Intercession: Close to the Heart of God
So when we talk of Jesus “making intercession” for us to the Father, as the Letter to the Hebrews puts it, we should not imagine Jesus talking to God about us. Rather, it is Jesus being intimately close to his Father and carrying us whom he loves on his heart and into the heart of God.
POVERTY IN TIME
I had thought that poverty would mean learning to live without my daily latte. Instead, I have discovered that it means learning to live without the illusion that I can complete everything I set out to complete. But the invitation here is not simply to make peace with the unfinished to-do list, important though that is.
THE VOW OF CELIBACY: VULNERABILITY AND HEALING
"I like to tell myself that celibacy is a one-day-at-a-time affair with God. Different days bring on different joys and challenges."
BATTER MY HEART
Our vow of celibacy isn't about denying anything, least of all who we are. Rather it's meant to help us discover whose we are, and to whom we belong, not just in our hearts, but with our bodies as well.
ATTEND AND COOPERATE: MONASTIC OBEDIENCE
The vow of obedience is the community and its members listening to God, each other, and themselves to make decisions. It is relational, communal, and collaborative. Obedience comes from the word listen.
RESPONDING TO GOD IN A LIFE OF JOY
Our commitment to God's call and our desire to respond to that gift are themselves signs of God's commitment to us as beloved children.
LIFE AS A RECURRING INVITATION
"For many decades my personal mantra has been, 'Curtis, this is your life, these are the terms, what is the invitation?'"
MULLING MATTER OVER
"It is this image of going deeper, into unknown places, that resonates with me as I ponder the mystery of aging, and the gifts to be found, not at the bottom of a flight of disused stairs, but buried in a lifetime of experiences."
FALLING IN LOVE CHANGES EVERYTHING
I will always remember Peter. He was a member of my parish when I was a parish priest. He was about thirty years old, and a really nice person. But he was restless. He never stayed in one job for very long and had a succession of short-term girlfriends. I would often joke with him about this, but I'd also challenge him sometimes and ask why he wouldn't commit himself to something or someone in life. And he would always use a phrase which I can still hear. He would say, 'Oh, I'm keeping my options open.'
KNOW LIMITS
We all face and experience limitations in different ways. They can be temporary walls to be overcome or ultimate boundaries, narrowing and constraining the possible. They can be imposed upon us unwillingly or chosen by us as part of our discipline or vocation. In each case, though, our limitations challenge us to discover and to explore the world that they define. Although they may cloud our vision of the boundless horizon, our limitations open new opportunities for setting our sights before us.
CONFLICT: JESUS IN OUR MIDST
Life in a community can be challenging, but it is also incredibly rewarding. Living at SSJE with my brothers has been one of the most profound experiences of my life. In particular, life in community has taught me the value of conflict and how it is an unavoidable yet potentially meaningful and transformative aspect of life.