On Assignment

Lectio Divina

Now I cry out like a woman in labor....

Isaiah 42:14

God gave them the same gift ...

Acts 11:17

Library

Finishing Dietrich, Broken and Shared. Still mulling the book by Simone Weil. Kind of in between heavy reading with the multiple writing assignments I have now.

Log

My small group gave its presentation on the death of Jesus according to Mark 15 this morning. We were comprehensive, stayed on point, and we stayed within time limits. Considering the scope of our presentation -- to describe the world behind the text, the world within the text, and the world in front of the text -- we acquitted ourselves well, in spite of the compression we had to do!

During lunch hour, I had a conversation with the assistant director of admissions at Boston College School of Theology and Ministry about the Master of Theology program. Discernment of theological studies in the post-novitiate is continuing to heighten in intensity. Preparations are certain to follow and likely to be more than provisional.

In light of the personal reflection I need to do for this third and final period of evaluation, I was anticipating my meeting for spiritual direction in Santa Barbara this afternoon. Unfortunately, it was cancelled. We'll have to "fall back" on my primary spiritual director, the Holy Spirit, which is not that bad a Plan B.

Abbreviated evening prayer, omitting the Office of Readings, so that we can spend some time socializing before dinner to celebrate the patronal feasts of the Central Canada province, Mary, Mother of the Good Shepherd, and the Mid-America province, Saint Conrad (a German Capuchin saint). Then, prayerful silence, during which I will pray over the self-reflection and peer evaluations I need to write, among other assignments.

Weather

Seventy-seven degrees at quarter to four in the afternoon. Not a drop of rain forecast for the next ten days, and only the slightest of clouds. A dry season is upon us, but hopefully not within us.