butterfly smaller than a fingernail jan 2006

 

A robin this sunday Jan 2006

 

Jan 17 2006

Memorial of Saint Anthony, abbot

1 Sm 16:1-13 The LORD said to Samuel: “How long will you grieve for Saul, whom I have rejected as king of Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and be on your way. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have chosen my king from among his sons.” But Samuel replied: “How can I go? Saul will hear of it and kill me.” To this the LORD answered: “Take a heifer along and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I myself will tell you what to do; you are to anoint for me the one I point out to you.” Samuel did as the LORD had commanded him. When he entered Bethlehem, the elders of the city came trembling to meet him and inquired, “Is your visit peaceful, O seer?” He replied: “Yes! I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. So cleanse yourselves and join me today for the banquet.” He also had Jesse and his sons cleanse themselves and invited them to the sacrifice. As they came, he looked at Eliab and thought,“Surely the LORD’s anointed is here before him.” But the LORD said to Samuel: “Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature, because I have rejected him. Not as man sees does God see, because he sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart.” Then Jesse called Abinadab and presented him before Samuel, who said, “The LORD has not chosen him.” Next Jesse presented Shammah, but Samuel said,“The LORD has not chosen this one either.” In the same way Jesse presented seven sons before Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen any one of these.” Then Samuel asked Jesse,“Are these all the sons you have?” Jesse replied, “There is still the youngest, who is tending the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse,“Send for him; we will not begin the sacrificial banquet until he arrives here.” Jesse sent and had the young man brought to them. He was ruddy, a youth handsome to behold and making a splendid appearance. The LORD said,“There–anoint him, for this is he!” Then Samuel, with the horn of oil in hand, anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and from that day on, the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David. When Samuel took his leave, he went to Ramah.
The LORD does not look at people the way that we do but looks into the heart. When David is annointed with the horn of oil, the Spirit rushes upon him. Our baptism is a holy blessing and annointing and our confirmation is an annointing. I recall on entering the Church that day the feeling of having an open heart, burning with love and yearning to live the Gospel life and serve the Lord. The annointing with the chrism oil was a blessed moment filled with emotion and shared and celebrated with my church members, family and friends. That was eight years ago now. That day, the smell of the chrism oil lingered with me a long time and is still fresh in my memory. I pray today for an open and willing heart to do the will of God.

Today is a memorial of Anthony Abbot. I assume that is St Anthony of the Desert one of the early figures in monasticism. The monastic is centered on God and the quest or search for God is followed in a celibate life that is not focused on the worldly although the monk can be in the world. St Anthony was called to lead small desert groups of monastics and gave his life to serving the will of God and serving those early monastic communities. The sayings that have been passed down from these early Christian mothers and fathers are simple and profound with a clarity and purity that is difficult to find in our own time. I remind myself again to turn this morning to Christ and prefer nothing to the love of Christ. I pray that the Spirit give me the heart and mind to truly be Christ to others and see Christ in others today and to perservere in my journey with Christ and to Christ with my monastic community.