Category: Catholic faith

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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.

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Tilling the soil

On By dpavinatoIn A life worth living, a season of hope, Benedictine Oblate, Catholic faith, discernment, Every day Catholic, Jubilee Year of Hope, Lenten journey, Life in the Spirit, Life of purpose, sacred listening, sacred seeing, sacred waiting, Seeing things in a new way, Spiritual Journey, Teachers and Guides on the journeyLeave a comment

It’s March Madness time. I don’t really follow NCAA basketball all season but I love watching during tournament time. Anything can happen. Players rise above challenges they may have been having all year, determination and drive kick in. I’m looking forward to seeing if some of my favorite teams advance in each round. I have a variety of reasons that teams are favorites, not always because of the team or it’s location but rather the character of school and leadership, like Loyola University’s team chaplain Sr. Jean Schmidt. Another favorite has always been Duke University, because of the legendary coaching style of “Coach K”, Mike Krzyzewski. Coach K coached Duke basketball for 42 seasons, having the most winning seasons in college basketball, and was also a six-time gold medalist head coach of the US Olympic Men’s Basketball Team. Coach K is no longer the coach at Duke, but his influence remains.

I recently watched an interview of Coach K by Kate Bowler, an author that I have quoted here before, and associate professor at Duke Divinity School. The interview, available on YouTube, was called “Love in Winning, Love in Losing”. Kate began the interview by stating that one of Coach K’s qualities is bringing out the greatness in others, and asked if it is hard, because many of us don’t look inside and see that level of greatness. Coach K responded that, as a coach, the team leaders looked for individuals that were talented with character, talented individuals who were willing to do the work to improve, and not talented characters, who see themselves as better than they are. Throughout the interview, he shared examples of believing in his players, asking them to step up, being honest and building trust within the team, being willing to hear the good things when things are going well, but also to receive honest feedback and work through the tough times. He shared his four A’s of Leadership; Agility, Adaptability, Accountability, and Attitude. They are great characteristics in life as well! He also spoke of his parents and their mentorship in his life. He said “if they didn’t till the ground, till the soil the right way”, his decision to go to West Point, and the influence of others, all as aspects that led him to be who he is, develop his leadership style and allow him to accomplish what he has. It’s an outstanding interview, I would highly recommend watching it.

In today’s Gospel, Luke 13: 1-9, there is a story of a fig tree that isn’t producing fruit. The owner instructs the gardener to cut it down. The gardener responds that he will cultivate and fertilize the soil and requests another year to see if the fruit will produce fruit. This morning I read a reflection by a monk at Conception Abbey that explained the fig tree as an ancient symbol of fruitfulness in the Bible and provided several scripture passages as examples. Br. Michael goes on to say that the Gardener is the Lord who loves each of us, lavishes mercy on us and continues to prune and fertilize our lives so that we can grow in love and continue to make a return to the Lord with our hearts and lives.

Spend some time this week reflecting on the teachers in your life? Who believed in you when you didn’t see your own capability and worthiness? What is the fig tree in your life that is dormant and needs some attention and nourishment? Lent is the perfect time to till the soil so that we bring forth new life at Easter and beyond.

Wishing you abundant peace, Deena

By the way, there is an adorable three minute video of Kate preparing for her interview with Coach K. Check it out here.

Photo: Taken during a prior year early Spring visit to Hornabaker’s Gardens in Princeton, IL.

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Clearing the distractions

On By dpavinatoIn Benedictine Oblate, Catholic faith, contemplation, Daily Prayer, Every day Catholic, Lenten journey, Life in the Spirit, Poverty of Spirit, Sacred Heart of Jesus, sacred listening, sacred seeing, sacred waiting, spiritual freedom, Spiritual Journey, spirituality, UncategorizedLeave a comment

A couple of weeks ago I read the blog by Catherine Smith, in her Hem of the Light email entitled “Sometimes to tell is to transfigure”, in which she said, “Peter came to the mountain with an old story.  It wasn’t a bad story.  It just didn’t quite fit.  It constricted his sight.  He looked at it without being able to look through it.” The Gospel of Luke, that we read this weekend, for the Transfiguration, says that Peter seeing Jesus’ glory wants to build three tents for Jesus, Moses and Elijah. It then says “But he did not know what he was saying”. Jesus wanted Peter, James and John to get a glimpse of his glory so that they were readied for the difficult times ahead, witnessing his arrest and crucifixion. Peter wanted to move into action versus simply being present to the unity of Jesus and his Father, a glimpse of heaven.

Our old stories can get in the way of what God wants to reveal as possible to us. We say “it’s too late”, “I’m too old”, “I’m not smart enough”, or maybe as we move further in Lent “it’s too hard, what difference does this make anyway (i.e., “this” being the thing I am trying to do more of or have “given up”)? All of these can be temptations by the false spirit to move you further away from experiencing Jesus and growing closer to him in silence and prayer and discovering more about the fullness of life with him. We are tempted to think that the restoration and wholeness we seek during Lent isn’t possible. We might be seduced into believing that we can’t come out the other side of Lent as a different person.

In February, during his reflection on the Transfiguration mystery, on the Rosary in a Year podcast, Fr. Mark Mary used an analogy that captured my attention. He said that if you stand in Times Square in New York at night, you only see the lights, you can’t see the dark sky. The lights blind us to the reality of night above all the lights. With this analogy in mind, the lights of the world make it hard to see the beauty and brilliance of Jesus’ glory, unless we step away, reduce the distractions, so that we can see what’s really beautiful and get a glimpse of that which we have been created for. The other morning, as I went outside to watch the lunar eclipse, I was grateful for the clear skies and darkness of the night sky so that I could experience this wonder in the celestial dome. I couldn’t see the eclipse from inside my house, I had to step out and away, I had to look up to experience it.

Jesus wants us to experience wholeness and healing in our hearts and in our lives. If you haven’t started yet, or have been tempted to give up already, what might you let go of during these remaining weeks of Lent to make more room for an encounter with Christ? Are there some distractions that you can clear away to make space to listen more carefully?

This time of Lent has been revealing to me the impact of distractions and noise on my prayer life and, honestly, my stress level. I pray for the grace to continue with the same level of discipline so that I continue to be transformed during these forty days.

Wishing you abundant peace, Deena

Image: Starved Rock State Park on a March day, several years ago, similar to today with fresh snowfall.

Note: It’s not too late to register for my Lent Evening of Reflection, Make My Heart Like Your Heart, this Thursday, March 20 at 6:30 p.m. The suggested donation is $19 and all proceeds will be sent to Catholic Relief Services and the Rice Bowl project. I am not a non-profit so please be sure to mark donation to Catholic Relief Services on your check so that you have a record of your donation for your taxes. You can contact me in the comments, or on social media, if you would like to attend and receive a Zoom link for the event, as well as the address to mail the check. It will be a time of prayer and reflection, as well as sharing, on three scripture passages reflecting on ways that we might have a heart more like that of Christ.

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It takes heart

On By dpavinatoIn A life worth living, Benedictine Oblate, Catholic faith, discernment, Doing what we love, Every day Catholic, Fruit of the Spirit, Lenten journey, Life in the Spirit, sacred listening, Spiritual Journey, spiritualityLeave a comment

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. 

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Keep careful watch

On By dpavinatoIn A life worth living, a season of hope, Benedictine Oblate, Catholic faith, contemplation, Daily Prayer, discernment, Every day Catholic, Life in the Spirit, mindfulness, Preparing for Lent, sacred listening, Seeing things in a new way, Spiritual Journey, spirituality2 Comments

A week ago I saw a beautiful painting of Bishop Mariann Budde, shared by Fr. James Martin SJ, painted by Fr. William Hart McNichols. The post shared how Fr. McNichols came to know of Bishop Budde and then his reason for painting the image after the January Prayer Breakfast. It’s entitled “Holy Living Prophet Bishop Mariann” and it is lovely! If you follow Fr. Martin on social media you can see it there or visit Fr. McNichols’ website to view this painting and his other artwork. My reason for mentioning it was the first comment that appeared as I read the post by Fr. Martin. Besides spending much less time on social media since January, I have been staying away from the comment section on any post. But sometimes Facebook decides that I need to see it below the post. Even the most mundane posts seem to give someone an audience to be rude and disrespectful. The comment said “surely Fr. you recognize she is not a valid Bishop” and that she and her congregation are not in communion with the “true church”. Wow. I’ve been trying to give the gentleman the benefit of the doubt regarding his comment, viewing religion from the perspective of his (I assume) Roman Catholic affiliation. But it actually got me thinking about how we view things in life.

If I only knew seasons from a life lived in the Southeast or the West coast, I would never know the ever changing, mostly beautiful and somewhat fickle, seasons of the Midwest. If I grew up in a Latino household, I would have experienced delicious food made with spicy chili peppers, but perhaps would never have experienced the aroma of pasta with herbs, olive oil and freshly grated cheese. My experience wouldn’t be wrong, it would just be shaped by my familiarity with the seasons or food I have been exposed to. It should not diminish the experience someone else has had.

Stick with me on this. I am by no means saying because I am not aware of (or choose not to be aware of) a different opinion that makes my view acceptable. I am also not saying “if it feels right to you” then it’s ok. Choices and decisions are so much more complex than that. But I am saying that just because I see something from my world view, then it does not mean that everything and everybody else is wrong. Making an assumption like that might take research, discernment or guidance from someone who knows and understands the differences better than I do.

This past week, the first reading at daily Mass, or as you read them at home, was from the book of Sirach. This book of Wisdom advises us where to place our faith and hope, what things in life really matter and how we can trust in God, even during times of difficulty. The first reading for this weekend, Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, was also from Sirach, and will be on Monday and Tuesday until we enter the season of Lent. The reading from Sirach 27: 4-7 grabbed my attention and has not let go.

“When a sieve is shaken, the husks appear; so do one’s faults when one speaks. As the test of what the potter molds is in the furnace, so in tribulation is the test of the just. The fruit of a tree shows the care it has had; so too does one’s speech disclose the bent of one’s mind. Praise no one before he speaks, for it is then that people are tested.”

Besides feeling the political embarrassment of the behavior in the White House on Friday, I have had a couple of other occasions this week that allowed me to watch others in a personal and broader landscape. Cliches like these seem true; “only time will tell”, “time reveals a persons true colors” or as in the gospel for today, “every tree is known by its own fruit.” (Luke 6: 39-45). There’s no room for judgement, at least by me, but watching and waiting to see an outcome or behavior can be helpful. It takes patience and it takes a decision on how to act or respond as it unfolds.

As I prepare for Lent this week and consider what I will do, or in some cases “give up”, I turn to the Rule of St. Benedict again this year. There is so much wisdom in The Rule for me, as a Benedictine Oblate, as I look at the areas of my life that need refinement, molding and reformation. The chapters on The Tools for Good Works and Humility are my favorite each year. I could try to live each Lent with the goal of practicing “your way of acting should be different from the world’s way” or “keep careful watch over all you do” and be challenged enough during these next 40 days. Then there is always the call to make more time for “holy reading” and prayer, which has been easier now not watching the news or TV. But I can do more! Lastly, Benedict’s guidance on moderation in speech, esteem for silence and listening remind me that I desire to make sure that the speech I use and the conversations I engage in reflect the desires of my heart. Will I fail? Absolutely. But giving more attention to my internal and external dialogue might bring about the more lasting change after Lent that I desire.

I invite you, if you are considering participating in Lenten observances of fasting, prayer and almsgiving, to reflect on the words I shared above from Sirach. Pick up a Bible and read segments of the book to reflect on for Lent and see what the Spirit might be calling you to consider this Lent. You might also consider joining me for my Lenten Night of Reflection on March 20 at 6:30 p.m. CT. I will have more information in the next week but have repeated my previous update below.

Wishing you abundant peace and a grace-filled and holy Lent, Deena

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. I continue to think about the best registration process for this first offering but it might be as simple as a PayPal or Venmo payment. 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. Thank you to those who have let me know you are interested! For now, you can email me, private message me if you are interested.

Blog image: A scenic window view in Santarem, Portugal

Retreat Image: