Margaret Anna Fridays: On Hospitality

It's a tradition on this blog to share some words of wisdom and inspiration on Fridays from the founder of my religious community, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace.  Known in religion as Mother Francis Clare, Margaret Anna Cusack was a prolific writer in her day. Given that our Chapter Call at our recent Congregation Chapter centered on hospitality, I thought I'd share her reflection on the Gospel story of Emmaus when the two disciples invited the traveller (Jesus), to sit with them at table.

1st Prelude. - Represent to yourself the room where Jesus reclines at table with His favoured hosts. 

2nd Prelude. - Pray that sweet Jesus may often visit you thus, and, reclining in the home of your heart, give you Himself, the living Bread. 

1st Point. - The faithful disciples not only constrain Jesus to abide with them, they also offer Him hospitality. Alas! even when we have constrained Him to abide with us, do we not too often forget His presence, and not only fail to offer Him the best we have, but sometimes even refuse Him what He asks for? How can we expect to know Him 'in the breaking of the bread,' if we have not entertained Him with the feast of sacrifice? How can we expect that He will manifest Himself to us at table, if we have not carefully prepared for His entertainment? Let us learn from the disciples how to invite Jesus, and how to entertain Him when we have invited Him. They invite Him by earnestness, and they entertain Him by love. 

2nd Point. - The disciples find Jesus in the ordinary duties of life. If we only sought for Him as we should do in these duties, how blessedly we should find Him! Then, indeed, we should truly know Him in the 'breaking of bread;' then our hearts would be constantly expecting it. What duty has He not hallowed? what employment has He not sanctified? If we walk, we may unite our steps to the steps of Jesus--at Passiontide, to His suffering steps; at Easter, to His glorified steps; at Christmas, to His infant steps; and in the long weeks of Pentecost, to His weary steps. If we think, we may unite our thoughts to His suffering thoughts, His infant thoughts, His glorified thoughts. If we sleep, we may unite our sleep to His sleep in Mary's arms, His sleep in the boat on the Sea of Galilee, or to His last sleep on earth. Why do we not unite our life to His life? It is our privilege; it should be our consolation and our only joy. 

3rd Point. - Consider how we may glorify the risen Heart of Jesus manifesting Himself at table. May we not try to do so in two ways? First, by endeavoring to unite ourself to the like actions of Jesus in every duty and employment, and by seeking to find Him and converse with Him in all; and secondly, by seeking to know Him 'in the breaking of bread.' Jesus is our life. He gives Himself to us in the Sacrament of the altar, and He has said Himself, 'he that eateth Me, same also shall live by Me.' (S. John, vi, 58.) This, then, is our life. Oh, let us seek it; let us love it; let us live on it; and seek more and more, in receiving it, that we may be incorporated into it, until, like the apostle, we may say, 'I live, yet not I, but Christ who liveth in me.' 

Aspiration. - Body of my risen Jesus, be my life. 

~M.F. Cusack, Meditations for Advent and Easter (1866)

Margaret Anna Fridays - Chapter Edition

It's a tradition on this blog to share some words of wisdom and inspiration on Fridays from the founder of my religious community, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace.  Known in religion as Mother Francis Clare, Margaret Anna Cusack was a prolific writer in her day. 150 CSJP Sisters and Associates are gathering outside Seattle, Washington today for our Congregation Chapter. Over the next week and a half we will be pondering our future and making decisions that take us deeper and wider in response to the challenge of peace. Given that, I thought these words were more than appropriate!

Let us begin to-day, let us begin now. We may expect many failures, we shall meet with many difficulties; but our failures will not become less by waiting nor our difficulties less by delay.

No doubt Mother Francis Clare and all our Sisters who have gone before us will be cheering us on from heaven during these days of Chapter. 

Please keep us in your prayers as well.

Margaret Anna Fridays: Preachers of Peace

It's a tradition on this blog to share some words of wisdom and inspiration on Fridays from the founder of my religious community, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace.  Known in religion as Mother Francis Clare, Margaret Anna Cusack was a prolific writer in her day. 

Christianity, being a religion of peace, its disciples were necessarily preachers of peace, hence the first effort in any country was to reconcile quarrels, to compose differences, and to avert wars. The peaceful arts came to be cultivated when they came to be honored; and war, except for a just cause, to be looked upon as evil, and not as glory.         ~M.F. Cusack, History of City and County of Cork, 1875

Margaret Anna Friday: On misery

Most Fridays I'm going to share a quote from the founder of my religious community, Margaret Anna Cusack, known in religion as Mother Francis Clare.

"The nations are involved in misery, their countries are desolated, their families are ruined, their blood is poured forth on every side. And why? Because the teachings of the All-merciful are condemned, are neglected, are forgotten, and men who have boasted of their advancement in science are at fault, are unable to maintain the common rights of man, because they have not cared to learn the sublime lessons of political economy taught them by the Creator and Savior of the world."
~MF Cusack, Book of the Blessed Ones, 1874

Margaret Anna Fridays - Personal, Prompt, and Practical Action

It's been a while since Margaret Anna Fridays have appeared on the blog.  Reviving the tradition, most Fridays, I’m going to share a quote from the founder of my groovy sisters, Margaret Anna Cusack, known in religion as Mother Francis Clare. Here is today's installment:

The trouble is that poverty in the aggregate touches no one’s heart; it is no one’s business; the consideration of the matter is put off as too much of an outside question to need personal, prompt, and practical action.-The Question of Today: Anti-Poverty and Progress, Labor and Capital, M.F. Cusack, 1887

Margaret Anna Fridays

I am getting back into the groove of Margaret Anna Fridays, even if blogging has been light as I try to balance school, community, and family commitments. This blog feature is a favorite where I share some words of wisdom from the founder of my religious community, Margaret Anna Cusack, known in religion as Mother Francis Clare. She was a prolific writer, with more than 200,000 copies of her works in circulation by 1870. This week's installment is from her seminal (and controversial) 1887 book, The Question of Today: Anti-Poverty and Progress. She asks many challenging questions in this work, including:

We are, then, put face to face with the great fact of Poverty, we are put face to face with the certain consequences of the continuance of such a condition of things, and if we have one spark of humanity we are put face to face with the question, What can we do personally and individually to lessen poverty, if we cannot abolish it?

Margaret Anna Fridays

It's Friday, and it has been a while since I have run an installment of Margaret Anna Fridays, where I share some words of wisdom from the founder of my religious community, Margaret Anna Cusack, known in religion as Mother Francis Clare. She was a prolific writer, with more than 200,000 copies of her works in circulation by 1870. This week's installment is from her seminal (and controversial) 1887 book, The Question of Today: Anti-Poverty and Progress. She asks an insightful question, and one which our current Pope seems to be asking us daily:

Which are we to have, the real Christianity taught by Christ Himself, with all its sacrifices, or modern Christianity, which makes the way of life easy for the rich and cruelly hard for the poor? - MF Cusack

Margaret Anna Fridays - Advent Reflections

M.F. Cusack, Mediations for

Advent & Easter, 1866

Most Fridays I am going to share some words of wisdom from the founder of my religious community, Margaret Anna Cusack, known in religion as Mother Francis Clare.

Peace is the beatitude of heavenly wisdom, and spiritual consolation is its special reward. If we have only one end in view, and if that end is God, we shall never be disturbed, our peace will be continual and abiding. 

Margaret Anna Fridays - Advent Reflections

M.F. Cusack, Mediations for
Advent & Easter, 1866

Most Fridays I am going to share some words of wisdom from the founder of my religious community, Margaret Anna Cusack, known in religion as Mother Francis Clare.

Consider the gentleness of this Infant King. He comes as the Prince of peace. Oh! surely we will endeavor to drive all His enemies far away. ... Surely, from very love of His infant gentleness, we will use every effort to prepare our hearts for His reign, and we shall take care that He rules undisturbed.

Margaret Anna Fridays - Advent Reflections

M.F. Cusack, Meditations for
Advent & Easter  1866

Most Fridays I am going to share some words of wisdom from the founder of my religious community, Margaret Anna Cusack, known in religion as Mother Francis Clare.

Hence it is that those who are most devout to Mary know Jesus best. The see Him with and in her light, and her light in His ... She sees all things in the light of the Sun of justice, for He abides in her. 

Margaret Anna Fridays

Most Fridays I am going to share some words of wisdom from the founder of my religious community, Margaret Anna Cusack, known in religion as Mother Francis Clare.

We are beginning a new Order. We want brave, noble, large-minded, courageous souls, and six such souls are of far more value than sixty selfish, self-seeking novices whose first idea is for themselves, and whose second idea is for themselves, and whose third and fourth and fifth idea is for themselves, and who let God and good of souls come in last in a heavy hearted way. 

(Mother Francis Clare to the new community, 1887)

Interestingly and perhaps not surprisingly, we usually only quote the first bit! 

Margaret Anna Fridays

Most Fridays I am going to share some words of wisdom from the founder of my religious community, Margaret Anna Cusack, known in religion as Mother Francis Clare. Today's Installment is from her Book of the Blessed Ones written in 1874:

We read in the holy gospels that “Jesus went about all Galilee teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing all manner of sickness, and every infirmity among the people” (St. Matt. iv. 23). And we also, my pilgrim friends, may go about the Galilee of this world, and preach “the gospel of the kingdom.” It is a gospel of peace, it is a gospel of love, it is a gospel of mercy; it is a gospel for the poor, for the little ones, who live near to the Heart of God.

Margaret Anna Fridays

Most Fridays I am going to share some words of wisdom from the founder of my religious community, Margaret Anna Cusack, known in religion as Mother Francis Clare. Today's Installment is from her Book of the Blessed Ones written in 1874:

Let us begin to-day, let us begin now. We may expect many failures, we shall meet with many difficulties; but our failures will not become less by waiting nor our difficulties less by delay. Let us also have courage, and persevere. At first the rude or unthankful answer will come out, but remember a first step is gained if we see
even afterwards that we have been rude, or unthankful, or uncourteous. It is a great step. It is a step to thank God for, and to make us take courage. According as we correspond with one grace, our dear Lord will give us another. We ascend the height of sanctity by steps, and a step gained is worth more to our poor souls than if the whole wealth of earth were poured fourth at our feet.
-M.F. Cusack, Book of the Blessed Ones

Margaret Anna Fridays

Most Fridays I will share a quote from the from the founder of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace, Margaret Anna Cusack (known in religion as Mother Francis Clare, published as M.F. Cusack).  Today's installment:

The Christianity taught by the apostles was no hazy theory of belief. If it had been, the world would not have been converted by it, and men would not have died for it. - M.F. Cusack, Women's Work in Modern Society

Margaret Anna Friday

Most Fridays I will share a quote from the from the founder of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace, Margaret Anna Cusack (known in religion as Mother Francis Clare, published as M.F. Cusack).  Today's installment:

We are, then, put face to face with the great fact of Poverty, we are put face to face with the certain consequences of the continuance of such a condition of things, and if we have one spark of humanity we are put face to face with the question, What can we do personally and individually to lessen poverty, if we cannot abolish it?~The Question of Today, Anti-Poverty & Progress

Margaret Anna Friday

I'm reviving an oldie but good feature on the blog, Margaret Anna Fridays.  Most Fridays I will share a quote from the founder of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace, Margaret Anna Cuasck (known in religion as Mother Francis Clare, published as M.F. Cusack).  This week's installment:

... in some way or another, in some real, actual manner, we must minister to God's poor if we expect God's blessing.  All we need is a little inclination.  It is impossible for even the most wealthy not to come at times in contact with poverty, and thus to have the opportunity of personal ministration to the poor.
~Jesus and Jerusalem, or the Way Home

Margaret Anna Fridays - International Women's Day Edition

Today is International Women's Day. In honor of the day, I thought I'd share something that the founder of my community, Margaret Anna Cusack, wrote in her 1874 book Women's Work in Modern Society:

Give women their rights then, for these rights are justice – justice to men as well as women, for the interests of men and women cannot be separated. Let women have the possession and the control of their property; it is necessary right for the rich as well as for the poor.

Margaret Anna Fridays

It's a tradition on this blog to share some words of wisdom and inspiration on Fridays from the founder of my religious community, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace.  Known in religion as Mother Francis Clare, Margaret Anna Cusack was a prolific writer in her day. 

All unquiet, all unrest, all want of peace arises from some opposition in our part to the Divine will.  We cannot be at rest, we cannot have peace, while we are struggling against our Creator.  It is hard to kick against the goad;  it is hard to persecute Jesus;  it is hard to resist God.~M.F. Cusack, The Pilgrim's Way to Heaven

Margaret Anna Fridays - On Peace & Reconciliation

It's a tradition on this blog to share some words of wisdom and inspiration on Fridays from the founder of my religious community, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace.  Known in religion as Mother Francis Clare, Margaret Anna Cusack was a prolific writer in her day. 

Christianity, being a religion of peace, its disciples were necessarily preachers of peace, hence the first effort in any country was to reconcile quarrels, to compose differences, and to avert wars. The peaceful arts came to be cultivated when they came to be honored; and war, except for a just cause, to be looked upon as evil, and not as glory.         ~M.F. Cusack, History of City and County of Cork, 1875

Margaret Anna Fridays - Son of Justice

It's a tradition on this blog to share some words of wisdom and inspiration on Fridays from the founder of my religious community, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace.  Known in religion as Mother Francis Clare, Margaret Anna Cusack was a prolific writer in her day.  Here are some of her thoughts on Advent:

Jesus is coming as the Sun of justice.  Oh, let us beseech Him to ripen the fruits of grace in our souls: alas! perhaps the little plants of grace have hardly yet commenced to germinate.  But, beneath the rays of this powerful Sun, they will shoot forth and multiply rapidly. ~ M.F. Cusack, Mediations for Advent & Easter, 1866