In every age there is a need, a longing for a new advent. Ancestral memory is an elusive gift which all too often we fritter away as we journey, trudge or fly through our own lives. Too often we jettison the old fashioned, the worn out and the objects that speak to us of yesterday… especially in the desire to de-clutter, to simplify and to freshen up our homes. At what cost do we part so easily with our past? I can readily identify the members of my parents families, but I can go no further in my family’s history with any sort of tangible evidence… written or not. Are we that unable to muster the effort required to send forward from those whom we have received life? It becomes clearer to us when we contemplate the separation of time in the actual events to the recording of the life events of our Lord. The spoken word, the communal behavior, the exhortations in visits… all kept close the image and bonds which were so evident during Jesus’ life… Yet as time passed the treasure became more distant in memory and over an inspired passage of time, the Good News was placed on parchment many times over. What a gift we have in the Scriptures! What a gift we have in being able to recall so vividly the events which took place. The commands to love, to serve, to live for others… and to spread the Good News to the ends of the earth…
And so it was that we arrived at the mountaintop in Blueridge Summit to spend a weekend away in an embrace of Advent: which invites us to expect the gift of the Lord Jesus’ birth, which is coming in a few weeks. We journeyed to the top and began with a Mass at St Anthony in Emmitsburg… All 28 of us in five pews right smack dab in the middle of a sedate and wonderfully holy sanctuary… Fr Schaum was evocative in his greeting, his presence and his homily… but for us a small band of pilgrims, he was especially evocative as he enjoined us after the Eucharist to share with him and the congregation what had brought us to this place. He was so glad to have our presence there and for us all on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, it was a beautiful chance to begin our Advent retreat in prayer, in thanksgiving, and in community with the larger church,,, which in turn brought forth memories of the past as Fr Schaum remembered that Fr Ruane was his student at the mount over 35 years previous…
See how great it is when we remember those in our past.
Fr Schaum wished us inspiration and safe travel and we continued on our way through the darkness with hearts illuminated by the glow of the warmth of that chapel and the people of the little community of St Anthony’s.
Our winding route took us through the mountains to the other side and up a final ridge to Bellarmine, a Jesuit gathering place which consists of four homes, each distinct in their charm, but our place was the Grady House… contemporary and ample enough for the 28 of us.
There, we continued the process of becoming a small community of sojourners… the goal a little ambiguous but soon experienced in the peeling away of individual restraints and the expression of self…
Inspired by the spirit we reflected on gifts and possessions and needs. The gift of the Magi in O’Henry’s words prepared us to hear of the rice cooker and the family of 12 as told by Ms Judy… oh her passion for rice and “The Cooker” was a thing to behold… and I daresay probably the one thing all will remember from this retreat. Her telling of the gift of the rice cooker and the need of it by “the Family” really struck home in how we hold tight to gifts both great and small. It is good to remember to be ready at a moment’s notice to do what the Lord himself did...
to lay down our treasure, even our life for another, even the least of our brothers.
Later on Big John drew us into a search through the past for memories and pictures of symbols that remind us of the long line unbroken that leads us all first to the Nativity and the manger where all humankind is invited to partake of the food of life, and then ultimately to the foot of the cross where the ultimate sacrifice was born for us and for those who believe. As it so simply reminds us in John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him may not perish but have eternal life”
It is so entirely appropriate to state the beauty of the message and so it is that we remember as we congregate each Sunday and especially last Sunday upon our return to St Mike’s that we celebrate our ancestral family in the spirit when we remember Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice on Calvary once for all… in the Eucharistic meal, which means “give thanks”, which we do as a family. United by the body and blood of Christ… forever and ever, we do not forget… we muster the effort to send forward from those we have received eternal life... Amen
Most of our group made it outside to see the sunset
The twins display their handi-work.
Some sit back and relax
Others take too many pics
Check out this video
Let the Fire Fall by Mr John
