OPreach
Dominican Preaching through Word and Image
Jesus Practiced what He Preached
Yesterday Jesus encouraged his followers to find a place and time for prayer, rest, and reflection.
In today’s Gospel we see how this was his practice, and it was the place from which he drew his strength for ministry.
Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.
If we are truly followers of Jesus, how can we not do the same?
Come and Rest
From today’s Gospel reading:
Jesus said to them, “Some away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest for a while.”
This particular resting place can be found at Presentation Center in Los Gatos.
If You’ve Never Heard about Etty Hillesum . . . learn about her
You may not have heard about Etty Hillesum. If you haven’t, do a little research. Do you want to read an inspiring journal of courage, then read An Interrupted Life.
A desire to kneel down sometimes pulses through my body,
or rather it is as if my body has been meant and made for the act of kneeling.
Sometimes, in moments of deep gratitude,
kneeling down becomes an overwhelming urge,
head deeply bowed, hands before my face.
~Etty Hillesum An Interrupted Life~
Who doesn’t know this feeling?
Let Us Present Ourselves to God
Today is the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord Jesus, celebrating the day that Mary and Joseph brought him to the temple to present him to God. Many of our sisters made their first profession of vows on that day, so this feast is always special to the sisters, reminding them of that day.
Below is a picture of the motherhouse chapel in which the sisters professed their vows. Neither the chapel nor the motherhouse exist today because of a fire in 1990, but the sisters who professed their vows on that day, know that their vows and God’s faithfulness still stand.
Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple to be prersented to God. Let us pray:
Christ, be our light.
Jesus, light of the world, you revealed the love of God to us
– let our lives lead other to the truth of God’s mercy.
Jesus, longed for savior, you are presented with the gifts of the poor;
– help us to dedicate our lives to those in need.
Jesus, child of mystery, your mother’s heart was pierced by prophecy;
– strengthen all women whos dedication to you brings pain and sorrow.
Jesus, child of promise,Simeon had waited and prayed for your coming;
– give us patience and hope as we pray for the fulfillment of your gospel.
Jesus, joy of all who seek God, Anna had given you lifelong service;
– bless the elderly and teach us how to give them joy and encouragement.
Bountiful God, you are father and mother to us. You receive the dedication of the infant Son, Jesus, with two turtle doves. You inspire aged Simeon and Anna to bless and announce his mission. O gentle, strong God, we rejoice in your care for us. Help us to draw those who turn away from yo in fear. Let the saving light of Jesus bring truth and peace to our world. This we ask in his name. Amen.
– from People’s Companion to the Breviary, Carmelite Monastery, Indianapolis, IN
God Grant Us Courage to Open the Difficult Doors
I came across the quote , below, by Thomas Merton and wondered how we can begin to learn
to let go . . .
to be open . . .
to be willing to open those doors inside ourselves that seem the most impenetrable.
May God grant us courage to approach and open them.
The truth that many people never understand, until it is too late,
is that the more you try to avoid suffering the more you suffer
because smaller and more insignificant things begin to torture you
in proportion to your fear of being hurt.
– Thomas Merton
A Door to a New Beginning
John O’Donohue, while not specifically inviting us to open a new window or new door, does beckon us to move forward into what is “not yet clear” in his poem, “For a New Beginning.” The following is one stanza:
Though your destination is not yet clear
You can trust the promise of this opening;
Unfurl yourself into the grace of beginning
That is at one with your life’s desire.
Sister Arlene is a Dominican Sister of Blauvelt, NY.
More of Sometimes Poetry is Preaching
What is there not to like about John O’Donohue? Today I offer a stanza from his poem, “A Morning Offering” for all of us.
May my mind come alive today
To the invisible geography
That invites me to new frontiers,
To break the dead shell of yesterdays,
To risk being disturbed and changed.
Even the Rocks Sing Praise to God
In today’s Responsorial Psalm – from Psalm 95 -we hear proclaimed:
Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord;
Let us acclaim the rock of our salvation.
Let us come into God’s presence with thanksgiving;
Let us joyfully sing psalms to the Lord.
God’s Faithful Forgiveness
David’s saga continues today when the prophet Nathan comes to him and demands repentance. In this story of unvarnished humanness, David admits his sinfulness and turns to God for forgiveness. God doesn’t remove all the consequences for David’s despicable actions, but faithfully forgives David’s sin.
This story gives all of us hope, that no matter what we are guilty of, there is forgiveness. I am reminded of the passage from 1 John 1:9: If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all injustice.
King David Acted Despicably
One of the wonderful thing about the Scriptures is that they show our ancestors and heroes as unvarnished human beings. Today’s reading from 2 Samuel 11:1-10, 13-17 shows King David at his lustful, adulterous, murderous, and most faithless worst. You can read it for yourself, but basically David commits adultery and makes sure that the woman’s husband will be killed in battle so that he can take his wife for his own without recrimination. Despicable.
Can we find our unvarnished human selves in the pages of Scripture? I’ve been reading about the way the assemblers of iPhones, iPads, and all things Apple are treated in factories in China. And as I hold my own Apple products I have to wonder, how am I implicitly guilty of the inhuman conditions in those factories? How do my buying habits affect others in the world?
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