Author: dpavinato

The art of the soul

On By dpavinatoIn Daily Prayer, Doing what we love, Life in the Spirit, Spiritual Journey, UncategorizedLeave a comment

This morning I posted an excerpt from a book, Beauty, The Invisible Embrace by John O’Donohue on my Facebook page. I read it yesterday and it has continued to capture my thoughts and imagination since reading it. In the quote, John states: “All through your life, the most precious experiences seem to vanish. Transience turns everything to air. You look behind and see no sign even of a yesterday that was so intense. Yet in truth, nothing ever disappears, nothing is lost. Everything that happens to us in the world passes into us. It all becomes part of the inner temple of the soul and it can never be lost. This is the art of the soul: to harvest your deeper life from all the seasons of your experience.”

I have found that one of the richest ways of “harvesting” the deeper life is through the use of ritual.

Rituals are those practices, ceremonies or actions done in a customary way (Vocabulary.com). They are ways of behaving or a series of actions carried out in a particular situation (Collins Dictionary). They can be prescribed or established rites (Dictionary.com). They can be personal, such as pizza dinners on Friday nights or rites of passage such as a quinceanara for a Latino girl turning 15 or a bar mitzvah for a Jewish boy at the age of 13. Funeral rites for the dead or incensing the altar at a feast day Mass or High Mass are examples of religious rituals or sacramentals. There are endless examples of prayer rituals and practices in religions or religious communities, whether Jewish, monastic or buddhist. They are ways of setting our intention and bringing the invisible in a more tangible way in to our visible world. Setting a rose on the tombstone of my parents on their birthdays or anniversary dates is a special way that I ritualize my love and remembrance of them.

Part of the reason that the quote has captivated my soul for the past 24 hours is that I have been contemplating offering a workshop/retreat on ritual for the past few months. I know the value that ritual has had in my life, personally and spiritually, but I have allowed many of the daily practices I use to give my time and attention to go dormant. So, of course, the natural reaction is to question and chastise myself saying “who are you to offer meaningful advice on ritual when you aren’t committed to it yourself!” I try to remind myself of the advice I received from one of my spiritual teachers, Gurudarshan Singh Khalsa, when I moved back “home” from Michigan. He wanted me to teach yoga so that I would maintain my own practice, he advised we teach what we want to learn and what we want to practice. I did that for awhile when I taught personal development classes, as part of the continuing education program, at the local community college. As I returned to corporate work, I stopped teaching and my time was more personal, such as daily morning prayer and scripture reading, journaling, and time spent in creative activities, such as art journaling.

So today, I am reflecting on the reasons that some of the little daily rituals or practices, that were important to me in the past, have taken a back seat each day. I have allowed work, daily responsibilities and worry to take their place. I “fit in” things like morning prayer and daily Mass or evening prayer, applying my essential oils, instead of setting aside the time to be still and connect, to linger a bit in those moments, allowing peace to enter in. That is not to say that the tasks we have to complete each day aren’t important, but the things that nurture us and sustain us need their place too. I believe we need to create space for the “more subtle brightness that sustains us” (John O’Donohue, Beauty, The Invisible Embrace). In the sacrament of Reconciliation Friday evening, I was reminded that worry, even the despair I recently experienced, are attempts to block my connection to, and relationship with, God. A return to some of the daily prayer practices will be a healing balm and will help build up the “sureness” of that relationship.

Simple actions such as lighting a candle, setting a special place or time or journaling are ways of creating a daily ritual around silence, meditation or prayer time. Going for a walk each morning, or evening, or writing a daily poem, might be a good time for daily reflection. Selecting dates and times that are meaningful when engaging in a new activity can be part of naming and setting a clear intention for the pursuit.

So this week, I invite you to look at the rituals that are part of your life, acknowledge the good they bring, and consider ways you might be interested in creating new rituals. What would be your goal or intention in creating the ritual? I will join you in doing the same and devote some time and attention to what I might offer in November, in the form of a short workshop or retreat, as a way to invite more ritual in to our lives. I leave for Italy in a month, so I will have my eyes and heart open to the many ways that our pilgrimage is a renewal experience of many of the rituals and sacred sites of my Catholic faith.

Until then, I wish you peace.

Create Joy, Deena

Prosper the work of our hands

On By dpavinatoIn Catholic faith, Doing what we love, Every day Catholic, Spiritual Journey, UncategorizedLeave a comment

This weekend in the United States we celebrate and recognize Labor Day and the efforts of all people who work. We acknowledge the American Labor Movement, and the social and economic achievements of all who have worked since the holiday was established. The Library of Congress says that the first Labor Day was established by the Central Labor Union and was celebrated on a Tuesday in 1882. Then in 1894, Congress enacted the law making Labor Day a national holiday, celebrated on the first Monday in September. Over the years it seems to be more of a final long summer weekend, a demarcation of the end of summer and the beginning of the school year for students. What if we honor and celebrate the work that we do all year on this weekend?

I listened to an interview this week with Bishop Robert Barron on the Word on Fire Show regarding the Theology of Work. It was a wonderful interview talking about the Catholic Church’s teaching on work. I especially loved the story of Bishop Barron’s first job, as a high school student, at Kroch’s and Brentano’s bookstore in Oakbrook, Illinois, and his brother throwing a used copy of A Seven Story Mountain by Thomas Merton at him and how that book ended up being so influential in his life.

Bishop Barron discussed how our work participates in the creativity of God and that if done with loving purpose, work is sanctifying. He talked a little about work before and after “the Fall”, and how we have gotten the idea that work is laborious, with all its negative connotations, but he stated that work is ultimately life-giving and how we “work creation” to make it even more beautiful. I was struck by his statement that God has nothing to gain from us. It’s true, my work doesn’t make God or the world any better, but it can participate in “His causality”. Everything God has created is good, but Aquinas says it doesn’t make it finished, it continues to unfold with our participation in it.

Bishop Barron talked about Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical, Rerum Novarum, and the importance of that writing at a time of horrible conditions for workers. I probably relate more to Pope John Paul II’s encyclical, writing on the anniversary of Rerum Novarum, Laborem Exercens in which he talked about the value of human work. Work has value not because of the work being done but because of the human person that is doing the work. Regardless of the work we are doing, God wants us to invite Him into that work, to prosper (not necessarily financial) the work of our hands.

I reflect on the many jobs, or variations of work, I have done over the years. There wasn’t a weekend growing up, in high school, that my brothers and I didn’t have to work at our family business, waiting on customers, drying off cars after the car wash (the unique spin my father added to the automatic car wash he operated), washing towels (Oh, the towels in the winter!) and working in the little store that had snacks, beer and soda, and a lottery machine. When I had my own little shop, I worked harder than I ever have at any job, cleaning ice cream/yogurt machines at 5:30 in the morning, making soup and washing the floor all before opening for the day, but I can honestly say I have never loved any work as much as that, because it was my business and I took pride in it and enjoyed the customers I served.

Any employment, if just viewed as a job with tasks to complete, will make work tedious. But when we begin to view the efforts of our labor as a use of our gifts and talents, a contribution in some way to the lives of others, even if solely providing for our families, or the way we are adding to, or contributing to creation, perhaps we will see, and feel, the dignity of that work in a new way.

I am fortunate that in all my different jobs and careers, I have always tried to ask “how am I serving God in this work?” It’s a gift now, to be in a ministry position, with Ignatian Ministries, where we constantly, and openly, seek the greater good for the ministry and our gifts, seeking “the magis”, the more, in all we do. This seeking, or reorientation, is available to all of us as we consider the work of our hands.

Don’t forget that we have just entered the Season of Creation, which began on September 1st with the World Day of Prayer for Creation, a season of grace to consider our way of living and renew the relationship between Creator and creation. It will conclude on October 4th, the Feast of St. Francis and the publication of Pope Francis’ follow up to Laudato Si’. As we reflect on the work of our hands, we are called also to consider that our work, or the way we live and consume products each day, does not exploit the earth. It is one of the most significant challenges of our day.

Create joy, Deena

Fill us at daybreak with your mercy,
that all our days we may sing for joy.
Make us glad as many days as you humbled us,
for as many years as we have seen trouble.
Show your deeds to your servants,
your glory to their children.
May the favor of the Lord our God be ours.
Prosper the work of our hands!
Prosper the work of our hands!

Psalm 90

Photo from my PicMonkey account

Remember to stop and breathe

On By dpavinatoIn Daily Prayer, sacred listening, Spiritual Journey, Teachers and Guides on the journeyLeave a comment

As I sat in quiet reflection before Mass on Saturday evening I was reading from Evening Prayer (Give Us This Day monthly prayer book) and was cut to the heart by the scripture from 1 Peter 4:8-11. “…let your love for one another be intense, because love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaining.” FAIL.

I have to admit one of the worst weeks I have ever had dealing with anger, rage, irritation, reaction to others… The circumstances may have warranted frustration, or not being satisfied with the way an event unfolded, but anger and rage? A wise person once told me anger was simply frustrated will. This week I would have to agree with that!

There I was feeling fully convicted, right before having to approach the ambo to proclaim the Word of God as lector for the Mass. The words of the Responsorial Psalm 138, literally stuck in my throat “I will give thanks to you, O Lord, with all my heart, for you have heard the words of my mouth;” I had to take a nanosecond to regroup. Give thanks that God heard all the hateful words I spewed out this week? Give thanks for the times that I said “this isn’t worth it!” (life, faith, times of intense humility after needing to ask for help).

The gospel for this week, Sunday August 27, is Matthew 16: 13-20 in which Jesus tells Peter that he will build the church upon him. Peter who messes up countless times and Peter, who Jesus knows will deny Him during His time of need. I felt some hope. “Your kindness O Lord endures forever” (Psalm 138).

Earlier in the day on Saturday I was part of a retreat on the 14th century book (letters written by an anonymous monk to a student or disciple) The Cloud of Unknowing, hosted by Abbey of the Arts, presented by award winning translator Carmen Acevedo Butcher. The book has long been considered as the source for the practice of Centering Prayer, a form of Christian contemplation. When we take the time to sit, or walk as Carmen prefers at times, to go within, to listen in silence, we will encounter “God’s unabsent being” and the “soul is helped by grace”. It was a lovely reminder to return to the practice of my breath work and silent prayerful meditation at the end of a week that was so completely in need of grace.

This morning as I was finalizing some of these thoughts to post in the blog, I also read Judith Valente’s blog for this week, Practicing the “Psychological Hygiene” of Compassion. I was delighted for the additional reminders of a way to practice letting go of anger and welcome a stance of compassion in its’ place. I would encourage you to read her blog.

“Close the doors and windows of your spirit against the onslaught of pests and foes and prayerfully seek his strength; for if you do so, he will keep you safe from them.” Anonymous/The Cloud of Unknowing

Create Joy, Deena

Taking a pause

On By dpavinatoIn Doing what we love, sacred listening, Spiritual JourneyLeave a comment

Taking a pause – According to Merriam-Webster it means to pause temporarily, to linger for a time.

Things to do when taking a pause: meditate in silence, go for a walk, journal, take a vacation or staycation, spend time with family or friends, take a break and do nothing, or maybe just rest whether that means sleep in or take a nap.

Taking a pause promotes relaxation. It helps us recalibrate, renew and reconnect.

So I am taking a pause today, for more birthday celebration, today with family. I enjoy the hour drive to think and pray, to be still with my thoughts.

I hope you find some time today, or maybe a little time each day this next week, to pause as well.

Create joy! Deena

Image created in PicMonkey

Our other gods

On By dpavinatoIn Benedictine Oblate, sacred listening, Spiritual Journey, Teachers and Guides on the journeyLeave a comment

On Friday of this week, Give Us This Day, shared a poem written by Sr. Macrina Wiederkehr (d. April 2020) from her book, Seasons of Your Heart, as the daily reflection. Macrina is one of my favorite Benedictine poets and authors. It brought back found memories of an Oblate Conference in Arkansas in 2015. We listened to many speakers share their thoughts on the conference theme of “Nurturing Benedictine Spirituality: From Theory to Practice”.

We visited several local attractions such as, Mount Magazine, this highest point in Arkansas and a winery. We traveled to Fort Smith, Arkansas, to attend prayer and have dinner with the sisters of St. Scholastica. I had the great pleasure of being at the dinner table with delightful and joyful women. One of those women said her name quickly and then bantered throughout the dinner with Sr. Karen from the monastery in Ferdinand, Indiana. She was silly and frivolous, almost flighty. The conversation was full of laughter and joy.

It wasn’t until the next day, when a woman came on stage to offer a keynote presentation that I realized it was the same woman I heartily laughed through dinner with. Macrina spoke about Benedictine spirituality and elements that are an essential part of integrating this spirituality into our lives; living awake, living more simply and the daily practice of Lectio Divina (sacred reading of scripture). She talked about being mindful in every moment of our lives, a theme you will find in her books. Her talk moved me, not only because of the key points that she invited and challenged us to consider, but because I saw that she embodied what she spoke about. She was joyful, spontaneous, astute and wise. She was completely genuine and had no desire to make herself the center of attention. She personified the aspects of Benedictine spirituality to which I aspire, especially humility.

I am sure the wisdom she radiated was gained from a lifetime of integrating the elements of which she spoke and that this poem voice. I will share a few lines of the poem below that I have been sitting with since Friday.

The God I was trying to love was too demanding

And so I looked for other gods who would ask less of me…

Possession, recognition, power!

I bowed before them but my hunger only deepened…

But my true God never lost sight of me and in that lies my salvation

for in one desperate moment

smothered by gods who couldn’t save me

I prayed for a God would fill my lies with truth…

God heard that prayer and loved me

I was given back to myself,

and taught how to answer my own prayer

so that with other believers I might again proclaim:

Jesus Christ is Lord!

Peace, Deena

Photo: from my photos taken during the Oblate Conference in Subciaco, Arkansas. This photo is the Coat of Arms/Logo of St. Scholastica Monastery in Arkansas. Macrina made her home there with the Sisters of St. Scholastica.

Do not be concerned

On By dpavinatoIn Catholic faith, Daily Prayer, Every day Catholic, Spiritual Journey3 Comments

I don’t know why, but I seem to have a short memory for all the things that have gone right after a time of worry and fret over health, work, finances or whatever concern was on my mind. I can even say that there have been at least two times that something extra-ordinary or miraculous has happened that, at the time, assured me of God’s presence and personal care. Yet, the past couple of weeks I have been anxious over circumstances in life.

Today is the Feast of the Transfiguration. The three apostles, Peter, James, and John get a glimpse of Jesus’ divinity, they see the prophets Moses and Elijah, they hear the voice of God. Just before ascending to Mount Tabor, they learned Jesus was going to suffer and die, they were warned that the road ahead will be difficult, so you would think this glorious experience would sustain them, right? No, in a short time, they run and hide from the cross, their memories are short and they succumb to fear.

I can reflect back on the time that I had my little business here in town and even though it was the most wonderful experience of my life, it wasn’t as successful as I had hoped and I decided to “go back” to work. It was a time before internet and social media, I love imagining how I might have used those platforms to advertise! I had moved back “home” to Illinois after working for General Motors in the Detroit area. I remember telling the loan officer at the bank, when asked “what will you do if your business isn’t successful?” I replied, “I will go back to work and pay off my loan”. So I did! I worked part-time at JC Penney’s and within a short time was offered a manager position. I wasn’t sure it was the right role for me but I needed the job. While I was trying to decide, a manager role at Boise Cascade opened, for a new venture, I applied and got the position. Twenty-three years later I retired after working in many different roles and serving customers in many ways. One of those was a position in e-commerce that I visioned, recommended for my business unit and ultimately filled, it was my favorite of all.

Before I moved to Michigan I worked for a small software company in the Chicago suburbs and, because I had an account in Warren, I heard that EDS was hiring people for the GM account. I applied and got a position along with 14,000 other people, all of us looking for housing at the same time. I was put up in a hotel in the Detroit area, not the most favorable part, and spent time after work each day looking for an apartment. I felt as though I would never find a suitable living space, EDS would figure out I wasn’t one of the “eagles” they expected us all to be, as loyal workers for Ross Perot, and they would send me back to Illinois. I found a cute apartment in a community I loved and close to a parish that was an important part of my life during those five years.

I am sure that you, like me, can reflect back on circumstances in life that worked out differently than you might have imagined or hoped for. In most cases, the result was better than I could have envisioned. Even if it wasn’t better, it was a threshold space, an answer until the next step was revealed. Yet, this week, I have forgotten, and like the apostles, have run from the cross and hid in the arms of inquietude and melancholy.

Luke chapter 12, verses 22-34, reminds us that all of our needs will be attended to, that we don’t have to worry. Like the birds of the air or the lilies of the field, we need not be concerned about life. I don’t believe that it means that we are careless and don’t discern the best options for our lives. But, worrying doesn’t change the outcome, lessen the time it takes to resolve the situation and, in most cases, probably limits our ability to see solutions that might be right in front of us. So, this week, I invite us to get a glimpse of the love and personal care God has for us and, like Peter, James and John, respond with an open heart to the voice that says “listen to him”.

Create joy, Deena

Creating Joy

On By dpavinatoIn Doing what we love, Life in the Spirit, Spiritual Journey6 Comments

Two Saturdays ago I participated in a Mixed Media Creativity workshop offered by Hero Arts , the sessions were taught by various artists and crafters. I enjoyed every minute of it, but admittedly watched more than I created that day. It’s on my to do list to finish the art panels and add them to my mixed media journal. I can become paralyzed by the idea that I have to “do it right”. Over and over again the creative facilitators reminded us that there is no “right” way to do mixed media. Just express yourself using whatever supplies, paper, markers and ink, that you have. One of the biggest take-aways for me was a session facilitated by Mansi Bhatia Tripathi (@mansimakes on Instagram and MansiMakes with You on Facebook). She told a story that, while in school, she was told she would never be a watercolor artist, and the impact that had on her life and creativity. Fortunately she didn’t listen! But more about Mansi in a minute.

The image I choose for today is a gift made by a dear friend. Something she said when she gave it to me has been on my mind for the two weeks since she visited! First of all, isn’t it beautiful?! I am so inspired by her garden art! She, upon handing it to me, said some things about my creativity and cards (I am a paper crafter as a side gig) and then said she is not creative. Someone that chose these colors and artfully put them together does not consider herself creative! Why do we do that? Not just downplay our gifts and talents but think creativity is something beyond us? I hope today’s blog post inspires you to think about creativity a little differently. Author Julia Cameron, wrote in her post today “We are all creative, whether we are “declared” artists or not.”

I think if we view creativity with an open mind we will see how we express our creativity each and every day. Then if we allow ourselves to express our inner creative souls even more, we will see the fruits of it in many other areas of our lives. We decorate our homes, buy and display lovely flowers in our pots and flower beds, and try to make meals that are pleasing to the eye as well as the palate. We buy clothes that will be flattering as well as comfortable. Maybe some of us let our fashion be an expression of our inner being. I select jewelry with that in mind but I want to be braver in letting my creative spirit be expressed in the clothes I buy and wear. I would like to be more conscious about this going forward. I am sure, we display children’s art with the utmost pride in their creativity. I have a beautiful abstract color painting framed and displayed that was created and given to me by my niece’s daughter, Genevieve, it’s amazing! It is a precious expression of her free and creative spirit! All of these examples are reflections of creativity.

Creative author and illustrator, Jill Badonsky, in her book The Nine Modern Muses (and a Bodyguard) encourages us that by saying “yes” to the creative process and finding ways to express it more we learn skills that we use in all areas of our lives. Skills like intuition, confidence, playfulness, flexibility, risk-taking, open-mindedness, and many more, become better honed and available to us as we move through life. I love that and certainly would welcome more of each of those in my life.

Back to Mansi and the things I have been learning from her these past couple of weeks. What a gift she has been. As she told the story from college and her art teacher, my heart broke for all of us that have been told something similar – you can’t draw, sing, or write. She has reminded us not to let external voices keep us from living our dreams and expressing ourselves. I don’t know if she had the right technique or talent, according to her teacher, for watercolor. I do know that she is a very talented and expressive artist, who by the way, was invited to be one of the founding makers on a new subscription DIY network called MadeTV. Mansi believes we all have (creative) magic within us, we simply have to open the door and let it out.

Mansi has reminded us that the end product is irrelevant, that we can just immerse ourselves in the joy of creating and expressing ourselves. It reminded me of a comment that my friend Judith wrote to me before I began this blog; “Just begin. Just write.” and not to worry if what I am writing will be read by anyone else, write for me, write what is in my heart. I begin with that each and every week but am grateful for those of you who write, text or stop me to mention that what I wrote touched you in some way.

Albert Einstein has been quoted saying “Creativity is intelligence having fun.” Poet Maya Angelou said “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” This week, let’s find moments to tell our inner critic to sit down and take a break and express our creativity in more ways, little ways. Don’t judge or compare, just express yourself. See how you feel at the end of the week.

I will end this week with the signature I use in my stamping emails.

Create Joy! Deena

Image: Garden art by my friend in one of my potted flowers.

Compassion in the rubble

On By dpavinatoIn Catholic faith, Daily Prayer, Every day Catholic, Spiritual JourneyLeave a comment

This week I have been touched by the story of Donaghy, Celtic name for “strong fighter”, a two-week old lamb that was rescued by Freedom Hill Sanctuary after undergoing all the normal procedures applied to young lambs on sheep farms. I will spare the details, you can research them, but after having these procedures done they wander in pain looking for their mothers again. For whatever reason, after five days, the farmer had compassion on this near lifeless and suffering creature, and called Freedom Hill Sanctuary to take him. Donaghy now has a chance at a better life. The pictures are difficult to see but they are caring for him and he has a warm cot and food to heal. He was taking food and improving but obviously still frightened. The image I used today was from Freedom Hill Sanctuary post this a.m. of Donaghy after healing touch and sound therapy (you can watch part of his response to the healing sounds on Instagram @freedomhillsanctuary). It filled my heart with such joy after seeing all the other pictures this week.

I haven’t seen the film “Sound of Freedom” yet with Jim Caviezel regarding child trafficking, but have heard it a deeply emotional and powerful story of a former CIA agent who goes undercover to rescue children. Last night on the news I watched a story of a restaurant owner from Highland Park who will be going to Ukraine to prepare meals. To have compassion – “to empathize with someone who is suffering and feel compelled to alleviate the suffering.”

This week, on one particular day, I was the recipient of three thoughtless comments, from separate individuals. Typically it throws me into judgement and criticism but for some reason I replaced my normal reaction with empathy for whatever the person was going through or simply the fact that they didn’t think about what they said before they said it. I certainly would like to do that more often! If I think about the number of times I have done the same, hopefully unintentionally, maybe it will be easier to respond with more grace and compassion.

During his homily this week, Fr. Carlson, our pastor at Holy Family talked about the weeds growing among the wheat, Matthew 13: 24-43, and how we see injustice around us in the world and wonder why. It can be challenging to deal with what we see in the world. The whole homily was rich with food for thought (you can find it on Facebook @holyfamilyoglesby, we livestream Masses) but the statements that captured my heart for reflection were: “There is evil that has to be endured. How much greatness within us would be lost if we didn’t have battles to fight? How much compassion would be lost if we didn’t have evil to endure?” By no means does this justify the evil. But we need to reflect on our own hearts and how we can look at these challenges in a different way. So I ask: Do I have a heart big enough for more compassion and what would that look like?

One of the authors we seem to return to over and over at work, for prayers of blessing, is Kate Bowler (@katecbowler and podcast – Everything Happens.). Her new book, The Lives We Actually Have, is full of lovely blessings. Her post on Instagram this morning was from another book, Good Enough: 40ish Devotionals for a Life of Imperfection. She says, in part of the blessing, “and while this life isn’t shiny, it does come with superpowers. superpowers of ever-widening empathy and existential courage that get you back up after another fall…” “and a deepened awe at the beauty and love that can be found amid life’s rubble. like flowers that grow from the cracks in the sidewalk. these virtues blossom in you. and thank God for you.” ending with “blessed are all of us who struggle, for we are in good company, and we’ll never walk alone.”

So let us pray for the grace of the “superpower” of compassion to help us bring more light and make the world a little brighter.

Blessings today and everyday, Deena

Image: As stated above, the image is from Freedom Hill Sanctuary Instagram and Facebook pages. I hope they would approve the use of their photo in hopes of raising awareness of their rescue organization and in hopes of creating a world with better farm practices for a more humane treatment of animals.

What seeds take root?

On By dpavinatoIn Daily Prayer, Every day Catholic, Life in the Spirit, Spiritual JourneyLeave a comment

Gardening is such a great analogy for life. There are so many parallels in writing or motivational thinking. You reap what you sow. If you have a dream, you have to nurture and care for it to see it come to fruition. From the Gospel for today, the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, the seed that falls on rich soil produces fruit.

In the Strangest Secret by Earl Nightingale, one of my favorite motivational talks, Mr. Nightingale reminds us that what we do in life, and how we think, determines what we accomplish. We all begin with the belief in the possibility of our dreams and our intentions. Why don’t we achieve what we set out to accomplish? Mr. Nightingale suggests most people conform to life, and the belief of others, around us. The successful person is not a specific job or title, but rather someone who progressively works toward their desired goal or outcome. Without specific intention, direction, and guidance, we don’t end up where we want. His secret – “we become what we think about” or what we give our attention to.

When I go to my favorite garden centers and buy plants for the year, I don’t come home and plop them on the ground or in a pot, as is, and expect it to grow. Annuals need some nourishing potting soil, occasional fertilizer and even more water than plants in the flower beds. The perennials need the right spot of sun or shade, soil that is amended, proper pruning for the plant and of course, water. I care for the plants and then watch them take root and grow.

Today’s photo is of Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia) in my flower beds. I didn’t plant them in that spot. They are now growing along side a day lily plant and some echinacea (which looks like I have to give more space this year because of the Black-eyed Susan). The Black-eyed Susan are around the corner on the other side of the burning bush. The seed scattered, the soil was rich and it’s a sunny spot, which they prefer, so the plant has grown beautifully there. Perhaps too abundantly!

As we listen to scripture each day, or at least weekly, we are hearing and giving the Word of God a place to take root and plant seeds. Our faith grows as we mature spiritually. I don’t hear the Word proclaimed as a sixth grader and expect that level of faith to carry me the rest of my life, giving me counsel in every difficult or trying situation. I have to keep tending it, listening and growing, at the various phases of life. A deeply rooted and established plant in my garden isn’t going to topple in a storm. When the challenging situations come, the faith life that has been attended to over the years, is going to provide the firm foundation to help me navigate the difficult times. In his sermon on YouTube for this week, Bishop Barron suggests that the Word of God is creative (vs. descriptive or performative) and changes things. I would agree.

As a Benedictine Oblate and someone desiring a deeper faith life and closeness to God, I was reading daily scripture and reflections. But from the time, four or five years ago, on retreat when I heard (internal) the invitation to attend daily Mass things have changed. Oh believe me, I argued with God about that invitation – I was working and traveling, busy, etc. But the invitation persisted. I negotiated and said I would do the best I could. Do I still need to let that Word take better root, absolutely! There are days that it definitely falls among the weeds and is choked out by worry or lack of faith. But I keep listening. Over time, that Word we hear changes us, changes our perception of things and reaction to things. There are a ton of options, rather than being physically present at Mass if you find that challenging or you aren’t Catholic, YouTube or Facebook live streams, sites and apps like Hallow that you can simply listen to the scripture readings, etc. If you can become easily distracted, I would recommend listening to vs. reading scripture each day.

Whether success in work, family or faith, we become what we listen to and think about. Are you giving your attention to the things you want in life?

Peace, Deena

Both talks mentioned today can be found on YouTube

Photo is from my photo album of the Black-eyed Susan in my garden that is mentioned in the post.

Short and simple prayer

On By dpavinatoIn Benedictine Oblate, Daily Prayer, Every day Catholic, Spiritual Journey3 Comments

At some point this week I was reflecting on prayer during a time of distraction and focus on something that kept repeating over and over in my mind. I wanted it to stop! The Rule of St. Benedict is there for us seeking spiritual guidance in daily life, and especially for me as a Benedictine Oblate. In Chapter 20, St. Benedict says that “prayer should therefore be short and pure.” But Benedict often makes me smile because he always offers a modification or adjustment just in case the guidance is too harsh or doesn’t meet the needs of the individual. He adds in that same sentence “unless perhaps it <prayer> is prolonged under the inspiration of divine grace.”

Then Friday, reflecting on the call of Matthew by Jesus, Fr. Xavier of Conception Abbey, shared a quote from a book, Prayer of the Heart, by Fr. Jean Lafrance. Fr. Jean says “One of the greatest graces man may obtain in this world is to discover that, in the name of Jesus, he can integrate his whole existence, pray in all circumstances and be at ease everywhere.” Fr Xavier adds that we must, however, want to do it, to lift up our hearts to acknowledge God. He recommends that simply using the name of Jesus in prayer is a good way to do this. The message for me was when I keep worrying about something troubling or am upset by something someone said, I am acknowledging me, my thoughts, my desires. Of course, there are times to do that! But when it is troubling or preoccupying my mind, then perhaps my focus is ill-placed on my needs instead of making, as a follow up to my thoughts last week, God my priority in all things.

The website and Facebook page, Contemplative Outreach, based on the work and writings of Fr. Thomas Keating, reminded me that the desert fathers and mothers relied on the verses of the Psalms in their daily prayers. The Psalms offer so many helpful verses in short and succinct sentences that are easy to remember and repeat. We are probably all familiar with “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” Today’s Responsorial Psalm, for the Fourteenth Sunday is an uplifting prayer of joy and gratitude; “I will praise your name forever, my king and my God.”

Many of us are familiar with the “Jesus Prayer”; “Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.” I have used that in the past, especially during Lent, but it isn’t one that I find especially helpful when trying to quiet my mind. During the week I came up with my own version of a mantra or short prayer to use; “Jesus, Word made flesh, you chose to come among us, be with me.” I found it quite helpful. It was easy to repeat when driving, moving about the house or whenever I found my mind wandering back to the troubling thought.

Give it a try this week. If you are so inclined, I would love to hear one that you create or are currently using. Please share in the comments of this blog or on the Facebook or Instagram posts for this week’s blog.

Peace, Deena

Image: My photo album/a view of the hummingbird feeders at a monastery I visited.