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Maureen Currie, rscj (Province of Canada)
Opening Hymn: Companions on the Journey
Introduction: In the western world, it is summer-time with all its beauty and growth. In the eastern world it is winter with its gift of anticipation and preparation. Whether summer or winter, or in-between, there are Seasons of our inner life that keep recurring, as individuals, and as Religious and Parish Communities. Each one of us contributes the gift of our particular ‘season’ at any given moment, to the life of the whole. Let’s listen to Scripture and then to one author’s version of God’s giftedness for each ‘season of life’:
Scripture: (Ecclesiastes 3: l)
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to throw away stones,
and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace...
(God) has made everything suitable for its time...’ PAUSE
I Dillard rscj
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First Reader: (Extracts from: When God Began in the Middle, ‘Twixt Spring and Autumn’, by Joseph Juknialis)
To the season of WINTER, God said:
‘To you I give the gift of anticipation and preparation.
Your task will be to prepare for new life.
You shall set the patterns for colors and hues.
You shall be the one to instill within the oak
the ability to be strong,
and within the rose
its breathtaking delicacy.
You shall give form and shape even before it is.
You shall be the father and mother of what will be.’ PAUSE
S Schadewald rscj
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Second Reader:
To the season of SPRING, God said:
‘To you I give the gift of new life.
You shall give innocence to my creation
and be blest with hope for the new born.
With tenderness you will give care,
and nurture weakness unfolding into strength.
You will know the joy of discovery
and the excitement of new treasures previously unknown.
You shall be the child of all that will be.’ PAUSE
M Wilson rscj
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Third Reader:
To the season of SUMMER, God said:
‘To you I will give the gift of growth.
You shall live twixt
Spring and Autumn.
You shall inherit the gift of Spring
as well as touch the gift of Autumn.
You, with your gift of growth,
shall be the bridge between
life and death...
And God smiled and saw that it was (all) good.’ PAUSE
B Shearman rscj
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Fourth Reader:
To the season of AUTUMN, God said:
‘Yours will be the gift of death --
not a death shrouded in pain and sadness;
rather, it shall be the joy
of seeing the fulfillment of what has gone before.
You will know the goodness of life richly lived.
You will taste the sweetness of life harvested and shared.’ PAUSE
Quiet Reflection:
At this time of year, in what ‘season of life’ do you find yourself? How do you hope to share the ‘gift of your season’ so that those with whom and to whom you minister will find new life?
Sharing: on the above reflection questions.
Closing Prayer: (Together)
Lord, God, You come into our lives from beginning to end: in the dawn of anticipation; in the morning as life unfolds; in the noon days of growth, with success and failure, fear and comfort; in the twilight of harvesting with joy. Help us to be attentive to Your presence, and your gifted-ness at each ‘season of our life’ so that we respond generously and build your Kingdom of love. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
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