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Tag Archives: Thessalonians

Mother Cabrini

13 Wednesday Nov 2019

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give thanks, Mother Cabrini, optimism, perseverance, saint, St. Paul, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, Thessalonians, trust in God, willingness

If we need a model of perseverance so that we’ll never give up on life, we would do well to consider St. Frances Xavier Cabrini. I learned about the woman called “Mother” Cabrini (a great designation for the first U.S. citizen to be canonized by the Roman Catholic Church) in elementary school. She lived until 1917 – when my parents were already three years old – so seemed more real to us than most of the holy people we learned about who had died and been declared “official” saints centuries ago. If anyone ever had reason to sit back and say, “Enough! I give up,” she did! Here are a few of the facts.

She was refused entrance to the religious community that had educated her to be a teacher. She began work at a House of Providence doing charitable work; the bishop closed it three years later. She wanted to be a missionary to China but the Pope (Leo XIII) told her to go to the United States instead to work with Italian immigrants and she went. She had a fear of drowning but crossed the Atlantic Ocean more than 30 times before she died in one of her own hospitals in Chicago, Illinois. Perseverance? Oh, yes…and a willingness to hear the voice of God in those she trusted to guide her.

It is not enough to list her challenges; I advise reading even a short biography. My point today, however, is to note her willingness and the optimism that must have accompanied her throughout her life. Today’s verse before the gospel in the lectionary readings seems a perfect example of how she must have moved through her days. In Paul’s first Letter to the Thessalonians we read, “In all circumstances, give thanks!”

Praised be, Mother Cabrini!

No Matter What…

09 Sunday Oct 2016

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bigger picture, encounter, experiences, insights, learn, lessons, pondering wisdom, reflecting, St. Paul, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, Thessalonians

aninsightOf all the lectionary readings today, the one sentence that called out to me was the gospel acclamation. From Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians, we hear: In all circumstances, give thanks…Perhaps it is because of these days of pondering wisdom with an extraordinary group of people, reflecting deeply on life and our living of it, that those words seem so clearly the way to proceed. I can’t imagine on my most difficult days stopping to read and assent to that thought. It does, however, make sense to me this morning. I have found, if I really stop to think, that I can learn from everything and everyone that I encounter. Whether the lessons in the experiences are easy or monumentally difficult, there is something helpful to take away from everything if I have eyes to see and ears ready to hear. Sometimes the most important insights come from the most difficult happenings. It is the willingness to see beyond the circumstances themselves to what might be there for me to learn that can help me let go of my personal agenda in order to see what might be a bigger picture.

No examples today. My lessons are mine. All of us have our own. It is for each of us to “fill in the blanks” on this one. Happy delving!

Sincere Speech

25 Tuesday Aug 2015

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integrity, Jesus, Matthew, Paul, Peace, Philippians, psalm 139, recognizing the important, the Reign of God, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, Thessalonians, truth, uninformed judgments, white lies

whiteliesEverything in the readings this morning could be characterized as reflection on the adage, “Say what you mean and mean what you say.” Paul is speaking to the Thessalonians (1THES 2:1-8) about the suffering he and others endured at the hands of the Philippians who thought they were delusional or duplicitous in their teaching. In summary, he says, “We speak, not trying to please people but rather God, who judges hearts.” The Psalmist joins in, saying to God (PS 139:1-6), “You understand my thoughts from afar…even before a word is on my tongue, you know the whole of it…” The gospel acclamation is clear: “The word of God is living and effective, able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.” None of this, however, can compare with the words of Jesus in Matthew (23:26)  which are so stark as to be almost comical. He calls the Pharisees (obviously in a loud and displeased voice) “Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!“

Each of these readings is about recognizing the important things in life and telling the truth, not so that we will be seen as more than we are or to judge others as less in order to get ahead, but so that all can come to know the Reign of God and live in integrity and peace together. Sometimes it’s easy to spot duplicity (as in the difference between a camel and a gnat) but sometimes – even in hearing ourselves talk – we need to be attentive to catch the white lies or quick, uninformed judgments. Today seems a good time to stay awake for that purpose.

Rejoice!

14 Sunday Dec 2014

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faithful, gaudete, happy, holy, Isaiah, John the Baptist, new birth, Paul, pray, promises fulfilled, rejoice, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, Thessalonians

rejoiceToday is Gaudete Sunday (Latin for Rejoice). We’re called to be happy because the coming of the Lord is near and the call resounds in all the readings for today – from Isaiah to John the Baptist. As is often the case, Paul is among the messengers urging faithfulness with an enthusiasm that is hard to ignore and then at the end reassuring his listeners that God will surely fulfill all promises. I can almost see him gesticulating emphatically in the town square of Thessaloniki to those he is trying to convince. My impression is that it would be hard to ignore the man or the message. Here is the crux of it:

Brothers and sisters, rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit! Do not despise prophetic utterances…May the God of peace make you perfectly holy and may you entirely, spirit, soul and body, be preserved blameless for the coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will accomplish it! (1 Thess 5: 16-24)

So then, let us rejoice, as we count the days toward new birth!

Busy?

16 Sunday Nov 2014

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blessings, busy, holidays, honor God, Paul, Peace, psalm 128, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, Thessalonians

flyingtimeOne of the most frequent comments I hear these days is how quickly time is passing. We wonder if it’s just because we’re getting older that it seems so – but younger people are saying it too. Perhaps it’s because we’re so busy and it seems time is being stolen from us by our over-active lives. (There was a website in my in-box this morning offering workshops on how to be less busy as well as “keeping your eye on the path.” – common themes lately.) The Christmas rush is already in high gear, mixed with groaning about the “warp speed” approach of Thanksgiving and potential travel glitches. Even writing this brings a feeling of urgency, although I plan to stay home and relax through both of those holiday events; the whirlwind is just everywhere in and around our days.

All this blathering on my part arose from Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians this morning (1 THESS 5:1-6) He’s talking about “the day of the Lord” overtaking people who aren’t alert “like a thief in the night.” The beginning of the reading says, however: Concerning times and seasons, brothers and sisters, you have no need for anything to be written to you…presupposing that they’ll be ready for whatever comes. It seems a bit of a warning not to get caught up in our busyness. He says at the end of the reading, Therefore, let us not sleep as the rest do, but let us stay alert and sober.

Going back to that website, I was thinking that rather than abdicating my responsibility (and my financial resources) to someone to find out how to be less busy, maybe I should just sit down, take a breath and make a list of priorities about the next six weeks so that I can then spend a little time thinking of the deeper meaning of these “times and seasons” that are upon us. While I’m waking up to this activity, finding peace and focus for the task, I might choose to read my favorite translation of the psalm for today (128) that gives a vision of what it’s all really about.

Blessed are you who walk upon the paths of God. Your life is filled with many hidden blessings, which overflow as from your hands, the gift of many labors. And blessings like fruit-bearing trees and vines spring forth and flourish from the garden of your house; your spouse and children are its yield. And all who honor God upon this path shall know a cornucopia of good. For it is God, the center of the heart, who prospers life until its end. So you who hear and pray this prayer, come close and live within the circle of God’s care, and may God’s special peace be yours, one generation to another.

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