'I could be an anchoress': Diane M. Houdek

Dear John,

When the lockdown started in mid-March, memes started up on social media saying, “Hey introverts, put down your book and check in on your extrovert friends. They’re not OK.” Another one said, “Introverts: We’ve been training for this moment our entire lives!” I laughed because both statements hit home for me. I’ve been working from home for a couple years now and I know how fortunate I am to have a job that allows and has even encouraged me to do so. My creative work isn’t limited to an office and a desk, and because of some mobility issues, working from home means that I’m not fighting through a haze of pain to do my best work.

Reading Fr. Murray Bodo’s account of Julian of Norwich in Mystics: Twelve Who Reveal God’s Love gave me a great deal of insight into the ways God has called me to do the work of sharing the Gospel message of love. I had always imagined that Julian’s life as an anchoress meant she was sealed into a space like a confessional (clearly an image from childhood!) attached to a church. Murray described her life of enclosure at the cathedral in Norwich as more of a walled garden. She had a cat (and a maid!), could participate in the liturgies in the church, and also counsel townspeople from a window onto the street. She did needlework and spent time in prayer. She wrote an amazing account of her vision experience. That’s when I realized that I could be an anchoress. In my case, the liturgies are now live-streamed on Facebook and the connections with others are through text, email, and Zoom. But the impulse is the same.

As family, friends, and coworkers are adapting to this new way of experiencing work and the world, I like to think that my own lifestyle could offer one positive example of a more enclosed contemplative approach. The wonders of technology have made it possible to stay connected with one another. We’ve been working on creative ways to make our content available to people in a variety of lengths and media. One of my favorite tasks is creating each month’s Minute Meditations from new and backlist books. I always marvel at the way the rich insights speak to current events. Our blogs and emails give us an agile way to respond to what people need from day to day in this constantly changing and challenging time of pandemic.

Francis and Clare of Assisi brought their gift of living the Gospel in daily life through both ministry to those on the margins and contemplative prayer in the cloister. As their followers lived that life more deeply and reflected on the Gospel message of God’s love for all of creation, they offered a message of healing, hope, and acceptance. Franciscan thinkers, theologians, and writers from their time to our own have found new and creative ways to share that message with the world. Every day at Franciscan Media we strive to share the story of God’s love with all who encounter our work.

We hope that these messages continue to inspire and, if they do, you would consider making a small donation to help our efforts into the future. If you make a donation of over $100 you will receive the gift of a box of Trappistine Quality Candy fudge as a thank-you from Franciscan Media! (Only shipping within the United States, we apologize for any inconvenience.)

Your introvert in quarantine,

Diane M. Houdek

Content Director

Franciscan Media 28 W. Liberty Street Cincinnati OH 45202 USA

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