Today is a special day in the church. While saints have feast days all over the calendar, St. Francis of Assisi is one of the most beloved saints in Christendom; October 4 is his Feast Day. The parish where I received by Baptism, First Communion, and First Reconciliation was a Franciscan parish. For a time, I even attended the parish’s school. Though many years have passed and I no longer live nearby, St. Francis still plays an important part in my spiritual life. Being his feast day, I spent some extra time reflecting on him today since his life used to be something I was reminded of daily.

During my time as a child, I had the perception that Francis was a centuries-old hippie. In some ways he was. He preached peace and the popular peace prayer is attributed to him, though the true creator is debated. Similarly, he rejected money and man-made things and loved nature and animals. However, over the years I have come to learn more about him from books and TV, especially G.K. Chesterton’s biography, St. Francis of Assisi. While Francis was a bit of a hippie, loving nature and peace, he also was a bit of a scrapper, fighting in skirmishes, spending about a year in prison, and telling his father he was done with him and his money in front of the entire town. Francis didn’t just write and pray about peace, but went to the Sultan to prevent fighting. He encouraged Clare of Assisi to cut off her hair and go against her parents’ wishes and become a nun. Jesus said in Matthew (chapter 10 v. 34), “Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword.” This same statement could be said about St. Francis. Though he preached peace, he was a source of division. Though paradoxical, Francis heard Jesus’ voice when he was in front of the San Damiano cross. Francis heard Christ telling him, “Rebuild my church.”

When Francis heard Christ telling him to “rebuild his church” he first thought Jesus was instructing him to make the dilapidated building stronger and more suitable for mass. Soon, Francis realized the Holy Spirit was moving him to reform the church: the people. Many did not like the way Francis acted, but others flocked to him. His ways were strict as all possessions were cast away and he and his brothers lived outside and traveled the countryside preaching. They were often seen as a nuisance and their begging rather than earning money for their food was not always popular. Nevertheless, the movement grew and persists strongly today.

Upon my reflection today, I believe that Francis is well-loved now and successful then despite his unusual innovations because he was truly seeking to live the life God wanted him to. I came to see that in his life, Francis greatly exemplifies the twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit; perhaps more so than any other saint I know of. I would like to give a brief anecdote of Francis’s life/charism for each fruit and encourage you to delve more into Francis’s life on this day.

Charity/Love – Once upon encounter a leper in a field, Francis went and hugged the man rather than turn away in fear. He loved this man as he would love God.

Joy – Joy essentially means feeling the love and consolation of God at all times. That feeling that God is with you, even in times of sadness, is joy. Francis was the original creator of the nativity scene, showing the Joy of Christmas.

Peace – Francis didn’t want more death in the crusades and risked his own life by meeting the Sultan and peace was reached.

Patience – Francis was not always accepted by family, friends, and church hierarchy. Ultimately, the pope came to kneel before him. Francis stuck it out and surely felt vindicated when the pope humbled himself before him.

Kindness – Once Francis’s preaching was mocked and discounted. He preached to the birds. Rather than come back and at those doubting him, he kindly showed them that what he was doing he felt was important by continuing on. He made a point but was not rude and it remembered centuries later.

Goodness – Goodness is seeing the better part of things. Good things reflect qualities of God. Francis’ Canticle of the Sun highlights all the goodness in nature and honors God’s creation.

Generosity – Before his conversion, Francis gave money to the poor of Assisi (the money was really his father’s)

Gentleness – The story of the Wolf of Gubbio shows how Francis was Gentle with people and animals and all found a way to move forward.

Faithfulness – The day Francis stripped in the town square leaving his clothes for his father and saying his life was given to God and the church has to be intimidating. He had the faith to give all to God and make that public to all people so he could not lie to himself, God or others reneging on his new path would have been difficult in Assisi with witnesses. Total abandonment to God is Faith.

Modesty – Francis wore only a simple robe and did not rely on money or even food.

Self-Control – With all of the money Francis’ family had, his history in the military, he frequent travel, etc. he had the ability to start a new life if his life after his conversion got to him. He could have taken an easier path, but he did not. Even when he had many brothers following him, he controlled himself and stayed humble, proved my the stigmata. He did not let power get to him.

Chastity – Francis had a deep friendship with Clare of Assisi and perhaps other women as he helped found the Poor Clares, but he was chaste.

Exemplifying all the Fruits of the Holy Spirit is perhaps some of the reason Francis came to be recognized as a saint. We should all try to hold these fruits in our lives and do what we can for God to “rebuild” the church. As long as we are on earth, there is rebuilding to be done, and that can start with us. Jesus did not come to bring peace but the sword. This did not mean that Jesus came to bring hate, but he did cause division because he called us to do what was righteous and true. Francis lived a righteous life that upheld the truth of the gospel which therefore “brought the sword” as many didn’t want to be held accountable. We need to try in our own lives to live the fruits and perhaps this will “bring the sword” into our lives and culture. While there are great things we experience, there is always need for pruning which can be done by following God’s path in the way we are called.

In speaking to her sisters, St. Teresa of Avila (the saint I chose for confirmation), said: “If you are sent to the kitchen, remember God walks among the pots and pans.” This quote has been translated a few ways and I do not know Spanish. However, I do know in the context of the rest of the quote Teresa is explaining to her sisters how even mundane work can glorify God. Sometimes we are more of a “Martha” rather than a “Mary”. While it is good to pray with God using our hearts and intellect, sometimes we pray in our the use of our hands and actions.

This is all well and good, in fact wonderful. Teresa was speaking about worshiping God in both thoughts and actions, but this quote, which comes to my mind frequently takes on a new meaning in my life. I have been “sent to the kitchen.” As a student I am working part-time as a waitress. So far I have had all of my training and will soon have my “debut.” While I do not intend to make a career out of this, and I don’t believe God is calling me to do that, I do think that this quote is stuck in my head for a reason. While I am sent to the kitchen, I should remember that God is among the pots and the pans. There are two main ways in which God is manifested.

First of all, not only am I among pots and pans, but I am among more of God’s children. In Matthew 25, Jesus says that whatever we do for others, we do for him. Therefore, my coworkers and the patrons of my restaurant are like Jesus in disguise. As Jesus walks among the pots and pans, I need to serve him. I need to do more than just refill tea and bring butter and ketchup to hungry guests, but I need to try to treat each person as they are needed. All people are worthy of dignity. We are all God’s children and therefore God really does walk among the pots and pans.

Not only do others seem to be like Jesus, but I must also bring God among the pots and pans. Not everyone is Catholic. Very few in my area of the country understand or believe in the real presence, but I know it to be true. Sometimes, I may come to work right after mass, having received the Eucharist. In these situations, I am like a tabernacle of Jesus. Most of the time, this will not be the case, but even so I was baptized and confirmed. The Holy Spirit has left an indelible mark on my soul. I can still bring God to others. This may be patrons, but I think more often it will be coworkers.

As a child when I heard, “Don’t judge a man until you have walked a mile in his shoes” I got very confused. I didn’t understand what someone’s shoes had to do with their actions I was judging. As I grew older, I realized it meant you shouldn’t judge a person until you really see how they live their life and how others treat them. You don’t know what hardships people face and you really can’t until you have lived their life which is impossible. Therefore, it is not my place to judge. I am imperfect and do judge others sometimes, but I try not to. Instead of judging others, I must remember to bring God to them. At the restaurant my many coworkers face a variety of challenges: divorce, disability, grief and loss, racism, abuse, financial hardship, etc. Some are young and some are old. There are people of every race. Some people are male and some are female. Some are students or educated, but most are not. I have the most diverse group of coworkers I have ever had in a job; all of them have a story. All people have a story, and we are all worthy of love. Some people, however, do not often see the love they deserve. I must try to be God, walking among the pots and pans because if I don’t show them God, I can’t be sure anyone else will.

The Latin word “vocare” means “to call”. That is how the word Vocation came to mean a call from God. In my Catholic world, vocation means almost exclusively the call to marriage or religious life. Usually when Catholics hear it, they think of a young man becoming a priest or perhaps a young woman becoming a sister, but we seldom think of this as a profession.

On the other hand, we hear about “vocations” in technical schools and community c0lleges. We hear about “Voc-rehab” to help poverty stricken individuals get back on their feet and learn to be independent through training for a career.

I believe I have a vocation, but it is neither of these – not completely. However, I do believe it has elements of both. Three weeks ago, I started nursing school. I have been gearing up for this for almost a year now. I took prerequisites in Anatomy and Physiology. I sat for the TEAS test offered by ATI. I spoke to nurses and I looked into career options for down the road. Now as I begin school, this career change is no longer a thought, but a reality. It is also more than just a career change.

There are defining moments in my life that God made clear that this is what He wanted of me, but there is no defining moment as to when he started calling me to nursing. As a child, I always wanted to be a vet which as a teenager morphed into medical research on people, not animals. I was thoroughly fascinated with all things medical. A brain tumor at the age of 17 made me swear of hospitals, or so I thought.

In my late teens and early twenties, I found myself caring for my father and grandparents. I was further convinced that I did not want to take care of people. I realize now that I was just not mature enough then for it, but I have grown since then and enjoy helping people. I feel called to relieve the suffering. I want to make others feel better both physically and emotionally. I have had so much exposure to the medical system as a patient, family member, and hospital worker.

A few years after college, I found myself working for a hospital in IT despite my protests claiming “anything but a hospital”. While I loved my new job, it was only a couple of weeks working with the RNs (that were in IT) that I said to myself, “I wish I had majored in nursing” and “Why do they do this, when they can do that?” More time passed and I pushed away these feelings. Sometimes I thought about going back to school to pursue nursing, but that seemed crazy. I like my job. I had a degree. I made good money. Everything in my life looked good from the outside.

Time passed. My job changed. I started volunteering for NAMI and really loved leading support groups for people with mental illness. I thought, “I wish I could do this as my job”. God was calling me to help others more. Meanwhile, what did I do? I worked on computers and never felt that I helped others.

One day, I grew sick. I thought I needed surgery. 4 doctors said I did. It was bad. I was healed by what I feel was no less than a miracle. This is a story for another day. Out from my healing, I read, and reread Psalm 116, a psalm about recovering from illness and thanking God for that recovery. Twice, the psalm says, “I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people.” What were my vows? I didn’t understand. Did God want me to be a sister – I hoped not. That just didn’t feel like me. What did God want? Though “nagging” has a bad connotation and God is always good, He was nagging me all the time with Psalm 116.

I felt very drawn to Louis de Montfort’s consecration to Mary. After much discernment, I made the consecration on November 21, the Feast of the Presentation of Mary. It was the right decision – this I am certain. At first, I thought that this was also the “vow” God was asking of me. Later that day, I sat in the hospital’s auditorium for the quarterly report from our President and CEO. He told of the perks that were being made for the nurses. Some people moaned as they felt they were getting a raw deal as they were not nurses. “If you want to be a nurse, you can do that, too” our CEO told us. I sat in my chair stunned. It was permission to become a nurse. “Okay, I thought. I am going to go to nursing school. I will be a nurse, too.” It was not for the perks he had described, but it was to answer the call that had been nagging me forever. I continued to read Psalm 116 daily. The psalm would not stop haunting me. That same Thanksgiving/Advent season I enrolled in the prerequisite courses at the local technical school. “Just in case I want to be a nurse” I said. My clandestine night courses proceeded for two semesters. I worked full time, hiding my plans for a long time as I went to school at night. Soon, I would start nursing school.

Just before I was accepted to the program, I went on a retreat. I spoke with the sister in spiritual direction and told her a great many things about God’s call for me to be a nurse. I didn’t know if this was the right decision. I wanted to do it, but I was also scared. It would mean leaving a high salary despite my mortgage and car, it meant starting college again, it meant admitting to the world I didn’t have it all figured out because I needed to retrain for a new career, it meant accepting help from my parents though I loved being independent. It meant not using a degree and several certifications I worked hard for. It was all a huge leap of faith to leave a “great” life for school that did not guarantee I would love the career that I got from my new degree. The sister advised me to pray for peace. God would let me know what to do she assured me. The following Monday. My acceptance email arrived. I accepted my seat. For the first time in 18 months, I did not run through psalm 116 in my head multiple times a day. It was the peace the sister spoke of. My “vows”, or perhaps the Nightingale Pledge, were what the psalm said I would pay to the Lord in the presence of all his people.

Though peace came, so did more hardship. The journey through nursing school is only just beginning, but so far, I am the happiest I have been in over a year.

I have a vocation. I have vows to the Lord that I will make in the Nightingale Pledge. I will renew these vows every single day as a nurse, just not in a formal ceremony. They are not religious vows, but they do contain a spiritual element and are made to God and to his people. I will care for the sick. I will help where I can. I will try my hardest to relieve suffering and give comfort to the dying. It is a beautiful thing, but it is also scary. But, that is my vocation. It is not necessarily a choice, but a call. I am happy for that call, but the degree I seek and the profession I will hold is very different than the first time around.

The gospel reading for today’s mass comes from Matthew Chapter 8. It is the familiar story of Jesus and his disciples crossing the Sea of Galilee. There is a storm and the apostles are terrified. Jesus sleeps calmly and when they awake him, he simply asks, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?” Then, he calms the storm. The apostles ask one another who this man is, that the weather listens to him.

I must admit that I have known this story since I was a small child, but only today did it really resonate with me. I used to think, so what? Who cares about a storm? Why is this a big deal? Why is in the gospel? Today, I took a different perspective.

While Jesus and his disciples were in a literal storm, I am also in a storm. The difficult circumstances of my life have come together and for the past few weeks, I often wonder how I can make it through. My whole world seems to be in chaos. Looking to fishing 2000 years ago, I imagine a storm could make a fisherman’s entire life look like chaos. What if I drown? What will happen to my wife and children? Even if I survive, the boat could be ruined, how will I make a living? Will I be able to eat or keep my house? What if I am pressed into service because I cannot pay my taxes to the Romans. What if? What if? What if? For as far as the eye could see, the apostles saw chaos and destruction looming. Yet Jesus slept.

I feel like the apostles sometimes: my world crumbling. Yet today, as I read this passage, I got caught on Jesus’ words, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?” It is as if Jesus is not only speaking to the fishermen, but also to me, who also fears losing family and livelihood. There is no reason to be afraid. Jesus assures me this and he tells me not even to doubt this.

With little effort, Jesus takes away the storm, but only when the apostles come to him when they are afraid they will perish. I must remember Jesus expects the same of me, to come to Him when I am fearful, to trust in Him, and to not be afraid. I am the first to admit, it is easier said than done, but that is what the master of the universe calls for. He can calm any storm, even the storms in my own life, but I must trust in Him.

There’s a prayer I know that is very scary. It is St. Ignatius of Loyola’s Suscipe. It goes like this:

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,
my memory, my understanding,
and my entire will,
All I have and call my own.
You have given all to me.
To you, Lord, I return it.
Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace,
that is enough for me.

When we think about this prayer – truly think about, this is what we are saying:

“God, take away all of my freedom to do what I want, be who I want, and go where I want to go. Any attachment I have to my past accomplishments or sense of self, you can take from my memory. Don’t worry about me understanding why. I can be confused. I don’t need to choose to do what I want. I don’t need to have any will; that is up to you. Everything is up to you. Whatever I have, whether it is something I can touch or something less tangible, I don’t need to have it. It can be a loving family member or friend. It can be my own intelligence, self-confidence, determination, or anything. Anything. Whatever I have that seems to be mine, is yours and I am giving it back to you. God, you can do whatever you want to me as long as you love me. That is all I need, your love and grace. That’s it. Just your love. Do whatever you want. Take whatever you want. Just love me.”

It’s easy to say this prayer, but it is difficult to mean it. Even for the most faithful, I am sure this prayer is difficult. I thought about it a lot today. Once, years ago, someone told me my life was a “Litany of Misfortune”. While I don’t want to throw myself a pity-party, I really must agree. I have had a rough decade between personal illnesses, deaths in my family, illnesses in both parents, etc. I don’t always understand why such bad things happen. I don’t always remember what it was like to not face adversity. In care-giving, I have known what it is to give up my liberty and will soon get even more of a taste of losing freedom. Though as we grow from children to adults we say we are more independent, the truth is that I have less and less that I can do within my will. More and more often, responsibilities and loyalties to my family and friends (to a lesser extent) cause me to live for others and for God. I am often happy to live for God and for others, but sometimes it is just so unbelievably hard. Yet, how many times have I read this prayer? After all, it is printed on my bookmark. This pray doesn’t even seem to tell God it is okay for Him to take from us, but it seems to request Him to.

As I reflect more and more on this prayer and my life, I see where I am lacking in my ability to surrender to God. Though it is hard, I can look back and remember where I was in my past (I guess God hasn’t taken all of my memory!) and I have been more able to surrender to Him than I used to be. It is just something that takes progress, I guess. I truly do want His love, and therefore, that is what I should pray for most.

If you don’t know me, then it is worth explaining that I am the middle through a “weightloss journey” as they call it. So far I have lost 54 pounds, but there is still more to go! In addition to changing my eating habits, I also hit the gym several times a week. At the gym, one thing I like to do is the elliptical. Though it is hard work, it feels worth it. To get through it, I pray. Recently, I ran in a 5K. I had a similar prayer that day.

I was very excited and surprised that I placed 2nd in my division.I never expected this. Really. Not in a millions years did I ever dream I would place in any running competition. I was elated to win, but also quite shocked, but my running buddy always helps.

Who is this buddy that stays with me on the elliptical? It’s Jesus. Starting in Lent this year, I started running through the Stations of the Cross in my head each time I get on the elliptical. The boredom and fatigue make me want to stop even though I can do it. With Jesus, I am able to keep going. I cannot stop until he does, after 14 agonizing stations.

I know that my many jaunts on the elliptical and even the 5K are nothing compared to what He went through for us, but it gives me strength to think about his passion as I am in an extremely miniature passion of my own.

How is the Stations of the Cross helpful to me? Well, the first station is where Jesus is condemned to death by Pontius Pilate. Here I may think about the task ahead of me – running, but more often, I think of the struggles that I and others are currently dealing with. Physical and mental illnesses, deaths, job loss, addiction and alcoholism, terrorism, abuse, neglect, sexual assault, etc. One or all of these may cross my mind in any of the various stations or I may think of them as I think of Pilate. As I go through the stations, I remember how Jesus fell three times. I, too, fall. So do my friends and family members. The important thing is that we get back up again. As I run to the 4th Station, I think about Mary. I think of my Our Mother loves us and how she loves our Lord. She gave him strength to carry on and she steps forward to be our mother, too, if we ask her, giving us the same strength. While I run with Jesus, Mary is always there in the cheering section, spurring me on. I love stations 5 and 6 – Simon of Cyrene and Veronica. I try to live my life as a life of service and these two stations exemplify that better than others, in my opinion. Sometimes when I run with the Stations, I think of myself as Jesus, but other times, I am Jesus’ companions along the way. I can even be both sometimes. Through Simon and Veronica I remember that others are there to help me, but also that I am there to help others, even if they seem to have more going for them than I do. Even Jesus asked for help, so even when there seems to be nothing to do, we can at the very least pray or give the gift of presence, just walking beside another. He can offer comfort as Veronica did. As I pass Veronica’s station, Jesus falls a couple of more times and he meets the women of Jerusalem. The agonizing journey is more than halfway through (as is my run), but there is still more to go. As the trial of the run sets in, so does the vulnerability of being stripped, the pain of the nails. But, if Jesus can do this much, surely I can do just a little. This is so much less than what he went through. I continue to run. Our Lord dies. But, this doesn’t mean we are done. Sometimes, I think of the sins I am carrying with me. They are dying as He forgives me. Other times, I think of the suffering in this world. This will come to an end as we enter into God’s kingdom. Jesus is taken down. When I reach this station, I know I am almost done. Even when He is dead, Mary, Mary Magdalene, and John accompany Him. They mourn this loss and hold onto His body. No matter what we want to do, we will always have the love and protection of God and others in our lives. Even when we feel alone and all hope is lost, the return to a better life, is just around the corner just as Jesus’ Resurrection is imminent. Finally, the 14th station, Jesus is laid in the tomb. Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea are there along with the others. Sometimes, when you have a loss or hardship, you never know who will come out to help you. Sometimes, when others have a loss or hardship, you must be there to help them. We are all called to be a servant as Jesus was. But Jesus, too, was served.

Christianity is not just yourself and God. Like the cross, the mission of a Christian points upward to God as well as outward to our brothers and sisters. These is exemplified in Christ’s passion. If we run with Jesus, he help us succeed. Trust me, I placed in a race and this near miraculous!

If, like me, you have seen a lot of Julia Roberts films (My dad is her biggest fan!), then you may recognize the name “Sara Waters.” On my retreat this weekend, when reflecting upon the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:1-42), I could not help but think of this movie. Because this is the fourth woman we’ve grown more closely acquainted with this weekend, I knew the final reflection question would be, “By what name will you call her?” Right away, I thought of the name Laura gave herself in the movie, Sleeping with the Enemy – Sara Waters.

Though I have grown up on a steady of diet of Julia films, I glossed over the last name of “Waters” many times, but eventually, I caught it. This was no coincidence, but a direct tool for symbolism coming straight from Hollywood. Laura, who was terrified of water and did not know how to swim, took swimming lessons in order to fake her own drowning death. This was an elaborate ruse in order to escape her abusive and controlling husband.

I must have been in high school the time when I first paid attention to Laura Burney’s new name. What did “Sara” mean?, I wondered. I did what any true millennial would do – I googled it! Sara, derived from the Hebrew name “Sarah” means “a women of high rank or a princess”. Laura essentially makes herself ‘Princess of the Waters’. I think that this is the perfect name for the Woman at the Well. She is like a princess of the waters and should be called “Sara”. It’s even great that Laura decided against the Hebrew spelling since this woman was, after all, a Samaritan and not a Jew.

Like Laura/Sara, this woman is rescued by the water. Laura’s tragic life is refreshed upon her escape from Martin while the woman at the well is able to receive the good news of Jesus.

The saving waters of Sara Waters and the Living Water of the woman at the well represent both woman. Who have much in common despite very different stories: one is fictional, the other is real; one lady has not one, but two names; the other lady is completely unnamed; Julia’s character is as modern woman while the Samaritan woman lived 2000 years ago. The contrasts are endless, but these women of the waters have a lot in common, too.

Both woman were looking for love. Laura was a lonely, battered wife. Her husband Martin was jealous and beat her for even the slightest infringements upon what his ideal wife should be. To further control Laura, Martin refused her a full time job, friends, and community. She lived a solitary life in their giant home. To the outside, her home seemed to have everything one could desire, but she was empty and lost. She needed love, not abuse. She found that love through the waters that saved her.

Similarly, the woman at the well sought love, but in a different way. She had five husbands in her life and at the time she met Jesus, she was living with her lover. Unlike Laura, her man did not keep from others. She was isolated all the same, though. The community shunned her because of her choices.

The pain and isolation Laura felt from Martin’s abuse was similar to the guilt and rejection the woman at the well felt because of her sins and reputation. Both were freed by the water. Laura/Sara’s freedom came from literal water while the woman at the well was freed by Jesus.

While Laura’s story has not implicated Jesus as our savior, if anything, Laura/Sara is her own savior, I like to think that this fictional character comes to praise God in the end. Early on in the movie, shortly after she fakes her death, there is a funeral scene. If I remember correctly, it is a Catholic funeral. But even if I am mistaken, it is definitely Christian. Though Martin was a monster, he probably did nod to her choices when planning a funeral and so it is a fair assumption that Laura is a faithful believer and perhaps became even more so after she was reborn from the waters.

While spirituality goes wholly untouched in this film, I noticed today that Ben is in a way, a Christ figure. But this is only partly. He does not save Sara, but what he does do is show Sara love. He accepts her where she is at. Ben doesn’t push her to reveal more than she in comfortable with. He shows hospitality and forgiveness when Sara tries to push him away in the apple pie scene. He helps Sara visit her mother by giving her a disguise and letting her borrow his car. He puts her needs ahead of his own. When Sara is not ready for the physical intimacy, he accepts that, rather than pushes. He shows her true respect. At the very end, when Martin is in Sara’s house. Ben tries to save her from her monster husband. Though ultimately it is Sara that rescues herself, Martin’s foil shows Sara what real love is. God is love, and this is how Ben mirrors Jesus – through his love.

Like Sara, the woman at the well sought love. She found it in Jesus, the Living Water. While Sara’s love is in Ben, she found it through her beloved waters. She becomes a princess of the waters, saving herself from Martin and the pain of her life as Laura.

So, Samaritan woman, you don’t have a name, but I will call you “Sara Waters”. You are a princess because you inherited eternal life after you met the messiah at the well. You were open to rescue as was Sara. You let the waters lead you and wash you clean from your past. You, too, my Samaritan friend, are a ‘Princess of the Waters’

Today, May 31, is the Feast of the Visitation. While we still are in the Easter Season, it is awesome to think of the infancy narratives, too. Jesus’ birth and resurrection deserve to be meditated on all year round because they are events that bring us new life.

The gospel at today’s mass comes from Luke. It is one I really enjoy. I personally like to think of this gospel passage at two parts – The Visitation and Mary’s Magnificat. Both of these are special to me in their own way and I would like to share that with you today.

The first part of the gospel is the Visitation. While I have certainly never been in Mary’s shoes, I like to imagine what she felt during this time in her life. For a moment, let’s place ourselves in her culture and society 2000 years ago. Jews were a captive nation. There was always danger in traveling, but even more so when their country was not their own. Even among your own people, you were not always safe. Women that were known adulterers could be stoned to death. While Mary was not an adulterer, she was a pregnant girl with a seemingly absent “baby daddy”. There was no modern medicine at this time. Childbirth could be painful and deadly as there was such risk of infection, hemorrhage, etc. Plus, there was no chance of C-section. Every birth put both mother and child at risk.

If I had been Mary, I imagine I would be in a panic, but she trusts the Lord. Can I trust Him that much? I want to trust God that much. He is worthy of all my trust, but despite that, I fall short. I don’t even face the challenges that Mary faced. I am not responsible for raising the Son of God. Yet, I still fall short.

While Mary was trusting, I presume that she did question. She knew God was there for her, but she still sought Elizabeth’s company. When you think about it, Elizabeth was the perfect person for Mary at this time. As an older cousin, she was both a friend like cousins often are, but she was a motherly figure, too. While there was no offence to Anne here, Mary needed a motherly figure that was not her own mother. She needed the wisdom and guidance of a more experienced and mature woman, but needed the friendship and camaraderie that her own mother could not give her at that time simply because we hold our mothers in a different regard. We feel they are above us rather than our equal. Elizabeth, was an equal to Mary as that was not her biological mother. It was acceptable to see her as a friend while seeing Anne as a friend would have been difficult. Elizabeth has the wisdom of a mom-figure, but is not Mary’s mom. Seeking wisdom and a wish to renew her bond with her confidant, Mary traveled to Elizabeth, despite the dangers. She came looking for help and answers and she brought joy – the fruit of her womb – Jesus.

In your mind’s eye, picture these women coming together. It is not a greeting of acquaintances. They do not simply shake hands or wave. There is so much more than a simple awkward smile given to near strangers that we feel forced to connect to for one reason or another. These women understand each other more deeply than that. Their greeting almost certainly would have included a hug and perhaps even a kiss on the cheek. As both friends and as relatives, their bond is deep and enduring. I would even guess that based upon who these women are and the sons that they bore, this bond is one of the best in all of history.

If your imagination shows this greeting to be less congenial than I see it, just look to John the Baptist. He leaps for joy! Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit and John certainly is gifted with the presence of God. How many visits have we experienced with another that result in someone leaping for Joy? Surely this was a wonderful visitor!

As I think about Joy in the Christian life, I cannot help but remember one of Mother Teresa’s teachings. This saint of Calcutta told us that JOY stands for Jesus, Others, Yourself. Now, Joy, as I understand it, is the great feeling of knowing that God is with you. He fills you up with love and affection. Joy lives deep in your soul and unlike happiness, it lingers forever. It is not a fleeting feeling, but a state of being.

These women were joyful for “Jesus” – represented in the first letter of JOY. He was physically present. The savior of the world had come and they knew it. He was their joy! Afterall, Elizabeth said, “And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”. Likewise, Mary said in her Magnificat, “My Soul Magnifies the Greatness of the Lord; My Spirit Rejoices in God My Savior”. By their words, it is clear these two women knew exactly who they were with. With God in their midst, they praised Him. Mary and Elizabeth’s joy for the glory of God did not only linger, but grew. They magnified the Lord.

The second letter of JOY is for “O” for “others.” Surely these two women felt joy in the presence of one another. As John (the Evangelist) said, “God is love”, and these two women loved each other. They brought JOY to one another and God was with them because He is love and he cannot be separated from it.

Finally, when one contemplates JOY, one must also think of the self. They “Y” in JOY represents “Yourself”. When John realized he was in the presence of his cousin, the Lord, he leapt for joy. This was his action of Joy. He knew God was there so he celebrated. Imagine that. An unborn baby having a celebration! Elizabeth praised God as she embraced Mary. She was excited and honored by the girl’s visit. For this reason, she embraced Mary with love and was filled with her presence rather than the many months absence where should could only anticipate a visit from her beloved cousin. Though Mary was scared, she too was joyful as she brought not only new life into the world, but the very author of life. As for Jesus, he felt joy, too. This goes almost without saying. He was joy to all of his creation. Surely, though I can’t know the mind of God, he felt joy simply by bringing us joy. Perhaps, and I would only be guessing, Jesus could feel an even greater joy than usual because he was finally able to rescue his fallen people. With the incarnation, the resurrection was dawning. The sun that had fallen with Adam and Eve was finally beginning to rise again.

For the reasons above, I love this part of this gospel reading, but that is only part of today’s gospel. The second part is Mary’s Canticle, also known as the Magnificat.  In her canticle, Mary sings to the Lord. She lauds him for his glory and fulfilling his promise. She is humbled by being chosen and so her soul must proclaim God’s greatness. She cannot keep quiet. She must sing joyfully to the Lord.

Throughout college, I would often go to the Daughters of St. Paul bookstore and they would host tea for the college students. Often these sisters would invite us to pray vespers with them. Now that I am older and not in college, I go to daily mass Tuesday and Thursday evenings. After mass, I again pray vespers. For those familiar with vespers, you know that the Magnificat is prayed daily. Just like Mary, we sing to the Lord. We remember his promise. We feel his love. We have joy.

Our God is a god of promises. Not only does He have Joy in fulfilling them, but Mary, Elizabeth and John share in that joy. We pray the Magnificat because we also have joy. God is with us. Jesus is in the Eucharist. Jesus is in the love we give and receive to others. Jesus is in us. On this Feast day, celebrate the Joy in your life!

Pretty soon I will be going on a retreat. It is directed by Cenacle Sisters and is focused on the women of the gospels. I am not certain, but imagine we will talk about women from the bible in general, and not just the gospels. Some biblical women I know of and admire are: Ruth and Naomi, Esther, Rahab, The Virgin Mary, and the sisters Martha Mary Magdalene. While there are many others, these are the ones I most think of when I think of biblical women.

Ruth and Naomi’s story is sweet. Esther was brave as was Rahab. Martha was able to speak her mind, even to Jesus when Lazarus died. When she was left to do all the work while Mary sat at her teacher’s feet, she told Jesus what she thought. I, too, like to speak my mind. While this trait is not welcome by many, I find it admirable in Martha because if it okay for one of Jesus’s friends, than it is okay for me. The Virgin Mary is the ultimate mother. Not enough can be said glorifying the mother of God, but we still have Mary Magdalene, the one whom seven demons were cast out. What could possibly be so great about a woman like that?

In the bible, we hear of Lazarus’s sisters Martha and Mary. Some believe this is Mary Magdalene but others disagree. Others think that the woman that washed Jesus’ feet with oil from the alabaster jar was also Mary Magdalene. Still, there are others that think this is another women. I think these two women are the same. They are the same Mary we know was present at the cross. This is the Apostle to the Apostles. The first witness of the Resurrection. When watching Mel Gibson’s Passion of the Christ, she is even portrayed as the woman being saved from stoning. While this may or may not be accurate, I hope it is the truth. “Why?” you might ask. The answer is simple – Hope!

In our lives, we commit many sins. I am no different than anyone else. I know I am not worthy of salvation on my own. Neither was Mary Magdalene. Yet, she is not only a saint, but the first person Jesus appeared to, encouraging her to spread the good news. At her lowest point, Mary had seven demons. Perhaps one for each of the seven deadly sins. She likely had a poor reputation and was probably ashamed of herself; trying to hide from God by ignoring His laws. Despite this, she was redeemed. Jesus healed her. A woman that was broken at the very depths of her soul was put back together again. She was made better and new through Christ and shared with others. As the Virgin Mary is the ultimate mother, Mary Magdalene is the ultimate disciple.

I don’t know Mary Magdalene’s past, but I do know my own. There are sins and triumphs. If Jesus can embrace Mary despite what she had done, then He can accept me in the same way. If I am so broken that I have seven demons, then I can be redeemed. If I were about to be condemned, Jesus could step in and save me from persecutors. In the parable of the lost sheep, Jesus said there is more rejoicing in heaven for the one sheep that is returned than the 99 that never strayed. Sometimes I am in the 99, but I know that sometimes I am that one. Mary Magdalene was that one, and so she is a saint.

Mary Magdalene is synonymous with hope. Her story shows us how Christ heals us.

*This was meant to be my first post. Please forgive me. I am new to blogging.

When I was in computer programming in college, the first thing we did was a print statement that said, “Hello World!” I thought it was silly at the time. Of all the things that could be said, that was what the authors of the textbook chose. Only later did I realize that this little phrase was to programming as “Houston, we have a problem” is to NASA or “Luke, I am your father” is to Star Wars. It is inherent in programming, just as the other phrases cannot disappear to those that participate in them.

Today, I greet the world because today is the day I am starting this blog. I love to write and hope to publish a book some day. I am working on my craft and this blog is one way to do that.

My hope is that this blog will serve me and readers. I plan to become a better writer and learn more about my audience. What readers get out of this blog will be somewhat individual to each reader, but will have many commonalities.

Because I am interested in the spiritual life, many of my posts will be related to this, but filtered in a way as it is seen through my eyes. I hope that readers can better learn to relate through God through my experiences, but further develop their own unique relationship with our creator. Because this is the main theme of this blog, I chose to name it Canticles of Katherine. Canticles are songs praising the Lord, and I am the writer of these particular songs.

Posts of other topics will surely be written. For this, I will borrow the sentiment of St. Ignatius of Loyola – “God in All Things.” Even those things that seemingly don’t relate to God will hopefully be praising Him.

Goodnight World!