Companions on the Journey

Leaving Bear Grass at 11:30 Sunday morning, traveling to New Bern by 1:10 and then onto Jennifer's.  Please bring your journals and calendars.  Looking forward to seeing everyone and having a great day!

Today’s gospel reading was from Mark 7, “You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.”…”Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.”  …”From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts,”

Father Bill in his homily explained this by saying we tend to disregard God’s Commandments and cling to the laws made by man.  We forget that by accepting Jesus we become part of the divine and should be clinging to God’s divinity instead of the traditions of man, but we separate ourselves from the divine when we live by our bodies instead of our brains.  Father went on to explain that every time we have a thought it produces chemicals in our bodies.  These chemicals bring on reactions in our bodies that cause us to accept or reject the actions around the thought.  As Christians, we are called to take on the mind of Christ, which means we are to be doers of the Word even when we do not understand.  We are to take care of the orphans and the widows; who represent the non persons of our times, the people who are dependent on others.  If we do this even when we do not understand, our predictable way of thinking changes our very being of who we are.   We become the body of Christ we are called to be. 

I had not thought about it in this way before but it seems to make really good sense.  There are times when first impressions, first thoughts, have caused unexplained physical reactions.  Those times when the heart starts racing for no reason, or the knees turn weak, or the stomach starts rumbling.  Those times when you see someone and you either think I am so glad to see them or oh no, I can’t deal with them now.   Our mind’s thoughts cause chemical reactions that influence our body’s reactions and those reactions influence our thoughts.  By taking on the mind of Christ, we are to no longer think the way man thinks but the way Christ thinks.  By thinking, doing and acting the Way of Christ we become doers of the Word, part of the divine, joined with Christ to the Father. 

What do you think? 

 What did you hear about the Gospel reading today where you are at?

Companions on the Journey traveling together

I have heard from everyone here and it seems we are all up for a Road Trip for our next meeting. Woo Hoo!!!!Here we come Jennifer.

Feast of the Assumption

On this Feast of the Assumption, let us celebrate that God’s Word found such a magnificent home in Mary’s heart.
I came across this wonderful passage in Anne Lamott’s, Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith:

There’s a lovely Hasidic story of a rabbi who always told his people that if they studied the Torah, it would put Scripture on their hearts. One of them asked, “Why on our hearts, and not in them?” The rabbi answered, “Only God can put Scripture inside. But reading sacred text can put it on your heart, and then when your hearts break, the holy words will fall inside.

Does this mean that our hearts have to be broken before we can truly take on board God’s Word?

You are cordially invited

to attend the
Mass on Catechetical Sunday, September 16, 2012

 Bishop Michael Burbidge as celebrant.

During this Mass

Sister Kieran Williams, IHM

will receive the

2012 Mary Dowling

Master Catechist of the Year Award.

Mass will be at 10:00 AM

 at the Senator Bob Martin Agricultural Center

on Hwy 125 (Prison Camp Road)

Williamston, NC

Reception by Holy Trinity

to follow the Mass.

             

Next Meeting Coming Soon

Our meeting in August is coming very soon and Sister Kieran has asked everyone to contact her to see when the most convenient time for the meeting will be; either the first or second Sunday of August.  Please let her know. 

Since August 15 is coming I thought I would share some more pictures from our retreat.  Do you see the connection between the date and the pictures?  These are all pictures from the IHM Mother House or Our Lady of Peace.

Reflection on the Retreat

Sister, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary are all about Joy
and sharing with you that they see God has marked you,
given you special talents
ignited you with a spark
straight out of the star filled heaven.
A spark from God's spirit
that cannot and will not be killed.

Once you are able to really
truly believe that you have
been gifted with this spark within you -
this seed of the almond tree of the New Jerusalem -
planted in your heart
watered with tears of Joy as well as sorrows
fertilized by the stories we tell ourselves
excuses we make while refusing to believe
not realizing these actions attract Jesus
instead of causing him to turn from you.

Knowing this seed has taken root
and not just sprouted
but stretches forth
reaching for the heart's home
from which it came.

You then know
with everything that is in you
that the spark - this seed -
has empowered you
to go out into the world
leaving your heart open
realizing thorns will sometimes
pierce your heart
while at other times skewer it completely
so that the blood of love
can overflow on those you meet
encouraging and enflaming
their spark to begin its
Journey of the Heart.

Where one day we all will meet
gathered into Our God's
loving embrace.