-sophie/2806-easter-sunday-year-c.html)                    Photograph by Margaret Wilson rscj     http://www.rscjinternational.org/en/spirituality/creative-space-publicmenu-35/2608-england-wales-photography-by-margaret-wilson-rscj.html

April 6, 2012

Reflection on the Spirit of the Sacred Heart April 6, 2012

You are the heartbreak  of unshatterable springtide, holding promised greening in your Heart,  breaking through our brokenness, pouring out the wine of April newness. You smile at the earth  that humanly you leave. . . soon, so soon and promise once again, "I go to prepare a place for you that where I am you also will be." Your tears have washed you clean and I lift you to my Father, a clean oblation. Excerpt from a poem, Holy Thursday, by Carmen Smith rscj 1981  Province of the United States     (http://www.rscjinternational.org/en/spirituality/creative-space-publicmenu-35/1274-united-states-and-england-wales--various-poems.html)

For Reflection...   Let us reflect on this great mystery so that humility may replace self-love, that it may become our heart's passion. Peace of soul is the lot of a truly humble heart.   The one who possesses this virtue has the greatest happiness, that of being united to God and of receiving an abundance of God's grace. (St. Madeleine Sophie Barat, Conference, 1846)   ( http://www.rscjinternational.org/en/spirituality/pray-with-sophie/celebrate-with-sophie/2802-holy-thursday.html)                    Artwork by  Annett Hanrahan rscj Province of Australia-New Zealand     http://www.rscjinternational.org/general/whoweare/creativespace/resources/0405art/0405_eccehomo.jpg