Holy Saturday

April 7, 2012 By 1 Comment
jri-Buried

The Last of the Brooding Miserables by Mary Karr Lord, you maybe know me best by my odd laments: My friend drew the garage door tight, lay flat on the cold cement, then sucked off the family muffler to stop the voices in his head. And Logan stabbed in a fight, and Coleman shot, and the bright girl who pulled a blade the width of her own soft throat, and Tom from the virus and Dad from drink--Lord, the many-headed hurts I mind. I study each death hard that death not catch me unprepared. For … [Read more...]

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Good Friday: Christ’s cross over this throat

April 6, 2012 By 5 Comments
jri-AD027NoBetween

From the 8th century Irish monastic poet, Blathma ...The sun concealed its proper light; it lamented its lord. A swift cloud went across the blue sky, the great stormy sea roared. The whole world became dark, great trembling came on the earth; at the death of noble Jesus great rocks burst open. Jerusalem suddenly cast up the dead from ancient burial; in the hour in which Jesus suffered death the veil of the temple was rent. A fierce stream of blood boiled until the bark of the every tree was … [Read more...]

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Maundy Thursday

April 5, 2012 By 3 Comments
jri-HolyThursday

Descending Theology: The Garden by Mary Karr We know he was a man because, once doomed, he begged for reprieve. See him grieving on his rock under olive trees, his companions asleep on the hard ground around him wrapped in old hides. Not one stayed awake as he’d asked. That went through him like a sword. He wished with all his being to stay but gave up bargaining at the sky. He knew it was all mercy anyhow, unearned as breath. The Father couldn’t intervene, though that gaze was never not … [Read more...]

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Holy Wednesday: Abiding Places

April 4, 2012 By 1 Comment
jri-ManyRooms

Throughout Holy Week I’ll be directing you with artwork, words, and poems that are working themselves out in me. I’m thrilled to be sharing Jan Richardson‘s images with you each day. Her work is influenced by the liturgy and the contemplative life and it speaks so boldly to me. She has been gracious enough to allow us to have access to them. (Also, if you’re looking for more from her, she has a wonderful Lenten series on her blog, The Painted Prayerbook, right now.) On John 13:36 - … [Read more...]

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Holy Tuesday: ‘For What Binds Us’

April 3, 2012 By 3 Comments
jri-ForWhatBindsUs

Throughout Holy Week I’ll be directing you with artwork, words, and poems that are working themselves out in me. I’m thrilled to be sharing Jan Richardson‘s images with you each day. Her work is influenced by the liturgy and the contemplative life and it speaks so boldly to me. She has been gracious enough to allow us to have access to them. (Also, if you're looking for more from her, she has a wonderful Lenten series on her blog, The Painted Prayerbook, right now.) The Binding by Cathy … [Read more...]

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Monday of Holy Week

April 2, 2012 By 9 Comments
"Finding the Focus" Copyright © 2012 Jan Richardson Images. All Rights Reserved.

Throughout Holy Week at Mama:Monk, you won’t be hearing much from my head. But I’ll be directing you through these days leading up to Easter with art, words from others, and poems that are working themselves out in me. I’m thrilled to be sharing Jan Richardson‘s images with you each day. Her work is influenced by the liturgy and the contemplative life and it speaks so boldly to me. She has been gracious enough to allow us to have access to them. * * * Isaiah 50:4-10 (TNIV) The … [Read more...]

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Palm Sunday

April 1, 2012 By 4 Comments
jri-PalmSunday

O Lord Jesus Christ, who on this day entered the rebellious city which later rejected you: We confess that our wills are just as rebellious, that our faith is often more show than substance, that our hearts are in need of cleansing. Have mercy on us, Son of David, Savior of our lives. Help us to lay at your feet all that we have and all that we are, trusting you to forgive what is sinful, to heal what is broken, to welcome our praises, and to receive us as your own. Amen. (copyright © 2011 … [Read more...]

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Let them tell this story: She was always being remade

March 29, 2012 By 38 Comments
bluebonnet3

I'm a stressed mom. I'm stressed too often. I worry that August's most prominent memory of his childhood will be my contorted anxiety face leaning over his carseat, snapping at him and plugging his seatbelt in tight. Sometimes he asks me, "Mama, are you stressed?" Sometimes he tells Chris when he comes home: "Mommy was really stressed today." Oh, how I hate that. That is not the story I want for my boys' childhood. Sweet Lord, I beg from my gut, unweave that story. Put a new one in its … [Read more...]

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Come, Holy Ghost

March 8, 2012 By 2 Comments

Oh dear, I'm afraid this is my second re-post in one week. But I've decided to have grace with myself because this week has been a little less tidy than others. Last night, after a wonderful week in Amarillo with my family, I flew home with the boys and got in late. We are tired from traveling and thankful for Chris and home. I wrote this post almost two years ago but I still hummed the words of this hymn to myself on and off the big airplane full of people who huffed and sighed at the sight of … [Read more...]

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{Practicing Benedict} Work and Prayer and Rest

March 7, 2012 By 5 Comments

"Idleness is the enemy of the soul. Therefore all the community must be occupied at definite times in manual labour and at other times in lectio divina." (The Rule of St. Benedict, Chapter 48) One of the things that makes St. Benedict's Rule so significant in the canon of ancient Christian writings, is that he had an unusual sense of balance and gentleness. He wrote at a time (7th century) when many believers were burdening themselves under a weight of self-induced abuse (as a way of worshipping … [Read more...]

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