October 2010 in Petersham MA
I've been blessed with an unexpected degree and duration of joy over the past several days... arriving virtually in tandem with the turning of the calendar and the shifting of the seasons. A visit from my goddaughter provided the occasion to visit a local park and monastery; the completion of a big grant-writing project I've been involved with since June brought a feeling of lightness and satisfaction to my colleagues; some thrilling games in the baseball playoffs have sharpened my excitement and delight in a dramatic time of year for one of my favorite sports.
Yesterday, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, saw me spend a fair amount of time on the road, which afforded plenty of time to pray and meditate upon not only this saint's story, but also on this current experience of joy in my life. I've been drawn lately to the image of shepherding... sometimes I feel like a companion and colleague of the shepherd, other times I feel like one of the sheep. Either way, I find that I'm happy to feel integrated into a community, following a call, walking a path that is reasonably clear but certainly not concrete (literally nor figuratively).
Holy Cross adjourns for fall break beginning on Friday; no classes will be held throughout the following week. A number of students will participate in a five-day silent retreat based on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola, with a number of chaplains guiding them in prayer and accompanying them in periods of spiritual conversation. Though I've made many retreats, whether as a retreatant or as a member of the team, it's my first experience doing so since I've arrived at Holy Cross, and my first invitation to engage in some spiritual direction. Prayers for all of us would be appreciated in the days ahead.
May these October days continue to bring many blessings to each of us, a renewed sense of joy in our lives, and an appreciation for the guides and companions along our journeys.
October 2011
Grounds of St. Joseph's Abbey
Spencer MA
Well Mr. Ryan, DO know I have been thinking about YOU and this retreat. By the grace of God, I expect you'll do wonderfully as a spiritual director with these kids. You'll be in my prayers Chris, and also, be kind and keep me in yours :)
ReplyDeleteP.S. Ahhh beautiful foliage! It's still t-shirt and short weather here in Guadalajara.. quite quite different!