Category: Spiritual Renewal

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Come Home

Before I was married, I spent a year on an island, teaching in a one-room school house. The population of the island was about 100 and there was no church of any denomination. The school teacher (me) and my aid lived in the ‘parsonage,’ which was where the minister would come and stay in the summer months.

The island is approximately 35 kilometres from the mainland (Maine) and, in those days, it was a two hour boat ride or a costly plane trip back to the real world. Every Sunday I would hike off to a jagged cliff that stood facing the east; facing Great Britain. The sea was always churned up and I loved God’s beauty and majesty on full display there. That was my church, my prayer time; my time for reflection and meditation. My faith became self-contained on that island. When I returned to ‘the real world,’ I felt I had everything I needed inside of me. It took a long while, but eventually the desire for the Eucharist drew me back to Church; to the Mass. And, when I came back I soon realized in addition to the Eucharist, the community played an essential role in growing my faith.

We’ve been deprived of the Eucharist these many months, we’ve been able to view the Mass but not participate in it.  Now the Church has opened its doors once again and this is Good News, indeed. Many, of course, have legitimate health concerns and the nightly news does nothing to alleviate their worries. They are afraid to go out in public, the coronavirus is still a force in the world; it’s real, and it’s very dangerous for those people. We must respect each individual’s approach to their new normal. But, perhaps some of the rest of us have adjusted to life without Church, without the Eucharist – our faith has become self-contained. I can say from experience, that kind of faith is seriously lacking, and will fail you.

During our time of self-quarantining, we were also denied the ability to visit family. Some of us did the zoom thing (some of us with great difficulty), but, just as with the Masses on YouTube, it was not very satisfying. Have you gathered with your loved ones since the restrictions have relaxed? We got together with our one son and his family as soon as we could. Our youngest son is not ready to widen his circle. He has health concerns that make him anxious about resuming outside activities. We need to respect that. Everyone needs to take the time they need and everyone else needs to understand that…just as in the return to Mass.

For those who are fearful and nervous about coming back to church, I would like to allay your fears. The Diocese has put so many safety measures in place, you’re very safe here. Everyone in the church is a distance away – in front of, behind and to the side of you. Sadly, there’s no singing, but that’s to keep us from the spray of other’s exuberant voices. There is music – beautiful, meditative music at various times during the Mass. The entire experience of gathering together – to pray, to listen to God’s Word, to sit in the same space as the priest giving us his homily, to receive the Eucharist, and to be in God’s presence and meditate – it’s like coming home. So, come on back, we need you here in our midst; you’re part of our circle, our community of faith.                                                                                    Margery Frisch

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The Nature of Things

The heavens are telling the glory of God

And all creation is shouting for joy.

Come dance in the forest, come play in the fields

And sing, sing to the glory of the Lord.

My heart was bursting with this hymn the other morning on my run.  The sky was azure blue, birds’ song filled the air, the temperature was perfect.

If only every day was like that.  Then there are those ‘why me, Lord?’ kind of days that go downhill from breakfast, or the morning commute.  Life can get pretty hectic, chaotic even.  We get tired and grouchy and we just want the world to stop.  That’s a natural reaction to a day gone wrong.  But that’s exactly the time to turn to others; concentrate on the needs of others.  If we would just open our eyes and look around us, we’d see family members, friends, and acquaintances struggling with far greater concerns.  Some are plagued with money troubles, others marital difficulties and then there are those with life-threatening illnesses – some are facing many of these things all at once.  We have all been witness to those who have endured one trial after another and we wonder how they do it.  How do they go on, stay sane, maintain their dignity, hold their heads high?

There’s an age-old expression that tells us God never gives us more than he feels we can handle.  This is actually believed to be a twisted paraphrasing of 1 Corinthians 10:13. “No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone.  God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.”

Open SkiesSadly, some can’t endure it.  They are struck down and never seem to recover.  Then there are those who bounce back, get up on their feet again and again, ever moving forward.   They are truly blessed because they know that God will not test them beyond their strength; they trust that their burdens are not unlike others and God will help them through, he will provide them with a way out.  They know love.   Surely, I could not deal with all they’re going through, we say to ourselves.  But we could.  We have.  We are those people – when we trust in the love that is God…and sing – sing to the glory of the Lord.

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Busy People

We are busy, busy, busy, aren’t we – especially in summer. The retired parishioners who come into the office can make my head spin, when they regale me with their ongoing concerns. I’m afraid to retire, I don’t think I could keep up the pace they have set for themselves. We have parishioners who farm – their days are long and demanding and I can’t even imagine how they do it. My life seems tranquil compared to so many in our faith community, but it wasn’t always.

When my kids were young, I was involved in every organization they took part in, as well as a few of my own – if an executive needed members, I stepped up. I ran myself ragged with work, kids, running them to their activities and, consequently, going to lots of meetings.

With age we tend to gain wisdom; we know our limits; we better focus our interests, our talents and our energy. Well, some of us do, and with the rest of us it takes longer to find that focus. It has taken me a long time. I once wrote a missive for the bulletin in which I said, “I run, but I’m not an athlete, I write, but I’m not a writer…” well, I have since changed my thinking on that score.

I’ve decided to train for a ½ marathon this summer; I told my writing group that I will have my novel finished (at least the 5th draft) by the time my grandchild is born in September. And, speaking of said grandchild…I have three knitting projects on the go for the new baby. I am well aware that my pastime activities are not as noble as so many of yours are. But my running raises funds for the hospital and cancer research; my knitting seems to make my daughters-in-law very happy…and my writing, well, that’s something I am compelled to do. This summer I have raised the bar on all of these pursuits, which throws me into doubt from time to time. Will I get everything done I have set out to do? Maybe not. The difference between my earlier self and now is that I have a better sense of balance.

Things fall apart pretty quickly when we lack balance, and I’m not talking about getting plenty of rest and eating properly. Our spiritual well-being and our prayer life are an essential part of a balanced life. If they’re not, we lose a sense of peace within.  Without prayer, reflection, contemplation and a faith community to bolster us – our busyness can deplete us and leave us without true purpose. Take a step back, sit in church, reflect… Be still and know that I am God. Ps 46.10

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Catholic coping Spiritual Renewal Trust

Renew the Face of the Earth

Summer is here! The earth is fully renewed! So why aren’t I? “Come, Holy Spirit,” we sing, “renew the face of the earth.” Doesn’t that include me – all of us? I run, I bike ride with my husband, we sail on weekends…and maybe that’s the problem right there – too busy; no time to sit and think; no time to smell the roses; no time to rest. Summer comes and we try to squeeze as many activities into it as we possibly can. That’s understandable, of course, with six to seven months of winter behind us, we want to be outside, we want to celebrate warmth and greenery, water and light.

Is it my age then? Is that why I’m so tired? Is it my worries; are they what are exhausting me? Bingo! So, instead of renewing the face of the earth, renew my faith and trust. I don’t know about you, but I need to trust that God will handle those things I cannot change…I need to trust that those things I want changed are in his hands and he will ‘handle’ them according to his will. Clearly, I’m not always in sync with God. In my prayers I plead, bargain, cajole. Clearly I’m not paying attention when, in praying the Our Father I say, ‘thy kingdom come, thy will be done.’ There are times when I deliberately ignore that phrase, with a ‘yes but’ attitude. You know – ‘yes Lord, but I don’t think you quite understand where I’m coming from…let me just explain.’ Give it up. He understands our thoughts better than we can attempt to articulate them.

The other morning when I was out running, the sun was just coming up over the trees, birds were singing, insects were buzzing and I felt like I could run for miles and miles. I truly felt renewed. Everywhere I looked I was treated to his beautiful creation – nothing man-made, but for the hay bails in the fields, the barns and fences.

So, when we find ourselves drained of energy, bereft of spirit, we need to sit in the quiet of a church and talk to God. I picture him rolling his eyes and thinking to himself – you again! But I know that really he wraps his arms around us because we soon feel his love envelop us, calming our concerns. If the church is not easily accessible, find a place to sit and meditate on God’s caring nature, preferably in a place that’s filled with his beauty. Sit in a garden, a park, smell the flowers, listen to the birds…just let go and let God do the rest. Trust me, renewal will come.