Let Us Be Simple, and Turn into the House of Wisdom

One of the stork capitals on the exterior of Frank Lloyd Wright’s studio and home in Oak Park, IL. We can see a tree of life, and architectural scroll, and four storks who represent wisdom and fruitfulness. This sculpture was designed by Richard Bock.

We are encouraged in Sunday’s First Reading from the Book of Proverbs (Pr. 9:1-6) to seek wisdom.

Wisdom has built her house,
she has set up her seven columns;

she has dressed her meat,
mixed her wine,
yes, she has spread her table.

She has sent out her maidens;
she calls from the heights out over the city:

“Let whoever is simple turn in here;”

To the one who lacks understanding, she says,

“Come, eat of my food,
and drink of the wine I have mixed!

Forsake foolishness that you may live;
advance in the way of understanding.”

Some Wisdom from the Poet – Worth Waking For

The breezes at dawn have secrets to tell you.
Don’t go back to sleep.

-Jalaluddin Rumi

Dawn breaking over San Francisco – always worth waking for

What Is Gratefulness?

To be grateful is to recognize the Love of God in everything.

-Thomas Merton

Sunset over San Francisco

What Kind of Globalization Do We Want to Create?

From the “Cool Globes” project which was shown at Chrissy Field, San Francisco in 2008

We are living in a period of commercial globalization.
What we really need is spiritual globalization.

– Sister Joan Chittister, OSB

On the Feast of the Assumption

Wednesday is the Feast of the Assumption of Mary.
This fresco of the Dominican saints (which is at Santa Sabina in Rome) under the mantle of Mary reminds us that she and our loving God welcome us into their presence.

The Dominican saints under Mary’s mantle in heaven – fresco at San Domenico in Bologna, Italy

God’s Love for All – without Exception

The one sheep

Monday’s reading from Matthew 18 reminds us of God’s love for each and every one of us . . . without exception.

If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray,
will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills
and go in search of the stray?
And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it
than over the ninety-nine that did not stray.
In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father
that one of these little ones be lost.

Heaven and Earth are Full of God’s Glory

Monday’s Responsorial Psalm is from Psalm 148

Heaven and earth are filled with your glory.

Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise God in the heights;
Praise God, all you angels; praise God, all you  hosts.

Heaven and earth are full of God’s glory

Heaven and earth are filled with your glory.

Let the rulers of the earth and all peoples,
the leaders and all the judges of the earth,
Young men too, and maidens, elders and children

Heaven and earth are filled with your glory.

Praise the name of the LORD, for God’s name alone is exalted;
God’s majesty is above earth and heaven.

Heaven and earth are filled with your glory.

And God has lifted up the horn of the people. Be this God’s praise from all the faithful ones,
from the children of Israel, the people close to God.

Heaven and earth are filled with your glory.

The Sunrise Will Surely Come

In Saturday’s first reading from the first chapter of the Prophet Habakkuk we read words to give us hope in the times when the future looks dim.

Then the LORD answered me and said:
Write down the vision Clearly upon the tablets,
so that one can read it readily.
For the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint;
If it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late.

Wait for the sunrise. It will surely come. It will not be late.

The Real Voyage of Discovery

I have always appreciated this quote from Marcel Proust, and hope that I will always have the gift of fresh eyes, fresh ears, and a fresh heart.

And may we always have the capacity to appreciate a sunset

The Feast of Saint Dominic

This statue of St. Dominic stands in the square of Caleruega, Spain, the place of Dominic’s birth.

 

We celebrate the Feast of Saint Dominic on August 8th.

Saint Dominic founded the Dominican Order 800 years ago:
the nuns in 1206, the friars in 1216. This allows us to celebrate our special anniversary for ten years.

You can find a brief biography of St. Dominic on our website at
http://www.sanrafaelop.org/who-we-are/dominican-heritage/.