Mourning might not be fancy. Still, Holy Week invites us precisely into mourning our sorrows and the sorrows of this world - even our feelings of god-forsakenness.
So many rich reflections here that I am saving it to return to a few times this week and beyond! Of course I love the idea of welcoming the mourning and your thoughts on lamentation. There is something so embodied about mourning together in community. I hadn't seen that Richard Rohr quote before - I'm in the middle of writing a post on crying (I'm always in the middle of about 5 or 6 different posts 🤦♀️) and I might quote you in it now! Thank you for leading us into this week with soulful care and intention.
I hesitated joining this year because I still love the Church and find that God (Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit) are so very present in the people and Sacramental rituals of the Catholic tradition. I feel so blessed. But my heart is especially heavy this year as I mourn with my niece (only 21) and her family and friends the recent sudden, tragic, accidental death of her longtime boyfriend. I appreciate your insights as so many of my family and friends struggle with the institutional Church and miss the blessings that can be found in a local community. Thank you for being another community that welcomes all!
Susan, I am so grateful you will be with us again! And not being "churchy" on our part does not mean that we don't love our church communities across the world, especially the Benedictine sisters I am an oblate with.
Thank you for clarification. I would not have survived without my faith through the years. In 1992 I attended a Triduum Retreat at a local abbey and on Good Friday and Holy Saturday they sang the Lamentations. It was my first Easter after my dad died. It was a beautiful, yet so mournful experience. I’ve experienced the deaths of many family members since then, but do not think I have cried as many tears as I have these past weeks. My heart hurts for their hurting hearts! Such a deep grief at such a young age. Thank you for your empathy at this sad time! Thank goodness, Resurrection is coming … but long blessed week in between. Looking forward to journeying.
Lovely to hear, Susan, and yes, Triduum is a moving experience. You say it so well: Beautiful, yet so mournful... Thank you! And welcome to the journey.
Almut, I stumbled upon your Substack a few days ago and have this desire to go back and read everything you have written! It's as if you've heard my seeking self crying out, "Help me reconcile all the dissonant pieces." Your words reach into my soul and help me grapple with feelings and observations that you express...however you do so with such elegance, depth and wisdom...I am thankful for your ability to express in words the ponderings of my heart. Blessings.
"...until you have cried you don't know God." This reminded me of my very tender heart when I began attending church for the first time in my life at twenty-four years old. I had just lost my brother to suicide and I was broken through and through. I love thinking about that time of openness in my life. Now my weeping is for what has happened to the church in America. I'm not a part of it any longer. But your post reminded me that there is that within me that is soft and open and needs to weep again.
So many rich reflections here that I am saving it to return to a few times this week and beyond! Of course I love the idea of welcoming the mourning and your thoughts on lamentation. There is something so embodied about mourning together in community. I hadn't seen that Richard Rohr quote before - I'm in the middle of writing a post on crying (I'm always in the middle of about 5 or 6 different posts 🤦♀️) and I might quote you in it now! Thank you for leading us into this week with soulful care and intention.
Thank you so much, dear friend, blessings to your writing!
I hesitated joining this year because I still love the Church and find that God (Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit) are so very present in the people and Sacramental rituals of the Catholic tradition. I feel so blessed. But my heart is especially heavy this year as I mourn with my niece (only 21) and her family and friends the recent sudden, tragic, accidental death of her longtime boyfriend. I appreciate your insights as so many of my family and friends struggle with the institutional Church and miss the blessings that can be found in a local community. Thank you for being another community that welcomes all!
I am also heart broken to hear about your niece's loss 🙏
Susan, I am so grateful you will be with us again! And not being "churchy" on our part does not mean that we don't love our church communities across the world, especially the Benedictine sisters I am an oblate with.
Thank you for clarification. I would not have survived without my faith through the years. In 1992 I attended a Triduum Retreat at a local abbey and on Good Friday and Holy Saturday they sang the Lamentations. It was my first Easter after my dad died. It was a beautiful, yet so mournful experience. I’ve experienced the deaths of many family members since then, but do not think I have cried as many tears as I have these past weeks. My heart hurts for their hurting hearts! Such a deep grief at such a young age. Thank you for your empathy at this sad time! Thank goodness, Resurrection is coming … but long blessed week in between. Looking forward to journeying.
Lovely to hear, Susan, and yes, Triduum is a moving experience. You say it so well: Beautiful, yet so mournful... Thank you! And welcome to the journey.
Almut, I stumbled upon your Substack a few days ago and have this desire to go back and read everything you have written! It's as if you've heard my seeking self crying out, "Help me reconcile all the dissonant pieces." Your words reach into my soul and help me grapple with feelings and observations that you express...however you do so with such elegance, depth and wisdom...I am thankful for your ability to express in words the ponderings of my heart. Blessings.
What a beautiful compliment (and not at at all suprising, having been equally moved by Almut’s writing!)
🙏
Valerie, thank you for this lovely note. It is so good to hear! I am glad you found me/ us. And welcome to our Cloister family 🥰
"...until you have cried you don't know God." This reminded me of my very tender heart when I began attending church for the first time in my life at twenty-four years old. I had just lost my brother to suicide and I was broken through and through. I love thinking about that time of openness in my life. Now my weeping is for what has happened to the church in America. I'm not a part of it any longer. But your post reminded me that there is that within me that is soft and open and needs to weep again.
O Linda, I am weeping with you about the state of the church. Still there is hope. When one heart can be changed, we can change the whole world 🙏