O T H E C AT H E D R A L Q U A R T E R L Y o WINTER 2023
S I M P L I F Y
E M A I L . V I S I T. F O L L O W.
www.jaxcathedral.org
@jaxcathedral.org
TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S COVER
Star of Bethlehem by Casey Horner on Unsplash 5
A Letter from the Dean by the Very Rev. Kate Moorehead Carroll 10
Concious Consumerism as a Follower of Christ by Jo Fuller 14
“The Nativity” by Madeline L’Engle 16
Midnight by Luci Shaw 17
Practice Living Simply by Richard Rohr 19
Being Home: A Book of Meditations by Gunilla Norris 21
Advent: A Call to Simplicity from the Congregation of the Sisters of Bon Secours 24
Slow Down. Quiet. It’s Advent. and Christmas. It’s a Season. 26
The Best Song byWendell Berry 3
O U R M I S S I O N Inspired by the love of Jesus, we are building the kingdom of heaven, where differing people live in community, serving God and each other.
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A LETTER FROM THE DEAN
D E A R C AT H E D R A L ,
I feel so disconnected this year. As the holiday craziness picks up speed, I wonder why my heart is not in it. Buying Christmas presents, listening to the jingle bell rock in Target…I wonder how to celebrate when the Middle East is exploding and the world seems torn apart. Advent is the season where the pace of our culture and the pace of our church diverge. While America moves into full on shopping and celebrating, we who practice an ancient form of Christianity move into a season of quiet and waiting. For the four weeks prior to December 25th, we wait for the coming of our Savior. We are not waiting for the party and the presents that come with Christmas; we are waiting for the second coming of Christ. We are thinking about the end of the world as we know it and the eventual reckoning that will come when Christ comes again, defeats evil for good and makes all things new. It’s a lot to take in. Advent is a mysterious and beautiful season, often lost to busy Christians in this country. But this year, we at the Cathedral are going to do things differently. We are going to call everyone to SIMPLIFY. For these four weeks, I invite you to create some space in your calendar for quiet time. I invite you to create space in your homes, to get rid of stuff, to make room for Christ to come. I invite you to contemplate how to make things simple, so there is some room in your life for Jesus. In the pages of this Quarterly, you will find some thoughts and ideas to help you step off the hamster wheel of business and find God waiting there for you. Let us wait for Christ together.
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S I M P L I F Y TO S U R V I V E by the Very Rev. Kate Moorehead Carroll
AS A CHILD, I WAS BLESSED WITH PARENTS WHO BELIEVED I N T H E V A L U E O F P L A Y . They insisted that I be provided with big spans of unscheduled time. Summers were spent in the country with nothing planned for weeks. I was allowed to imagine my world. I loved playing with dolls and would build whole kingdoms out of pillows and my bedroom furniture. That gift of free time shaped me as a person. I am convinced that I never would have felt called by God to become a priest if I hadn’t been given the gift of free time as a child. It was as if my soul had a chance to breathe.
I see children today, and they seem so stressed, so scheduled. My good friend has a four-year-old son, and she was panicking because he wasn’t developing on time. “What does that mean?” I asked. I reminded her that Einstein didn’t speak until he was four. Why do we put pressure on small children? Why can’t we just trust that a child will develop at his or her own pace? For some reason, we believe that faster is better, but who said that? Faster just means faster… When the internet was developed, it was believed that the human being would be better off with unlimited access to information. The more we knew, the better! The faster we operated, the better! We can communicate across the globe in seconds. Research that once took days now takes minutes. But the pace of our lives has just increased as access to information became instantaneous. We find ourselves without boundaries to our time, replying to emails from bed at 2 a.m., getting phone calls at dawn. The information highway doesn’t sleep, and it certainly doesn’t take a day off. The result is that we find ourselves in bondage to a world that we created to make our lives easier. Our lives aren’t easier; they are harder! It is vital for us to step back and remember who is in charge. Our iPhones do not run our lives. We designed them so that we could communicate with one another. They belong to us and not the other way around. To wrestle back control of our lives, we are going to have to learn to say when. We are going to have to learn to simplify. We must develop the courage to put the 6
iPhone down and stop the craziness. The temptation to do all things and be all things is great. Our egos love the gratification that comes with speed and getting a lot of things done. But we are paying a grave price. The suicide rate has never been higher in this country. People are lonely and lost. We must slow down, make real living connections with people, connections that depend on freedom and the gift of time. We need to remember how to play. What does it mean to simplify? It means to create space in your life: both physical space and space in your calendar. Simplify means creating room in your closet, in your drawers, in your day to day appointments, in your home. It means sitting down with a loved one, looking them directly in the eye, turning off the phone and just listening. It means making things simple again. When you walk into an art exhibit, if it is a good one, the paintings are spaced out. There is empty space between them, white walls, nothing at all. If the paintings were all crammed up against one another, you wouldn’t be able to see them at all. You would not know where one began and another ended. So it is with the events of our lives. We must insist that there be space between them so that we can see their beauty, reflect on their meaning. If we do not simplify, our lives will be lost in a rush of information and chaos. We will not be fully alive. God rested on the seventh day from all creation. Jesus rested after dying on the cross and did not rise but rather observed the sabbath. If God and Jesus can do it with such important tasks as creation and resurrection, don’t you think we can make some space too? Don’t you think we can simplify? As the chaos of the Christmas season picks up in speed and noise, I invite you to simplify. After all, when Christ comes again, don’t you want him to find in you a mansion prepared for himself as Jesus so beautifully put it? Mansions have space, room to grow. Let’s simplify this season and make room for God in our lives. 7
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MOTHER AND CHILD 9
CONSCIOUS CONSUMERISM AS A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST by Jo Fuller
Sustainability, fair-trade, circular economy, toxic-free, slow fashion are just some buzz words that come to mind when thinking about conscious consumerism. Medium.com defines a conscious consumer as, “An agent of change who considers the social, environmental, ecological, and political impact of their “buycott” and boycott actions.” They further explain, “To live a balanced life, we must strive to align our intentions, thoughts, words and actions.” Whilst many people strive to live this way, regardless of their belief system, I have been pondering over the idea that as followers of Christ we should be leading the way and setting a Godly example. Wise Stewards There are several scriptures in the Bible that talk to us about being responsible managers of the resources God gives us. God wants us to be good stewards of our resources and he says that if he can trust us with little, then he can trust us with much as seen in the parable found in Matthew chapter 25, verse 11. “ H I S M A S T E R S A I D TO H I M , ‘ W E L L D O N E , G O O D A N D F A I T H F U L S E RVA N T ! Y O U W E R E F A I T H F U L O V E R A F E W T H I N G S ; I W I L L P U T YO U I N C H A R G E O F M A N Y T H I N G S . S H A R E YO U R M A S T E R ’ S J O Y ! ”
Becoming wise stewards in life is a process and requires seeking God’s advice and wisdom which may require a shift in our thinking.
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Change our minds Romans chapter 12 verse 2 states: “ D O N O T C O N F O R M T O T H E PAT T E R N O F T H I S W O R L D B U T B E T R A N S F O R M E D B Y T H E R E N E W I N G O F YO U R M I N D . T H E N YO U W I L L B E A B L E T O T E S T A N D A P P R O V E W H AT G O D ’ S W I L L I S - H I S G O O D , P L E A S I N G A N D P E R F E C T W I L L .”
This can be applied to many different areas of our lives, but I do believe it is relevant to conscious consumerism. Just because the world may be living a certain way doesn’t mean we should follow suit. I must admit, sometimes I can start to feel a little overwhelmed. How can I still live in the world but not be of it from a consumer point of view? Do I abandon all the western ways and go live on a big commune where we grow and make everything? I would love to live 100% plastic-free, toxin-free, eat only organic, grow all my own veggies and be able to afford artisan-quality products. And there was a time where I was starting to feel quite burdened by it all. But then I felt God say to me, “Do the best with what you have, with your resources, time and finances. Seek my will in everything and be filled with joy and peace.” Staying curious For me it has been about becoming more conscious of my everyday practices and really thinking about the choices I am making. I started to become curious, and I started to ask some questions. And it is all a work in progress. What am I spending my money on? Am I making wise decisions? What exactly am I buying, and what are the effects? Can I make some adjustments? Often sustainable, fair-trade, organic, grain fed food and other items are much more expensive and many of us can’t afford to live like this. Perhaps it’s just making some small changes where we can. For my family this has meant eating less meat but better quality. Ensuring the coffee we buy is sustainably sourced and the growers are paid a living wage. And really 11
thinking before buying. Is this item well made? Will I even like it or use it a month from now? Do we really need another appliance? Where does all the stuff go? Can I do a little better with composting? Set our minds on things above Colossians chapter 3, verse 2 says, “ S E T YO U R M I N D O N T H I N G S A B O V E , N O T O N E A RT H LY T H I N G S .”
Ultimately it is our spiritual lives we should be most concerned about and thinking about and growing and developing. I do believe while we make our spiritual lives the priority, it will have a flow on affect to every area of our life. But we aren’t to obsess over everything and worry about things! In Matthew chapter 6, verses 25-34, Jesus tells us not worry about our lives. Verses 31-33 say: “ S O D O N O T W O R RY, S AY I N G W H AT S H A L L W E E AT ? O R W H AT S H A L L W E D R I N K , O R W H AT S H A L L W E W E A R … YO U R H E AV E N LY F AT H E R K N O W S T H AT YO U N E E D T H E M . B U T SEEK FIRST HIS KINGDOM AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS AND A L L T H E S E T H I N G S W I L L B E G I V E N T O YO U A S W E L L .”
Jo Fuller lives on the beautiful Sunshine Coast with her husband and young family. Jo has degrees in journalism and education and loves to read and write and spend time with her family.
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GREEN EARTH 13
Excerpt from
T H E N AT I V I T Y from The Glorious Impossible, by Madeline L’Engle
And so he was born, this gloriously, impossible baby, in a stable in Bethlehem. Mary and Joseph had to leave home because of the general census ordered by Rome; so Joseph took his young, pregnant wife to register in Bethlehem, because he was of the house of David. Little Bethlehem was crowded, overcrowded with people coming to register. There was no room in the inn, no place for Joseph to take Mary, whose labor was beginning. How terrifying for Mary to be wracked with pain while Joseph tried helplessly to find someplace for them to stay. Finally, they were guided to a cave where animals were lodged. There Mary gave birth to the infant Jesus, surrounded by lowing cattle, by donkeys and oxen. Exhausted, but filled with joy, she laid him in a manger. Nearby, some shepherds were out in a field with their flocks when suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared before them, and the glory of the Lord shone brilliantly all around them. And they were terrified. “FEAR NOT!” the angel cried and told them of the birth of the child who would bring joy to all people. They were told that they would find this holy child wrapped in linen cloths and lying in a manger. Suddenly the angel was surrounded by a host of heavenly angels, singing in a mighty chorus to the glory of God. When the angels left and the shepherds were able to speak, they hurried to Bethlehem. There they found Mary and Joseph, just as the angel had said, and the baby lying in a manger. They told Mary and Joseph about the angels, and Mary listened and treasured their words. Gently the shepherds placed simple gifts- a lamb, a woolen wrap, a ball by the baby and then Mary and Joseph were left alone with the child, marveling. 14
Holding the child in her arms, rocking, singing, Mary wondered what was going to happen to him, this sweet innocent creature who had been conceived by the incredible love of God and who had been born as all human babies are born. God, come to be one of us.
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MIDNIGHT from The Generosity by Luci Shaw
In bed, and a kind of loneliness settles. I am wakeful, wondering. I reach out my hand from under the sheet, and over the edge Into the empty space beyond, and feel for God’s hand, his large, callused palm, a shallow cave, fingers curling their intimate way around mine. Not a word spoken, but in the dark air a glow, Like a night light near the door.
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P R A C T I C E : L I V I N G S I M P LY By Richard Rohr WE DISCOVER SIMPLICITY IN THE SILENCE OF C O N T E M P L A T I V E P R A Y E R . As we let go of thought and sensation, we
reconnect with our Center, our source of abundance and enoughness. I invite you to consider ways beyond your contemplative practice in which you can live more simply. Quaker teacher Richard Foster suggests ten principles for expressing simplicity outwardly. Here’s his list in my words: Buy things for their usefulness rather than their status or prestige. Learn the difference between a real need and an addiction. Then find support and accountability to regain “sobriety,” freedom from addiction. Develop a habit of giving things away. Avoid unnecessary and short-lived technological gadgets that promise to “save time.” Enjoy things without owning them. For example, take advantage of public libraries and parks. Nurture awe and appreciation for nature. Spend more time outdoors! Get out—and stay out—of debt. Use plain, honest speech. Say what you mean and keep your commitments. Reject anything that oppresses others. For example, buy Fair Trade products. Seek God’s kingdom of love and justice foremost. If anything distracts you from that purpose, let it go. Gateway to Silence: Live simply so that others may simply live. Reference: [1] Inspired by Richard J. Foster, “The Discipline of Simplicity,” The Celebration of Discipline (Harper & Row: 1978), 78-83. For Further Study: Richard Rohr, Eager to Love: The Alternative Way of Francis of Assisi Richard Rohr, The Great Chain of Being: Simplifying Our Lives (MP3 download) Richard Rohr, Simplicity: The Freedom of Letting Go 17
SIMPLY LOVE 18
BEING HOME: A BOOK O F M E D I T AT I O N S By Gunilla Norris
One day...one whole day with its night passes. It is a whole lifetime, a wide and radiant gate into Mystery. It is staggering. An unbelievable gift. I am still too unconscious to receive it. How do we receive this wonder? The only answer I can come up with for myself is to receive it in measured doses. My little consciousness cannot bear how vast the love is that holds my life. I must receive this love by quarter-teaspoons, by drops, by thimblefuls. I am reminded of a woman I once worked with in therapy. She was a gardener yet could never quite become a gardener. Her life was one of pleasing others, revving through tasks to mask a deep self-doubt and anxiety. One day she came to the office with eyes like blue sapphires, like blue stars. She was on fire. “Gunilla,” she said, “today I can die. For one half hour I have lived. I gardened! The dirt, the trowel, the plants, the sky, the sun, the water- it was all inside me. I really gardened. I can die. Now I can die.” Her face and her truth are precious to me. To garden, to do the dishes, to make the bed, to sweep. To be here, to do what must be done. To really be with the Great Love whose life we are, we can die then; any moment, we can die, and we can live the wonder of a new day.
THRESHOLD APPLES IN VERMONT 19
TAKE NOTHING BUT PICTURES 20
ADVENT: A C A L L TO S I M P L I C I T Y Some thoughts from the Congregation of the Sisters of Bon Secours * “ B E C O M M I T T E D TO S I M P L I C I T Y A N D S O B R I E T Y I N O R D E R T R U LY T O A P P R E C I AT E L I F E . S I M P L I C I T Y A L L O W S U S T O S T O P A N D TA S T E T H E L I T T L E T H I N G S W I T H O U T AT TA C H I N G O U R S E LV E S T O W H AT W E H AV E O R S A D D E N I N G O U R S E LV E S W I T H W H AT W E D O N O T H AV E .” ~Pope Francis PRACTICE THE ADVENT PAUSE
Our habits to consume are very strong. They are reinforced by a culture that tells us that our happiness is dependent on owning the latest gadget, product, or experience. To break this consumerist habit, we need to become aware of this internal energy to consume so that we don’t blindly follow it. This is a contemplative practice – to begin to see how the market and cultural forces shape our interior world – especially at Christmas. • Notice your internal impulse to buy more, to eat more, to do more things that are not essential. This can be owning the latest electronic gadgets and buying the trendiest clothes. It can also be over-consuming more information or social media than is necessary, eating too much food, or trying to pack in too many activities. • Pause and take a breath. Then find a phrase to ground you such as “Less is more”, “Jesus is the reason” or even “Do I need to get/do this?” in order to remind you of your commitment to not over- consume and to keep your eyes on Jesus. • Make a choice based on your commitment to live simply, in order to create space and time to focus on what is essential: God, relationships, service, and caring for our Earth community. Source: Laudato Si Movement
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“ S O B R I E T Y, W H E N L I V E D F R E E LY A N D C O N S C I O U S LY, I S L I B E R AT I N G . . . H A P P I N E S S M E A N S K N O W I N G H O W T O L I M I T S O M E N E E D S . . . A N D B E I N G O P E N TO T H E M A N Y D I F F E R E N T P O S S I B I L I T I E S W H I C H L I F E C A N O F F E R .” from Pope Francis, Laudato Si, #223
GUIDE TO SUSTAINABLE GIFT-GIVING
As you consider your Christmas giving this year, use this guide to sustainable gift giving to help you leave a lighter footprint on our planet. Charitable subscriptions: Consider an online gift to a charity that responds to the cry of Earth or the cry of the poor. Helping Hand: The most expensive gift of all is the gift of time. Give coupons to help friends and family in some way (e.g. going food shopping, shoveling snow, etc.). Experiences: Give tickets to an event or a membership to a museum or outdoor venue. Make: A homemade gift is so personal. Share your cooking, sewing and creativity this Christmas. Upcycle: Regift something that would be meaningful to the recipient because it was meaningful to you. Buy Second Hand: Books, clothing, sporting goods, etc. Shop ethically: If you must buy, do a little research to be sure the product was ethically sourced and the people who made it were given fair wages and working conditions. Shop fair trade. Buy New: If you must buy something new as a last resort, ask yourself how this purchase will contribute to the good of the environment. Where will this gift end up at the end of its lifecycle? Source: Ecological Conversion Group Magazine
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REFLECTIONS
What can you do this Advent to prepare for a simpler celebration of Christmas? Is there one new contemplative practice you can adopt each day to keep you centered in the moment and on God’s love for you? One of the goals of the Laudato Si’ Action Platform is to live more simply by adopting a more sustainable lifestyle. Most of us are so conditioned to going shopping for Christmas gifts that it’s often hard to consider alternatives in our consumerist culture. What are the challenges for you as you reflect on these sustainable giftgiving suggestions? Are there any practices that you could adopt this holiday season – at least for a few people on your Christmas list? What other ideas do you have for sustainable gift-giving? REFLECTION FOR DECEMBER 24
As you end the season of Advent, consider how your contemplative practice has blessed you and how your actions to care for creation have been a gift to Earth? *International Justice, Peace & Integrity of Creation Committee Sr. Teresa Margot Benítes Montero, CBS (Peru) Eileen Fernandini, CBS Associate (USA) Camille Grippon (USA; France Liaison) Sr. Mary Beth Hamm, SSJ Chair Sr. Mary Leamy, CBS (Ireland) Sr. Anne Marie Mack, CBS (USA) Rachel Moccia (USA) Sr. Maria Pintado Peña, CBS (Peru) Co-chair Sr. Katherine Tierney, CBS (Ireland) Sr. Yolanda Morales Valiente, CBS (Peru) Sr. Chris Webb, CBS (USA)
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Slow Down. Quiet. It’s Advent. and Christmas. It’s a Season. are both available at St. John’s Cathedral Bookstore & Gift Shop for you to use with your families to mark these holy seasons. They also other have other books and resources to help you simplify your observance of Advent and Christmas.
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THE BEST SONG
by from A Timbered Choir: The Sabbath Poems 1979-1997 by Wendell Berry
Best of any song Is bird song In the quiet, but first You must have the quiet.
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C AT H E D R A L Q U A R T E R LY E D I T O R I A L B O A R D Owene Courtney The Rev. Dr. Linda Privitera Nancy Purcell, Managing Editor A DV I S O R The Very Reverend Kate Moorehead Carroll
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256 East Church Street Jacksonville, FL 32202 28