Author: Texas OP Nuns

    I see that we will be hearing your story again this Sunday, how you wanted to see Jesus and so climbed a tree when he passed by and how he told everyone there that salvation was coming to your house that day. Did you know that the salvation he was talking about was he himself and that the house he meant was not your dwelling place but you yourself? What a day that was–himself coming to yourself!

    I wonder if you remember all the others who had the same desire as you did that day?–to see Jesus, and not just with their bodily eyes, but with their hearts and understanding? 

    Remember the Magi and the shepherds who also desired to see Jesus, though they did not know his name then? But seeing him brought them joy and they went on their way glorifying and praising God for what they had seen. 

    John the Baptist saw him too at his baptism and saw the Spirit come upon him in the form of a dove. Later Jesus would confirm John\’s witness when he told John\’s disciples to tell him all they had seen and heard Jesus do as proof of Jesus\’ mission.

    And then John encouraged some of his own disciples to follow Jesus, and when they asked him where he was staying, he told them, \”Come, and you will see.\” (John 1:39)

    Later in Jesus\’ ministry, some Greeks came to Philip asking to see Jesus. Philip himself would one day ask Jesus to show him the Father and Jesus would tell him that seeing Jesus was to see the Father, that he and the Father were one. What a powerful revelation that was for Philip to absorb!

    You know Mary Magdalene saw Jesus after his resurrection but did not recognize him at first. But when she did, he told her to \”Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.\”

     Of course, we can\’t forget St. Stephen who, as he was being stoned to death, looked up to heaven and saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 

    There are other occasions which I could mention, but these are enough to see what great company you have kept!

    As for us, we pray that when we hear your story again Sunday, our own desire to really see Jesus will be greatly increased, so that salvation might come to our house, for when we see him as he is we shall then be like him. 

     Signed: A fellow seeker

We\’d like to offer you some thoughts from St. Catherine of Genoa on this All Souls Day, when we remember our beloved dead:

\”There is no joy save that in Paradise

to be compared with the joy of the souls in Purgatory.

As the rust of sin is consumed

the soul is more and more open to God\’s love.

Just as a covered object left out in the sun

cannot be penetrated by the sun\’s rays, 

in the same way,

once the covering of the soul is removed,

the soul opens itself fully to the rays of the sun.

Having become one with God\’s will,

these souls, to the extent that he grants it to them, 

see into God.

Joy in God, oneness with Him, is the end of these souls,

an instinct planted in them at their creation…

The overwhelming love of God 

gives the soul a joy beyond words.

In Purgatory great joy and great suffering

do not exclude one another.\”

 Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord
and let perpetual light shine upon them!

What do you think heaven will be like? Some of us may have a rather static notion of heaven–a place where you sit still forever, \”being good\”. Pretty boring! In this picture Fra Angelico (a Dominican blessed, in addition to being a great artist!) depicts heaven as a kind of dance, where saints and angels join in both movement and conversation, always inviting the newcomers to come along and enjoy themselves. Heaven is perhaps more dynamic, what the Fathers of the Church referred to often as \”our true homeland\”, the place where we can most be ourselves because we will be perfectly attuned to the will of God. Today we celebrate all the saints–that is, all our beloved departed who have reached heaven, the ones we remember in Church and the ones known only to ourselves, like family and friends, and the ones known only to God. May they all intercede for us today, so that we will eventually join them in the great dance of heaven!

 Q: You all seem to have a lot of speakers and people giving talks at the monastery. Is that usual? 

A: Well, we actually have had more than we usually do in a short span of time. Our Association of Monasteries of Nuns of the Order of Preachers in the United States sponsors two programs we\’ve been participating in: the Monastic Theological Studies Program (which was held here at our monastery in late July-early August) and the Ongoing Formation program, which brings speakers on various topics to the monasteries. We have had two Ongoing Formation speakers this year, one in August and one just recently in October. We also had our annual retreat in October (guest retreat master for that) and we are expecting another person to come and give us some classes in November.  It just happened that way. But we do go through stretches without all this excitement!

A: Absolutely. We might have to make some small adjustments in the schedule, but we don\’t omit anything.  

You can leave a question for us in the comments box, or use either contact form (website or blog), or just email us. Our email address is on our website. 

 Fr. Daley lecturing in the community room

Fr. Daley answering some of our questions

Fr. Daley with Sr. Mary Rose, Sr. Mary Thomas, and Sr. Mary Jeremiah during our recreation time in the Gate Parlor

We recently finished up a wonderful retreat with Fr. Gerard Austin, OP. He was able to stay on a few days after the retreat as well, which was a real blessing. Father spoke eloquently in his retreat conferences about sacramental aspects of the liturgy and Mass, sharing his wealth of experience. He knew and lived with some famous French Dominicans who contributed to Vatican II, including Yves Congar. His retreat conferences helped us to see the Mass in a new and exciting way. Thank you so much for everything, Father!

Fr. Austin with (back, left to right: Sr. Mary Margaret, Sr. Mary Gabriel, and Sr. Maria Cabrini; front, left to right: Sr. Maria Guadalupe, Sr. Mary Annunciata, Sr. Mary Jeremiah)

We also recently had a visit from Fr. Peter Asantebwana, from the diocese of Moshi in Tanzania.

Sr. Marie Augustine and Fr. Peter in the large parlor. As always they are separated by a partition you can\’t see in this picture!

Thanks be to God for the blessings of our annual retreat, and for the blessings of the friars and priests who come to visit our monastery!