bare to the core

“[Job] yells at God, accuses God of all kinds of things, speaks sarcastically, almost makes fun of God. ‘If this is a game you’re playing, then you’re not much of a God! I don’t need you and I don’t want you’—it’s that kind of prayer that creates saints. You can’t pray that way, with that authority, unless you know something, unless you are assured at a deep level of a profound relatedness between the two of you, unless you can venture into that arena where we say angels fear to tread.”

~Richard Rohr, 

Job and the Mystery of Suffering: Spiritual Reflections

Prayer is not about communication as much as it is about relationship. It is in prayer that we meet, in a personal and intimate way, the God who loves us. No matter what form our daily prayer takes––reading the Scripture, meditating on the life or the writings of a saint, saying the rosary, it is important that we also include as part of our prayer time a time for silence, a time for us to learn to listen. 

When we go to silent prayer, we open our hearts to the Truth that God is present in that moment. By the mere act of sitting, silently and asking God into our space, into our moment, we are proclaiming with our bodies and our wills what our heart has always known––God is here. God is Love. And God wants me grow in the knowledge of that Love.

~from my book, The Journey: 

a Guide for the Modern Pilgrim

It is my delight today to introduce to you Nora Payan, a remarkable, inspirational--and prayerful woman that I had the pleasure of meeting at my recent retreat for the Diocese of Austin, “Writing as Prayer.”

Nora has been kind enough to grant me permission to share one of the writing pieces that she wrote during our retreat.

Bare 

Lord here I am  

bare to the core.  

I surrender my life to you,  

guide me, show me what to do.  

You are my be-loved heavenly father.  

Let me know and feel your presence,  

show me the way.  

I put all my trust in you,  

and I anxiously wait to go  

home to you, for all eternity.

                      © Nora Payan, 2013

Cedarbrake Renewal Center, 2013

writing as prayer retreat: come join me!

I want to record you, observe you, describe-- 

not with cinnabar red and gold, just in ink of the apple tree's rind. 

Even with beads I cannot tie you to the page, 

and the most tottering image my senses contrive, 

you blindly outdo by just being alive.

~Rainer Maria Rilke, 

from "Acceptable Words: Prayers for the Writer"

O God my God

Here I am

It is only me

But it is all me

May it be enough

That is, enough of you

Because it is just me

But all you.

~Rachel G. Hackenberg, "Writing to God"

+   +   +   +   +

Have I mentioned how thrilled I am to be going back to Cedarbrake Renewal Center in the Diocese of Austin, Texas, to lead a writing retreat. I am specially excited that my friend Anne Klock, a talented flutist, has agreed to be the music minister for our retreat. 

It's going to be a wonderful weekend at one of my favorite retreat places. Come join me!

You can write me for more information: mymaria@me.com Or check out the official blurp below, and how to register 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!

Why I love Catholic Schools #2

Michelle at her first teaching job, 

Lourdes Central Catholic in Nebraska City, 

with her good friend Sally. 

As we celebrate

National Catholic Schools Week 2013

I'm proud to say that this year two of our daughters are teaching Middle School at Catholic schools! 

After two wonderful years at Lourdes Central Catholic in Nebraska City, Michelle is at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School in Oklahoma City, and Anamaría is at Michelle's alma mater, All Saints Catholic School in Norman. 

I have always been surrounded by teachers, all levels, all types of schools -- mother, father, brother, husband, father and mother in-law -- and now daughters and daughter in law! 

Coach Michelle praying with her volleyball team

Lourdes Central Catholic

Seeing first hand the hard work, energy, time-commitment and faithfulness of these family members who are teachers, I've always had a special place in my prayers for all teachers. 

Often underpaid, those who have made teaching their vocation do so because they're answering a special call to serve, and to spread the Gospel through their lives. This goes doubly so for Catholic school teachers, who  work extremely hard, often get paid less, and still go the extra mile for their students.

What does a Catholic School teacher look like? 

well, here's Michelle on "Superhero day"

Catholic Schools Week 2013

I love Catholic schools because of their teachers! 

Two fun videos:

one minute video of a typical day at a Catholic school

Diocese of St. Petersburg

And this one, a 6-minute video on Catholic schools

Diocese of Austin