Inspired by Scholastica

The beatification of Father Stanley Rother, a priest from Oklahoma who was killed by death aquads in Guatemala in 1981, drew over 17,000 people to the Convention Center in Oklahoma City on September 23, 2017. It was an elaborate ceremony with a cardinal, bishops, priests, and people from around the country in attendance. It seemed ironic that this man who was rejected by his first seminary for failing his studies, yet persisted in his desire to be a priest, would become the first American-born saint. He volunteered to be a missionary to Santiago Atitlan, Guatemala, and translated the New Testament into  Tz’utujil ,  the native language of the people. He also built a church, a hospital and worked as a farmer among his parishioners. After receiving death threats from government officials, he briefly returned to Oklahoma, but soon went back because he felt a shepherd should not desert his flock. He returned to Guatemala not to die, but to live because his ministry there ...

   Sometimes we have our eyes wide open but do not really see around us. If we have our minds elsewhere we can miss the first signs of autumn, the person coming down the hall, the new flower in the garden, or the loneliness in another's face. We are not really present to our surroundings at least half the time. This is one of my inadequacies. I am often unaware and appreciate others calling my attention to things I miss. It's worse when I miss seeing people. Sometimes I'm thinking about an idea to write about or a task I need to do, but that's not a good excuse. I remember a sister in my community who always had a smile and greeting for anyone she passed, making them feel acknowledged and important. It really doesn't take much time to notice and greet someone. We might not remember their name, but we know their face. If we really believe Christ is present in each person, how can we pass them by? Whether we work in an office, a store, a hospital, or a school,...

I watch squirrels scurry frenetically up trees, through leaves, searching for nuts, or seeds or berries, never idle, never still. I too am a scurrier, constantly moving, anxiously seeking people to talk to, letters to finish, books to read, tasks to accomplish. Like squirrels, I never seem just to sit quietly, to rest, to dream, to watch the clouds drift, to observe the phases of the moon. How am I different from a squirrel running hither and yon, always foraging, if I miss the beauty of a sunset, the song of a goldfinch, a honey bee feeding on a flower? Are you a scurrier too?

Relationships are important in helping people grow. They are particularly important in a marriage and in a monastery. Humans are not meant to be alone. We need other people to love us, to challenge us, to recognize our gifts, and to support us. In order for people to love us they need to know us in more than a superficial way. They need to know our idiosyncracies, our warts, our foibles, our weaknesses, and love us anyway and help us laugh at ourselves. We also need to be challenged when we are doing harm to ourselves or others. If we have addictions or fail to fulfill our duties, a good friend can make us aware and guide us to seek help. Friends also can recognize our giftedness and encourage us to use our gifts to help others or to bring joy and hope to the community. Some people are shy or hesitant to use their gifts and need to be drawn out. All of us need support at times of sorrow or loss. Sometimes we need a shoulder to cry on or an ear to listen to our difficulties. A g...