A Happy and Blessed New Year!
A Different Kind of New Year's Exercise
(Originally posted on January 1, 2018)
Those who visit here, know how blessed I have been over the years to spend time in retreat at the Abbey at the Genesee in Piffard, New York. [If you missed those posts and wish to take a peek, you can find them here, here, here and here.]
(Originally posted on January 1, 2018)
Those who visit here, know how blessed I have been over the years to spend time in retreat at the Abbey at the Genesee in Piffard, New York. [If you missed those posts and wish to take a peek, you can find them here, here, here and here.]
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| (Image Source: Abbey at the Genesee) |
This
present post was prompted by an e-mail I received last week from the
Abbey’s Retreat House manager, reminding me of what a perfect time of
the year it is to visit this Trappist monastery. He enclosed this
breathtakingly beautiful image of our Blessed Mother located near the
entrance door to the Abbey.
Since death can occur at any time and since we must always be prepared for it, the beginning
of this new year seems an appropriate time for me to highlight some of
what Father John Eudes, O.C.S.O. shared when I last made a retreat at
the Abbey.
He
began his presentation by reminding us that “there are many surprises
in life, that some are life-changing, and that our life in this world is
uncertain.” This gifted monk told us to be keenly aware of these truths
since no one ever knows when God will call them to stand before His
Throne of Justice.
In order to live and
die well, Father insisted, as have countless other spiritual directors, we have to "meditate on the uncertainty of life and the certainty
of death.” We must
make time for God and the study of God in our daily lives. "We must
always,” he emphasized, “be prepared to give God an account of how we
have lived our lives."
Here are some questions, this gifted monk, suggested we ponder:
Have you ever stopped and seriously thought of the consequences of an unexpected death other than in a general sense?
What if you died today? Are you prepared?
If today was your last day, how would you live it?
To
help us harvest the bountiful fruits that await our mediating on these
questions, Father Eudes also recommended that we write down how we spend
every hour of every day. Then ask ourselves: "What am I becoming by
living this way?”
Maybe this exercise should replace those yearly resolutions we often make but fail to keep.
May our loving Lord grant you a blessed and faith-filled New Year!
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Thank you. This is invaluable and timely. Blessings to you for your faithfulness to His call.
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