Friday, June 3, 2022
Memorial of Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs
(click here to listen to or read today’s scriptures)
Brothers in Christ
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. The Lord has established his throne in heaven. As the heavens are high above the earth, so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
Neal and I stood in the parking lot at Saint Meinrad’s Monastery and talked awhile. Then we walked into the guest house and out the other side, stood on the sidewalk and talked some more. In a few minutes we stepped into the archabbey church (more like a cathedral), and we walked and talked.
After a bit we went behind the organ pipes to where the tabernacle is kept, sat on a ledge overlooking woods, and talked. We left there and looked under the surface of Saint Meinrad’s. We got lost looking for the beautiful Chapter Room, but we kept talking. The choirmaster, Brother John Paul, helped us find our way to other beautiful places. Eventually we discovered an outdoor cloister with beautiful rocking chairs and several cardinals singing in the trees, where we talked and talked and talked.
At last, nearing the end of our time together, we walked through the Saint Meinrad Rock Garden, watched fish swim forgotten among the lilies, found a rock ledge, sat, and talked.
And do you too remember a time when the conversation with your friend was so rich you just couldn’t get enough? We hadn’t seen each other for a couple of years, maybe more. We skipped around – talking about our lives, and about our ideas, and about our plans. About our getting-older bodies, and our newer-than-ever hopes for life on earth. We steadfastly refused to let each other get negative. Difficult, but certainly possible. And well worth the effort.
Just resting in the arms of God settled over southern Indiana on a lovely spring day, we both were very happy.
When you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go. But the Holy Spirit will teach you everything, and remind you of all I told you.
As I left Saint Meinrad’s I saw in the retreat brochure that my old spiritual director Father Coleman, who also plays the organ and teaches theology, will be leading two retreats this summer: “Parables of Jesus for the Present Day” and “Growing in the Love of Christ.” He’s getting older just like we are, but I’ll bet he doesn’t miss a beat.
(Acts 25, Psalm 103, John 14, John 21)
(posted at www.davesandel.net)
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