MERRY CHRISTMAS

(Fr. Francis celebrating our Christmas Eve Eucharist)

From the friars and our friends here at the PRAYER FRATERNITY in Ava, MO, we send you and your loved ones a very MERRY CHRISTMAS -- may the Child Jesus, who is "the refulgence of God's glory,  the very imprint of God's being, who sustaIns all things by his mighty word, and has accomplished purification from sins,"   (Hebrews, chapter 1)  come into your life, your home, your community, and our world in ever new ways!   

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS and a MOST BLESSED NEW YEAR IN 2013! 

 

MARY - A MODEL OF PRAYER

(statue of Mary in front of friary)

AN ADVENT MODEL OF PRAYER -- MARY!

Mary is therefore a model of prayer for all Christians.  Prayer is getting in touch with reality, letting it speak to us, and incarnating the word which comes to us.   We let it happen in our lives.  Saying yes to God in  prayer .... means changing our lives in accordance with what we have heard.  It means engaging that word with our whole being, and letting it alter our existence.  For prayer is a dialogue between life and life,  between divine life and human life,  between the life of the Spirit and the life of the flesh.  Unless we enflesh the word of God and let it become incarnate in us, it cannot become real in the world.

(This reflection is from Mary in Luke's Gospel by Joseph Martos and Richard Rohr, OFM,  p.  4)

A BLESSED ADVENT

 

(friary chapter for this Advent time)

 

A BLESSED ADVENT SEASON

Before we get too much further into Advent, the friars here at the Interprovincial Prayer Fraternity wish you and yours a most BLESSED ADVENT;  keep us in prayer as we keep you.  

REFLECTION BY ST. AMBROSE

 

(statue of St. Francis in the friary)

 

Prayer is the wing by which the soul flies to heaven, and

meditation is the eye by which we see God.

(Yesterday was the feast of St. Ambrose; this is a prayer quote by him to ponder.)

 

SIMPLICITY IN YOUR PRAYER

(Charley's Hollow -- a stream flowing thru monastery property)

 

BRINGING SIMPLICITY INTO YOUR PRAYER

 

We have a principle in science called "Occam's Razor" that says if multiple theories explain a phenomenon such as the motion of the planets across the sky, the simplest theory is preferred.

 

In my spiritual life, I try to seek simplicity.  It's so easy to pile up prayer books and, now, podcasts, that my prayer time gets so busy I forget to just pray.   When I recognize that I've lost simplicity in prayer, I turn to a meditation that many spiritual teachers recommend.   In rhythm with my breathing, I start with, "Be still and know that I am God,"  then drop words off the end to "Be still and know that I am,"   "Be still and know," and "Be still."    Then add the last words back on.  In this way I am able to allow space in my mind and heart for God to reveal what my busy prayers hide from me.

 

(The above quote is by Aileen O'Donoghue and appears as a daily mediation for Dec. 4, 2012, in Living Faith,  www.livingfaith.com)  

PRAYER QUOTE

 

Prayer is the place of refuge for every worry, a foundation for cheerfulness, a source of constant happiness, a protection against sadness.

(This quote is by St. John Chrysostom)

NEW SIGNS ON THE PROPERTY

 

(sign where Abbey and St. Francis trail join)

NEW SIGNS

During Thanksgiving week the friars erected a series of signs marking the trails on the property between here and Assumption Abbey.   In an effort to make it easier for our retreatants and guests, and those of the Abbey also, to know their way around, the friars erected signs naming and marking the various trails.   The sign above marks the area where the Abbey trail and the St. Francis trail connect.    It is a two-mile walk between  our friary and Assumption Abbey, whether one walks via the trails, mostly old logging roads, or on the highway.   Nearer to the friary are several shorter trails through the woods on our property.   The trails are named   St. Francis,   St. Clare,   St. Anthony,  St. Joseph, and the Assumption Abbey trail.

 

PRAYER

 

Recently in a catalogue this sentiment was seen:

 

 

PRAYER:   The world's greatest wireless connection. 

Along with the articles being sold, a T-shirt and a plaque, was this thought:  "Technologically speaking, prayer is a message that ALWAYS gets through!"

SINGING TO GOD -- SONG AS PRAYER

 

(St. Francis playing the violin)

Psalm 144:9    O GOD, A NEW SONG I WILL SING TO YOU.

DO WE CONSIDER OUR SINGING, OUR SONGS, AS PRAYER?

St. Jerome is quoted as saying:  "When we sing, we pray twice!"   The following reflection by Sr. Bridget Haase, O.S.U. appeared in LIVING FAITH  (www.livingfaith.com) for Saturday, November 24th.  It raises an interesting reflection about singing and praying for us.  Might we consider that the songs we sing, certainly in Church, but just perhaps, even while driving the car singing along with the radio, humming a favorite tune, in the shower, while we work, etc. might indeed be  'prayer'? 

"Guess what, Sister?", my fifth-grader Estelle blurted out.  "Sometimes my heart's words become a song to God.  That's called prayer."   It was a fitting reminder that God loves to hear the lyrics in our hearts even if, like that November day, I was singing the spiritual blues.

In the psalmist's hymn today (Psalm 144), we chant a promise:  We will sing a new song.  The "new" depends on what we need God to do for us.  As another liturgical year soon begins, perhaps we hope God showers us with amazing grace; comforts us by trading our life's rugged cross for a crown;  transforms us into channels of peace; unites us more deeply as one bread, one body.   In singing each day from our heart,  our prayer will be sincere and will bellow forth in expectation and praise to our God from whom all blessings flow.

another Thanksgiving reflection for prayer

 

IMPORTANCE OF THANKFULNESS IN OUR LIVES

Peter John Cameron, O.P. writes of the importance of thankfulness in life:

The giving of thanks is vital to the life of faith because thanksgiving is life-giving.

Just why is it so important to give thanks?

Thanksgiving acknowledges how much we rely on others for our well-being.

Thanksgiving protects us from forgetting what matters most.

Thanksgiving saves us from taking things for granted.

Thanksgiving deepens our appreciation of our blessings.

Thanksgiving imbues us with an incomparable sense of wonder.

A spirit of thanksgiving keeps us rooted in th Eucharist - the sacrament of thanksgiving.

Anything that we are not grateful for, we lose.

THANKSGIVING DAY PRAYER

 

(feasting with the monks at Assumption Abbey)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING  2012!

 

Again this year the friars from the Prayer Fraternity will be joining our Trappist brothers at Assumption Abbey for Prayer and Thanksgiving Dinner;  this day is one of two days annually when the monks have a special feast inviting guests to join them in the Abbey for a meal and fellowship.

a THANKSGIVING DAY PRAYER:

With our hearts filled with gratitude and joy,

We thank You, O Lord,

For bestowing us with cherished friends and family,

For our health and prosperity,

For the majestic beauty found in nature,

For Your mercy and forgiveness,

And, above all, for bringing Your Word of salvation into our lives.

For these things, we are truly THANKFUL.   AMEN. 

 

 

 

SIMPLE PRAYER OF THE BLIND MAN

 

Scripture text:  read  Luke 18: 35 - 43

This reflection on today's gospel of the blind beggar at the side of the road was written by Portia Clark in DAILY BREAD for Nov. 19, 2012, from www.celebrationpublications.org

 

"LORD, PLEASE LET ME SEE!"

 

This simple prayer of the blind beggar should be in our hearts and on our lips continually.

Lord, please let me see the beauty of your creation:

    the colors of the flowers in summer,

   the shapes of the snowflakes in winter,

    the glow of the stars in the night,

   even the blur made by summer heat coming off the pavement.

Let me see the suffering of others,

    and not ignore their pain or remain in ignorance.

Let me see the needs of the world,

    and the solutions to problems in my own life.

Let me see the innate dignity of each person

    who is made in God's image.

Most of all, let me see your will in my daily decisions!

 

 

NEW COMMUNITY MEMBER

 

(Br. Paul Belco, OFM)

Our Lady of the Angels Friary is blessed to welcome officially (we finally got a picture of him) our newest community member, Br. Paul Belco.   Paul is from Kalamazoo, MI and joined the friars of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Province based in the Milwaukee, WI area,  originally headquartered in Pulaski, WI.   Paul has been a Franciscan for over 50 years and mostly recently came to us from Green Bay, WI --(guess who's a Packer fan and wears a lot of green and gold around here?) -- where he served as the local guardian and also liaison with some of their senior friars.   Paul has had two previous experiences at a House of Prayer and brings that experience with him to our fraternity.   He hopes to stay with us for a period of two years.   WELCOME, BR. PAUL!

PRAYER and cultivating inner peace

(Bryant Creek as it cuts through monastery property) 

PRAYER AS A MEANS TO CULTIVATE INNER PEACE

This following reflection appears in a book called LIFE PRAYERS by Elizabeth Roberts & Elias Amidon published by HarperOne

 

Prayer has always been used as a means of cultivating inner peace.   Without some measure of equanimity, the spiritual journey is impossible.  Prayers offer a skillful means for marrying an inner sense of peace with the outer demands of the world.   They help to quiet and focus the agitated mind.  They use words to carry us beyond words.  As such they are the most primordial language we humans use to align ourselves with the Divine.  By silencing inner noise and distractions, prayer brings us into the presence of the moment.  Its gift is an inner experience of prayerfulness in which the silent center of life's meaning is revealed.

Prayer also gifts us with a deepening of our compassionate caring for the world.  By aligning us with the rest of creation, prayer shows us that the impulse to be of help does not require superior moral fiber or ascetic religious training.  It flows naturally out of being human.  In serving the common good, we learn that we need not become martyrs, sacrificing ourselves in some painful task, but simply become that which we most passionately are.

 

 

 

ST. GERTRUDE AND NUPTIAL MYSTICISM

Today is the feast of St. Gertrude;  in Saint of the Day from St. Anthony Messenger Press, we read about her life and life of prayer:

St. Gertrude, a Benedictine nun in Helfta (Saxony), was one of the great mystics of the thirteenth century.  Together with her friend and teacher, Saint Mechtild, she practiced a spirituality called "nuptial mysticism",  that is, she came to see herself as the bride of Christ.  Her spiritual life was a deep personal union with Jesus and his Sacred Heart, leading her into the very life of the Trinity.

But this was no individualistic piety.  Gertrude lived the rhythm of the liturgy, where she found Christ.  In the liturgy and Scripture, she found the themes and images to enrich and express her piety.  There was no clash between her personal prayer life and the liturgy.

and a COMMENT that follows speaks of the prayer that is at the heart of the Christian life:

St. Gertrude's life is another reminder that the heart of the Christian life is prayer;   PRIVATE and LITURGICAL,  ORDINARY  or MYSTICAL,  always PERSONAL.

 

PRAYERS ON ELECTION DAY

(friary chapel on election day afternoon)

DAY OF ADORATION ON NOVEMBER 6th 

Our local bishop,  Bishop James Johnston, had encouraged all the parishes in the Springfield/Cape Girardeau diocese to have a day of adoration and prayer throughout election day.   Beginning with Mid-day Prayer, the friars here joined in for an afternoon of adoration and prayer for God to guide and inspire the voters of our nation as we went to the polls on election day.   Adoration ended about 6 pm at the conclusion of Evening Prayer.

 

ANNUAL RETREAT COMPLETED

(Sr. Ingrid Peterson, OSF)

CONTEMPLATION IN A FRANCISCAN KEY

 

October 29th to November 2nd were the dates for the annual retreat here at the Prayer Fraternity.  Sr. Ingrid Peterson, a Rochester, MN Franciscan, was our presenter and spent the five days walking with us and reflecting with us on the contributions to contemplative prayer made by a number of Franciscan greats:  St. Francis,  St. Clare,  St. Bonaventure,  St. Anthony of Padua,  Angela of Foligno and Francisco de Osuna. 

The friars here were joined for the retreat by two friars from the St. John the Baptist Province as well as by Sr. Grace Mary from Nazareth Hermitage.

 

 

 

 

GROWING PRAYER FOR A LIFETIME

(fall colors over monastery property)

PRAYER REFLECTION  by St.  Claude de la Colombiere

As I feel a great attraction toward prayer, I asked God, by Our Lady's intercession, to give me the grace to go on increasing in love of this holy exercise,  PRAYER, until my death.  It is the only means of purifying us,  of uniting us to God, and of allowing God to unite himself to us and be glorified in us.

We must pray to obtain the apostolic virtues, pray that we may use them to help others, and pray also that we may not lose them while serving others.  The counsel,  PRAY WITHOUT CEASING, seems sweet to me and in no way impossible.  It includes the practice of the presence of God, and with his help, I resolve to follow it.  We always have need of God, therefore, we must always pray.  The more we pray, the more we please him and the more we obtain.  I do not ask for consolation in prayer;  that God gives where he chooses;  I am not worthy of consolation and am too weak to bear it.

I ask God to give me a solid, simple gift of prayer which will glorify him and not make me vain.   When we are distracted during prayer and find the time long because of our impatience to pass on to something else,  it is good to say to youself:  My soul, are you tired of your God?  Are you not satisfied with him?  You possess him and do you seek for something else?  Where can you be better than in his company?  Where can you profit more?   I have experienced that this calms the mind and unites it with God.

(St. Claude de la Colombiere (died in 1682) was a French Jesuit priest and also the spiritual director of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque.)

 

A PRAYER FOR AUTUMN DAYS

( friary grounds in Fall colors)

Before nature takes away our Fall beauty;  we'd love to share this Prayer for Autumn Days which is written by Sr. Joyce Rupp, OSM

 

A PRAYER FOR AUTUMN DAYS

 

God of the seasons, there is a time for everything; there is a time for dying and a time for rising.  We need your grace and courage to enter into the conversion process.

God of Autumn, the trees are saying their goodbyes to green, letting go of what has been.   We, too, have our moments of surrender, with all their insecurity and risk-taking.  Help us to let go.

God of fallen leaves that lay in colored patterns upon the ground, our lives have their own particular pattern of growth.   We need to see the connections.

God of misty days and harvest-moon nights, there is always the dimension of mystery and wonder in our lives, always the need to recognize your power-filled mystery.

 

God of harvest wagons and fields of ripened grain, there are many gifts of growth within the  season of surrender.  Harvest must be waited for in faith and hope.  Grant us patience when we do not see the blessings.

 

God of geese going South for another season, it is wisdom which enables us to know what needs to be left behind and what needs to be carried into the future.   We yearn for insight and vision.

 

God of graciousness, you believe in us, you enrich us, you entrust us with the freedom to choose life.   For all this we are grateful.

 

As we experience the season of Autumn, may we allow it to speak to us of necessary change and growth and of preparation for seasons that lie beyond the Winter.   Grant us an openness to the continuous process of letting go and moving on, which is part of our human condition.  We know that you are our faithful companion on this journey.  Your presence is blessing enough.  AMEN.

 

 

ST. PAUL'S PRAYER FOR THE READERS

 

A PRAYER FOR MY READERS

 

In preparation for this reflection,    read   Ephesians  3:  14-21

 

A footnote in the NAB reads:   "The Apostle Paul prays that those he is addressing may, like the rest of the church, deepen their understanding of God's plan of salvation in Christ.  It is a plan that affects the whole universe with the breadth and length and height and depth of God's love in Christ or the universe in all its dimensions.   The Apostle prays that they may perceive the redemptive love of Christ for them and be completely immersed in the fullness of God.   The prayer concludes with a doxology to God."

 

Fr. S. Joseph Krempa, in his Daily Homilies,  Ordinary Time,  Year 2,  on p. 211,  offers a wonderful further reflection for us to pray with:

 

"This is a magnificent passage from the Letter to the Ephesians.   Paul is referring to our personal experience of Jesus Christ.  This is as critical for us as it was for Paul.  When we put it into words, we have the beginning of doctrine.  When we put it into symbol, we have the beginning of liturgy.  When we put it into action, we have the beginning of apostolate.  When we put it into structure, we have the beginnings of a Christian community.  When we put it into buildings, we have the beginnings of cathedrals.  

 

Jesus Christ and our experience of His love are the molten core -- the magma -- of the Church.

 

Remove our personal experience of the Lord and each of these things can become an idol.   Doctrine become ideology;   liturgy becomes ceremony;  apostolate becomes empire-building;  and a parish becomes an adminstrative unit.

 

 

FROM WHAT BOOK WOULD JESUS HAVE PRAYED?

 

THE PRAYER BOOK OF JESUS

(The following reflection by Sr. Irene Nowell, OSB,  on what Jesus would have prayed from comes from the October issue of GIVE US THIS DAY,  a daily missalette published by Liturgical Press.  You can find out more about this publication by going to:  www.giveusthisday.org )

Did you realize we have in our possession the prayer book of Jesus?   Doesn't it make you eager to probe this valuable text?   The prayer book Jesus used throughout his life is the book of Psalms.  Even as he was dying, Jesus' final prayers were from the psalms.  What is this book, what are these prayers that have lasted three millennia?  What can these psalms teach us about how to pray?

The psalms teach us, first of all, that our own story is significant.   Some of the longest psalms -- 78, 105,  106 -- tell Israel's history.  But they don't only tell the story;  they pray the story, asking for forgiveness and praising God for lasting gifts.   We too can learn to pray our story.  We realize we are like Israel.  Our story has its times of pain.  How can we learn to cry out our anguish?  Almost a third of the psalms are laments, asking God to heal us, to save us from evil, and simply to listen to our suffering.

Our story is not only a story of pain, however.   When we reflect on our blessings, all the good things God has given us, we long to give thanks to God.  Where can we find the words to adequately express our gratitude?   The psalms again give us the words: Ps 138:1;  Ps 8:2,10;  Ps. 148;  Ps 150:6.

The psalms are a wonderful gift to us.  We can let them soak into our bones by memorizing a verse each day and carrying it around with us.  We can pray our story, cry out our pain, and give unending thanks to God.  What a treasure they are!  No wonder Jesus prayed them!

 

 

PRAYER THOUGHTS FROM DESERT FATHER

(triptych in a small chapel)

 

 

ABBA NILUS TALKS ABOUT PRAYER

Everything you do in revenge against a brother (or sister) who has harmed you will come back to your mind at the time of prayer.

Prayer is the seed of gentleness and the absence of anger.

Prayer is a remedy against grief and depression.

Go, sell all that belongs to you and give it to the poor and taking up the cross, deny yourself;  in this way, you will be able to pray without distraction.

Whatever you have endured out of love of wisdom will bear fruit for you at the time of prayer.

If you want to pray properly, do not let yourself be upset or you will run in vain.

Do not be always wanting everything to turn out as you think it should, but rather as God pleases, then you will be undisturbed and thankful in your prayer.

 

 

(These sayings on prayer by Abba Nilus, appear in THE SAYINGS OF THE DESERT FATHERS, Cistercian Publications, revised edition 1984.)

 

POSTULANTS VISIT

 

 

September 16-18 saw our Prayer Fraternity hosting the two new postulants (and their directors) from the Province of St. John the Baptist in Cincinnati;  pictured above are Ramon Castellon  and  Zach Bischler who have just begun their first year with the formation team of Frs. Carl Langenderfer and  Frank Geers, OFM.   It's always a pleasure to see the new class from Cincinnati include our friary in a visit of their provincial ministries.   We wish them the best in their year of formation and promise to keep them in our prayers.

PRAYER: A DUTY, A JOY

 

(a small chapel on the grounds of our Prayer Fraternity)

PRAYER:  A DUTY,  A JOY!

 

"Then Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, spending the night in communion with God."  LK  6:12

 

This reflection is written by Mary Marrocco and appeared in the daily devotional,  LIVING FAITH, for September 11, 2012:

 

"To my mother, reading is as necessary as eating and breathing.  Lately, due to an eye blockage, she has difficulty seeing.  She didn't read the newspaper this morning.   She couldn't read the recipe she was making.  But she picked up a lighted magnifying glass to read morning prayer, explaining:  "I've almost memorized it anyway."   Watching her, book and glass close to her face, I saw a woman whose strength and grace stem from prayer.

In this way, among others, she's Christlike.  The gospels clearly show how prayerful Jesus was and how he drew on prayer for everything he did.  If we desire to be like him, prayer will help take us there.  At times, it will feel like a duty;  at other times, pure joy.  At all times, it's air to breathe and water to drink, ever available, ever sweet."

 

Lectio Divina as a 5-Step Prayer

 

(summer sunflowers in the friar's garden)

 

 

A QUICK LOOK AT LECTIO DIVINA:

This meditation appeared in the September issue of The Word Among Us from Sunday, September 2nd.   It offers a quick and simple look at the ancient practice of Lectio Divina and offers a 5th step to the classic 4 steps  that we normally think of when we consider LECTIO.   The meditation was based on the Letter to James 1:22  "Be doers of the word and not hearers only." 

Words, words, words!   We live in a very verbal world.  Televisions, radios, iPods, table computers, newspapers, billboards, books, magazines  -- they are all ready to saturate our minds and stimulate our interests.  But so much comes at us that it goes in one ear and right out the other.

If our judgment is spiritually acute, this can be a good protection against ungodly influences.  But we also run the risk of closing our ears to the most important word of all, the word of God.  Without even realizing it, we may end up treating Scripture as we do other words:  tuning it out, shielding ourselves from its challenge, not feeling any need to apply it to our lives.  So what can we do to make sure that we become "doers" of God's word?

One of the best answers is the ancient practice of LECTIO DIVINA,  or "sacred reading."  Its basic steps are simple:

LECTIO:   First, read a passage of Scripture slowly and carefully.  Use your Bible's footnotes or a trusted commentary if you need help.

MEDITATIO:   Next, reflect quietly on the meaning of the passage.  Let the words sink deeply into your mind.

ORATIO:  Next, in prayer, talk with God about the passage.  "Lord, how does this verse apply to my own life?"

CONTEMPLATIO:   In the silence of your heart, simply rest in God's presence, contemplating the goodness he has show you in his word.

OPERATIO:   And then, as a fruit of your prayer and reading, decide how you will respond to what God has shown you.  How will you live out the word that has come alive?

 

CARRYING THE SICK TO GOD IN PRAYER

 

This wonderful reflection on Prayer and the Sick by Sr. Joyce Rupp, OSM,  appeared in the LIVING FAITH daily devotional on September 5, 2012 --their website is  www.livingfaith.com.

Scripture:   "At sunset, all who had people sick with various diseases brought them to Jesus."   (Luke 4:40)

Reflection:

Notice that in Luke's description of Jesus' healing the sick,  it does not say the sick came to him.   Rather, they were BROUGHT by someone who cared about them.   For a variety of reasons --  weakness,  immobility,  fear  or disbelief -- the infirm were unable to come on their own.   Who brought them?  People like you and me who know many who are suffering from various ailments, especially cancer, depression and conditions associated with aging.   How do we bring them to the Divine Healer?   We carry them on our prayers, trusting that whatever form of healing they most need will be given.   Never doubt that praying for the sick can make a difference.   Their illness may or may not dissipate, but courage, comfort, strength, peace and other essential gifts of inner healing will grow in them.  When people ask you for pray for them,   write down their names, daily hold these names close to your heart and send forth God's love to these persons.

 

PRAYERFUL REFLECTION ON MARY

 

 

(statue of Mary in front of friary)

 

REFLECTION ON MARY TO TAKE TO PRAYER:

As we celebrate the month of Mary with her feast of the Assumption (Aug 15), we allow today's (Aug 20)  great Cistercian saint: St. Bernard of Clairvaux, to offer us some prayerful thoughts about Mary to bring to our prayer:

 

"In dangers, in doubts, in difficulties, think of Mary, call upon Mary.

Let not her name depart from your lips, never suffer it to leave your heart.

And that you may more surely obtain the assistance of her prayer,

neglect not to walk in her footsteps.

With her as a guide, you shall never go astray;

while invoking her, you shall never lose heart;

so long as she is in your mind, you are safe from deception;

while she holds your hand, you cannot fall;

under her protection, you have nothing to fear;

if she walks before you, you shall not grow weary;

if she shows you favor, you shall reach the goal." 

FAREWELL PARTY FOR BR. JOSEF

 

(Br. Josef Anderlohr, OFM)

OPEN HOUSE FOR BR. JOSEF:

Sunday, August 19th, an OPEN HOUSE was held for Br. Josef celebrating the 7+ years that he has given to our Interprovincial Prayer Fraternity.  Over 40 friends stopped by throughout the afternoon to wish Br. Josef all the best as he leaves our fraternity and moves to his new home in Cincinnati, OH at St. Francis Seraph Friary  1615 Vine Street   Cincinnati, OH  45202.   Br. Josef will be moving within the next several weeks.   We send him forth with our blessings and our prayers and gratitude for all that he has given to Our Lady of the Angels Friary and it's ministry.  Go in Peace, with our love and prayers!

FEAST OF ST. CLARE OF ASSISI

 

(icon of St. Clare in chapel for feastday)

HAPPY FEAST DAY OF ST. CLARE -- AUGUST 11th:

A thought about contemplative prayer from St. Clare on her special day:

"Place your mind before the mirror of eternity!

 Place your soul in the brilliance of glory!

 Place your heart in the figure of the divine substance!

 And transform your whole being into the image

     of the Godhead Itself through contemplation!"

 

PRAYER IS FOR PONDERING

 

(statue of Mary in Mary's Garden)

 

"Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart."   (Lk  2:19)

PRAYER IS FOR PONDERING

Prayer affords us time to ponder, to reflect on the many wonderful stories of our faith tradition.  Prayer offers us the opportunity to connect these faith stories to our own.  Prayer helps us to hear again and to know anew the faithfulness of God throughout the generations.  In prayer, we can find the experiences of 'exile' and 'exodus' and 'the cross' in our own lives and see God present with us in these life moments.  Prayer helps us recognize the false idols that allure us and put God back on the altar of our lives as our sole worship.  Prayer opens us to the teachings of Jesus and helps us incorporate these teachings into our own words and actions.  Prayer helps us reflect on the mysteries of life, as Mary did, and commit ourselves, as she did, to faithful, loving discipleship in today's world with her Son, Jesus.

(a 'prayer reflection' by one of the Franciscan friars here at the Prayer Fraternity)

THE BEST WAY TO PRAY

 

(chapel during Transitus service)

 

 

THE BEST WAY TO PRAY

 

Sometimes we pray to get what we want or need.  Sometimes we pray for guidance.  But the best reason to pray -- and the reason Jesus prayed -- is to join ourselves to God.  But there is no one way to do that. 

 

When his disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, he taught them the "Our Father."   It is a prayer of praise and gives God the glory that he is due.   It is also a petition in which we ask God to provide what we need.  Third, it asks for forgiveness and the strength to be forgiving.   And last, it is an acknowledgement that God knows what is best for us and reminds us to submit to his will rather than our own.

 

God hears all prayers, but he wants to know that we are committed to that for which we are asking.  Jesus said to be persistent and continue to ask for God's help, seek God's will, and open the door to God's grace in our lives.

 

(This reflection is from the parish bulletin insert,  GROWING IN FAITH, for July 2012, published by Success Publishing & Media; to learn more about them, go to:  www.growinginfaith.com )

PRAYER: KEY TO A STEADY FAITH

 

(liatris in garden area)

 

A STEADY FAITH NEEDS PRAYER:

 

"UNLESS YOUR FAITH IS FIRM, YOU SHALL NOT BE FIRM!"   (ISAIAH  7:9)

 

Just as the key to a  successful marriage is communication between spouses, what is essential to our faith is our communication with God -- our life of prayer.  When we pray, we let go of ego and will and place ourselves in the presence of the divine so that communication can occur between our human spirit and God's Holy Spirit.  Prayer holds us firm in that presence, an anchor that keeps our lives steady and securely linked to God, even while the storms of everyday life bear down on us and try to drag us out to sea.

 

A life of prayer keeps us aware of the sacred, ordinary moments in our lives and connected to the One who never changes, even as everything around us sways and lurches, tosses and shifts.  Prayer helps us know that God is, indeed, close by, alive, moving and working in our lives.

 

(a reflection by Steve Givens,  from the LIVING FAITH daily devotional for July 17th)

Prayer Reflection from the Prayer Fraternity

 

PRAYER REFLECTION

 

Saint Teresa says:  "Prayer is not thinking much but loving much."

 

Everything becomes simple when we realize that here we are dealing with what is, first of all, a matter of the heart.  It is not then a case of straining the mind, but simply of uniting our hearts to God.....  It seems to be often God's way, however, not to let us see results, and even to let us be aware of our lack of success;  but this can keep us humble.   All the while God continues to work within our souls, though in darkness and in silence.

 

(reflection is from FRAGRANCE FROM ALABASTER,  by Mother Aloysius Rogers,  OCD) 

 

 

Fence for friary garden

 

To help protect our garden produce from God's wonderful creatures (e.g. deer, coons, etc.) the friars, with the assistance of some friends, erected a 6 foot fence around the garden area this past month.  With an electric wire added to the top, so far it seems to be working.   This summer, with its terrible heat and dryness, will be a real test for the ability of the fence to keep our little friends out of the garden.  Presently, with the conditions drying up everything in the woods, they are desperate for anything lush and green.

Blogsite is back on-line

Our apologies to you, but for the past month, our blogsite has been down because our computer's motherboard failed;  we hope to be back up and continuing to offer you more 'prayer' reflections, etc. immediately -- the friars at Ava! 

A PENTECOST PRAYER

 

(Paschal Candle decorated for Pentecost)

 

 

A BLESSED PENTECOST TO YOU !!!

 

Come, Spirit of true light.

Come, life eternal.

Come, hidden mystery of God.

Come, nameless treasure.

Come, that which is beyond words.

Come, source of all courage.

Come, true hope of all the saved.

Come, eternal joy.

Come, garland unfading.

Come, great God and Lord of our realm.

Come, my life and breath.

Come, consolation of my soul.

Come, my joy, my glory, my perpetual delight.

Come, O Spirit of truth.

Amen.

 

(Prayer by St. Simeon the New Theologian)

 

 

 

 

 

 

A PENTECOST PRAYER

 

(Paschal Candle decorated for Pentecost)

 

 

A BLESSED PENTECOST TO YOU !!!

 

Come, Spirit of true light.

Come, life eternal.

Come, hidden mystery of God.

Come, nameless treasure.

Come, that which is beyond words.

Come, source of all courage.

Come, true hope of all the saved.

Come, eternal joy.

Come, garland unfading.

Come, great God and Lord of our realm.

Come, my life and breath.

Come, consolation of my soul.

Come, my joy, my glory, my perpetual delight.

Come, O Spirit of truth.

Amen.

 

(Prayer by St. Simeon the New Theologian)

 

 

 

 

 

 

A PENTECOST PRAYER

 

(Paschal Candle decorated for Pentecost)

 

 

A BLESSED PENTECOST TO YOU !!!

 

Come, Spirit of true light.

Come, life eternal.

Come, hidden mystery of God.

Come, nameless treasure.

Come, that which is beyond words.

Come, source of all courage.

Come, true hope of all the saved.

Come, eternal joy.

Come, garland unfading.

Come, great God and Lord of our realm.

Come, my life and breath.

Come, consolation of my soul.

Come, my joy, my glory, my perpetual delight.

Come, O Spirit of truth.

Amen.

 

(Prayer by St. Simeon the New Theologian)

 

 

 

 

 

 

A PENTECOST PRAYER

 

(Paschal Candle decorated for Pentecost)

 

 

A BLESSED PENTECOST TO YOU !!!

 

Come, Spirit of true light.

Come, life eternal.

Come, hidden mystery of God.

Come, nameless treasure.

Come, that which is beyond words.

Come, source of all courage.

Come, true hope of all the saved.

Come, eternal joy.

Come, garland unfading.

Come, great God and Lord of our realm.

Come, my life and breath.

Come, consolation of my soul.

Come, my joy, my glory, my perpetual delight.

Come, O Spirit of truth.

Amen.

 

(Prayer by St. Simeon the New Theologian)

 

 

 

 

 

 

PRAYER - BELIEFS - MORALS

 

(tabernacle in our chapel)

 

THE WITNESS OF PRAYER

 

Even the most devout Christian must have questions at times about how prayer works, how effective it is, about why we should pray.  But one of the most trustworthy signs of a believer is the willingness to pray, to continue to pray.  In many ways, our beliefs and our morals are less convincing signs of our following of Jesus than our praying is.  Belief can, at times, be so simply a mental thing;  the morals we practice are often duplicated by many nonbelievers.  

 

But prayer shows a profound confidence that there is a God and that this God is concerned about all that we pray about.   Prayer is a practice that makes absolutely no sense apart from a genuine trust in God and in God's willingness to help.  

 

It's true that none of us may have a sure grip on how prayer works, but a belief in it is essential.   When cancer strikes, when someone loses a job, when a marriage is in trouble, when a teenager seems headed for disaster, when an accident or illness worries us, we pray.  We trust that someway and somehow God will help.  Our trust does not mean we have to expect God to change the laws of the universe -- it will more likely be something much more subtle.  Perhaps, as a result of prayer, someone for whom we pray learns how to deal with some disaster or big worry.   We are probably better off in the long run not trying to figure out what God might or should do and instead trust that God has ways of which we know so little.    "Ask, and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete."  (John 16: 24)

 

(This reflection on prayer comes from the commentary on the readings for Saturday of the Seventh Week of Easter,

Homilies for Weekdays,  Year II, by Don Talafous, OSB,  Liturgical Press.)

 

PRAYER REFLECTIONS

 

PRAYER REFLECTIONS BASED ON Matthew 25:40   and  Matthew  6:6

 

 

Mother Teresa often told her sisters to remember the "gospel on five fingers."   As she held up each finger of her hand, she would say:  "You,  Did,  It,  For,  Me."   These words come from Matthew 25:40, where Jesus tells us we will be judged by how we help the thirsty or hungry or sick, etc.

 

(Quote is from an article by Sr. Theresa Rickard, OP in the May 2012 issue of LIVING WITH CHRIST monthly missalette, p. 2)

 

 

Matthew 6:6 tells us to enter into our "closet" for prayer.   When a Jewish man puts on his prayer shawl, he closes himself in and shuts out the world.  This effectively becomes his "prayer closet" and this was an image in the mind of Matthew when he wrote the admonition of Jesus.

 

(This quote accompanied several prayer shawls that were given as gifts to the members of our prayer fraternity by a group from Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church in Branson, MO.)

SOAP HOUSE IN SPRING

 

(Irises are the Easter colors for the Soap House)

 

SPRING is definitely here at the Prayer Fraternity!  With the warm weather, the normal spring flowers arrived early.  It was the irises who arrived in time for the Easter season and continue to grace the campus.  Pictured above is the former guesthouse of the Volchok family (Mike and Martha Volchok built the buildings we use today for our friary. This building was used as a guest house for them.).   Today Br. Joe uses the building for his soap-making.  If you are interested in seeing a slideshow of Br. Joe making his soap, click on the Franciscan Soap-Making site on the blogsite here.

 

Franciscan Soap makes a great gift for special occasions;  it's great for personal use.   Br. Joe offers a number of different soaps; for the Christmas season, he always has two special Christmas soaps (not available till Oct. 15th);  his normal soaps for purchase are:

 

     Oatmeal, Milk and Honey

     Lemon

     Honeysuckle Hollow

     Woodland

     Lavender

     Fragrance Free

     Rain

     Sage, Sweetgrass, Cedar

     Lavender and Cedar

 

You can email him at brojofm@aol.com to order, or to obtain a brochure.  The brochure additionally shows some of the packaging that is available for gift items.

 

 

 

 

DOGWOODS and GOOD FRIDAY

 

 

(pictures of dogwoods here on our Ava property)

 

This is HOLY WEEK and your Franciscan brothers at the Interprovincial Prayer Fraternity wish you a BLESSED HOLY WEEK and a GLORIOUS EASTER!

 

With the warm winter/spring we have had, the dogwoods, of which our woods are full, are in full bloom now, just in time for Holy Week;  it's especially appropriate when you hear the spiritual symbolism of the dogwood tree.   Read on!

 

"The dogwood was the tree chosen to construct the Cross that would be used to take the body of Jesus.   Even though His body may have been taken from this earth, His spirit remains and every spring we are blessed with a reminder of the events that unfolded on that fateful weekend.  The blooms often appear in the shape of a Cross with holes in the tips of the pedals signifying the nails that were driven into the Cross.  If you look closely at these holes, you can notice a faint red stain representing the Blood.   In the center,  you will find a green bloom symbolizing the crown of thorns placed on the head of Jesus.   After the Crucifixion, God proclaimed that dogwood trees would never grow large ever again.  This the reason the trunks of dogwoods are skinny and often branch off low on the trunk.  The dogwood is more than a tree....it is a representation of life.   With every spring we are reminded of what God did for us and given the chance to be reborn and start a new life as "children of God".

 

Again, have a Blessed Holy Week -- hope you see some dogwoods.   HAPPY EASTER!!!

PRAYER! -- NATURE CALLS SPRING INTO BEING

(bench down by St. Anthony Park & pond - our 'swamp cathedral')

 

 

NATURE'S CHORUSES HERALD ARRIVAL OF SPRING

 

(Several weeks ago some retreatants were sitting on the bench down by the pond and noticed that there was a chorus of tree frogs and other creatures singing -- or was it praying?   They seemed to be letting us know that God was speaking through them of the arrival of spring and new life for them and the trees and spring flowers.   New life for us!    A friend of the community, Alice Ellis, shared the following reflection as she experienced nature awakening and reminding all of us of God's goodness in this 'spring-has-sprung hallelujah'.)

 

 

MUSIC IN THE EARS OF THE BEHOLDER

 

Even though it was only March 18th, it was so warm at bedtime, I decided to open the window.  Could it be true?  I thought that I could hear frogs singing.  I put my ear closer to the window-screen and sure enough, the frog choir was belting out the "hallelujah chorus" from the nearby swamp-cathedral.   The wake-up hallelujah from hibernation.  The spring-has-sprung hallelujah. 

 

I am sure George Frideric Handel (1685 to 1759) would not compare the song of frogs to his Hallelujah Chorus, but I suspect Handel would hear "music."  After the deadening silence of winter, spring arrives through the love-arias of birds, the operatic yip of coyotes, the full choir of frogs, the trumpet of swans, the percussion of woodpeckers, the drumbeat of grouse ... it is all here.   We have singers and we have a full symphony ... all playing the song of life.

 

In 1717 Handel composed a collection of music called Water Music.  This concert was performed outdoors on the River Thames for King George I.  It was said that George I enjoyed it so much, that he made the musicians play it three times during the course of the outing.  No wonder the frogs sing all night!

 

When I think of the genius of Handel,  I can't help but ponder what forces inspired him.   Did he also keep the bedroom window open at night?   Perhaps.  Sing it out frogs;  we hear you.  Hallelujah!

 

  

 

FIVE FINGER PRAYER

 

 

Teachers use all sorts of practical examples to help us to learn;  perhaps in the quest for a way to pray, to systematically know how to incorporate intercessory prayer into our lives, we can use this simple method below called the 'Five-Finger Prayer':

 

1.     Your thumb is nearest you.  So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you.  They are the easiest to remember.  To pray for our loved ones is, as C.S. Lewis once said, a 'sweet duty.'

 

2.     The next finger is the pointing finger.  Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal.  This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers.   They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction.  Keep them in your prayers.

 

3.     The next finger is the tallest finger.  It reminds us of our leaders.   Pray for the president, leaders in business and industry, and administrators.   These people shape our nation and guide public opinion.  They need God's guidance.

 

4.     The fourth finger is our ring finger.   Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest finger, as any piano teacher will testify.  It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain.   They need your prayers day and night.   You cannot pray too much for them.

 

5.     And lastly comes our little finger -- the smallest finger of all which is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others.   As the Bible says:  'The least shall be the greatest among you.'   Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself.   By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively. 

 

(the author of this method is unknown)

 

 

CONGRATULATIONS to POOR CLARES

 

 

(icon of St. Clare in friary chapel for March 18, 2012)

 

March 18, 1212 is believed to be Palm Sunday and the day when St. Clare left her family to join St. Francis and the early brothers in their new way of life.   March 18, 2012  was celebrated across the world as the 800th anniversary of the religious consecration of St. Clare and the beginning of the Poor Clares. 

 

Here at our Prayer Fraternity, we celebrated with the Poor Clares with a special Vespers Service marking this great moment in time.  Our congratulations to all of our Franciscan Poor Clare sisters as they celebrate their 800th Jubilee.   May you have 800 more glorious and prayer-filled and prosperous years as a religious congregation of women.   Our Church, our Franciscan family, and our world is richly blessed by all you are and all that you bring through your lives and example.

 

 

JESUS AND PRAYER

 

 

(San Damiano crucifix in the chapel)

 

 

JESUS  and  PRAYER   -- "ABBA, FATHER"  (Mark 14:36)

 

You might think that, being God, Jesus would have been pretty self-sufficient.  There wasn't much he couldn't do, after all.  He walked on water,  cured lepers,  calmed storms,  and even raised the dead.  So why pray?  What need could Jesus possibly have had to talk to God?

 

Jesus revealed a God who was a trinity of persons, a community rather than an isolated individual.  As a man, Jesus lived this communion with his Father especially through prayer.  When he went off to the mountain or the desert, he wasn't "lost in his own thoughts" but immersed in conversation with his Father.  He loved his Father, and he loved to spend time with him.  For Jesus, prayer wasn't a chore he had to get out of the way but a delight, an activity he looked forward to.   He made time for prayer because for him it was a priority.

 

In short, Jesus didn't pray just because he "had" to.  He didn't turn to God just as a problem-solver or a bodyguard.  He turned to him as a Father.   It would be a shame if the only time we dealt with our father was when we needed to borrow the car keys or take out a short-term loan!  This wasn't Jesus' attitude.  He bounced ideas off God, shared his inner-most thoughts and aspirations with him, and sometimes just enjoyed his company without saying anything at all.  The heart of Jesus was indeed a prayerful heart.

 

 

(This reflection appears in the book,  THE SACRED HEART FOR LENT,  by Fr. Thomas D. Williams, published by Servant Books of St. Anthony Messenger Press,  copyright 2011.)