Tuesday, February 21, 2023

WE OPEN GOD'S GIFT

         GOD IS NOW PRESENTING HIS GIFT TO US: THE HOLY GIFT                                                                                                 OF LENT. 
       THE WRAPPING PAPER OF HIS GIFT MAY DISGUISE THE ETERNAL                                                                             TREASURES INSIDE.
           
    CHRIST JESUS IS OUR DESIRE, OUR JOURNEY, OUR DESTINATION.
 
      ON ASH WEDNESDAY, WE STAND AT HIS ALTAR AND ADORN OUR                                       
                    FOREHEADS WITH HIS PREFERRED GARMENT, 
                 THE GARMENT THAT THEY CAST LOTS FOR (MT 27:35)...
                               THE  GARMENT OF HIS HUMILITY. 
              
     OUR ASHES PROCLAIM OUR FINITENESS BEFORE OUR INFINITE GOD.
        
  HUMILITY ABSORBS AND DESTROYS SIN. HUMILITY HAS A NAME.  IN THE HUMBLE     
    ACCEPTANCE  OF OUR ASHES, WE COVER OURSELVES WITH HIS GARMENT. 
            THE PRIDE OF OUR ORIGINAL SIN TURNS TO DUST ON OUR FOREHEAD.   
                   
    THE FATHER SEES AND LOVES IN US WHAT HE SAW AND LOVED IN HIS SON.
                       HE SEES THE ONE TO WHOM HIS SON GAVE, NOT 
                                      JUST HIS SHIRT, BUT HIS COAT AS WELL (MATTHEW 5:40).

     HIS NAKED BODY ON THE CROSS REVEALS SOMETHING OF THE MYSTERY                                                              OF THE TOTALITY OF HIS GIFT.

                                             HE WANTS TO GIVE US 
                                                  HIS ALL, TO EMPTY 
                                                     HIMSELF INTO
                                                       US,TO MAKE
                                                      US HIS EQUAL.
                               
                                           HOW CAN WE FIND HIM? 
                              
 WE BEGIN OUR JOURNEY OF LENT BY JOINING ST ANSELM IN HIS CALL TO                                                                         INTERIOR SILENCE.

                       "Longing to see God"                 "Proslogion" of St Anselm -  

                                    "Flee your preoccupations for a little while. Hide
yourself for a time from your turbulent thoughts. Cast aside, now,
your heavy responsibilities and put off your burdensome burden.
Make a little space free for God; and rest for a little time in him.

Enter the inner chamber of your mind; shut out all thoughts. Keep
only thought of God, and thoughts that can aid you in seeking Him.
Close your door and seek him. Speak now, my whole heart! 
Speak now to God, saying, I seek your face; your face, Lord, will I seek.

And come you now, O Lord my God, teach my heart where and how
it may seek you, where and how it may find you.

Lord, you are my God, and you are my Lord, and never have I see
you. You have made me and renewed me, you have given me all the
good things that I have, and I have not yet met you. I was created to
see you, and I have not yet done the thing for which I was made.

When will you enlighten my eyes, and show me your face?

When will you restore yourself to me?

Teach me to seek you, and reveal yourself to me when I seek you, for
I cannot seek you unless you teach me, nor find you unless you reveal
yourself. Let me seek you in longing, let me long for you in seeking;
let me find you by loving you and love you in the act of finding you."


Anna Rae-Kelly OCDS
www.annaprae.com


7 comments:

  1. Thank you, Anna, for this wonderful reflection and invitation to begin to unwrap the gift of Jesus this Lent. I have no doubt that I need the challenges ahead in every step of the journey. Your linking of ashes to original sin has bowled me over already and this is step one! Then you quote the prayer by St. Anselm, one of my favorite English saints. And this is only the first step. Thank you and God bless you.

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  2. Благодарю тебя, Анна. В этот Великий пост, с моими грехами и недостатками, вы привели меня к началу, где меня ожидает дар нашего Бога. Мы идем вместе, и для меня большая честь, что ты сопровождаешь меня в Иисусе, целителе и дарителе всех даров, когда мы идем к Нему, воистину воскресшему. Пусть наша Святая Мать благословит тебя за эту великую честь, которую ты оказываешь ее сыну.

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  3. With these thoughts stirring the Carmelite heart, we step into the rich gifts of Lent with our trusted and inspired Director, Anna. So much to “absorb” in order to be absorbed as you help us to open this gift without parallel, the Lord Himself. Thank you, dear sister in Carmel.

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  4. This blog was recommended to our Carmel group here in Dublin by our President. This is the first time I have read Sister Anna's work. It is inspiring. I have never heard Lent described in these ways. I think my favourite is the idea of Lent being an absorption into Our Lord. What an astounding concept and journey. Sharing this blog with my contacts in Carmel and beyond. Thank you and may he bless you profusely, Anna.

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  5. Wonderful and inspired reading for Lent. “Keep only thought of God, and thoughts that can aid you in seeking Him” summarizes every part of the daily challenge I face personally. And the post gives me the key I have been missing for a long time: humility. And humility has a name. Wow. Thank you for the clarity and truth of these words.

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  6. So much rich and profound material here to pray through this first week of Lent. Thank you, Anna.

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  7. “Let me seek you in longing, let me long for you in seeking;
    let me find you by loving you and love you in the act of finding you."

    So beautiful!
    Thank you Anna 🌹

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Thank you and may our tender God continue to bless you with His great Love.
ARK MINISTRIES - www.annaprae.com