August 3, 2012 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI
Peggy Bowes
My heavenly biking partners
M
ore than 20 years ago, my future husband introduced me to the sport of road biking, and it’s been my favorite form of exercise ever since. I have biked thousands of miles, in all parts of the country, finding adventure, friendship and fitness along the way. I never guessed at the time that my bike would actually enhance my spiritual life. I prefer to ride with my husband or a friend, but my commitments as wife, mother and freelance writer compel me to do most of my rides by myself. I often use the time alone to pray. I find that the combination of rhythmic pedaling and the beauty of nature really clears my mind, especially for meditation on the mysteries of the rosary. My husband and friends worry about me riding alone, but they needn’t because I have all kinds of heavenly protection. It all started a few years ago when I began to invite St. Christopher to accompany me on my rides to protect me and the travelers who shared the roads with me. Every time I narrowly avoided an accident, I knew that my heavenly protector was at work. Later, I added St. Francis of Assisi as a biking partner after a scare with a country dog. I have since collided with a squirrel and a bulldog and had a near miss with a snake. Thanks to St. Francis, I never crashed and safely rode away from each encounter with nary a bump or bruise. When I discovered that both Blessed John Paul II and Blessed Pier Giorgio were cyclists, I asked them to tag along. I pray that they will watch over my bike and prevent any malfunction and keep me from making any decisions that might endanger myself or others. I wanted to add some female companionship, and found saintly athletes St. Gianna, St. Theresa of the Andes and St. Lidwina to join my entourage. Of course, it’s a given that my constant companion, my guardian angel, is also part of my heavenly peloton. As I ride the meandering country roads of Surry County, I pass many small cemeteries. They serve as a constant reminder to pray for the poor souls in purgatory. I’ve read that these souls are overjoyed to be asked to pray for others, so I invite them to join in the prayer intentions of my rosary workout. I’m never lonely on these rides and can happily pedal for 30 miles or more, knowing that I am being protected from above. (Of course, I am still very careful and obey the rules of the road!) I always return from these rides refreshed in both body and soul. I wish everyone could see this holy parade of angels, saints and souls floating behind my Fuji Supreme road bike. Then perhaps more people would take up cycling – or maybe more cyclists would start praying. Peggy Bowes is a member of Holy Angels Church in Mount Airy and author of “The Rosary Workout” (www. rosaryworkout.com).
The Poor Clares
Shelter of souls O
ne of the most beautiful privileges Our Lord has bestowed upon women is the ability to carry within themselves another human person – and through their personhood, another immortal soul. Through biological motherhood, a woman literally houses within the shelter of her body the delicately forming masterpiece of God’s creation – a human being endowed directly by the Creator with an immortal soul. One may think here of the beautiful title of Our Lady as “Ark Of the Covenant,” referring to her maternity of the very Son of God. Every Catholic mother has a small share in this grace as she bears within herself a baby with the potential to be washed in the saving graces of baptism and destined for eternal life as a child of God. Indeed, the vocation of motherhood entails a call to the greatest intimacy with the work of the Eternal Father as He penetrates the confines of the womb with His creative activity. A woman’s body is designed to surround this budding new life with protective and nourishing care as he or she grows and develops, preparing to enter the world and exist independently. But in no less way, the woman’s soul is so equipped as well. St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, also known as Edith Stein, strove in her writings to encapsulate the gifts and ideals of woman’s soul into seven spiritual qualities. Stein said the soul of woman was created to be expansive, quiet, warm, clear, self-contained, empty of itself and mistress of itself. This week, I would like to focus on just the first of these qualities. Stein briefly outlines this quality in her lecture “Principles of Women’s Education”: “The soul of woman must therefore be expansive and open to all human beings.” True womanhood, an authentic femininity, includes an inherent drawing toward the cherishing of all things human. This is why women’s principal interest is directed towards other people and to the relationships between them. Women are less inclined to the material and the abstract than men. It is much easier for a woman to give her life for a person, rather than an ideal or principle. By their very nature, women are deeply concerned with the needs of others, and have a powerful desire to fulfill the longings of the human heart for love and companionship. The feminine nature is graced with a keen intuition of all that concerns the personal, and the ability to help others become the person they are intended to be. We see examples of this quality of expansiveness in the lives of saintly women such as Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. This unforgettable icon of Christian charity was a woman who seemed to have a heart as big as the universe. She was a mother to everyone she met, and she thirsted to bring healing comfort to both the bodies and souls of the thousands of needy she encountered throughout her life. Every human person – no matter how rejected, how filthy or diseased in body they may have been –
had a place in her embrace. To be truly expansive of heart as Blessed Teresa was, a woman must cultivate the practice of seeking for the often-hidden treasure found in each person’s soul. Sometimes, one must dig deeply to discover this, but as Blessed Teresa knew well, it is human souls who make up the Kingdom of God. And a woman’s soul has been made to go out of itself for others and cherish these precious jewels. It is in this loving search for others that a woman finds and makes the burdens of others her own. Here we again see the vocation of the supporting role of women as companions. A woman should not be able to encounter the sufferings and trials of others without taking them, literally, to heart. She should long to care for others and to alleviate their pain. For this reason, professions such as nursing, teaching, social work, and even secretarial work are deeply satisfying to a woman’s heart. She will bloom best in an atmosphere where she may directly aid and assist people in their concrete needs. Why? Because women are equipped for a uniquely ministering type of love. What does this mean? Stein has the explanation for us: “It is an assistance lent to all creatures in order to lead them towards perfection.” This requires a proper discipline, however, and self-control. With each quality there is an accompanying opposite extreme to which one is more easily prey. Women can very easily become too caught up in others and their needs, or become merely curious about people’s lives and situations. They may speculate too much on the keen perceptions they have of people’s emotions and needs and get too caught up in reading into things. It is very easy for women to want to fix the problems they see in other’s lives, and to lose their peace when confronted with difficult circumstances. Because of her intense desire and need for human love, it is imperative for a woman to cultivate the most ultimate of relationships – with the Person of Jesus Christ. Again, it is to a person that a woman will give her heart and spend her life in selfless dedication. It is essential, therefore, that women strive to develop a strong and intimate life of prayer with Our Lord, the Word made Flesh. A Eucharist-centered life will ground the feminine nature in the intensely personal love so longed for. It is to Our Savior’s feet that women must bring the souls whom their hearts long to help. It is in prayerful discernment that they can ask the Lord what it is that He wishes of them, in what way He wills them to act in the lives of others. Through a life of daily prayer, this inborn desire and gift will be safely formed and used as a tool of God’s grace in the world. Sister Marie Thérèse of the Divine Child Jesus is professed with the Poor Clare Nuns of Perpetual Adoration St. Joseph Monastery in Charlotte. Learn more about the Poor Clares at www.stjosephmonastery.com. This is the second in a five-part series exploring Edith Stein’s views on womanhood. In the next edition: “ Clear Brilliance.”
23
Ryan Murray
God shows Himself on ‘a great day’ with the kids
M
y wife went out of town recently for work, leaving me at home with my two sons, Emerson and Brayden. This presented two scenarios: 1. A definite role-reversal, as I’m usually the one going out of town for work. 2. The somewhat frightening (yet extremely exciting) fact that all fun, harmony and peaceful existence in the Murray household now fell squarely on my shoulders. Needless to say, there were a lot of silent prayers on my end (and probably quite a few more prayers from my wife) that everything would turn out just fine upon her return. Not to pat myself on the back or anything, but I would categorize the time while she was away as a complete success. The highlight of the weekend, however, came as we were leaving a baseball game Saturday night. We had gone to Mass earlier that day, then we met up with some very dear friends to get pizza and go to the game. Following the winning game, fireworks and some M&Ms, my 4-year-old Brayden looked at me. “Dad, this was a great day.” Emerson, when hearing this, looked over at the both of us. “Yeah, Daddy, it really was a great day.” If that isn’t Jesus in our midst, well, then I don’t know what is. I read an excellent book recently called “The Messy Quest for Meaning: Five Catholic Practices for Finding Your Vocation” by Stephen Martin. In the book, Martin talks about finding what your calling may be using five basic principles, including discovering your desires, zoning in on them and channeling your energy to those particular desires. The book also explains that we don’t necessarily have one calling, nor are those callings always related to careers. As a father and husband, I can say with certainty that my most important vocation is being just that – a good father and a good husband. Being honest with myself, which is something Jesus calls us to do, I realize that there are many times I need to do a better job of routing my energy towards those vocations. What I can tell you is that after the week I had with my children while Janel was away, God continues to reveal my most important vocations to me in the most positive light possible. Not only did I repeatedly think of how proud I am of my wife for all that she does, both at work and at home, I missed her each day. Couple that with the words my boys said to me from their hearts, and I can say that I couldn’t be more thankful to God for revealing Himself to me. As the week came to a close, I put my head on my pillow and thanked the Lord for helping me keep peace, love, joy and some semblance of order at the Murray house. It was so successful that I even did a little bit of laundry, which I’m quite positive answered a prayer or two from my wife. Ryan Murray is a member of St. Pius X Church in Greensboro. Have an idea or comment? E-mail him at murrayrj18@hotmail.com. You can also follow Murray on his blog at nobonzaboutit-ryan.blogspot.com.