Beauty of light and shadows

Beauty of light and shadows!

Cor Jesu Chapel 

The Lord is having fun with the light and shadows, 

and we enjoy every minute of it. 

Pilgrim George

We had a Saturday surprise visitor:  Pilgrim George.  We had heard of him from time to time in Bishop Bosco's weekly column, A View from the Bridge in our local diocesan newspaper.  With Bishop Bosco's retirement, we no longer heard of Pilgrim George's travels, but when he appeared on our doorstep, it was like welcoming an old friend.

Pilgrim George stayed with us overnight and shared his story and travel tales with us over supper.  He has walked around the world four times and his patchwork habit is made of old blue jeans.  And yes, he carries spare patches and mends it as needed.  His sandles are made from tires, and he replaces the heels every 3,000 miles. 

His vocation is to be a pilgrim.  In his own words, as he was nearing ordination (after 12 years of seminary training), he knew all kinds of head knowledge but didn't have the heart knowledge he felt he needed to be a priest.  Taking a leave of absence before priestly ordination, he made a pilgrimage from Spain to the Holy Land.  It was there that he heard his calling:  to be a pilgrim. 

In his travels, he lifts up the Cross of Christ on his pilgrim staff and ministers to those he encounters on his travels.  It's not unusual for folks to stop and talk with him, walk a piece with him, or offer assistance.  When not on pilgrimage, he lives as a hermit.  And yes, he has a Facebook page. 

God bless you, Pilgrim George!  And may your travels always bring you and those you encounter closer to Christ!

Uphold me, O Lord, as You have promised...

On Wednesday, July 11 we joined our Benedictine brothers at St. Vincent Archabbey to celebrate the feast day of our Holy Father St. Benedict, Founder of Western Monasticism and to witness the solemn profession of four of the monks.

The Mass, as always, was impressive and being part of their solemn vows renewed our own sense of monastic commitment.  Our prayers go out to Brother John Paul, Brother Albert, Father Jean-Luc and Brother Pio.  May our Lord sustain as you seek to follow Him each day with the Gospel and the Rule (of St. Benedict) as you guide...

Fiat! Days

Greetings from Emmitsburg!

Each year the Diocese of Harrisburg hosts Fiat! Days for women of their diocese at Mount St. Marys Seminary, Emmitsburg, Maryland.  These women along with Sisters and Nuns of various communities to explore various facets of religious vocations.

Please remember these women -- as well as all those discerning religious vocations in your your prayers!

My Country 'Tis of Thee

Today we remember the numerous men and women who have given their life in defense of our country and the freedom that we enjoy.  Regardless of whether or not we personally feel we should be engaged in conflicts around the globe, the men and women of our armed forces but themselves in harm's way to preserve our freedoms and to fight for the lives, dignity and freedoms for other as well.  Let us remember them in grateful prayer...

 

My country, 'tis of thee,
Sweet land of Liberty,
Of thee I sing;
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the pilgrim's pride!
From ev'ry mountain side,
Let freedom ring!

My native country thee,
Land of the noble free,
Thy name I love.
I love thy rocks and rills,
Thy woods and templed hills;
My heart with rapture thrills,
Like that above.

Let music swell the breeze,
And ring from all the trees,
Sweet freedom's song.
Let mortal tongues awake;
Let all that breathe partake;
Let rocks their silence break,
the sound prolong.

Our fathers' God, to Thee,
Author of Liberty,
To Thee we sing.
Long may our land be bright,
With freedom's holy light;
Protect us by Thy might,
Great God, our King! 

by Samuel Francis Smith

This is Jesus just checking in today

Our new project The Lord's Table located in our back field

A minister passing through his church in the middle of the day, decided to pause by the altar and see who had come to pray.

Just then the back door opened, a man came down the aisle.

The minister frowned as he saw the man hadn't shaved in a while.

His shirt was kinda shabby and his coat was worn and frayed.

The man knelt, he bowed his head, then rose and walked away.

In the days that followed, each noon time came this chap,

Each time he knelt just for a moment, a lunch pail in his lap.

Well, the minister's suspicions grew, with robbery a main fear,

He decided to stop the man and ask him, "What are you doing here?"

The old man said, he worked down the road. Lunch was half an hour.

Lunchtime was his prayer time, for finding strength and power.

"I stay only moments, see, because the factory is so far away;

As I kneel here talking to the Lord, this is kinda what I say:

"I just came again to tell You, Lord, how happy I've been, since we found each other's friendship and You took away my sin.  Don't know much of how to pray, but I think about You every day.  So, Jesus, this is Jim checking in today."

The minister feeling foolish, told Jim, that was fine.

He told the man he was welcome to come and pray just anytime.

Time to go, Jim smiled, said "Thanks." He hurried to the door.

The minister knelt at the altar, he'd never done it before.

His cold heart melted, warmed with love, and met with Jesus there.

As the tears flowed, in his heart, he repeated old Jim's prayer:

"I just came again to tell you, Lord, how happy I've been, since we found each other's friendship and you took away my sin.  I don't know much of how to pray, but I think about You every day. So, Jesus, this is me checking in today."

Past noon one day, the minister noticed that old Jim hadn't come.

As more days passed without Jim, he began to worry some.

At the factory, he asked about him, learning he was ill.

The hospital staff was worried, but he'd given them a thrill.

The week that Jim was with them, brought changes in the ward.

His smiles, a joy contagious. Changed people, were his reward.

The head nurse couldn't understand why Jim was so glad, when no flowers, calls or cards came, not a visitor he had.

The minister stayed by his bed, he voiced the nurse's concern:

No friends came to show they cared. He had nowhere to turn.

Looking surprised, old Jim spoke up and with a winsome smile; "the nurse is wrong, she couldn't know, that in here all the while everyday at noon He's here, a dear friend of mine, you see, He sits right down, takes my hand, leans over and says to me:

"I just came again to tell you, Jim, how happy I have been, since we found this friendship, and I took away your sin.  Always love to hear you pray, I think about you each day, and so Jim, this is Jesus checking in today."

- Author Unknown

Mondays

Young men and women on "mission" to St. Emma to help us .

Several years ago I started to have a theme for  my daily Mass and prayer intentions for each day of the week.  Mondays were for the Missions.  Easy to remember Monday Missions:  M&M.  Also this seems to be the hardest day back at work and so I pray for the people who are are under persecution for spreading the Gospel.

A Friend...

 (A)ccepts you as you are
 (B)elieves in "you"
 (C)alls you just to say "HI"
 (D)oesn't give up on you
 (E)nvisions the whole of you (even the unfinished parts)
 (F)orgives your mistakes
 (G)ives unconditionally
 (H)elps you
 (I)nvites you over
 (J)ust "be" with you
 (K)eeps you close at heart
 (L)oves you for who you are
 (M)akes a difference in your life
 (N)ever Judges
 (O)ffer support
 (P)icks you up
 (Q)uiets your fears
 (R)aises your spirits
 (S)ays nice things about you
 (T)ells you the truth when you need to hear it
 (U)nderstands you
 (V)alues you
 (W)alks beside you
 (X)-plains thing you don't understand
 (Y)ells when you won't listen and
 (Z)aps you back to reality

America

My country, 'tis of Thee,
Sweet Land of Liberty
Of thee I sing;
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the pilgrims' pride,
From every mountain side
Let Freedom ring.

My native country, thee,
Land of the noble free,
Thy name I love;
I love thy rocks and rills,
Thy woods and templed hills,
My heart with rapture thrills
Like that above.

Let music swell the breeze,
And ring from all the trees
Sweet Freedom's song;
Let mortal tongues awake;
Let all that breathe partake;
Let rocks their silence break,
The sound prolong.

Our fathers' God to Thee,
Author of Liberty,
To thee we sing,
Long may our land be bright
With Freedom's holy light,
Protect us by thy might
Great God, our King.

Our glorious Land to-day,
'Neath Education's sway,
Soars upward still.
Its hills of learning fair,
Whose bounties all may share,
Behold them everywhere
On vale and hill!

Thy safeguard, Liberty,
The school shall ever be,
Our Nation's pride!
No tyrant hand shall smite,
While with encircling might
All here are taught the Right
With Truth allied.

Beneath Heaven's gracious will
The stars of progress still
Our course do sway;
In unity sublime
To broader heights we climb,
Triumphant over Time,
God speeds our way!

Grand birthright of our sires,
Our altars and our fires
Keep we still pure!
Our starry flag unfurled,
The hope of all the world,
In peace and light impearled,
God hold secure!

by Samuel F. Smith

Let us be thankful that we live in a country where we are free to worship God and to remember in our prayers those men and women who put themselves in harm's way to protect the freedoms that we enjoy.  God bless them all!

John Paul II, We Love You!

I can remember hearing those words chanted many times.  I remember his historic visit to the Unites States in the Fall of 1979.  A classmate of mine traveled with her parents from Pennsylvania to Des Moines, Iowa to see him.  In many ways, she represented all of us.

Just weeks before entering, Pope John Paul came to Denver, Colorado for World Youth Day.  I remember watching news clips (no cable at home, had to rely on what the local news channels for coverage!) about his visit.

His Pontificate covered over half my life.  And now Holy Mother Church is Beatifying this Servant of the Servants of God. 

John Paul, your very first words to us at your elevation to the Pontificate still ring true today:  "Do not be afraid!" 

May we never be afraid to proclaim our faith, and we ask that you intercede for us from your privileged place in heaven.

Morning Praise...

At first light, before dawn, nature proclaims the majesty of the Creator's artistry while in the Cor Jesu Monastic Chapel our community chants Lauds, joining the angelic choir in praising God and pray, with Christ, for the world.

Spring Just Around the Corner?

The famous (or is it imfamous?) prognosticating groundhog, Punxsatawney Phil, predicted spring was just around the corner. 

Perhaps the jury is still out on this one -- as is evidenced on the snowfall we had over Monday night.  One of our good friends and volunteers captured this shot about the time we began Lauds yesterday.  As you can see, we had more than a "dusting" overnight!