Tuesday 23 February 2016

Varieties of Exile

"In the third summer of the war I began to meet refugees."  So begins the opening sentence in Varieties of Exile, a compelling short story penned by the immensely talented Canadian writer Mavis Gallant.  I recently came across it this past month, discovering it in a hefty 1180 page anthology of Canadian Literature that I am currently sipping and savouring in my nightly reading rituals.  The particular tome I am perusing focuses on the English-language literature of Canada and not the equally captivating and wonderful worlds of Aboriginal and French-language Canadian literature.  (Concerning the latter, I have on my mind to next read Récits de voyages, the travel accounts of Jacques Cartier.)

What Gallant touches upon in this irresistible story is a keen uncovering of the phenomena of 'otherness' and the sense of being 'out-of-place' in one's physical, psychological, social, and cultural milieus.  In fact, the 'story behind the story' of Varieties of Exile, is the large number of refugees Gallant herself witnessed arriving in Montreal throughout the duration of the Second World War.  Indeed, the subject of exile is a shining leitmotif that Gallant has woven throughout much of her literary work.

To me, what is especially interesting about Varieties of Exile is the oblique way in which Gallant explores refugee-related themes such as displacement and alienation.  For example, the dialogue Gallant creates between her characters is not direct but a muted, Proust-like, and fully nuanced pattern of interpersonal exchange.  Also, Gallant portrays her characters with an intriguing kind of reticence that serves as a deeper sign and signification within the narrative, bringing the reader beyond what is said explicitly and to actively make a link with the human experience of ambiguity and uncertainty.

Alas, art meets the vicissitudes of life.  Having just finished reading Gallant's powerful prose, I cannot help but reflect on how some of the thematic elements in her story undoubtedly resonate with the plight of the 59.5 million people displaced by war, intrastate strife, and human rights violations last year, alone.  David Hollenbach, SJ, who serves as Director of the Center for Human Rights and International Justice at Boston College, has written a skillful synopsis of the current refugee crisis that examines, pointedly, the obligations toward refugees that arise from our common humanity.  Numbered among these millions are our sisters and brothers of the Dominican family who daily share in the wearying precariousness of displacement, as displaced persons themselves.  Sister Maria Hanna, OP has chronicled the violence, civil unrest, and humanitarian challenges that she and the people of Iraq are presently dealing with.  I highly recommend reading her letters of July 22nd, 2015 and of January 15th, 2016 as well as this on-the-ground account by multimedia journalist Lauren Bohn.

Prayer, along with fasting and alms giving, are traditional Christian practices during Lent.  Consider joining us in praying for the needs of refugees, and for peace, in loving solidarity with our Dominican sisters and brothers who are currently ministering to the displaced and dispossessed in Iraq, and beyond.  There is a prayer below that you can use.

-- Sister Elizabeth Marie








 

Sunday 14 February 2016

Welcome to Lent



Thought of the week, courtesy of Thomas Merton's The Sign of Jonas:

"God's will is my cell.
His love is my solitude."

In other news, here are some recent photos of around the monastery that we haven't had the chance to share yet. You might say that it's been a bit damp lately, as our snow is almost completely gone, and Pilchuk Creek is, well...let's say that our Polar Bear swim spot is now decidedly unswimmable...

Pilchuk Creek
Our gentle swimming hole is now...inadvisable.
Elk?
Play?
And, from way back...we walked out of the novitiate this morning to find these funny little mushrooms encased in ice (courtesy of a hose we left on at a trickle to stop it from freezing).


May your Lent be joyful, and may your joy be from and for God!

Monday 8 February 2016

Lectio Divina: An Invitation

As members of the Order of Preachers, we are called not only to contemplate the mystery of God personally, but also to communicate what we have contemplated to others.  The sacred scriptures of the Christian tradition is for us, as it is for all Christians, one of the most privileged places where we can freely discover this mystery and enter more deeply into the immensity of God's divine life and love.

During this Jubilee Year celebrating the 800th Anniversary of the Order of Preachers, you are invited to explore and read our daily online Lectio Divina with us as a way of prayerful and shared contemplative engagement with the Christian scriptures.  The lectio divina for each day has been written by a member of the Dominican family, which includes sisters and nuns, priests and brothers, associates, volunteers, and lay men and women.  As Dominicans, we are as diverse as are our members -- each a vital part of the entire Order of Preachers.  Thus, our online lectio divina is also a rich opportunity for you to get to know us better and to participate, just a tiny bit, in our contemplative practice and experience its fruits.

For those who are unfamiliar with lectio divina, or "sacred reading", it is an ancient way of prayer that has been practiced by Christians since the earliest times.  It essentially involves slowly and meditatively reading some portion of text from the Christian scriptures, then prayerfully responding and resting in silence.  You will notice, on our Lectio Divina website, that we have formatted this into a simple five-step exploration and engagement with scripture that is easy to follow:  Lectio (Reading), Studium (Study), Meditatio (Meditation), Oratio (Prayer), and Contemplatio (Contemplation).  Just click on these headings to read the reflections.

If you are interested in learning more about lectio divina, or in deepening your practice of this way of prayer, you may find these books helpful:

Too Deep for Words: Rediscovering Lectio Divina by Thelma Hall, RC.
The Word Seen and Touched: Lectio Divina and the Human Experience by Brendan Clifford, OP.
Lectio Divina: Renewing the Ancient Practice of Praying the Scriptures by M. Basil Pennington, OCSO. 

 -- Sister Elizabeth Marie