OPreach
Dominican Preaching through Word and Image
What Are You Planting?
Every
uncompassionate
action is like
planting
a dead tree.
-Shantideva
Do We Have the Courage to Step into the “New”?
We cannot discover new oceans unless we have the courage to lose sight of the shore.
-Andre Gide
Nature Reflects God’s Glorious Majesty
Thursday’s Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 145
Generation after generation praises your works
and proclaims your might.
They speak of the splendor of your glorious majesty
and tell of your wondrous works.
Let Us Learn from the Poppy
We see, contained in a simple poppy: grace, abundance, joy, hope, generosity . . . the list goes on.
And we receive blessing when we open our hearts to that poppy and all she offers.
When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.
– Maya Angelou
Let us learn from the poppy.
Let the Trees Exult!
Today’s Responsorial Psalm continues from Psalm 96
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
let the sea and what fills it resound;
let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!
Then shall all the trees of the forest exult.
Proclaim God’s Marvelous Deeds
Monday’s Responsorial Psalm is from Psalm 96
Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Sing to the Lord a new song;
Sing to the Lord, all you lands.
Sing to the Lord; bless God’s name.
Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Announce salvation day after day,
Tell God’s glory among the nations;
Among all peoples, God’s wondrous deeds.
Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.
For great is the Lord and highly to be praised;
Awesome is the Lord, beyond all gods.
For all the gods of the nations are things of nought,
But the Lord made the heavens.
Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.
A Thought on the Necessity of Beauty from John Muir
Jesus told us that we cannot live on bread alone. John Muir may not have been thinking about Jesus’ words when he wrote the following, but he certainly had the wisdom of the Spirit of Creation when he wrote:
Everyone needs beauty as well as bread, places to play and pray, where nature heals and gives strength to body and soul alike.
-John Muir
Let Us Imitate God’s Extravagant Nature!
Being extravagantly generous is an enchanting way to become holy and Godlike, for God is awesomely extravagant – as is revealed by even a casual glance at creation.
-Edward Hays
Let us imitate God’s extravagant and generous nature!
Another Grateful Thought
Give thanks for a little and you will find a lot.
-Hausa proverb from Nigeria
I Love Being a Nun!
While this post is entitled, “I Love Being a Nun!”, actually I am a sister. Nuns are those who are cloistered and primarily involved in the ministry of prayer. Those of us who are sisters are involved in apostolic ministry – and that’s a big umbrella (teaching, hospital ministry, parish ministry, social work, working for social justice, etc.). So, it would be more correct for me to say, “I love being a sister”, which I do often. But since people often call sisters nuns . . .
Well, you see what I mean.
Anyway, nineteen years ago today I entered the convent and started the process of becoming a Dominican Sister of San Rafael. I made my first profession of vows in 1996 and my perpetual vows in 1999. And while nineteen is not one of those special numbers like 20, 25, or 50, it still seems pretty significant to me. I was 40 years old when I entered (I guess you can do the math). And I still love being a sister. My family tells me that they have never known me to be happier. Living in community – doing work that is satisfying and of benefit to others – praying together with a community of sisters on a daily and regular basis – being encouraged to continue to study . . . to be all we can be (for the sake of others) . . . What can I say but that I am grateful!
And Meister Eckhart, the Dominican mystic from the 13th century tells us, “If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.”
I highly recommend this life to others!
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