MONASTIC WAY ZOOM

Don’t forget to register for the next FREE Zoom discussion on The Monastic Way. The December issue of The Monastic Way has the theme “O Come Let Us Adore,” and the shared prayer and small group discussions offered as part of the Zoom are sure to get you in the spirit to celebrate Christmas. The Zoom will be held on December 19th at 3 p.m., and will be hosted by Sisters Anne McCarthy and Jacqueline Sanchez-Small. Click here to register. 

RADICAL SPIRIT BOOK CLUB

Monasteries of the Heart is now offering a six-month-long virtual book club, which will begin in January, based on the book Radical Spirit. Humility is the heart of the Rule of Benedict, and the key to living a free and authentic life. Sister Joan Chittister’s teachings on humility, best encapsulated in her book Radical Spirit, will guide our six-month deep dive into each step of humility. 

This Zoom-based book club will be facilitated by Mary Ellen Plumb, OSB, who was formed by Sister Joan’s teachings in the monastery and is a teacher of humility to novices in Erie, PA and to seekers from many places. We encourage participants to buy the book, and perhaps even sign up for this with others in their communities or parishes. The book club is designed for both those who are new to the teachings, as well as those returning to the ideas again. Over six core sessions and additional optional discussions, the participants are sure to walk away with a deeper relationship to this Benedictine value. Click here for more information and to register.

CHRISTMAS SALE

Don’t miss the Christmas sale at joanchittister.org! From now through December 13, there are deep discounts on all books in the Joan Chittister store. Give the gift of inspiration and encouragement this year, with titles like The Monastic Heart on sale for $18 and Grace-Filled Moments with Sister Joan available for just $10.

Unfortunately, we are only able to ship domestically within the U.S.

LET'S DO JUSTICEWith war raging again in Gaza, the need to pray and act for a ceasefire is more important than ever. The Sisters of Mercy of the Americas have put together a short, helpful history of the violence in the region, available on their website. Click here to read it, then call your elected representative.

SOUL POINTS

December 12: Today is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the sixteenth-century apparition of Mary to Saint Juan Diego, an indigenous Mexican man. Juan Diego’s claims that he had seen and spoken to Our Lady were not believed by church officials initially, until he revealed to them a miraculous image of the woman—pregnant, with dark skin, and hands folded in prayer—that had imprinted itself on his cloak. Our Lady of Guadalupe has become a symbol of Marian compassion for the poor and marginalized. Engraved on the door above the basilica that bears her name are her most famous words to Juan Diego, “Am I not here, I who am your Mother?”

December 14: “Contemplation is nothing else but a secret, peaceful, and loving infusion of God, which if admitted, will set the soul on fire with the Spirit of love,” wrote St. John of the Cross, the Spanish mystic and Carmelite who died on this date in 1591. A student of St. Teresa of Avila, John joined in the Counter-Reformation, seeking to restore religious life to one of simplicity. John’s commitment to reform angered many of his contemporaries, who imprisoned him in a tiny cell and flogged him weekly for nine months until he escaped. He continued to work for reform within the Carmelite order, and established many monasteries. He is best remembered for his poetry, including "Dark Night of the Soul" and "The Spiritual Canticle," which describe the mystical union of the soul with God.

Saint John of the Cross is just one of many saints who spent time in prison. As you reflect on the isolation and suffering that he experienced, and the great gifts that he was later able to offer the Church, please consider making a donation to the Joan Chittister Fund for Prisoners, which provides free spirituality materials to people who are incarcerated in prisons across the United States. Click here for more information.

December 17:  Ludwig van Beethoven, one of the most admired and performed composers in Western music, was baptized on this day in 1770. Beethoven’s talent for music was honed from an early age, he even published his first work at the age of 13. In his twenties, Beethoven became renowned as a virtuoso pianist and was patronized by Prince Lichnowsky for compositions. His first major orchestral work premiered in 1800. He continued composing music until just months before his death in March of 1827. Listen to the first movement of his Fifth Symphony.

POEM OF THE WEEK

On the Necessity of Snow Angels for the Well-Being of the World

Wherever there is snow, I go, 
making angels along the way
Luckily angels have no gender 
and are easier to make
than you might think.
All you have to do is let go, 
fall on your back,
look up at the sky as if in prayer.
Move your arms like wings.
Move your legs to make a robe.
Rise carefully so as to do no harm, 
and walk away.
All the angels along the path behind you
will sparkle in sunlight, gleam under the stars.
In spring the angels will be invisible 
but really they are still there, 
their outlines remain on the earth
where you put them, 
waiting for you and the snow to return.
Keep walking,
towards the next beautiful thing 
you will do.

—Grace Butcher