May 18, 2012

Reflection on the Spirit of the Sacred Heart May 18, 2012

I have understood more clearly, that all results and fruit in souls must come from God alone. I wish above all to acquire interior spirit and union with the Sacred Heart, therefore apply myself lovingly to prayer at all times. Give all stray moments to prayer, even if it should seem to me desirable to think out something, rather pray about it instead. Janet Erskine Stuart, rscj 1868 Life and Letters of Janet Erskine Stuart, by Maud Monahan, page 157    (http://archive.org/details/lifeandlettersj00stuagoog)

For Reflection...   Our human mind is a gift from God. The mind can focus intently on our sensory inputs and become carried away in its own activity. We create stress when we force our wishes and impress our will. With busy-ness of mind, the voice of the Divine is difficult to discern.   Turn inward, quiet the senses and still the mind. In contemplation and in surrender, the presence of God can fill us and the Voice heard.  Renewed, refreshed and restored, we find the solution to the puzzle, the answer to the question, the key to the lock. We wonder - was it here all along?   < /div> http://www.rscjinternational.org/en/spirituality/creative-space-publicmenu-35/114-japan--photography-by-miyako-namikawa-rscj.html

May 11, 2012

Reflection on the Spirit of the Sacred Heart May 11, 2012

Weaving   I must learn to live by faith, like the weaver  never seeing the plan of my life, but trusting God for it and working on the wrong side as it seems, but working for a reality, not of my reason or the imagination of my own fancies,  but one, of which God has not only designed the whole, but counted each stitch and tied every change of thread,   from the beginning to end. Janet Erskine Stuart rscj   (http://www.rscjinternational.org/en/spirituality/seasons-of-prayer-publicmenu-37/119-intros/1469-agosto-aout-august-2007.html?showall=1)

For Reflection...   Are we prepared to walk with her? We can make ourselves aware of the conditioning that ties us excessively to what is "tried and tested".      And we can also recall our own "experiences of daring", those moments in our lives in which we were capable of taking risks, trusting in the Word of God, savouring the freedom that is born from this.  "Be brave and strong, do not be frightened or dismayed because the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1: 6,9) http://www.rscjinternational.org/en/spirituality/pray-with-sophie/journey-with-sophie/2437-walking-towards-the-promised-land-with-abraham-and-sarah.html         http://www.flickriver.com/photos/archeon/3890681138

May 4, 2012

Reflection on the Spirit of the Sacred Heart May 4, 2012

As for your difficulty in being recollected and uniting yourself to Our Lord amid such distracting occupations,    don't worry because it is for God that you put up with all this...    Without effort and without constraint, tend gently to union with Jesus Christ in the deepest point in your soul    by practicing recollection to which you must grow accustomed by controlling natural activity when you become aware of it. St. Madeleine Sophie Barat, in Brou: Work and Prayer   (http://www.rscjinternational.org/en/spirituality/pray-with-sophie/celebrate-with-sophie/2815-third-sunday-of-easter-year-c.html

For Reflection...   "Cast your nets... and you will find some." (John 21, 6) What are my "nets"? Am I ready to leave them? On all this, I ask the light of the Holy Spirit who is promised to us. I contemplate this scene unfolding at the lake side. Where am I? Am I right in the scene in the midst of the participants? I listen to Jesus' word as if it is addressed to me personally. Does it evoke something in me? Does it inspire enthusiasm or fear? From an online retreat by Marie-Thérèse Deprecq, rscj, France     Artwork by Annett Hanrahan, rscj http://www.rscjinternational.org/en/spirituality/creative-space-publicmenu-35/2617-australia-new-zealand--artwork-by-annett-hanrahan-rscj.html

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