March is Women’s History Month and yesterday, Saturday March 8th, was International Women’s Day. It was inspiring and uplifting to see and read positive posts about women and the potential influence and impact women have on each other and the world. I thought about the number of women who have helped shape me to be the woman I am today. I think of the women, personally and in the broader social arena, who inspire, and challenge, me to be more. I reflected on being in a later season in life, what I fondly called a Crone or Wise Woman phase of life, and my ability (and desire) to cast a positive example for younger women in an earlier season of their lives.

There are so many lovely idioms about the heart, such as pouring your heart out, losing heart, or wearing your heart on your sleeve, that express how we feel when something is important to us or suggests a deeper emotion within us about a certain event or our reaction to it. In speaking of others, to say someone “has heart” suggests that we see qualities such as kindness, compassion, courage or a deep level of empathy for others.

Beth Knobbe is a woman I met while working for Ignatian Ministries and is someone I would describe as a woman who “has heart”. I had the great pleasure of editing and publishing the weekly blog for the ministry and Beth is one of the frequent contributors. After leaving the ministry I stopped reading the blogs, not for any particular reason except to feel as though I was moving on and focus on my own voice and written content. This past Monday when I received the weekly blog email, “Blessed Are You Who Are Poor”, and noticed Beth had written it, I had a strong desire to read it and “connect” with Beth, albeit in her written word only. Beth shares a beautiful encounter (links to the pages below) with a family in her church parking lot, her reflection on that family and being called, in her mission and work with others, to stand even more profoundly on the side of the poor in the world. Beth works for Catholic Relief Services and as a result of her reflection I feel called to make a change, a small one, to stand in support of Beth, the poor, and her work at Catholic Relief Services.

When I initially planned my upcoming Lent evening of Reflection, Make My Heart Like Your Heart, I had a draft plan of launching an additional site or platform, besides this Journeys blog page, of courses or other events. The past two weeks have been a time of deep prayer, discernment, reflection and journaling. I have realized that creating such a platform isn’t what I want to spend time and energy on. I won’t go into all the details today, but some of my motivation for having a suggested registration fee (not required!) for the Retreat was for the cost of Zoom, starting and maintaining a website to handle registrations and a platform on which classes could remain and be viewed again. Yes, I still need to have Zoom as a platform for us to gather, but that really is the only expense I have and will use for other things like prayer gatherings or future retreats. So, all that said, I still plan on offering the retreat on the evening of March 20 but 100% of the proceeds from the retreat from those who choose to donate (not required to attend) will be donated to Catholic Relief Services and an event she is hosting (also on March 20) for the 50th Anniversary of Catholic Relief Services Rice Bowl. I’m not going to set up an online registration, you can send me a message (on this blog or on social media) if you would like to attend so that I can send a Zoom link privately the day before the event and provide my mailing address if you wish to donate for the event.

You can read Beth’s blog on Ignatian Ministries Into the Deep blog page or a copy of the same article on Beth’s website. I would encourage you to follow both sites if you don’t already.

It takes heart to put yourself out there, to have the courage and confidence to share your thoughts, feelings and emotions with others. It also takes heart to listen to and follow the inner guidance that comes from prayer and time spent in reflection and meditation. It takes heart to be a voice for others, like Beth and so many other voices that I share with you in the course of this weekly format. Take time to go within and listen to the quiet tugs on your heart. Who needs to hear your voice? Can you be a voice for others?

If you want to spend time in reflection and sharing with others in a format of prayer and support, I hope you will join us for the Lent Evening of Reflection, Make My Heart Like Your Heart, on March 20th. It will be a simple format of listening to scripture, reflecting on it and then sharing with others. I will have a few thoughts to share on each of the three scriptures. If this sounds like a new practice for you, no worries, come to be with others and experience prayerful community.

Wishing you abundant peace this week, Deena

Blog image: From PicMonkey

Retreat image and information:

Reminder: A Lent Night of Reflection entitled “Make My Heart Like Your Heart: Encounter and Change of Heart” will be held on Thursday, March 20 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Central Time. The suggested donation for the event is $19. As mentioned above, 100% of the proceeds will be donated to Catholic Relief Services. During the event we will reflect on the things in the world that consume our heart and attention, our need and desire to give and receive forgiveness, and ways that we can pour out our love to God in a personal and sincere way. I am excited to offer this and I hope you will be able to join me.