The Mystery Woman

Seventh Friday after Pentecost

I'm feeling really good. I just finished my monthly (now Zoom) session with my spiritual director, Justin Coleman. Great meeting! One of the things we talked about was the lack of Holy Communion now. Are any of you missing it as much as I am? I know that, as an ordained UMC minister, I could administer the sacrament for just Marianne and me, but it wouldn't be same. Justin and I talked about distance communion during Sunday morning U-Tube service.  Both he and I are for it. Our bishop has not authorized it, though she may. Justin and I had some really fruitful discussion about the restrictiveness of Methodist Eucharistic theology. Justin asked me to write a blog about it. He knew much more than I, but I will do some reading during the next week or two to get myself caught up. Meanwhile, let me know what you think about it. 

Jennifer asked for a recommendation for an NRSV study Bible. She said she had a Wesley Study Bible. That is my recommendation. The Wesley Study Bible is an NRSV with very good study notes, frequently dealing with John Wesley's thought on particular Biblical texts. Another thing, the Wesley Study Bible feels good. I mean, literally it feels good. The soft leather cover feels good on your hand. I also recommend and use The New Interpreter's Study Bible. Great notes and charts, published by Abingdon, the United Methodist Publisher. I also recommend The New Oxford Annotated Bible.  All these are NRSV.

There is a mystery woman I have known about for 20 years, always wanted to meet, but doubt that I will. She is my daughter-in-law, Jessica's, sister. Her name was, but is no longer (except to her family members) Lisa. She is a Roman Catholic nun. She began novice training at age 17 and joined the Carmelite order. She has been a member of a couple of other orders since then. She has been a  teacher in several Catholic schools and eventually became the Principal of a Catholic School in Arkansas. She also advanced to positions of authority in her Convent. As the aging Mother Superior of her Convent was growing increasingly ill, Lisa was considered to be the most likely person to become the next Mother Superior.

Then it all changed. Lisa felt a call, I think it was six or seven years ago, to become a Contemplative. Contemplative nuns and monks take vows to a life of prayer in a single location. By life of prayer, I mean that's pretty much all they do. They stay in their convent all the rest of their lives, leaving only for medical emergencies. The pray and have worship services, the full Daily Office, all day long, with meals together in silence. They also have assigned tasks of cooking and upkeep of the Convent.

Jessica and other family members were shocked when Lisa did this. Lisa had advanced so far in Catholic education administration, was on important church boards, was likely to become a Mother Superior. Why would she give it all up? Having read the writings of many contemplatives from St. Benedict in the sixth century to Thomas Merton in the twentieth century, I had some understanding of the contemplative life. I like to think I've been somewhat helpful to Jessica and John in explaining it. Of course, Lisa herself has been helpful. She is allowed to write a letter once a month, I think.

So here things start getting a little weirder. Part of the weirder-ness is of my own making. Over these last 20 years I've sort of built Lisa up in my own mind as a super-spiritual saintly person. I somewhat stand in awe of her. The longer the years have gone by the more a I've built up this saintly image, having never met her and never even communicated with her. For years I have thought about writing her a letter but have never done it. To Jessica, she's just her sister. To John she's just his sister-in-law. To my grandchildren, Madeline and Jack, she's just Aunt Lisa. They visit her at least once a year at her Convent, which is in east Tennessee.

Here's another thing that was a little shocking for Jessica. Lisa is something of a feminist (yes there are Catholic nun feminists). But Lisa's order prays very specifically. Their specific job is to pray for priests. What's even weirder is the name of her order. They are "The Handmaids of the Precious Blood." Sounds like something out of a Margaret Atwood novel. Don't worry their not secretive or subversive. They have a website. You can check them out.

I still keep thinking about writing her a letter.

OK. It's going to get a little bit weirder still. Lisa had to undergo a two year novitiate (probationary period) before she could take the final vows and become a full member. When she took the final vows, she had to do one other thing. She had to change her name and take on a new one. She decided on the name and her new name was approved by the order.

The name she decided on. Her name now is---Christiana.

Faithfully,
Christian