We Place Our Hands Within Hers

Happy Feast of Our Mother of Perpetual Help!St.  Alphonsus and Ven. Mother Maria Celeste Crostarosa both had great devotion to our Lady and placed all their cares and concerns within the hands of our Lady though neither mention the icon of our Mother of Perpetual Help.

Alphonsus wrote the classic book on Mariology, ‘The Glories of Mary;’ and had his Redemptorists defend the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception years before it became dogma.  He always had a painting of the Madonna of Our Lady of Good Counsel on his desk.  Alphonsus even painted depictions of Mary himself such as his La Divina Pastora, the Divine Shepherdess: a woman dressed in humble attire, not as a distant queen of heaven, with the child Jesus on her lap reaching to play with the sheep. The painting represents Alphonsus' Marian theology: "Jesus and Mary are not distant supernatural figures but ever close to the poor, in their midst, and involved in the struggles of their lives."

Alphonsus may have known of the icon of Perpetual Help because it hung, at the time, in St Matthew’s in Rome between the basilicas of St Mary Major and St John Lateran.  Twelve years after St Alphonsus’ death it went into hiding and was lost for some sixty years until it was reinstated in the church that had been rebuilt after Napoleon’s army destroyed St Matthew’s and named it in honor of a new saint, Alphonsus, where his brother Redemptorists functioned then and continue to do so today.

In 1865 Pope Pius IX commissioned the Redemptorists to use the miraculous image of Perpetual Help to ‘Make Her Known’ throughout the world.  They have done so with weekly prayers and novenas held across the earth in her honor.

I doubt Ven. Mother Maria Celeste ever saw or even heard of Our Mother of Perpetual Help but she also had a deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin.  She writes in her ‘Exercise of love for every day:’ “O my Lady and Mother, well can you say that all generations in heaven and on earth will call you blessed.  You are our only Hope, all nations will call you blessed; the angels and all the heavenly spirits look on you as their Queen, since you are the Mother of the great King; the just have recourse to you as to a Rock of strength and the Teacher of Virtues, safe Guide in this vale of tears, Gate of salvation; under your patronage sinners hurry to you to obtain pardon and protection… and all generations recognize you as Mediatrix and instrument of our Redemption.”   Florilegium 10.

Both Alphonsus and Celeste turned to Mary in their times of need, as we turn to Mary in ours. We have as our model, Jesus, who ran into his mother’s arms for help and comfort. We see in the icon of Mother of Perpetual Help Jesus looking over his shoulder at the vision of his crucifixion while holding on to his Mother’s strong, steady hands.   Mary’s gaze invites us to take hold of her hands in our times of distress and to be of hope.

Our community has been standing at the foot of the cross with Mary these last few months as we planned a move, canceled the move, sought temporary accommodations here at Mother Cabrini’s, actually moved and settled in only to have Sr. Lydia break her leg and Sr. Mary Anne come down with shingles. 

All the while I picture us, and all those who have mailed us their intentions which are in the bowl under the icon standing in a circle holding on to Mary’s hands and one another.  Her calm, sympathetic, steady gaze assures us of God’s tender care.

I really am not attracted to the icon style as art.  In Perpetual Help Mary looks stern to me. But once, when I was young in religious life and looking at our large icon I thought I saw her smile.  How reassuring, encouraging to be aware of her presence to me personally.  But what really draw me are her hands:  they are at the center of the icon and large enough for us all to place our hands in hers. 

So today, aware that we can turn to our Mother of Perpetual Help in any need we thank her for her past favors and continue with confidence and hope to place all our cares in her strong hands to bring whatever lies heavy on our hearts to her Son, our Most Holy Redeemer. 

WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM

Reading:   Jesus went with his disciples to the villages and on the way he asked them, ‘Who do the people say that I am?’  And they answered him, ‘Some say John the Baptist and others Elijah and still others one of the prophets.’  Jesus asked them, ‘But you, who do you say that I am?’  Mk 8:27-29

Who do YOU say Jesus is?

Who do you say God is?

That is the eternal question we all ask ourselves. How can we truly know who is God.  It is a mystery, an unfolding revelation that we will never completely know or understand.

So, WHO DO we say Jesus/God is? We can only use symbols, images, words, actions, experiences to suggest the presence of a Being which is beyond our ken.

In Hebrew scriptures God has names such as Creator, Warrior, Rock, Nursing Mother. Jesus is called Shepherd, Servant, Friend.    Today we find ourselves between the feasts of John the Baptist and Our Mother of Perpetual Help. Both point to Jesus – John says, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God.’  Mary says with her eyes, ‘Behold my Son.’   Celeste calls him the Sun, the Wayfarer, Our Savior.  There are so many beautiful images we could use to describe God.  How do you envision God? 

GOD CALLS US through our senses.  And the words we use to describe what we experience are decidedly unearthly.  We say the smell of coffee or the taste of chocolate is heavenly, the sight of a sunset glorious, certain music enraptures us, the embrace of lovers moves them to ecstasy.  How does God speak to you?

Artists down through the ages have painted with their brushed ICONS, such as OLPH, as WINDOWS that we may glimpse the unseen God.  Poets have flourished their pens to give WORDS to the ineffable name of God. We may not be artists or poets but our lives as Redemptoristines bespeak the name of God, the name of Jesus.  Our life is a WINDOW, our life is the WORD that tells the world WHO we say Jesus/God is.  Be a WINDOW, be the WORD, proclaim the name of God.

As woman called to know, love and incarnate God as Redemptoristines and Associates in the Church and for the world, let us renew our vows on this 25th of the month.

IN MEMORY OF ME

Have you ever heard the strains of a song and been immediately transported back to the first time it moved you?   Where a certain event comes to mind or feeling envelopes you?  I wasn’t even born when Glenn Miller’s ‘Moonlight Serenade’ was written but I practically swoon when I hear those opening chords. 



EmmanuelHermitage.blogspot



In Ven. Maria Celeste’s life that ‘strain’ was being a “Viva Memoria,’ a Living Memory of Jesus.  She just didn’t remember Jesus, she experienced him in her inner most being.  And with that awareness of his intimate presence she was transformed into a living image of the Redeemer.  In all the moments of her life: the joys, the sorrows, the struggles, she strove to live by participation-union the life of the Redeemer doing all “In Memory of Me” who so loved her and the world he created. 

Being a Viva Memoria is akin to what happens in the Eucharist when we hear the words, ‘Do This in Memory of Me,’ where what is remembered becomes, in the very remembering, the actual Real Presence.   Likewise, when we live “In Memory of Me,” we carry on the loving, salvific plan of God by becoming, in our own time and place, a Christ for the world.

Remember your beginnings.  What ‘strains of song’ echo in your heart from when you first heard the call to live, “In Memory of Me?”

WE REMEMBER LITANY

We remember our first beginnings:  The 1987 Rosary Bible Group and

Sr. Mary Regina who used her gifts and talents to gather women

to the monastery to share our charism. 

Response: God in heaven be thanked.

We remember our first Associates: Loretta Murphy, Helen Walshe,

Marie Marshall, Kay Watzka, Betty Stevens, Marie Schmidt, Joan Duffy

and all the other women who shared our charism.             

Response: God in heaven be thanked.

We remember those who continue to live the Viva Memoria though they

have moved onward in life:  Nancy Romano, Cecilia Arboleda, Mary Vitti,

Joann Bernardo, Doreen Campbell, Gloria McCasland, Mary Quinn and all

others who graced this monastery.

Response: God in heaven be thanked.

We remember the Associates who have gone to their heavenly reward:

Kathleen Frase, Nancy Moffet, Beverly Tobasco and all our beloved family

and friends who lived “In Memory of Me.”

Response: God in heaven be thanked.

For all of our present day Associates who carry on God’s plan of

love and strive to be “Viva Memoria,” a Christ for others.

Response: God in heaven be thanked.

For the Redemptoristines Nuns in their new location, may they

attract new vocations and Associates to share the charism of the

Most Holy Redeemer.

Response: God in heaven be thanked.

ASSOCIATES, INC.

Setting sail

from the shore

can be frightening

and exciting.

We challenge

the future,

we rely

on the past



Marguerite Violanti



We have had

direction

from the best,

spiritual, practical,

sensible.

The sisters

who devote

their lives

to being

A Living Memory.

But, as all things

in life –

change happens-

the Sisters

will be gone

They are still

with us

in Spirit

and computer.

We must now

continue

and demonstrate

their good works.

© ee jeszeck  2/18/12

NO STRANGER TO CHANGE

Ven. Maria Celeste Crostarosa was no stranger to change.  With all the changes she experienced in her life, one thing she was sure of: the constant love of the Redeemer.  Love that was planted so deep that her roots grew strong in love of God reaching out her branches embracing the sisters in her communities, the church and world even unto today.    

Baptized Giulia, she lived happily among her family for 21 years before entered a Carmelite monastery in Marigliano.  After four brief years the monastery closed because it was under the patronage of an interfering Duchess who caused havoc among the lives of the nuns.  Determined to be a religious, Celeste entered the Visitation monastery in Scala four months later. 

It was there, while still a Novice, the Lord revealed His heart to her.  His intent was that this community ‘was to be in the Church and in the world a living Memory of the Redeemer.’ The sisters’ lives were ‘to live out at a deep level the Paschal Mystery of Christ, dead and risen; and because the Church is the Mystical Body of Christ, it would continue the mission of the Redeemer and so guide the world towards that which is the end and fulfillment of the world: becoming a new heaven and a new earth where God will be all in all.’  Const. #3

The new Rule came to pass but it was not without trial.  Celeste was accused of being proud, disobedient, a mad visionary.  It is true she had been blessed since her earliest memories of a profound relationship with Jesus with whom she had given her heart and conversed with as one does with their beloved. But being proud and disobedient would not characterize Celeste.  She was humble in that she looked for no glory of her own: only to follow the will of her Beloved.  And only when pushed came to shove did she choose obedience of conscience rather than submit to conditions that would lead others from glorifying God. 

Thus, Celeste was expelled from Scala monastery.  Where did she go? First, she rested her wounded spirit in a monastery by the Almafi Sea.  Then she was asked by a bishop who appreciated her gifts to reform a lax Dominican monastery.  She could have been happy there but after a while her desire to fulfill the Lord’s intent of establishing a community as revealed by Jesus drew her onward after two years.  She founded a monastery under the new Rule in Roccapimonte but she had to close it after three years because she was interrogated by the Inquisition regarding another matter and it left the foundress under a pall of suspicion.  Finally, she made a foundation in Foggia and lived out the rest of her life until her soul flew to heaven to the heart of her Beloved.  

No matter what trial befell her, or road she traveled, Celeste had faith in Jesus’ constant love and could echo the Song of Songs 6:3 and say, “I am my Beloved’s and my Beloved is mine.”

Today we are faced with change in our lives: we are living the Paschal Mystery. The Redemptoristines are relocating to another state and the Associates will re-organize to meet on their own and use modern technology to keep in contact with the Sisters and each other.  The ground may seem like it is full of hard lumps of earth in which to replant our roots but because they are strong, and our love for the charism given to us through Celeste is deep, we can be confident that we will flourish and our branches will embrace the Church and world revealing the love of God.  ‘It is in this way that the Redeemer is able today to accomplish His work of salvation in us and through us.’  Const. # 5

THE WATER BEARER

This graceful picture of a woman carrying her jug put me in mind of the Samaritan woman after her conversation with Jesus at the well. (John 4:1-29, 39-40)   They had a long exchange which began with Jesus asking her for a drink of water and ending with her going out to ‘refresh’ her entire village. 

With the Redemptoristine election of new leadership for the next three years, and the Associates being invited to envision a new way of participation for themselves, we are all called to be open to what Jesus is saying to us and to honestly look at our lives.   Only then can we gracefully move forward with faith and courage to go out to spread the good news: to refresh those in our communities, our families, our workplace and the church.

May we all be Water Bearers, overflowing with the refreshing word of Christ our Lord to all we meet.  

New Beginnings, New Year

Wondrous Epiphany!   The Magi brought gifts to the infant Jesus: Incense is the symbol of Christ’s priesthood, gold is the symbol of his kingship on earth and myrrh the symbol of his death. 

We often come before Jesus hesitant, not knowing what gifts we can offer him.  The empty bowl pictured here is a symbol of that.  Yet the emptiness holds all kinds of potential.  This empty bowl beckons a new way of seeing, a new way of understanding, which will fill it to the brim with new possibilities.  Together, we can fill this bowl with the gifts and ideas of how we envision new beginnings for the Redemptoristine Associates moving into the New Year.  

The Associates were asked to reflect on their desire to continue as an Association of the Redemptoristine Nuns.  Envisioning the future is necessary because the Sisters will no longer be living in Esopus come the end of May, but in another monastery, where it would make travel to attend the monthly meetings difficult for all concerned. 

This is how they envision the future:  The Associates expressed their heartfelt desire to remain connected to the Redemptoristines, and stay together to be a support to one another as they grow in prayer as they strive to follow the way of Jesus: making the redeeming love of God present in their daily living.

The Associates realized that over the years the Sisters have provided so much spiritual enrichment. The time has now come to make more of an effort to take on some of the responsibility for their continuance.

Suggestions:

Associates could take turns facilitating the meetings.

One or two Associates would work with a Sister to organize the monthly meeting.
          Skype could be used to participate at the meetings from different locations.

The Associates could deepen their understanding of prayer, or the spirituality of the Order, by a book study: reading chapters of agreed upon books and then sharing on them together.

          Suggested books:

              “Why Not be a Mystic” by Frank X. Tuoti

              “A Pool in a Deep Forest” by Sr. Mary Catherine Parks, OSsR
                          “Florilegium” ‘A Bouquet of Words’ excerpts of the writing of
                                                   Ven. Mother Maria Celeste Crostarosa

 Books by William Johnston, sj

 “A Pool in a Deep Forest” is readily available from the Sisters and may be a good book to begin with.

Basic questions for reflection and sharing:  What resonated with me in these readings?   What challenged me?  How can I apply this to my life today?

The first meeting would be April 15, the third Sunday in April (Easter is on the second Sunday of the month).

It is advantageous to hold the meeting in a centrally located place.  There are three options for meeting places:  St. Peter’s rectory in Kingston, St. Augustine’s in Highland, and Sacred Heart in Esopus.  

It was suggested to keep the outline of the meeting simple: open it with a prayer, facilitate the discussion and then close with Evening Prayer.  (A Sister said she could make an Evening Prayer booklet based on the Liturgy of the Hours which the Associates could always use.)  Whoever was responsible for that meeting could be as creative as they wished. Refreshments could follow.

It is desirous to meet at least twice a year at the new Redemptoristine monastery.  The Associates could car pool.   The Associate morning reflection and Commitment Mass on September 9, 2012, would be hosted at the new monastery.

This discussion of envisioning New Beginnings for a New Year will continue at the February 12 meeting.

The Jewels of Advent - The Great O Antiphons

 Advent is the most beautiful of liturgical seasons.  It is a time of watching and preparing, of hopeful expectation and joyful anticipation.  Advent is the season where we ponder the comings of Christ. The Mass readings of Advent begin with the Second Coming of Christ to earth, the Parousia. (par-u-cia).

The word Parousia means ‘to be present.’  Isn’t that what Advent is about?  To be present to the mystery of God: past, present and future. We remember with our ancestors their longing for the coming of the Messiah. We rejoice and celebrate Jesus’ incarnation, his coming in the flesh 2000 years ago.  In the present, we recognize Jesus, our Messiah, in our midst in the here and now, where he is gracing us in every facet of our lives as we look to our reward at his ‘Second Coming.’

If you follow the daily readings at Mass during Advent you find they are filled with much imagery.  Three years ago, it got to the point that I felt inspired to illustrate the Great O Antiphons.

Some of you may be scratching your head and saying, ‘The Great what?’ You know at least one of them by heart, ‘O Come, O Come Emmanuel and ransom captive Israel… ’   It is probably the most beloved of all Advent hymns.  

In the monastery, for the final preparation before the coming of Christmas, we sing the ‘Jewels of Advent,’ the last 7 nights before Christmas Eve.  For those who pray the Liturgy of the Hours the Great O’s are sung during Evening Prayer just before the Magnificat beginning December 17 and then continue for the next 6 days with a different ‘O’ sung every night until December 23.  They are also sung, or said, as the Gospel verse of the Alleluia during Mass those days.   

The exact origin of the ‘O Antiphons’ is not known. Boethius (480–524/5) a Christian philosopher in 6^th century Rome made a slight reference to them, thereby suggesting their presence at that time. During the next century at the monastery of Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire of Fleury in central France, these antiphons were recited by the abbot and other abbey leaders in descending rank, and then a gift was given to each member of the community.

By the eighth century, they were in wide use in the liturgical celebrations in Rome.  The hymn, ‘O Come, O Come Emmanuel,’ dates back to the 9^th century.

The original O Antiphons, of course, were in Latin. But over the years there have been many translations.  My drawings use one of the more modern translations.   

• December 17: O Sapientia (O Wisdom)
• December 18: O Adonai (O Lord)
• December 19: O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse)
• December 20: O Clavis David (O Key of David)
• December 21: O Oriens (O Morning Star)
• December 22: O Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations)
• December 23: O Emmanuel (O Emmanuel)

Whoever put together all the Latin Antiphons was having a good time because if you take the first letter of each invocation, then read it backwards, it forms an acrostic in Latin:  ERO CRAS.  This can be understood as Christ responding to his people's plea, “Tomorrow I will come."

You may say, ‘Wait a minute.  Christmas is on the 25^th not the 24^th.  Why end on the 23^rd ?’  True enough, but thanks to the tradition handed down to us by our Jewish ancestors in the faith, we begin the liturgical day at sundown. So, the evening of the 23^rd is Christmas Eve, and as a result, therefore, the Christmas liturgy begins at Evening Prayer on the 24^th.   I know it sounds confusing but that is the way it is.

To add to the mix, an alternative English medieval practice arose of moving all of the antiphons forward by one day so they began on December 16^th.  They added an antiphon involving Mary to the end on the 23^rd. 

                           O Virgo Virginum…

O Virgin of virgins, how shall this be?

For neither before you, or after shall be.

Daughters of Jerusalem, why marvel at me?

The thing you behold is divine mystery.

So they took the ‘V’ from O Virgo and added it to the acrostic so it became Vero Cras, "Truly, tomorrow."

This additional antiphon was only eliminated from the Church of England liturgy in the year 2000, thereby restoring the Great O Antiphons to their original form.

The O Antiphons are all scripture based, at least they are alluded to somewhere in the Jewish Testament.  Each Antiphon has three parts:

◊ They all begin with an exclamation of a Messianic title:   O Wisdom, O Root of Jesse, O Morning Star….

◊  They are followed by an attribute, a description of the power of God:  Giver of Law,  Sign of God’s Love,  Source of Life, Promised Savior….

◊ And then conclude with an invocation to Come and:  Come and teach us, Come and open the way, Come and Redeem us, Come and set us free…

Did you know the name Jesus, Jehoshua, means in Hebrew ‘Jehovah saves or sets free’?  That is the underlying theme of all the O’ Antiphons: our longing for God to set us free.

In many cultures, to know the name of another person gives you power over that person.  Think of the power we have in knowing, in our limited way, some of the names for the ineffable God; and the awareness of some of the attributes of our incomprehensible God.  Because of this power, we dare to cry out, to demand that God come to our aid to open our hearts and teach us, to hurry up and unite us to God’s self, to redeem us and set us free.  And God has and does!

Reflection Questions: 

Which O Antiphons phrase strikes you?  Why?
Of all the Messianic titles, which do you feel most drawn to? 
Is there another name, or way of thinking of God, not listed here that moves you?

Is there another attribute that more fully describes the power of God for you?

What do you want God to ‘come and….’ do for you?   

What help or support do you desire?

God has given us the gift of the Son.  What gifts have I given to God?

When I was working on this, the phrase ‘outstretched arm’ struck a cord with me.  It reminded me of the Eucharistic Prayer for Reconciliation that says, ‘Yet before he died he stretched out his arms between heaven and earth in an everlasting sign of your covenant.’   If you notice in my illustrations in most of them there is a cross.  The whole mystery of the Incarnation and Redemption are intertwined in the cross: the sign of the new covenant.