Who's your favorite saint? We're celebrating All Saint's Day with our bookseller…

Who##039;s your favorite saint? We##039;re celebrating All Saint##039;s Day with our booksellers! Cindy Washburn of Oxford Hall Celtic Shop says that her favorite saint is St. Vincent de Paul .. who is her father##039;s patron saint. She wears his medal in honor of her father.
http://www.oxfordhall.com/


Traditional Irish Gifts – British Gifts – Oxford Hall
www.oxfordhall.com
Oxford Hall specializes in authentic Irish gifts and British gifts. Whether you are looking for jewelry, religious items, teas, art or more, we have the perfect Irish or British gift for you.

Who's your favorite saint? We're celebrating All Saint's Day with our Bookseller…

Who##039;s your favorite saint?
We##039;re celebrating All Saint##039;s Day with our Booksellers!
My favorite saint is St. Joseph. Besides the fact it’s my name, when I was out of work over 5 years I would pray to St. Joseph the worker, and I believe that’s what brought me to where I am today. Our Lady of Victory is by far the best place I have ever worked. I tell everyone that this the best place to be, how lucky can you be to work at a beautiful Basilica like this everyday. Also we know some day Father Baker will become a Saint, something here we all ready know should be true.

Joseph D. Zomeri, Director
Our Lady of Victory Gift Shop
Lackawanna, N.Y.
www.ourladyofvictory.org


Our Lady of Victory National Shrine #amp; Basilica
www.ourladyofvictory.org
The biggest agency fundraiser, the Friends of Father Baker Reception annually draws together for than 500 staff and friends for a great night.

October 31 Echoes of Eternity From the rising of the sun unto the going down of…

October 31 Echoes of Eternity
From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord’s name is to be praised.
Psalm 113:3
From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, My name is praised by My people. But My name is blasphemed every day and every hour by those who do not know nor fear Me. Pray,
My child, for those you love who are in the bonds of darkness. You are a vital link in their journey into light. Their fate is not sealed, but open to the possibility of repentance and change. I will not force them against their will, but prayer is a powerful force to bring against the gates of hell. It is the secret weapon that the enemy cannot ultimately destroy nor defeat. Keep hope in prayer, and believe, My child, that My love for them is greater than yours. My compassion knows no limit—no matter how disgusting or impossible their condition may appear to you. So keep praying!

Not Just a Routine Christian http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4088114

Not Just a Routine Christian http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4088114


Not Just a Routine Christian
www.communityofjesus.org
By Sr. Nun Other Recent events revealed two important things to me: I rely heavily on routine, and I##039;m people dependent. I spent the early days of a recent Tuscany tour (pilgrimage, actually) re-defining my faith. I##039;m strong in my home environment, but when surrounded by the unfamiliar, not so much. While grateful for progress on my Christian walk, I realize I have miles of journey ahead to become fully grounded in Christ.

Not Just a Routine Christian

By Sr. Nun Other

Recent events revealed two important things to me: I rely heavily on routine, and I’m people dependent. I spent the early days of a recent Tuscany tour (pilgrimage, actually) re-defining my faith. I’m strong in my home environment, but when surrounded by the unfamiliar, not so much. While grateful for progress on my Christian walk, I realize I have miles of journey ahead to become fully grounded in Christ. As autumn transitions to winter, I trust and rely on His love, that spring waits on the other side.

The Community of Jesus

Who's your favorite saint? We're celebrating All Saint's Day with our Bookseller…

Who##039;s your favorite saint?
We##039;re celebrating All Saint##039;s Day with our Booksellers!
This is from Richard Nootbaar from The Sycamore Tree Bookstore:
#quot;Happy All Saints Week to all of you who minister at Paraclete Press. It is so difficult to choose just one saint, but one of my favorites from the 20th century is Maximilian Kolbe. Offering to give his own life to save that of a husband and father at the hands of his Nazi captors modeled for us Christ##039;s words that no greater love is there than to lay down one##039;s life for a friend. He also was a great scholar, was devoted to Mary, and was always cheerfully obedient to the tasks assigned to him by The Church. Maximilian Kolbe, pray for us!#quot;
Peace and Grace,
Richard Nootbaar
The Sycamore Tree Bookstore, Charlottesville, Virginia
Please comment your favorite saint.

October 30 Echoes of Eternity Cast thy burden upon the Lord. Take My yoke upon y…

October 30 Echoes of Eternity
Cast thy burden upon the Lord. Take My yoke upon you . . . for My yoke is easy and My burden is light.
Psalm 55:22 and Matthew 11:29,30
Cast your burden upon Me, and take My burden upon you. Your burden is too heavy for you, My child. It is laden with sins past, old guilt, many fears, and unwholesome ambitions. There must
be a daily “casting” of this burden upon Me, or it will grow heavier and heavier, weighing you down and hindering your journey. Ask My Spirit’s searchlight to show you where you need to face any sin, repent, and be freed.
Take My burden in place of yours. My burden of care, of love for others who may never return yours in kind, of faithfulness in prayer and the burden of faith, of believing where you cannot see. Accept this burden, My child, and travel light!

Whirlwind of Patience http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4088054

Whirlwind of Patience http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4088054


Whirlwind of Patience
www.communityofjesus.org
By Melodious Monk It’s hard to be patient. I’ve been told that this gets better as you get older, but I’m not there, yet. There are a few specific things in my life I know God has initiated. Things I know he’s given me hope and vision for, but either they just haven’t happened yet, or they are happening in a way I can’t see or understand. [ 216 more words. ]

Whirlwind of Patience

By Melodious Monk

It’s hard to be patient. I’ve been told that this gets better as you get older, but I’m not there, yet. There are a few specific things in my life I know God has initiated. Things I know he’s given me hope and vision for, but either they just haven’t happened yet, or they are happening in a way I can’t see or understand.  In his steady way of writing, I find that these words of Oswald Chambers help re-assure my wavering faith.

God gives us a vision, and then He takes us down to the valley to batter us into the shape of that vision. It is in the valley that so many of us give up and faint. Every God-given vision will become real if we will only have patience. Ever since God gave us the vision, He has been at work. He is getting us into the shape of the goal He has for us, and yet over and over again we try to escape from the Sculptor’s hand in an effort to batter ourselves into the shape of our own goal . . . 

Allow the Potter to put you on His wheel and whirl you around as He desires. Then as surely as God is God, and you are you, you will turn out as an exact likeness of the vision. But don’t lose heart in the process. If you have ever had a vision from God, you may try as you will to be satisfied on a lower level, but God will never allow it.

Perhaps I just need to be more patient and let God do what he does best — transform us.

The Community of Jesus

 

All Saints Convent: In an indifferent world, Detached from the sands of time, Yo…

All Saints Convent:
In an indifferent world,
Detached from the sands of time,
Your house stands on a rock
And gathers the faceless ones
Around a table
Where the undeserving
Are honored guests.

We come from darkness,
Bring our hungers and thirsts.
We join you, kneel at dawn
Under a single, amber light,
no more strangers,
But sisters in the Silence
Who speaks us all.
— A Poem by Bonnie Thurston from her new book, Practicing Silence


Timeline Photos
For your consideration for GRAMMY nomination in . . .
Award category #78 Classical Instrumental Solo – album
Award category #71 Best Surround Sound – album

Don##039;t miss this great debut solo album by organist Dr. SharonRose Pfeiffer on the one-of-a-kind E.M.Skinner organ, Church of the Transfiguration, Orleans, MA.

Who's your favorite saint? We're celebrating All Saint's Day with our Bookseller…

Who##039;s your favorite saint?
We##039;re celebrating All Saint##039;s Day with our Booksellers!
This is from Madeline Pecora, Nugent, CFP:
#quot;My favorite saint is Saint Anthony because reading his sermons notes and writing a book about him changed my life forever. Plus how can you not like a saint who finds your lost things?#quot;
Visit their Gift Shop: Confraternity of Penitents Holy Angels Gift Shop On Line Gift Shop. cfpholyangels.com
Please comment your favorite Saint.

Please join Gloriae Dei Cantores Friday and Saturday this weekend for a stirring…

Please join Gloriae Dei Cantores Friday and Saturday this weekend for a stirring concert of music by Gerald Finzi, in celebration of All Saint##039;s Day. (Church of the Transfiguration, Orleans, MA) http://orleanscapecod.org/guest-soloist-limmie-pulliam-joins-gloriae-dei-cantores-for-concerts-oct-31-nov-1-featuring-gerald-finzis-intimations-of-immortality-and-other-sacred-works/

October 29 Echoes of Eternity And many false prophets shall rise, and shall dece…

October 29 Echoes of Eternity
And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
Matthew 24:11
I am truth and I am life. The words that I speak to you come with the nature of Truth. Never fear truth, My child, for it is lifegiving and healing, even when it is most painful. Deception and
delusions are ever ready to bend or twist the truth so as to destroy its effectiveness. Remember this: deception is death-dealing; truth is life-bringing.The song and the joy in your heart must always be grounded in the truth. Otherwise they are exercises in delusion and bring no life. I hear your prayers, My child, and I again assure you that your prayers will be and are being answered. Great things have yet to unfold in My purpose. It is My grace to allow you to witness them and share in the faith-fulfillment they are intended to bring.
Open your heart, then, to My truth and My life.

Life and Leaf http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4088051

Life and Leaf http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4088051


Life and Leaf
www.communityofjesus.org
By Renaissance Girl It seems like the cold weather creeps up when I##039;m not paying attention. Yesterday I sat outside to eat my lunch, and this morning I pulled my scarf closer around my neck. I love this season as we turn towards winter. There is a unique beauty in what happens when the sun sets earlier and the leaves change color. [ 113 more words. ]

Life and Leaf

By Renaissance Girl

It seems like the cold weather creeps up when I’m not paying attention. Yesterday I sat outside to eat my lunch, and this morning I pulled my scarf closer around my neck. I love this season as we turn towards winter. There is a unique beauty in what happens when the sun sets earlier and the leaves change color.

This morning I took my dog for his morning walk. He is a particular fan of leaves and carries one in his mouth for the duration of the walk. I think it makes him feel useful. Or perhaps, he just likes to hang on to something beautiful. We passed under a tree just as a red leaf, its corners slightly turned up, released itself from its branch. It floated down, turning gently like a lazy Susan. I like to think maybe God releases each one at its own moment with a puff of air just strong enough to free it from the tree it grew on. Such an interesting image for life.

The Community of Jesus

 

October 28 Echoes of Eternity Great peace have they which love Thy law; and noth…

October 28 Echoes of Eternity
Great peace have they which love Thy law; and nothing shall offend them.
Psalm 119:165
With My peace I bless those who seek it. It is found in unexpected places and times, for it is not a peace as the world knows it. My peace is found in surrender. To the extent that you agree with
My will, you realize that peace. It may be in the midst of uncertainty, even of pain, but when your will is united with Mine, peace follows. It cannot be otherwise.
Stress grows from your vain attempt to control your future. It comes from believing that you know the way you should go. O foolish one! I am the Way and I know the way. To surrender is to give in to My way over yours. Since My way is life and peace, does it not make sense to choose it? Great peace have they who love My way.

Fantastic article about award-winning journalist, Greg O'Brien's battle with Alz…

Fantastic article about award-winning journalist, Greg O##039;Brien##039;s battle with Alzheimer##039;s.


Embedded Inside The Mind of Alzheimer##039;s – NBC News
www.nbcnews.com
Dan Cutrona PhotographyGreg O##039;Brien at Rock Harbor in Orleans, MA.In 2009, award-winning journalist Greg O’Brien was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s; …

October 27 Echoes of Eternity The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man a…

October 27 Echoes of Eternity
The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
James 5:16
Think not that I have forgotten those for whom you pray. Think rather of the many signs that your way is known to Me. Embrace those you love, near and far, with the arms of love, prayer arms. Let My love flow through your prayers to bless. Truly I say to you, My love seeks an entrance into lives that are closed to My voice. My love seeks without violating the freedom I have bestowed. My love waits, and in the meantime, I call you to believe, to expect, to love, and to pray. That is a dignity and privilege I have bestowed on you. Do not despise it, My child.

Gregorian Chant: The Eternal Song http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4088048

Gregorian Chant: The Eternal Song http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4088048


Gregorian Chant: The Eternal Song
www.communityofjesus.org
By Cantor Last week, I had the privilege of co-teaching a chant seminar in Barga, Italy. Though thrilled to be involved, I felt some concern that the entire seminar would have to be taught almost entirely through a translator because I do not speak Italian! However, almost instantly upon my arrival, those concerns dissipated. Our translator had taken it upon herself to study Gregorian chant! [ 160 more words. ]

Gregorian Chant: The Eternal Song

By Cantor

Last week, I had the privilege of co-teaching a chant seminar in Barga, Italy. Though thrilled to be involved, I felt some concern that the entire seminar would have to be taught almost entirely through a translator because I do not speak Italian! However, almost instantly upon my arrival, those concerns dissipated.

Our translator had taken it upon herself to study Gregorian chant! She had obtained a marvelous volume of music history that gave many details surrounding chant providing her additional vocabulary for the seminars. She loved it! Our preparatory meetings went quite smoothly largely because she had quietly taken this generous approach.

Likewise, there was an extensive range of abilities and knowledge among the participants who attended the seminars and the mass which we chanted on Sunday morning. Most of them spoke very little English.  However, once again, there was such a level of enthusiasm and willingness to try everything that we offered, communication happened in ways that transcended spoken language.

Everyone’s attitude and willingness had a powerful effect on the success of the seminars. It was an extraordinary opportunity to experience this mutual love for chant in an international circumstance where the main language used was “a willing spirit.”

The Community of Jesus

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Image Credit:File:Pergamentmakulatur.martens.hispan.reise.jpg – Wikimedia Commonscommons.wikimedia.org1230 × 1754

 

October 26 Echoes of Eternity Why are ye so fearful? how is it that you have no…

October 26 Echoes of Eternity
Why are ye so fearful? how is it that you have no faith?
Mark 4:40
This is My word for you today: Hear and fear not. Draw near and fear not. Be of good cheer and fear not. The winds and waves still obey My will—and that includes all the storms that arise in your
life. If you will listen more carefully and obey more readily, you will not be terrified by the billows and waves of life. Keep faith with this secret place. Again I say, Keep faith!

Gives Thanks: I thank you that the day is quiet, the sun is bright, that awarene…

Gives Thanks:
I thank you
that the day is quiet,
the sun is bright,
that awareness of you
dances in consciousness
like autumn leaves
against the blue sky.
It is a happiness
to need only this much
of your infinite variety,
to love your dying world,
to know love undying.
— A Poem By Bonnie Thurston from Practicing Silence

October 25 Echoes of Eternity And again I say, Rejoice! Philippians 4:4 Enter in…

October 25 Echoes of Eternity
And again I say, Rejoice!
Philippians 4:4
Enter into the joy of your Lord. Not just at the end of the journey, My child, but even now, amid the shadows and rough places of the road, there is joy for you if you will abandon the burden of sadness. I call for a joy-filled band—a people who know My heart. Yes, the world still lies in the corruption of rebellion, and millions of souls are in pain. Those who seek and find and follow the Narrow Way are still few. But they can be a joyful company—singing the songs of ultimate victory and daily help for every need. Enter into My joy, My beloved.

"Churches following the liturgical calendar all over the world are reading Matth…

#quot;Churches following the liturgical calendar all over the world are reading Matthew 22:34-40 on Sunday: the ##039;two commandments##039; upon which ##039;hang all the law and the prophets.##039; Scot McKnight calls this essential teaching of Christ, the Jesus Creed!#quot;
http://www.paracletepress.com/the-jesus-creed.html

Heavenly Questions http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4088010

Heavenly Questions http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4088010


Heavenly Questions
www.communityofjesus.org
By Melodious Monk When I finished high school, I was given a new Bible. The front cover had a picture of a young man, about my age, with three questions; What##039;s the purpose of life? Does God care about me? And Does anything last? These are eternal questions, the type we ponder whether we are aware of them or not, whether we consider ourselves religious or not. [ 166 more words. ]

Heavenly Questions

By Melodious Monk

When I finished high school, I was given a new Bible. The front cover had a picture of a young man, about my age, with three questions; What’s the purpose of life? Does God care about me? And Does anything last? These are eternal questions, the type we ponder whether we are aware of them or not, whether we consider ourselves religious or not.

I’ve been studying a poem by William Wordsworth for a piece of music that our choir will be performing at an All Saints Day concert. One line reads, “Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting.” Thinking about this line of text, there is a lot of theological belief packed into it. Wordsworth goes on to explain that “heaven lies about us in our infancy,” but as we grow up, “shades of the prison house” (earth) build up around us, and we forget from whence we came and to where we are headed.

I still don’t understand many of the answers to the three questions on the front of my Bible. But Wordsworth helps give me clues. When I choose to believe in Heaven as a place that I came from and am going to, small and large worries no longer seem significant. Life gains a tremendous purpose, hope, and bit of clarity as I remember that there is another vast world still to uncover.

The Community of Jesus

Parish Book of Chant, 2nd Edition — On Sale in Bulk through October 31st! "Super…

Parish Book of Chant, 2nd Edition — On Sale in Bulk through October 31st!
#quot;Superb Liturgical aid! Every Parish and every Catholic should have one. It is complete, the right size, has a good feel and the content is true to the Liturgy.#quot; —A Reviewer on Amazon.com
http://www.paracletepress.com/the-parish-book-of-chant-2nd-edition.html

October 23 Echoes of Eternity Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the water…

October 23 Echoes of Eternity
Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters.
Isaiah 55:1
By streams of living water, I lead you, My child. Thirsty and faint, you will find refreshment here. I am that water which gives new life, renewed vigor and fresh beauty to your soul. The waters of comfort are here. The cleansing of sin is here. Do not fear to see and recognize My uses of material water to convey the blessing of living water. Stoop down, and drink, and live.

Answers or Faith

Answers or Faith http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4087977


Answers or Faith
www.communityofjesus.org
By Renaissance Girl #quot;Faith offers the promise that everything will ultimately be renewed in God. This hardly means that we will, or must, receive an answer from God for every question in our lives.#quot; —Notker Wolf, Faith Can Give Us Wings I find this meditation challenging. Challenging, I suppose, because I want answers to every question in my life. I suppose the embarrassing truth is that I often treat God as a vending machine for my questions. [ 100 more words. ]

Answers or Faith

By Renaissance Girl

“Faith offers the promise that everything will ultimately be renewed in God. This hardly means that we will, or must, receive an answer from God for every question in our lives.” —Notker Wolf, Faith Can Give Us Wings

I find this meditation challenging. Challenging, I suppose, because I want answers to every question in my life. I suppose the embarrassing truth is that I often treat God as a vending machine for my questions. I want to be able to insert a question and push the right buttons and get an answer. But where does that leave faith?

What need would there be for faith, if every question I asked had an immediate answer? It’s a risky and lively way of life that Jesus beckons us towards.

Maybe sometimes it is about asking the questions, and then continuing to move forward. Perhaps the answer comes as a gentle re-direct on the way, and not a sedentary note of explanation as I sit waiting to be sure that the way I am headed is safe.

Hilly Road

October 22 Echoes of Eternity If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gif…

October 22 Echoes of Eternity
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him?
Matthew 7:11
Expect good and not evil at My hand, My child. Would you give your children that which would hurt or harm them? How much more is My love and mercy toward you! Expect good—that is the
faith that moves mountains. That is the faith that unlocks closed doors. That is the faith that overcomes the world. Simple? Yes, My child, for your life turns on such simple truth. You either look to Me with expectant faith, or you look with accusing thoughts. You bring your needs, knowing from all your past experiences that My help does not fail. And in your asking, you choose whom you shall believe: the accuser or the Faithful One. It’s that simple. Expect good and not evil at My hand.

October 21 Echoes o Eternity Forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to keep…

October 21 Echoes o Eternity
Forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Ephesians 4:2,3
My child, today is a gift of My love. Your very life is a gift of My love for you. I want you to live as a child of love. I want you to reflect that love in your relations with others. Since I am the source and Giver of life, there is no shortage of supply. Only if you interpose your self-driven life in these relationships will the flow of My life be impeded. Make the day brighter around you by denying your
darkness and letting My light shine through you. Today is a gift of My love. Live as a child of My love.

Thanks Phyllis for the intro, and thanks Sybil for the first-ever selfie review!…

Thanks Phyllis for the intro, and thanks Sybil for the first-ever selfie review! We love this book!

https://fbcdn-profile-a.akamaihd.net/hprofile-ak-xpf1/v/t1.0-1/p100x100/1979544_605267289567931_1511584191_n.jpg?oh=24d9e4f808109e6b4437f36ebacae148#amp;oe=54ED8CD8#amp;__gda__=1425532146_1526b2dd064e942234cddfdf2b0b1667

Phyllis A. Tickle

I don’t remember the exact place, of course, but I do remember that it was at lunch. [Sybil MacBeth and I “do” lunch fairly regularly, or we would, if only we could manage to be in the same place at the same time more than a half-dozen times a year. Her PRAYING IN COLOR work and my Emergence talks keep us both fairly well occupied…or perhaps better said, pre-occupied.]Anyway, she had just received the final, last-chance-to make-corrections version of her new book, The Season of the Nativity: Confessions and Practices of an Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany Extremist from Paraclete Press, the publisher. I had already seen various iterations of the copy and the artwork when we were to have lunch that day. Sybil’s an Advent freak, to put it kindly, so I had asked her to send me the latest version. She did…and I, who really am not an Advent fan, fell in love with what she had done. I said, “This is great stuff. It is so you and so what Advent should be.”Sipping from one of her numerous glasses of unsweetened Iced tea with lemon, she, uncharacteristically, admitted that she herself liked what was happening, but there was jitteriness in the response. The tea or something else, I wondered? Sybil: #quot;Phyllis, I think this is an odd book. The first third of it looks like the inside of my brain–lots of messy rooms and scrambled thoughts. So I##039;ve beat other reviewers to the punch and have written my own review. The review is sort of an apologetic for the structure of the book, but it also tells readers about my vision. It’s partly serious, partly goofy. It was really cathartic to write it. Now I feel better about the book##039;s oddness.#quot;Phyllis: #quot;I want to see it.#quot; Sybil: #quot;Uh, really?#quot;So Sybil sent me the review and I loved It. “This is too much fun for you to keep it to yourself. I dare to you to post it for the world to see. If you post, I will too,” I said.So these several months later, the book is now available; and Sybil, who cannot for the life of her refuse a dare and I knew it, may have written publishing’s first selfie review, which I am more than charmed to post here. As I said, I love this book, and I think you will, too. Go ahead. Read it. I dare you.Here##039;s Sybil##039;s selfie review: http://prayingincolor.com/selfie-review-of-the-season-of-the-nativity


Timeline Photos
Happy Birthday Franz Liszt! (10.22.1811 – 7.31.1886)

#quot;My work . . . has sprung from the truly fervent faith of my heart . . . I can truly say that my Mass has been more prayed than composed.#quot;

Paraclete Recordings featured Liszt##039;s sacred choral works — a result of his deeply spiritual faith — in Gloriae Dei Cantores##039; album Faith of My Heart.

http://www.paracletepress.com/faith-of-my-heart-sacred-choral-music-of-franz-liszt.html

October 20 Echoes of Eternity He maketh peace within thy borders, and fillest th…

October 20 Echoes of Eternity
He maketh peace within thy borders, and fillest thee with the finest of the wheat.
Psalm 147:14
Let this mind be in you—a mind like that of My Son—to seek My face and My favor above all earthly treasures. My goodness has never failed, the stream of mercy has never run dry. You have been fed with “the finest wheat” and you have been spared many sorrows. Forget not, My child, the signs I have given you of My loving care.
In this period of your life, I call you to greater faithfulness in turning from temporary fulfillments to a longer view of My will. No longer do you have to guess or wonder about what your future will be. A
walk on the path I have laid out for you is your future. It does not ask for, nor require, heroics. Just a simple, day-by-day walk with Me.

Gregorian Chant: The Eternal Song http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4087971

Gregorian Chant: The Eternal Song http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4087971


Gregorian Chant: The Eternal Song
www.communityofjesus.org
By Cantor Chant When Needed! I just had the privilege of being part of a chant schola that participated in a liturgy for mission outreach. There were many choirs singing in the service but only one chant schola – ours! The clergy asked us to choose a piece we thought appropriate for the occasion and almost instantly, one of our schola members suggested the Communion chant: [ 133 more words. ]

Gregorian Chant: The Eternal Song

By Cantor

Chant When Needed!

I just had the privilege of being part of a chant schola that participated in a liturgy for mission outreach. There were many choirs singing in the service but only one chant schola – ours! The clergy asked us to choose a piece we thought appropriate for the occasion and almost instantly, one of our schola members suggested the Communion chant:

“Andrew said to Simon, his brother: I have found the Messiah who is said to be the Christ: and His name is Jesus.”  John I: 41-42  (Communion for Week II, Ordinary Time, Year B – found on page 263 of the Graduale Triplex).

The room fell silent as we chanted this beautiful text.The chant echoes Andrew’s outcry to his brother and also highlights the name of “Jesus” with the most extraordinary melodic shape and motive.  This was a great example of chant composed for one purpose able to serve for a completely different one. We should never pass up the opportunity to chant when and where we are needed!

2008bv9818_da_siena-camaldolese_choirbook_page

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Image Credit: Chants from a choirbook from Florence – Victoria and Albert Museumwww.vam.ac.uk

October 19 Echoes of Eternity For all the Athenians which were there spent their…

October 19 Echoes of Eternity
For all the Athenians which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing.
Acts 17:21
Truth is a spring of living water. It does not grow stale nor hackneyed, even though the verbal expressions may seem time-worn. Truth carries life-giving properties for the soul, and without these properties the soul languishes and shrivels. Cherish and hunger for truth, My child, for it shall make you free. Whether it be pleasant or bitter, its effect is health-bringing.
Many souls run shipwreck in their pursuit of new thoughts and ideas. They lose their devotion to the truth they have once known. They are fascinated and dazzled by the entertaining effects of newness and surprise. Be careful in your seeking to hold on to the truth that I have entrusted to you. Beware boredom, for it is a sign that you are seeking a false goal—something that will crowd out the good entrusted to you. Don’t worry about being original. Let Me take care of that!

October 18 Echoes of Eternity Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the…

October 18 Echoes of Eternity
Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
Isaiah 12:3
Thirst for the living water. Seek the living water. My life-giving water renews and restores. Do not be content, My child, with the polluted waters of this present age. Turn your mind to My word of
truth, My Shepherd’s voice, and I will give you an abundance you have never dreamed possible. Turn, turn from the distractions and toys that occupy your time and thoughts, that My word and My will may prevail. Seek the living water and be renewed.

Flash Friday— $5 Today! I Loved Jesus in the Night: Teresa of Calcutta A Secret…

Flash Friday— $5 Today!
I Loved Jesus in the Night: Teresa of Calcutta A Secret Revealed
#quot;To be in love #amp; yet not to love, to live by faith and yet not believe. To spend myself and yet to be in total darkness.
— Mother Teresa of Calcutta
http://www.paracletepress.com/i-loved-jesus-in-the-night-teresa-of-calcutta-a-secret-revealed.html

Flash Friday— $5 Today! I Loved Jesus in the Night: Teresa of Calcutta A Secret…

Flash Friday— $5 Today!
I Loved Jesus in the Night: Teresa of Calcutta A Secret Revealed
#quot;To be in love #amp; yet not to love, to live by faith and yet not believe. To spend myself and yet to be in total darkness.
— Mother Teresa of Calcutta
http://www.paracletepress.com/i-loved-jesus-in-the-night-teresa-of-calcutta-a-secret-revealed.html

October 17 Echoes of Eternity Whosoever cometh to me and heareth my sayings, and…

October 17 Echoes of Eternity
Whosoever cometh to me and heareth my sayings, and doeth them . . . is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock.
Luke 6:47,48
My dear child, the Rock on which you build your hope must be Me alone. All other foundations and underpinnings will crumble and give way. You have not been aware of how false and weak some of your “underpinnings” are. I have assured you that I will not leave nor forsake you—yet you have so relied on these other foundations that panic replaced peace, and fear replaced faith. Do not waste these experiences. Do not repress the memory of them as you go on. It is My love and mercy that led you into and out of the circumstances, and My love and mercy will open new opportunities for you to reject the false foundations and choose this one firm Foundation—the
Rock of Ages. Repent and believe the Good News.

October 17 Echoes of Eternity Whosoever cometh to me and heareth my sayings, and…

October 17 Echoes of Eternity
Whosoever cometh to me and heareth my sayings, and doeth them . . . is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock.
Luke 6:47,48
My dear child, the Rock on which you build your hope must be Me alone. All other foundations and underpinnings will crumble and give way. You have not been aware of how false and weak some of your “underpinnings” are. I have assured you that I will not leave nor forsake you—yet you have so relied on these other foundations that panic replaced peace, and fear replaced faith. Do not waste these experiences. Do not repress the memory of them as you go on. It is My love and mercy that led you into and out of the circumstances, and My love and mercy will open new opportunities for you to reject the false foundations and choose this one firm Foundation—the
Rock of Ages. Repent and believe the Good News.

October 16 Echoes of Eternity Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night;…

October 16 Echoes of Eternity
Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day.
Psalm 91:5
The night seasons, My child, are the seasons of battle. “Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night, nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.” Others before you have endured the assaults of the enemy which came in the darkness. But in Me, darkness and light
are both alike—for I am the inner Light which dispels the power of the outer darkness.
When you give ground to fearful thoughts and vain imaginations, you open the floodgates to your adversary. Your only recourse is to flee to Me. In this case, fleeing is fighting. You are no match for his wiles, and you need to stay very close to Me if you would know My victorious power. I will help you, but I will not force you to come to Me.
Remember, My child, your pride—your spiritual pride—is being dealt with in these night battles. You are not a hero—just a frightened child whom I love.

Bend of Light http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4087964

Bend of Light http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4087964


Bend of Light
www.communityofjesus.org
By Melodious Monk There are many wonderful qualities to light; -daylight -moonlight -dappled light -Light of the world -sunlight -streaming light -glistening light -celestial light -night light -True light -starlight…..just to name a few. One of the amazing properties of light in nature is the drawing power it has. Plant life will do amazing things to #quot;find the light.#quot; Either through bending, reshaping, or re-routing, plants are tenacious in finding a way to get to their life-giving light. [ 31 more words. ]

Bend of Light

By Melodious Monk

There are many wonderful qualities to light;
-daylight
-moonlight
-dappled light
-Light of the world
-sunlight
-streaming light
-glistening light
-celestial light
-night light
-True light
-starlight…..just to name a few.

One of the amazing properties of light in nature is the drawing power it has. Plant life will do amazing things to “find the light.”  Either through bending, reshaping, or re-routing, plants are tenacious in finding a way to get to their life-giving light.  These fall days are getting shorter, but as we begin our procession toward the hopeful season of Advent, let’s remember to start searching and bending to find our much-needed Light.

The Community of Jesus

 

Lumen Christi Candles 25% Off Through Sunday! http://www.paracletepress.com/prio…

Lumen Christi Candles 25% Off Through Sunday!
http://www.paracletepress.com/priory-lumen.html
The ritual of lighting candles can bring peace and beauty to your daily routine, and add a graceful touch to your dining table, your mantel, and any other room in your home. All of our candles are made by the religious Sisters of the Community of Jesus and are natural, long-lasting, and clean burning.

October 15 Echoes of Eternity Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art tho…

October 15 Echoes of Eternity
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
Psalm 43:5
I am the Lord your God. Look for Me in all that comes to pass today. View the circumstances as My will—and do not struggle against them. Be at peace within, My son, for I am He who brings
the gift of peace. When you are sad within and do not understand your own emotions, you “dis-stress” yourself, and stay stressed inside when you could be resting in My goodness and love. My will for you is to seek and find a heavenly rest—a rest that goes beyond your outer circumstances and is not disturbed by them.

Eucharist in the Storm

By Renaissance Girl

There is a group of about 44 of us, on pilgrimage in Italy right now.

The first full day of our trip was in Barga, the location of the newly opened Mount Tabor Ecumenical Centre for Art and Spirituality. It was a privilege to see this place with the familiar life of the Community lived among the culture and people of Italy. It was like arriving home in the middle of a foreign place.

On the second day, we took the bus to Lucca, and visited five churches in a few short hours. We were returning to Barga when it started to rain. The villa “Via Sacra,” that houses the Centre, is halfway up a hill (and by hill, I mean more like a mountain), and the bus cannot fit up the narrow cobblestone streets. By the time we disembarked it was pouring, the rain creating little rivers among the stones rushing down as we hiked up. Our feeble attempt at utilizing umbrellas was almost laughable against the torrent. We emerged in the villa garden, soaked and stunned by what had become a torrential storm — lightening cracking on all sides and thunder that shook down to your toes. There was a rush of activity as we set down our things and huddled under a large tent in the garden. And then, with the tent overhead, the storm raging, our feet in inches of water, we celebrated Eucharist together — the pilgrims and the villa family. The readings and the prayers were shouted over the crack of thunder, hymns sung with more gusto than we thought possible, and an eagerness as we gathered around the table. It was an unforgettable night, there in the midst of the storm, together with Christ on the mountain.

The Community of Jesus

 

Forest Dweller: Half a century later I am tired of being a householder, loose th…

Forest Dweller:
Half a century later
I am tired
of being a householder,
loose the attachment
to its furnishings,
those tawdry trinkets
of the little self,
cast off mooring to place,
but keep a rootedness
in the loam of gratitude
for all that has been.

I will hold no yard sale
lest others carry away
and cling to
trappings of this life.
I will simply
cross the threshold
with only the begging bowl
of an emptied mind,
be a forest dweller,
alone with the universe
and ready.
– Bonnie Thurston, from Practicing Silence

October 14 Echoes of Eternity For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sha…

October 14 Echoes of Eternity
For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12
My word is near. It is more sure than the beating of your heart. It is a fire to burn away the dross of folly in your soul. It is warmth to kindle a saving love. It is light to scatter the dark shadows of
your fear-generated night. Rejoice in My word, for through it I raise you to your intended dignity as a child of God. Bow before it, for through it I show you the lowliness of your fallen state. Be a hearer, My dear child, and a doer. Heed and obey the word I speak—and enjoy life abundant.

October 13 Echoes of Eternity So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according t…

October 13 Echoes of Eternity
So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord.
Jonah 3:3
Come to My side where rivers of mercy flow freely. Cleansing and renewal are ever to be found here. Let your tears mingle with Mine for all that is and has been amiss in your life. Let the tears be of sorrow and of joy. The three days spent in the deep were days of change for Jonah. Even though his nature and opinions still rose up, nevertheless he obeyed My voice and went to Nineveh with My word. I charge you, My child, to be a faithful bearer of My word. Do not
allow your fear of the disapproval of others make you unfaithful. You cannot enter fully into My joy and strength unless and until you risk that disapproval in order to deliver My word as faithfully as you can. I tell you that I am your shield and great reward! You did not choose Me, but I have chosen you to be a bearer of My word. O My child, do not fail yourself and Me!

Gregorian Chant: The Eternal Song http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4087926

Gregorian Chant: The Eternal Song http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4087926


Gregorian Chant: The Eternal Song
www.communityofjesus.org
By Cantor A Willing Spirit While chanting Psalm 51 this morning at Lauds, this phrase caught my attention: #quot;…et spiritu promptissimo confirma me#quot; (…and give me a willing spirit). What struck me was the word translated as #quot;willing#quot; is #quot;promptissimo,#quot; and from which is derived our word #quot;prompt.#quot; I ran home and looked up the Latin translation which reads #quot;The most eager.#quot; So, that phrase from Psalm 51 could be read in English as #quot;…and give me the most eager spirit.#quot; [ 119 more words. ]

Gregorian Chant: The Eternal Song

By Cantor

A Willing Spirit

While chanting Psalm 51 this morning at Lauds, this phrase caught my attention:

“…et spiritu promptissimo confirma me” (…and give me a willing spirit).

What struck me was the word translated as “willing” is “promptissimo,” and from which is derived our word “prompt.” I ran home and looked up the Latin translation which reads “The most eager.” So, that phrase from Psalm 51 could be read in English as “…and give me the most eager spirit.”

The response to the first half of the verse is: ‘Restore to me the joy of my salvation.” I asked the Lord to tell me what he wanted to be said today. When I saw the word “promptissimo,” I knew instantly that I had my answer. I gave a prompt and resounding “thank you” to God for having answered me so readily! In that word, he told me he was listening to my prayer and that my joy would return in quick response of thanks to him! Amazing — all within one word in the middle of a chant recitation!

The Community of Jesus

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Image Credit: Gregorian Chant Splash Page
www.gregorianchant.org.uk

 

October 12 Echoes of Eternity Through faith we understand that the worlds were f…

October 12 Echoes of Eternity
Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
Hebrews 11:3
New every morning is My love for you. Let your love for Me be renewed in this meeting. Put the fears and shadows of the night behind you, and see Me in the unfolding of the day.
This world extends in time by My permission and My will. Ages and eons and epochs—these are but moments in eternity. I have created you and called you to live in eternity. You cannot grasp or
understand what that means. But you can embrace My love anew every day—every moment you are given to live. In this way you are entering eternity even while confined in time. Do not waste these little moments—seek to be renewed in your love for Me. Redeem the time.
Fight the battle of faith.

October 11 Echoes of Eternity Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us as a pr…

October 11 Echoes of Eternity
Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth.
Psalm 124:6
Yes, My child, you have been snatched from the jaws of death more times than you can possibly know. I have been with you and you knew it not. My patience and My lovingkindness have been your salvation.
How often have you provoked My goodness with your willful blindness and refusal to heed! Yet My mercies are still over all my works, and I have not abandoned you to yourself. Yours has been a
rocky, unstable road, and I know the pain you have experienced— much, but not all, brought on by yourself. Today I call you to accept and enjoy My merciful presence. I am with you, My child, so do not ignore My lovingkindness.

Flash Friday― Imitations of Christ $5 Today! "When I graduated from high school,…

Flash Friday― Imitations of Christ $5 Today!
#quot;When I graduated from high school, my pastor gave me a book. The book I received as a gift was The Imitation of Christ. On the title page, he wrote: ##039;You will have a happy life by adhering to the wisdom in this book.##039; #quot;
― Br. Benet Tvedten, from the Introduction
http://www.paracletepress.com/the-imitation-of-christ-essential.html

October 10 Echoes of Eternity Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose…

October 10 Echoes of Eternity
Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
Isaiah 58:6
What do I require of you, My child? I lay on you no burden but that which belongs to your peace. My requirements may seem irksome to you. I know that they often do. But they are sent for your healing and growth, and to make you what you tell Me you want to be—a blessing to others. I do not deal with you in isolation, but with all the connections of your life. Together they form the matrix of My mercies, and I use them all for My purposes.

When Hearts are Free to Love http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4087918

When Hearts are Free to Love http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4087918


When Hearts are Free to Love
www.communityofjesus.org
By Sr. Nun Other Today we celebrated the Feast Day of Simeon, a man to be admired for his simplicity of heart. Fame, fortune, and great accomplishments were not on his resume; instead, we find written these words, #quot;Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.#quot; [ 1 more word. ]

When Hearts are Free to Love

By Sr. Nun Other

Today we celebrated the Feast Day of Simeon, a man to be admired for his simplicity of heart. Fame, fortune, and great accomplishments were not on his resume; instead, we find written these words, “Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

The Community of Jesus

 

From the Creator of Praying in Color… The Season of the Nativity: Confessions…

From the Creator of Praying in Color…
The Season of the Nativity: Confessions and Practices of an Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany Extremist.
20% OFF through Sunday and Use Coupon Code ADVENTFREE to receive Free Shipping!
http://www.paracletepress.com/the-season-of-the-nativity.html

Join Sybil on this playful and serious journey through December. Follow her blog this Advent: http://prayingincolor.com/

October 9 Echoes of Eternity Ye are all the children of light, and the children…

October 9 Echoes of Eternity
Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day; we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
I Thessalonians 5:5,6
As the morning light rises in the dawn, illuminating the waiting earth, so My light rises in the soul, quietly, gently illuminating the inner heart. Do not shrink from My light, My child, for without it
you are doomed to dwell in darkness. My light brings life, even as it discloses the distortions and deformities that must be healed. I am He who makes the crooked straight, the Healing of that which is out of joint. My light and truth belong to the Day of My coming, and I call you to be a child of the Day.

Degrees of Unpleasantness http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4087914

Degrees of Unpleasantness http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4087914


Degrees of Unpleasantness
www.communityofjesus.org
By Melodious Monk A sacrifice is not, as so many people imagine, a mortification; it is not something that is meritorious according to its degree of unpleasantness; on the contrary, in real sacrifice, there is a joy which surpasses all other joys, it is the crescendo and culmination of love. -Caryll Houselander This is an interesting quote from an early 20th century British mystic and poet. [ 179 more words. ]

Degrees of Unpleasantness

By Melodious Monk

A sacrifice is not, as so many people imagine, a mortification; it is not something that is meritorious according to its degree of unpleasantness; on the contrary, in real sacrifice, there is a joy which surpasses all other joys, it is the crescendo and culmination of love. -Caryll Houselander

This is an interesting quote from an early 20th century British mystic and poet. It’s difficult for people, even many Christian people, to not view God as an authorial figure who is constantly judging, accruing and tallying the results of our every day. We’ve all been taught since early Sunday school that God loves us unconditionally, and thank God he does. But, do we really take advantage of this gift of sacrifice?

Sacrifice can be defined as: the act of giving up something that you want to keep especially in order to get or do something else or to help someone.

I laugh at the phrase that Houselander uses to describe our human viewpoint of sacrifice, imagined as “according to its degree of unpleasantness.”  I know I childishly base many decisions each day on this “degree” of unpleasantness!  What I don’t usually keep measure of, and perhaps should start, is joy.  If true joy is something I desire each day, then a new way to look at sacrifice would be to realize that any sacrificial acts will help crescendo my daily “degree” of joy, and perhaps decrease my degree of unpleasantness!

The Community of Jesus

 

Fr. Benedict Groeschel passed away last Friday, October 3. We offer our condolen…

Fr. Benedict Groeschel passed away last Friday, October 3. We offer our condolences as we continue to admire the legacy and life of this great man. Fr. Groeschel was kind enough to recommend one of our Christmas books back in 2008:
#quot;I am an old Christmas person and cannot imagine a more spiritual and impressive way than spending the Christmas season with the popes. This is a marvelous book to give anyone who has a real sense of the Church and of the significance of the teachings of the bishops of Rome. I highly recommend it.#quot;
http://www.paracletepress.com/christmas-with-the-holy-fathers.html

October 8 Echoes of Eternity But exhort one another daily while it is called “To…

October 8 Echoes of Eternity
But exhort one another daily while it is called “Today”; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Hebrews 3:13
The breaking must continue. The hardness is not all gone. A soft and tender heart is what you need. You have calcified your heart for many years, and it is My will that this damage be undone. A person after My own heart is one whose heart is sensitive to the pain of others, not wrapped up in saving himself from pain and suffering. Seek that, My child, if you would come after Me. Hate the hardness that spares a momentary pain but inflicts greater pain on others without thinking
about it. I will not fail you. You do not have to do it alone.

Lessons at the Keyboard http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4087909

Lessons at the Keyboard http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4087909


Lessons at the Keyboard
www.communityofjesus.org
By Renaissance Girl Someone sent me an email on Saturday night that made me angry. On an impulse, I sat down and sent them an angry email right back! I knew I would regret giving in to the temporary relief of lashing back, and I even said as much in my reply. Normally, I pretend I##039;m not upset, console myself by playing out various venomous responses in my mind, and then store them away for future ammunition. [ 197 more words. ]

Lessons at the Keyboard

By Renaissance Girl

Someone sent me an email on Saturday night that made me angry. On an impulse, I sat down and sent them an angry email right back! I knew I would regret giving in to the temporary relief of lashing back, and I even said as much in my reply. Normally, I pretend I’m not upset, console myself by playing out various venomous responses in my mind, and then store them away for future ammunition. This time, I wanted to do it differently. I hit “send” on the email, and on the way out of the room I ran into a friend. “How are you?” she asked. So I told her about the email I received, and my tort reply, and then I asked, “How do I do it — how can I be honest but not mean?” She said, “Just keep talking to God and asking him what he wants to teach you about yourself.”

So I re-read the email and asked God what he wanted to show me. I tried not to focus on what I thought the other person’s problem was. And I knew for what I needed to take responsibility

I went back to the person on the other end of my email rant and apologized. And here’s something I learned: When I focus on what God thinks of me, and what HE wants to say to me, then I don’t put so much pressure on people to assure me that I’m OK. And when I’m not putting pressure on others, we can just talk like two people doing the best we can to move towards God.

The Community of Jesus

 

October is National Bullying Prevention Month! 30% OFF Stop Bullying with Mike…

October is National Bullying Prevention Month!
30% OFF Stop Bullying with Mike Hall this month.
http://www.paracletepress.com/stop-bullying-with-mike-hall-dvd.html
Join Mike Hall, a former victim of bullying himself and now a nationally sought-after expert in the field, as he explains The Bully, The Target, and How We React. Most importantly, Mike walks you through #quot;The 4 C##039;s of How to Handle a Bully#quot;:
Remain Calm
Get Connected
Be Confident
Learn to Compliment the Bully

October 7 Echoes of Eternity And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the lepe…

October 7 Echoes of Eternity
And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on His head.
Mark 14:3
My dear child, do not forget that I love you. Do not heedlessly trample on My love by doubting it or forgetting it. My love is a purifier of motives, the inner hidden workings of the heart. It does cleanse and burn and consume the lower passions of your nature when you keep it as a peculiar treasure and gift. Everything that I ask of you and everything that I allow to come into your life is rooted in My divine love. You cannot measure or understand or comprehend My love—but you can accept it in a way you never have. The woman in the Gospel reading had accepted My love. Simon had not. Where is the alabaster box of ointment in your life? Break it, My child, and be amply blessed.

October 7 Echoes of Eternity And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the lepe…

October 7 Echoes of Eternity
And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on His head.
Mark 14:3
My dear child, do not forget that I love you. Do not heedlessly trample on My love by doubting it or forgetting it. My love is a purifier of motives, the inner hidden workings of the heart. It does cleanse and burn and consume the lower passions of your nature when you keep it as a peculiar treasure and gift. Everything that I ask of you and everything that I allow to come into your life is rooted in My divine love. You cannot measure or understand or comprehend My love—but you can accept it in a way you never have. The woman in the Gospel reading had accepted My love. Simon had not. Where is the alabaster box of ointment in your life? Break it, My child, and be amply blessed.

October 6 Echoes of Eternity Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain,…

October 6 Echoes of Eternity
Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die; for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
Revelation 3:2
The lame and the lepers were healed in an instant. The healing and repairing of your soul takes longer. The fabric of your soul has been badly injured and marred. The works of Satan are evident in its tattered condition. You are unstable and disloyal to yourself and to Me. Take seriously the opportunities you have to “strengthen the things that remain.” Consider the bitter fruit of your past rebellion— bitterness that continues on even today. Let that strengthen you to fight every rebellious impulse in you, and learn to fight with the weapons and strength I supply.

October 6 Echoes of Eternity Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain,…

October 6 Echoes of Eternity
Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die; for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
Revelation 3:2
The lame and the lepers were healed in an instant. The healing and repairing of your soul takes longer. The fabric of your soul has been badly injured and marred. The works of Satan are evident in its tattered condition. You are unstable and disloyal to yourself and to Me. Take seriously the opportunities you have to “strengthen the things that remain.” Consider the bitter fruit of your past rebellion— bitterness that continues on even today. Let that strengthen you to fight every rebellious impulse in you, and learn to fight with the weapons and strength I supply.

Gregorian Chant: The Eternal Song http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4087903

Gregorian Chant: The Eternal Song http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4087903


Gregorian Chant: The Eternal Song
www.communityofjesus.org
By Cantor On my mind At Lauds this morning, I found myself quite distracted. The more I chanted, the more distracted I became. By the time we arrived at the final psalm — the Praise Psalm — I was in no mood to praise anyone or anything, let alone the Lord who I knew was hearing every word going through my head! [ 127 more words. ]

Gregorian Chant: The Eternal Song http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4087903

Gregorian Chant: The Eternal Song http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4087903


Gregorian Chant: The Eternal Song
www.communityofjesus.org
By Cantor On my mind At Lauds this morning, I found myself quite distracted. The more I chanted, the more distracted I became. By the time we arrived at the final psalm — the Praise Psalm — I was in no mood to praise anyone or anything, let alone the Lord who I knew was hearing every word going through my head! [ 127 more words. ]

Gregorian Chant: The Eternal Song

By Cantor 

On my mind

At Lauds this morning, I found myself quite distracted. The more I chanted, the more distracted I became. By the time we arrived at the final psalm — the Praise Psalm – I was in no mood to praise anyone or anything, let alone the Lord who I knew was hearing every word going through my head!

Then something happened. We were a few verses into the psalm when I realized I was being swept along with it. The psalm and the chant had simply moved in and taken over my thoughts.. I was not overwhelmed by any large emotion, no “lightning bolt,” but rather a “still, small Voice” which was making itself heard through the chant.  That moment left me more able to ask God what was upsetting me, and for me to hear His answer. I am so grateful that He used the chant that way — to let me know what was really on my mind!

The Community of Jesus

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Credit:Chants from a choirbook from Florence – Victoria and Albert Museum www.vam.ac.uk1000 × 1500

 

October 5 Echoes of Eternity He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewar…

October 5 Echoes of Eternity
He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
Psalm 103:10
No, My child, you are not worthy that I should come under your roof. My presence in you is not based on your worthiness but on My grace. I am He who “is full of compassion and of great mercy.” Otherwise, My creation would long ago have been destroyed.
I am with you in your struggle against your fallen nature. I have redeemed you. I have called you by name. You are Mine. But your old nature will not fit in My Kingdom of love and righteousness. It
is a twisted and perverted nature and must die. Daily deaths are part of this dying. Do not flinch from them. They are from Me.

October 5 Echoes of Eternity He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewar…

October 5 Echoes of Eternity
He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
Psalm 103:10
No, My child, you are not worthy that I should come under your roof. My presence in you is not based on your worthiness but on My grace. I am He who “is full of compassion and of great mercy.” Otherwise, My creation would long ago have been destroyed.
I am with you in your struggle against your fallen nature. I have redeemed you. I have called you by name. You are Mine. But your old nature will not fit in My Kingdom of love and righteousness. It
is a twisted and perverted nature and must die. Daily deaths are part of this dying. Do not flinch from them. They are from Me.

Celebrate Today the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi! 40% OFF ALL St. Francis b…

Celebrate Today the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi!
40% OFF ALL St. Francis books through Sunday, October 5 http://www.paracletepress.com/books-spirituality-saints.html

The Prayer of Saint Francis:
#quot;Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is error, the truth;
Where there is doubt, the faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled, as to console;
To be understood, as to understand;
To be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.#quot;
— Saint Francis of Assisi

Celebrate Today the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi! 40% OFF ALL St. Francis b…

Celebrate Today the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi!
40% OFF ALL St. Francis books through Sunday, October 5 http://www.paracletepress.com/books-spirituality-saints.html

The Prayer of Saint Francis:
#quot;Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is error, the truth;
Where there is doubt, the faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled, as to console;
To be understood, as to understand;
To be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.#quot;
— Saint Francis of Assisi