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Ignatian Spirituality Inspiration Prayer Spirit

Retreat in Silence

This afternoon, I’ll be heading out for my annual silent retreat.  The retreat center where I go generally has these Ignatian retreats in August, but this year, it was moved to the middle of June. As I noted in my post yesterday, I know that God always has a plan.  I’m wondering if He knew how much I would need a retreat at the beginning of the summer, instead of at the end.  Maybe it will be made clear to me. I’ll let you know how it goes 😉

Usually, I bring a ton of spiritual reading with me, most of which I carry back home unread.  I tend to try and “fill” the silence, but not this year.  I’m only bringing a couple of things to read, along with my journal.  I want to really be able to “hear.”

My traveling companions this year will be Chris Lowney, who wrote Heroic Living.  St. Ignatius will be joining us, along with St. Phillip Neri, who has only recently come back on my radar.  Together, we’ll be walking, thinking, praying, and relaxing.  Together, we’ll be traveling along the path that leads to the One who calls our name, reminding us that we are His, and all is well.

Categories
Inspiration Spirit

The Unfolding Mystery

I had the chance to visit one of my good friends today.  I wanted to talk with him a bit before I went on retreat, to seek some guidance about what I should focus on.  We spent some time talking about several of the key things that have been going on with me over the last few months. Nothing bad, mostly good.

As I finished up filling him in, he said the image he got was a kind of unfolding of a story. How it will end is still a mystery, with new chapters being written with each passing day.  I really liked this image, and it resonated with me.

Life really is a mystery, isn’t it?  Although many of us try to figure it out, in the end that approach seems a bit futile.  We get frustrated when we think that everything is up to us, that we are fully in control.   In the end, I know that God has a plan for each of us, and for the world.

I can’t say for sure what tomorrow will bring.  That’s part of the mystery unfolding before us. This unfolding started long before our present generation, and will probably end long after we’re gone.  Our own unique stories are woven into a larger one that continues to be written.

I can’t wait to see how this story plays out.  I think it will all make sense in the end, like most good mysteries.   Maybe we’ll scratch our heads and think to ourselves, “I should have figured it out so much sooner. The Author put signs and hints on nearly every page.”

For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare, not for woe! plans to give you a future full of hope.  When you call me, when you go to pray to me, I will listen to you.  When you look for me, you will find me. Yes, when you seek me with with all your heart, you will find me with you, says the Lord, and I will change your lot.

Jeremiah 29:11-14

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Uncategorized

Dealing with Disappointment

I loved this plant.  You have to baby trailing begonias, and I worked hard for the past two years at turning this one into, as my mother put it, a “show stopper.” 

She asked me about it the other day, and I had to tell her how I killed it.  At the end of the season last year, I did everything I was supposed to do with this begonia, one of my favorite plants. 

After the first frost, I brought the plant in, put the very ugly tuber into a contain filled with peat moss, then placed the whole thing into a dark closet.  Come spring, I brought it out, put it in a sunny window, and was supposed to lightly water it. 

My problem was I put way too much water on the darn thing, and it rotted.  By the time I realized it, Whiteflower Farms had sold out of all their stock, so I’m doing without my Orange Cascade this year. 

Now all this may sound trivial,  and in the big picture, it is, but I was really disappointed in myself for not following the growing instructions and killing a $30 plant. 

It seems like we deal with some disappointment just about every day.  Some relate to very serious and important things, and others are about minor issues.  The question is, how to we get over them?

I think the key is perspective.  If we suffer a minor setback, we can pick ourselves up and keep moving.  Figure out what went wrong and develop ways to keep from being in the same situation again.

For the more serious issues, it might take time to get over it.  Praying about it will help.  Talking it over with a good friend might ease the pain.  Realizing that there are many other people in far worse situations could help you understand that, in the grand scheme of things, your situation is a blip on the screen.  You’ll deal with it and move on.

Life is too short to be trapped in negative thinking.  Tomorrow, God will give us all the chance to turn things around and make things right.  Give it a try.

Categories
Blogging Body Inspiration Mind Spirit Vegetarian

Sacred Feasts

(Assisi, 2007)

In his cookbook, Sacred Feasts, Brother Victor-Antione D’Avila-Latourrette (what a name for a monk) wrote that he hoped his readers would discover an affinity for the monastic (vegetarian) approach to cooking.  Brother Victor (much better ;)) wrote ,

this style of cooking is characterized by simplicity, tastefulness and resilient frugality.  It’s also imbued with the innumerable joys and ways of praising God daily through the practice of food spirituality in the humble sanctuary of the kitchen. (pg. vii) 

When I first purchased this great cookbook, I didn’t know that for centuries, monks ate an almost exclusively vegetarian diet.  As I read through the recipe commentaries, I began to understand not only the rhythm of monastery life, but also how simply the monks ate.  Brother Victor presented the monk’s favorite recipes with the hope that everyday cooks would recreate and experiment with the dishes, which he called authentic food for the body and soul.

Being an everyday cook, I did just that, and through trying the recipes, I became hooked on vegetarian food.  I loved the line about authentic food for the body and soul.  Yes, that’s what I think we need to do.  Link our physical and spiritual nourishment together to improve our overall health.

 If we eat only junk food, which we know is not the best for us, do we also not pay much attention to what we consume for our spiritual growth?  It’s a pretty good question to ask yourself.  When I look back to the time that I was eating very poorly, I can now see that I wasn’t taking care of myself spiritually either.  Today,  I’ve got both in sync, along with positive mental growth, and I’m in the best overall shape I’ve ever been.

All this got me thinking, and I decided to begin inviting friends over to my house for simple vegetarian meals.  I wanted the food to be really good and easy to prepare.  I had my first sacred feast a few months ago, and all of the recipes can be viewed in the recipes section on the right.  Everyone loved the food, and it was a great experience for me. 

My goal now is to start having these dinners every month.  I’m encouraging you to try some of the recipes, and then host your own sacred feast.  So many people are looking to get healthy, not only physically but also spiritually.  I think hosting a sacred feast is a really cool  way to help those we love to take care of themselves a bit better. 

In the next week, look for a Sacred Feasts tab to the right.  I’m going to get some menu ideas posted, along with some new recipes for you to try out (I have to test them first!).

Thanks to everyone who continues to follow this blog.  It has taken a life of its own on, and I’m still learning.  For those who have subscribed and get the blog through email, I have a tip for you.  

When you open the email, click on the title of the blog entry (using today’s  for example, Sacred Feasts).  This will take you from the email to my actual blog, Making All Things New.  You’ll be able to see everything the way I’m intending it to be viewed, which I think will make it a more meaningful experience for you.

Categories
Spirit Travel

Summertime

 

In my area, the schools let out this week, and summer officially begins.  I know the kids are really excited, just like we were when we were children. 

Actually, I’m pretty excited too.  Summer is supposed to be about relaxation and rejuvenation.  Just about now, I need both, and so do most of the folks I know.  Maybe it’s because we had such a fierce winter, but we were already dreaming of walks on the beach and food on the grill in March.  It’s taken awhile to get here, but we sure are ready for long and lazy days of doing nothing important.

Over Memorial Day, I began reading a spy novel, which I finished this past weekend.  Deliver Us From Evil by David Baldacci was a good read.   My mother got me hooked on this type of  suspense novel years ago, and they make their rounds through our family.  The book I’m really looking forward to is Brad Thor’s newest novel, Foreign Influence, due out at the end of this month.  I have read everything he’s written, and I guess Thor has become one of my favorite authors.    He’s a master at drawing you into the lives of his characters and the adventures they have.

Anyway, whatever it is you do in the summer, start making plans.  It’s here :).  What are you most looking forward to?

Categories
Catholic Church Italy Papacy Travel

Corpus Christi

In the Catholic Church, today is the Feast of Corpus Christi, a day we commemorate Christ’s desire to remain with us always in the Eucharist.

This special feast began centuries ago in the Umbrian town of Orvieto.  The story is somewhat lengthly, and I think I’ll save it for another time.  Today, I wanted to write about the town of Orvieto and it’s great Cathedral, two of my favorite places to visit in all of  Italy.

Several years ago, I was leading a tour of Italy, and many close friends were on the trip.  We visited the usual tourist sites, and after leaving Assisi and heading south to Rome,  I built into the itnerary a visit to Orvieto.  As we were leaving, someone came up to me and said something like, “My whole life I’ve heard about Florence, Pisa, Assisi and Rome.  I can’t believe no one ever told me about Orvieto.”  Once you go there, you’re hooked!

Orvieto is situated on the flat summit of a large butte of volcanic tuffa.  The site of the city is one of the most dramatic in Europe, rising above the almost vertical faces of the tuffa cliffs.  Since there is very little car traffic allowed in the city center, buses have to stay down in the valley below.  To reach the city, you have to travel on a funincula, a kind of tram that hugs the mountain as it goes up to the top.

You may recall the song Funincula Funinculi.  The story goes that, at one time, these kinds of trams were operated by people pulling ropes that lifted the tram either up or down.  I always get it mixed up, but I think  funincula meant going up, and funinculi meant heading down. I can’t imagine the strength that was necessary to get these people movers up and down.

Back to the Cathedral.  To me, it’s facade is one of the most beautiful in the world.  Done primarily in mosaic, the artist used a lot of glass pieces that must have been gold -leafed on the back, because when the sun hits the cathedral, it’s like a thousand lightbulbs going off.  Remarkable.

The cornerstone was laid by Pope Nicholas IV in 1290, and the magnificent church was completed in the mid fifteenth century.  The walls are striped in white travertine  and greenish-black basalt, in narrow bands.  This was the first church I had ever seen this style, and it is striking.      This great cathedral was built to commemorate the Eucharistic miracle of Bolsena.  The pope at the time, who verified the miracle himself, later asked St. Thomas Aquinas to write songs to commemorate the event, and he produced two pieces that are still sung on a regular basis in Catholic Churches all over the world, O Salutaris, and Tantum Ergo.

There are two main things to see in the cathedral.  One is the chapel of the miracle, and the other is the Brizi Chapel, which houses one of the great frescoes of the Renaiassance, the masterpiece by Lucca Signorelli known as the Last Judgement. I think this fresco is one of the greatest works of art I have ever seen, and I could sit for hours in this small chapel and take in the artistic drama and mastery captured there.  It is no wonder that historians say that this is where Michaelangelo came for inspiration before painting the Sistine Chapel.

Any photograph can’t really caputure the powerful imagery on these four walls of the chapel.  One day, I hope you’ll have the chance to see it for yourself in Orvieto.  In the meantime, there are Signorelli paintings in museums all over the world, including one right here in Baltimore.  If you can find one, I don’t think you’ll  be disappointed.

Categories
Dessert Travel

Simple Dessert

Every so often I visit Frances Maye’s blog.  She’s the author of a bunch of books on Tuscany and Italian life, and when I check our her site, I get a taste of la dolce vita. When I checked today, I saw that she was cruising around the Mediterranean, giving onboard talks on Italian life to about 100 people.  What a life!  Not only does she spend half her year in a villa in Tuscany, she gets hired to give a few talks on a cruise, probably being paid handsomely for her time and effort.  Actually, I love her writing style, which draws you into the scenes she so wonderfully describes.   I also greatly respect  her ability to reinvent herself at middle age into a travel guru.  She’s over twenty years into it now, and still going strong.

Now, here in Maryland, it’s almost 90 degrees and 90% humidity.  I work up a sweat by just opening the back door.  Hot and sticky doesn’t begin to describe it, but maybe tomorrow will be a bit cooler.  One can only hope.

It’s strawberry picking time here, so in honor of Frances Mayes, I’m going to give you one of the easiest recipes I know for delicious strawberries.  I know it may sound strange, but the key ingredient is basalmic vinegar.

Basically, take a pint of ripe strawberries, cut them in half, and throw them in a bowl.  Add three tablespoons of a good quality basalmic vinegar to the berries, and  toss to coat.  Put in refrigerator to cool, at least one hour.  I like to bring them to room temperature before serving, as this intensifies the flavor.

I’m not a chemist, but I’ve been told that there’s a chemical reaction that takes place between the strawberries and the vinegar.  The berries come out super sweet, and you hardly taste the vinegar.  You won’t need to add any sugar unless the berries are not quite ready. Just try it!

I always serve these berries with a nice biscotti cookie.  A dark chocolate one with almonds is in the photo, and you can pick them up just about anywhere.  This makes a nice, easy, and light dessert, and goes great with a good cup of coffee.  Enjoy.

Categories
Inspiration

Here Be Dragons

According to legend, on certain ancient maps you can find the letters H.B.D. written at the edge of where the uncharted territory begins.  The story goes that the letters stand for “Here Be Dragons” and warn that there may be dangerous creatures in the unexplored and mysterious waters.

Maybe one of my studious nieces or nephews can find out if there really are maps with H.B.D. written on them. Until they do, I think the concept is fascinating, and it has relevance to many of the postings I’ve been doing lately.

Unexplored territory can be scary.   Anytime you move from an old way of doing things to a new way, it’s pretty easy to quickly become uncomfortable.   Going into this new territory, whether be changing a diet, developing an exercise regime, settling into a new job, or making some other change in your life, committing to unfamiliar practices can make you feel lost and unsure of yourself.  Sound familiar?

What can you do when you confront one of these dragons in the uncharted waters of your own life?  Many folks seek refuge in the harbor of their old habits.  Yes, going back to where you were might make you feel comfortable and may give you shelter and a sense of safety, but it could deny you the success you will experience if you stay on course.

The feedback and support you get from others can help you navigate this unfamiliar territory. When its all said and done, some adventurous sailors did venture out into those mysterious waters where they had never been been before.  Did they ever really encounter the dragons?  I think you know the answer.

Don’t let fear of the unknown stop you from boldly developing a new course for your life.  For some, this might only mean making small changes and easily achieved goals.  Good for you! For others, it might mean developing life-changing goals and objectives that won’t be easy to achieve. Not easy doesn’t mean  impossible, however.  I bet there will be a lot of people to cheer you on. I’ll be one of them 🙂

Categories
Ignatian Spirituality Inspiration Mind Spirit

Heroic Living

The title of the book, Heroic Living, intrigued me, so I picked it up.  Written by Chris Lowney, the book uses Ignatian Spirituality as a tool for developing a personal life strategy to achieve your “mighty purpose” in life.

Lowney was a high-powered investment banker for JP Morgan.  He got out in time.  I don’t even know if JP Morgan exists anymore.  Well, before he was an investment banker, the author was a Jesuit seminarian for a time.  While he was in formation, he developed a love for the Ignatian Spirituality which reminds us to “find God in all things.”

So, Lowney combined the leadership skills he learned at JP Morgan with his passion for this centuries old spiritual way of living, and presto, this book was born.  I’m not sure if you can get it at your local library, but maybe.  If not, it came out in paperback not that long ago,  and I think it can be a helpful tool for anyone who is desiring to make changes in their lives.

This comes from the introduction,

You were born to change the world.

You can make the most of this unique opportunity by mastering three vital skills:

  • Articulate a purpose worth the rest of your life.
  • Make wise career and relationship choices in this changing, uncertain world.
  • Make every day matter by mindful attention to your thoughts, actions, and results.

Is that a great teaser, or what?  I know many people who are in my life, some reading these words, who want to make changes so they can begin to be the person God is calling them to be. Whether it be this book, or one like it on your shelf, the time to start making these changes is now. We have to get moving.

As Pope John Paul II reminded us so often, quoting from the words of the angels found throughout the Bible, “do not be afraid.”

Categories
Inspiration

Who I Am Makes A Difference

This morning, my sister emailed me about this powerful video.  For some of you reading this blog, it will have deep meaning.  Mother Theresa used to say that we didn’t need to do great things, just little things with great love.  The video speaks for itself….