Back To School!!!

Hello, Novice  and Jane. Br. Ricky here. Welcome to the September Monday Mewsing.

Amma Jane and I hope that you had a purrfect summer.

In this Mewsing we share two articles focusing on "Presence of God," one of the four areas you felt would help your humans. The topic is finding moments full of God's Glory.

My article shares the discussion we had in the Cloister about this topic. Worldwide Novices, a number of you participated along with the Resident Novices. Watch for your thoughts and your picture.

Let's get started.



Please join me in mewing our opening prayer.

Presence of God - Part 5

To read Parts 1 & 2 tap your paw here

To read Parts 3 & 4 jump here.

The Challenge of Finding Moments of God's Glory

I will be honest. On one level this sounds scary. Remember the story of Elijah who encountersGod in the sound of “sheer silence”? (1 Kings 19:11-13) That story always gives me chills. 

Then there’s the smoking fire pot and flaming torch cruising between two rows of dead animals and birds signifying the covenant God made with Abraham. (Genesis 15:17-21) More chills.

In spite of any apprehension we might have, we WANT to see God’s glory.  We desire a life that is full of the presence of God for, a truly energizing and joyful way to live.  We are filled with wonder and gratitude.

But how often do we find moments filled with the Glory of God as we zip about our busy lives? How might we better find those moments full of God?

Wonder, joy and gratitude

Seeing Glory in All the Moments of Life

In her book The Cup of Our Life Joyce Rupp tells the story of author Jean Houston who, as a youth, went to hear a presentation by Helen Keller. After Ms. Keller, who was both blind and deaf, finished speaking, Houston got up and presented her face to Miss Keller. She described her experience this way:

“She read my whole face, and I blurted out: ‘Miss Keller, why are you so happy?’ and she laughed and laughed, saying: ‘My child, it is because I live each day as if it were my last, and life, with all its moments, is so full of glory.’” [1]

How stunning! Here is a woman who can neither see nor hear, yet she lives with a profound appreciation for life. With deep attention to the present moment, Ms. Keller saw the supreme grace held within those moments.

[i] Joyce Rupp, The Cup of Our Life,145.

The amazing Helen Keller

1880 - 1968

We Can Miss the Glory of God

We so easily can be blind to these moments of life so “full of glory.”  Perhaps we think that we’ll look for them later before bed when we’ve done all our work, or tomorrow when we have more time or next summer when we go on vacation.  



Beautiful Nodding Onions

in Amma's garden

A Benedictine Path Towards Seeing the Glory

Benedict writes of this path to living deeply and fully in the chapter on “The Tools for Good Works” saying,

 “Day by day remind yourself that you are going to die. Hour by hour keep careful watch over all you do.” 4.47-48 

This is not a call to a morbid attitude towards life.  It's a reminder to both create and embrace what is good and holy...now, every minute, every hour, every day.

We make choices that are life-giving for ourselves and others.

We trust that God is present all around us even in the simplest, most humble things of daily life.

It’s an urgent task, Benedict cautions. “Run while you have the light of life,” Benedict calls out, “that the darkness of death may not overtake you.” Prologue 13  

       Sasha and Fritz running towards the Glory of God -

             a tasty breakfast that fills the tummy and warms the heart.

That’s a moment full of the Glory of God, too!



God’s Glory in the Clouds

Atop Mount Greylock in Massachusetts

“One day I notice all the sounds that I hear; another day I pay close attention to everything I see, etc. 

"Doing this helps me to move out of my tired approach to life. I restore my alertness to my daily gifts and begin again to see the universe as one vast blessing.” Ibid., 146



You can even find

the Glory of God

here!

So, look, sniff, listen, touch and taste…and be grateful! Let your senses help you find the moments full of the Glory of God! 

Which can be any moment, for God is in all!

Amma Jane

P.S. Check out the Novice Activity below for other practices.

“I live each day as if it were my last, and life,

with all its moments, is so full of glory.”

Helen Keller

"The heavens are telling the glory of God,

The wonder of His work displays the firmament."

For a stunning rendition of the above from

Franz Joseph Haydn's choral work

The Creation, tap here.

When Cloister members gathered to talk about their moments full of God's Glory, everyone was there - the Benedictine sisters Nikki and Espy along with the Resident Novice. The Worldwide Novices had joined by Zoom.

I first posed these questions:

Do you find moments full of God’s glory? What are these?



Reflecting on the Moments of God's Glory

Never a dull moment around Sr. Espy!

Ready to give a hiss, I remembered Benedict’s instructions to the superior to “always let mercy triumph over judgement so that he or she may too win mercy. (James 2:13) RB 64.10.

I gently stopped her and suggested that we take a minute or two to reflect on this before we share. Others may need some time to think. 

Sr. Espy wasn’t very happy and hissed, “Well, I sure don’t see God’s glory now.” She went back down on her not-too-comfortable cushion with a disgruntled plop.

I soldiered on with my plan. “Let’s have a minute or two to ponder these questions.”

(Feline and human readers, I invite you to think about the questions I posed, too – Do you find moments of God’s glory? What are these? Reflect for a minute or two or how long you wish.) 

Surprise! The Felines are Reluctant to Share

When I opened the discussion for sharing there was the sound of sheer silence. Sisters and novices shifted back and forth on their cushions, eyes lowered. 

Novice William started grooming. 

Novice Sebastian Thomas looked distressed.

Novice Williams’ avoidance tactic

Novice Sebastian Thomas is really worried about what to say

“You’re all shy today,” I observed. “What’s that all about?”

Novice Michael James, our attorney novice who is thoughtful and articulate, stepped in. 

Novice Michael James, Esq, is compassionate and observant

Worldwide Novice Jake - reluctant to share

Novice Michael James continued. “Right, Jake." 

"The second thing is that we don’t want anyone to think we are tooting our horn or lacking in humility by what we share.” More nods in the Chapter. (See the Glossary for the definition of Chapter.)



The Rule of Benedict Offers Encouragement for Sharing

“Ah, I understand,” Br. Ricky mewed sympathetically. “May I offer a few things from the Rule to help you feel comfortable sharing?” Nods and mews were seen and heard.

“I had anticipated your reluctance and had thought about this before we got together.” Sr. Nikki’s ears perked up and several novices mewed in appreciation of Br. Ricky’s wisdom and thoughtfulness.



Sr. Nikki , eager to hear

what Br. Ricky has to mew.

Listen with Love, Respect and Kindness

"All of us are on the path to God together, living by the Rule of Benedict. The Rule is a guide to how to be in life-giving relationships. 

"In Chapter 72 – The Good Zeal of Monastics we learn how to live in love: Each of us is to be the first to show respect to the other, we are to support with the greatest patience each other’s weaknesses of body or behavior. 

“We are to actually compete with each other in obedience,” I emphasized. “It’s the only time Benedict allows competition." Feline grins were seen at this comment.  "All these caring and loving actions encourage trust." A few nods were seen in the room and online. 

“A question for you. How might these instructions from the Rule

give you courage to share your moments full of God's Glory?"

Bringing RB 72 to Life

Worldwide Novice Emma, aka "Puss", joining on Zoom, had activated her raised paw symbol. After I recognized her, she mewed,

“We need to listen with love and listen carefully and not judge. No hissing, yawning or rolling our eyes. This means also, that we don’t have unkind or judgmental thoughts in our hearts and minds either. 

"I think that what the Rule says in Chapter 72 would really build trust.  I might try this with Topper, the dog in our household, although that would be tough!”

I offered words of encouragement for Puss to listen to Topper.

The very spiritual Worldwide Novice Emma, aka Puss

Topper is an excellent listener

Sharing and Humility

“In answer to Novice Michael James' second reason – that sharing might mean or lead to a lack of humility – I offer this. 

“Yes, we are asked to be humble.  That means we are not to think more highly of ourselves than we are.  We are to be honest about who we are, too, neither berating ourselves or pumping ourselves up. 

Amma said that in the seventh step we recognize that we may not have the final answer and so we listen to others.” St. Benedict's Toolbox, 216.

Worldwide Novice "Hump" likes to be heard.

Br. Ricky’s Idea for Sharing



I looked at the Zoom screen and then around the Chapter Room, nodded and purred. 

“I have an idea of a way that may be comfortable for you to share.” Ears perked forward in anticipation. “I am going to divide you into pairs to share how you find moments full of God’s glory. Would that work?” 

Sisters Espy and Nikki and the novices in the room look at each other and nod.  On Zoom paws are raised in a "Thumbs Up," accompanied by appreciative mews.

Illus. The feline version of "thumbs up."

A Moment Full of God's Glory Revealed

Before I had made the assignments and set up the Zoom rooms, Resident Novice Terri jumped to her feet in excitement. 

“Br. Ricky, I see, I see!  We just need to look at what is around us and know that God is present in everything as Benedict says: 

"We believe that the divine presence is everywhere." RB 19.1

"We look at everything in the expectation of finding those moments of God's Glory."

I see this moment as full of God’s glory through what Br. Ricky shared with us and how we received what he shared.”  

Resident Novice Terri is thrilled

by a moment full of God's Glory

Hearts Transformed, the Novices Eagerly Pair up to Share

Excited mews of agreement and clapping of paws affirm Novice Terri’s observation.

“You're right on the meow, Novice Terri,” agreed Sr. Espy. “This is a moment full of God’s glory. Thank you for sharing that. I must apologize for hissing when Br. Ricky stopped me earlier. It wasn’t respectful.” 

Here Sr. Espy followed Benedict’s instructions in Chapter 71 – Mutual Obedience.  Benedict asks us to apologize when we feel we may have upset someone unnecessarily. (RB 71.6-9)

“We understand, Esp,” I mewed gently. “Your apology is a moment full of God’s Glory, too.”  Sr. Espy purrs while the felines look on with appreciation.

On Zoom, Worldwide Novice Jake, reluctant to share earlier, meows in excitement.  “Let’s get started with our sharing!”

With enthusiasm, the Benedictine-loving felines pair off, already mewing to each other about those moments full of God’s glory.  



We need ways that we can open intentionally to the glory that is saturating all of life, especially when we are worried, tired, distracted or discouraged. This is especially true for your human.

Gratitude moves us to a deep appreciation of all that has been given to us and to our connection with all that is around us.             

Here are three suggested spiritual practices for you and your human.

Use the approach offered by Joyce Rupp in Amma’s article above.   To reach the section, scroll up to "The Spiritual Practice of Thankfulness and Gratitude."

Set aside a period to time, a half an hour, an hour, etc., today in full attentiveness as if you were about to leave this life and enter another. Then reflect on your experience.

Take a Thanksgiving Walk. Here we use our senses to guide our prayer. 

Sr. Margaret Brackett, R.S.M.

(Sister of Mercy)

1920-2011

Amma's spiritual director

of many years,

Sr. Peg,

taught her the

Thanksgiving Walk

Sr. Espy and Br. Ricky pairing up to share

Please review the Novice Promise on your own and continue with your Benedictine studies. I will be offering more ideas on our four target areas to help your humans.

Thank you for reading and studying this Monday Mewsing.

© September, 2023 Jane Tomaine and Br. Ricky, OSB-F