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Badia Florentina, a place to pray~

9/23/2013

I have discovered a most prayerful church, Santa Maria Assunta Church in Badia (abbey) Florence, the present home to The Monastic Communities of Jerusalem in this city. The order’s mission is ‘to live in the heart of the city in the heart of God.’ According to its brochure, their vocation could be summed up in Jesus’ prayer in John 17.15: Father, I do not pray that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. How easy it is, especially in our ‘spiritual’ moments, to condemn the secular world. But no, the monks and nuns of this order tell is to pray and meet God in the city. ‘Through a life of contemplation and community, they want to reach out and serve all the men who seek God.’ Um, isn’t that what many of us strive to do?

I love this church because of this mission and because it is a peaceful place to pray: it is not a tourist attraction. The 1330 bell tower is recognized in the majestic panorama of Florence, but the medieval interior was radically restructured in 1627. And then there is the sign on the door that invites people into the quiet of prayer. There is no other way once you enter.

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Obedience to God; the gate is narrow~

6/29/2012

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Assisi

Lately I’ve been annoyed at the idea of obedience. I don’t want to be obedient to anyone but myself and God, which is terribly hard and something that I don’t always/usually do. But why the annoyance? I think it has to do with my awareness that obedience is foundational to the patriarchy of the Roman Catholic church, which means being obedient to another human being, specifically to a man. Obedience is foundational in The Rule of St. Benedict, in the structure of the Society of Jesuits and other religious orders, and of course in the Pope's ‘job description’.

Having just returned from Italy, this idea is imprinted on my mind. But it doesn’t have to be my limited view, my definition. I don’t have to settle on the idea that obedience is to another human who thinks he knows what I need or should do. That may be the easy way out but I want to be obedient to God’s call, which is the hard way. The gate is narrow. What a challenge.

"Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it. Matthew 7.13

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Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius

1/21/2012

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     I am not Roman Catholic, nor ever have been, but I’ve always appreciated much that the tradition has offered me as a Christian--the history, the saints and the rich gifts of the various religious orders, to name a few. I’ve read and studied the Rule of St. Benedict and am attracted to it’s invitation to hospitality and living in community. The stories of St. Francis helping the poor are compelling, especially, I must confess, because of my love of Assisi and the Umbrian countryside, and of Giotto’s frescoes in the Church of St. Francesco.

     But for me, I have gained my deepest religious strength from the Society of Jesus, specifically from the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, founder of the order, often referred to as the Jesuits. A few years ago I explored, studied, or more to the point, I prayed the Spiritual Exercises with a church lay group. It was a pivotal experience in my life of prayer and in my faith journey.

     I am now returning to those exercises, the catalyst being the book, The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything, by James Martin, SJ., suggested to me by a friend. How’s this for the introductory to the Spiritual Exercises?

       “Human beings are created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by means of doing this to save their souls.”

       It’s exciting to begin again. Let the exercises begin!

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Badia Florentina, a place to pray~

Obedience to God; the gate is narrow~

Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius

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