Open Heart and Soul: Reflections on the Depth of Vocation by Br. Michael, ofm

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Open Heart and Soul

I open my heart

to love

to holiness

to life

these trinitarian gifts entwine

through my heart and soul…

beat – beat

heartbeat

each beat.

I open my heart

to the oxygen of love

to the oxygen of holiness

to the oxygen of life

giving breath to the very core of my heart,

to the very depth of my soul…

beat – beat

heartbeat

each beat.

I open my heart

to the sacredness of love

to the discovery of holiness

to the awareness of life

these nutrients strengthen my heart

for daily living and for the work of my soul…

beat – beat

heartbeat

each beat.

I open my heart

to God’s love

to Christ’s holiness

to the Spirit’s life

with each beat Trinitarian goodness and hope

engulfs me, filling my heart and soul…

beat – beat

heartbeat

each beat.

I open my heart,

I open my soul,

I open my all

to and for you my God.

I am open.

 

August 2020

The past couple of weeks have been full. Full not in the usual sense of how we use that word – as in there is way too much on the plate. Our lives will always be that type of full and yes, my days past have indeed been full in that sense, however I speaking of the fullness which moves beyond the surface to our very core. The depth of our heart and soul requires a different fullness, rather they move us to a different fullness. This is the fullness that has filled my last weeks.

It has been in lingering conversations, in quiet moments in the garden, in periods of prayerful stillness, in reading and in creating that this fullness has surfaced. This fullness which is speaking to me and my vocation. The vocation that we each live out is about fullness. This fullness is that which our God desires to lavish us with and the fullness which is part of our inherent goodness. We are given a glimpse of this fullness and the beautiful effects through the gift of the sacraments. How we are claimed as beloved in baptism is just the beginning of the richness of these gifts.

The gift of my baptism is never far removed from my vocation as a Religious Brother. It was in my baptism and confirmation that my heart and soul was open to be a vessel for the indwelling of God and divine love. My baptism is probably one of the greatest gifts I ever received, anointed as child of God my heart and soul have continually been opened since that day. It is in the Ephphetha (Aramaic: be open) blessing where the priest touches the ears and the mouth of the child that this opening is made evident. The blessing prays: The Lord Jesus made the deaf hear and the dumb speak. May he soon touch your ears to receive his word and your mouth to proclaim his faith, to the praise and glory of God the Father.  Yes! How beautiful is that? What a beautiful gift to be anointed to have an open heart and soul because of an opened ears and mouth. With an open heart and soul, I have been able to declare my faith and give glory to God. When I have doubted or stumbled along, I just have to come back to this blessing to be reminded that the lasting effects of my baptism infuse my life over and over again.

It is here that I turn to my life as a Religious Brother and my vows. My vows are an extension of my baptism and are how I am still receptive to the Ephphetha blessing. As my opening poem reflects, I open my heart time and again for God to work not only in my heart but through my heart. To be an open vessel for God to dwell. My vows of nothing of my own (poverty), chastity and obedience speak to the receptivity I must have to live my vows well. My vows are indeed about openness and if I live into them well the fullness I experience is not only full but also life-changing. Each day I must listen for the voice of Christ Jesus for often my ears are deaf and my mouth is trapped. Each day Christ Jesus touches my ears and my mouth so my words and actions, my heart and soul are filled with praise and in turn fullness; true fullness. This is the depth of my vocation as a Religious Brother and speaks to its fullness and beauty. I hope that no matter what your vocation, you too may see the true fullness of your life and continue to open your heart and soul.

May the summer week ahead offer you space to be in the fullness of God’s love and for your ears, eyes, mouth and heart to be opened.

Abiding in Christ: Feast Day of St. Clare 2020, August 11 by Br. Michael, ofm

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“Abide in me as I abide in you.” “Abide in my love” (John 15.4-10)

What does it mean to abide?

The dictionary definition is to “accept or act in accordance with…” In other words: to observe, to follow, to uphold, to heed.

It is being caught up in, wrapped up, knowing the closeness of another, the intimacy that comes with being that close to someone. When Jesus gives to his disciples this message of abiding in him and being connected to the true vine, he is inviting them into the depths of his relationship with God. He is encouraging them to stay connected and focused on him and his message. In other words, to follow him into the passion and through to the resurrection. While they stumble along with their focus and determination in this charge, they do abide with him. Even when they deny, doubt or despair still they abide. They are drawn back time and again to remain connected to the true vine. It is the depth of the love of Christ in which they abide and which in turn they carry with them. The same is true for us.

The same can indeed be said of St. Francis and St. Clare. St. Francis so caught up in abiding in Christ that it was contagious and soon his followers were caught up in this abiding love. His abiding in Christ fuelled Clare’s desire to leave her comfortable life and abide in the depth of this love and let it shape her way of life. St. Clare’s desire to abide in Christ and in his love peppered her correspondence. In a letter to Agnes of Prague, she wrote: “What a great and praiseworthy exchange: to leave the things of time for those of eternity, to choose the things of heaven for the goods of the earth, to receive the hundred-fold in place of one, and to possess a blessed eternal life.” Clare’s vision, her gaze on Christ was beyond the surface and time constraints in which she lived. They were the depth of her heart, they guided her actions and strengthened her resolve to abide in Christ, her groom, no matter what.

In Hosea (2.16,17, 21-22) we read: “I will espouse you in love, mercy and fidelity, and you shall know the Lord.” This is how St. Clare abided in Christ. She trusted in his love, mercy and fidelity to her. When she felt she was being denied the dignity that was hers she turned to her Beloved who was also denied the dignity which was his. When she doubted, she returned to her Beloved’s gaze once again. When she was filled with despair she went within to the place of true light and her Beloved’s fidelity once again strengthened her branch on the true vine.

Last year when I was in Assisi, I was taken by a few places and thanks to inquiries was able to narrow it down to a top five. Two of those top five were San Damiano where St. Clare lived and the Basilica of St. Clare built in her honor.

The Basilica houses the original San Damiano Cross and the remains of St. Clare. Being in this space gave me a true sense of abiding. To gaze, contemplate and consider that cross the same way that Clare and Francis did is indeed an accepting or acting in accordance with the life of our Savior. I was in awe of how captivated this image held me, a sense of being connected to the true branch.

San Damiano, when you can visit without a lot of tourists, allows for deep peace to consume you. To simply be instead of seek, to simply be instead of perform, to simply be instead of defend. As you make your way up the stairs of the cloister and come to the sleeping quarters, one’s breath is taken away as you touch the floor upon which our holy Sister Clare slept and breathed her last breath. This truly is abiding, to give one’s all, one’s whole life to abide in the love of Divine Love.

 

Dear Sister Clare,

your spirit has been

stirring among us,

touching our hearts,

reminding us to go deeper,

to not get stuck

focusing on the object

rather to focus on Christ

seeing him present

in the places,

the time,

the moments,

the vistas,

the stones,

the relics

to see beyond the man made-ness

and see that all speaks of

Christ calling us to life.

 

Sister Clare,

you who trusted,

who persevered,

who had vision,

who knew depth of heart,

awaken in us these gifts

so that with you

we may be caught up

in the heart of Christ,

our brother and savior.

Amen.                                    

 

Sister Clare, pray for us.

Summer Prayer by Br. Michael, ofm

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Summer Prayer by Br. Michael, ofm’

God of the Summer,
of sunshine and bright skies,
of warm breezes and cool refreshing night air,
of gardens blooming and flowers delighting,
of slow days and holidays,
of birds chirping and cats sun bathing,
You are here,
You are present.

In words spoken and words heard,
in whispers in the wind,
in silence while sipping a cool drink,
in laughter at barbeques,
in stories told at bonfires,
in snuggles in the tent,
You are here,
You are present.

For those who need rest,
for those who work more this season,
for those who travel,
for those who remain at home,
for those who seek renewal,
for those who appreciate creation,
You are here,
You are present.

God of the Summer,
bless us this season,
awaken us this season,
revive us this season,
for the good of all
and the good of our souls,
You are here,
You are present.

Amen.

Summer Riches – Br. Michael, ofm

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Majestic melodies of summer song birds.
Crunchy, sweet, peppery garden lettuce.
Canola fields brightly competing with the yellow sun.
Mosaic of warm colours melting the evening sky.
Sitting on the patio listening to the rain patter.
Bright blue skies polka dotted with marshmallow clouds.
Radiant rhubarb transformed into endless goodness.
Nodding off while slowly reading a summer novel.
Barbeques humming as supper sizzles to perfection.
Delicious dill delicately decorating delectable dishes.
Smokey memories lingering after the bonfire.
Soft gentle breezes fading to nothing at sunset.
Fresh night air filling lungs with deep breath.
Sipping on tea as the stars appear.
Lingering walks which lead to lingering goodbyes.
Summer riches, big and small are all around.
We give thanks, yes, we give thanks, O God.

What are you counting as blessing during this summer time?