The other day, when Sister Alberta and I were harvesting
grapes in the Mount vineyard, she came upon a small bird’s nest nestled among
the grape vines.
It was a tender reminder that life often appears in
unexpected places. The cricket chirping in the stairwell, the invitation to
consider a new ministry, the kindness and generosity shown by strangers to persons
recovering from illness or catastrophe—they break into our consciousness with
piercing clarity. They remind us that we are shaped by our choices of what to
attend to. As José Ortega y Gasset said, “Tell me what you pay attention to
and I will tell you who you are.”
Recently I received a card from friends that featured a
quote by Rumi: “Set your life on fire. Seek those who fan your flames.” I came
to the Mount because I sensed that the community here would help fan my flames,
and they are doing that by teaching me how to listen and be aware of the presence
of Christ in all of creation, be it in bird’s nests, the wine at our
Eucharistic table, or the suffering of people battered by storms and poverty. I
am grateful for the daily lessons.
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