So many disasters:  Hurricane Sandy … Boston Marathon … tornadoes in Moore and Shawnee, Oklahoma and then Oklahoma City and so many other places … fires in New Mexico and California … human trafficking …. child labor … fires in garment factories … and the list could go on and on and on ….

Yesterday I read this in my morning prayer from Give Us This Day:  “Like Jesus, the best we can often do is show our solidarity with the suffering, be present with them in their agony and horror, and simply hold our tongue.”  (Don Talafous, OSB)  I got to thinking about all these recent human happenings that tear at our hearts.  May each of them open within us rivers of compassion that run deep as we embrace our sisters and brothers with the heart of Christ.  May we not only hold all those affected in our prayer, but also reach out in tangible ways to make the burdens they bear a bit lighter. The journey to recovery is a long one.  May our presence in prayer, monetary support, and offers of help be the Body of Christ alive in our world today.

The Notre Dame logo puts the ND on the edge.  I’m happy to say that my religious community is willing to live on the edge. We have gone to so many new places in the past 20 years: Mozambique, Nicaragua, Uganda, Peru, Guatemala, New Orleans, and more.  We have ministered where others would rather not go, such as AIDS centers. Retired Sisters look for new ways to share their skills and wisdom. The edge is a good place. We’re not the center of attention. We’re not at the top. We’re not at the bottom. We’re on the edge. Come to think of it—Jesus was on the edge, along with everyone else on the margins: the poor, the unacceptable, the people of the “wrong” religion. May Sisters of Notre Dame reach out to those on the margins of society. May we always be on the edge.

How do you feel about being on the edge?

As I celebrate today with the Church the feast of the Visitation, I’m drawn to our Congregational Constitutions, Art. 14:

  “The more intensely the tender love of Jesus takes hold of us, the more we become free from self and available to share his love with others.”

I believe this is what Mary experienced and what compelled her to visit Elizabeth.  Jesus’ tender love captured her heart and freed her to bring Him to others.  Just as Sister Valerie wrote in her blog entry yesterday, there’s a certain “all or nothing” that comes to play in our relationship with God.  Jesus’ love captures us and takes hold of us in an intense way.  I find myself praying that God will never let me go, especially at those times when I may find His love uncomfortable and struggle to be free of His embrace.

May Jesus wrap each of us in His tender love today and may we share that same love with those we meet.

Like rain, life generally comes vertically: we get down to work, papers pile up on our desk, we come down with flu, we settle down to a good night’s sleep, we get up and dress up. Life is full of ups and downs.

But sometimes life has its “acrosses” like horizontal rain. Like the more destructive horizontal rain, life’s acrosses can send us reeling or at least step back momentarily off balance. Horizontal rain cannot be dodged easily. We can’t put up an umbrella or stand under an overhang. The choices are limited: stay indoors or take the full brunt.  All or nothing.

Facing God is like facing horizontal rain: all or nothing. When we accept God, we have to accept God’s People: “…just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me” (Mt. 25:40). When we follow Jesus we follow him the whole way: “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Mk 8:34). We must forgive “seventy times seven times”–always, not just when it’s easy.

Will you face what comes across your path? God, yell “Come” above the winds, and we will follow.

As I listen to today’s first reading from Sirach, I can’t help but smile when I think of the common use of “BFF” today.  Certainly, Jesus is the very best BEST FRIEND FOREVER!

 “A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter; he who finds one finds a treasure. A faithful friend is beyond price, no sum can balance his worth” (Sirach 6: 14-15).

It seems to me that our friendship with Jesus sheds light on what should characterize our friendship with others, and our friendship with others can help reflect the gift of friendship we have with Jesus.

I certainly feel blessed to have a few good friends who serve as this reflection for me.  Who are the friends for whom you are grateful today?

Yesterday touched on a treasured tradition here at our Provincial Center. Several of our Sisters gathered after Mass with Father Tom Leyland for the blessing of a special Marian Grotto on the fourth floor porch.  This so reminds me of the many May Altars I experienced as a child in my home, my classroom and in my parish church.

At times, individuals express concern that we are focusing too much attention on Mary and not enough on Jesus. It is certainly possible to get caught up in the rituals or devotions, but if our love for Mary is sincere we have no cause to be concerned.  Mary will never draw us to herself without taking us to the heart of her Son, Jesus.  St. Maximilian Kolbe said, “Never be afraid of loving the Blessed Virgin too much. You can never love her more than Jesus did.”

I, for one, know I need the special love and protection of a devoted Mother.  Mary, our Mother, pray for us.

What is your favorite memory of devotion to Mary?

God gave birth to the universe in the Big Bang, the first instant in the universe’s baby book. At its birth Baby Universe, perhaps an inch long, probably weighed a thousand tons. There was a lot for Divine Parent to love! And Baby Universe grew rapidly. At about one one-hundredth of a second Baby Universe measured the length of our solar system.

God must have been delighted! Everything was going according to plan, a beautiful birth. Every particle newly born expressed God’s loving spirit. Everything was filled with Love. If only we had the universe’s baby picture, wouldn’t we say, “Looks just like its Father”?

Delight in the photos of God’s Baby! You’ll be caught up in the same loving spirit.

There is so much in the Gospel readings from the Farewell Discourse of John’s Gospel that makes me stop and ponder….and wonder. In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus refers to His disciples and all of us as “those You [the Father] have given me.”  Jesus truly sees me as “a gift from the Father!”  I find that pretty amazing.

The fact that Jesus called the apostles “gifts” — those who would betray, deny and doubt him — and that He calls me “gift” — despite the many times I miss the mark — brings me a great deal of hope.  It also challenges me to see the people in my life in an equally favorable light.  Do I consider each person I encounter as “a gift from the Father?”

Who are the gifts the Father has placed in your life for whom you are grateful today?

“Lord, give me all that I need to do what you would have me do this day,” Lisa has prayed each morning since October 15, 2004, when the Casualty Operations Desk verified that her son Matthew was listed as VSI (Very Seriously Injured). His tank was attacked inIraq, and all the other soldiers were killed.

Over the years Lisa knows that Matthew’s progress can stop anywhere. Her prayer continues to be, “Lord, give me all that I need to do what you would have me do this day.”

What do you need today? Just ask. God will dive in when we’re drowning in sorrow. God will walk by our side when we need companionship. God will carry us when we can go no farther.

I think God must smile at times when I try so hard to be in control.  When we go to Mass each morning, we take turns driving.  One morning, one of the other Sisters commented how much she was enjoying the scenery because I was driving and she was able to look around.

God offers me this opportunity all the time.  He’s willing to do the driving and free me to enjoy the journey.  I need only to trust that He knows where He’s going and that He knows the best speed and direction to go.  Amazing how often I think I know a better way and turn into a back seat driver!

I think I’ll let God do the driving today and just sit back and enjoy the ride!