Monday, February 25, 2013

The Transfiguration


Yesterday we read the account in Luke of the transfiguration. One of my favourite icons of this mystery depicts,  in addition to the event, Jesus leading Peter, James and John up the mountain and then down it. This suggests what Lent is all about: taking time to go apart with  Jesus, spending  time in prayer with him and returning  with him to take up the challenges of life. 

The important element in the story is that it is all done WITH JESUS,we are never alone.

Angela tells us

"Find no other recourse than at the feet of Jesus Christ."

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Benedict XVI and Freedom


"One of the greatest challenges facing us today is how to speak convincingly of
 the wisdom and liberating power of God's word 
to a world which all too often sees the Gospel 
as a constriction of human freedom,
 instead of the 
truth which liberates our minds and enlightens our efforts
 to live wisely and well,
 both as individuals and as members of society."

Homily at Westminster Cathedral

Monday, February 18, 2013

Angela and Freedom


Angela valued personal freedom.She provided a way of life  which women could freely choose in an age when men made decisions for them. She knew, however, that we ourselves can limit our freedom by habits of unsuitable behaviour. Her Rule and other writings show us how we can grow in freedom to fullness of life. Lenten practices have a similar purpose as we journey with Jesus to share his Risen Life.   

Friday, February 15, 2013

Angela and Prayer


After her chapter on fasting Angela turns to the second Lenten practice: Prayer. She says the two go together, and gives the example of Anna, who in the Temple, served God night and day in prayer and fasting. Angela advocates a balance prayer life of both vocal and mental prayer. The sample prayer she writes in the Rule gives us an insight into the depth and breadth of her prayer life. She starts by expressing her own need for forgiveness and moves on to praying for her family and finally for the whole world.

"Deign, O most loving Lord, to forgive me my so many offences...deign also to forgive the sins, alas, of my father and mother, and of my relatives and friends, and of the whole world. I implore this of you by your most sacred Passion and your precious Blood shed for love of us, and by your holy Name, be it blessed above the sands of the seas, above the drops of the waters, above the multitude of the stars." 



Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Ash Wednesday: Fasting


Lent is here again with the call to prayer, fasting and alms deeds. Angela has something to say on all three of these topics, but as it is Ash Wednesday, lets start with fasting. 

The chapter in Angela's Rule on this subject is very challenging but, as always with Angela, the inspiration for this practice is the person of JESUS her "one and only treasure." 

Head of Jesus on the Cross

She writes

"Each one should be WILLING to EMBRACE bodily fasting also as something necessary, and as a means and way to true spiritual fasting through which all the vices and errors are cut away from the mind. And to this the example of all the holy persons very clearly INVITES us,and above all, the life of JESUS CHRIST  the only way to heaven."

Rule Ch IV

Notice Angela's use of words : "willing to embrace" and "invites". Angela has a deep respect for personal freedom and else where in her Rule warns against ever trying to get anything by force. At the same time she can be incisive in her language: " cut away"!




Friday, February 8, 2013

Compass


Today, I am off to Worth Abbey in Sussex for a Compass taster weekend. The annual Compass programme  runs over several weekends during the year from September to May.It is designed to help individuals find their direction in life. Participants have the opportunity of praying, sharing and discussing on topics such as discernment, vocation, prayer, ministry, the vows and other relevant questions.  



Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Angela's Friends: Antonio Romano


Angela had friends from all walks of life.Once a month there will be a post about one of them.Today, we'll look at  one of the closest,  Antonio Romano, in whose house she spent nearly fourteen years. He lived near the church of St Agatha, whose feast we kept yesterday. 

Antonio was a cloth merchant and had first met Angela at the house of Caterina Patengola in Brescia. Angela had gone there to comfort Caterina  on the death of her husband and children. Antonio says " And so, as I used to pay several visits there, I became very attached  to Madre Suor Angela and she agreed to come and live in my house."

After Angela's death he was asked to be one of the witnesses  at the Processo Nazari.. Thanks to Antonio we have some details of Angela's daily life. His affection for her shines through his testimony, as well as his honesty and generosity.Despite the differences in their ages when they first met, Antonio in his twenties and Angela in her forties, there was an immediate and lasting rapport between them.

Monday, February 4, 2013

Focus


In this year of Faith we could take inspiration from Abraham, who has been called "Our Father in Faith". Pope Benedict XVI wrote of him: 
"His whole life points forward, 
it is a dynamic of walking along the path of what is to come."

St Angela also had this pilgrim spirit. She went on several pilgrimages but her real pilgrimage was of the heart. She searched in prayer, while  being aware of the signs of her time, for God's plan for her, her vocation.

Angela Pilgrim


We too can prayerfully read from the book of our lives to discover God's loving dream for us.

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Feast of the Presentation


On 2nd February 1997 Pope John Paul wrote about this feast.

" It is my wish that this experience be extended to the whole Church, so that the celebration of the World Day for Consecrated Life may gather consecrated persons together with other faithful in order to sing with the Virgin Mary the marvels which  the Lord accomplishes in so many of his sons and daughters, and to manifest to all that being a "people consecrated to himself" is the condition of all those who are redeemed by Christ."