Please keep in prayer the diocesan seminarians who will be gathering at St. Francis Spirituality Center in Tiffin Sunday to Wednesday (Aug. 12-15) for their annual summer retreat. We have twenty-three seminarians this year and look forward to spending these days with them for prayer, discussion and social time. I know the seminarians would greatly appreciate your prayerful support. Stay tuned for highlights of the retreat near the end of next week.
Well, we finally managed to program TV, DVD player, TV remote and DVD remote in our new convent apartment. It is becoming increasingly clear to us that we need a lot of help in the area of technology! Anyway, last night we watched the movie "Shall we Dance." The story line actually has a great deal to say about fidelity and faithful love in marriage. I especially appreciated the wife's comments about marriage when she said two people marry in order to witness one another's lives (loose translation). Such witness gives credibility to the significance of one's life. What a tremendous gift spouses offer to one another! I found myself reflecting after the movie about what this means for those in consecrated life. I find it quite awesome that Jesus truly desires to witness every aspect of my life -- the good and the bad, the important and the seemingly mundane. As I prayed with the Scriptures this morning, I realized He also invites me to witness His life -- all the details of the incredible love He offers to others. Truly, a vocation to consecrated life is an invitation and a gift -- an incredibly awesome one!
Today's Gospel reading from Matthew got me thinking.
"The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field" (Mt 13:44).
It struck me this morning that the person who sells everything he has in order to obtain the treasure acquired the field in the process! It was a good reminder to me that the Kingdom comes in a context. We set our hearts on the treasure, Jesus, the Love of our life, who is the foundation of the kingdom. Our relationship with Jesus, however, is not in isolation. We inherit the whole field, and parts of that field may not be of our choosing! Parts of the field may be messy and muddy and rocky and overgrown, but it's where we encounter Jesus. It seems to me we need to remain focused on the real reason for our purchase and not get caught "in the field." We can only do this by continuing to nurture our relationship with Jesus in prayer and trusting that he will keep our vision clear.
Today's Gospel reading includes the parable of the mustard seed and the parable of the yeast. Both of these parables are short and easy to miss, so I was grateful they were highlighted in today's Gospel. These parables are a good reminder that the smallest of actions, the smallest of deeds, can have a tremendous impact on our own life and the lives of others. As I read the Gospel, I reflected on some of the "small" things that made up my weekend:
- a sister visiting our new convent apartment and helping us program our TV remote - a seminarian's family offering us something cold to drink, followed by a lovely meal - spending time enjoying a sunny afternoon on the porch of a seminarian's family home - a smile and greeting from one of my older sisters as I arrived for our community jubilee celebration - a visit to the funeral home for the mother of one of our sisters who had died
While none of these actions in themselves may seem all that significant, they certainly impacted my life this weekend and reminded me in various ways of what we're all about. Most of us are not called to do extraordinary things -- we are called to do the ordinary in the spirit of Jesus. Just as the mustard seed grows into the largest of bushes and yeast grows and spreads throughout the dough, our actions touch and influence more people than we will ever know. What are the "small" actions that have touched your life so far today?
Two of our seminarians, Eric Mueller and Andrew Reinhart, had the opportunity this summer to study Spanish in Antigua, Guatemala. The program is an intense study of the Spanish language during which the seminarians lived with a Guatemalan host family. They also had an opportunity to experience something of the culture and see some of the sites. Included here are a few of the pictures Eric sent. More may be shared later. Probigua Spanish School. With the proximity of students and teachers, at times there was quite a bit of noise. With my teacer, Miriam, on the steps of the garden of Probigua Spanish School. Altar of the Church of San Felipe de Jesus in the pueblo of San Felipe. A view to the North on the street where I lived, early on a rain Sunday morning.
Three of our seminarians had the opportunity earlier this summer to travel to the Holy Land as part of their formation at Mount St. Mary Seminary in Cincinnati. They spent almost two weeks visiting various sacred sites that play an important role in our faith tradition. Jason Kahle shares the following pictures and descriptions from their pilgrimage. The Multiplication of the Loaves -- The stone upon which Jesus laid the fish and loaves of bread, gave thanks, blessed them, and distributed them to the thousands of people who were following him. Upon collecting the leftovers then, the disciples discovered that the fish and loaves of bread that Jesus had blessed had multiplied. Cistern: Built upon a high mountain/plateau, Masada was in need of a way of gathering water for the people to survive. So King Herod Built 6 - 7 of these cisterns into the mountain and canals from Jerusalem to Masada as a way of collecting rain water from Jerusalem. By doing so, he would be able to gather and hold enough water for his people to live many years.
I was reading a section last night from the book Words Made Flesh by Sr. Fran Ferder, a Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration. This specific section deals with the topic of listening. It is pointed out that the Hebrew word menuha that we often translate "rest" actually means "purposeful contemplation." Sister further defines this as "becoming quiet enough inside to see more deeply into life." She goes on to stress the importance of listening as a critical component of this contemplation. The prophet Isaiah in the Old Testament writes:
The Lord Yahweh has given me a disciple's tongue. So that I may know how to reply to the wearied he provides me with speech. Each morning he wakes me to hear, to listen like a disciple. The Lord Yahweh has opened my ear (Is 50:4-5).
Sister continues: "For Isaiah, responding flows from listening. The ability to listen comes from Yahweh who has 'opened my ear.' It is this opened ear, this initial readiness at the start of each new day to hear life, that prepares the followers of Yahweh to have a meaningful word for a wearied world. It is a receptive morning heart that equips us to experience the movements of God and the needs of our brothers and sisters. The prophet saw listening as so important that he identified it as the purpose for waking: 'Each morning he wakes me to hear, to listen....'" All of this makes me reflect on how well I listen in a world that continually bombards mewith talking and information and noise. Do I tune others out, or do I make an intentional effort to be truly present to them? Perhaps I need to pray with Isaiah: Each morning, Lord, wake me to hear, to listen.
I'm often asked what our seminarians do during the summer months when they are not in the seminary setting. I thought it might be good to share some of their "adventures" from parish ministry assignments to mission trips to just plain having fun. One of our seminarians, Jerry Schetter, attends Holy Apostles Seminary in Connecticut during the year. This summer, Jerry is assigned to St. John Parish in Delphos. His days consist of various ministries including visiting the elderly and homebound, assisting at liturgies and various prayer services, and being available for various types of service. Earlier in the summer, Jerry helped out with the Vacation Bible School. From this photo, it looks as though it was quite the experience! Children attending St. John's Vacation Bible School topped off the program with a sliming of Father Mel Verhoff and seminarian Jerry Schetter. A penny drive for the two victims went on all week with collection tubes for each. The children turned in enough pennies to slime them both, Jerry got a double dose of slime. He portrayed the feathered friend of many during the week-long program where children sang, did crafts and learned about "plunging" into their faith.
As I celebrate today the 29th Anniversary of my Profession, I can't help but reflect on the song we sang at the end of Eucharistic Adoration last night: Blessed Be Your Name by Matt and Beth Redman. It is a good reminder to me that that the gift of my vocation to consecrated life is a call to all of life -- the good and the difficult, the blessings and the struggles.
Blessed be Your name In the land that is plentiful Where Your streams of abundance flow Blessed be Your name Blessed be Your name When I'm found in the desert place Though I walk through the wilderness Blessed be Your name Every blessing You pour out I'll turn back to praise When the darkness closes in Lord still I will say Blessed be the name of the Lord Blessed be Your name Blessed be the name of the Lord Blessed be Your glorious name Blessed be Your name When the sun's shining down on me When the world's all as it should be Blessed be Your name Blessed be Your name On the road marked with suffering Though there's pain in the offering Blessed be Your name Refrain You give and take away You give and take away My heart will choose to say Lord blessed be Your name
I am so grateful for the many graces and blessings that have been mine these past 29 years, and I am grateful for all those people in my life who have helped me to see them as gifts from the God who is the Love of my life. Please join me today in thanking God for His call and for giving me the grace to respond. May many young women know the joy of falling in love with Jesus and responding to a call to consecrated life.
As I reflected on today's Gospel reading, I was struck by the faith of the synagogue leader. He comes to Jesus, pleading for the life of his daughter as many others in Scripture do, but he does so after she has died. So strong is his faith in Jesus and his power over life that even death does not provide an obstacle. As I encounter various "glitches" in my day, I wonder if my faith is strong enough to see beyond the interruptions and speed bumps in order to fully invest my faith in Jesus. Do I trust that he desires only what is in my best interest and what will bring me to fullness of life? Lord, I do believe. Help my unbelief.
Blog 
Two of our seminarians, Eric Mueller and Andrew Reinhart, had the opportunity this summer to study Spanish in Antigua, Guatemala. The program is an intense study of the Spanish language during which the seminarians lived with a Guatemalan host family. They also had an opportunity to experience something of the culture and see some of the sites. Included here are a few of the pictures Eric sent. More may be shared later. Probigua Spanish School. With the proximity of students and teachers, at times there was quite a bit of noise. With my teacer, Miriam, on the steps of the garden of Probigua Spanish School. Altar of the Church of San Felipe de Jesus in the pueblo of San Felipe. A view to the North on the street where I lived, early on a rain Sunday morning.
Three of our seminarians had the opportunity earlier this summer to travel to the Holy Land as part of their formation at Mount St. Mary Seminary in Cincinnati. They spent almost two weeks visiting various sacred sites that play an important role in our faith tradition. Jason Kahle shares the following pictures and descriptions from their pilgrimage. 
The Multiplication of the Loaves -- The stone upon which Jesus laid the fish and loaves of bread, gave thanks, blessed them, and distributed them to the thousands of people who were following him. Upon collecting the leftovers then, the disciples discovered that the fish and loaves of bread that Jesus had blessed had multiplied. Cistern: Built upon a high mountain/plateau, Masada was in need of a way of gathering water for the people to survive. So King Herod Built 6 - 7 of these cisterns into the mountain and canals from Jerusalem to Masada as a way of collecting rain water from Jerusalem. By doing so, he would be able to gather and hold enough water for his people to live many years.
consist of various ministries including visiting the elderly and homebound, assisting at liturgies and various prayer services, and being available for various types of service. Earlier in the summer, Jerry helped out with the Vacation Bible School. From this photo, it looks as though it was quite the experience! Children attending St. John's Vacation Bible School topped off the program with a sliming of Father Mel Verhoff and seminarian Jerry Schetter. A penny drive for the two victims went on all week with collection tubes for each. The children turned in enough pennies to slime them both, Jerry got a double dose of slime. He portrayed the feathered friend of many during the week-long program where children sang, did crafts and learned about "plunging" into their faith.
