Contemplative Haven

“Laziness and cowardice are two of the greatest enemies of the spiritual life.  And they are most dangerous of all when they mask as “discretion.”  This illusion would not be so fatal if discretion itself were not one of the most important virtues of a spiritual man….

Discretion tells us what God wants of us and what He does not want of us.  In telling us this, it shows us our obligation to correspond with the inspirations of grace and to obey all the other indications of God’s will….

Discretion warns us against wasted effort:  but for the coward all effort is wasted….

Laziness flies from all risk.  Discretion flies from useless risk:  but urges us on to take the risks that faith and the grace of God demand of us.” 

[Thomas Merton:  Thoughts in Solitude, Chapter V, pgs. 22-23] 

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After reading the post that Abbot Joseph (of “Word Incarnate” in my sidebar) wrote in remembrance of the one-year anniversary of Laura’s death, Todd Agnew’s version of this classic hymn came immediately to mind, for many reasons:

Hallelujah!  Tears of sorrow, tears of joy.  Laura, please pray for us. 

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During this period leading up to the Feastday of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, I will be making the novena I posted about last year here and here, in which different aspects of Our Lady’s beautiful Icon are meditated upon each day.  To all those who are making a novena at this time, may you be filled with trust and confidence in Mary’s love and solicitude for all her children. 

I also wanted to share with you today a beautiful video I just discovered.  It is of etched-glass windows at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Foremost, Alberta, Canada.  The windows were created by Mary Mehlen, and there is one representing each of the Seven Sacraments, as well as one in honour of Mary and another in tribute to all who minister.  Many thanks to the YouTube channel allsaintsparish for providing this beautiful footage for all to enjoy. 

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“True creative sympathy does not throw one into the darkness of another’s life. Stand in the light that has been revealed to you by your communion with him who said, “My joy I give unto thee,” and by so doing help to illumine the one in need.”

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“During your times of quiet, those lovely moments, pools of restoration where you drink deep of the waters of spiritual health, learn to discipline yourselves. Not with the fist, for that soon tires; not with the mind, for that is forgetful; but with the heart. Love will keep you there. Love is vigilant, it is quieting, it is your gently strong awareness, it is the oil of joy that supplies the Light.”

[From: Letters of the Scattered Brotherhood, edited by Mary Strong, 1948]

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“We cannot be happy if we expect to live all the time at the highest peak of intensity.  Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance and order and rhythm and harmony.

Music is pleasing not only because of the sound but because of the silence that is in it: without the alternation of sound and silence there would be no rhythm. If we strive to be happy by filling all the silences of life with sound, productive by turning all life’s leisure into work, and real by turning all our being into doing, we will only succeed in producing a hell on earth.

If we have no silence, God is not heard in our music. If we have no rest,
God does not bless our work. If we twist our lives out of shape in order to fill every corner of them with action and experience, God will silently withdraw from our hearts and leave us empty.”

[Thomas Merton:  “No Man Is an Island”, pgs. 127-128]

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Recently I received a comment on my February 2008 post for the Feastday of Our Lady of Lourdes.  It was from Mr. Kamalakar Rao Ponnapalli, inviting us to watch the trailer of his movie entitled, “Our Lady of Lourdes”, of which he is writer and producer.  There has also been a website set up here, where you can see some posters and pictures from the movie. 

I googled Mr. Ponnapalli’s name, to see if I could find out more about the movie, and to make sure I had as much correct information as I could before I posted this.  I happened upon a comment which he had left in an online forum, wherein he mentioned that during the production of this movie he had witnessed several of what he believes to be miracles, and that this labour of love came about because he had been inspired by Mother Mary. 

I asked Mr. Ponnapalli if he might share with us a little bit about his experience of witnessing these miracles, as well as how Mother Mary has impacted his life as a Hindu.  He has graciously agreed to provide me with some information, which I will be posting over at “Consecrated to Mary” when the time comes. 

Congratulations in bringing this beautiful movie to fruition, Mr. Ponnapalli; I wish you much success with its distribution, and may many blessings and graces pour down on you through Our Lady for your fine work and perseverence.   

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The Prayer (by Jones Very.  American poet, 1813-1880)

Wilt Thou not visit me?
The plant beside me feels thy gentle dew,
And every blade of grass I see
From thy deep earth its quickening moisture drew.

Wilt Thou not visit me?
Thy morning calls on me with cheering tone;
And every hill and tree
Lend but one voice, - the voice of Thee alone.

Come, for I need thy love,
More than the flower the dew or grass the rain;
Come, gently as thy holy dove;
And let me in thy sight rejoice to live again.

I will not hide from them
When thy storms come, though fierce may be their wrath,
But bow with leafy stem,
And strengthened follow on thy chosen path.

Yes, Thou wilt visit me:
Nor plant nor tree thine eye delights so well,
As, when from sin set free,
My spirit loves with thine in peace to dwell.

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Where will today find you?

You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High,
who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,
Say to the Lord, “My refuge and fortress,
my God in whom I trust.”

[Taken from Psalm 91]

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Father Louis is at Consecrated to Mary today.

Oh, c’mon.  It’s just one more click!

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Yes, a survey.  Well of course you can trust me.  Apart from the fact that they will be on the Internet, all responses will be kept confidential (basically because I can’t remember anything anymore).

I don’t wish to appear as if I’m poking my nose, sunglasses and magnifying glass into your business, but as of today, fifty people have downloaded Part One of Father Thomas Dubay’s 13-part podcast on contemplation from my fileshare link that I posted in January 2008. 

For Parts Two to Thirteen, there have been anywhere from eighteen to thirty-two downloads.

So I was wondering if ”said downloaders” would be interested in discussing them one by one here at the Haven.  If so, we could perhaps do one a week over the course of the summer (some may require more than one post - we’d have to see how it goes).

If there are a fair number of “yes” responses in the combox here (you don’t have to leave your real given name unless you want to, but I look forward to a little imagination in the pseudonyms, please; perhaps Matilda, or Hortense, or Guillaume), then I would be happy to go ahead with this endeavor.  If no one responds, I may do it anyway, just because, well…just because.  I have my reasons, and you’ll never get them out of me.  (Basically because I can’t remember anything anymore).  I think I already said that.  

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