Category: Catholic faith

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Spirit that reveals

On By dpavinatoIn a season of hope, Benedictine Oblate, Catholic faith, Coming home to myself, contemplation, Daily Prayer, discernment, Every day Catholic, Gifts of the Spirit, Holy Trinity, Jubilee Year of Hope, Life in the Spirit, Our Lady of the Way, sacred listening, sacred seeing, sacred waiting, Seeing things in a new way, spiritual freedom, Spiritual Journey, spirituality, Teachers and Guides on the journeyLeave a comment

On June 11 of this month, Sojourners Magazine reflected on the life and teachings of American Christian scholar and theologian, Walter Brueggemann. Brueggemann, who passed away on June 5, was a great teacher, and an influential interpreter, of the Bible and especially, the Old Testament and biblical prophets. His most influential work, The Prophetic Imagination, challenged us to see the world as God sees it and overcome the limitations of our present reality. In 1985, he wrote, for Sojourner, “The Spirit works through us, among us, and even against us. The Spirit in these days would indeed work against our hopelessness to let us hope.” A poignant message for us given the state of the world.

This Sunday, June 15, is the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity. We often try to give images and roles to the Trinity in an attempt to understand the inexplicable relationship of God in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Brueggemann once wrote that the purpose of doxology, an expression of praise or liturgical praise, is to defy reasoning that tries to explain what God in the Trinity is. We can’t, so perhaps it’s better to just sing!

This week I have been praying with an 8-Day Retreat on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, presented by Our Lady of the Way Retreat Ministry. Day 6 focused on the Gift of Understanding. The prelude to the prayer states: “Understanding is one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit that enables believers to comprehend the truths of faith through both reason and divine revelation….With the gift of understanding, we can grasp divine mysteries of faith that surpass human reasoning.” That was a helpful reminder as I approached Trinity Sunday.

I can’t possibly grasp the concept of Trinity with my feeble human intellect. I can read, pray and contemplate the relationship between the “persons” of the Trinity but at some point I have to accept it on faith. I can also, reflecting on Bruegggemann’s statement above, hope to grow in understanding and allow the impact of the Trinity to reveal, guide and be at work in my life.

Give Us This Day published a reflection entitled “Sustained Attentiveness” by Brueggemann on Friday of this week, certainly planned far in advance of his passing. In it he wrote, talking about Jesus’ “radical interpretation” of the Torah, “finally he will say at the end of the chapter, “Be Perfect” – be whole – have integrity – be about one thing in your life. Be in sync with God. But such being in sync requires, as serious Jews have always known, swimming upstream against ordinary social practices.” Brueggemann went on to suggest we see the church as a body of coworkers who walk a different path in the world and that we live together “for the sake of the world that God loves!” He said we cannot “be the church by accident, but only with obedient intentionality.” In that Sojourner article, mentioned above, they quoted Brueggemann saying “the practice of prophetic imagination … requires energy, courage, and freedom, and the sense of being otherwise. And I have no doubt that we are now arriving at a moment when there is no more middle ground.”

As I pray for peace in our fractioned and turbulent world, and integrity within our policies and caring for the good of all those in society, I ask for the gift of understanding. I pray, also, to be transformed by the gifts of knowledge, fortitude, counsel and wisdom so that I may live in sync with God, radical in justice and mercy. Then, as St. Ignatius teaches, I will desire and choose only that which helps me attain the end for which I have been created.

Wishing you abundant gifts of the Spirit this week, Deena

Image: my favorite icon of the Trinity, created in the 15th century by Russian iconographer, Andrei Rublev.

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A spirit of renewal

On By dpavinatoIn a season of hope, An example of faith and hope, Benedictine Oblate, Catholic faith, Every day Catholic, Fruit of the Spirit, Jubilee Year of Hope, Life in the Spirit, Life of purpose, Pope Francis, Pope Leo XIV, sacred listening, sacred seeing, sacred waiting, season of change, spiritual freedom, Spiritual Journey, spirituality, synodalityLeave a comment

Later this summer, God willing, I will celebrate another birthday. I was reflecting early this morning on the ways I have changed this year. Yet in all the little, or even big changes, this past year I remain the same person with the same guiding values and principles in life. I dream new dreams, set goals and aspire to new things but remain the same in essence – a woman, daughter, sister, aunt, who is compassionate, values integrity and authenticity, seeks peace, desires to serve God in the best way that I can given the gifts I have. Those fundamental characteristics of who I am do not change regardless of the other evolutionary shifts on my journey through life.

Pentecost, celebrated in the Church today on June 8, fifty days after Easter, is recognized as the birth of the Church. The Spirit descended on Mary, the Apostles and other disciples and ignites them with a desire and passion to carry on the mission of Jesus, witnessing the love of the Christ to all those they encounter and spreading that message of peace. The power of the Spirit descended on them but it continues in the world, throughout time, since that first Pentecost and even today! Yet, even contemplating all of the changes in the Church in the past 2000+ years, the guiding principles of Jesus and the fundamental Christian truths, remain the same, despite culture, age, or specific social or ecclesial situation.

As I reflected upon this past year in my life, I also pondered the changes this past year in the Church. Most recently, of course, for Catholics was the passing of Pope Francis and the election of Pope Leo XIV. There were also numerous meetings of the Synod on Synodality in 2024, with the Second Session ending in October 2024 marking the end of the discernment phase. Beginning in 2021, Pope Francis asked the Church, laity, religious and ordained ministers of the Church, to reflect on themes of communion, participation and mission. The preparatory documents said that the purpose of the Synod was not to “produce documents, but to plant dreams, draw forth prophecies and visions, allow hope to flourish, inspire trust, bind up wounds, weave together relationships, awaken a dawn of hope, learn from one another and create a bright resourcefulness that will enlighten minds, warm hearts, give strength to our hands.”

Earlier this week I listened to a Liturgical Press webinar with Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe, member of the Dominican Community at Blackfriars, Oxford, on “Synodal Hope, The Vision of Pope Francis and the Future with Pope Leo.” He is a strong advocate for the Synod process and has been involved in the Synod by offering spiritual reflections at various meetings and retreats for those involved in the Synod gatherings. He offered hope (a theme discussed in his new book, Surprised by Hope; Further Meditations on Synodality published by Liturgical Press) in the process, regardless of how we feel about our place in the Church, acknowledging that many feel they are on the margins or whose full dignity in role and mission has not been recognized.

Cardinal Radcliffe said the Synod isn’t about subverting authority or hierarchy, that it isn’t about decisions, but rather, quoting Pope Benedict XVI, saying that it is about “encounter”. Being Catholic is about opening our being to everything and everyone, reaching out with stretched open arms. He said that it is about daring to get together to share hopes and dreams, “Being Church, being Christian, being alive in God”, and dropping barriers.

Pope Leo XIV, at the Pentecost Vigil and this Sunday morning, at the Mass of Pentecost, said that the Holy Spirit comes to “breaks down our hardness of heart, our narrowness of mind, our selfishness, the fears that enchain us and the narcissism that makes us think only of ourselves.” The Holy Spirit challenges us to open borders, first within our hearts and then in our relationships with others. Pentecost he said, “renews the Church, renews the world”.

During the Pentecost Vigil, Pope Leo said that synodality is rooted in the Trinity and where the Spirit is, “there is movement, a journey to be made.” He offered encouragement to say that, in this Jubilee Spirit, we walk together in unity, no longer for ourselves but walking alongside each other. Synodality demands that we recognize the poverty and richness in everyone, that we realize we are part of a greater whole.

I was inspired as Pope Leo said that this great mission of the work of God is something we all participate in, we take part in our parishes and our communities, using the charisms we have been given, working as one, the future then becomes less dark, discernment less complicated.

On this great Solemnity of the Church, I have hope. I have hope that we trust the Spirit to guide us on our individual paths and in the ways we can make a difference in the world. I have hope that the Church will seek to draw people together, to listen and encounter versus separate. I have hope, that the Jubilee message of Hope, as it now continues to be shared by Pope Leo, will have a far reaching impact to create peace in the world, to break down barriers and open hearts.

Come Holy Spirit, Come!

Wishing you abundant peace and Hope this week, Deena

Image: Our Pentecost window at Holy Family Church.

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Trust the journey

On By dpavinatoIn a season of hope, Benedictine Oblate, Catholic faith, contemplation, Daily Prayer, discernment, Every day Catholic, Fruit of the Spirit, hope and healing, Ignatian prayer, Jubilee Year of Hope, Life in the Spirit, Life of purpose, Madonna della Strada, Our Lady of the Way, Personal call and vocation, Pope Leo XIV, sacred listening, sacred seeing, sacred waiting, Saints as Models & Guides, season of change, Seeing things in a new way, spiritual freedom, spiritual healing, Spiritual Journey, spirituality, The Spiritual Exercises, Trust the journeyLeave a comment

I recall the words of one of my wellness teachers in Michigan as I prepared to leave corporate life in the late 1980’s and move back to Illinois to open a business. He said, paraphrasing a bit, teach what you want keep practicing or what you want to learn. Many of us that write or teach do just that. It’s often a thought we want to explore more, go deeper with, or remember about our journeys. That is very true with today’s post!

The past couple of days have been challenging ones. I was doubting and wondering what lies ahead for me. It’s part of the reason that the past couple of blogs have been about listening to an inner call and watching for guidance from Spirit. But more specifically this week, I have been contemplating a way to present a concept about personal call and vocation in life, a Christ-centered approach to looking at the different aspects of our lives and making sense of how we decide what to focus on, the activities we pursue and how they fit in our mission in life. As soon as I put thoughts together, my inner critic would chime in and say “who cares”, “why bother”, “no one needs to know this” or worse, “no one wants to know this”. I got discouraged and depressed.

So Friday, I bought some plants! Dirt therapy is revitalizing! I have hope when I plant and watch my flowers grow and blossom. As I was finishing up outside Saturday morning, I was surprised by a visit from a good friend, Cheryl, who lives out of town, but was in the area to visit the cemetery and another friend. She dropped off an adorable cat, coffee mug, knowing coffee and cats are two of my favorite things. I was touched by the gift and the surprise visit! A few minutes later, another friend, Kelly, texted that she wanted to stop by and drop off a treat. It was an amazing chocolate expresso cupcake from a local bakery, Millstone, which I thoroughly enjoyed Saturday evening! Those brief encounters reminded me that no matter what else is going on, I have loving and cherished friends and have that to be grateful for.

Saturday evening I sat down to catch up on social media and saw a post by the Jesuits of Canada and the United States on Facebook honoring the Feast of Our Lady of the Way, Madonna della Strada, on May 24. I paused and gave thanks for the reminder to trust Divine Timing.

The fresco of Our Lady of the Way is displayed at the Church of the Gesu in Rome, Italy. There is also a replica of the painting in the Madonna della Strada Chapel on the campus of Loyola University in Chicago. St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, had a deep love for our Lady. Our Lady of Arantzazu and Our Lady of Montserrat Shrines were significant in his personal journey, and the formation of what we now call the Spiritual Exercises and Ignatian Spirituality. St. Ignatius, and later his companions, the early Jesuits, formed and made solemn vows on Marian feast days.

Our Lady of the Way is special to me because she led me to my spiritual director and praying the Spiritual Exercises this past year. Last Spring, when I worked for Ignatian Ministries, I had been talking to Becky Eldredge about the Spiritual Exercises. I knew I didn’t want to walk through the Exercises with anyone that was on our referral list or directors that Becky knew. I wanted it to be with someone that didn’t know me or my work at the ministry. I browsed many Ignatian and Jesuit retreat sites and the minute I found Our Lady of the Way (see info and link below), I knew it was the right retreat center for me. I waited a couple of months, but once I felt that the calling was intensifying within, I browsed the spiritual directors and emailed one of the founders. Besides being trained to walk with people through the Spiritual Exercises, she was trained in Mind-Body, Integrative Healing and Cognitive Behavior Therapy. I just knew she was the right fit! We talked and it was! It’s been a grace-filled year.

This morning, Sunday, May 25, Pope Leo XIV reminded us in his Regina Caeli address that “in all that the Lord calls us to—whether in our life journey or in our journey of faith, sometimes we feel inadequate.” He said that Jesus sends us the Spirit so that we don’t have to worry or be anxious in life in our individual calling or regarding personal responsibilities. Pope Leo, who also has a deep love of Our Lady, said that we too, like Mary, can welcome the Spirit, so that we can be “signs and instruments of his love” to those we encounter. Those words give me hope. I pray that they are an encouragement to you too. Let us watch for the signs that God is with us and that we have the Spirit to guide and encourage us as we attempt to respond to that personal call in each of our lives.

I wish you abundant peace and hope, Deena

Our Lady of the Way, stay with us when we grow weary of the journey…Lead us when we cannot see the path…Because for all we lay down, we pick up something greater, we pick up freedom. Our Lady of the Way, show us the way. (Full prayer on Jesuits.org)

My spiritual director, and her colleagues, have a lovely description of the history and dedication of Madonna della Strada, as well as their retreats and information regarding spiritual direction, on their website, Our Lady of the Way. The Blog section has an abundance of articles on prayer and Ignatian Spirituality, I encourage you to visit it!

Image for today’s blog: the icon of Madonna della Stada at the Church of the Gesu, Rome.

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The paths we choose

On By dpavinatoIn a life of joy, A life worth living, Answering the great question, Benedictine Oblate, Catholic faith, contemplation, Daily Prayer, discernment, Doing what we love, Every day Catholic, Fruit of the Spirit, Jubilee Year of Hope, Life in the Spirit, Pope Leo XIV, sacred listening, sacred seeing, sacred waiting, spiritual freedom, Spiritual Journey, spirituality, surrender, waiting and reflecting2 Comments

This past Friday evening, the final 8th grade class of Holy Family School (HFS), our parish Catholic grade school, graduated. I mentioned two weeks ago in my blog that our three local Catholic grade schools are merging and becoming one new school, The Carlo Acutis Academy, beginning in the Fall of 2025. As I looked at pictures shared by the family members of the graduates, as well as friends with grandchildren graduating high school this past week, I find myself a bit sentimental thinking about all of the moments from my first day of kindergarten at Holy Family School and the years that followed. The post image I am sharing this week is our “Oglesby Girls” group (we still gather for lunch and other special events, friends for all these years!), and other classmates who were able to join us, for a final photo with the school name on the building before it changes. We were the first class of HFS that studied Kindergarten through Eighth Grade in the school building.

This week I also participated in a couple of workshops or seminars that helped me to continue to reflect on my topic last week on personal vocation and our call in life. Today, Sunday, May 18, was Pope Leo XIV’s Inaugural Mass of the Petrine Ministry (yes, I woke up at 2:30 a.m. for it!). I listened as commentators muses on his background and priestly and missionary calling that led to his role as Pope and Shepherd of the Catholic Church. He seems perfect, has all of the right qualifications but more importantly the pastoral heart that the world needs right now. Will he make mistakes or do something that will result in questions or criticism? Of course, he is human. But at the moment, I am enjoying the honeymoon period of learning more about him and all the work he has done leading up his selection as Pope just a short 11 days ago. The paths he chose in life gave him the necessary background, along with the working of the Holy Spirit, to bring him to this momentous day.

Before sitting down to write this, I read Maria Shriver’s weekly post, Keep Room In Your Heart for The Unimaginable, regarding her unexpected trip to Rome for the Inaugural Mass and her thoughts on the “yeses” we say in life and making room for the extraordinary. Most of us didn’t, and won’t have the opportunity, to pick up and jet off to Rome for a special event like Maria did this weekend. However, what other choices do we make in life to make room for unpredicted outcomes?

This week my spiritual director asked me if I would be willing to consider a training program she was aware of. My instant response was “No” and all the “blocks”, “restrictions” that came with that response – I’m too old, it’s too late, it’s too expensive, it would take too long… While I need to pray and discern if that program is truly one I might be called to consider, I did realize as the week went on, that there may be other things, other learning opportunities, for me to consider once the “Blocks are blasted” (using the Artist Way terminology regarding facing our inner critics and resistance). These choices we face each day aren’t always big ones, but in each of them we might be invited to make room for Spirit to present new opportunities to us.

Do you still have a dream in your heart whispering for your attention? Is there an invitation that keeps placing itself in front of you, asking you to say “yes”? Are you open and willing to consider something new? I will reflect on those questions this week along with you!

Wishing you abundant peace, Deena

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Listen and hear

On By dpavinatoIn a life of joy, A life worth living, Benedictine Oblate, Catholic faith, Daily Prayer, discernment, Every day Catholic, Ignatian prayer, Jubilee Year of Hope, Life in the Spirit, sacred listening, sacred seeing, sacred waiting, spiritual freedom, spiritual healing, Spiritual Journey, spiritualityLeave a comment

On Friday of this week I read the daily reflection by Fr. Michael Casey, “Christ in our ear” in Give Us This Day. We studied Fr. Casey’s books in our Benedictine Oblate study so, when I see his name in the daily reflections, I am always ready to listen to what he has to say. Early in his post he says “The world is full of surprises and it is only by responding creatively to the unexpected that we allow the full power of our latent potential to emerge. Mere routine can’t do this.” As I have been trying to contemplate a more creative perspective of my retirement years, I was moved by that statement.

I also reflected on the previous day. I sat glued to my computer screen on Thursday morning, believing for some reason that the vote for our new Pope would come early. All of the announcers were saying if the vote came Thursday, it would more likely be the vote later in the day. I kept watching, I had an inkling to stay put. But I still gasped as I saw the white smoke swirl from the chimney around the pair of doves and their little one on the roof of the Sistine Chapel. “We have a Pope” I quickly texted friends!

To learn that an American, Illinois-born, dual citizen of Peru and missionary, was selected to be our Pope was a complete surprise. I saw Cardinal Prevost’s name on lists but never in a million years would I have imagined an American pope! Seeing his experience, it’s easy to understand how his brother Cardinals placed their confidence in his ability but it still seems unbelievable, in the most wonderful way! Every video I watch and Vatican News update on his speeches and homilies excite me even more. He is a man of deep faith. A man of service, asking “God to help us all live “in service to one another…capable of helping one another to walk in love and truth.” He is a voice of peace and building bridges. A voice that we so desperately need!

I watched all the reports and commentaries about his vocation story. It was fascinating to learn that even as a young boy he knew he wanted to be a priest, then discerned the life of an Augustinian friar and missionary priest vs Diocesan life. I was touched by his visit to a Shrine outside of Rome, dedicated to the Mother of Good Counsel in Genazzano which has been run by Augustinians since the 1200’s. He made his profession to the Order of Saint Augustine in the Province of Our Lady of Good Counsel of Chicago in 1978 then solemn vows in 1981. Our Lady of Good Counsel is a special Marian title to me, so I love his devotion to her under that name. (And the image I selected, from a chapel I visited on the grounds of the Shrine of our Lady of Guadalupe in LaCrosse, WI for today’s blog).

On Saturday evening I watched the debut of a rookie pitcher in a Chicago Cubs game against the New York Mets. Cade Horton’s mother shared the joy of seeing her son’s dream come true. She shared that he wanted to be a baseball player since he was little and the broadcasters shared an adorable t-ball picture in a Cubs jersey.

I only know one other person, personally, who has been laser focused on what they wanted to be from a very young age. Seeing that dream come to life for him has been an inspiring journey. He also is someone I see as destined for greatness in his career. I wonder about hearing a call and having the courage to remain steadfast to it throughout life. Do some of us know early? Do some have a special ability to hear and respond to a call?

A few years ago someone wrote me and stated that, throughout my life, I have been ignoring a call to religious life. That may or may not be true, but I responded that there are many ways to respond to God’s call and that I felt living a single life, outside of a community, was my journey. But somehow I am still on a path of discernment. Would that be the case if I had said “yes” to the invitation in the 1990’s?

In a small book on discernment of personal vocation through the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, Fr. Herbert Alphonso, S.J. says that the unique, true and deepest part of the self is our personal vocation. He suggests that the deepest transformation in any of our lives takes place when we live out that vocation. It doesn’t have to be to religious life (but my continued prayers for all those who choose this as their path in life), or have to be discerned early or late in chronological years. But he shares from his years of experience walking with and leading individuals through the Exercises and retreats, that confirmation of a personal vocation is “written into one’s concrete history and into the inner dynamism (that is, movement of the inner forces) of one’s life.” He goes on to say that the manifestation of that vocation may change with life circumstances but the unique way that the Spirit calls us never changes. (Discovering Your Personal Vocation, Herbert Alphonso, SJ)

Perhaps some of us listen more carefully. Maybe some of us are more stubborn. But I turn to the Saints and great teachers of my faith to know that sometimes the response to the call happens at various stages in life. I have hope in that knowledge.

Fr. Casey in his reflection, mentioned above, states that we would be wise to consider that God may be speaking to us even when our lives are turning out a little different than expected. That perhaps we are being asked to change course. The key is listening and remaining open.

He concluded his reflection by suggesting that we respond, not expecting to understand what we are called to completely, it remains a mystery for us but that “Saying ‘Yes’ gives us entrance to a world beyond our reasoning”.

This week let us be open to hearing that small voice that calls us to more in life. Let us pray for the grace to be receptive to an invitation to change course if needed or simply a more discerning ear to listen. In doing so, let it bring forth more surprises and peace as we live out our individual and unique call in life.

Wishing you abundant peace, Deena

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A lost sheep

On By dpavinatoIn a life of joy, A life worth living, a season of hope, Benedictine Oblate, Catholic faith, Divine Mercy, Easter Hope, Every day Catholic, Jubilee Year of Hope, Laudato Si, Pope Francis, sacred listening, sacred seeing, season of change, Spiritual Journey, spirituality, waiting and reflectingLeave a comment

I woke up Friday morning from a dream and felt lost. In my dream the school children did a presentation in our church, before Mass, but moved the ambo, altar and tabernacle. As I was helping to remove their displays, a visiting priest came from the confessional. He didn’t know where everything was and I could’t find the items to help. How were we going to go on?

I woke with the realization of the heavy loss and sadness of this week. The loss of our shepherd, Pope Francis, is weighing heavily on my heart.

The week has been full of beautiful tributes and remembrances of Pope Francis’ writings and impact, so I won’t presume that I can say anything different, or more eloquently, than others have already. I have lived in a church and world guided by 7 different popes. Pope Pius XII was only pope two more years after my birth, but each of the other popes since Pope John XXIII have influenced me and my faith in various ways, but none as much as Pope Francis. He focused on themes such as joy, mercy and hope and lived a life that honored the dignity of all people. He asked us to hear the cry of the earth, our common home, and the cry of the poor and respond with love. He called us to evangelize with our lives and let our joyful way of living be the way we share the Gospel with those we encounter. His smile radiated love and compassion. These teachings, his spirituality and catecheses on other topics, were tenets that I resonated with, more than any other pope, therefore I feel the loss more deeply.

I watched the Requiem Mass live from the Vatican on Saturday morning and thought it was so fitting for the person he was and the way he lived. If things can be simple by the standards of the Vatican, and all the trappings of being Pope to a church of a reported 1.4 billion people, I think it was. I captured images so that I can recall the day, but as I watched the Mass and journey to his final resting place, I was especially moved by two images, that I felt represented the man that he was. There was something very poignant about the unadorned casket in St. Peter’s Square. Later, as the proceedings came to a close, I loved watching the white “Pope mobile” travel the city of Rome from the Vatican to Santa Maria Maggiore, where Pope Francis has been laid to rest. The Pope’s body moved through the streets of Rome among his people, close to the people, just as he preferred his pontificate to be.

I was fortunate enough to visit the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore during my 2023 pilgrimage and now that his tomb is open to the public as of today, Divine Mercy Sunday, I have a reason to want to return.

The picture that I used for this blog image was taken during our general audience with Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square. I posted it on social media this week, and in 2023 during our visit, it’s my favorite picture from the pilgrimage and I am delighted I hadn’t used it in a blog post previously.

So now I turn my prayers to formidable task ahead for the College of Cardinals. I pray for the future of the Church and for the Holy Spirit to guide the cardinals to select someone with a pastoral spirit similar to Pope Francis and with a heart and mind capable of offering wisdom to leaders in the world today.

Wishing you abundant trust in God’s mercy, and a heart full of joy and hope, Deena

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A pilgrim journey

On By dpavinatoIn a life of joy, a season of hope, Benedictine Oblate, Catholic faith, Coming home to myself, Easter Hope, Every day Catholic, Jubilee Year of Hope, Lenten journey, sacred seeing, Seeing things in a new way, Spiritual Journey2 Comments

Our Lenten journey has brought us to the glorious Feast of Easter, it is the Solemnity of all Solemnities, a joyful conclusion to our Lenten penances and the beginning of the Octave of Easter (Easter is eight days long!). I wish you and your loved ones a grace-filled Easter Season!

If you participated in the Triduum Services of the Lord’s Supper, Good Friday and Easter Vigil, there is so much to reflect on from the solemn liturgies we prayed with and today we celebrate the gift of God’s love in the Resurrection. A few thoughts came to mind as I reflected on my own journey through Lent.

Meditations written by Pope Francis for the Good Friday Way of the Cross in Rome’s Colosseum explained that the world we are faced with can be cold and calculating, that we become prisoners of ourselves when we focus on selfishness and indifference to those in need. Writing about and using the analogy of each of the Stations, Pope Francis explains our human journey and that only when we focus on the way of Christ, are we able to make sense in our lives, to bring about a restoration of joy and we feel as though we have come home.

Pope Francis’ meditation reminds me of the essence of a book I read during Lent, Jesus and the Jubilee; The Biblical Roots of the Year of God’s Favor by Dr. John Bergsma. It’s a deep and profound study of the history of the Jubilee Year in the Church and an invitation to reflect on this current Jubilee Year of Hope 2025, as a way of life, not a single, special event in the Church. He shares practical ways that we can bring the Spirit of Jubilee into our lives. We reflect on how we might make Jubilee a lifestyle and encounter the liberty that Jubilee offers us. If I approach the crosses of daily life with a heart of the Beatitudes and the “divine economy” of God, then we are able to experience the liberating grace of Jubilee.

I spent time on Holy Saturday reflecting on words written by Fr. James Martin, S.J. for America magazine on waiting. Fr. Martin wrote that most of our life is spent waiting. Our days waiting aren’t always “the unbearable pain of a Good Friday. Nor are they suffused with the unbelievable joy of an Easter.” Most days, Fr. Martin proposes, are “in between”. We wait for changes in circumstances, health, job, and relationships. I know I often think, “when this happens” (whatever “this” is), then I’ll be happier or find more peace, that my life will change or be better. But, our waiting becomes bearable when we change our approach to the outcome we desire and when we choose to wait with hope.

As I look back on this Lent, I’m a little sad it has ended. I have benefited from the extra prayers and practices. I have grown and changed in ways I hoped to, but desire so much more. That, I suppose, is our Easter pilgrimage, a journey that continues beyond this Lent and each day of our lives.

Wishing you abundant peace, Deena

Image: A fresco of the women encountering the angel at the tomb of Jesus, painted by Fra Angelico viewed in the Museo di San Marco in Florence, Italy.

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Walk slowly

On By dpavinatoIn a season of hope, Benedictine Oblate, Catholic faith, contemplation, Daily Prayer, discernment, Eucharistic Revival, Every day Catholic, Jubilee Year of Hope, Lenten journey, sacred listening, sacred seeing, sacred waiting, Spiritual Journey, spiritualityLeave a comment

When I am focused on a task I tend to power through it. It might take me a bit to get motivated but then once I am ready to take it on, I can be quite determined. That is a great quality for house cleaning, organizing or cleaning up the garden but perhaps not the best attitude for the season of Lent and preparing for Easter.

This past week I was reflecting on quotes by Catherine of Siena, regarding the endless abyss of love that God has for each of us, which seemed fitting the week before Holy Week. As a commentary I was challenged to consider, to be moved by this love, and to allow any ways that I have been indifferent or unaware of the depth of that love to come into my awareness. I reviewed the practices that I have taken on during the Lenten season and realized that as we got deeper in the season I was powering through the readings and daily reflections like I would a class assignment. It became a task to complete, an activity to mark done, and an accomplishment versus my original desire to create more space for intimacy in my relationship with Christ. My journal is full of moments of introspection and grace for sure, but my pride and perfectionism were also evident to me as I pondered the weeks leading up to today, Palm Sunday, and our entrance into Holy Week.

As I reflect on Lent and my desire for that intimacy with Christ, I can honestly say it has been one of the best Lent’s ever, my desire for liberation and change of heart, deepening in a way that I prayed for. But I know that, reflecting on my approach, there is a capacity for deeper intimacy this week.

It’s not too late.

So this week, if you participate in Triduum services, or as you reflect personally on the somber days of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the silence of Easter Saturday, walk slowly and contemplate what is happening within you as you prepare for Easter Sunday. Each Easter, during Mass, the congregation is asked to renew baptismal promises. In one of my Lenten reflection books I was invited to consider how well I have fulfilled those commitments this past year. Preparing for that renewal again this year, how might I resurrect the promises of new life within me? Where am I being invited to seek renewal in my life? I offer those reflections and invitations to you as well.

I wish you an abundance of grace this Holy Week, as we contemplate the greatest sacrifice of love. Deena

Image: The Palm Sunday cross at my parish, Holy Family Church.

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Cultivating beauty

On By dpavinatoIn a life of joy, A life worth living, Benedictine Oblate, Catholic faith, Coming home to myself, Doing what we love, Every day Catholic, la dolce vita, Lenten journey, Life in the Spirit, mindfulness, sacred listening, sacred seeing, sacred waiting, seeing beauty around me, Seeing things in a new way, Spiritual Journey, spirituality, Teachers and Guides on the journeyLeave a comment

On March 24, for the Third Week of Lent, I read the following quote by Joan Chittister, in her Reflection Resource, Cry Justice, Cry Hope, and I began implementing the practice of being, or at least attempting, to be more aware of beauty around me, with a strong desire to cultivate it more within me.

The purpose of life is to cultivate the sacred in ourselves so that we can come to know God before we see God. Goethe puts it this way: “A person should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful that God has implanted in the human soul. ” This week, follow Goethe’s advice. Every day this week, list one way that you tried to “cultivate beauty in the human soul. ” In your own life … in your neighborhood … in the world.

––from Cry Justice, Cry Hope by Joan Chittister

I think that is why I love having a garden, keeping fresh flowers on my kitchen counter each week, like the daisies in my blog photo, or creating little vignettes of objects in my home. Looking at something beautiful uplifts and inspires me. It does as Sr. Joan suggests, help me see God in the world around me. After reading Sr. Joan’s quote, I want to raise my awareness of the beauty I see around me in the world. I want to make a conscious effort of cultivating beauty in my life so that I might create more beauty in the world. It’s going to be a work in progress for sure!

This weekend I was blessed to be a participant, virtually, in a retreat being given by my friend, author Judith Valente for the Associates of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth in Kentucky. The presentations by Judith and by Brother Paul Quenon, her friend, co-author of books and a Trappist monk at the Abbey of Gethsemani, were wonderful but perhaps my favorite was Judith’s talk on Saturday evening, “What can we learn from Italians this Lent about living more mindfully”. So many of the practices, la dolce vita (living the sweet life), that Judith discussed are practices I grew up with or still make part of my life. Sunday meals at my Italian grandmother’s home while growing up, the art of sitting and engaging in conversation over coffee, as well as visiting our family cemetery plots to clean up and remember our beloved deceased.

My return to Italy in the Fall of 2023 rekindled a passion for living and savoring the good life. My friend Kelly’s visit to Italy this past week, and pictures she shared of a family dinner gathering, reminded me of the graces of sitting down together for aperitivo, good food, wine and conversation. I tend to rush through dinner, if I even make it, instead of savoring the slowing down of the day before the quiet time of evening.

As a note, you will be able to read more of Judith’s reflections on life in Italy in her new book, The Italian Soul: How to Savor the Full Joys of Life, which will be released on May 5. (Click on the link to preorder it.) Judith’s book will help us learn to look more deeply for beauty in life and experience the grace of the present moment, the life we are living. It is not only an Italian way of life, but a spiritual lifestyle. It is the same awareness that Goethe and Sr. Joan Chittister are encouraging us to have.

So this week, I invite you to look for and instill more beauty in your life, just as Sr. Joan and Judith have excited in me a desire to look for more awe-inspiring moments in the everyday. Look for, and pause to savor, these moments when you encounter them. Create them in your daily living and the way you express yourself in the world, with your family and in your home.

In a previous blog post I mentioned a new practice of keeping an ongoing list of my daily gratitude, tracking the sequential numbers versus jotting down three new entries each day. To this practice I have added an area to reflect on beauty that crossed my path each day. Besides my daily spiritual and creative reflections, I write in my daily Examen journal the consolations or graces and desolations each day. Before those movements of the Spirit, I note my reflections of gratitude and beauty. I have included a sample of today’s page, in this blog post, before writing in it later today. Try it and let me know what you think.

Wishing you abundant peace and this week, la dolce vita! Deena

My daily Examen journal image:

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A story to tell

On By dpavinatoIn a season of hope, Benedictine Oblate, Catholic faith, Coming home to myself, contemplation, Daily Prayer, discernment, Every day Catholic, Fruit of the Spirit, Ignatian prayer, Jubilee Year of Hope, Lenten journey, Life in the Spirit, sacred listening, sacred seeing, Seeing things in a new way, spiritual freedom, Spiritual Journey, spirituality4 Comments

You’ve probably heard or used the phrase, “what’s their story”, when someone is inquiring about another person. It suggests that the person in question has a backstory or anthropology that will help us understand them more deeply. This week was a wonderful lesson in being open to learning more about others and being open to what might be going on behind the scenes of the exterior I am seeing. I have two examples that touched me and a captivating discussion I would like to share. They have radically changed my outlook and I hope you find them helpful as well.

This week in spiritual direction I was sharing my need to grow in compassion and patience with others, especially when out driving and doing errands. I try to be courteous and mindful of others but darn, there are days I feel like I am the only one. I am working on stopping a negative or condemnatory response before it explodes in my mind. My director shared a video, made by Cleveland Clinic, that she has used when working with others. It is helpful when trying to be more compassionate and understanding about what might be going on in another person’s life. Wow! Tears flowed. The video, Empathy: The Human Connection to Patient Care, was made in a hospital setting sharing thoughts of various individuals working at or experiencing treatment at a hospital. It’s only slightly over 4 minutes. I highly recommend it!

After watching that video, I am trying to look at others differently, with more openness. As I walked around a grocery store yesterday, I felt the desire to be more tenderhearted. Later in the day I found an interesting new page to follow on Instagram (but also on Facebook), a_mug_of_life. A young filmmaker in England began posting his encounters with others by offering them a cup of tea and asking them to share their story and letting them know he was going to film their discussion. He only has 8 posts so far this year and every single person captivated me. Ordinary looking people with amazing stories of courage, perseverance, love and tenderness. Stories that I wouldn’t know if Will hadn’t offered them a cup to tea and asked them a few simple questions about their life. I look forward to new videos! I was grateful for the timely reminder, after watching the Cleveland Clinic video, of the stories that people are walking around with.

Earlier in the week I watched an interview of Padraig O Tuama, a poet, theologian and conflict mediator that I read and follow. The interview was done by, author and podcaster, Kate Bowler. If Kate sounds familiar, I’ve shared her writing in the past, but last week shared parts of her interview with retired Duke basketball coach, “Coach K”, regarding leadership. I like Kate but I was very curious because this wasn’t an interview pairing I would ever have imagined. Padraig was brilliant as usual, especially talking about his experience with conflicts in Ireland and his perspective on ways to see political conflict differently. He shared some precious examples of leading retreats with children and allowing them space to encounter Jesus in their imaginations, highlighting in a different way, what can happen when we nurture openness and creative thinking. Finally he shared how he approaches groups when doing conflict mediation, using the Johari Window concept of the fourth quadrant, what is unknown to the self and unknown to others. He explained that it is useful to begin by saying, I don’t know why any of those gathered are there and that, initially, what holds the group together is just the physical space of being there. He said it is fruitful to begin with an openness and willingness to nurture that space without expectations. It might allow for the imagination and curiosity to occur. Kate acknowledged that this might be helpful when we are afraid that division will “take us all apart”. Padraig replied, “Division is everywhere, the question is what we do with it.” His perspective was refreshing.

I might not be able to impact a lot of people by implementing these simple things I was reminded of this week. But I certainly can try to be more open and curious when listening to others and a little more compassionate about what others might have going on in their lives when I encounter them. I dare to say that this perspective would do us all a bit of good.

I’d love to hear from you if you have the opportunity to watch the videos or visit Will’s social media page.

Wishing you abundant peace this week, Deena

Photo: A piazza in Assisi where I enjoyed an expresso during my 2023 pilgrimage.