Every Day A New Beginning

Tags

destination, kindness of strangers, lost, psalm 96, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, travel, wondrous deeds

As I sit looking out at a totally sunlit blue sky having eaten a healthy breakfast, I am reminded of the resilience of the human spirit. I can now smile in spite of my challenging yesterday that began with a long day of travel to be with my sister who was having hip surgery in Boston. The day included some rain and traffic (not so bad), two hours of being lost in Boston in the dark (very frustrating), no shuttles from motel to hospital (ended at 6PM), etc…

This morning, as psalm 96 urges me to “Sing to the Lord a new song!” it seems quite possible as I remember the kindness of strangers from yesterday, especially the surgical nurse who answered my call intended to tell my sister I was near but lost. Maryanne Cole picked up my call, knew exactly who I was and where in the process my sister was (successfully out of surgery and in recovery), and kept me on the phone for the better part of an hour zigzagging me through the maze of Boston streets to my destination. There were several other actors in this adventure: my housemates, people on the street who got me closer to my destination, motel personnel and all the staff at the hospital, including Maryanne, who stayed and celebrated my arrival with hugs and cheers.

I’m off now to see my sister who has already been up walking with the physical therapist. Truly, “the Lord has done wondrous deeds!”

The Power of Prayer

Tags

franciscan, lost, power of prayer, St. Anthony, St. Francis of Assisi, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

I’ve just been reading about St. Anthony of Padua on this, his feast day. While I have known many facts about this revered saint, (primarily because of having served in an Italian parish for eight years) stories at http://www.franciscanmedia.org piqued my interest in going deeper. Most of what I read was familiar: the fact that he was born in Portugal rather than Italy, his stint in the Augustinian religious order where his studies gifted him with theological and scriptural prowess before he joined the Franciscan friars, the fact that he was a contemporary of St. Francis of Assisi, etc. There is so much to admire about this saint whose life took many twists and turns in the brief 35 years before his death in 1231. Even Wikipedia was a source for new learnings.

The one thing that most everyone knows about St. Anthony is his knack of finding lost things, even to this day for all of us, but today was the first time I read what seems to be the original story of this gift. (Remember that this came from Wikipedia but still…) The incident occurred in Bologna and concerned a favorite book of Psalms belonging to Anthony. It was important to him because of his notes and comments included there which he used to teach his students. It seems that a novice who left the order took it with him. When he noticed that it was missing, Anthony prayed that it would be returned or found and his prayer was answered when the thief was moved to return it. The book is said to be preserved in the Franciscan friary in Bologna.

Mystery solved! And aren’t we all grateful for Anthony’s power of prayer!

 

 

 

 

 

Reminding God

Tags

care, confidence, failure, God, goodness, humble heart, lost, love, path, permission, psalm 25, surrender, teach, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, trust, wandering

Psalm 25 is clearly one in which we can see that the psalmist has an ongoing relationship with God. This morning, in an alternative translation of the psalm, I got the notion that God needed reminding of the responsibility of mutuality in that relationship. The lectionary only gives verses 4-8 for our consideration but I want to introduce the text with verse one because it made me smile (as in a parent saying to children who are acting up in some way: “Don’t make me come up there…”). The psalmist begins by reminding God: To you I surrender up my soul, O God. In you I place my deepest trust. May I not regret this wanton act of love; may it never be defeated by some foe.

Perhaps I’m misinterpreting the tone of the psalmist. It may be desire rather than expectation that is being expressed, but I rather like the thought that one might have the confidence that gives permission for such presumption in relationship with God. However you interpret the following verses, the prayer seems a good one for today.

Lead me out upon the path of highest truth that I may learn your wisdom, Lord my God, my saving help day after day. Remember all you’ve ever been to us; from ancient times till now we’ve known your constant care. Remember me, O God, and forget the times when in my youth I failed you. In your great goodness put all this behind, and show the path again to me, even when I’m lost and wandering far away. For you are ever just and fair, you guide all those of humble heart and teach the gentle ones your ways.

 

 

 

 

 

Lost and Found

Tags

losing one's self, lost, St. Anthony, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Today our Church celebrates the feast of St. Anthony of Padua, a man whose life took many twists and turns in his consistent search to serve God. For most Roman Catholics (and maybe others!) he is the one who finds lost items. I learned early in life the short poem: “Something is lost and cannot be found. Dear St Anthony, please look around.” No matter how psychologists try to explain the phenomenon, it seems as if St. Anthony is truly at work for the good of all faithful practitioners of this prayer! From a simple declaration of “I can’t find my keys” to a more serious concern like “I’ve lost my paycheck/my wedding ring/the copy of my dissertation,” the most common response of most Catholics over 40 years old is “Pray to St. Anthony” and stories of successful conclusions abound!

As a lovely conclusion to the brief biography of Anthony on the website wwww.americancatholic.org I read the following this morning: He whom popular devotion has nominated as the finder of lost objects found himself by losing himself totally in the providence of God. In my opinion that’s the best possible example of “finding” and serves as a perfect epitaph for this beloved saint!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Right Road

Tags

alone, desire to please, God, Kathleen Deignan, Lord, lost, no fear, path, road, the shadow of death, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, Thomas Merton, trust, your will

“My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.”

~ Thomas Merton
(from Thomas Merton’s Book of Hours by Kathleen Deignan)