PALM SUNDAY ON CARMELITE TIME

Timing is everything: Around 8:35PM on Saturday, April 12 in Scarborough Ontario, I unexpectedly found myself at a Carmelite Palm Sunday mass-- LIVE from Lismore, Australia. Seems I made it to Palm Sunday mass one day ahead of time-- or behind? I'm still not sure?

Then next morning, I watch the recorded Palm Sunday mass from St. Basil's in Ottawa: At the blessing of the palms, the priest looks directly into the zoom camera. Poetically speaking, our eyes meet and he splashes holy water right at my screen. I bow my head and cross myself saying-- Father, Son, Holy Spirit.

Now I fast forward back to a recent (for me) Carmelite Horizon's talk on the struggles of St. Teresa of Avila to pray. Are you with me still? Good. So the talk is about St. Teresa being weak and wounded. I too am weak and wounded when it comes to political temptation; I struggle to pray when politics is happening all around me. I can binge on opinions, political shows, and polls until I'm overwhelmed (very Teresian).

Moving on. I'm remembering something sister said in our conversation last week: "Sometimes we think it's us who decides what we'll give up for Lent, and then God shows us something completely different He wants us to give up."

Lord, are you asking me to give up following politics during what might be the most consequential and important election of our time?  Are you asking me to have no opinion on politics, no more information before e-day?

Breathe.

Or are you maybe wanting to protect my heart?

Are you setting it to Carmelite time for Holy Week?

Here is a link for the talk I mentioned above: The Sacred Humanity of Jesus and the Spirituality of St. Teresa of Avila, 2015, Fr. Greg Homeming O.C.D.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYoLZMEgAhE

Cb
Amen


Popular posts from this blog

STOPPED IN MY TRACKS

Image
SANTA SUBITO. Deep breath. Yesterday I learned in the best and gentlest way possible that my friend Gabbie passed away on January 12, 2025. It was Gabbie who encouraged me to start blogging during Covid-19 lockdowns in Toronto. I want to say more about my friend Gabbie and our connection through the Sisters of Life, but not right now. My heart is too full of love and joy and grief, and honestly just awe. I'm stopped in my tracks for now... I heard a song today during  Canada Day  celebrations that made me think of Gabbie. It's  I Believe in You , by Amanda Marshall:  Bing Videos . Gabbie believed in me and she loved Jesus so much-- both of which I benefitted from so much. Thanks Gabs💕 I don't know whether Gabbie will be put forward as a potential Catholic saint, I hope so. Gabbie and I actually never met in person but we shared the same taste in boots and hats. Our friendship began through an extraordinary snail mail adventure in the middle of covid lockdowns, it de...
Read more

MAKINGS OF A GOOD PRODIGAL DAUGHTER STORY

As I continue to sit with the question of whether or not to wrap up my blog at the end of the summer, I sit also with the story of the Prodigal Son . And like in the Prodigal Son , my blog  Stranded on the Mainland has it's roots in the loss of and longing for, home. Below are some mid-August thoughts on this: WHAT IF the daughter didn't want to leave home like the prodigal son did, what if she was sent to the city? What if she doesn't squander her "inheritance" at all, but is (unbeknownst to most, including herself) is amassing a treasure, a fortune, and spiritual inheritance, "one that protects her from nothing and sustains her in everything."--Jim Finley. WHAT IF it's the daughter who through therapy and grace brings back a new robe for her traumatized self to put on, a ring for her finger, and sandals for her feet? WHAT IF it's the daughter who's preparing the roast beef dinner? And the daughter rushing down the road to meet her true sel...
Read more

OPPOSING VALUES AND ADVENT HOPE

Image
Today I'm realizing something I never considered before: "How I as a straight, white, Christian woman-- being treated with fairness can feel like oppression." Wow. And flipping this over-- how oppression and mistreatment can feel like fairness and love. Wow. With that said, the prophetic talk below is not one I would typically think of as an Advent talk, but it is-- especially in 2025 in this world full of people who oppose each other's values. American democracy is bleeding out; now Canadian environmental guardrails are sadly beginning to fail. For those of us with e yes to see and ears to hear , this is a time of clashing and crashing values-- if our values were being traded on the stock market it would be 1920. We don't know where all this worldly chaos is heading, it's true. But we have the Prophet's Candle (old and new). And we have Hope. And we have this prophetic Advent challenge in a podcast episode from The Center for Action and Contemplation, Le...
Read more