My last week of my homevisit went by very fast. My mom and I finished the skirt...surprisingly, using the sewing machine is the easier part for me! It's using the pattern that takes the most time. It involves a lot of cutting and pinning. I hemmed the sides of the skirt. She hemmed the waist and bottom, because those are for more advanced sewers. I just found out that we will be taking a sewing class this summer at the motherhouse, so this has been great practice for it.
I visited with a few more friends and family members. I unfortunately didn't get to visit with everyone I had wanted to, but in actuality it shows how blessed I am to have so many wonderful people in my life. By the way, my maternal grandma said, "Say hello to everyone I don't know!" So she says hi to most of you! She's so funny! I told her that I am praying for her, and she said (with a jokingly serious face), "Well you can do more than that! Pray for your other relatives, too!" :) Yes, Grandma.
Marie picked me up from the airport and her family had us over for dinner before we came back to the motherhouse. We feel as if we have been gone a long time. It has been a month away...the sisters gave us a warm welcome back. It has been nice not to have any homework to do while we've been back. Marie and I got out our bikes from the barn, and rode around the property for a while.
This weekend is jubilee weekend for those celebrating their diamond jubilees (60 and 75 years professed!) This morning was a nice breakfast in honor of them, and this afternoon there will be a special mass with the Bishop. I was thrilled to see a couple of the sisters from the St. Peter's Indian Mission in Arizona. I miss all of them.
Tonight those of us in initial formation (and some other sisters who also signed up) will begin our 5 day silent retreat. It is called "Living the Evangelical Counsels in the Franciscan Tradition."
This is the retreat's description: "One of the profound aspects of the vowed consecrated life is growing in intimate union with God. In a way that is unique and penetrating, the evangelical counsels [of poverty, chastity and obedience] lived in the Franciscan tradition facilitate and enhance a deeper intimacy with God."
Our retreat master is a Capuchin Franciscan from Colorado, and we will be able to sign up to meet with him. We can also go for bike rides, walks, read, and other quiet activities. Sr. Mary Ann (one of the vocation directors) gave Marie and I some watercolor paints and a little book of prayers, readings, and reflections. The Sisters all advised us to create a schedule for our days, so as soon as I receive the itinerary tonight I can figure out how I will spend my days.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Sunday, May 23, 2010
My Home Visit (and good news from Congress about a bipartisan issue!)
Let no one have contempt for your youth, but set an example for those who believe, in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. -1 Timothy 4:12, NAB
One of my main causes that I support in prayer is Invisible Children, a grassroots movement to help end the Africa's longest running war in which children are forced to be soldiers. Over the years, during my activism days, people would ask me how protests are actually going to help. I said that I have to believe they do, just like Dr. King had to believe that his protests would help. In fact, Rob Siltanen wrote something that was used for a computer ad that was circulated frequently during "The Rescue" protest: "[T]he people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do."
I was very pleased to return home to find a letter from Senator Carl Levin, letting me (and the others who wrote to him- politicians do write back) know that the Senate unanimously passed the LRA Disarmament Bill and Northern Uganda Recovery Act (S.1067). I checked online and discovered that the House of Representatives also passed it. Now we are just waiting on President Obama to sign the bill!
5/25 update: the President signed it! You can read his statement here.
The following is a two-minute excerpt from the House of Representatives. It is very inspiring!
This is a spiritual issue, because Joseph Kony thinks he is god. We are doing more than we think by praying for those involved. St. Therese of Liseux is patron saint of the missions, and she never left the convent.
In other news, I am enjoying my home visit. The first day back, I wore pajamas until I had to get ready for Sunday evening mass. I have been enjoying going to the 12:05pm daily mass at the Cathedral, too. It's interesting, I can already feel the sense of community there...it's nice. It has been great to share my time with family and friends, play with the cats, relax a bit and play games, such as Monopoly Deal. Seriously, that game's a blast! My dad and stepmom taught it to some of us at the convent, and now it's a favorite there, too. When you play it, remember that there's no charity in cards, so don't feel guilty about stealing property from your friends.
I have one more week of my home visit. Last week I was with my dad and Ginny, and this week I am with my mom. It's nice that I can spend a week at each home. My mom is going to teach me how to make a skirt. We bought the pattern and fabric from Jo Ann Fabrics. I am excited to learn how to do this, and to wear the skirt!
One of my main causes that I support in prayer is Invisible Children, a grassroots movement to help end the Africa's longest running war in which children are forced to be soldiers. Over the years, during my activism days, people would ask me how protests are actually going to help. I said that I have to believe they do, just like Dr. King had to believe that his protests would help. In fact, Rob Siltanen wrote something that was used for a computer ad that was circulated frequently during "The Rescue" protest: "[T]he people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do."
I was very pleased to return home to find a letter from Senator Carl Levin, letting me (and the others who wrote to him- politicians do write back) know that the Senate unanimously passed the LRA Disarmament Bill and Northern Uganda Recovery Act (S.1067). I checked online and discovered that the House of Representatives also passed it. Now we are just waiting on President Obama to sign the bill!
5/25 update: the President signed it! You can read his statement here.
The following is a two-minute excerpt from the House of Representatives. It is very inspiring!
Congress Passes LRA Bill: Highlights from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.
This is a spiritual issue, because Joseph Kony thinks he is god. We are doing more than we think by praying for those involved. St. Therese of Liseux is patron saint of the missions, and she never left the convent.
In other news, I am enjoying my home visit. The first day back, I wore pajamas until I had to get ready for Sunday evening mass. I have been enjoying going to the 12:05pm daily mass at the Cathedral, too. It's interesting, I can already feel the sense of community there...it's nice. It has been great to share my time with family and friends, play with the cats, relax a bit and play games, such as Monopoly Deal. Seriously, that game's a blast! My dad and stepmom taught it to some of us at the convent, and now it's a favorite there, too. When you play it, remember that there's no charity in cards, so don't feel guilty about stealing property from your friends.
I have one more week of my home visit. Last week I was with my dad and Ginny, and this week I am with my mom. It's nice that I can spend a week at each home. My mom is going to teach me how to make a skirt. We bought the pattern and fabric from Jo Ann Fabrics. I am excited to learn how to do this, and to wear the skirt!
Friday, May 14, 2010
How to Make Egg Salad and Other Stories from the Desert
I've had hat hair, I'm expecting to have veil hair soon, but I did not anticipate having crown hair! During the school's morning prayer, whenever it it someone's birthday, they get to wear a beautiful paper crown. They are decorated and the person's name is written in a fancy way with glittered lettering. They also receive a bag stuffed full of goodies, like brand new toys! The whole school sings "Happy Birthday" and "May our dear Lord bless you" to them. My birthday isn't until September 17th, so I was very surprised to hear my name called off for the birthdays! :) I also surprised to get my own bag of gifts. I wore the crown all day.
I've learned a lot this week. The sisters at the mission want me to make sure to include that I learned how to make egg salad. While I was figuring out what to prepare for myself, I saw a sister mixing together a hard boiled egg with mayonnaise. I then realized that the mixture was starting to look like egg salad. My jaw dropped with disbelief as I stared at the concoction. I said, "That's it? That's all you have to do to make egg salad?! I have been paying so much money at the deli for that stuff!" :) They told me that some people like to add a little bit of mustard or a little bit of relish. So I made egg salad for myself with a little bit of mustard, and sure enough, it tasted like egg salad. :)
I also learned how to use a sewing machine. It was really fun, and I am looking forward to developing this new skill. I finished the inventory of the school uniforms on Monday, so since then I've been helping around in the school library: picking out books, shelving books, screening new (donated) books for their appropriateness, and reading at story time. I liked reading at story time the best. It was fun to hear them laugh about Amelia Bedelia's silliness and say, "Uh-oh!" whenever she did something she wasn't supposed to do. I have also continued to walk with the kids around the track in the morning before school and helped with grading assignments...good practice for the future!
Today I shared my vocation story with the fifth graders, and it was so much fun! They were excellent listeners and they were so funny! During the Question and Answer time, they were amazed that I knew who all their favorite music artists were and how to dance all their favorite dances. Whenever they asked me if I knew a dance (e.g. the Cupid Shuffle) I would dance it for a couple seconds to prove it as I said, "Yeah, I know it." They thought that was so funny! They also asked really good questions about what it is like to be in formation. After the "Going Home Prayer" at the end of the day, a group of the fifth graders crowded around me for a big group hug. It was so cute!
I have really enjoyed being at this mission site. The school has such a family atmosphere, and that's nice to see. As I have been telling the kids, I don't know where the community will assign me in the future, but I would be happy if I was assigned here.
Here are a couple YouTube videos of the St. Peter Indian Mission (where I've been):
Franciscan Sisters Arizona Mission Ministry Part 1
Franciscan Sisters serving in Arizona Missions Part 2
It is bittersweet to know that I will be leaving tomorrow. I am going to miss everyone here, but I am also happy that I will be going on a home-visit to see my family for a couple weeks.
I've learned a lot this week. The sisters at the mission want me to make sure to include that I learned how to make egg salad. While I was figuring out what to prepare for myself, I saw a sister mixing together a hard boiled egg with mayonnaise. I then realized that the mixture was starting to look like egg salad. My jaw dropped with disbelief as I stared at the concoction. I said, "That's it? That's all you have to do to make egg salad?! I have been paying so much money at the deli for that stuff!" :) They told me that some people like to add a little bit of mustard or a little bit of relish. So I made egg salad for myself with a little bit of mustard, and sure enough, it tasted like egg salad. :)
I also learned how to use a sewing machine. It was really fun, and I am looking forward to developing this new skill. I finished the inventory of the school uniforms on Monday, so since then I've been helping around in the school library: picking out books, shelving books, screening new (donated) books for their appropriateness, and reading at story time. I liked reading at story time the best. It was fun to hear them laugh about Amelia Bedelia's silliness and say, "Uh-oh!" whenever she did something she wasn't supposed to do. I have also continued to walk with the kids around the track in the morning before school and helped with grading assignments...good practice for the future!
Today I shared my vocation story with the fifth graders, and it was so much fun! They were excellent listeners and they were so funny! During the Question and Answer time, they were amazed that I knew who all their favorite music artists were and how to dance all their favorite dances. Whenever they asked me if I knew a dance (e.g. the Cupid Shuffle) I would dance it for a couple seconds to prove it as I said, "Yeah, I know it." They thought that was so funny! They also asked really good questions about what it is like to be in formation. After the "Going Home Prayer" at the end of the day, a group of the fifth graders crowded around me for a big group hug. It was so cute!
I have really enjoyed being at this mission site. The school has such a family atmosphere, and that's nice to see. As I have been telling the kids, I don't know where the community will assign me in the future, but I would be happy if I was assigned here.
Here are a couple YouTube videos of the St. Peter Indian Mission (where I've been):
Franciscan Sisters Arizona Mission Ministry Part 1
Franciscan Sisters serving in Arizona Missions Part 2
It is bittersweet to know that I will be leaving tomorrow. I am going to miss everyone here, but I am also happy that I will be going on a home-visit to see my family for a couple weeks.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Make Way for Ducklings!
Hello from Arizona! I have been in Bapchule, AZ since Sunday, at St. Peter Indian Mission. It is at a Pima Indian Reservation. I was greeted by my first ever dust storm! While the descent of the plane was turbulent, and the road conditions were similar to a blizzard, it was a bit exciting to experience something new. I also was amazed at the height of the cacti! I had no idea they were so big! They even grow flowers.
The Sisters took me IHOP, and someone paid for our meal! That was so nice. People treat sisters so well. Since then, I have been experiencing life at the mission site. I have been helping out around the elementary school: walking with the kids around the outdoor track, doing the school uniform inventory, sharing my vocation story, listening to the kids prepare for the Spring Program, and reading to them. I have also been helping prepare meals and run errands. It has been wonderful to be here! I would love to be assigned here someday. I love weather too.
The convent here has two ducks, Ben and Aflack. (Sounds like Ben Affleck!) Aflack is having ducklings! They are so cute! So far, 2 have hatched: Cuddles and Ducky. We hope that Eggbert arrives tomorrow. We have been so amused by these ducklings. I looked up how to care for them on the internet, and we have been very careful to keep them safe. When the ducklings are ready, they will be moving to the local petting zoo.
Here's Cuddles with Aflack:
It has been nice to have prayer with the school. Every morning, we pray a decade of the rosary and sing songs, and in the afternoon there are more songs and prayers. Until now, I did not realize how perfect it is that there are 5 decades, and 5 school days. I think it would be great if more Catholic schools took advantage of that, and prayed a mystery a week. Yesterday was a very special day...it was May Crowning. The seventh and eighth grade girls wore traditional dresses and processed up to Mary with bouquets of flowers. The 8th grade girl with the best church attendance got to crown Mary. They did so well and looked so beautiful! We also prayed the rosary for a greater respect for human life from conception to natural death. The school is going to do something great next year: they are going to have Reconciliation once a month. The graces from that Sacrament cannot be overestimated.
Today, we went to a House Blessing for the kindergarten teacher and her family. It was great to be apart of that. Father Edward put me in charge of the holy water, and he gave me very specific directions to shake the holy water liberally everywhere. We had two bottles of it. The prayers were really cool, too. We also had a great lunch, watched the Yankees for a bit, and played with her four-year-old son. He is so smart and outgoing.
I feel like I have so many more things to share, but perhaps another time. I am really enjoying being with the sisters here. They have been so nice and welcoming. It's been a great week. I am glad I have another one here.
The Sisters took me IHOP, and someone paid for our meal! That was so nice. People treat sisters so well. Since then, I have been experiencing life at the mission site. I have been helping out around the elementary school: walking with the kids around the outdoor track, doing the school uniform inventory, sharing my vocation story, listening to the kids prepare for the Spring Program, and reading to them. I have also been helping prepare meals and run errands. It has been wonderful to be here! I would love to be assigned here someday. I love weather too.
The convent here has two ducks, Ben and Aflack. (Sounds like Ben Affleck!) Aflack is having ducklings! They are so cute! So far, 2 have hatched: Cuddles and Ducky. We hope that Eggbert arrives tomorrow. We have been so amused by these ducklings. I looked up how to care for them on the internet, and we have been very careful to keep them safe. When the ducklings are ready, they will be moving to the local petting zoo.
Here's Cuddles with Aflack:
It has been nice to have prayer with the school. Every morning, we pray a decade of the rosary and sing songs, and in the afternoon there are more songs and prayers. Until now, I did not realize how perfect it is that there are 5 decades, and 5 school days. I think it would be great if more Catholic schools took advantage of that, and prayed a mystery a week. Yesterday was a very special day...it was May Crowning. The seventh and eighth grade girls wore traditional dresses and processed up to Mary with bouquets of flowers. The 8th grade girl with the best church attendance got to crown Mary. They did so well and looked so beautiful! We also prayed the rosary for a greater respect for human life from conception to natural death. The school is going to do something great next year: they are going to have Reconciliation once a month. The graces from that Sacrament cannot be overestimated.
Today, we went to a House Blessing for the kindergarten teacher and her family. It was great to be apart of that. Father Edward put me in charge of the holy water, and he gave me very specific directions to shake the holy water liberally everywhere. We had two bottles of it. The prayers were really cool, too. We also had a great lunch, watched the Yankees for a bit, and played with her four-year-old son. He is so smart and outgoing.
I feel like I have so many more things to share, but perhaps another time. I am really enjoying being with the sisters here. They have been so nice and welcoming. It's been a great week. I am glad I have another one here.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Pilgrimages and Retreats...love it!
I found out that I will be able to write in this during the novitiate. :) Check back monthly. I could write more than once in a month, but I am writing in this monthly as a minimum.
April has been flying by fast. There have been so many things...we have been cleaning out our rooms, sewing numbers on our clothes for the laundry, and doing presentations and papers. We also each picked 3 names for the council to vote on, and learned how to pin our veils! We actually got to wear them for a few minutes yesterday for pictures, but those won't be up until after reception on June 13th.
Today, we went on a pilgrimage to Holy Hill. It was wonderful to go there. I had never heard of it before I moved to Wisconsin, but it's actually kind of a big deal. Even Pope Leo XIII knew about it and declared it a shrine. Now it is a Basilica. It was really cool to look at all the crutches people left behind next to the Marian Shrine after they has been miraculously healed.
I loved it there. There is an ambiance of joy and peacefulness there, and I just wanted to stay. I would love to go back to spend more time praying throughout the area, and going on a hike in the woods surrounding it. They also have an outdoor stations of the cross that I would love to do. If anyone is able to go, I saw a flyer for an awesome event happening there on Saturday, October 2, 2010. It is called St. John Bosco Youth Day 2010. Click here for more info. Fr. Stan Fortuna is going to be there, along with Lila Rose, Martin Doman, and Bishop William Callahan. The event is free, and if you want to get a boxed lunch, that is $7.00. I won't be able to go, but my blessings on anyone who can attend!
I am looking forward to finishing up this last week of school, but I am going to miss everyone at Silver Lake College! They are incredible people and I feel privileged and honored to know them. The college is a real gem. Saturday is May Crowning, and Marie gets to crown Mary! :) Then we will spend two weeks in Arizona at separate mission sites, and another two weeks on our home-visits. When we come back, we will have a weeklong retreat on living the evangelical councils and deepening our intimacy with God. Then reception is June 13th! It's a lot to look forward to!
Just to let you know, there will be a discernment retreat for young women at our community from May 21-23, 2010. Registration ends a week before the retreat. The retreats are all very wonderful and Holy Spirit filled....this one coming up especially because the theme is Pentecost. Find out more info here. And you can register here. Seriously, Marie and I loved these retreats so much!
Also, while you are browsing the internet if you would like, my community provides a free song download every month as well as blog entries about the going-ons of our community in the webpage Franciscanized World.
Just in case you were wondering I was not asked to advertise for these things. I am free to write about anything in my blog. I am sharing these things because they are awesome and I just wanted to share them with all of you.
April has been flying by fast. There have been so many things...we have been cleaning out our rooms, sewing numbers on our clothes for the laundry, and doing presentations and papers. We also each picked 3 names for the council to vote on, and learned how to pin our veils! We actually got to wear them for a few minutes yesterday for pictures, but those won't be up until after reception on June 13th.
Today, we went on a pilgrimage to Holy Hill. It was wonderful to go there. I had never heard of it before I moved to Wisconsin, but it's actually kind of a big deal. Even Pope Leo XIII knew about it and declared it a shrine. Now it is a Basilica. It was really cool to look at all the crutches people left behind next to the Marian Shrine after they has been miraculously healed.
I loved it there. There is an ambiance of joy and peacefulness there, and I just wanted to stay. I would love to go back to spend more time praying throughout the area, and going on a hike in the woods surrounding it. They also have an outdoor stations of the cross that I would love to do. If anyone is able to go, I saw a flyer for an awesome event happening there on Saturday, October 2, 2010. It is called St. John Bosco Youth Day 2010. Click here for more info. Fr. Stan Fortuna is going to be there, along with Lila Rose, Martin Doman, and Bishop William Callahan. The event is free, and if you want to get a boxed lunch, that is $7.00. I won't be able to go, but my blessings on anyone who can attend!
I am looking forward to finishing up this last week of school, but I am going to miss everyone at Silver Lake College! They are incredible people and I feel privileged and honored to know them. The college is a real gem. Saturday is May Crowning, and Marie gets to crown Mary! :) Then we will spend two weeks in Arizona at separate mission sites, and another two weeks on our home-visits. When we come back, we will have a weeklong retreat on living the evangelical councils and deepening our intimacy with God. Then reception is June 13th! It's a lot to look forward to!
Just to let you know, there will be a discernment retreat for young women at our community from May 21-23, 2010. Registration ends a week before the retreat. The retreats are all very wonderful and Holy Spirit filled....this one coming up especially because the theme is Pentecost. Find out more info here. And you can register here. Seriously, Marie and I loved these retreats so much!
Also, while you are browsing the internet if you would like, my community provides a free song download every month as well as blog entries about the going-ons of our community in the webpage Franciscanized World.
Just in case you were wondering I was not asked to advertise for these things. I am free to write about anything in my blog. I am sharing these things because they are awesome and I just wanted to share them with all of you.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Dead Sea Scrolls
One of my professors asked us to write a paragraph reflection on seeing the Dead Sea Scrolls at the Milwaukee Public Museum for extra credit, and that assignment got me thinking about the blog. There's been some exciting times here. St. Patrick's Day was a lot of fun, complete with Shamrock Shakes. (I don't like green beer.) We also had Irish dancers at the convent a couple days earlier, and that was awesome! Finally, and worth noting, St. Patrick's Day is our directress' feast day, so Marie and I performed a skit for her based on the "Death Therapy" scene of What About Bob, with the help of the novices. A good time was had by all.
Last Saturday, as I mentioned, I got to see the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit. It was really cool, and I recommend everyone to go see this traveling exhibit. Make sure you buy the audio equipment when you go. It was incredible to see how God's word has been preserved all these years, kind of like how the Church has persevered through both good and bad times. It was awesome to see the ancient fragments! My favorite part was seeing the tomb of Alexander of Cyrene, the son of Simon of Cyrene. Wow. After growing up hearing about Simon helping Jesus carry the cross, it was cool to see something so close to him. Since we had a lot of time to spend at the museum, we got to wander around the exhibits. I loved the dinosaurs and the mummy! There was also a tropical room that had butterflies in it, and they were playing really soothing music. I bet the people who work there go in there went they are stressed about something.
I also got to hear a person named Gunther Skaletz who survived both being in Auschwitz concentration camp and later on being forced to fight in the German army himself...so ironic! He and his wife who is a strong person herself talk at Silver Lake College, where I am taking classes. It was an incredible story about God's faithfulness. He wrote a book called Life on Both Sides of the Wall. I would love to read it. What great, inspiring people!
I was surprised that there are pictures two other sisters and I on the front page of the Compass, which is the newspaper for the Diocese of Green Bay. We are ice skating in the pictures, and well, one of us falls... The pictures can be found on the photographer, Mike Roemer's blog. He's an excellent photographer.
I am looking forward to experiencing Holy Week here. I have enjoyed Lent here, because we have time to contemplate and reflect on our relationships with God.
Last Saturday, as I mentioned, I got to see the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit. It was really cool, and I recommend everyone to go see this traveling exhibit. Make sure you buy the audio equipment when you go. It was incredible to see how God's word has been preserved all these years, kind of like how the Church has persevered through both good and bad times. It was awesome to see the ancient fragments! My favorite part was seeing the tomb of Alexander of Cyrene, the son of Simon of Cyrene. Wow. After growing up hearing about Simon helping Jesus carry the cross, it was cool to see something so close to him. Since we had a lot of time to spend at the museum, we got to wander around the exhibits. I loved the dinosaurs and the mummy! There was also a tropical room that had butterflies in it, and they were playing really soothing music. I bet the people who work there go in there went they are stressed about something.
I also got to hear a person named Gunther Skaletz who survived both being in Auschwitz concentration camp and later on being forced to fight in the German army himself...so ironic! He and his wife who is a strong person herself talk at Silver Lake College, where I am taking classes. It was an incredible story about God's faithfulness. He wrote a book called Life on Both Sides of the Wall. I would love to read it. What great, inspiring people!
I was surprised that there are pictures two other sisters and I on the front page of the Compass, which is the newspaper for the Diocese of Green Bay. We are ice skating in the pictures, and well, one of us falls... The pictures can be found on the photographer, Mike Roemer's blog. He's an excellent photographer.
I am looking forward to experiencing Holy Week here. I have enjoyed Lent here, because we have time to contemplate and reflect on our relationships with God.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Learning about the Hound of Heaven
This week has been Spring Break and it has gone by very fast. As usual, I am thinking that another week would do us well. Marie and I started Spring Break by traveling with Sr. Mary Ann and Sr. Julie Ann to my hometown for vocation work. It was great to give talks, show Marie and the sisters around, reconnect with family and friends, and meet new people. It was a time of "planting seeds." We aren't sure what will become of the seeds we have planted, but we trust God knows what to do with them. Marie and I also had fun ice skating at Rosa Parks Circle downtown.
Later this week, we traveled to another one of our mission sites in Wisconsin with our directress. We went to St. Paul Elder Services in Kaukauna. It is really awesome there. They make it very homelike, with cats, a dog, fish, and birds, and the residents have daily mass and pray the rosary together. After visiting the full-service retirement community, we went to the convent near it for lasagna and strawberry shortcake. The sisters were very generous in hosting us and their mission site.
Today, my directress suggested that we read a poem called The Hound of Heaven by Francis Thompson (1859-1907). I found it on the internet, and quickly saw that it was going to take some work to translate it into the way we speak today. Fortunately, I found a webpage that had the poem with definitions for some of the words. (Click here for the poem.) After a couple hours of work, I was able to put it in my own words (as long as I comprehended it the right way.) I'll give you my version. It truly is a beautiful poem with a rich meaning about how we try to find our happiness in all the wrong places when God is the source of our happiness.
My Paraphrase of The Hound of Heaven
I ran away from God. He followed me peacefully and swiftly, yet unhurriedly. He told me, "all people who betray you, betray Me." (John 15:18-19 If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first.If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you.)
I kept trying to get away from God. Though I knew of His love for me, I feared that if I had Him, I would have to give up everything else. I kept running across the ends of the universe. I wanted to hide from this tremendous Lover. I even tried to hide in the sky. I tried to tempt the God's servants to help me hide from God, but they were on His side. I realized my own sinfulness next to their faithfulness. So I tried to find another fast way to flee from God. I clung to the wind. But no matter where the wind took me, God continued to follow, peacefully and swiftly, yet unhurriedly. He said, "Nothing shelters you that will not shelter me."
I stopped trying to flee from God through adults, and began through children, because they will innocently and naively help me. But just as they started to help, their guardian angels took them away from me.
So then I turned to the beauty of nature to find my happiness. I enjoyed sharing my experiences of happiness and sadness and all the other emotions with nature. But even this experience of nature could not ease my human pain. I cried to Heaven but there was a language barrier. I speak through sound. Heaven speaks through silence. Nature cannot satisfy my thirst. I am thirsty still. God continues to follow, peacefully and swiftly, yet unhurriedly. He said, "Nothing contents you that doesn't content me."
I have nothing left that will allow me to exist without God in my life, and I have been driven to my knees. I am at rock bottom. I tried everything. I wait for the love of God. Everything else, all other dreams, have failed. The earth is overloaded with heavy sadness. God, must you break me down before you can use me for Your glory? My heart is broken. What is to happen?
Everything is bitter, yet now and then a trumpet sounds. The trumpet sounds from Heaven, but not before the death and resurrection of Christ. God, must Your glory come from this rotten death? Now from this long pursuit of happiness comes God. God says, "You keep running from Me. This is strange. Why do you run from Me? I love you. You didn't do anything to merit My love. Human love is different from My love. For human love you need merit. I love you no matter what you do because I Am Love. I have prepared a place for you with all of the desires of your heart. I am what you have been seeking this whole time.
Psalm 37:4 Find your delight in the LORD who will give you your heart's desire.
John 14: 1-4 Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. Where I am going you know the way.
Psalm 139: 1-15 O LORD, you have probed me, you know me: you know when I sit and stand; you understand my thoughts from afar.My travels and my rest you mark; with all my ways you are familiar. Even before a word is on my tongue, LORD, you know it all. Behind and before you encircle me and rest your hand upon me. Such knowledge is beyond me, far too lofty for me to reach. Where can I hide from your spirit? From your presence, where can I flee? If I ascend to the heavens, you are there; if I lie down in Sheol, you are there too. If I fly with the wings of dawn and alight beyond the sea, Even there your hand will guide me, your right hand hold me fast. If I say, "Surely darkness shall hide me, and night shall be my light" Darkness is not dark for you, and night shines as the day. Darkness and light are but one. You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother's womb. I praise you, so wonderfully you made me; wonderful are your works! My very self you knew; my bones were not hidden from you, When I was being made in secret, fashioned as in the depths of the earth.
"My heart is restless until it rests in You." -St. Augustine
Then here is a song by Kutless called "Run" that goes along with this theme. This is their music video.
Later this week, we traveled to another one of our mission sites in Wisconsin with our directress. We went to St. Paul Elder Services in Kaukauna. It is really awesome there. They make it very homelike, with cats, a dog, fish, and birds, and the residents have daily mass and pray the rosary together. After visiting the full-service retirement community, we went to the convent near it for lasagna and strawberry shortcake. The sisters were very generous in hosting us and their mission site.
Today, my directress suggested that we read a poem called The Hound of Heaven by Francis Thompson (1859-1907). I found it on the internet, and quickly saw that it was going to take some work to translate it into the way we speak today. Fortunately, I found a webpage that had the poem with definitions for some of the words. (Click here for the poem.) After a couple hours of work, I was able to put it in my own words (as long as I comprehended it the right way.) I'll give you my version. It truly is a beautiful poem with a rich meaning about how we try to find our happiness in all the wrong places when God is the source of our happiness.
My Paraphrase of The Hound of Heaven
I ran away from God. He followed me peacefully and swiftly, yet unhurriedly. He told me, "all people who betray you, betray Me." (John 15:18-19 If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first.If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you.)
I kept trying to get away from God. Though I knew of His love for me, I feared that if I had Him, I would have to give up everything else. I kept running across the ends of the universe. I wanted to hide from this tremendous Lover. I even tried to hide in the sky. I tried to tempt the God's servants to help me hide from God, but they were on His side. I realized my own sinfulness next to their faithfulness. So I tried to find another fast way to flee from God. I clung to the wind. But no matter where the wind took me, God continued to follow, peacefully and swiftly, yet unhurriedly. He said, "Nothing shelters you that will not shelter me."
I stopped trying to flee from God through adults, and began through children, because they will innocently and naively help me. But just as they started to help, their guardian angels took them away from me.
So then I turned to the beauty of nature to find my happiness. I enjoyed sharing my experiences of happiness and sadness and all the other emotions with nature. But even this experience of nature could not ease my human pain. I cried to Heaven but there was a language barrier. I speak through sound. Heaven speaks through silence. Nature cannot satisfy my thirst. I am thirsty still. God continues to follow, peacefully and swiftly, yet unhurriedly. He said, "Nothing contents you that doesn't content me."
I have nothing left that will allow me to exist without God in my life, and I have been driven to my knees. I am at rock bottom. I tried everything. I wait for the love of God. Everything else, all other dreams, have failed. The earth is overloaded with heavy sadness. God, must you break me down before you can use me for Your glory? My heart is broken. What is to happen?
Everything is bitter, yet now and then a trumpet sounds. The trumpet sounds from Heaven, but not before the death and resurrection of Christ. God, must Your glory come from this rotten death? Now from this long pursuit of happiness comes God. God says, "You keep running from Me. This is strange. Why do you run from Me? I love you. You didn't do anything to merit My love. Human love is different from My love. For human love you need merit. I love you no matter what you do because I Am Love. I have prepared a place for you with all of the desires of your heart. I am what you have been seeking this whole time.
Psalm 37:4 Find your delight in the LORD who will give you your heart's desire.
John 14: 1-4 Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. Where I am going you know the way.
Psalm 139: 1-15 O LORD, you have probed me, you know me: you know when I sit and stand; you understand my thoughts from afar.My travels and my rest you mark; with all my ways you are familiar. Even before a word is on my tongue, LORD, you know it all. Behind and before you encircle me and rest your hand upon me. Such knowledge is beyond me, far too lofty for me to reach. Where can I hide from your spirit? From your presence, where can I flee? If I ascend to the heavens, you are there; if I lie down in Sheol, you are there too. If I fly with the wings of dawn and alight beyond the sea, Even there your hand will guide me, your right hand hold me fast. If I say, "Surely darkness shall hide me, and night shall be my light" Darkness is not dark for you, and night shines as the day. Darkness and light are but one. You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother's womb. I praise you, so wonderfully you made me; wonderful are your works! My very self you knew; my bones were not hidden from you, When I was being made in secret, fashioned as in the depths of the earth.
"My heart is restless until it rests in You." -St. Augustine
Then here is a song by Kutless called "Run" that goes along with this theme. This is their music video.
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