PONDERINGS FROM THE ETERNAL NOW February 2005 #19

Dear Friends,

This past month saw the blooming of soft, yellow pansies and violas with 70 degree temperatures and then our Winter Wonderland arrived in all its glory on January 19 with our first accumulation of snow. We were all wishing for cameras to capture the magnificent scenes. The snow laden heavy on the trees was like walking in an enchanted garden. The view of the mountains was breath-taking. It was also pure gift to see the dozen or so tufted titmouse fly in and out of the shrubs.

We also saw budget cuts. The supervisor of the dining room visited each of the twelve housing units accompanied with the Captain, Lieutenants and a host of other staff to announce the changes:

•  Milk served only at breakfast
•  Dry cereal only on Saturday and Sunday
•  Salad given out in the main line – no more help yourself salad bar
•  No sodas, replaced with sugared juices
•  Almost no dessert

I may shed a few pounds!

Many other departments are cut and overall the staff levels go from an already 91% to 89%.

The Lenten season begins February 9 with Ash Wednesday. Since this is a time of penance I want to share two reflections.

One is a quote from William Sloane Coffin . “ It behooves us North American Christians to realize what the German Churches learned too late some forty years ago: it is not enough to resist with confession; we must confess with resistance.”

Second is to share a piece of my Dominican life. When Dominic founded the order in 1216 in response to a heresy that saw the created world as evil, as something to reject, he made this announcement to his followers: he would build no institutions, they would travel two-by-two with simple robes and beg for food and lodging (Mendicants).

As he laid them out for us, the four pillars of Dominican spirituality are:

•  STUDY – we are called to learn what is really happening in our world.
•  PREACHING – we are called to preach the truth about all the isms and injustices.
•  COMMON LIFE – we are called to live what we preach.
•  PRAYER – we are called to deepen time spent with our God.

This seems like a good time of the year to reflect on these four pillars in our life and see how we measure up.

Also, The Monastic Way is a monthly reflection on the spiritual life by Joan Chittister , O.S.B. The reflections this year will look at the insights of great writers and the question: What of God is in This for Me?

January looked at Carlos Castaneda and asked: “Does This Path Have a Heart?” It is an excellent resource and I recommend you subscribe to it for the year. Check it out at www.benetvision.org or call Benetvision at (814) 459-5994,

I continue to wait in patient hope for the appeal knowing that whatever the outcome it will still be one day at a time in our Eternal Now.

I've discovered the real punishment of being here is separation from loved ones. All the other things in this rotten system one can learn to live with.

An example is a woman from our housing unit who went home the other day to see, hold and hug her children whom she had not seen in six years. Her only solace had been pictures and phone calls.

Martha and I had a discussion about visits the other day. She has chosen to have visitors every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. So friends can see her and this prison. I chose not to have visits based on the strip searches and to be in solidarity with the women who never get any. Maybe that has been selfish on my part and I need to rethink this decision for another time.

I'll close with a poem from “Passover Remembered” by Alla Bozarth-Campbell .

Pack nothing.
Bring only
your determination
to serve and
your willingness to be free.

Only surrender to the need
of the time - to love
justice and walk humbly
with your God.

Set out in the dark.
I will send fire
to warm and encourage you.
I will be with you in the fire
and I will be with you in the cloud.

You will learn to eat new food
and find refuge in new places.
I will give you dreams in the desert
to guide you safely home to that place
you have not seen.

The stories you tell
one another around the fires
in the dark will make you
strong and wise.

You will get to where you are going
by remembering who you are.
Touch each other and keep telling stories.

And so friends, let us remember who we are as we keep telling the stories – those that bring laughter, those that bring tears, those that bring courage and wisdom.

With deep love and gratitude,
Carol Gilbert , O.P. #10856-039 R-1
P.O. Box A
Alderson WV 24910