Ave Maria! After I published the first post of this new blog, a wave of terror washed over me. What if I can't raise the money? What if the property is too expensive? What if I can't raise the money for renovation? What if it's too far from public transportation?
Our Lady of Good Remedy and St. Nicholas, pray for us!
Advent readings and homilies during these past several days have encouraged me. Literally, messages of courage, of intense self-examination and spiritual preparation, and the assurance that Jesus is coming, not only as a little child at Christmas, but in glory at the appointed time, to usher in His Kingdom. The "O antiphons", ancient verses, written originally in Latin, recalling the Messianic imagery of the Hebrew Scriptures, are read in daily Mass from December 17th to the 23rd. They are also used in the Liturgy of the Hours. They are represented also in the ornaments of the Advent Jesse Tree during those same days. I have been urged to meditate on the "O antiphons" for years. Finally, this Advent, I can see why.
Come, Wisdom of our God Most High, guiding creation with power and love: teach us to walk in the paths of knowledge. (December 17 - the Latin begins with "O".)
Come, Leader of ancient Israel (in Latin Adonai or Lord): giver of the Law to Moses on Sinai: rescue us with your mighty power! (December 18)
Come, Flower of Jesse's stem (Root of Jesse, origin of the Jesse Tree), sign of God's love for all his people: save us without delay! (December 19)
I understand, from reading about the O antiphons today, that the Latin is much less compact than the English. I will try to find the Latin and see what I can make of it. But compact or not, these verses communicate a very long view of salvation history. Prophets have spoken of the Messiah throughout the history of Israel. Jesus was not at all what people were expecting the Messiah to be. Yet those of us who have met him in the Scriptures, in the breaking of bread, in the silence of our hearts and in our daily interactions with others, know that though He is meek and humble of heart, He is indeed also Wisdom, Lord, the Root of Jesse.
Christmas just got a lot bigger for me this year---nothing at all to do with the frenetic frenzy of shopping and decorating and such. But the meekness of the Baby and the greatness of the Lord, the power and gift of the incarnation, God with us, lying on straw, surrounded by the gentle creatures of His creation, out of love for each and every one of us, brings me to my knees anew.
Emmanuel, God with us---how can I be afraid?
I have collected 336 pennies so far, plus several trash bags full of returnable bottles to redeem. I am praying about several entrepreneurial approaches to raising funds. And again I beg for your pennies.
The property I want to purchase is a real project. I will provide address, pictures, floorplans and all that good, juicy information as soon as I have raised enough money that the sellers will entertain an offer from SonLight. I will be a little circumspect about details until then.
I will say that I first looked at this property several years ago. If I could have, I would have purchased it then. I couldn't and so the current sellers purchased it for far less than the asking price as an investment. They began renovation as they thought any future buyer would need to do. They removed about 3,000 square feet of the building, leaving the property as two unconnected structures. The larger structure is now an empty shell. All the outdated systems (plumbing, electrical, heating) have been removed. What remains is a building that somewhat resembles its original 19th century form, with uninsulated outer walls, a roof in need of replacement and framing of possible arrangement of interior walls. Water and electricity are to the building, but not within it. There's a good size lot and a second structure that is modern and almost livable, with systems intact. So there's potential, with just a bit of work, to live and work in the small structure while the larger structure is rebuilt. The price reflects the condition of the property. But it also means that I can dare to aspire to a sizable property within Portland. That is a rare circumstance.
So, please, collect those pennies. Nothing is impossible for God. My experience has been that when I do absolutely everything within my power to do, no matter how small the results of my best effort, so long as it is truly my best, God will do the rest.
In the next post, I will begin to explain Mary's Ward and the Catholic Worker Movement, as well as the phases of this project, and, of course, any updated tally of pennies.
Our Lady of Good Remedy and St. Nicholas, pray for us!
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