"GO AND REPAIR MY HOUSE, WHICH, AS YOU CAN SEE, IS FALLING INTO RUIN."

January 2005

Following The Light of the World in 2005

"We possess the prophetic message that is altogether reliable. You will do well to be attentive to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts." (2 Peter 1:19).

Luke tells us that "The daybreak from on high will visit us to shine on those who sit in darkness and death's shadow, to guide our feet into the path of peace." (Luke 1:78-79) The Easter Proclamation assures us that "Jesus Christ is the Morning Star." This Christmas we too have experienced the day dawning and the star shining on the manger. That light follows us and leads us into the Year of the Lord 2005.

January is a month that can be a trying time that seems barren and wintry after the season of anticipation and joyful celebration. The Scriptures constantly remind us that the Light shines not only for the journeying Wise Ones from the East, but is a beacon ever lighting our way in the joys as well as the sorrows of life especially as we begin a new calendar year facing into the new and unexpected.

"The Day Star" has risen in our hearts, and the Prophet Malachi tells us that "...for you who fear my name, there shall arise the sun of justice with its healing rays." (Malachi 3 19-20). We who follow Jesus, the Morning Star, are never truly in darkness as he is always being the Light for us. We may not always clearly understand that the "Light shines in the darkness", but these are the times when our faith is strengthened and our hope and trust put to the test.

Courage, constancy and commitment carried the wanderers from the East to the place where "they found the child with Mary His mother." They responded with faith and hope to the luminous star. We, too are beckoned by the radiance of the One who has come and is to come again so that He can bring us to "where I am you also may be" as Jesus prays in John's Gospel.

Fr. Henri Nouwen reminds us to "Keep your eyes on the Prince of Peace.". How can we lose our way or be side-tracked for long if we do so? Jesus called us "the light of the world" in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew's Gospel. How awesome to reflect on that privilege! The light in us helps keep us centered on Jesus, The true Light of the World.

As we look to the New Year with hope and courage, what does the glow of the Star reveal to each one of us in our lives that needs healing or renewal? Where do you and I need conversion and change? Alone we cannot reach God's goal for us. Where else can we find nourishment for the journey of life and transformation but in the Eucharist and prayer? Our spiritual energy comes in great generosity from Communion with the One who is always with us.

Our commitment to a way of life, following the gospel's call, needs companionship on the road. Pope John Paul II reminds us to look once more to Mary, "Star of the New Evangelization", "Woman of the Eucharist," to be our mentor and model. So, "Look at the star, call upon Mary." Search also the feasts of this month to find those who have followed the Light to the end of the road.

Let us show forth by the radiance of our love and the totality of our commitment and fidelity to the journey, that Jesus has truly come and is alive and is with us. May many come to us as they did to Philip saying, "We want to see Jesus." And may the Light of Christ shine in all our hearts so we may become truly followers of Christ in light and in darkness. May we also be beacons of hope for our Church and world in 2005.

Happy and blessed New Year to one and all.
In spirit and in prayerful union,
Sister Eugenia Brady, S.J.C.

February 2005

NOW IS THE ACCEPTABLE TIME

Dear Friends and fellow Pilgrims,

Today, the feast of St. Angela Merici, reminds me of the call each one of us has to be ever on pilgrimage with Jesus and the Saints to the Kingdom. Angela, Like Francis and Clare, was a woman who did not place her values on the
things of this world. Most of her life she had no place of her own to lay her head, just like Jesus. We are called by the Church as we celebrate the festivals of the Saints to keep our minds on true values. Living that poverty of spirit
- knowing our need for God - as the first Beatitude in Matthew's Gospel Chapter 5 reminds us, is what those whose lives reflect the life of Christ call us to cherish and practice.

As I look around and drive by the mounds of snow these days, I rejoice at the wonders of the beauty and majesty of God. But, also like every material thing snow has its dangers. Someone said, 'Everything contains within itself the
seeds of its own opposite. '' So snow and frost while they 'Bless the Lord," can be hazardous, so we pray for safety for travelers. Each day at Vespers in our Congregation we pray for our Sisters, especially our missionaries who are
traveling, and all travelers. As we begin any journey by car or otherwise we pray "We fly to your protection, O Holy Mother of God. Despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us from all dangers, O ever glorious and ever blessed Virgin." And, of course we add a few "trimmings"!

The depth of Winter reminds us of how some animals defend themselves from severe wintry conditions by hibernating, but also the many ways we too try to stay warm and cozy. When we venture outdoors our habit is to bundle up and enjoy the crisp air. How do we remember our less fortunate brothers and sisters who are without shelter, food and clothing? As we enter into our inner sacred space in prayer, what is the nourishment that sustains us ourselves in the wintry times of the spirit? And, how do we share our prayer and the goods of this world with the less fortunate.?

The month of February has some significant feasts. We celebrate The Presentation of Our Lord, Candlemas Day, and have candles blessed for Church and home. I remember my mother bringing out and lighting the blessed candles in storms and difficult times. How comforting that was! The symbols our Church offers us in the gestures of Mary and Joseph, as well as Joachim and Anna, speak to the need we have to ritualize the special moments in our lives. Far too many meaningful symbolic actions have been lost to us and not replaced with meaningful ones. What can you and I do to celebrate the moments in our lives?

The mystery of Lourdes is highlighted this month by the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, who quoted the dogma of her Immaculate Conception to little Bernadette so favored by visions of the "Beautiful Lady.". Once more Mary asks of us prayer and penance. The holy season of Lent presents us with opportunities to practice asceticism and learn to "Let go and let God."

There are many reminders in February as we pray with and reflect on the words of the Liturgy each day. The Scriptures come alive as we view them with the new eyes of faith during that Holy Season of prayer and penitence.

May the God who loves each one of us infinitely as precious and unique keep you in His care. Let us pray for one another that we will not allow the daily gift of time to pass by unheeded. "'Now is the acceptable time. Now is the day of salvation" as Scripture tells us.

In peace and love,
Sister Eugenia Brady S.J.C.
Spiritual Advisor

March 2005

THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP

"Tempus fugit." Yes, time is speeding by and with it the pilgrim journey of Lent. Our call to follow Jesus from the burnt palms of Ash Wednesday to Easter sunrise will ask for a reckoning all too soon. We are journeying, if we are wise, with the power of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit so that our traveling is not in vain. Yes, it is the commitment to the journey, in the Light of God's grace that enables us to overcome the obstacles we encounter along the way.

The month of March is dedicated to St. Joseph, the Patron of the interior life. This month then, happening in Lent, is a reminder of where our strength lies, namely in prayer. It is in the ever deepening of our relationship with God through our daily responsibility to enter within and allow God to transform our lives that we are renewed.

What does the Spirit of God and my own spirit tell me about my Lenten observance? We all begin well and may obey the obligatory fasts and abstinences, but what of our own personal ascetical and prayer commitment? How are our hearts steeped in the mystery of this sacred time of renewal and reconciliation? The ashes that remind us of our origins and our destiny can be like cruel cinders under bare feet or like the "sour grapes" of Scripture in our teeth. Walking with Jesus can ease the pathway for us and change our perceptions of our penances.

Laetare Sunday gives us hope that the rigors of Lent are coming to a close. What joy awaits those who persevere! We are called to stay the course and not grow weary. The feast of The Annunciation will be overshadowed by the
Triduum this year, but after all what is more fitting than that the great mystery of The Incarnation in which Mary participated so fully should fall in the week when the ultimate sacrifice of Christ is commemorated. Mary is the prime example after Jesus of making a commitment and seeing it through to the end.

The beautiful stories of the woman who anointed Jesus are recorded by all four Evangelists. They are set right before Jesus enters into His Passion in three of the Gospels. When she is criticized for her actions, Jesus defends her
and says, "She did what she had the power to do." That is what God asks of each one of us, only what we are able to do. We bring the fragrance of our prayer and penance to the feet and head of Jesus and are rewarded with His love, care and forgiveness.

What can we do for the Body of Christ today? If our Lenten efforts are totally self-centered we may miss the mark. The call to the needs of the People of God in the Church and the world must be our concern. Peace, justice, poverty, loneliness, cherishing life at all stages, care for the environment these are all concerns that were dear to the heart of St. Francis. We, too are called to rebuild God's Church.

The human heart is capable of greatness as we see all around us and especially in the lives of the Saints. We must "choose life" as we are told in Deuteronomy and help preserve life. Yes, we have the call inwards to the spiritual journey, but also, as Jesus told Catherine of Siena she was to leave her room and go out to His people, so we also must reach out with love and concern to our neighbor.

Another great saint of March is St. Patrick. Just as Joseph heard and obeyed the voices of his dreams so, too did Patrick. He was called out of slavery in Ireland by angelic voices, became a priest and Bishop and then heard new
voices calling him back to the land of his slavery to preach The Good News. We, too are called to listen to the voices in our lives. Pope John Paul II invites us to participate in The New Evangelization. The Church needs to be rebuilt today, and you and I are the voices God can use to spread the Gospel message in our own environment.

As Spring approaches with all its beauty and glory let us with St. Francis, as well as all the saints of March, praise God for the wonders of our marvelous world. May the Paschal Mystery, the suffering, dying and rising of Jesus, be
lived out ever more fully in the life of each one of us. We remember the ashes but also the light and the glory which can transform us and reflect outwards to all those whose lives we touch.

Peace!
Sister Eugenia Brady, S.J.C.

May 2005  

July, 2005  

Nature, a Reflection of the Light of the World

Dear Friends,
Summer has come in all its glory with heat and humidity, but also an abundance of gifts in nature to delight our hearts. Let us, with St. Francis, celebrate the wonders of the changing seasons. He leads us in praise of the God of all creation by his beautiful "Canticle of the Creatures."

"All-highest, almighty good Lord,
to you be praise, glory and honor
and every blessing.
Be praised, my Lord, in all your creatures..."

Many saints, poets and musicians together with Francis, down through the centuries, have lauded the wonders of creation and the God who is the source of all.

"I see His blood upon the rose
And in the stars the glory of His eyes.
His Body gleams amid eternal snows..."
(Joseph Mary Plunkett)

So, too, you and I can, as we journey on our pilgrimage day by day, find God in all things. In order to live this life of presence that leads us to serenity and peace in the midst of crisis times, we need to see Jesus as the â"Light of the world" and realize that He called you and me also to be "the light of the world."

Before St. Clare's birth, her mother Ortolana, while praying heard the words, "Do not be afraid, woman, for you will give birth in safety to a light which will give light more clearly than light itself."

Chiara (St. Clare), together with Francis, was to be a light not only in her own times but down through the centuries, and especially in our own troubled times. The light of both Francis and Clare, in the spirit of their charism, is reflected once again in this month of July as we are asked to remember in our liturgical celebrations their sons and daughters who have entered into the glory of everlasting Light. Blessed Junipero Serra, that great missionary and founder of the 21 California Missions, leads us on our prayer journey on July 1st. Let us follow once again in the footsteps of all these mentors and models in their love of God and all creation.

I recently returned from Portland, Maine where I directed a Retreat for a group of Sisters. On my long car journey I passed through four New England States, praying and singing the praises of God. Sts. Francis and Clare would love to greet and serenade the creatures of God, so lovely, so splendid, so beautiful in all their glory, reflecting the One who created them in this portion of creation. Sights and sounds from water, wind and towering trees as well as bird song, and a great variety of blooming flowers, spread an array of God's love and mercy towards us. All these creatures live fully by being the best of who they are capable of being in their nature, and they "sing of the glory of God.".

Let us join our hearts and voices with the Psalmist, and all the writers of both Testaments, who knew so well how to find the God of creation and speak of His praise. Above all we can see in our brothers and sisters the Face of Christ and glory in the gifts given to each.

Yes, all this beauty and wonder calls us to the greatest praise, Eucharist, as we continue this Year of the Eucharist. With Mary, "Woman of the Eucharist," we can worship at the altar of the Lord and rejoice in the simple gifts of bread and wine that become the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, the One who taught us to recognize God's Hand in all things.

A blessed summer to you all,
Sister Eugenia Brady, S.J.C.
Spiritual Advisor

August, 2005  

MONTH OF SPIRITUAL GIANTS

August is replete with holiness as we see when we highlight the saints who are honored this month. The fragrance of their virtues, like the summer flowers, sheds sweet healing and hope in our hearts.

The Transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Tabor, in the presence of three of his chosen apostles, Peter, James and John, radiates over all the sanctity of August. "This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him."

So let us stand with the chosen three in the light of the Mount of Tabor as we reflect on some of those who truly were as Jesus said, "The light of the world".

Some of the shining lights given this month for our admiration, and sometimes Imitation, are Saints Alphonsus, John Vianney, Dominic, Bernard. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, Jane Francis de Chantal, Rose of Lima, Monica and others. All were followers of Jesus, some even to martyrdom. Their memory is given to us as a sign of hope and witness.

There are two feasts that I wish to highlight. Mary, the Mother of Jesus, whose feast we celebrate on August 15th, was assumed into heaven after her death. There is a tradition told that Thomas was not there when Mary died so her tomb was opened for the doubting one. Lo, and behold Mary's body was not there! What an amazing tale to tell the Christian community! The feast was celebrated from early centuries, and in the Eastern church is known as "The Dormition of Mary."

The one whose "Fiat" gave the Incarnate Son of God a human home in her womb is seen as "A sign that appeared in the heavens: a woman clothed in the sun, the moon at her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head." RV.12:1

Yes, Mary, like her Son, was raised up in glory to share the joys of heaven with The Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

As the one chosen to house "the Holy One of God' in her virginal womb, it is only right and just that she be recognized as being next to her Son as a Royal, Heavenly Queen. So Pope Pius XII in 1954 instituted the feast of the Queenship of Mary.

Pope John Paul II has written: "Taken up to heaven, Mary is associated with the power of her Son and is dedicated to the extension of the Kingdom, sharing in the diffusion of choice grace in the world¦"

Thus as we honor the sanctity of all the saints of August we allow the Light of the World, Jesus, to nurture the light within each one of us. Our prayer, our living out of a gospel-based spirituality, is what draws us and those
around us ever deeper into the light, so that we can radiate Christ.

One of the Saints of August we must not neglect is very much a disciple of the Light, and whose very name proclaimed her as light - Clare of Assisi. She truly gave all for the Light which is never extinguished, and her life in the Spirit was warmed in the radiance of Francis, the Little Poor Man of Assisi. We, can be warmed also as we follow the example of Clare who lived so many years ago and yet can still teach us about love and light.

As the summer comes to an end and we look towards settling into a new phase of the journey, let us reflect with Mary who was so dear to Clare, and like Mary was a strong woman who lived life to the fullest each day.

May the saints of August intercede for us, and we ask Mary to lead us ever closer to her Beloved Son, Jesus.

Have a blessed and peaceful journey through August.

Sister Eugenia Brady, SJC, Spiritual Advisor to the CFP

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October 2005

KNOWING GOD THROUGH HIS FOOTPRINTS

The title of this reflection is taken from the sayings of St. Bonaventure.

I thought how appropriate since we live in an image-laden world, as someone said recently. So, we need to "Stop, Look and Listen" as we search the Church's calendar for October. Let us not allow ourselves to miss a nudge from the Holy Spirit as the mysteries of the Scriptures are unfolded for us, and the calendar of the saints reminds us of those men and women who followed the "Footprints of God.".

"We are made in God's image, but we must grow to God's likeness." These words of St. Irenaeus remind us how special and holy we are, but that we must learn from Jesus and the saints how to "grow to God's likeness." This month of October, dedicated to the Our Lady of the Rosary, has hidden within it a whole set of beads of holy persons connected by links of love for God and all God's creatures. As we pray and seek to respond to the inspirations of October we are called back to basics. St. Francis reminds us of some of these fundamental spiritual calls in his prayer before the Cross at San Damiano:

"Most High glorious God, bring light
to the darkness of my heart.
Give me right faith, certain hope and perfect charity,
so I can always observe your holy and true command."
Amen

"Right faith, certain hope and perfect charity"--what a challenge! Yet this is what we need. Francis in his day saw the world through the eyes of Jesus, and he was transformed, and is still helping to transform our world today. Preaching and seclusion were what Francis modeled for his followers. To his first companions he said, "Go, dearest brothers, into the various parts of the world announcing peace to the people." At the same time he sought places apart for prayer and recollection. Beginning with the hermitage he and his companions received from the Benedictines, Francis either set up or was associated with about 20 hermitages. It was at one of these at La Verna in Tuscany, in that stark mountain retreat, that Francis received the Stigmata during a period of deep meditation on the Cross.

Francis shows us his deep sense of the importance of living the life of both Martha and Mary. As he set up his first little rule he declared that among the three or four brothers there should be at least one "mother." Â The dual role of action and contemplation (Luke 10:38-42) was to be the love that existed among the members of the little fraternity. He wrote for the whole Order, "Let each one love and nourish his brother as a mother loves and nourishes her son insofar as God has given them the grace." He spoke of the balance between the things of heaven and the things of earth when he said, "The spirit of holy prayer and devotion to which all temporal things must be subservient." (Rule of the Friars Minor c.5)

The Divine Office linked the friars to the universal church as well as to one another. The reforming influence of Francis was a special assignment from Jesus, as it were, at the foot of the Cross in the Church of San Damiano. Many others in his time in history were also called to help "Rebuild My Church" as Jesus requested of Francis. Each had his or her mission to spread the good news anew. The call to a Gospel-inspired life is what you and I have heard over and over in our times. The calls through Pope John Paul II to A New Evangelization is the Spirit speaking to the Church to study, pray and share the Good news of the Gospels.

So how am I to help rebuild the Church in our day? The saints of October were Gospel-guided women and men. I have reflected on Francis, but Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary, is the sweet Virgin to whom Francis was her Knight. Mary's life of poverty, suffering, obedience and above all love taught Francis how to follow in the footsteps of her Son. From her simple life which led to a reflective "Fiat, " which gave total commitment to God's plan for the Incarnation, to the Way of the Cross, Calvary and, yes, the joy of Resurrection, Mary's life was a wounded, suffering one which is an example of total and submissive obedience to the Will of God. Let us "Look to the Star, and call upon Mary" "Woman of the Eucharist" as we wind down the Year of the Eucharist, hopefully more secure in following the Footsteps of Jesus as we are nourished by the Eucharistic Meal ever more and more. May peace and all good be yours in abundance my brothers and sisters at this season of fruitfulness in nature, as always in the rich storehouse of God.

In prayer and affection in Jesus,
Sister Eugenia Brady, SJC, Spiritual Advisor

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NOVEMBER: A TIME FOR MEMORIES

"The world is charged with the grandeur of God "(Hopkins, S.J.) Yes, truly our wonderful world can open up visions of the Kingdom to come in all its beauty and bring our hearts to a spirit of gratitude for all God's goodness. Autumn, a season of Thanksgiving and remembrance, still carries on her shoulders colors that remind us of all seasons of the year. She retains the newness of spring in sap and evergreen, the warmth of summer in her golds and yellows, and is the harbinger of winter as she releases her spent leaves to carpet the earth below.

November, the depth of Autumn, is truly a time when we cherish memories of times in the circle of our lives, and those loved ones who shared and still share those times with us. It is in our humanity and that of others that we find the Face of God most clearly revealed. There we see the splendor of God's creation in all its wonder.

The Liturgical Year challenges us to re-member, to gather the memories once again as we enter the month dedicated to The Holy Souls, those who have gone before us but still need our prayers and our love. Like the leaves that fall from the trees and are gathered into the bosom of mother earth, so our loved ones and all the faithful departed are reclaimed to the arms of the loving God from whom they came. The cycle of the seasons of the year is mirrored in the Liturgical Seasons and so we find hope for new life as we also experience diminishment and death.

John I: 3 reminds us that we are "the children of God." Yet, we have no concept of what God has in store for us in the future. But, "we know that when He shall appear we shall be like Him for we shall see Him as He is" if we "keep ourselves pure even as he is pure." So, as the seasons advance we pray that that purity will be ours and that we and those gone before us will be "washed in the blood of the Lamb."

November is once again a time when the Sacrament of Reconciliation is a cleansing and healing grace as we remember our need for forgiveness and mending at the broken places in our lives. The sacramental gift is a source of strength on our life's journey.

So this month let us give our attention to the Communion of Saints and honor those of our communion who have gone before us and who may need our prayers. The feast of All Saints ushers in November and then we remember the ones who may still need purification before being in the Presence of God for all eternity.

Thanksgiving calls us to celebrate life with gratitude and to rejoice for the plenitude of God's graces shown in all the seasons of our lives. So let us give thanks by living lives of gratitude and love.

Autumn teaches us abandonment, the art of letting go, but doing it gratefully and graciously. Nature models for us the dying and rising that reflects the Paschal Mystery, Jesus suffering, dying and rising from the dead. This mystery is present in our daily lives as we experience the joys as well as the sufferings. Nature also teaches us both acceptance and surrender in the midst of the cyclic movements in our personal and human seasonal changes.

May this holy time, that leads us to the close of the Liturgical Year, be a season of great fruitfulness for each one of us. Let us pray for one another and for all our brothers and sisters at home and abroad who suffer as a result of natural disasters, war and terrorism.

May peace be our goal, and the good of all be our aim, this holy season.

I trust in your prayers and promise you mine daily.

Sister Eugenia Brady, SJC, Spiritual Advisor

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Sister Eugenia Brady, S.J.C., Spiritual Advisor