Carrying Our Crosses

In today's Gospel, we hear Jesus tell the apostles the cost of discipleship: the weight of the cross. There were no options presented, Jesus made clear that the road that leads to His kingdom is the way of the cross. Without making light of the sufferings of those who are afflicted with serious illness or those who struggle with addiction, it is important to note that crosses come in many shapes and sizes and not all crosses are equal -- but all crosses are fit for for the shoulders which bear them.

For those of us who may not be burdened with immense crosses, let us bear well those which come our way -- the little inconveniences of traffic jams and jammed copiers, irritable coworkers and tension-filled relationships -- the small but often painful trials of day-to-day life. As we bear these (relatively) minor crosses, let us imitate Simon of Cyrene who helped Our Lord bear his cross. Perhaps there is someone in our life whose cross is visibly larger than ours. Like Simon, let us lighten the burden by being attentive and solicitous. Sometimes the realization that someone cares enough to notice a neighbor's cross -- and to offer assistance -- is, in itself, a healing balm. Few words are as disarming and as endearing as, "May I help you?"

"Do not desire crosses, unless you have borne those already laid upon you well—it is an abuse to long after martyrdom while unable to bear an insult patiently. The Enemy of souls often inspires us with ardent desires for unattainable things, in order to divert our attention from present duties . . . . Do not desire temptations, that is temerity, but prepare your heart to meet them bravely, and to resist them when they come."
St. Francis de Sales

Mother's Day

It's not the traditional Mothers' Day we celebrate in May, but one may think of this memorial of St. Monica as a Mother's Day of sorts. St. Monica, mother of the doctor of grace, surely earned her heavenly crown in bearing the trials of her wayward son. Many a mother, no doubt, can relate to her plight: begging the Lord to touch the heart of her son. She wanted to give him the one thing that we cannot give to each other, the One Thing necessary for a life of happiness: a relationship with the Lord. And so she entrusted him to the Lord in prayer -- again and again.

We can sometimes feel helpless when faced with friends or family members whose lifestyles seem to be self-destructive or harmful to those around them. Let us be consoled to know that even the saints have wrestled with this same feeling of frustration. In fact, trusting our loved ones (and those we wish we could love more) to the Lord is a wonderful way to imitate the saints, whose trust in the Lord's ways was, at times, their only consolation on the pilgrim journey toward eternity.

"Before giving birth to St. Augustine, St. Monica offered him repeatedly to God’s Glory, as he himself tells us; and it is a good lesson for Christian women how to offer the fruit of their womb to God, Who accepts the free oblations of loving hearts, and promotes the desires of such faithful mothers: witness Samuel, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Andrea di Fiesole, and others."
St. Francis de Sales

Practicing What We Preach

It can be very easy to observe the deeds of another person and begin to fix our scales for a weigh-in. Perhaps our thought process might tempt us to say, "Well, who is he to say that? He never does what he asks other people to do." Or, perhaps we see someone doing something and we may be tempted to think, "Gee, she's got a lot of nerve raising her voice at him ... after all, she's the one who is always reminding us not to lose our temper with our coworkers." It is almost impossible not to be tempted in this way when we observe the behaviors of those around us. There are, perhaps, a couple of practices which may help us to resist these temptations.

When we feel affection or sympathy for a person, we are much more likely to make excuses for behaviors which might provoke unkind remarks or thoughts when we observe them in another person. We cannot like everyone to the same degree. We are human and we are naturally going to be more attracted to some people than to others. Practice making excuses, in your mind, for everyone: friends, acquaintances, and even our "enemies" -- those people in our lives who disturb our sense of peace. This practice of "making excuses" -- or giving the benefit of the doubt -- does not mean that we have to condone or support things which may be wrong or harmful but only that we seek to curb our tendency to speculate about the motives of our neighbors.

The second practice which may help us to resist the temptation to judge the actions of others is to recall the many instances in our own lives when our actions and our words may not be as commensurate as we might wish they were. This may serve to remind us to be as gentle with our neighbors as we would like others to be when looking upon us.

In today's Gospel, Jesus warns people about the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees. Let us take seriously the virtue of practicing what we preach. If we say that we are Christians who seek Lord's will for our lives we cannot help but to be aware that critical thoughts and a sharp tongue do not mix well with the exhortation that we do not judge our neighbor. Let us be attentive to the actions of those around us so that we may be aware of their needs but let us ask for the grace to develop the habit of not considering the motives for our neighbors' actions.

"Be who you are and be that well
that you may bring honor to the Master Craftsman whose handiwork you are."
St. Francis de Sales

The Prayer of a Saint

Despite the fact that yesterday was "officially not" the Solemnity St. Jane de Chantal, we did observe the feast since we had not enough time to prepare for the new date. At the end of Mass, our celebrant read us the responsorial psalm as a reminder of the words that our Holy Mother held dear as her favorite psalm:

Psalm 131
O Lord, my heart is not proud, nor haughty my eyes
Neither do I aspire after great things or matters above me.
Indeed I have behaved and calmed myself,
As a little child on the lap of its mother,
as a little child, so is my soul within me.
O Israel, hope in the Lord, both now and for ever.

It may not at first strike us as the most inspiring verses of the psalter but a cursory look at St. Jane de Chantal's life provides insight as to why she was so attracted to these words. The lap that held her children also held the dying body of her husband, as she was widowed at age 28. Ultimately, she outlived all but one of her children, her beloved spiritual director, St. Francis de Sales and the three sisters with whom she founded our Order in 1610. She knew great loss and great suffering but, more important, she knew the Lord. Surely one who held a child on her lap was touched by the image of being held close to the Lord whom she trusted. The words of one whose soul knew great sadness but whose heart was very closely united to him who loved her:

"Divine love takes its sword to the hidden recesses of our inmost soul and divides us from ourselves. . . . love is strong as death. For the martyrs of love suffer infinitely more in remaining in this life so as to serve God, than if they died a thousand times over in testimony to their faith and love and fidelity."
St. Jane de Chantal

Joy Comes With Dawn

Some of us around here never turn down free help (or good company). Wednesday afternoon found Dawn Eden helping in the monastery vegetable garden. On her way over, Dawn had just received a package with her book, "The Thrill of the Chaste" hot off the press from the Polish Dominicans. It's exciting to think that readers worldwide will profit from Dawn's powerful work!

In addition to providing quality weed-pulling (and vine-untangling) skills, Dawn brought a cheerful perspective about the cycle of life that one finds in the garden. It it sad to evict the (albeit) fruitless squash vines which seem to serve as appetizers for the tomato-sampling squirrels but in the long-run, it just might benefit the rest of the garden. Quiet, reflective time in a garden -- even amid marauding squirrels -- can provide a wealth of opportunities to reflect on both the beauty of creation and the countless miracles of nature which surround us daily. When one considers that man was created in a garden, it should come as no surprise that man cannot help but to find God in a garden.

"Besides all this, I bade you gather a little bouquet of devotion, and what I mean is this: when walking in a beautiful garden most people are wont to gather a few flowers as they go, which they keep, and enjoy their scent during the day. So, when the mind explores some mystery in meditation, it is well to pick out one or more points that have specially arrested the attention, and are most likely to be helpful to you through the day."
St. Francis de Sales

Person Dawn Eden

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We Are What We Love

As we commemorate the Memorial of St. Clare today we call to mind the manner in which history tells us that she realized her vocation. St. Francis of Assisi came to preach during Lent 1212 and when St. Clare heard his words, she was so moved that she desired to follow his manner of life. Something touched her heart and she left all that she knew and all that awaited her as the daughter of a prominent count.

Life-changing sermons do not come our way everyday but heart-stirring sentiments may cross our path in a spiritual book, in a Gospel passage, in a homily, in an encounter with a friend etc. Let us follow the example of St. Clare and allow our actions and our lives to be changed when our hearts are moved. Let us allow what attracts us to affect how we live.

A few words from (the other) St. Francis on the great St. Clare:

"Behold, I beseech you, the heart of St. Clare: it so delighted in our Savior's passion and in meditating on the most holy Trinity, that it drew into itself all the marks of the passion, and an admirable representation of the Trinity, being made such as the things it loved."
St. Francis de Sales

Shocking News!

This is not an April Fools' joke, it is true!

Yesterday, we placed a phone call to the editor of the Ordo which is published for the Archdioceses of Washington and Baltimore and the diocese of Wilmington. It seemed that they made a mistake about the date of St. Jane de Chantal's commemoration (an optional memorial for the Church and a Solemnity for us) which is listed as 12 August in this year's edition of the Ordo. When our faithful librarian inquired about the matter, she was told that it is a very confusing situation and that the editor would send along an explanation via email. Thinking, of course, that already-confusing changes made to this feast might have caused the publishing company to make a very understandable mistake, we waited patiently for the email which (we imagined) might offer an apology for the mix-up and the misprint. For surely any change to the feast of our Foundress would have come to the attention of our monasteries before it was put into effect ... or, at least, shortly thereafter!

Alas, the email arrived -- a gracious and informative one, at that -- and, to our surprise, we learned that the Solemnity of our Holy Mother, St. Jane de Chantal, has, in fact, been moved to 12 August. Not only has it been moved, but it was moved -- it seems -- almost 6 years ago and this is the first time we have heard the news. Pass the whipped cream, this humble pie needs a little topping!

It seems that when the celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe became more popular in Europe (as it did many years sooner in the Americas), the universal church moved the date to 12 August for the whole Church in the 2002 publication of the "Roman Missal" -- still not available in English. After the 2002 change was made, the USCCB wisely decided not to move this traveling feast of St. Jane de Chantal immediately (especially when our current liturgical books do not reflect this change.) In 2007, however, the USCCB decided to bring the Liturgical Calendar for the United States into closer conformity with the General Roman Calendar, hence the change.

Many thanks to the good folks at Paulist Press for their time and (shocking!) information. :)

Asking the Impossible

Sometimes it may seem as though God asks us to do something impossible. It might have seemed that way to the disciples when Jesus told them to feed the hungry crowd. When we are faced with a challenge, it is easy to forget that the Lord does not ask us to do more than we are able to do but he does ask us to trust Him. He took the five loaves and two fish from the disciples and multiplied them to feed a crowd. He will take our humble gifts and stretch them to do His work if we are willing to hand them over to Him. Handing over the loaves and fishes was not a "big" deed; the Lord worked the miracle out of the "littleness" of the disciples' offering.

This notion of offering our small actions can be applied to our daily life. Perhaps there is a coworker with whom we would like to cultivate a better relationship. At first we may not feel able to have a meaningful conversation or even a polite conversation, for that matter. Reaching out in small ways such as smiling, showing courtesy with a simple greeting, making eye contact, etc., can have a deeper and more profound effect than we realize. The Lord can use our good will and our sincere intentions for His good purpose. Sometimes small kindnesses are enough, over time, to unlock a strained relationship. We do not have to do great deeds if we are willing to trust the Lord with the small deeds we are able to offer.

"While I am busy with little things,
I am not required to do greater things."
St. Francis de Sales

A Nun Walked into a Bar . . .

It sounds like the beginning of a joke. It could be, but in this case, it is not. On 12 August, one of our number will be speaking about "Freedom vs. Obedience" at the Office of Young Adult Ministry's (Archdiocese of Washington) Theology on Tap program. We'll keep readers guessing who it is (unless you'd like to download the flyer.)

We might consider for a moment what our holy father, Saint Francis de Sales, might say about this. Considering that he earned his title "Patron Saint of Journalists" not by the voluminous writings he produced but, rather, by his act of slipping handwritten copies of his sermons under the doors of those who did not attend Mass, we would like to think that he might welcome an opportunity to share the faith in a setting where Church-goers and non-Church-goers alike gather to listen, discuss, and be challenged in their daily living.

Any locals who attend will most likely see sister drinking a glass of her signature "room temperature" water but we have a little joke about nuns and beer we would like to share, given the content of this post. We take no offense at this and hope that the same is true for our readers. Enjoy!

While shopping in a food store,
two nuns happened to pass by the beer, wine, and liquor section.
One asked the other if she would like a beer.
The second nun answered that indeed, it would be very nice to have one,
but that she would feel uncomfortable about purchasing it.
The first nun replied that she would handle that without a problem.
She picked up a six pack and took it to the cashier.
The cashier had a surprised look, so the nun said
"This is for washing our hair."
Without blinking an eye, the cashier reached under the counter and put a
package of pretzel sticks in the bag with the beer and said "The curlers are on me."

A Day in the Life . . .

. . . of a retreatant: pray, eat, rest, read, walk outside, repeat. So far this summer we've welcomed 6 retreatants and we expect a few more before the school year starts up again. A cursory check of the above picture shows one of our magnolia trees, our second cemetery (iron crosses in the back left) and an outdoor swing (back right). A careful study of the picture, however, reveals a happy retreatant in the tree.

If a retreatant's schedule is of interest to any of our locals, email us to schedule some quiet time for prayer and rest (and some pretty good food!)

"We pray best before beauty!"
St. Francis de Sales

"Bean" Busy!

Some of us have "bean" busy in the garden: feeding the mosquitoes (and spiders) as well as the squirrels. Once upon a time, in a garden very close by, the bipeds and squirrels could race for ripened fruit. And then, just a few years ago, the squirrels became more simple, less picky, and they began to eat the fruit just as it began to ripen. Now, the squirrels have decided that they are tired of sharing their fruit with the selfish bipeds who live in the building which lies in the shadow of their trees . . . and they have decided to eat green tomatoes (unfried, too!) So, the bipeds have worked out a very equitable solution: the squirrels can have ALL the tomatoes that have teeth marks in them (which are MANY!) and the bipeds can have all those that don't. Needless to say, the kitchen windowsills are loaded with ripening tomatoes (since the tomatoes are picked as soon as they reach their full size and just before they develop teeth marks.)

A somewhat defeated Sister Anne E holds up a half-eaten tomato.

On a brighter note, it seems that our squirrel friends do not like peppers, onions, leeks, basil, lemon verbena or sage. Above, Sister Leonie Therese prepares to trim the "rosary beans" (technically called "red-seeded asparagus string beans") which mature between 12" and 18". They look nifty tossed into spaghetti and they can also be braided and baked as a side dish. Thankfully, our furry friends have not yet discovered them!

A "Moving" Feast

In dioceses of the United States, the Commemoration of St. Camillus de Lellis is moved from the anniversary of his death, 14th July (to allow for the Memorial of Bl. Kateri), to the 18th. As we recall this patron of doctors and of the sick who himself suffered from in infirm leg, an injury sustained in battle, it is a good reminder for us to recognize and to minister to the sick among us.

Some of us are daily surrounded with the physically sick who need our care. Others of us may not have the physically sick in our midst but surely we have people in our lives who suffer from spiritual or emotional maladies. It is not always easy to care for those who suffer. Often a person who is physically ill or who is spiritually sick and, perhaps, feels rejected or hurt can be unpleasant when approached. Yet, when one considers that it is Christ whom we serve in our suffering brothers and sisters, the inconvenience of an ill temper or the sting of having our kindness rejected or received ungratefully is easier to bear. The Lord will not ask us how our service to His people was received ... He will ask only how it was rendered. St. Francis de Sales suggests that performing our acts of charity -- all our actions, really -- in a spirit of devotion will help us to accept the sometimes challenging circumstances which we may encounter when caring for the sick.

"The world, looking on, sees that devout persons . . . minister to the sick and poor, restrain their temper, . . . and do many other things which in themselves are hard and difficult. But the world sees nothing of that inward, heartfelt devotion which makes all these actions pleasant and easy."
St. Francis de Sales

What Next?

Even if this were only a joke -- and a joke in very bad taste, at that -- one would be convinced of the urgent need to pray for all those who do not believe that man is created with an immortal soul. It seems, from the CNN report, that the peddler was really interested in collecting on his soul ... and the unfortunate appellation of the pizza joint which purchased the deed is a mere suggestion of the agony awaiting those who may be tempted to treat immortality with such disrespect: more than greasy pizza and, likely, a different kind of heartburn.

All kidding aside, it is hard to miss the fact that this story originates in New Zealand, very close to where World Youth Day 2008 is will begin tomorrow morning. Perhaps it is a gentle reminder to pray for all those who will be participating in the event and all those whose lives will be touched (even if inadvertently) by the pilgrims, the prayer, the witness and all the events of these days. May World Youth Day 2008 and its "afterglow" be far-reaching and long-lasting in the work of preaching the Kingdom of God on earth and drawing many minds and hearts closer to the Lord.

A Helping Hand

On Tuesday morning, Father Valentin Viguera, SDB, our religious assistant to the Vatican arrived for his official visit. Tuesday evening he shared with us photos of different Visitation monasteries he has visited in Africa, Spain and Central and South America. On Wednesday, Father gave us two conferences; perhaps the highlight was his discussion of the spiritual virtues which are most important to our life as Visitandines. During his conference he used his hand as a tool for us to remember the virtues about which he spoke. The palm, he explained is essential; without the abnegation of our own will, we cannot embrace the will of God and live out the virtues which are represented by the fingers. Beginning with the pointer finger, the virtues he discussed are: accepting God's Good Pleasure in all circumstances, humility, gentleness, simplicity and joy in the common life. All were impressed with the originality and clarity of this "handy" tool which Father (through our faithful interpreter, Sister Leonie Therese) explained during his second conference. The hand -- and all its virtues -- will, no doubt, become the subject of many future discussions in community. We are grateful to Father Viguera for his time spent with us and his interest in the Visitation.

"The spirit of this little congregation is one of gentleness, littleness, simplicity and poverty; we should not depart from this, but so completely subject our inclinations to its spirit . . . always allowing gentleness and humility to prevail in what we say or do."
St. Francis de Sales

Fair Trade

In today's Gospel, Our Lord invites us to take up his yoke and learn from his gentle and humble heart. The weary are invited to approach him and (one can only presume) trade their heavy loads for his light burden. Hardly a fair trade -- but such a bargain for the unworthy mortal!

Surely each of us can think of someone we know who has been relieved of a burden: perhaps a mended relationship, a project completed, a responsibility removed, etc. There is a often a visible sign of a person's relief: steps are lighter, smiles come more easily -- an all-around air of gratitude. It is this to which the Lord invites us today. Our responsibilities and concerns will not disappear when we respond to the Lord's invitation to approach him, but they will be disarmed of their power over our hearts and our peace of mind.

We can only take up the sweet burden of the Lord if we first lay down what is already on our shoulders so that, in wearing his yoke, we may learn to become more like him who is gentle and humble of heart. When we surrender our own burden to wear his yoke, we know that our burden cannot help but to be lighter because it is shared . . . for it is his yoke and it is the Lord to whom we are joined.

"Certainly nothing can humble us so effectually before the mercy of God as the multitude of His benefits . . . the lively consideration of graces received makes us humble because a knowledge of them excites gratitude."
St. Francis de Sales

Patriotic Preparations

As we prepare for our annual 4th of July family (and friends) picnic, we share a few happy memories from our Memorial Day cook out. While we were preparing for the picnic, we realized that the only indoor/outdoor tablecloths we have are for Halloween: unusual but practical decor for a patriotic picnic!

We were blessed to have with us two vocational retreatants during the month of May. In addition to the phenomenal table-rolling skills of our sisters, the video portrays an impromptu "air instrument" contest. (We would have called it an "air guitar" contest, but it features mostly air piano and air drums ... evidencing that a good time was had by all.) Click play for a two-minute visit to our Memorial Day festivities.

The Two "Raphaels"

Pictured above is our venerable Sister Raphael whose age is a poorly kept secret despite the lack of a single gray (or white) hair on her head! Permit us simply to remark that her years are closer to 100 than they are to 90! In Sister's lap (and visibly inspecting his namesake) is Baby Raphael, son of Spanish teacher, Giovanna. Baby Raphael is a "student" at Visi daycare and enjoys visiting his mom between classes ... her classes, that is!

Above, Sister Immaculata looks on as the "Two Rapheals" enjoy a moment together (and Baby Raphael enjoys a graham cracker.) It is a treat having the day care children so close on campus; their presence is always a joy to behold!

Foundation Day!

Two hundred and nine years ago today our monastery was founded. We share here an excerpt from the letter which Archbishop Leonard Neale wrote to our Monastery in Annecy, France on March 6, 1817, in an attempt to formally establish us as a Monastery of the Visitation and to receive information about the daily life and customs:

"The total want of such schools as were calculated to impart to the female Youth of this country, both the accomplishments suited to their respective stations in life, and also the Christian principles and sound piety . . . When behold! it pleased the Divine Providence to inspire some women who were under my direction, to unite and consecrate their abilities and time to the education of young females. . . . This work commenced on the 24th of June, 1799, and has been most faithfully carried on with great zeal and patience, and a most ardent desire of becoming members of the precious Order of the Visitation of our Lady, and a lively confidence that God in his infinite goodness would not fail to crown their ardent wishes with success!"

Baby Beanies

At risk of boring our faithful readers, we thought we would share the miracles that God works in the vegetable garden. We've been enjoying fresh salad for a few weeks now ... but we are excited to see the eschatological sign of more fresh vegetables on the horizon. Above is a picture of a baby string bean (purple variety).

Despite torrential rains earlier this week, the tomatoes plants are still standing strong. Thanks to some 90+ days last week, the tomato flowers have begun to set fruit in great quantities.

This is a particularly big "baby" among the tomato patch.

Last, but not least, pictured above is our herb garden, located on the north side of the vegetable garden. We have added one or two boxwoods a year for the last few years and this year we "rounded out" the remaining spaces along boarder of the herb garden. (The sporadic adding of boxwoods accounts for the great variety in their sizes!) The birds frequent the bath in the center (when they think the bipeds aren't looking) and splash around during the day. Behind the herb garden is the parsnip and carrot patch. Of all the miracles that take place in the garden, perhaps one of the biggest miracles is that the squirrels can't find more of the vegetables among the ubiquitous weeds!

Free Gifts

In today's Gospel the Lord tells us that because we have received without cost we should give without cost. It is easy to associate that maxim with material items. We can consider that all the things we "have" are really ours to "use" -- and that they are gifts from God -- and so we should share them freely. True enough.

One could, however, go a bit further and suggest that what we have received "without cost" from the Lord is his mercy and his love. We have done nothing to earn these gifts. And it is these same gifts we are to give "without cost." We do not need to wait for someone to "earn" our affection, our kindness, our willingness to overlook shortcomings. It is easy to act this way toward those we love and those whom we respect; it can be a challenge to act this way toward those for whom we do not have such positive feelings. Let us ask for the grace to be grateful for this "free gift" and for the grace to share it with those around us -- at no cost!

"The sweet support of our neighbor consists in gently bearing with him in the trying things he does and says, in all that goes against the grain and is distasteful to us, in not wondering at his failings and imperfections and in no wise entertaining any depreciation of him or dryness of heart against him . . . but bearing in our hearts a tender and loving compassion which will soften us towards him."
St. Jane de Chantal