News & Updates | April 2024

Dear Friends,

I’ve been pondering the contrast between our joyful Easter celebration and the apostles’ own post-resurrection state of mind. We gather and sing hallelujah and feast! They mourn and hide.

Putting myself in their shoes, I find this easy to understand. They’ve suffered a trauma. They fear for their lives. Their world has been turned upside down and their mission has come to a very abrupt end. They are scared, confused, uncertain where to go and what to do. In a way, they are imprisoned in their own virtual tomb.

Into all of this appears a patient and persistent Jesus, offering compassion, comfort, encouragement:

• When you are in despair, I will call your name. (John 20:11-18)
• When you are afraid, I will bring you peace. (John 20:19-21, Luke 24:36-49)
• When you give up hope and walk away, I will come after you. (Luke 24:13-35)
• When you feel lost and return to your old ways, I will be there to remind you of my call. (John 21:1-19)

I appreciate that Jesus keeps showing Himself. I appreciate that He doesn’t reprimand or rebuke or punish. I appreciate that He meets each of us wherever we are, continuously calling us forth to new life. And I imagine that He does this all with a look which says, “I couldn’t love you any more than I do right now.”

Hallelujah!

Jennifer Hansen, Ignatian Maine Leadership Team Member

Music for the Journey

In Love You Summon by John L. Bell

Poetry

'God Knows'

And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year:

"Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown".

And he replied:

"Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way".

So I went forth, and finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night.

And He led me towards the hills and the breaking of day in the lone East.

– Minnie Louise Haskins from The Desert

Resources

• Listening for God’s Voice Within: A Webinar with Fr. Mark Thibodeaux, SJ
• God's Voice Within (by Mark Thibodeaux, SJ)

Faith in Action

by Kathy Crosson, Ignatian Maine Leadership Team Member

In a continuation of our feature from last month on the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, I asked JVC-Portland volunteer, Abby Rzucidlo, about her Jesuit connections, what drew her to JVC, and the impact of her experience:

Abby Rzucidlo, from Gwynedd, PA, holds a position with Cheverus High School Campus Ministry. Abby majored in mathematical sciences and analytics at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania and was drawn to the spiritual component of JVC. As the eldest of five, she knew that she wanted to work with young people and preferably students. At Cheverus, she plans student retreats and spiritual activities, as well as identifying organizations in the Portland community where Cheverus students can complete community service projects as a prerequisite for graduation. While only five months into her experience, Abby said, “Serving in the JVC has helped open my eyes to the importance of serving others by putting my faith into action and making connections within a community. We are people with our own gifts and talents that are called to work together.”

For more information on the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, please visit their website: jesuitvolunteers.org

If you know someone who might be interested in any of our offerings, please share!

This message was sent by the Jesuits East Office of Ignatian Spirituality (OIS) on behalf of the Ignatian Spirituality Partnership of Maine. OIS is pleased to provide communications support to Ignatian Maine.