On our part, God’s name – the name of Jesus – is to be honored among us. We are to praise and glorify his name; teach and proclaim his name, do everything in his name. When we gather we gather in his name. And, on occasion, we may have to suffer for his name.

In the end, God’s name – the name of Jesus – his person – as well as our own new name will be emblazoned on our forehead. We will be recognized as his because we bear his name. What glory will be ours in that day.

Yet the emphasis is not – cannot be – on the end but on the beginning. All endings herald a new beginning. We finish one task, we begin another; one day ends and we look to tomorrow. Even the loss of everything, even death itself, points to something new. God is greater than all. Life itself cannot be destroyed.

At Office of Readings – in contrast to the Gospel’s destruction of Jerusalem – we read Ezekiel’s vision of the dry bones.  “Can these bones live?”  Indeed, bones dead and dried for centuries, in a twinkling of an eye, at God’s command, returned to life. New life.

And so it is with us. Endings, with all their grief and pain, are never really  ‘the end.’  There is always hope for something new and beautiful before us. God has promised and God will do it.

Sr. Emmanuella sharing thoughts on the Holy Cross

Here at Benincasa we offer Saturday Retreats. The day usually starts with mass at Holy Spirit Parish, followed by breakfast in the Hospitality Room. Around 10 am, one of the Sisters shares a reflection with the group, with discussion on the topic following immediately after. Time is given for private prayer and silence, visiting the shrine or gift shop, and adoration in the Church. At noon the group is invited to Midday Prayer with the Sisters, after which they have lunch.

If you would be interested in coming to or organizing a Sat. retreat, please call Benincasa at 302.654.1206

The truth of these words come with living them out. For the truth to set us free, we must seek it with an altruistic heart and with courage. For sometimes the truth about us, or a situation, reveals hardships or weaknesses we would rather not have learned. Sometimes learning a truth is like opening a Pandora’s box, leading us onto a journey that is more painful than the one we enjoyed in ignorance.

And still, the truth does set us free. We must be willing to bear its burden. Unlike a Hollywood version, seeking the truth does not always result in some glorious Epiphany. Sometimes the truth is accepting the hard facts about ourselves or our lives. But the end result is always the same: it will set you free.

Peace comes at a price. For the deeply spiritual peace of soul, I believe that that price is the ability to let go of those things that disturb us. As each temperament is different, what disturbs will vary. But it is true, as long as we cling to things, we will continually be discontented. Nothing every goes entirely our way.

So what is letting go? We all must have values, or we are nothing but sheets flying in the wind. How can we avoid confusing our value system with our control issues? First is to realize that the need to control comes from lack of trust and faith. There is a reason Jesus said, “Fear not.” when he offered peace. For the need to control is a sign of fear. And trust cast out all fear.

I suggest the best way to peace is to live a reflective life. I encourage reading the psalms daily, taking passages that speak to the heart and spending time with those words, letting them seep into the depths of one’s soul. Only a reflective life can discern the difference between holding on to values and trying to control our life. And once you can distinguish between the two, you can make the choice that brings an ever deepening peace to your soul