Sunday Scripture: Reflection for May 5, 2024Gospel Reading Sixth Sunday of Easter John 15:9-17 Such a beautiful and powerful reading this Sunday! God instructs us to remain in His love. We did not choose Him, but He chose us. I want to love God, but by loving Him, I must also love my neighbors. I do love them, but boy, am I quick to judge them. I try to forgive them, but I also find myself getting angry at them again and again. A harsh word is exchanged, and I ignore them; I only criticize them - like I am perfect... It’s so easy to say love the Father, but loving others, even in the Father’s name, can be tough! I am so grateful that He loves us, and Jesus, I am trying to love others without judgment, but boy, do I need your help in this department! Cindy Fontenot Women of Hope Community Lafayette, LA
0 Comments
Sunday Scripture: Reflection for April 28, 2024Scripture Reflection: April 28, 2024 - Fifth Sunday of Easter John 15:1-8 Jesus used many metaphors from nature in His teachings. In today’s Gospel, St. John recalls Jesus’s teaching His disciples that “I am the vine, you are the branches.” Remaining connected to the vine and being pruned to bear fruit would have been easily understood by the agrarian communities of the time. This gospel passage reminded me of Psalm 1 from the Old Testament, which also used nature imagery. The basic message is simple: remain connected to God to prosper and bear fruit. Reflection on Psalm 1, verse 3 He is like a tree planted near running water That yields its fruit in due season, and whose leaves never fade. Lord, plant me like a tree near your Living Water that I may prosper and grow strong. As a tree grows green and leafy, budding forth with the promise of fruit, grow me in faith and love and fruitfulness. Prune my errant branches, fertilize my soul and spirit, let me drink of Your essence. Anne Broussard Esprit de L'ame Lafayette, LA God is with usBy Tammy Townsend Denny, TI Executive Director Many years ago, during a particularly difficult time in my life, a friend shared with me something that her Spanish grandmother used to tell her: God is even in the toilet. Before you take offense, please let me explain: My friend shared her grandmother’s words with me not to disrespect the sacred divinity of the Almighty, but rather to remind me that God is always with me, even in the bathroom. God is there in the most challenging, painful, horrible times and in the most average, every day, mundane moments. Divine Love never abandons us. I was reminded of my friend’s words this week when the professor for one of my Master of Divinity courses opened class by reading the essay “God is on the Bathroom Floor.” In this essay, the author, who goes by the moniker Nightbirde, writes about her cancer diagnosis. She shares: “The bathroom floor became my place to hide, where I could scream and be ugly; where I could sob and spit and eventually doze off, happy to be asleep, even with my head on the toilet… Call me bitter if you want to—that’s fair. Count me among the angry, the cynical, the offended, the hardened. But count me also among the friends of God. For I have seen Him in rare form. I have felt His exhale, laid in His shadow, squinted to read the message He wrote for me in the grout: ‘I’m sad too.’” She goes on to write, “Even on days when I’m not so sick, sometimes I go lay on the mat in the afternoon light to listen for Him. I know it sounds crazy, and I can’t really explain it, but God is in there—even now. I have heard it said that some people can’t see God because they won’t look low enough, and it’s true. If you can’t see him, look lower. God is on the bathroom floor.” I encourage you to take the time to read this powerful essay of lament (click here to read “God is on the Bathroom Floor”) and this stirring reminder that God is with us. P.S. And here’s a song reminder that God is indeed with us. Sunday Scripture: Reflection for April 21, 2024Scripture Reflection: April 21, 2024 - Fourth Sunday of Easter John 10:11-18 “I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me.” In Jesus’ time, sheep were kept together overnight in a communal paddock so one shepherd could keep all of them safe. Then, in the morning, all the shepherds would come to the gate and call their sheep to follow them. So, while shepherds had to recognize their sheep, it was also important that the sheep know the voice of their master. Today’s Gospel reading reminded me of a time when my husband and I had been married about 10 years. We were helping lead a retreat for engaged couples when the most amazing thing happened. We heard the voice of God. Let me explain. For quite a while, we’d been struggling with how to see our way through a difficult situation. Repeatedly, we’d pray for direction, but it seemed like all God was giving us was a whole lot of nothing. So, there we were at the retreat center sitting on our favorite wooden bench. We’d each spent some time praying separately and had returned to sit side-by-side. And that’s when it happened. One of us asked, “What if we give up trying to control the outcome and trust that God will provide for whatever we need?” That’s all it took. We’d been trying to control every possibility to ensure we’d get our way and that “nothing” we thought we were getting was actually a whispered, “No,” from the Good Shepherd. There, on our favorite bench, we understood that the answer to our prayer might not be what we’d pictured and it would still be okay—maybe even an outrageous blessing—because we knew the voice of the Good Shepherd when we heard it. And we listened. Heidi Clark Wildflowers Community League City, Texas Sunday Scripture - Reflection for April 14, 2024Scripture Reflection: April 14, 2024 – the 3rd Sunday of Easter Acts 3:13-15, 17-19 1 Jn 2:1-5a Lk 24:35-48 Generally, two of the Sunday readings share a similar theme. In today’s reading all three mention the word repent. And why not? Jesus just died for of our sins and we are called to repentance. The Catholic Church offers us the opportunity to receive the grace of God’s mercy in the sacrament of Reconciliation. However, a recent survey by RealClear Opinion Research showed that 37% of Catholics went to confession less than once per year, and 35% said they never do. Some believers, of all religions, will say that Jesus died to forgive our sins so we don’t need to confess our sins to a Priest. But why wouldn’t you want to? If you knew that you could talk to someone who is there “In Persona Christi” in the person of Christ, and he would never tell anyone else, not judge you, not laud it over you, forgive you unconditionally, and continue to love you as much as he always has, who wouldn’t want to take advantage of that special relationship? “Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away.” Acts 3:19 Martha Durio Ebbtide Community Sugar Land, TX Be AmazedBy Tammy Townsend Denny, TI Executive Director My husband and I traveled to rural Indiana on Monday to watch the solar eclipse. In a small city park in a tiny middle-of-nowhere town, we joined with others who had journeyed from Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the house down the street to gaze at the sun and the moon’s performance. At the moment of totality, when the moon completely covered the sun, we removed our protective eclipse glasses and gazed at the fiery black disk above us (totality is the only time it is safe to look at the eclipse without eye protection). My husband was deeply moved by seeing the power and beauty of the sun’s corona. For me, the moment was punctuated by the change in light and temperature. The horizon emitted a sunset-like glow in all directions. Streetlights turned on. Stars appeared in the sky. The air temperature dropped dramatically. The light, as we are accustomed to experiencing it, morphed into a strangeness I don’t quite have words to describe. The compass by which we orient our lives was gone for three minutes. As spectacular as a total solar eclipse is, what has stuck with me are all the images I have seen on social media of people looking skyward from rooftops, parking lots, backyards, and fields. For just a moment, people stepped outside and looked up in awe and wonder. We paused. We looked up. And we were amazed. I keep wondering if maybe the eclipse was an invitation from God, a reminder to pause, look up, and be amazed. Sunday Scripture - Reflection for April 7, 2024Scripture Reflection: April 7, 2024 – Divine Mercy Sunday Jn 20:19-31 Happy Divine Mercy Sunday!!!! Today is one of my favorite days of the year. It marks the end of the Divine Mercy Novena. This novena gave me peace last year as I watched the passing of three people whom I loved. Watching someone pass can be traumatic. As Thomas was human, he could not fathom Jesus being able to overcome his crucifixion. How many of us can be unbelievers like Thomas? We have to see for ourselves before we believe. But just like the wind, we cannot see it but we can feel it. I have been intrigued with Divine Mercy ever since my mom introduced it to me. I was with my mom and sisters when I told all of them together about my diagnosis. My mom stopped and said let’s pray. She said the Divine Mercy prayer. I can remember her saying “in difficult moments we might not despair – nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will which is love and mercy itself”. This left me speechless. Our crosses in life can bring us to our knees. It brings us closer to Christ who sacrificed it all for us. And we should “Give thanks to the Lord for his is good, his love is everlasting. I was hard pressed and was falling, but the Lord helped me. My strength and my courage is the Lord, and he has been my savior.” – Psalm 118 If I listen closely, I will use your words If I listen closely, I will use your thoughts If I listen closely, I will use your actions Lord, give me the words, thoughts and actions that I may help others see You, hear You, and love You with all of our hearts. Jane Dupuis Labbie Roses of Grace, Community in formation Breaux Bridge, LA A Reflection on the Dimension of Community by Millie Foster, Still Waters Community, Fort Bend, Texas Joy comes to mind when exploring Community. We have our individual communities, we come together as district communities and international communities. Community is our foundation. Community can fulfill the “Five Love Languages” developed by Gary Chapman on how we give and receive love.
Welcome to the Spring 2024 issue of Dimension ConnectionsWelcome to the Spring 2024 issue of Dimension Connections. For this issue, we are focusing on the Five Dimensions – Education, Vocation, Ministry, Community and Spirituality. But first, did you ever wonder just how this newsletter comes to be? The process begins at the Annual Meeting of the USA National Leadership Team. Members of the NLT gather in person once a year to share fellowship, assess where we are as Theresians, and set goals for the coming year. Each member of the team serves on one of two committees. Together, the committees address the Five Dimensions in ways that benefit all Theresian Communities throughout the United States. Those of us who serve on the Spirituality and Education Committee of the NLT are tasked with producing Dimension Connections twice a year. We select a theme for each issue and then decide how best to present that theme. For this issue, we have chosen to focus on the Five Dimensions. We invited several of our sisters to write a reflection on a specific dimension. We strive to have as many of our sisters contribute content as we can. If you have never been asked to contribute to a specific issue of Dimension Connections, please consider this your personal invitation! Your participation enriches our newsletter in so many ways. Please contact anyone in the Executive Office and they will be happy to put you in touch with me or any member of our committee (Carol Landry, Toni Hare, and Millie Foster). We welcome your ideas for future issues and would love to include your personal contribution whether it be a book review, a poem, or even a reflection on the Theresian lifestyle that we try to live every day. So now you know how this little gem of a newsletter comes to you. Thank you for reading and let us know what you think! Blessings, Melanie Hartshorn, Chair NLT Spirituality and Education Committee, 2023-2024 Spiritual Springs Community Fort Bend, Texas Theresian Spiritualityby Courtney Ramsay, Agape Garden Community, Lafayette, Louisiana What is spirituality? Each person probably has her own idea on its definition! Is it simply a feeling of being in the presence of the spiritual world or with God? Perhaps. Yet, to me, spirituality is a warmth my soul experiences when I am showered in some way by God’s gift of grace. Fortunately, I find this in many environments but especially in the safe place of a gathering of my Theresian sisters! A neighbor introduced me to Theresians over 30 years ago. What a blessing it has indeed been to have met such spiritual women in my own community. These connections in spirit remain intact even when years have separated us from being together physically. The spirituality we once shared became an integral part of my heart and soul’s memory! Not to speak of the tremendous loss I grieved of a Theresian sister years ago to breast cancer. My connection to her and her family will always be with me. I still pray for her so often. Today, I prayed to her to be with me as I underwent tests on a suspicious area on my left breast. The test will continue as I now will have a needle biopsy of this area done next week. Am I concerned? Absolutely, but not nearly as much as I would be without this spiritual connection. Also knowing that my current Theresian sisters will envelop me with their powerful prayers when I request them brings me a relentless comfort and a deluge of God’s gift of grace. To be a Theresian is to share one’s spirituality with so many! We always begin our meetings with a prayer and end with a spiritual song before our “breaking bread” together. Our souls that have just opened to others during the meeting delight in fun and lighter conversations. It is an enriching environment of love and peace. It is a “high” on the gift of “Theresian Spirituality! |
Archives
April 2024
Categories
All
|
Theresians International
PO Box 487 | Elburn, IL 60119 |
QUICK LINKS
|