Each week one of our Sisters contributes a reflection on a
topical subject, or a theme in the Liturgy.
Thursday 21st September 2023
Three different lives but with a lot in common
Dorothy Day was a great American social activist, journalist
and above all champion for the poor. She was born in 1897.
Her cause for canonization has begun in the Catholic Church.
I am sure Dorothy would be surprised by this as she lived a
very unconventional life. Yet, she is considered to be the best
known political radical activist in the American Catholic
Church. Pope Francis recalled her great work when he visited
America some years ago.
I came across a quote by her recently that made me think
again about her and her empathy for the poor. It also reminded
me of the people who are not only inspired by her but imitate
her. Here is the quote ‘would you give food to a poor person
on an old cracked plate, thinking that was good enough? Do
you think Martha and Mary thought the old chipped plate was
good enough for their guest (Jesus)? It is not a duty to help
Christ (in the poor) it is a privilege.’
She lived life against the grain and was unafraid to speak the
truth. When she converted to Catholicism, as a young woman,
prayer was the bedrock of her life and choices. She was a
woman of prayer and action. She walked the talk.
There are people in Ireland who follow the inspiration of
Dorothy. I think of my friend Colm. He is a man of prayer, he
believes passionately in non violence and for most of his adult
life has dared to think differently. He was described in an
article as a ‘faith based activist’. He has made choices that are
not popular and like Dorothy has gone against the grain. Is he
powerful in worldly ways? No. Is he effective – I would think
and hope so. He has made his thoughts know by writing and
also by demonstrating outside government buildings with his
home-made placards in all weathers. At present he is actively
opposing those who wish to change the laws on Irish
Neutrality. In his reflection on this issue he said ‘if we lose our
neutrality our diplomatic clout will be diminished.’ I am sure
Dorothy Day is with him and his friends.
Dorothy Day had great love for St.Thérèse whom she chose
as her Patron. How would we connect these two women? St.
Thérèse said ‘one Sunday, looking at a picture of Our Lord on
the Cross, I was struck by the blood flowing from one of his
divine hands. I felt a pang of great sorrow when thinking this
blood was falling on the ground without anyone hastening to
gather it up. I was resolved to remain in spirit at the foot of the
Cross and to receive its dew. … I don’t want this precious
blood to be lost. I shall spend my life gathering it up for the
good of souls.’
Dorothy Day ‘walked the streets of the poor, noticing their
blood, drying their tears, trying in her own way to gather them
up. St. Thérèse did the same thing mystically, deep inside the
body of Christ. It is no surprise that Dorothy took St.Thérèse
as her model.
St. Thérèse, Dorothy and Colm are people unafraid to follow
their inner Truth for the good of humanity but not without being
misunderstood and suffering for their convictions.
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Wednesday 13th September 2023
Holy Ground
Many of
you will
recall the
compulsory
lockdown
experience
during the
Covid
pandemic
some years
ago and
how you
found it so
constrictive
and
burdensome...
Yet for us cloistered Carmelites it was very much our natural,
chosen, mode of living; a vital part of our lives, as ‘hermits in
community’. It is the milieu in which our hearts expand to
encircle the earth and embrace all our brothers and sisters.
Over the years cloister, solitude and silence become more and
more needs of the heart. Thy heighten our awareness, slow
us down, teach us interiority. They tune us into the music of
life and give ears to our hearts to hear the cry of the poor.
They lead us to the wellsprings of life: ’the dearest freshness
deep down things (G. M. Hopkins).
They awaken our hearts to beauty, the healing harmonies of
Nature. They fill us with reverence and wonder at the mystery
of growth, the miracles-in-slow- motion that God is ever
working in
all of life.
Our
cloister
does not
insulate us
from
reality.
There are
few
outlets, no
nights out
at the
theatre or
holidays
abroad,
yet it is the
door into
reality, to
truth, to
self-
knowledge; a challenging and, at times, a rocky road, but one
leading to inner freedom.
During my walks in the garden, I love to look back at the
monastery. It gives me a sense of perspective. I am amazed,
and amused at times, at all the drama that can take place
within four walls, all the weathers of the human spirit even
within the space of a day. I remember one day, some years
ago, a magnificent rainbow appeared, encircling the whole
monastery like a benediction. My heart thrilled. Psalm15
sprang to mind;
For me the measuring lines have fallen on pleasant sites.
Fair to me indeed is my inheritance.
That sense of contentment has never left me. Yes, the cloister
is not an escape, but a sacred space of encounter, Holy
Ground. I take off my shoes!
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Thursday 7th September 2023
The Wonder of Bees
Many years ago, I got an idea to make a patchwork quilt – old
style – cutting out pieces of cloth and sewing them together. I
put great effort into my preparations, measuring everything
carefully and cutting them to equal size. Or so I thought! When
I began putting the quilt together, I realised I had to do some
gentle stretching and pulling to make the pieces fit into each
other! And so, I am always amazed and filled with wonder at
the precision of a honeycomb, made by tiny bees with no
measuring tools or rulers. Each six-sided cell has exactly the
same dimensions as those around it, so that all fits together so
neatly and perfectly!
For some time, we have had resident honeybees in the roof of
our chapel here in Kilmacud.
Last week we decided the time
had come to have them re-
housed by a professional
beekeeper in order that the
colony would not grow too
large. It was a painstaking and
difficult job, but the colony was
successfully removed and is
now settled for the winter in a
proper apiary. The beekeeper
told us that he estimates there
were 70,000 bees in our large
chapel-roof community! We
marvelled at a piece of the
comb he left with u s, explaining how the bees when building
their home leave exactly 8mm to move around between each
piece of comb, and this was evident in our roof, even without
man-made frames for them to build on! Such architectural skill
from tiny creatures is awesome and inspiring; and they have
no worries about pyrite or mica or aerated concrete because
they can make all their own building materials from their own
bodies!
In the days following the bee removal, before the roof was
repaired, many foraging bees and wasps came inside our
chapel, attracted by the smell of honey. They found
themselves trapped inside and buzzed against the windows
for hours before becoming exhausted. Sometimes the noise of
buzzing was so loud it felt like we were living inside a beehive,
and I could hear the noise in my head everywhere in the
house and even in bed at night! I wondered what I could learn
from these poor disorientated bees that could benefit my
distracted prayer in the chapel these days? Then it came to
me… there are many, many people in our world today who are
lost and trapped and trying to find an external or interior
freedom. Each poor bee buzzing on the window could
represent one of these suffering people. As the buzzing noise
was so clear to me, I prayed that it would also be clearly heard
by God and that He would bring relief and peace to those in
our world who need it most.
There is so much we can learn from bees, and how they
organise their colony and communicate with each other. They
each have assigned roles and each one is dedicated to the
survival and safety of the whole community. They provide us
with delicious honey and high-quality wax. Bees are so special
that they are specifically mentioned at the most solemn
moment of the greatest Church Liturgy of the year, i.e., the
singing of the “Exsultet” after the blessing of the new Easter
Candle. Yes, even the humble bees are acknowledged for
their work in providing the wax for this candle, as we sing:
“O holy Father, accept this candle, a solemn offering, the work
of bees and of your servants’ hands…”
We thank and praise God for all we have learned and can
ponder about bees during this “Season of Creation”.
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Thursday 31st August 2023
Joseph and the Alphabet
I was recently given a link to an article in a Jewish History
website and was amazed to read that new research into
ancient documents found in Egypt, indicate that the first
alphabet was invented by Joseph the son of Jacob, the
Joseph who was sold as a slave by his brothers and ended up
saving Egypt and the surrounding country from famine.
For a long time scholars thought that the Phoenicians had
invented the alphabet but they could not fit Phoenician words
with the texts. As far back as 1920 Hebrew had been
suggested but it was discounted as was the theory suggested
by W. F. Albright, a gifted scholar of Biblical Archaeology, who
believed that these writings were the work of Israelite slaves.
The oldest of these texts dates from about 1800 B.C. and the
most recent from the late 1500s B.C. After that, the alphabet
has not been found in Egypt but it suddenly appeared in
Canaan. Scholars were puzzled, but to those familiar with the
Old Testament this clearly indicates the Hebrew people, the
only ones who would have known this language.
However, it is unlikely that the Hebrew slaves would have
been able to create an alphabet, whoever did it had to be very
skilled with language and used to reading the hieroglyphics
used before the creation of the alphabet as well as being a
native Hebrew speaker
This description fits Joseph so exactly a Hebrew who became
the trusted servant of Pharaoh in Egypt. (See Genesis
Chapter 41 ff.)
For more detail as to the discoveries and illustrations see
https://aish.com/the-jewish-invention-of-the-alphabet/
Image: Wikimedia Commons
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Wednesday 23rd August 2023
Do whatever my Son tells you
(John 2:1-12)
Last week we celebrated the feast of Our Lady of Knock. It
brought back memories to me of the visit of Pope Jonn Paul in
1979 to that great Marian shrine. His words made a deep
impression on me. He said: Mother in this shrine you gather
the people of God of all Ireland and constantly point out to
them Christ in the Eucharist and the Church. At this moment
we listen with particular attention to your words: Do whatever
my Son tells you and we wish to respond to you with all our
heart.
We entrust to your motherly care the land of Ireland where
you have been and are so much loved. Help this land to stay
true to you and your Son always. Keep them faithful in
prosperity to the faith they would not surrender in poverty and
persecution. Help them to work together to build a just and
peaceful loving society where the poor are never neglected
and the rights of all especially the weak are respected. Queen
of Ireland Mary mother of the heavenly and earthly church
keep Ireland true to her spiritual tradition and her Christian
heritage.
Isn’t it awesome for us to know that Jesus in his last agony
on the cross gave us his Mother to be our Mother too. He
could not bear that we should journey through life without her
Motherly protection. So let us hear her motherly voice in our
ears saying: Do whatever my Son tells.
Little Sr. Mary Paul now in Heaven for many years chose
those words of Mary as her motto on her profession day. They
lived in her heart and made her into the compassionate loving
person she was, her heart always open to the poor and
suffering.
Mary came to the help of the famine stricken, persecuted
people of Ireland in 1879. She will come to the help of our
people in their present need. She will come to the help of each
one of us.
How blessed we are to have the Marian shrine of Knock in
our midst as a place of healing and prayer.
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Friday 4th August 2023
Youth Festivals
This week thousands of young Catholics are gathered in
Lisbon, Portugal for “World Youth Day” with Pope Francis.
Also, this week, thousands of young scouts are gathered in
South Korea for the “World Scout Jamboree”. After the
restrictions and lockdowns of the Covid-pandemic, young
people must have anticipated these gatherings with great
excitement and joy.
International youth festivals like these are positive, affirming,
and energising experiences for young people. Life-long
friendships are made with people from all over the world.
Memories are created of fun experiences and mishaps
overcome. Often romance blooms too! My sister met her
husband at a scout jamboree. I personally know two couples
who met at World Youth Day events.
In today’s culture of social-media and virtual-connections with
people, time spent at these youth festivals in the real presence
of other like-minded young people is very special and helps to
build a solid identity in young hearts. The experience of
meeting so many others with similar interests helps to build up
self-esteem and courage for life.
As we pray for the youth who are meeting this week in various
parts of the world, let us “tap into” their joy and energy and
allow their gatherings to re-energise us too. Let us pray for
each one to have a positive experience of peer support,
friendship and support.
Joys Of Youth
by John Clare
How pleasing simplest recollections seem!
Now summer comes, it warms me to look back
On the sweet happiness of youth's wild track,
Varied and fleeting as a summer dream:
Here have I paus'd upon the sweeping rack
That specks like wool-flocks through the purple sky;
Here have I careless stooped down to catch
The meadow flower that entertain'd my eye;
And as the butterfly went whirring by,
How anxious for its settling did I watch;
And oft long purples on the water's brink
Have tempted me to wade, in spite of fate,
To pluck the flowers. -Oh, to look back and think,
What pleasing pains such simple joys create!
Poem: https://internetpoem.com/john-clare/joys-of-youth-
poem/
Images: Wikimedia Commons
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Thursday 27th July 2023
Grandparents
We have been
hearing a lot about
grandparents
recently. In 2021,
Pope Francis
instituted the World
Day for Grandparents
and the Elderly to be
celebrated every year
on the fourth Sunday
of July, which falls
near July 26th, the
memorial of St.
Joachim and St.
Anne, the
grandparents of
Jesus.
Pope Francis encourages us to remember, our grandparents
at Mass on that day and, if they are still living, to visit them or
to visit an elderly person living alone.
Grandparents are often the main teachers of the faith to their
grandchildren, answering their questions and telling them bible
stories and stories of the saints, as well as teaching by the
example of their lives. We give thanks for their witness.
Some of us may not remember our grandparents very well but
we may remember particular incidents or wise sayings passed
on by a parent recalling their own childhood. Pondering these
can help us to appreciate our families and give thanks.
We give thanks for all
Grandparents and pray
especially for those who
care for their
grandchildren.
Photos:
1. Saints Anne and
Joachim
Francesco Botticini,
Public domain, via
Wikimedia Commons
2. Mme. Fournet,
grandmother of St.
Therese’s cousins
Jeanne & Marie Guerin. Therese also looked on her as a
grandmother and loved to visit her at Saint Ouen Le Pin, in the
beautiful Auge countryside (about 9 kms from Lisieux).
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Thursday 20th July 2023
The Protection of our Mother Mary
This week we are still in
the glow of the feast of
Our Lady of Mount
Carmel. Yes the
Carmelite family all over
the world is rejoicing in
having Mary as our
Mother and Protectress
and thanking her for her
countless blessings. The
cradle of our Order is
Mount Carmel in the
Holy Land where the
early hermits around the
end of the 12th. century
built a small chapel in
honour our Lady. They regarded her as their model in teaching
them to pray and in helping them to share the fruits of their
prayer with others.
I remember the joy of receiving the habit of Carmel as a
young nun and in learning the little prayers that we say as we
put it on each day. “Queen beauty of Carmel, you have given
us a sign of your Protection” is the one as we slip the scapular
over our shoulders each morning.
Over the
centuries,
people wanted
to be associated
with orders
devoted to Our
Lady so the
custom grew of
giving then
some part of the
religious habit.
The brown
scapular was the
sign for the
Carmelite family.
All who wear it
are accepting the challenge to live a full Christian life of prayer
and service modelled on the example of Mary who is the
perfect disciple of her son Jesus. It is a sign too of the spiritual
bond that unites all who wear the brown scapular in her
honour into the great religious family of Carmel.
People call to us looking for the protection of Mary over their
sick or troubled or dying loved ones.
Carmel is all Mary’s and her presence pervades our
monasteries.
Her protection is over you too. She is there for everyone.
Rejoice and be glad to have such a Mother.
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Wednesday 12th July 2023
Freedom
What comes to mind when you hear the word FREEDOM?
As a child it was for me school holidays, no homework, long
summer days, making new friends and doing fun and
adventurous things. Nothing wrong with all of that. As we
move into the teenage years it maybe the struggle to grow up
and the urge to pull away from parental control or what to us
may feel like control. The cycle continues throughout our lives
and into our senior years. But there is a freedom we all long
for and it is worth the effort to search for It is inner freedom.
The poet David Whyte has this to say ‘Freedom is perhaps the
ultimate spiritual longing of an individual human being, but
freedom is only really appreciated when it falls within the
parameters of a larger sense of belonging. In freedom is the
wish to belong to a structure in our own particular way.’
(David Whyte from "Crossing the Unknown Sea: Work As a
Pilgrimage of Identity")
But there is so much more than that. Time helps us
understand freedom as a gift of the Spirit which is within each
person. We have all read about people who have made this
journey. The paradox is some make this discovery while in
prison, either as prisoners of conscience or others who are
serving time for serious wrongdoing.
In our Carmelite way of life, the structure or externals of our
lives seem for people outside the monastery to be very
restrictive but the opposite is the case. We are creating space
for silence and solitude where we can grow close to God and
find that desired freedom within. All people are called to grow
in union with God and find inner freedom in their own unique
lifestyle.
‘Silence is fearful exactly because in its spacious depths lies
both the soul's sense of rest and its possible break for
freedom’.
David Whyte
Take the risk and search for that Freedom that liberates and
sets us free!
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Wednesday 21st June 2023
Midsummer reflections
There’s a wideness in God’s mercy, like the wideness of the
sea.
There’s a kindness in God’s justice, which is more than liberty.
For the love of God is broader than the measures of the mind,
and the heart of the Eternal is most wonderfully kind.
Those who listen to God’s voice will grow in love like trees in
Spring-time
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Wednesday 7th June 2023
A
hundred years old
Dear Sr. Kevin,
Today, 7th. June 2023 you were born a hundred years ago
from Government buildings. Now you are at Home in the
Father’s House in Heaven and we sense your happiness and
joy. We like to think that you are doing what St. Thérèse said
she would do,spending your Heaven doing good upon earth
especially bringing peace to war-torn Ukraine. You entered life
at a most difficult time in the history of our Country. The Civil
war was only a few months formally ended when your mother
gave birth to you. You came in the wake of the killing of your
Grandfather Dr. Thomas O’ Higgins as a reprisal for his son
Kevin’s role in the execution of four leading Republicans.
Small wonder then that your young Daddy who carried such
terrible pain in his heart, would see in you his first born little
daughter, a sign of peace, an olive branch.
Your parents remembered that in the Bible Noah had sent
out a dove to see if the waters were receding from the
surfaces of the earth and when it came back to him with a
fresh olive branch in its beak Noah knew that the flood was
subsiding. You, little Maev were that fresh olive branch who
gave hope to your young parents that the bitter flood of the
civil war was subsiding.
You grew and
thrived amidst all
that unrest. Your
much loved sister
Una was born in
1927. But only 6
months later
tragedy struck
again when your
young Daddy was
assassinated on
10th. July on his
way to Mass in
Booterstown
Church. You father
forgave his
murderers as he lay
dying and pleaded for an end of the killings in our country.
His example inspired you always as did that of your
Grandmother who gathered her 17 children around the dead
body of her husband and made them promise never to take
revenge.
Dear much-loved Sr. Kevin, you put your whole heart and soul
into your Carmelite life, serving God and your country and the
whole world through your life of prayer. You were filled with
God’s love. We will never forget you.
Your family planted an olive tree last year in our grounds to
honour your memory. It is laden with tiny olives today.
The words of the psalm are fulfilled in you:
I am like a growing olive tree in the house of the Lord.
I trust in the Goodness of God forever and ever.
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