Happy Friendship Day

World Friendship Day - JULY 30th

Some may say it was merely a coincidence. For me, it was more like a Godincidence. A couple of weeks ago, a dear friend asked if I might write a blog for the International Day of Friendship. Being my friend, I gladly agreed to do so. Today, July 22, is the Feast of Mary Magdalene, my patron saint, a fitting day to write about friendships. Among the cards I received for my name feast day, one stood out as it speaks about friendship.

“The friendship we share is a rare and remarkable thing. The easy, natural way we relate to each other means so much … it's what makes me comfortable just being myself. I believe that ours is one of those friendships too wonderful to have happened by chance. Common interests may have brought us together, but I know it was the grace of God that made us friends!”

It most certainly felt like more than a coincidence to be gifted with this card on the day I was about to write about friendship. A Godincidence. “The grace of God made us friends.”

““Whatever our souls are made of yours and mine are the same.” ”

— Emily Brontë

While I was thinking about friendship, I paged through John O’Donohue’s book, Anam Cara, Gaelic for Soul Mate. This reminded me of a beautiful quote Jeopardy host Alex Trebek shared in his book “The Answer is…”  To describe his relationship with his wife Jean, he mentions the quote from their favourite movie, Wuthering Heights: “Whatever our souls are made of yours and mine are the same.” Alex then describes his relationship with Jean with these words, “That’s the way I look at our relationship. We are one soul in two bodies.” Soul mates share enduring affection, esteem, intimacy, and trust. Friendship is a lifeline. Connecting with like-minded people who genuinely care about one another is a gift from God. Indeed, “The most wonderful places to be in the world are in someone’s thoughts, someone’s prayers, and in someone’s heart.” (Helen Barry)

““The most wonderful places to be in the world are in someone’s thoughts, someone’s prayers, and in someone’s heart.” ”

— Helen Barry

I consider myself hugely blessed. I have amazing friends and soul mates. Nothing could replace what their friendship has meant and means to me. Their love, support, and care are invaluable treasures. I am blessed to have such dear friends who have known me for decades and we have shared both the light and shade of each other. Friendships of any length are based on a continued, mutual forgiveness. In one of Richard Rohr’s recent daily meditations, he speaks of the dance of repair, a healing dance between friends. Anyone who is blessed with dear friends knows that without tolerance and mercy a friendship can die. As David Whyte puts it, friendship is a mirror to presence and a testament to forgiveness. Friendships support us and enrich our lives. Furthermore, according to science friendships can, among other things, slash our risk of mortality in half.

The Age of Innocence Credit: Marco Mancinelli

On this International Day of Friendship, connect with your friends and give thanks for the gift of friendships, especially those that survived hiatuses, silences, distances. They are the connections that never die.

-Sister Magdalena Vogt, cps | Guest Blogger

Gladwish: A Summer Soap Opera in Three Acts

Unbeknownst to me, a simple request while on holiday at Bright’s Grove with a couple of friends, began an epic journey. How difficult could it be to drive into Sarnia to pick up two boxes of soap bars? My friend Sister Mabel’s earlier attempt had proved unsuccessful. After consulting a city map, she and I soon discovered why she had not succeeded on her first attempt. Now, we confidently set out. Heavy summer showers should have been an omen that not all would be well. Despite the downpours, initially we made good progress. In the pouring rain, we found Gladwish Drive but had no luck finding the address. We consulted a helpful man at a mechanical services place and learned that Gladwish Drive consists of two unconnected sections. We were on the wrong section. So, once again the mission was aborted, and we decided to return home.

After more extensive research, we discovered the section of Gladwish Drive where we needed to go. Ever more confidently, we set out for the third attempt, determined to be successful this time. A veteran of Toronto how could the much smaller Sarnia outsmart me? Surely the gorgeous sunshine was a good omen for success. All went well, until, to my dismay, we turned onto a road under construction. Road Closed! Local traffic only! Not deterred by this sign we soldiered on. However, luck was not on our side. We drove as far as we were able but there was no sign of Gladwish Drive. Finding our destination continued to elude us.

As we were about to turn around, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a partly toppled road sign. You guessed it! Gladwish Drive! We had almost missed it. I had mistaken the little dirt road for the access to a business. Could this road lead us to success? Indeed, it did! However, though we found our destination, a note on the door of True North Distributors advised customers to pick up their order at the warehouse. Oh no, was my first reaction! Undeterred once again, we entered the office. There, on a low table, stood two boxes with Sister Mabel’s name on them! Mission accomplished! Finally, on this third attempt to pick up the soap bars for the homeless, this epic journey came to a successful end. The grand finale of the Gladwish Summer Soap Opera.

-Sister Magdalena Vogt, CPS and friends

TESTING… TRIALS… TRIUMPH.

Lent is early this year, though occasionally, it can even begin as early as February 4th. For many, the month of February is associated with Valentine’s Day and not with Ash Wednesday nor Lent. Last week on Valentine’s Day, roses and chocolates were tokens of love and affection. On that day of love, did you notice a hint of Lent hiding in Valentine’s Day?  Close on the heels of heart day, having crossed the threshold into Lent, we focus on a different kind of love during the next forty days. 

Even a cursory read of the Bible makes one notice the significance of the number 40. The Israelites wandered 40 years in the wilderness before they entered the Promised Land (Deut. 8:2). And Jesus was tested in the desert for 40 days and 40 nights (Mt. 4:2). Likewise, for us, Lent may well be a time of forty days in the desert. Figuratively speaking, these days many parts of our world resemble a wilderness or desert. Even just glancing at the headlines of a newspaper brings home the state of our world. In the Ukraine, Turkey, Syria, and many other places in our world a calm oasis in this ‘desert’ can be hard to find. At times, it can be equally hard to find an oasis in our busy lives. So, I wonder whether, instead of viewing this season of Lent merely as a time of fasting, abstinence, and almsgiving, we could approach it in a different way.  

Yes, there certainly is room for mortification. However, might there also be room to find beauty in our ‘desert’? For Jesus, the time in the desert was filled with testing and trials. So, he prayed, fasted, and triumphed. This may be sheer conjecture but if Jesus did not have an eye for the beauty of nature, including the desert, would he have said: “Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these” (Mt. 6:28-29).

The forty days in the desert were a huge challenge for Jesus, as perhaps this Lent will be for us too. Yet, looking with the eyes of the heart, can we not also find and focus on the beauty in our ‘desert’? In her recent blog, How Does Your Best Self Feel?  Sr. Nancy Wales wrote, “Thinking of one’s best self could engender a desire for creating concrete ways needed to experience your YOU - only BETTER!”

Central to Pope Francis’ message for Lent this year, is the Transfiguration. While he invites us to ponder on Jesus being transfigured, might this also be an invitation for us during this Lent to transform our lives, bringing out the beautiful and best in us? There may well be times of testing and trials. However, with the grace of God we can transform the trials and pain into prayer. Perhaps, as Max Lucado suggests,

““Our prayers may be awkward [and] our attempts feeble. But since the power of prayer is in the One who hears it and not in the one who says it, our prayers make a difference.” ”

— Max Lucado

In his Lenten message, Pope Francis points out that, "We rarely connect Lent and beauty,” but this is what he invites us to do.  During these forty days, let us set aside time to spend in a place of beauty, there to listen to God with the ears of our hearts and be transformed. “Lent is a time of grace to the extent that we listen to him as he speaks to us” writes Pope Francis.  With the grace of God, may we experience our better selves during these Lenten days, and as God’s beloved, joyfully celebrate and welcome the Easter message, “Peace be with you.”        

-Sister Magdalena Vogt, cps      

World Day of the Sick

The theme of this 31st World Day of the Sick, “Take care of him,” is taken from the parable of The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). What thoughts arise in you as you reflect on this theme inviting you to Take care of him? Might your first thought be, who is this he and how would I take care of him, or her? 

We may never have occasion to take care of someone attacked and beaten by robbers, however, we are invited to be in solidarity with all who are hurt or sick in body, mind, or spirit and to pray for them. Recently a dear friend, seriously ill in hospital, described those who were praying for her as her backbone, as hers was crumbling. We are invited to be there for those who suffer. When we embrace be-attitudes, being there for others, praying and visiting the sick, we are their backbone. Through our prayer, we can make a difference in someone’s life.

In his message for this World Day of the Sick, Pope Francis invites “all of us to reflect on the fact that it is especially through the experience of vulnerability and illness that we can learn to walk together according to the style of God, which is closeness, compassion, and tenderness.” As important as it is to pray for our sick sisters and brothers, being good-hearted alone is not enough. It is a good start, but more is asked of us.  We also need to be present and attentive towards those who are ill. Visiting and compassionately supporting them, provides support and consolation in their suffering. 

Besides praying for the sick, offering gratitude to healthcare professionals, frontline staff, first responders, those who provide spiritual healing and volunteers. Holding them in prayer, is equally important. Just think of all those medical staff who spent the last years wearing PPE and battling to save people’s lives.

Many people live in environments that are not healthy, live lives that are not healthy. Let us pray daily for the sickness in our world as well as for our planet which itself is sick. Again and again, we hear that nearly half the planet is under threat. As a friend of mine tends to say, let’s change things by spilling good. Together, let us spill good and pray daily for all those who work for healing and wholeness for our ailing world and all who tend to our sick sisters and brothers.

We would do well to make our own the sentiment of the Quaker missionary Etienne de Grellet:

“I shall pass this way but once; any good that I can do or any kindness I can show to any human being; let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.”

https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/sick/documents/20230110-giornata-malato.html

Sr. Magdalena Vogt, cps

Toomuchery

Does the evening news lately leave you in a state of toomuchery? Someone I know, occasionally expresses her state of mind as neither overwhelmed nor underwhelmed but just plainly whelmed. We no doubt all have had our own moments of being whelmed during these seemingly endless days of COVID. Here we are in the summer and finally our state of being whelmed is lessening.  With fewer new COVID cases being reported, we are cautiously beginning to feel that the pandemic is backing off. Still, it’s not over ‘til it is over.

Just as we are beginning to catch our breath, sensing we are finally coming out of the tunnel, the wind is knocked out of us again. Dawning upon us is the unnerving realization that we are entering yet another tunnel. It is all toomuchery!  While offering words of gratitude for the blessing of vaccines, we hear medical experts warning us of more contagious variants. While mask mandates are gradually being lifted, there are recommendations for their reinstatement.  Media sources inundate us with daily reminders that the pandemic is ongoing.  It is overwhelming to hear that this newer Delta variant is now rapidly spreading! On top of that, we hear of multiple other variants raising their ugly heads in some parts of our ailing world.

As if all of this pandemic drama were not enough to keep us off balance, there are the recent wildfires, the heatwaves and droughts endangering people’s lives and their property in parts of Canada and the USA.  Unheard of flooding has caused havoc in Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, and India. Deeply disturbing turmoil in Cuba, Haiti and South Africa bombarded our hearts, no matter their distance from us. How much more can we absorb?

““Toomuchery” – When everything starts to feel like too much”

We struggle. A way to cope is to follow the wise adage, “Where your focus goes, your energy flows.” When overwhelmed, we seek ways to calm ourselves so the energy can flow. Recently, we found a helpful tool to cope during these challenging days.  On Google, you can find “The Brief Guide for Navigating Toomuchery” by Brad Montague, a writer, and the creator of the popular Kid President web series. During these depressing times, Montague wrote a poem about how to handle things when it all becomes too much. With the help of his children, he hopes to bring some much-needed joy and relief to people around the world. (goodthingsguy.com/fun/toomuchery-guide)

In his guide, Montague, recommends the following beneficial antidotes to counter feeling overwhelmed.

• Pause and take a deep, deep breath. Listen to how it sounds.

• Reach out to your friends.

• Absurd times call for absurd amounts of love. So, give lots of it.

When you experience a case of toomuchery, why not try these antidotes which can be self-administered as often as needed.

-Sr. Nancy Wales, csj and Sr. Magdalena Vogt, cps