The Joy of Walking to Remsen Street

Human Connection in the Time of COVID-19

Over the past few months, uncertainty and fear have hovered constantly over our daily lives, causing anxiety about both our physical and financial futures. I find myself daydreaming about the normal, everyday things I had taken for granted -- walking through Brooklyn Heights to Remsen Street, popping in my co-workers’ offices to chat about what they had made for dinner the previous evening, taking my dog on a walk through Prospect Park on nice evenings after work…the list goes on and on. The parts of my past life that I yearn for the most are the simple, daily interactions with family, friends, and strangers – what I often thought of as mundane I now consider precious.  Whether it was getting the highlights of my neighbor’s kids’ soccer game, discussing the latest political debate with the cashier at the wine store, or catching up with my former college roommate over dinner, I now realize how critical and crucial human connection really is.

It is all too easy to feel the sharp pangs of isolation in our current reality – we must stay inside to flatten the curve, and when we must go out, we do so in a protective bubble by donning masks and gloves and moving as efficiently as possible. Last week, as I arrived at the grocery store to re-stock the kitchen, I groaned upon seeing a line outside the door and begrudgingly took my place, six feet away, at the back of the line. The gentleman ahead of me immediately turned around and greeted me by saying, “Good morning! What a wonderful weekend! I just became a grandfather for the first time last night!” Though he was wearing his mask, I could see that he was smiling by how his eyes were radiating with happiness. As I smiled back and congratulated him, I realized that his joy was infectious and rediscovered the power of human connection.

Now, more than ever, we must make a conscious effort to spread the power of human connection – whether it is shared joy or shared sorrow, it is the very essence of being human. We all are struggling to find glimmers of normal life as the world battles COVID-19. Personally, my mind is able to escape my fears and anxieties most often when I am having those precious “mundane” interactions over Zoom, FaceTime, phone calls, and emails. While it is not a perfect substitution for the joy of walking to Remsen Street and seeing my friends and colleagues in person, it can come pretty darn close.

Eleanor Nordholm

Major Gifts Officer

Feast of St. Catherine of Siena

Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.

- St. Catherine of Siena

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Catherine of Siena, a Doctor of the Church, a mystic and a woman who influenced the history of the Middle Ages in Europe. Catherine lived during the time of the Black Death or bubonic plague, another one of the deadliest pandemics in human history.

Catherine was canonized in 1416, 81 years after she died. Pope Pius XII declared her co-patron of Italy along with St. Francis of Assisi in 1939 as World War II began to erupt in Europe. In 1970 she was declared a Doctor of the Church (exemplar and teacher), one of the first women to have been conferred the honor.

Born on the Feast of the Annunciation (March 25th) in 1347, Catherine was the 23rd of 25 children (her twin sister died when she was three months old) born to Lapa and Giacomo di Benincasa. Her father was a prosperous wool dyer in the city of Siena. The year she was born, the plague had reached Sicily via Genoese trading ships from the Black Sea. It is said that four-fifths of the population of Siena died from the plague the following year. There were several successive waves of the disease during Catherine’s lifetime.This plague killed 50 million people, approximately 60% of the population of Europe during the 14th century. Catherine cared for many victims of this plague, even helping to bury the dead. As a result, she has become the patron saint of nurses and those who care for the sick.

Tradition tells us that when she was about six or seven years old she had a mystical experience and decided to commit her life to God. When she was an adolescent she cut off her hair as a protest against her mother encouraging her to dress more appropriately in order to attract a husband. Her father eventually gave her a small room in the family home where she could meditate, fast and pray in private.

At eighteen she joined the Third Order Dominicans and a small group of followers gathered and grew around her in response to her spiritual writings (which she dictated as she could not read or write) and conversations. Within her writings she became rather outspoken about political and church issues. Many of these letters were addressed to religious men and women, soldiers, popes and princes. At one point she was accused of being a charlatan and summoned to appear before a Dominican Tribunal. The charges against her were found to be invalid and were dropped.

Like St. Francis of Assisi, Catherine was a recipient of the stigmata, but the wounds remained invisible to all until after her death

The era in which Catherine lived, prayed and served was a bleak and cynical time. There was extraordinary turmoil in Europe, people were despondent and fearful because of the plague, they had diminished confidence in the Church, civic institutions and political leaders. There was a feeling of helplessness because of the troubles that appeared to be beyond human control. Catherine consistently prayed and shared a message of peace, compassion and hope. She never wavered in her faith in Christ and the Church.

Catherine is known as a woman who yielded influence with regard to the papacy. Parallel to the pandemic were the political troubles of the Church regarding the Avignon Papacy that had begun several decades even before Catherine was born. The popes lived there in exile from 1309 to 1377. When Gregory XI was elected in 1370, he was weak and irresolute French pope, very loyal to France, and was expected to retain the papacy in Avignon. But against all odds, Catherine made a personal journey to the papal court and convinced him to return to Rome. In 1376 she traveled to Avignon to broker peace between the people of Florence and Pope Gregory XI. She did not succeed; however she was able to convince the pope to return to Rome.

In 1378 a rival papacy was set up under Clement VII, igniting the Great Schism. Catherine wrote countless letters to the princes of Europe asking them to recognize Pope Urban VI in Rome as the pope. Her efforts were noticed and Urban invited her to Rome to serve as an advisor. Soon after she died in Rome of a stroke in 1380. Her body is buried at Sopra Minvera in Rome, the Dominican church near the Pantheon. Her head is in the Basilica San Domenico in Siena.

Despite the many hardships and challenges Catherine faced and rose to in her lifetime, it is moving to reflect that she herself never seemed to falter, despair or succumb to cynicism towards life or her love for the Church. Instead, her love of Christ and the Church deepened over her lifetime. Catherine believed deeply that a love of God and love of neighbor were the cornerstones to her faith. She lived her life ministering to the sick, and attempting to broker peace and reconciliation with popes and princes, in the face of tremendous discord and hatred.

Catherine lived in the time of a horrible pandemic and served those who were sick, as well as being at the side of those who were dying. Her care for victims of the plague offers us hope as we face this current health crisis today.

St. Catherine of Siena, a Doctor of the Church and a woman of deep compassion and mercy who counseled popes and paupers had a message of peace, forgiveness and hope. May we pray that she guides us during these days.

Alexandria M. Egler, PhD

Executive Director
Mission, Ministry & Interfaith Dialogue

Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter

Am I able to find peace amidst my worry and fear in this time of uncertainty?

     [Click the image above to view video]

Monday of the Third Week of Easter

Julia Marcel

Assistant Director of Campus Ministry

Chestnut Hill College

Third Sunday of Easter

Today’s Gospel has traditionally been one of my favorite encounters involving Jesus. Proclaimed shortly after Easter, it coincides with the hope that spring usually brings. Given the pandemic of 2020, we find ourselves needing to desperately cling to Easter hope now more than ever.

There is much we can apply from this Gospel to our current circumstances. The first is the need to manage our expectations. Jesus’ two followers had given up on Him, having been terribly disappointed. Disappointment is the gap between our expectations and reality. They were hoping Jesus “would be the one to redeem Israel.” Ironically, He was this redeemer – just not in the way they thought. How many times are you and I disappointed that God does not supply what we expect in the time and manner we desire?!

The second is the openness to be astounded, as these two followers were by hearing that Jesus was alive. In the midst of the muck and grime of Covid-19, there is so much by which to be astounded. This week I watched the Jersey 4 Jersey special and was amazed by all the Good countless people are doing to help those in need. The face, hands and feet of Jesus are very much alive.

Finally, we must follow our burning hearts, replacing any fear we may have with compassion and courage. It was the compassion and courage of a small, insignificant draper’s son named Francis whose movement continues to transform the world 800 years after he was physically here. If at this time of unprecedented trial fear enters our hearts, it may help to remember what Jesus would have said to His apostles huddled in the upper room that first Easter Sunday if the Resurrection had occurred in Brooklyn:

Of what are yous ascared? Take your fear and Fuhgeddaboutit!

Brother Gregory Cellini, O.S.F.

Franciscan Advisor

COVID-19 & Creation

What are you noticing in nature now as opposed to before the pandemic?

Friday of the Second Week of Easter

Blessing of Your Work 

by John O’Donohue

May the light of your soul guide you. 

May the light of your soul bless the work 

You do with the secret love and warmth of your heart. 

May you see in what you do the beauty of your own soul. 

May the sacredness of your work bring healing, light and renewal to those 

Who work with you and to those who see and receive your work. 

May your work never weary you. 

May it release within you wellsprings of refreshment, inspiration and excitement. 

May you be present in what you do. 

May you never become lost in the bland absences. 

May the day never burden you. 

May dawn find you awake and alert, approaching your new day with dreams, 

Possibilities and promises.

May evening find you gracious and fulfilled. 

May you go into the night blessed, sheltered and protected. 

May your soul calm, console and renew you.

Amen.

First Night of Ramadan

Ramadan as a Time to Reflect on Our Shared Humanity

We concluded our observance of the holy days of Jewish Passover and Christian Easter in recent days. The Islamic holy month of Ramadan is set to begin this week on April 23rd. All these three Abrahamic religions share deep interrelationships, which are not often widely known or acknowledged. The prophet of Islam, Mohammad, proclaimed that he was the last messenger of God, completing and embellishing what hitherto had been revealed to Moses and Jesus. Jews and Christians are specifically protected in the holy book of Islam, Quran, as Peoples of the Book. The purposeful practice of daylight fasting during Ramadan is one of the five central pillars of Islam, a practice also present in varied forms in Judaism and Christianity.

Islam—representing more than 1.8 billion followers, making up about a quarter of the world population today—requires able-bodied Muslims to fast during Ramadan, a holy month during which revelations of God were received by Mohammad. Muslims must abstain from food, drink, smoking, and sexual activity and free themselves from undue attention to physical or material needs. Focusing on spiritual goals and values, seeking closeness to God, reflecting on human frailty, identifying with the hungry and less fortunate, and providing charity are prescribed practices during Ramadan.

I remember with fondness Ramadan in Iran. Waking up before sunrise to eat a big delicious meal with family to start the fast day, eagerly awaiting to break the fast at sunset (Iftaar time) either at home or in the home of relatives with tasty pastries and dishes, and then going to the mosque to join large number of others to recite Quran and anxiously waiting for my turn to recite a Surah into the rotating microphone. The discipline of the Ramadan fast, centering oneself spiritually, and the social celebration of Eid al-Fitr (the Feast of Breaking of the Fast of Ramadan at the end of the holy month) are memorable aspects of Ramadan for me.

However, the celebration of Ramadan this year—with the global coronavirus pandemic and its lockdowns and social distancing—will be totally different. The families and communities cannot come together as in the years past and the streets and places of worship will be surreally silent. The revolutionary advances in communication technology will allow for virtual connections and gatherings and families will learn about the state of wellness of each other and pray for those who are ill or tragically lost their lives to this plague. Quran says, "The Believers are but a single brotherhood,” and uniting to care for one another, especially for the vulnerable and poor, is a religious duty.

I began by underlining the interrelationships of the Abrahamic religions, but I would like to extend that to the interdependence of all humanity in our globalized world. Humanity is now a shared enterprise and we are all in this together, especially as we do our part in battling this awful globalized virus that is affecting every corner of the world with deadly consequences. In John Donne’s immortal words, "No man is an island entire of itself…Any man's death diminishes me, Because I am involved in mankind.” No country is an island either. The great Persian poet and Islamic scholar of the 13th Century, Saadi, captures our Franciscan interfaith tradition of hospitality, compassion, love and respect exhibited daily by the SFC family towards our students, fellow employees, alumni and the larger community in this time of unprecedented crisis:

The children of Adam are limbs of each other, 

Having been created of one essence. 

When the calamity of time affects one limb

The other limbs cannot remain at rest.

Reza Fakhari

Vice President for Internationalization & Strategic Initiatives

Earth Day 2020

A Prayer for our Earth 

By Pope Francis*

All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe

and in the smallest of your creatures.

You embrace with your tenderness all that exists.

Pour out upon us the power of your love,

that we may protect life and beauty.

Fill us with peace, that we may live

as brothers and sisters, harming no one.

O God of the poor,

help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth,

so precious in your eyes.

Bring healing to our lives,

that we may protect the world and not prey on it,

that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.

Touch the hearts

of those who look only for gain

at the expense of the poor and the earth.

Teach us to discover the worth of each thing,

to be filled with awe and contemplation,

to recognize that we are profoundly united

with every creature

as we journey towards your infinite light.

We thank you for being with us each day.

Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle

for justice, love and peace.

* Pope Francis published this prayer in his Laudato Si’ encyclical, and it is meant for 
all who believe in a God who is the all-powerful Creator.

---

We invite you to view the video below which wonderfully displays the beauty of the earth.

Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter

Psalm 91

You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High,

who abide in the shade of the Almighty,

Say to the LORD, “My refuge and fortress,

my God in whom I trust.”

He will rescue you from the fowler’s snare,

from the destroying plague,

He will shelter you with his pinions,

and under his wings you may take refuge;

his faithfulness is a protecting shield.

You shall not fear the terror of the night

nor the arrow that flies by day,

Nor the pestilence that roams in darkness,

nor the plague that ravages at noon.

Though a thousand fall at your side,

ten thousand at your right hand,

near you it shall not come.

You need simply watch;

the punishment of the wicked you will see.

Because you have the LORD for your refuge

and have made the Most High your stronghold,

No evil shall befall you,

no affliction come near your tent.

For he commands his angels with regard to you,

to guard you wherever you go.

With their hands they shall support you,

lest you strike your foot against a stone.

You can tread upon the asp and the viper,

trample the lion and the dragon.

Because he clings to me I will deliver him;

because he knows my name I will set him on high.

He will call upon me and I will answer;

I will be with him in distress;

I will deliver him and give him honor.

With length of days I will satisfy him,

and fill him with my saving power.

---

Monday of the Second Week of Easter

The Prayer

I pray you'll be our eyes

and watch us where we go

and help us to be wise

in times when we don't know.

Let this be our prayer

when we lose our way.

Lead us to a place, 

guide us with your grace

give us faith so we'll be safe.

I pray we'll find your light

and hold it in our hearts

when stars go out each night.

Let this be our prayer

when shadows fill our day.

Lead us to a place,

guide us with your grace,

give us faith so we'll be safe.

We ask that life be kind,

and watch us from above.

We hope each soul will find

another soul to love

Let this be our prayer

just like every child

needs to find a place,

guide us with your grace

give us faith so we'll be safe.

by David Foster

Second Sunday of Easter

Today, in addition to being the 2nd Sunday of Easter, is Divine Mercy Sunday. In the readings for mass today, we hear about early Christians coming together as a community bonded together by faith. If we continue reading the Acts of the Apostles, we see the incredible transforming power of the Resurrection. What a world we would live in if all of us were “of one heart and mind” like these early Christians. They allowed themselves to be transformed and to not forget what it really means to live the one command that Jesus gives us: to love. It is this love that was the reason Jesus came to be one of us so that we might know what love looks like as it walks across the room, the love that reaches out to gently embrace all of God’s creation. On this Divine Mercy Sunday, how do I let myself be transformed by the Resurrection so I can be of one heart and mind with Jesus and show mercy to all those who are in need even when society and religion seek to exclude because of difference, religion, immigration status, ethnicity, culture, or race? Do I have the courage and strength to create a compassionate world of mercy where all are united in and with God?

Prayer

Most High Glorious God, enlighten the darkness of my heart with your radiant mercy. Give me true faith that I may not need to see in order to believe, certain hope in the transforming power of the resurrection, and perfect charity to gently embrace everyone with mercy. Give me sense and knowledge, Lord, that I may carry out your holy and true command to transform the world with your love. Amen.

Brother Joseph Bach, OSF

Director of Vocations

Franciscan Brothers of Brooklyn

Saturday in the Octave of Easter

When This is Over

When this is over,

may we never again

take for granted;

A handshake with a stranger,

Full shelves at the store,

Conversations with neighbors,

A crowded theatre,

Friday night out,

The taste of communion,

A routine checkup,

The school rush each morning,

Coffee with a friend,

The stadium roaring,

Each deep breath!

A boring Tuesday.

Life itself.

When this ends,

may we find

that we have become

more like the people

we wanted to be,

we were called to be,

we hoped to be,

and may we stay

that way – better

for each other

because of the worst.

Laura Kelly Fanucci

Friday in the Octave of Easter

PRAISE SONG for the PANDEMIC

written & read by

Christine Valters Paintner

Last Day of Passover & National Healthcare Decisions Day

Today we share two significant reflections. One for the final day of Passover by Michael Pitkowsky in our Admissions Office and then other by Joel Warden, Ph.D. our Catholic Scholar in Residence. Both posts invite us to consider the importance of being connected to loved ones as well as the significance and sadness attached to being apart. Rabbi Pitkowsky reflects on this by inviting us into prayer along with Dr. Warden’s offer of easing the spirit. We hope you enjoy both of today’s pieces.

---

The Passover Seder meal, which is the most widely observed ritual by Jews around the world, includes many different customs, some new and some old. One custom is to describe how Jews in other historical periods and lands have celebrated Passover, essentially incorporating past Seders into our own. I remember how as a child we talked about Jews who in the face of danger and oppression celebrated Passover. How when it seemed that there was no hope and no freedom, they showed that the belief in a day that could be better than today couldn’t be extinguished. I have no doubt that the descriptions of how Jews around the world are observing Passover this year will become a part of future Passovers. We will retell how at the time of a pandemic Jews celebrated the holiday without family and friends, sometimes even all alone.

This separation from family and friends is diametrically opposed to a teaching found in the Haggadah that says: “Let all who are hungry come and eat. Let all who are in need come and share in the Passover meal.” While our Seder table is usually filled with family, friends, and guests, this year only one of our children will be with us and our parents will be joining us remotely. In the face of this reality how should I understand this line from the Haggadah? This year I’ll choose to read it as an aspiration and prayer. As slaves we were unable to host others, but now we are free to open our homes. Even though this year no one will be joining us, we will still announce that we aspire to have our table filled with guests, praying that soon we will once again be able to open our doors to others and have them join us in the Passover meal.

Michael Pitkowsky

Manager of Enrollment Analytics

---

Happy Feast of Blessed Benedict Joseph Labre! This Third Order Franciscan was born in 1748 and cared for plague victims in his home town in France before moving to Rome and living a life of simplicity and pilgrimage. He subsisted on the generosity of others, was attentive to the needs of other folks who inhabited the empty spaces surrounding the Colosseum with him and performed miracles of healing for the sick. He died on April 16, 1783 at the age of thirty-five and is the patron saint of the homeless.

By coincidence (or providence) today, April 16, is also National Healthcare Decisions Day. Through their ongoing "Conversation Project," the group which established this annual event provides resources to facilitate what may be awkward -- but is always important -- dialogue between and among the sick and other loved ones about what their most important healthcare desires might be.

I've been teaching classes in Medical Ethics at St. Francis College for the last couple of years. In those classes we spend a lot of time talking about these kinds of conversations, documents, and ethical underpinnings that inform healthcare providers' actions on behalf of the sick and dying.

These kinds of conversations can take place on any day, not just on April 16th. But maybe today it would be worth checking out the materials provided at http://www.conversationproject.org/. Some advance planning documents (often referred to as "advance directives") can be complicated and may even require an attorney or legal process to execute. But one document that's easy to complete is a Healthcare Proxy form. By this you name someone who will make important healthcare decisions on your behalf if you can no longer make them for yourself. It's a one-page form and need only be witnessed by two people, no lawyer needed.

For more information, questions/answers, some good practical advice and the form to use in New York State, go here: https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/1430.pdf

And if I can be of any help, please don't hesitate to reach out to me.

On this Feast of Blessed Benedict Joseph Labre may the ill and all who care for them know the strength and peace that comes from solidarity with others.

Pax et bonum,

Joel Warden, Ph.D.
Catholic Scholar in Residence
jwarden@sfc.edu

Image of Blessed Benedict Joseph Labre

by Maria Matthia Langone

Seventh Day of Passover

Growing up in Soviet Russia, the Passover Seder was one of my favorite holiday traditions. The Seder is celebrated at home with family and actively involves children in narrating the story of the Exodus. Many parts of this narration are in question-and-answer format [to engage the childrens’ attention] with the highlight being the Ma Nishtana, the 4 questions, typically recited by the youngest child.

My recollection of Seders past in Russia – privately at home with my immediate family – no large gatherings with extended family at that would draw attention to a religious celebration which was not permitted. Our celebration ritual included the traditional 4 cups of wine, the stack of 3 matzos, the bitter herbs signifying the bitter times the Jews endured in Egypt and the sweet charoset (made the Ashkenazi way with apples, nuts and wine) symbolizing the mortar they used in their hard work. The wine we drank was home-made by my father – concord grapes grown in our backyard, crushed in a barrel and fermented in our cellar. The matzos prepared under the watchful eyes of my melamed (Hebrew teacher – an elderly Holocaust survivor) with a stopwatch to be sure the matzos were ready in only 18 minutes from start…to…finish. I participated in this 18-minute process with my mother by rolling out the dough into paper-thin circles to be baked in the oven. The bitter herb—typically horseradish, and apples were stashed away in our cellar from the fall harvest (no fresh produce grew in Russia in the early-spring months) and were saved for the Seder.

Those were the Seders of my childhood in Russia. More recently, in the States, I’ve prepared Seders with my children, and now with my grandchildren. Some Seders included extended family. Celebrations are still home-centered but larger and open thanks to the United States’ constitutionally-guaranteed freedom of religious practice. Ritual foods are easily accessible and available commercially in any season – just import from another country! The weeks leading up to Passover and the Seder are spent on thorough detailed cleaning to get rid of chometz (leavened breads), shopping for the holiday, planning, cooking and, often, traveling to family or friends.

But now we come to Passover 2020 with the COVID-19 pandemic raging across the globe. In the United States, New York City - my home town - is the current epicenter. With the CDC and other health guidelines recommending social distancing, sheltering-in-place and other restrictions on social interaction (including with family that do not live under the same roof), I will be staying home. As one of the Ma Nishtana questions ask “Why is this night different?” For me, this Seder, for the first time in my life I’ll be celebrating solo with fond memories of Seders past and plans for future celebrations with my children and grandchildren.

But, the fundamental message of Passover that will be again recounted at the Seder this year is the recollection of the past as well as the plans and hopes for a better and brighter future. The Seder concludes with the declaration of L’Shana Haba b’Yerushalayim – Next Year in Jerusalem! – to represent our looking forward to brighter times and I will certainly be proclaiming that heartfelt statement.

Esther E. Klein, Ph.D.

Professor of Information Technology

Sixth Day of Passover

The Dual Identity of Passover: A Reflection on Slavery, Redemption, and the Coronavirus

According to Jewish tradition, there is Biblical commandment to gather our families around the table and recount the exodus from Egypt as part of the Passover Seder. Interestingly, the Hagaddah (book used to recount the story) begins with the process of going down to Egypt, becoming enslaved, and unbearable suffering that ensued during this period. If the commandment is to recount the exodus, shouldn’t the story begin with the Jewish people leaving Egypt?

To answer this question, many Jewish scholars note that we are meant to view ourselves as if we personally are being liberated from Egypt. Yet, because several millennia have passed since then, it might be hard for us to personally connect to the concept of freedom without revisiting the painful details of slavery. Thus, in the Passover Hagaddah, we start with the concept of becoming enslaved. Based on cognitive psychology, this answer makes sense. Our brain works similar to a computer, which constantly seeks to find similarities and differences between objects and concepts. By contrasting the experience of slavery with freedom, one gains greater appreciation for each.

This year, there is no need for this cognitive exercise. The concepts of plagues and bondage are all too real. Our whole way of life has been flipped upside down. Social distancing guidelines limit our ability to interact with friends, family, and the outside world, in general. No level of society has been untouched. We have inexplicably lost loved ones due to the coronavirus. Yet, if the Passover narrative serves as a guide, we have only experienced the first half of our story. I am hopeful that we will eventually be liberated from all of this pain and suffering. When we emerge from this social distancing, I look forward to us, as a St. Francis College family, gathering around our tables and rejoicing in our personal liberation.

My God bless and protect you and your families during this holiday season.

Sincerely,

Daniel Kaplin, PhD

Daniel Kaplin, PhD

Assistant Professor of Psychology

Monday in the Octave of Easter

Most High, all-powerful, good, Lord,

Yours are the praises, the glory, and the honor, 

and all blessing.

To you, alone, Most High, do they belong, 

and no human is worthy to mention Your name.

Praised be You, my Lord, with all Your creatures, 

especially Sir Brother Sun,

Who is the day and through whom You give us light. 
And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendor; 

and bears a likeness of You, Most High One.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon 

and the stars, in heaven 

You formed them clear and precious and beautiful. 

Praised by You, my Lord, through Brother Wind, 

and through the air, cloudy and serene,

and every kind of weather, 

through whom You give sustenance to Your creatures.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Water, 

who is very useful and humble and precious and chaste.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Fire, 

through whom You light the night.
and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong.

Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Mother Earth,

who sustains and governs us, 

and who produces various fruits with colored flowers and herbs.

Praised be You, my Lord, through those 

who give pardon for Your love, 

and bear infirmity and tribulation.

Blessed are those who endure in peace for by You, 

Most High, shall they be crowned.

Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death, 

from whom no one living can escape.

Woe to those who die in mortal sin.

Blessed are those whom death will find in Your most holy will,

for the second death shall do them no harm.

Praise and bless my Lord, and give Him thanks,
And serve Him with great humility.

-St. Francis of Assisi, "Canticle of the Creatures"

Easter Sunday

Christ has Risen!

Holy Week has always been a time of preparation for Christians. This period in the liturgical calendar is a pilgrimage through the passion, death of Jesus, culminating in the joy and glory of the resurrection on Easter Sunday. We ready ourselves in spiritual, symbolic, practical and festive ways. We clean, decorate, bake, dye eggs, and participate in liturgies, services and quiet contemplation. Many of these actions and rituals are reminders and invitations for us to be present to the solemnity of the hope, promise and joy of our faith.

Most of us are accustomed to spending time during these days in penance, fasting and prayer. We celebrate the Eucharist and receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We attend Holy Thursday services and pray the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday. We kneel in vigil and reflect on the ultimate sacrifice Jesus offered of Himself for humanity.

To say that this year has been different does not address the depth of the fear and pain that our world is experiencing. This year we have not been able to gather together as a physical community to pray or to receive the sacraments. The rituals of Holy Week have unfolded, but in empty churches and sacred spaces with priests and the religious at safe, socially appropriate distances without the corporeal participation of the faithful. Our pilgrimage towards the celebration of the joy of Easter has been particularly sobering and heart wrenching.

We should remember that each of us, in our homes, with or without families and loved ones physically near, are CHURCH. Before the days of parishes and stand-alone churches and cathedrals, the early Christians worshiped and celebrated liturgy in their homes. While we are unable to be physically present with one another, we continue to be the Body of Christ for one another. Our personal spaces and sanctuaries are houses of worship, reflecting that it is indeed Easter Sunday.

Holy Week still happened and Easter has arrived.

I’ve been thinking a lot about a favorite book by Dr. Seuss: How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Despite his valiant plotting, scheming and ingenious efforts of removing every last bit of food and decoration with the intent of purging the joy of Christmas from all the Whos down in Whoville, the Grinch was unable to abscond with the fundamental essence, the crux of Christmas: LOVE. Despite the absence of the trimmings and all that symbolized Christmas, the Whos sang and rejoiced and celebrated in LOVE.

As we find ourselves overwhelmed and engulfed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Easter has still arrived. The joy of the Risen Christ is still with us. Easter has not been stolen. The central tenet and significance of this sacred day endures: LOVE. This is embodied in the worldwide gestures and expressions of compassion by our sisters and brothers who are in healthcare, as well as the essential personnel who work in grocery stores, delivery services, transportation, fire and police departments everywhere. Their sacrifice and offering of their own lives, their family time, their personal safety, well-being and health so that others may live is the meaning of Easter. Their offering is the meaning of Easter.

So like the Whos we celebrate. We renew our Baptismal vows and recollect the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. We rejoice in the extravagant love He has for us. This abundance of love is being shared around our globe. We remember and pray for all who are “on the front lines” today and all who have lost their lives. We celebrate eternal life conquering physical death.

Easter never actually did or does happen in a church. Easter happens in our lives. It’s more than just reenacting or retelling the story of what transpired with Jesus. It’s about our thanksgiving and gratitude for the experience of Jesus walking with us each and every day of our lives. This virus is not an obstacle to our Easter celebrations. This pandemic has been our Lent and our Holy Week. We shouldn’t dwell on making things “normal.” This year, the Easter that we are experiencing and connecting with one another and with the Risen Christ, is occurring not in spite of all that is happening around us, but THROUGH what is happening in our lives.

On behalf of the members of the Office of Mission, Ministry & Interfaith Dialogue: Dillon D’Andrea and Maeve Conlon, our Student Assistants, Tim Nagy, Assistant Director and skilled “technician” of this Review, Joel Warden, Ph.D. our Catholic Scholar in Residence and Bro. Joseph Bach, OSF, Director of Vocations for the Franciscan Brothers of Brooklyn, I wish each of you and your loved ones a very Blessed, Happy and Holy Easter!

Christ has Risen!

Peace and all good,

Alexandria M. Egler, Ph.D.

Executive Director

Mission, Ministry & Interfaith Dialogue

Thank you all for your support and interest in the La Verna Review, especially at this very difficult time. We are pleased that these reflections have been a source of comfort and spiritual nourishment for all. It is our intent to post reflections for Passover, Ramadan and periodically throughout the Easter season. We hope you will continue to read and pray with us.