Dear Family, Friends, and colleagues,
Franciscan Brother Richard Hendricks’s poem “LOCKDOWN” offers us a powerful metaphor of the Easter Mystery. His poem creatively fleshes out the details of one of my favorite St. Ignatius of Loyola’s quotes.
“Consider this. – God constantly labors in all of creation.”
It is difficult to embrace his quote when the cloud of this present pandemic looms over us. We find it challenging when life is chaotic, messy, and life draining.
Yet, NONE of these conditions are caused by God. God’s energy, God’s work is to create order in the chaos, beauty from the mess. He brings fullness of life, and restores joy to those who are drained by adverse situations. God works tirelessly in the hearts of those who choose to move forward on the path of growth, goodness, and love.
May this Easter Season transport us to the very dawn of creation. May we be graced with the ability to see the delight on God’s face as He blesses all He has created.
May we join our Creator and find that everything He makes is good! Everything He does is good! Everything he wants for us is good! Indeed Very Good!
May this Easter Season Bless all of us with renewed faith, constant hope, and life giving love ! !
Peace,
Sr. Gerrie Contento
Lockdown
Yes there is fear.
Yes there is isolation.
Yes there is panic buying.
Yes there is sickness.
Yes there is even death.
But,
They say that in Wuhan after so many years of noise
You can hear the birds again.
They say that after just a few weeks of quiet
The sky is no longer thick with fumes
But blue and grey and clear.
They say that in the streets of Assisi
People are singing to each other
across the empty squares,
keeping their windows open
so that those who are alone
may hear the sounds of family around them.
They say that a hotel in the West of Ireland
Is offering free meals and delivery to the housebound.
Today a young woman I know
is busy spreading fliers with her number
through the neighbourhood
So that the elders may have someone to call on.
Today Churches, Synagogues, Mosques and Temples
are preparing to welcome
and shelter the homeless, the sick, the weary
All over the world people are slowing down and reflecting
All over the world people are looking at their neighbours in a new way
All over the world people are waking up to a new reality
To how big we really are.
To how little control we really have.
To what really matters.
To Love.
So we pray and we remember that
Yes there is fear.
But there does not have to be hate.
Yes there is isolation.
But there does not have to be loneliness.
Yes there is panic buying.
But there does not have to be meanness.
Yes there is sickness.
But there does not have to be disease of the soul
Yes there is even death.
But there can always be a rebirth of love.
Wake to the choices you make as to how to live now.
Today, breathe.
Listen, behind the factory noises of your panic
The birds are singing again
The sky is clearing,
Spring is coming,
And we are always encompassed by Love.
Open the windows of your soul
And though you may not be able
to touch across the empty square,
Sing.
~Brother Richard Hendrick, O.F.M. Cap.