Beautiful and timely. As one named after St Catherine of Siena, that artwork illuminated my own in a very personal and special way. My Mum died 4 weeks ago today and I have found myself unable to participate in Mass, in church at all. The way you described others participating as an intercessory act for you was what I needed to hear as I have found this new state distressing. Thank you.
Catherine, I am so sorry about your mother's death. That is super difficult. I hope you find comfort in the prayers & strength of those around you even when you can't participate yourself. God bless you!
Thank you. Funnily enough, today I did feel more able. I even sang quite loudly and happily. I am not completely back to 'normal' but I think the way you shared your own experience truly was God's timing for me Grace. I needed to hear it said that someone else had felt this way and that the 'communion of saints' was part of the equation.
So beautiful. One of my favorite things Mechtild wrote was, "The soul is made of love and must ever strive to return to love. Therefore, it can never find rest nor happiness in other things. It must lose itself in love. By its very nature it must seek God, who is love." We were created in love and cannot find rest except in the very love that created us.
I really enjoyed your writing and reflections – thank you for sharing! When I stayed at a monastery and the third lesson of Matins came from the writings of the two Mechthilds, during the following Monday afternoon walk there would be hesitant comments about their highly imaginative quality. I'm myself more into their neighbour Johannes Tauler (to mention an often forgotten name) or Marguerite Porete (not simply because she was burnt at the stake in 1310), but I'm sure I'll come back to Mechthild(s) soon. / Women-related book recommendation: Antoinette Clark Wire, "The Case for Mark Composed in Performance", 2011.
Haha, yeah, I get that. I agree that the Helfta writers are not my favorite. They are totally fascinating, but I do not think all mystical writers are of the same teaching quality. Julian of Norwich is much more consistent. I haven't read much Tauler, but I should!
Map of Days is beautiful! My nephew once said, in the way that passes into family lore, that my birthday is "on the last square of August," so clearly he had the same cartographer.
Beautiful and timely. As one named after St Catherine of Siena, that artwork illuminated my own in a very personal and special way. My Mum died 4 weeks ago today and I have found myself unable to participate in Mass, in church at all. The way you described others participating as an intercessory act for you was what I needed to hear as I have found this new state distressing. Thank you.
Catherine, I am so sorry about your mother's death. That is super difficult. I hope you find comfort in the prayers & strength of those around you even when you can't participate yourself. God bless you!
Thank you. Funnily enough, today I did feel more able. I even sang quite loudly and happily. I am not completely back to 'normal' but I think the way you shared your own experience truly was God's timing for me Grace. I needed to hear it said that someone else had felt this way and that the 'communion of saints' was part of the equation.
I am glad that it helped, Catherine ❤️
This is so lovely: It's heart-breaking in the best way: heart-opening. Thank you, Grace.
Thank you, Gail ❤️
So beautiful. One of my favorite things Mechtild wrote was, "The soul is made of love and must ever strive to return to love. Therefore, it can never find rest nor happiness in other things. It must lose itself in love. By its very nature it must seek God, who is love." We were created in love and cannot find rest except in the very love that created us.
Love that!
I really enjoyed your writing and reflections – thank you for sharing! When I stayed at a monastery and the third lesson of Matins came from the writings of the two Mechthilds, during the following Monday afternoon walk there would be hesitant comments about their highly imaginative quality. I'm myself more into their neighbour Johannes Tauler (to mention an often forgotten name) or Marguerite Porete (not simply because she was burnt at the stake in 1310), but I'm sure I'll come back to Mechthild(s) soon. / Women-related book recommendation: Antoinette Clark Wire, "The Case for Mark Composed in Performance", 2011.
Haha, yeah, I get that. I agree that the Helfta writers are not my favorite. They are totally fascinating, but I do not think all mystical writers are of the same teaching quality. Julian of Norwich is much more consistent. I haven't read much Tauler, but I should!
This whole piece was so beautiful! Thanks so much for sharing it!
thank you!
So lovely, Grace. Thank you. 💕
❤️❤️❤️
Map of Days is beautiful! My nephew once said, in the way that passes into family lore, that my birthday is "on the last square of August," so clearly he had the same cartographer.
Haha! I love that.