Posterous theme by Cory Watilo

Stumbling Back Home 'Offloaded'


A posterous for collecting things on my Journey of Stumbling Back Home.

Weekly Reflection for April 9, 2012

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Weekly Reflection for April 9, 2012 

 

 

...We must all believe in love and in peace. We must believe in the power of love. We must recognize that our being itself is grounded in love; that is to say, that we come into being because we are loved and because we are meant to love others.

 

Honorable Reader: Reflections on My Work, ed. Robert E. Daggy. (New York: Crossroads, 1985). 123

 

 

Thought for the Day:  There is nothing more positive, more creative than the faith by which the Creator of all dwells and acts in our hearts.

 

Loretto & Gethsemani (Trappist, Kentucky: Abbey of Gethsemani, 1961)

 

 

Contemplative Pause:  Throughout this week, pause, take a breath, and listen with your heart. How are you being a loving, peace filled presence? 

 


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Dialogues with Silence

 

 

Dialogues with SilenceFrom his austere quarters at the Abbey of Gethsemani Merton worked to change the world and to come closer to his God. The drawings and prayers in this volume are the intimate, beautifully rendered record of that pursuit - Merton's dialogue with God.

 

                                                                    Cost: $10.95 (over 50% off the cover price)

Following the Mystics Through the Narrow Gate 
Friday, April 13 - 15, 2012 
Rivers Edge Cleveland 
Cleveland, Ohio
For more information, contact:  216-688-1111 
Spiritual and Religious: Merton's Vision for the 21st Century

Free Public Talk  -  Wednesday April 18th, 7:00 pm
Co-sponsored by the Thomas Merton Society of Canada and the Vancouver Public Library
Speaker:  Dr. Christine M. Bochen
Location:  Central Library, 350 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC

Info: 604-988-8835 or email tmsc@telus.net or see www.merton.ca

 

AWAKENING THE HEART: MERTON'S CALL TO UNITY

 

WHAT:    One-day Seminar with Dr. Christine M. Bochen

WHEN:    Sat. April 21, 2012, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

WHERE:  The University Club of Victoria at the University of Victoria in Victoria, BC 

 

Registration: Susan Cowan

                     Community Relations Director

                     tmsc@telus.net or 604-988-8835 

 

Join us for a retreat at Bethany Spring

Or Schedule Time Away!

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Located just a mile from the Abbey of Gethsemani, we offer a variety of retreats including Bridges to Contemplative Living retreats which offer the opportunity to reflect and dialogue on topics that lead to living more contemplatively.     

 

Register now 

 

Bridges Facilitator Retreats available. Email Vanessa to receive an application. 

 

The 2012 retreat schedule is available online 

 

Come away for a private retreat or bring a group!

 

Request a retreat brochure.  Register online.  Contact us  about scholarships for center-sponsored retreats.

 

 

Call 502.549.8277 to schedule your time at Bethany Spring. 

 

 
The Merton Institute for Contemplative Living
This email was sent to laymonk777@gmail.com by vhurst@mertoninstitute.org |  
The Merton Institute for Contemplative Living |
425 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd. | Louisville | KY | 40202

Our walk in the desert - What is the Lenten Journey?

Desertwalk

During my retreat, I spent a lot of my time just resting and reflecting on life, death, and trying to live a good life.  I also did lots of bible study, with the Catholic Study bible.  Spent a good deal of time in Prayer; LOTH, along with a daily rosary at least.  This was another private retreat, a format I'm growing increasingly fond of in this time of my life.  I derived much rest, goodness and grace from the experience.

Thank you again to the staff of the center, I'm grateful for the love and care in which you do everything.

One of the biggest reflections I kept coming back to: I'm not ready for LENT!

 When you get down to the root of this feeling, you realize that feeling as if "not being ready for Lent" is just the way things should be!  We get 40 days of time to examine and grow our spiritual lives.  It can be the perfect opportunity to "kick-start" your religious life, if you allow the Holy Spirit to move you.  Through our personal fasting, almsgiving and prayer, we all forge our own way back to the Lord.  

To be sure, it can be difficult to stay the course in keeping away from temptations.  I personally have a tendancy for weak willpower.  My thought is that while I may yield to the old fashioned donut, calling my name, the trap can be in the thinking this: "I messed up with (eating/drinking) this one (thing), why bother keeping the abstinence for the rest of today?"  Also in the being overly critical after the fact.  This helps nobody.
Why?
Because our walk in the desert is all about acknowledging our "stumbles", praying about them and moving on.  If you yield, it doesn't mean you can just forget to try for the rest of the day/week/month.
No!  
The journey is in the trying.  That's what many of our beloved Saints did.  When tripped up by sinful tendancies, by critics, by oppressors, they kept on trying to do the right thing, no matter what.  
That's what God wants of us.  Never give up.  Never stop trying.  Keep coming closer to him.
Pax Vobis+

 

My Review of Four Encounters with Jesus That Will Change Your Life" By Dr. Tom Curran

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My rating: 4 of 5 stars.

I purchased this book after sitting for the 'one night presentation' of Dr. Curran's talk at my parish.  I didn't have plans for purchasing anything, but that changed afterward.

The book was well written, in an easy to read and conversational way.  I wish it had been required reading for my RCIA classes.  It would have opened my eyes much sooner and preprared me to be "ALL IN" during Mass. (That's something Dr. Curran asks; Are we "All In"?)  

I won't give any more spoilers, but whether you are a new Catholic, or a lifelong member of the church, this book offers much insight into four encounters with Jesus.  If you want to break out of your same, boring routine at Church - Read this book!

This book would be recommended to any bible Christians that may have curiosity or more serious inquiries into the Catholic faith, or want to understand what "Those Catholics" are really up to in Church.

Find out more, here:  MyCatholicFaith | The Mass http://bit.ly/x6wFlm

Anyone, who desires a closer walk with Jesus owes it to themselves to learn about these four encounters within the Catholic Mass.

Pax+

My new name; Benedict Augustine and an update on my Religious Journey.

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If you noticed my name changed on the blog and my social media, there's good reason for it.  Just yesterday I was accepted as a member of  Transitus – Oblates of the Last Martyrdom, a Christian Association of The Faithful.  You can find out more about them here.

Why you ask?  It's simple really.  Due to my particular life station and circumstances, my desire to associate with a community of other Lay Monastics in a formal way could not be achieved in the usual way.

What I'm talking about is joining a local chapter of the OCDS, a third order secular group. The physical location and schedules of their meetings conflict with other roles and tasks I'm called to fulfill in my life, as well as some other of my spiritual aspirations.

It was a difficult choice.  Lots of prayer and reflection helped to show me the correct course of action, and choosing to not associate with the local OCDS group would be wisest.  My heart will always be with the Third Order-Secular Carmelites.  Perhaps one day, when my life settles down a bit more, I will revisit that place on my journey.

What was needed: A flexible, likely internet connected "virtual" group of monastic-minded people. An organization where the use of new technology and media could facilitate the association of people from all over the world. Uniting us in our journey to walk closer with Our Lord Jesus Christ, The Blessed Mother, and the Saints.  No such group was out there, or so I thought.

Enter Transitus – Oblates of the Last Martyrdom.  I found them when doing research on third orders secular, a couple of years ago.  I became a supporter of their humble apostolate Monkrock and acquire most of my sacramentals and supplies from them, in my monastic walk.

At that time, I was sure that that Transitus, as "cool" and so close to my line of belief as it was, it wouldn't be something that would be a good fit for me.  However; I always had a "what if" scenario floating in the back of my mind.  I see now I had a very narrow vision.

As a few years passed, I have been communicating with the founder, his family and others over social media. With no effort whatsoever, we became friends as best as could be in the New Media world.

Prayer.  Reflection.  Sitting with Our Lord and The Blessed Mother.  Much Grief and Loss in our family.  These experiences can change a person.  I was ready for the 'next step'.  To reach out and become part of a community because I'm not meant to be a hermit any longer.  Granted; He led me to this place of being alone with Him for a good bit of time.  I'm most grateful for that.  It's been hard at times, but also as they say, a blessing in disguise.

The time seemed right, and I look forward to a long and fruitful connection with the Transitus community.  As part of my initiation, I was given the name of Benedict Augustine.

 

Peace be with you...

Slide show of my mom and family moments - R.I.P. Mom ;-(

Beverly Joy Goode. - Feb. 8th, 1928 to January 14th, 2012

If you have some Herp Albert, you might want to put it on. I could have added it to the slideshow, but it's too risky these days. 8-O

If you didn't know, my mom passed away on January 14th, 2012, just shy of her 84th birthday.  I blogged about it here. 8-[

[http://stumblingbackhome.org/2012/01/25/where-have-i-been-been-grieving/]

I created this ad-hoc slideshow with some images her brother sent me.  I have to do things like this to keep myself busy and out of being too depressed.

Here's to you mom!  We all miss you so much.  I know you are in the loving care of Our Lord.

(download)

Peace.

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