Tags
Christian community, Christian living, Cynthia Bourgeault, Discipleship, Illuminated Life, Joan Chittister, monastic wisdom, St. Basil, The Wisdom Way of Knowing
“Whose feet shall the hermit wash?”___St. Basil as quoted by Joan Chittister in Illuminated Life
Yesterday I went to the funeral of a lady I didn’t know. Oh, I thought I knew her, would have said I knew her, and should have known her. But the eulogy revealed someone I only wish I had known. The truth is that I had sat across from Mrs. Francis Chandler in a not-so-crowded room—the sanctuary of our church— for 43 years and admired her beauty, her gentleness, and her smile. But I had never taken time to probe the depths of one of God’s most faithful.
During the service I discovered that “Miss” Francis had loved crossword puzzles, playing cards, and dancing; so we would have had much to talk about. She had liked to read and laugh and had taken pleasure in pretty clothes; we would have had much to enjoy together. She had been widowed for many years and had reared four lively children. She would have had much wisdom to share with me. She had loved the Sacrament of Communion; we would have had much to confess to each other.
It makes me truly sad to think that I have lost the opportunity to know a Christian heart like that of Miss Francis. In Illuminated Life Joan Chittister says in her distinctive way:
“The contemplative sees the Creator in the gleam of the created….The goodness we see in the other gives us a glimpse of the face of God. What we learn from the other we learn about ourselves….We depend on others for the kind of wisdom that exceeds mere answers. We hold on to others to find the kind of love that makes life rich with meaning, certain proof of the everlasting love of a God for whom there is no word.”
I was in a seminar once in which Cynthia Bourgeault was lecturing on her book The Wisdom Way of Knowing. During the presentation someone baited Dr. Bourgeault with a question on the purpose of life. Without hesitating, she replied that she believes the purpose of our tenure here on earth is to learn to love. Right or wrong, this begs the question: how well are we doing?
One of the last things Miss Francis said to her children before ALS took away her power of speech was “Did I love you enough?” This is one of the most poignant questions in the universe. It is one we all have to ask of someone: our parents, our spouses, our children, even our world. But especially God. And, of course, the way we love God will spill over into the lives of everyone we touch. In fact, when we love Him enough, we don’t even have to ask the question.
Yes, Miss Francis, you loved them enough. And you loved us enough. We just pray that we loved you enough.