Posted on Wed, May 30, 2012
Ron and I just returned from a long weekend in southwestern Colorado. After two delightful days with our daughter, Anna, at her home in Durango, we drove home over spectacular mountain passes and through large and small towns where Memorial Day festivities were taking place. The trip seemed to symbolize the passage into summer as feelings of relaxation and warmth overtook us.
The great mystic, Hildegard of Bingen, wrote that there was nothing sadder than a “drooping soul.” It takes “greening” power, she said, to counter such a pathetic spiritual state. I suppose that can take different forms, depending on our circumstances, but there are some commonalities that can draw us into summertime spirituality. Taking our prayers outdoors is one of them. With longer days and warmer temperatures, we open up creative ways to bring our hearts and minds to God. The abundance of summer fruits and vegetables might induce us to eat lighter and in healthier fashion. Gratitude for these gifts of the earth flows easily, particularly when biting into a juicy peach or savoring the sight of a multi-colored salad. The end of the school year brings children into parks and playgrounds, and their lightheartedness reminds us to find our own outlets for joy and delight.
Hildegard used the word “Viriditas” – or Greenness – to describe the penetrating power of God’s Spirit in all of life. This divine energy is present in all seasons, but the sight of lush lawns and gardens in full bloom can bring the concept more fully into our consciousness during the summer. Each day then becomes a sacred opportunity to be the people Hildegard described as truly holy – those who “…draw to themselves all that is earthly.”
Bright Ideas
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Read one of Hildegard’s poems with your family or as a personal meditation. Discuss/consider what inspires you about her “earthly” spirituality. For a collection of poems, click here.
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Plan an outing with your family to a botanical garden, zoo, park, or other place where you can revel in God’s creation. Leave behind or silence cell phones and other devices in order to enjoy your surroundings.
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Download my “3 Greening Practices for Summertime Spirituality” and use them with your family or as part of your daily regimen.
photo © iStockphoto
Posted on Sun, May 27, 2012
Sunday, June 3rd, is The Most Holy Trinity. Plan to spend time this week reflecting on the readings and preparing to celebrate the Eucharist. Gather in My Name offers "Question of the Week" - a free resource to incorporate the Sunday Eucharist into your religion classes, family discussions, or community activities.
Question of the Week: What is your understanding of power? Whom do you consider powerful?
Reading 1: Deuteronomy 4:32-34, 39-40
Reading 2: Romans 8:14-17
Theme: Power
Gospel: Matthew 28:16-20
Looking for Discussion Questions for the above Reading Reflections? Click here!
photo © iStockphoto
Posted on Wed, May 23, 2012
When my husband and I set off on a cross-country trip four years ago, we knew we would visit numerous historical sites. We did not think so many of them would include graveyards. On our first stopover in Santa Fe, New Mexico, we came across a national cemetery. Intrigued by the patterns of the tombstones set among the snow, Ron pulled over to take pictures. I spent my time wandering up and down the pristine pathways, taking in the names of the veterans and the different wars that claimed their lives. As our travels took us farther east, we came across numerous resting places for those who fell during the Civil War. The origins of Memorial Day stretch back to that terrible time when our ancestors turned their weapons on one another in a ferocious firestorm of bloodshed and suffering.
Drew Gilpin Faust’s fascinating book, This Republic of Suffering, details the changes in attitudes and practices towards death that took place in the United States during and after the Civil War. The sheer numbers of those killed in a single battle required burying the bodies where they fell rather than sending them home to rest in churchyards and family plots – the norm up until that time. This gave way to the creation of national cemeteries and the accompanying memorials to pay tribute to those who died while serving their country. During our trip, I was struck most forcefully by the way these sites were transformed from battlegrounds to parks. They seemed to represent the peace that comes only with time. Long-ago enemies lay side-by-side as the years blurred and eventually obliterated the animosities that led to such horrific violence.
Memorial Day is an opportunity to honor the great sacrifices of those who died in battle. It can also be a call to restore hope in the midst of our most dire circumstances. Isaiah, the great prophet who envisioned a time when swords and spears would be turned into plowshares and pruning hooks (Isaiah 2:4), recognized the transitory nature of life and the enduring presence of God. “All people are grass, their constancy is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades… but the word of our God will stand forever” (Isaiah 40:6-8). As we remember our fallen soldiers, may we also cling to the dream of a day when it will no longer be necessary to build memorials to those killed in battle as peace flowers among all humankind.
Bright Ideas
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Read Isaiah 2:2-4 with your family, class, or as a quiet meditation. Reflect upon or discuss a world where no nation rises up against another. What will it take to be a world at peace?
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Honor living veterans by researching assistance programs in your area. What can you do to provide support and care to veterans who are suffering the short and long-term effects of warfare?
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Download my “Prayer of Remembrance” and use it with your family or class.
photo © iStockphoto
Posted on Tue, May 22, 2012
One way we honor Mary is by praying the rosary. This is usually done using a set of beads with a crucifix attached. We pray the rosary by praying the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory to the Father over and over again. This creates a peaceful rhythm of prayer during which we can reflect on the special times in the lives of Mary and Jesus. These form the "mysteries" of the Rosary, four sets of beditations that include:
I invite you to download a Gather In My Name handout that includes activities and descriptions of the five joyful mysteries! The Joyful Mysteries come from the Gospel of Luke and focus on the announcement of Jesus' birth to Mary by the angel Gabriel (the Annunciation); the visit of Mary and Elizabeth (the Visitation); the birth of Jesus (the Nativity); the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple; and the finding of Jesus in the temple.
Continue your reflection and discussion of Mary with Sadlier's Honoring Mary Around The World Gather In My Name Event! These two event options were designed so participants will be able to name the various ways that the Church honors Mary through prayer and devotions, and to identify ways to follow her example as disciples of Jesus, her Son.
Posted on Wed, May 16, 2012
“When Jesus ascended into heaven, where, exactly, did he go?” This question, posed by a friend in a bible study group, took me off guard. Because we associate “heaven” with the sky, it is natural to picture Jesus rising into the clouds. Browse the web and this is precisely what shows up in paintings and illustrations of this mysterious event.
The beauty of Scripture study is the opportunity we are given to gaze at the events, stories, and teachings of Jesus in the gospels through an ever-widening lens. When it comes to the Ascension, new possibilities arise. Perhaps it was more of a horizontal passage than a vertical one, taking Jesus to new heights by moving across time and space into open, yearning, and wounded hearts. Given that the view of the “heavens” in the Book of Genesis is one of a “dome” that separates the “waters above from the waters below” (Genesis 1:7), the account of the Ascension might have held a very different view for the people of Jesus’ time than that of the artists who rendered him sky-bound. Luke ends his Gospel with the account of the Ascension, but begins the Acts of the Apostles with the Pentecost event. In a dramatic depiction complete with wind and fire, Jesus’ promise of the coming of the Holy Spirit is fulfilled, thus depicting his presence in an entirely new way.
One of my oldest and dearest friends recently suffered a massive heart attack and his life hangs in the balance. Each day, as his family and friends await news about his ability to recover, we look for something close and imminent, rather than celestial and transcendent, to bring consolation and hope. As the great feasts of the Ascension and Pentecost draw near, I draw comfort from that dome-like image of the heavens and the warming presence of God’s Spirit. It brings to mind images of Jesus hovering over humankind in an all-encompassing way. Such is my prayer for my friend and all those in need of a sheltering presence.
Bright Ideas
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As the Easter season draws to a close, consider the ways you have experienced the comforting presence of Jesus in your life. Bring this to your class or family prayer this week.
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Download my “Litany to the Spirit” and use it with your family or class.
photo © iStockphoto
Posted on Mon, May 14, 2012
Sunday, May 20th, is the Seventh Sunday of Easter. Plan to spend time this week reflecting on the readings and preparing to celebrate the Eucharist. Gather in My Name offers "Question of the Week" - a free resource to incorporate the Sunday Eucharist into your religion classes, family discussions, or community activities.
Question of the Week: How do you determine what is true?
Reading 1: Acts 1:15-17, 20a, 20c-26
Reading 2: 1 John 4:11-16
Theme: The Truth
Gospel: John 17:11b-19
Looking for Discussion Questions for the above Reading Reflections? Click here!
Posted on Tue, May 08, 2012
NCCL 2012 is underway! Here are a few pictures of what's going on at the Sadlier Religion booth.
If you are looking for my NCCL Session handout visit the Resources Page!
Sadlier Religion NCCL Booth 50
Bishop Leonard Blair with Warren Kunkie and Maureen Kelly of Sadlier
NCCL Speakers: Víctor Valenzuela and Dulce Jiménez Abreu
Celebrating 180 Years of Educational Publishing
Posted on Mon, May 07, 2012
"As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live."
John Paul II was born May 18th, 1920 in Wadowice, Poland. Set aside time this upcoming week to read about the life and ministry of John Paul II with your family or class. Use the biography and worksheets from The Lives of the Saints to discuss ways in which we can follow the example of Blessed Pope John Paul II by sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with others.
Posted on Wed, May 02, 2012
From my seat in the church, I could see the little girl as she came forward to receive Communion for the first time. She extended her hands as she had been taught – one cupped under the other. After tentatively drinking from the chalice, she reverently crossed herself and then bounced a little as she returned to her seat. Her small hands stuck in my mind. They evoked a precious sense of presence, as if Jesus was not only being received but also extended to all of us in the innocent gesture of a child.
Is it possible that my own hands were just as small when I first came forward for this holy sacrament? One of the photographs from that long-ago moment affirms that fact. I stand on the front lawn, clad in a white dress. My face is ringed with curls and a circle of fresh roses sits atop my head. My face is lit with joy as I clasp a prayerbook and smile broadly for the camera.
I have since helped lots of children and their families prepare for this special day. It continues to be one of my most prized experiences from my times as a catechetical leader. As small hands extend outwards to receive Christ in the form of bread and wine, the entire community is drawn together in sacred memory. No wonder that the celebration of the first experience of communion takes place during the Easter season. It’s a great reason for all of us to “bounce” a little as we step forward, extend our hands, and receive the gift of Christ.
Bright Ideas
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Send a card to a child in your parish who is celebrating his or her First Communion. Express the joy that the entire community takes in celebrating this special time.
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Share a memory with your child about your own First Communion. Tell what it means to you to continue to take part in the Eucharist each week.
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Download my “Prayer for a Child’s First Communion” and use it with your family or class.
Click on the image to download prayer cards!
photo © iStockphoto