Listen WIth Your Heart

 Each morning, I receive a quote from Pope Leo via email and the one that came today seemed perfect for today’s Gospel. "Today, so often, we lose the ability to listen, to really listen. We listen to music, we have our ears flooded constantly with all kinds of digital input, but sometimes we forget to listen to our own hearts and it’s in our hearts that God speaks to us, that God calls us and invites us to know him better and to live in his love." Pope Leo XIV

In today’s Gospel we hear the familiar story of Jesus visiting Martha and Mary. Martha was busy about many things and Mary choose to sit at the feet of Jesus and listen. Two opposite reactions to this special visit by Jesus. Martha exasperated told Jesus to tell Mary to help her. Jesus’ response must have shocked Martha to her core. Jesus told Martha that Mary had chosen the better part, and it would not be taken from her. I can’t begin to think how Martha must have felt. Martha must have felt rejected and dismissed by Jesus.

When I prayed this morning, I realized that I have far more many Martha moments than Mary. I found myself looking at each one of them and came to the realization that while I desire to be more like Mary I do get caught up in the busyness of life and therefore relate to Martha more easily. Deep down I know I desire to be more like Mary, but it is very hard to change old habits.

Perhaps this is a good Gospel to pray with as I begin my own retreat tonight. I am looking forward to being on retreat this week and pray for the grace to be more like Mary as I enter into it. Have a great week and know that I will be praying for all and I count on your prayers for me. Blessings…

100 Days of Prayer, Fasting and Advocacy

On Wednesday, July 9^th Ursulines around the world gathered to participate in the 100 Days of Prayer, Fasting and Advocacy sponsored by the LCWR (Leadership Conference of Women Religious.) The impact of violence and conflict in our world has risen to epic proportions. In response to this situation, the LCWR invited religious congregations in the US to pray for our country. The three US provinces committed to July 9^th, the Feast of the Martyrs of Orange. During the troubles of the French Revolution, 29 Sisters, expelled from their convents, found refuge in a house at Bollène. During their eighteen months there, they shared their life of prayer and total poverty. Arrested in April 1794 because they refused to swear the oath required by the city officials, an oath their conscience condemned, they were jailed on May 2 at Orange.

They organized themselves and consecrated the essential part of their time to prayer. Condemned to die by the Popular Commission, then commanding in the actual Chapel of Saint-Louis, they were transferred to the ancient Theater, where they awaited to climb the guillotine erected in Saint Martin’s Court. They all went up to the scaffold joyfully, singing and praying for their persecutors, who admired their courage. These women took an unpopular stance and, in our world, today we are called to do the same. 

On July 9^th, we gathered via zoom to pray together and have small group discussion. There were a number of sisters from across the country and even one from Australia. It was a true experience of unity and commitment. Several of our provinces around the world gathered to pray together in solidarity with us.

Below is the prayer we used. As we continue the journey let us be people of hope and ambassadors of peace.

Seek to spread peace and concord wherever you are.” (Angela Merici)

O God, Source of all that is,

we find ourselves with heavy hearts these days –

hearts made heavy by the reality of violence, war, and disasters,

and the suffering and destruction they bring.

In places far and near, the violence and death seem endless.

We hold in our hearts and in our prayers

our wounded and weary world.

We pray for an end to the injustice, violence, and war

that seem to hold our world in their grip,

and that we sometimes find in our own hearts.

We pray you, O God,

disarm our hearts and disarm our world,

that the rights and dignity of all may be respected and protected;

remind us that we all share life together

as sisters and brothers to each other.

We pray for peace and justice, O God,

and that each of us may be an instrument

of peace and justice in our world. Amen.

Diane Fulgenzi, OSU

 

The Harvest

 

“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” Matthew 9: 37-38

A simple quote from today’s Gospel speaks volumes to me. There is so much going on in our world right now that it is sometimes hard to keep up with it all. Watching the news is a harsh reality right now as there is so much pain and suffering, war and violence, natural disasters and record temperatures. Time is marching on in a feverish pace.

One of the most tragic stories this week was that of Camp Mystic which was washed away in a storm surge. Two dozen campers are missing and there is a mass effort to find them. The governor of Texas is not giving up hope for their survival. He stated that we need to move fast and find them, until they are found the presumption is that they are still alive. I can not fathom the pain and suffering of their families. We need to hold them and their families in prayer and not lose hope.

Jesus told His followers to offer peace to those who welcome them and if the were not welcomed to leave. In our current world we need to offer deep peace to one another. We need to be willing to take the risk of rejection and move on if necessary. Our times call for a great deal of letting go and letting God take the lead. We can become rather dismal about our current reality, but we need to remember that God is always by our side leading us day in and day out. May we always be welcoming of others and may we always be welcomed.