It seems like we just finished midterm exams (which we did...) but we really are hurtling downhill now to the end of the semester. We just finished our direct treatment of Augustine in Patristics (yes, we read the 305 pages of his Confessions in 12 days, which is more amazing to me because on most of those 12 days I did not open the book - it was very focused reading!). I am glad we had the very tangible academic incentive to read it, because now I've seen what's there and can revisit it with a good sense of where to focus.
This morning in my Old Testament class, we began our treatment of the book of Psalms with the title of a book that Prof. Maluf heard about on the radio: "Help! Thank you! Wow!" He connected each exclamation with a major category of psalm literature: lament/complaint, thanksgiving, and hymns (mostly of praise). While Dr. Maluf's lectures are generally hard to follow, I appreciate how he daringly pursues what seem to us to be tangents and relates them later, allowing us to reach the obvious conclusions about the text we're studying and glean other points from the introductory articles with which we are provided; he presents the harder-to-find information in class, and as long as I keep that in perspective, I can appreciate what he offers us. [editorial note: that was a long sentence] He is such a scholar's scholar, though!
I've managed to rekindle my interests in classical violin and cycling, and have seminarian brothers to share them! A seminarian at St. John's who is studying with the diocese of Manchester, NH studied music in college and taught before entering the seminary. He and I had a nice jam session last week and scheduled another for next week. And Scott and I are setting up a program to keep each other riding bikes and build up some fitness to do some nice rides here. He had brought his extra bike and gear, so with a little dedication, we'll have a lot of fun and stay in shape, too!
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It is a bit odd when we sit down to do a personal inventory and discover where our current imbalance is. It seems we are always a work in progress, momentarily sitting at dead center only because it's between the extremes of our oscillation. I have found that, as we seminarians gather to share our recent experiences and support one another, there can be a variety of dimensions that plague one or another of us, and those can change as the weeks roll by. For me lately, it has been attention to personal prayer that I have singled-out for particular emphasis. We have so much scheduled prayer that it seems we are always in church, but are we just located within those walls or are we attentive to the Trinity present with the angels, accompanying the Sacramental presence of Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity? I have found that beyond my acknowledgment of His presence, my situation lacks, in large part, other personal interactions. It is not the case that when I go to chapel I forget where I am, or expect myself to have a deep and intimate conversation or mystical experience there. Rather, as was said multiple times in the intriguing dramatic film People Like Us, I need to "just be a person right now" when I enter a space of prayer (and this simple phrase can apply to so many moments in our lives).
And, as with many ideals in life, focusing our attention on them can be a great joy in fruition and a great suffering in anticipation. Sometimes in prayer, we are called to simply "keep watch" in silence; other times we are asked to listen; other times we are invited to pour out our hearts; still other times we may simply rest in the Son-light, looking at Jesus as He looks at us (cf. St. John Vianney).
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Thankful for the gift of prayer, one aspect of being able to relate to our God, let us seek and strive after peace, born of solid family life and fraternal charity, and submit ourselves to Him who for our salvation sacrificed Himself, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Love the Immaculata!
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
