The "O" Antiphons - 17th December 2014

O Sapientia

Here is the text of a reflection given by one of our sisters on today's Magnificat Antiphon, which invokes Christ as Wisdom (Sapientia).(If you prefer to listen, click the 'play' button in the box below). 

This evening we sing at Vespers the first of the seven ‘O’ Antiphons – “O Wisdom!”  With these antiphons we reach the climax of the Advent Liturgy.  To quote from the ‘Catechism of the Catholic Church’ (CCC): “When the Church celebrates the liturgy of Advent each year, she makes present this ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for in sharing in the long preparation for the Saviour’s first coming, the faithful renew their ardent desire for His second coming.” (CCC 524)

Our first “O” antiphon translates from the Latin:

‘O Wisdom, coming forth from the mouth of the Most High,

reaching from end to end, mightily and sweetly ordering all things:

Come and teach us the way of prudence.’

In this antiphon we call on Eternal Wisdom, which is personified in the Logos, the eternal Word of the Father, through Whom the world was made and in the fullness of time took flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary, by the power of the Holy Spirit. “Reaching from end to end of the universe, mightily and sweetly ordering all things.”  Here we see the Wisdom of God in His providential care of our world.  God cares for all from the least things to the greatest.  I’m sure each of us here can see the hand of Divine Providence in their lives, as it says in the Book of Deuteronomy, “The LORD carried you as a man carries his child, all along the road you travelled” (Dt 1:31b).  Often it is in the small events of daily living that we see and are touched by the loving hand of Providence – some matter inadvertently overlooked is providentially taken care of; or maybe a couple of events coincide and it is too late to intervene, then unexpectedly one of the parties cancels the appointment or another is delayed in traffic or the like, so all can be easily taken care of.  This reminds us of what Jesus Himself says in the Gospel: “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny and not one falls to the ground without your Father knowing it.  As for you, the hairs of your head are all numbered.  So do not be afraid: you are worth more than hundreds of sparrows” (cf. Mt 10:29-31).  The marvellous doctrine of Divine Providence gives us the greatest confidence in our heavenly Father’s care of us.  But what shall we say of the great evil and violence that has existed in the world since the first parents?  … and which we have been witnessing in recent months?  Today’s news brings another horrific story of suffering of the innocent in the violence and massacres in Pakistan.  To try to say something, to quote St Augustine,

“For the Almighty God, who, ... has supreme power over all things, being Himself supremely good, would never permit the existence of anything evil among His works, if He were not so omnipotent and good that He can bring good even out of evil.”^[2]

The death and Resurrection of Jesus has demonstrated powerfully the victory of God over evil – the greatest and worst – so we can trust God, Who ‘… in everything .. works for good for those who love him …” (Rom 8:28).

It is in Jesus the Babe of Bethlehem that we see God’s surpassing Wisdom and Providence.  He is eternal Wisdom come among us as one of us to redeem and save us.  So in our antiphon we cry out, “Come and teach us the way of prudence.”  Some of us might consider that a very prosaic request to make of Eternal Wisdom.  The virtue of prudence sometimes has negative overtones in peoples’ minds.  The Catechism seems to have anticipated that for it says, “Prudence is not to be confused with timidity or fear, nor with duplicity of dissimulation” (CCC 1806).  It says, ‘Prudence disposes the practical reason to discern in every circumstance our true good and to choose the right means of achieving it” (CCC 1835).  I think it could be summed up in the Prayer after Communion that occurs frequently during Advent, which prays that, “we judge wisely the things of earth and love the things of heaven.”

Launch of the Year for Consecrated Life

 

 Our parish priest and a large crowd of local religious and laity joined us this evening for an Hour's prayer before sung Vespers - we are happy to share with our readers the opening reflection.

As we gather on this first Sunday of Advent and begin this special Year for Consecrated Life, let us pause for a moment to become aware of the One in Whose Presence we are – the One who has called us by name and Who continues to call day by day.   Let us remember that we are united with a countless number of brothers and sisters throughout the Church in every part of the world who are also reflecting on and celebrating the same realities as we are – we remember those women and men who live the consecrated life in its various forms and in different cultures.  We remember in particular those who are being persecuted for their faith and who cannot celebrate in public – those who are feeling forgotten and losing hope.

In his letter for this Year of Consecrated Life, published yesterday, Pope Francis set before us three aims:

1.     look to the past with gratitude

2.     live the present with passion

3.     embrace the future with hope

First and foremost, consecrated life is God’s gift to His Church for which we must give thanks.  St John Paul II described consecrated life as a “radical gift of self for love of the Lord Jesus and of the whole human family.” (cf VC 3).  But our gift of ourselves is only a response to the gift of the One who has first loved us, the light of whose face has shone on us and chose us to be His instruments. It is a great mystery that our infinite God should look upon His weak human creatures and invite us to be part of His plan for the salvation of the world – not because we are better than others – in fact God seems to delight in choosing the weakest and frailest, so that we are left in do doubt that it is all His work - His gift.  While we are only the clay in the hand of the Divine Potter, yet He has chosen to need our hearts - my heart and yours - to do His praying and His loving.  In His plan He uses A to bring about His purpose for B.  During this time together this evening let us give thanks for this gift of Consecrated Life in the Church down through the centuries – remembering all those who have gone before us – many of whom lived and worked in difficult circumstances – our own founders and foundresses and a countless host of men and women who remained faithful and have passed on the gift to us.

As I was preparing this reflection a verse of psalm 43 jumped out of the page – I quote:

          No sword of their own won the land

          No arm of their own brought them victory.

          It was your right hand, your arm

And the light of your face, for You loved them.  

No doubt it was the ‘light of His face’ and the experience of His love which attracted our forbearers and gave them the strength to spend themselves totally for the Lord and his people, especially for the most vulnerable.  Let us believe that the light of that same Face is shining on us to enable us to “live the present with passion.”  

I quote Pope Francis’ letter:

“The apostolic effectiveness of consecrated life does not depend on the efficiency of its methods but rather on the eloquence of our lives, lives which radiate the joy and beauty of living the Gospel and following Christ to the full.”  But for this to become a reality, Jesus must be our first love, as we promised when we made our profession.  “Only if He is, will we be empowered to love, in truth and mercy, every person who crosses our path…. We are called to know and show that God is able to fill our hearts to the brim with happiness. The consecrated life will not flourish as a result of brilliant vocation programs, but because the young people we meet, find us attractive, because they see us as men and women who are happy!” 

This year is a time for us to tune into our own vocation story - to experience again that  irresistible attraction, that persistent whisper, that divine spark which burned in our hearts and urged us on to say our ‘yes’.  It is a time to ask forgiveness for our infidelity and allow ourselves to be bathed in the light of His Face – that merciful Face which heals and renews us.  To quote St Paul may all of us, with unveiled faces, like mirrors reflecting the glory of the Lord, be transformed into the image that we reflect, in brighter and brighter glory through the working of the Lord who is the Spirit.” (cf 2Cor 3:18).

As we look to the future with confidence let us take heart from the Mass Readings which the Church provides us today the first Sunday of Advent Yr B, reminding us that God is the great Potter – we are only the clay but He can work wonders with us if only we let go and leave ourselves in His Hand.  With Isaiah and the Psalmist we ask that He would come and be with us, let His face shine on us – while trusting in Paul’s promise that we will not be without any of the gifts of the Spirit while we are waiting for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. (cf 1Cor) 

Therefore we turn to you, Jesus, here present on the altar and ask you to let your Face shine on us that we may be transformed into true images of Yourself, so that with you we may “wake up the world” and set it on fire with your love.  May this year be one of deep conversion and renewal for all of us and may we so live the Gospel values that others will be drawn to leave all to follow you.  

We thank you for the friendship and support of so many lay people, family, friends and benefactors – may they always know the joy and peace of your Presence in their lives and we pray for your special protection for them and their families. 

Year for Consecrated Life

Pope Francis has announced that the coming year will be dedicated to Consecrated Life - beginning on the 30th November 2014 (First Sunday of Advent) and continuing until the 2nd February 2015.  This year will be an opportunity to gratefully remember the contribution of Consecrated Life down through the centuries and provide us with hope as we look to the future.  It will be a time of conversion and renewal for those of us who are living the consecrated life as well as an opportunity to proclaim the beauty and joy of belonging totally to the Lord and His Church.  We pray that many young women and men may feel the irresistible attraction of the Lord and have the courage to say 'yes' to His invitation to follow Him.

To mark the launch of this Year of Consecrated Life many local religious as well as laity will join our community for a special Hour of Eucharistic Adoration followed by sung Vespers on Sunday 30th November - First Sunday of Advent at 5.30 p.m. 
ALL ARE WELCOME



We ask to be excused for our silence over recent months - we have had quite a lot of illness in our community with the result that we did not reach on attending to this blog.  Now with Advent approaching we hope to do our best to keep up to date.

Solemnity of Christ the King

A Letter to His Majesty the King of Heaven and earth

"I shall keep my sheep in view"   Ezekiel

My Lord God, this week as I pondered over your Word from this week's Mass readings, I often wondered why you care for us as you do.

In fact I used to wonder why my father - a very sensible man - ever bothered to rear sheep at all,  troublesome creatures that they are - headstrong and so stupid they would break your heart.

And yet My Lord, YOU keep us in view and we indeed  did break your heart, piercing it through with a lance until blood and water poured out, and I know You would do it again for even one of your children in trouble.

You are truly our Shepherd King; deeper than all else is your Fatherly care for each one individually. I can't even imagine how you do keep each one of us, your so wayward children, within the beam of those gentle and merciful eyes of yours, and yet ‘twas yourself who told us that the very hairs of our head are numbered---not by angels but by yourself - and that we matter more to you than many sparrows.

Long ago, you spoke to us through your prophet telling us "I myself will show my sheep where to rest, I shall bring back the stray, bandage the wounded and make the weak strong” and allow me to remind you that there are many  many of your children suffering for the sake of your Name these times.

And Your Majesty, if I may make so bold as to ask You one more question, why, oh why, why do you really love and care for us so much ?

Perhaps the poet Francis Thompson caught a glimpse of this mystery when he wrote his beautiful poem "The Hound of Heaven.” I quote,

"Alack, thou knowest not how little worthy of any love thou art!

Whom wilt thou find to love ignoble thee save Me, save only Me.

All which I took from thee I did but take, not for thy harms, but just that thou might'st seek it in my arms.

all which thy child's mistake fancies as lost, I have stored for thee at home,

Rise clasp my hand and come.

Halts by me that footfall, Is my gloom, after all, shade of His hand, outstretched caressingly?

Ah fondest, blindest, weakest, I am He whom thou seekest!   

Oh my Lord you are truly our 'beautiful beautiful beautiful God breathing your love - in the hearts of us all.   cf Patrick Kavanagh.                  

   WE THANK YOU.

Discernment Retreat Day for Young Women - 1st November

Dear Friends,
The time is passing very busily, so though we are not doing too well at keeping up-to-date with saying 'hello', we are still here and remembering everyone - all of our friends in our prayers. You are not forgotten and certainly not alone!

We have another day planned with our Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal for the 1st of November, as we did way back in March - for any young women who might be interested in learning a little more about who we and they (the CFRs) are. We answer all kinds of questions, and you get to spend time in prayer and adoration with Jesus; the day being the Feast of All Saints, will begin with Holy Mass - celebrated by one of our brothers - Fr Ronan Cusack, an excellent and fearless preacher - full of the joy of the Truth - a true and faithful Dominican.

Do come get in touch if you think it might be a day for you (email: siena3@eircom.net); tell people you know who might find it helpful; we look forward to seeing everyone who comes; if the last day is anything to go by, it will be one to remember and be grateful for - full of grace!

 

Vocation Discernment Weekend - 17th October 2014

If you are between the ages of 20 and 40, are discerning the Lord's call in your life and would like to know more about our Dominican contemplative way of life you will be welcome. During the weekend there will be the opportunity to share in our sung liturgy and Eucharistic Adoration; time for prayer and reflection.

 

You will also have the chance to meet with young members of our community, who, after a process of discernment, have committed themselves to this way of life and hear their stories.

 

In the event that the above dates are not convenient and you would like to avail of such an opportunity it is always possible to arrange for a visit or stay in our guest room or retreat house.

 

For further information, please get in touch with Sr Niamh op at the addresses given above.

Please feel free to download and share this poster - click here.

God speaks in silence – Vocations are born and grow in silent time spent with God.

(A reflection given during our recent Holy Hour for Vocations)

Scripture:

1Kings 19:8-13

⁸ [Elijah] arose, and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God.

 ⁹ And there he came to a cave, and lodged there; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” ¹⁰ He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the people of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thy altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.” ¹¹ And he said, “Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; ¹² and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. ¹³ And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Hos 2:14

“Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her.

Ps 37:7 Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him

Ps 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God.

Luke 6:12-13

¹² In these days [Jesus] went out to the mountain to pray; and all night he continued in prayer to God. ¹³ And when it was day, he called his disciples, and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles;

Reflection:

In the above Scripture texts we see the importance of silent prayer, alone with God for discerning and journeying in our Vocation. God continues to call many people to the priesthood and religious life but if our lives and minds are busy and noisy we will most likely miss the “still small voice” of God in our hearts. In silence and stillness before the Lord we can come to realise what is God’s will is for us and ask for the grace to accept and do it. In this way we will be like “those who, hearing the word [of the Lord], hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bring forth fruit with patience” (Lk 8:15).

We pray for all those who are being called to priesthood or religious life, that they may listen for the voice of the Lord and allow him to speak to them in stillness and silence and that the fruit of their silent prayer and adoration will the willingness to accept and follow the call they have received. We pray also for those who have already entered religious life that they too will always listen for the voice of the Lord in stillness and silence.