Be a Juggler of Compassion

Posted on October 19, 2007
Filed Under Vocations / Discernment | Leave a Comment

“The servants of God are really like jugglers, intended to revive the hearts of men and lead them to spiritual joy.” St. Francis

(Sabatier, p. 137)

Have you been capturing the sunbeams of God’s grace inding light and peace in your life?

Have you written your insights into a journal or shared them with someone you trust?

Now, what is in your heart – casting a shadow?

At times it is helpful to look at people with their heartaches, sufferings,  sadness.

Is God alerting your eyes and heart to be a servant, one who goes forward to help?

Can you “juggle” your interests, worries, loves,

to bring joy and peace to someone who is weary, aching, lonely?

To become a servant of God is a gift from God:

To be like a sunbeam or a juggler

Bringing God’s compassion, joy, peace!

All Hallows Eve

Posted on October 12, 2007
Filed Under Franciscanized World | Leave a Comment

Why can`t we have a Halloween dance and Party, Sister? Because some people consider it the Devil`s Day at our school. Student Council was shocked and began to protest when all got quiet because one of their own Student Council members spoke up and said, ” It is the Devil`s Day! My parents told me.” With so many self-proclaimed churches here in the South there are a variety of beliefs that are taught the children. Children get confused as to who to believe-their church or their friends, especially when they see them having fun with the belief that is suppose to be so evil and wicked. The assignment  I gave to the Student Council was to go and research the original meaing of Halloween. Almost all had something to report back as they really wanted to convinve me to have that party. They were surprised to find out the history of Halloween and that trick-or-treating began when the poor people went begging door to door for food from the rich people. The rich people would give them food and in return would ask them to pray for their family members who have died. The students also found out that Halloween was originally called All-Hallows-Eve. My memories of Halloween are trick or treating with my brothers and sisters as ghosts and walking the neighborhood at night, knocking at doors and yelling, “Trick or Treat”. When the night was over we would pour out our candy on the living room floor and count the number of pieces of candy. The next day there was no school as it was All Saints` Day. What memories do you have of All Hallows Eve?

A Call for Help

Posted on October 12, 2007
Filed Under Franciscanized World | 5 Comments

          I love being down here in Greenwood, Mississippi and a part of the deep South. 

The history of the people here is so vastly different than from what my life was like growing up in Wisconsin.  Living here for the past three years has given me an opportunity to just begin to realize the struggles and pains that are part of the history here of the people and how their lives have been affected by the past.

          A few days ago as I was walking from the car to the grocery store, I vaguely heard someone call out “Sister”.  As I scanned the parking lot, wondering if I did hear someone call or not, someone else pointed to a man and woman a few rows over.  As I turned and went in their direction, I wondered what this was about.  It turned out they had a young teenage daughter who wouldn’t get out of the car.  She was upset because they wouldn’t get her a cell phone right then and there.  Even though they told her that it was just not possible to get her one right away, they would be able to do so in a week.  Still she refused to get out of the car.  I couldn’t help but feel the pain that all three of them were experiencing; the parents who were not able to get her to understand, and for Ruby, the young lady, who was caught up in the culture our country has created of needing to get what we want right a way.  Even though I did spend some time talking with her, knowing that no matter what I said would probably make no difference at all, all I could do was trust and pray that God would touch her heart in some way that only he could. 

          While proceeding on to do the grocery shopping, my thoughts were on St. Francis and how he and his followers preached and witnessed Christ to the people of Assisi and the Umbrian Valley.  Their presence spoke of Christ to others.  In walking through that parking lot, the mystery of being called to help, just because of being recognized as someone who is trying to live the Gospel life, is also a humbling experience.  After leaving them, the call to offer my prayers and the aches and pains of my day for them came very willingly from deep within the heart. 

          Our call to live a Franciscan life in Christ comes in so many forms each day.  Are we ready to respond to each little way that it does come?  Are we listening and willing to let go of our plans in order to respond to that call?  How awesome it is to answer that call, trusting that God will provide what is needed, so that others may experience the life he gives. 

“Boy, you better be good!”

Posted on October 12, 2007
Filed Under Franciscanized World | 2 Comments

At a School Advisory Council meeting last night we had two guest speakers from a new school that opened its doors this Fall in Greenwood, the Delta of Mississippi. The school is a college prep school The school also had the goal to be an integrated school in the Delta. The headmaster explained that the first week of school the Blacks sat at one table, the whites at another and the Hispanice floated in between the two. Now after nine weeks of school there is only one group. They  know they have made progress as a school.  When the guests left the Advisory Council President said that is the school the Delta needs. I am from Biloxi, (which is on the coast). When I grew up I lived with white neighbors a few doors down. Some of them were my friends. When I got my degree in education and told my Dad I wanted to work in the Delta he said, “Boy, you better be good.” The Delta is where integration had not happened and was the birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement. Our Advisory Council President told the Council,  My Dad was right. The sad part is, that the Delta has not changed. It is still behind the rest of Mississippi. Integration has not happened and we are behind because of it. We have to be the agents of change in the Delta. St. Francis School is one of those agents of change. We have some Hispanics and Chinese children at our school. There are no divided groups. All play well together. Hopefully, they are agents of change in their families and neighborhoods so they can help move the Delta ahead into accepting all.

Looking Outside Ourselves

Posted on October 1, 2007
Filed Under Image of the Month | 4 Comments

“Technological society has succeeded in multiplying the occasions of pleasure, but finds great difficulty in giving birth to happiness. For happiness has its origin elsewhere: it is a spiritual thing. “

                        -Pope Paul VI, Exhortation, Gaudere in Domino, 1. 9 April 1975

All the Trees of the Field Will Clap Their Hands

Posted on October 1, 2007
Filed Under Song of the Month | 15 Comments

And I heard from the trees a great parade.

And I heard from the hills a band was made.

And will I be invited to the sound?

And will I be a part of what you`ve made?

Let a Sunbeam of God`s Love…

Posted on October 1, 2007
Filed Under Vocations / Discernment | 2 Comments

“A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows.”  St. Francis

Sabatier, Paul, The Road to Assisi,

Paraclete Press, Brewster, MA 2004

page 44

Have you ever known a deep down whisper to surface in you?

Were you ever avoiding an answer to a persistent question?

Have you wondered … what is happening?

As these personal wonderings  keep coming

quietly

hidden,

until the right moment brings them in

or

erupting unexpectantly,

repeatedly..

Does listening to this inner voice, this movement of spirit,

bring some peace and still some lingering unrest?

Remember:

“A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows.”

God, the light of our life, lives in us,

loves us,

made each of us uniquely.

Come to know God through these questions.

Place this ‘wondering’, restlessness, into God’s hands

and ask that some insight, answer, word might be given to you.

Let a sunbeam of God’s love bring light to a shadow of wondering in your heart. Also, sharing this with a prayerful person may reflect God’s sunbeam to you.

Special Christian Class

Posted on October 1, 2007
Filed Under Franciscanized World | 2 Comments

Think back, I am sure if you are Catholic you can remember your First Reconciliation and First Holy Commuion. I teach these sacraments in our 87% noncatholic grade school. The students who are Catholic or who express a desire to be Catholic are in my “special Christian Class” as the students call it. I am amazed at how important and special this class is to the students. Chikyla said to me one day as she got off the bus, “I couldn`t wait for today because we have class today for Reconciliation.” Many non-catholic students come up and say, ” I wish I could be in your class.” Students who were in the class and received the sacraments joyfully and eagerly say, ” Oh, can we please come back to your class!” When they see us having class in the St. Francis Room they will say, “Oh, I remember that!” There are some noncatholic students who have begged and pestered their parents to allow them to become a Catholic but the parents will not give permission. The desire is so strong in some of our students. I know down the road when they are older they will be able to make the decision on their own. Evangelization happens all the time at our school and many times we don`t know it especially later on down the road of life. (St. Francis of Assisi School, Greenwood, MS)

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