seeing the invisible, and two notes

The Little Prince and the fox

"Goodbye," said the fox. "And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
 "What is essential is invisible to the eye," the little prince repeated, so that he would be sure to remember.

~ Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, “The Little Prince”

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“It is what is invisible that God sees and that the Christian must look for” 

~Flannery O’Connor

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I miss my friend Pat daily, especially at Mass.

Every time that Pat received the Eucharist in her hand at Mass, her communion “Amen!” could be heard loudly amidst the usual whispered voices of others. I can hear in my heart’s memory her resounding, strong consent, leaving no doubt about her certainty!

Pat’s “Amen!” was a genuine affirmation of what she believed.

I thought of her today when I read this,

“The phrase ‘I believe’ could be literally translated by ‘I hand myself over to,’ ‘I assent to’… [W}hat is invisible is greater and much more valuable than anything visible. But in order to have a living awareness of this, we need conversion, we need to turn around inside, as it were, to overcome the illusion of what is visible, and to develop the feeling, the ears, and the eyes, for what is invisible.” 

~Pope Benedict XVI

 of Note #1: I am thrilled to be going back to Cedarbrake Renewal Center in the Diocese of Austin, Texas--this time to lead a writing retreat. If you're anywhere near, please consider joining me!

Feel free to write me for more information? Here's the official blurp, or click here: 

Writing as Prayer: Sept 13-15

Join us for a weekend exploring writing as a tool for fostering intimate prayer. We will use guided writing exercises, visual and musical props to invite participants into spiritual conversations with the sacred. Anne Klock, flutist, will provide the sacred music for this retreat. NO writing skills are required, only a willingness to ponder and listen—with pen in hand!

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of Note #2:  I am taking some time off to practice deep breathing in front of the ocean. You may not hear from me for a few days... Be well!