Lapsing - A Reflection

One of the pleasures of mission is the quiet moment that you carve out for yourself to celebrate your connection to God.  My habit, since picking up a copy of The Upper Room at the Little Rock Air Base, was to read daily it and enter the focus, prayer, and suggested readings.

This week though, my reading and writing lapsed and I found myself with a blank in my journal that went from February 26th to today.  Of course, when I picked up my devotional booklet, I immediately realized it was March and I now had NO devotional for March/April.  Being as we live in the age of the Internet, not having a devotional is a temporary matter and when we return home, I'll subscribe to The Upper Room.  There just isn't anything quite like holding the Word of God in your hands, in a BOOK.  But . . . I digress.  Back to that lapse and what we were doing.

Thursday night we drove up to the GlenMary Center in Owensboro, KY.  Meeting some of the other Sisters was such a joy.  Izzy, Sr. Darlene's mini-Schnauzer, made a bee-line for Sr. Bernadette, the convent's 92 years young, doyen.  Izzy makes her place with Sr. B. whenever she visits.  Tucked in at her side, Sr. Bernadette  crochets away her time, making scarves and prayer shawls for distribution to the various mission centers.   Cathy, the lay member of the group, cook and all around general factotum, is a bright light that welcomes any and all who walk through the front door.  When she is not watching over Sr. B, she is finding ways of making life run smoothly for the very busy women of the GlenMary Center.

After a morning of prayer, breakfast, and errands, we all met again to attend noon Mass at St. Stephen's Cathedral.  

The Gospels overhead as you enter

Holy Family side altar

Stained Glass Reflection

The Tabernacle of Our Lord

Peace to All Who Enter Here

Main Altar and Side Altars

Enter - All Are Welcome

After lunch we set out for a one hour drive to southern Indiana to the little town of St. Meinrad where is found the St. Meinrad Archabbey a thriving community of 90 Benedictine monks who pray, work, and live together.  Serving as a retreat center and fully enrolled seminary, the grounds are open for visitors who are welcome to join the monks in prayer - particularly at morning and evening prayer.  There will be a separate post celebrating the beauty of St. Meinrad Archabbey so please be sure to return.

It was on our way home that my lapse in reflection was cast for the immediate future.  An ice storm was bearing down on us and with our arrival home Saturday, we hurried over to the church hall to prepare the hall to receive guests if shelter was needed.  We deep cleaned the kitchen, bathrooms, and hall in preparation for the possible delivery of 40 cots and supplies that would be needed for sheltering.

Fortunately, only the smaller shelter at the local Baptist church needed to be opened but we had been prepared to be awakened throughout the night for a possible call to service.  Sunday afternoon found us holding firm at home after morning Mass and by mid-afternoon, we were getting rain, snow, and sleet, each taking its turn to plague us.  And let's not even talk about the wind.  By Monday morning we were awakened to a snowy world covering about five inches of ice.  We were going nowhere.

But, we had much work today and after prayer and a quick breakfast, we started our work as we kept one ear bent to the phone lest we get a call and have to hurry out after all.  Clothes sorting for Mother's House and for the Clothes Closet in Steele made headway.  Blankets were washed (the fruits of Sr. Bernadette's busy hands), and hygiene packets prepared for distribution to various agencies.  It is the simple things like a fresh toothbrush and toothpaste and a bar a soap that can make such a huge difference in some one's life.

In between these activities, I fit in my Bible study and Vespers and so ended our day.  Now I easy back into my usual routine and see what this day - Tuesday - will bring.  Still being housebound (the cars are trapped in ice), we rely on the kindness of friends with trucks to get us around if need be.  Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday and all plans for Father being able to travel to our parish, are on hold.  Sister and two friends (who picked her up) are at church changing out altar coverings for Lent and burning last year's palms to make this year's ashes.  
On days like today, when stillness is over the land, I can't help but think of this:

Psalm 46:10

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; 

I will be exalted among the nations,

 I will be exalted in the earth.”