DOGWOOD DAYS

Here in the Ozarks of southwestern Missouri, the dogwoods have been spectacular this Spring;  we are sure someone can explain why, but for us,  they simply inspire awe and appreciation to our Creator God who has fashioned them for us.

 

Wish you were here to see them.

 

the Ava friars 

HAPPY EASTER

Happy Easter to all of you from the friars in Ava!

 

Taking our cue from Paul's Easter reading from 1 Corinthians 5: 6-8,  a question for us to pray with:

 

If indeed, we are a fresh batch of dough,  what will you do with this new yeast of 'resurrection' that you have received through your Triduum and Easter Sunday experience?

 

The world needs us to become 'leaven'  because, as Paul says:  "a little yeast leavens all the dough."    We can do great things with just a little of our energy,  our words,  our actions, our love, our caring, our compassion, etc.   Become that 'bread for the world' whether it's your family,  your community,  your friendships,  your Church, your country, etc.  

 

HAPPY EASTER!

 

Remember:   the Easter Season is 50-days long!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PRAYER REFLECTION FOR GOOD FRIDAY

 

(cross on friary building)

 

Are these actions of Jesus on Good Friday, his embrace of suffering and his death on the cross, the greatest teachings that he left us?  

 Does everything that Jesus taught during his lifetime here on earth come together today – on the cross?

                "The greatest among you will be the one who serves the rest" (Mt 23:11)

                "The last shall be first"   (Mk 10:31)

                "The one who humbles himself  (herself) shall be exalted."  (Luke 14: 11)

                "Whoever loses his (her) life for my sake will find it."  (Mt 16:25)

It all comes together today ….. ON THE CROSS!    

 

What is our response to this?

    (words from Holy Thursday:  "What I have done is give you an example;  as I have done, so shall you do!")

 

"We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world."

 

 

A BLESSED TRIDUUM: today HOLY THURSDAY

 

A BLESSED HOLY THURSDAY

 

Something to think and pray about:   WHY DO WE DO THIS EACH YEAR?

 

Pray about the significance of these three days leading up to Easter.   Can we know that we need to do this;  we need to hear these stories, these scriptures of Holy Week.   Today, on Holy Thursday,  we do this because:

 

    1)  the Exodus story we hear tonight is such an important event in our Judeo-Christian heritage;   it's the story of how God freed our ancestors in the faith from the slavery they knew in Egypt.  We need to hear the story again because it tells us, or reminds us, of how God today comes to free us from all that enslaves us.   Where are we unfree needing God to repeat the exodus event in our lives? 

 

    2)  the Corinthian account of how Jesus, on the night that he died,  took bread and wine, and gave us Eucharist;  a food that has now fed believers for 2000 years.   Today we celebrate in gratitude how Jesus continues to come in so many moments of our lives to feed us with his very life. 

 

    3)  and in the Gospel of John's retelling of the washing of the feet,  we must understand that God now calls us to servant leadership:  "What I have done ('washed your feet'),  you must do ('wash their feet')  for one another."    We see tonight that we are charged, as followers of Christ, with the responsibility to be foot washers wherever we go, beginning right at home, in community, in family, with those closest to us, and then to the wider 'people of God'.

 

A BLESSED HOLY THURSDAY to you and your loved ones!

 

 

 

SENSUAL EXTRAVAGANCE AND MY PRAYER

 

(Our Gospel of John 12: 1-11 for this Monday of Holy Week tells the story of Mary of Bethany anointing Jesus' feet with a costly perfume.   Sr. Melannie Svoboda, SND reflects on this extravagance and how it can translate to our lives of prayer.)

 

The Anointing of Jesus by Mary is a lesson in sensual extravagance.   Mary uses "a liter of costly perfumed oil."  Not merely a cup of cheap oil.   After pouring the oil all over the feet of Jesus, she dries his feet with her own hair.  Not a sanitized towel.  What is the reaction of the others to this overt display of sensual extravagance?   Judas things it is a waste of money and openly rebukes Mary.   But Jesus publicly defends her action and, in doing so, upholds the place for sensual extravagance.

 

How sensually extravagant am I in my spiritual life?   Isn't prayer itself a kind of "waste"?   Certainly there are more productive things we could do with our time.   But Jesus suggests that our relationship with him can be enriched by sensual experiences.   Extravagances at prayer could be lighting a candle, burning incense, listening to music, and investing in a few spiritual aids.   Jesus, help me to be more sensually extravagant in my love for you and others.

 

(This appears as the Monday, April 14, 2014 reflection in the LIVING WITH CHRIST daily missalette.")

BLESSINGS ON YOUR HOLY WEEK

 

As we begin this MOST HOLY OF WEEKS,  let us pray for each other that our journey may be with Christ and ourselves and all our companions, near and far,  who journey together this Holy Week.  

 

A PRAYER

 

Give us your grace, good Lord,

to walk the narrow way that leads to life,

to bear the cross with Christ;

to have the last thing in remembrance,

to have ever before my eye my death that is ever at hand;

to make death no stranger to me,

to pray for pardon before the Judge come,

to have continually in mind the passion that Christ suffered for me;

for his benefits unceasingly to give him thanks,

and buy the time again that I before have lost.

 

St. Thomas More

 

 

PRAYING WITH SACRED SCRIPTURE

 

"SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES"   (John 5:39)

 

(This reflection appears as the daily meditation for Thursday, April 3, 2014,  in THE WORD AMONG US.)

 

Have you ever picked up your Bible, read a passage from it, and then sat back and wondered what in the world God was trying to say to you?  It's possible that you may have walked away and decided either that you were spiritually deaf or that the passage didn't have any consequence for your life.   But somewhere inside your heart, you sensed that there was something in that passage for you, but you just couldn't put your finger on it.

 

We all know that God want to reveal himself to us through Scripture.  But just like everything else in the Christian life,  Scripture won't just magically make sense to us.  We need to cooperate with the Spirit, and that takes some time, some attention, and some perseverance.

 

The following guidelines can help you hear the Lord as you read his word.  Try them over the next few days, and see if they make a difference.

 

*    Select a passage that you want to read.  Maybe you will choose to follow the daily Mass readings with the meditations in this magazine.

 

*    Don't read right away, but begin with prayer.  If you feel like singing or humming a hymn from Mass, do it.

 

*    When you feel ready, read the Scripture passage you have chosen.

 

*    Read it again slowly, dwelling on the words or phrases that struck you.

 

*    Use your imagination to place yourself in the scene described in this passage.

 

*    Imagine that Jesus is sitting across from you and telling you this story himself.

 

*    Be still.   During this quiet period, some words or pictures may bubble up in your thoughts.   This may be God speaking to you -- especially if the images and thoughts lead you closer to Christ,  fill you with hope, or stir your heart to love and forgive.

 

*    Try to write out what you think God is saying to you, and close with a prayer of praise and thanksgiving.

 

God wants to reveal himself to us in Scripture.  Only by quiet reflection will we learn to hear his voice.

 

"Holy Spirit, quiet my heart, and help me to read Scripture with new ears.   Let your revelation penetrate my life and guide me to become more like Christ."