Love and Compassion

By Henrita Frost, SSND

For several days I have been reflecting on writing once again about the challenge of a Revolution of Compassion.  Contemplating compassion consumes my thoughts: self- compassion and the call to companion others with compassion.  I asked myself:  What can I write that I haven’t written?  Then I began to hear one of my favorite songs within me, ”Goodbye, Mr. Chips”.

In the morning of my life I shall look to the sunrise. . .
And the blessing I shall ask is that God will grant me,
To be brave and strong and true,
And to fill the world with love my whole life through.

Fire up Compassion

By Henrita Frost, SSND

Yes, fire up and create an unconditional compassion revolution! We wonder where to begin!  Start with self – transformation, growing a compassionate heart, one by one. It is a challenge that doesn’t go away, though we sometimes try to avoid it.

The call is to stand up before our chaotic world – stand, meet the chaos, feel the chaos, let it touch our hearts, break our hearts – feel the excruciating pain. Cry out in grief at the possible destruction of our planet, our home, and every creature.

“In God’s House there are many dwelling places”…

By Henrita Frost, SSND

Periodically a window in our Mary of the Angels Chapel holds a message out to me.   Its center calls to me – this window’s center is speaking loud and clear:  “In God’s house there are many dwelling places”. . . (John 14:2).  But, what is the message of our Global Community – In our house there are many dwelling places – room for everyone!?  Instead, we witness borders, and walls instead of room for everyone.

Brilliant light appears Awakening the souls path Spirit leads, hearts follow

By Henrita Frost, SSND

During the days following the 24-hour Global celebration of the Golden Rule on April 5, the vibrations of it continued to shake the earth – as did the feel of the tens of thousands of our sisters and brothers actively witnessing the significance of the Golden Rule to our global existence.  Yet, as the celebration energized our beings, the awareness of the pain and suffering of millions of our sisters and brothers was also in our consciousness.  The call to be involved in a revolution of compassion is here forever.  The Spirit’s call to awaken our souls, petitions our hearts to follow.

A Revolution of Compassion

By Henrita Frost, SSND

As I read these words by Dorothy Day, my immediate response was – a revolution of the heart, a revolution of compassion.  During the many times that I have meditated and reflected on compassion, I have hesitated to use the word ‘revolution’ because of its violent history.  Recently, I listened to Pope Francis’ TED talk about “The Future You” during which he expressed the hope for a Revolution of Tenderness.  Immediately, I started uttering additional revolution hopes for our times – a revolution of compassion, of love.  Perhaps the thought of a revolution is taking on a contemporary meaning for our historical times – a nonviolent revolution.

Valentine’s Day

By Henrita Frost, SSND

Every year on Valentine’s Day I celebrate an anniversary of compassion.  I take time to rest in the gift of life, of a beating heart, as I remember a moment when the beating heart could have stopped, shut down.  At a former place of ministry, an angry guest slashed my right cheek with a blade.  This terrifying event brought me a gift of compassion that I always remember.  When the ambulance attendant asked me to lie down, I replied I can’t.  He embraced me and held me all the way to the hospital.  His gift of compassion dulled the fear that was alive within me.  The thirty-second anniversary of that embrace continues to inspire my compassion.

Chaos: Ever Present

By Henrita Frost, SSND

About a year ago, I wrote a Post “Compassionately Approaching Chaos.”  I return to it now with a profound awareness that chaos seems to have become our daily bread, inescapable, challenging and often frightening in the context of our nation and the global community.  We are one with the global community and as individuals, groups and as a nation we influence the stability of the world concerning the choices we make regarding a culture of life and/or a culture of death.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

By Henrita Frost, SSND

The time is now!  We are the ones!  To be Human Rights Warriors!

On December 10, 2017, let us join with people around the world to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights sets out a broad range of fundamental human rights and freedoms to which all women and men everywhere in the world are entitled.

A Golden Light

By Henrita Frost, SSND

Many years ago, in a distant land, I had the opportunity to be present at an open heart surgery.  The vision of the surgeon holding the beating heart in his hand is present to me.   Many tubes that connected the heart throughout the body enabled and sustained the heart to be an organ of love and compassion. Like that heart, our hearts beat and beat – giving life – sending life through the body and into the atmosphere.  We can stand solitary anywhere and offer our pulsating heart to wherever it might move.  My yearning is for a boundless heart, open to all to freely enter, no passports or permissions needed.

October 10, 2017 Is World Homeless Day

By Henrita Frost, SSND

Who really knows how long the problem of homelessness has existed in our global community?  It seems that for centuries countless numbers of our sisters and brothers have experienced homelessness.