“Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.” – Lenten Reflection by Fr. Timothy
Special Note: Fr. Timothy Schoen, OSB, passed away the evening before the publication of the Lenten Reflection he authored. Fr. Timothy had recently reached out to the seminarians, applauding them on their efforts to reach the faithful through their blog and other social media outlets. He also wrote this reflection, telling the seminarians to use it whenever they needed to fill a hole. It happened that today we did not have a reflection readily written by a seminarian to use, and are able to use Fr. Timothy’s reflection. May he rest in peace.
A newspaper item on Transfiguration Sunday, about the near-completion of a public tornado shelters project in Joplin MO, brought back memories of perhaps the saddest story from that tragic day several years ago: the teenager driving home from his high school graduation, sucked out of the sunroof of his car and dropped in a farm pond by the storm – his body, covered with debris from nearby buildings, not found and recovered until nearly a week later.
Rejoice, young man, in the days of your youth; follow the ways of your heart, the vision of your eyes; yet understand regarding all this that God will bring you to judgment. Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come…the age-old law is: everyone must die (Qoheleth 11:9, 12:1; Sirach 14:17). Keep death daily before your eyes (Rule of St. Benedict 4:47).
Frequently during Lent and throughout the year, and every night at Compline, the church prays from Ps 31, “Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit….” Lent, for the believer, is the time to prepare – joyfully, actually – for the final Easter yet to come. May the Lord help us help one another daily, to get ready, and be ready!
Fr. Timothy Schoen, OSB, July 4, 1940 – March 2, 2016, wrote this reflection before his death. Fr. Timothy, a monk of 31 years and priest of 52, served the monastic community until his death as a professor at Conception Seminary College and organist.
