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Relaxation:

5/24/2016

The priest-psychiatrist here, my new friend, Fr. Joe, gave me a book called The Relaxation Response written in 1975!
Basically it is doing deep breathing with a word such as peace or love or Jesus over and over breathing in and out for 20 minutes sitting in a comfortable position.

I was reluctant because I only breathe through the mouth and also because I associate this kind of thing with New Age. But I tried it and a knot of tension in the middle of my body that has been there since teen years melted and I started to feel good inside my body.
The book says this is also good for hyper-tension of any kind caused, for example, by the pace of contemporary life, or for addictions of any kind.
I have been doing this for two weeks now with amazing results.

Suffering with those in the Family we Love:

On Mother’s Day I wrote my daughter Carla, suffering with post-chemo and other painful ills: “I thought I could never love you more, but this year has brought a totally greater intensity and depth as I am with you every time I think of you in empathy and prayer and admiration, since in willingness to bear suffering you are holier than moi!!!!

Insights in the Dental Chair:

I have upper dentures and 6 bottom teeth left. While the dental hygienist was cleaning them so thoroughly (sigh! pain!) I thought: “Golly, gee, why should she bother there are so few left!” Then came this thought: If these 6 have survived, they deserve a little TLC! I extrapolated that younger people could think that if we almost octogenarians like myself have survived this long, we deserve TLC!

Apropos Aging:

I was amazed when my own highly critical, rationalistic mother, in her second childhood in her 80’s could be seen singing little ditties from TV ads and dancing around!

I find, now, at the same age, I also tell myself little jokes such as saying to myself “nothing terrible is happening right now, so be happy little Ronda!”

Also I take inordinate joy is doing little tiny housework things successfully!

A priest said that when I have anxiety about my future I could think of Abraham telling Isaac as they go up the mountain “I am here.” As in "The Father is here!”
The rector of the seminary in Los Angeles where I taught, Msgr. Niederauer, later bishop in Salt Lake City and then Archbishop of San Francisco, used to say “all roads lead to Calvary.”

At our graduation dinner here at the college and seminary, in the middle of the cacophony of the jammed packed tables of so many people in the cafeteria but with lots of joy, I got the image of “love galloping over the chaos.” And I thought maybe it’s an image of all of life!

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OLD DELIGHTS

5/23/2016

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A delightful experience.
A priest who is about 70 years old was celebrating Mass in a small chapel of his religious community. At the end of the Mass one of his brothers in the community mentioned that it was his birthday. A sister in the chapel started singing Happy Birthday and we all joined in.

You should have seen the boyish look of surprise, merriment, and gratitude on that old priest’s face!

I had this thought about it. No matter how eternity minded we are and should be in old age, there is something about a song that evokes our childhood that is important.

I am reading a book about Bartholome de las Casas, the Hispanic missionary who upheld the dignity and rights of the native population in Central America in the early days of Columbus’ discoveries. It was terrible how they were treated like slaves.

A wonderful fact I didn’t know is that when Columbus brought the first tiny groups of Indians to Spain, they were to be given as slaves to prominent noblemen. But Isabella, the Queen was horrified about that idea and said she would have anyone who gave them as slaves with death. Instead they were ordered to send the Indians back to Hispaniola on the next boat.

I was at the Hartford Cathedral for an ordination to the priesthood. Many came ¾ of an hour early to be sure to get seats and the noise of happily chatting family and friends was high in volume. But then the organist started practicing the opening Bach organ music. It felt as if the beauty of music galloped over the cacophony of human voices.

I am always obsessing over the issue of what to do with my time of even older age. One morning I woke up with the thought: To prepare for heaven you must change from “do and push” to “receive and respond.” Very Marian!

In her latter years Ronda has resigned herself to the realization that her youthful assurance that she would eventually ascend into heaven was a lofty assumption that could not be expedited by her continued reliance on rigorous rehearsal.

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Back at It

5/9/2016

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I found this wonderful passage in the book A Cry of Stone by Michael O’Brien: The old ninety plus nun in France who the heroine, Rose, knew as a child says to her:
"When it is all gone, only he remains. He in you and you in Him."

It is like St. Teresa of Avila's
“God alone is enough!” I thought.

Twenty-five years ago I was teaching at an institution (not the one where I teach now, whose name I will not mention) where seminarians wondered how they could make the promises of the Mandatum since they dissented on some teachings. A priest professor said to a group, where I happened to be present by chance,
"Never disagree with any teaching of the Church publically. Just teach conscience in such a way that the people who come to you for advice know they don't have to obey."
Does this not sound like the method of some paragraphs in the Papal Exhortation: The Joy of Love???

I am kind of a work-a-holic. For my 79th birthday I seemed to get this message in the heart from Jesus: As St. Augustine taught: “love and do what you will.” I took it to mean that I need to slow down and not do anything I don’t want to do that is not obligatory. Many of you may have the same need.

Amazing grace. I got a letter from a woman who was in the same High School as my son Charlie, who committed suicide at age 20. Even though I do believe his soul was saved by the mercy of Jesus, this letter was so consoling. She found me on RondaView: this Blog!
“I want you to know that although I knew Charlie, I wasn't close with him. I was a freshman when he was a senior. He was always so kind to us little people though. But I found that I did form a strong bond, as often musicians do, when you spend hour upon hour bringing music to life. We shared laughter, tears, deep thoughts, and through our music. And for that, I remember him, always. He truly moved me and continues to do so.”

Journal entry:
Ronda to Jesus:
Is it You telling me about Pope Francis’ Exhortation:
“If all my disciples throughout the centuries had been saints, as I wanted them to be, you would not have these splits in the Church. Because so many were not, it is easy for my Catholics to divide into those who emphasize certain ethical norms and others to emphasize others. If every priest was a saint no one would think that the “rules” were tyrannical.”

As we push out the bad, the gift of counsel can work more. …Since Jesus on earth had conversations with His mother, the disciples, so He can speak to us heart to heart also. God became man to have those conversations. Like putting my hand in His side.
I asked two of my favorite priests how come they had such joy even though I know they have had great trials in their lives and persecution also. They both said the same thing, that even in agony of any kind they can experience joy because they are in union with Jesus. One advised that when in agony, take the focus off the agony onto to Him. I said “like in the Passion where Jesus says to Mary, “behold, I make all things new, even as he is falling under the cross.”

They both said their consolation in difficulties was celebrating Holy Mass.
Later, I thought during adoration that I have been closer to family members when suffering with them than having joy with them.

From a poem by Rita A. Simmonds:
“My heart leans heavy
on barren things
that can’t support
the pain it sings.
Its arms must hug
The rocks
On shore,
While its feet
Dance
The ocean floor…
Its eyes must see
A final place
Where running tears
can win the race.

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Postponed

5/2/2016

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Dr. Chervin has of late been much involved in the graduation proceedings at Holy Apostles College and Seminary.
To those of you who have been punching into this website, counting on encountering another of Ronda's hard-hitting posts and are put off to find the box is empty, I have been prompted to announce that her dearth of output is only for the nonce. Be assured that she will be back in full swing ere long, knuckling down to knocking off her bodacious round of blog after blog.

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Relaxation:

Suffering with those in the Family we Love:

Insights in the Dental Chair:

Apropos Aging:

OLD DELIGHTS

Back at It

Postponed

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