OPreach
Dominican Preaching through Word and Image
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!
Another Encouragement to Slow Down
Yesterday Thomas Merton encouraged us to slow down. Today we hear from Bede Griffiiths.
So much of modern life is a feverish anticipation of future activity and excitement. We have to learn to step back from this into the freedom and possibility of the present.
– Fr. Bede Griffiths
More Wisdom from Thomas Merton
We must slow down to a human tempo and we’ll begin to have time to listen.
– Thomas Merton
We all know we should slow down . . .
Why is it so hard for us to do it?
Let Us Be Simple, and Turn into the House of Wisdom
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
What Is Gratefulness?
To be grateful is to recognize the Love of God in everything.
-Thomas Merton
What Kind of Globalization Do We Want to Create?
We are living in a period of commercial globalization.
What we really need is spiritual globalization.
– Sister Joan Chittister, OSB
OPreach 