Lately in praying the Lord’s Prayer during lectio, I’ve noticed two things.
The first is about the meaning of “hallowed be God’s name.” Usually this passage reminds me turn towards a spirit of reverence. But the context of “hallowed” is calling God Abba (Father, Parent of all creation, loving source of all existence). Continue Reading
Matthew 6:9-13
Pater noster qui es in coelis,
Our Father who art in heaven,
sanctificetur nomen tuum.
hallowed be thy name. Continue Reading
A few months before my confirmation in the Catholic Church, several years ago now, I bought myself a Rosary and proceeded to use it as a tool in my prayers. The little leaflet that came with the beads succinctly covered the basics of praying the Rosary and I was quickly enjoying a—for me—new way to pray. Continue Reading
I stepped in it. Just before getting into bed on the night before Christmas eve, I stepped in it. It felt cool on my foot, and slimy—definitely slimy. It squished up between my toes. And it was sticky—it took several minutes under the bathtub tap with soap to get it all off…and then I had to work to get it off the soap bar as well. The cat had left her gift of hairball right in the middle of the rug on my side of the bed, precisely placed to be found as I set my foot with my full weight to launch onto the high four-poster. Merry Christmas. Continue Reading
By Sr. Ruth Ksycki, OSB
“The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.” (Psalm 33) This line was the responsorial psalm for the first reading from Ephesians 3:14-21 last week. As I was doing lectio, I decided to try Sr. Irene Nowell’s method of interspersing the response in between the verses of the reading. (Sr. Irene was the presenter at our Oblate Day this year, for those who missed our annual – and wonderful – gathering.) Continue Reading
Recently, Sandy shared her successful pie-crust recipe with me. I greatly appreciated it because my own efforts, though consistent, were hardly stellar. (Her secret is to roll the crust between two sheets of wax paper.) Now, every time I make a pie, I find myself lifting Sandy in prayer. I thank God for her sweet nature, her sense of humor, and her friendship towards me. Continue Reading
12:10 Mass at the Cathedral of St. Paul in downtown Birmingham. I spent my entire young life in and around Birmingham, and I never walked inside this building until today. I don’t remember ever even seeing it till I was in my 30’s. I frequently ate at the Social Grill, just a block away, when I was in college at Birmingham-Southern. I discovered the Birmingham Art Museum when I was in my ’20s. But St. Paul’s Cathedral? Nada…till today. Continue Reading
When I pray, “Our Father…” whom, exactly, does “Our” include? I remember several years ago, standing in the checkout line at Food Fair in Montgomery, Alabama, having an epiphany that had to do with that first word of Jesus’ prayer. Continue Reading
So often one fruit of prayer seems to be a steady calm, a silence, under everything else. That “everything else” might not be calm, but something in us can be.
Psalm 1.2-3: “Happiness comes to those who delight in the Law of YHWH, who meditate on it day and night. They’re like trees planted by flowing water–they bear fruit in every season, and their leaves never wither; everything they do will prosper.” Continue Reading
Over the past few months and weeks I have been alternately thankful and dismayed to read, on the one hand, articles and letters calling for unity of spirit, even when we cannot agree on specific issues, and, on the other hand, writing which underscores, and at times even seems to increase, the deep divisions in our society and in the Church. Continue Reading
Benedictine Oblate Musings 