Pine City NY 14871
Dear
Friend of
In
May every year, I write to announce the date of Dedication Day and this year also to greet you in the joy of the
Pascal season. Dedication Day will be Sunday, August 17th. Mass at 10:00 am
followed by a light brunch and music in the chapter room around noon. As
we express our gratitude for your help in the events in the past year, we
always invite you to join us joyfully thanking God for the blessings you have
received and in welcoming the signs of
new life the springtime brings. It is a time to remember our Lord’s words: “That my joy may be in you and that your joy
may be complete.”(John 15,11).
There
are many episodes in Scripture where the Lord or others encourage us with the
words “do not be afraid”. An incident involving Elisha, the prophet, I
have found very helpful. It is in 2 Kings Chapter 6, 13-23. The King of Aram
was waging war on
Today,
we too have our fiery defenders who out numbers the Powers and the persons who
threaten us. In addition to the Lord, most of the persons on our side form a
surprising group. They are the deceased.
Not only do they now share the life of the risen Christ that makes them
righteous, but they share that life with us in a way they couldn’t have done on
earth. I am speaking about the Communion of Saints. It’s a teaching we believe,
but there is a question about how it affects our practice. Many of us have a
devotion to the Blessed Virgin under
various titles or to some saints, but
for most of us the only saints we turn to with heart felt devotion are Saint
Anthony when we lose things and perhaps Saint Jude the patron of impossible
causes! But do we ever turn to those deceased persons that we knew: the lesser
saints, or as some have called them, the Friends of God and Prophets? We are
saints, not because we are holy, but because by God’s action at our baptism we
received the holiness of Christ. In 1 Cor. 30
What
uses do our deceased friends and loved ones have for their human gifts or
virtues and talents? What use or need might we have for them? Elijah’s prayer
stopped rain for 3½ years! He prayed again and it rained! Many of our deceased
friends are now fully righteous like Elijah, and can help us deal with our
problems and difficulties!
In
any relationship of two or more people that has lasted over a few minutes,
there are always some unresolved conflicts or discombobulations
and it is usually wise to leave them alone and not try to have a perfect and
self-disclosing arrangement. With the dead it is entirely different- the worst
thing that could have happened to them from a human point of view has already
happened. They are dead! So, with the deceased we can have a genuine, truthful
self-revealing, trustful relationship. This is one of the great values of the
Communion of Saints. We can do this anytime with the people we knew and loved
or loved us in this life who have crossed the
Pause
for a few minutes, think of their best human quality known to you and ask for
it now and whenever you need it. They don’t need it anymore so they can always
give it to someone else or at least loan it. What was most annoying to you
about them? Don’t be embarrassed if it is the same thing. THINK OF THAT FOR A
FEW MINUTES AND LET IT DIE…. They have and it needn’t come between you anymore.
What faults of theirs are you willing to forgive? DO IT AND GET ON WITH LIFE.
What forgiveness do you want to ask of them? ASK IT AND ASK THEM TO ASK GOD
THAT THEIR FORGIVENESS IS GENUINE. What special gratitude do you have in having
known them or about them? THANK THEM AND THANK GOD FOR THEM AND WHAT IT WAS
THAT HAPPENED. Look in Scripture for special encouragement such as Eph. 3,14-21 esp. 3,19 “…to know the love of Christ that surpasses
knowledge, so that you may be filled
with all the fullness of God!”
And
also, Verse 20 Now to him who is able to accomplish far more than we ask or
imagine, by the power at work within us,
to him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus for all generations, forever
and ever. Amen.
V V V V V V V V V V V V
On Latare Sunday we sang Vespers & Compline
at Grace Episcopal Church. We had a delightful supper with many of the parish.
We are grateful to the Pastor Rev. Don Matthews and the parish for their
hospitality.
Brian
Daley, SJ, gave our Community Retreat focusing on the Eastern fathers: Origen,
St. Basil, St. Gregory Nazianzus, and St. Gregory of
Nyssa. We focused on these saints who are so important to our faith and that we
know so little about.
Br.
John Thompson is presently in
Br.
Bruno and Br. Pierre did a heroic job keeping the tractor-powered-generator
supplied with diesel during our four-day power outage.
The
farm crew has been busily repairing fences and also preparing for lambing.
Br.
Thomas, who is filling in for Br. John, planted the first lettuce seeds indoors
on the 3rd of March and they are responding well.
The
6th Annual Fr. Damasus Winzen
Lecture will be held May 4th at 4:00pm with Fr. Kevin Seasoltz as our speaker. Fr. Seasoltz
teaches theology at
Sheep
sheering will be held Saturday, May 24th.
Br.
Thomas will be attending the Junior Monks Program at the Prince of Peace Abbey
in
Elissa Quinn and Marcos Krieger will perform a concert of Bach, Saure, Cilea
and other songs and arias for soprano along with piano music here at
V V V V V V V V V V V V
Our
high priority project is the need to re-roof the area over the boiler room with
a special substance that insulates the area. The last time this was done was 25
years ago. This way the extra heat from the boiler room will stay within the
building. We have gotten quotes for this specialized work and it will cost us
$30,000.