• Home
  • About
    • Monastic Life
    • Gallery
    • History
      • Holy Cross Abbey
      • Cistercian Order
      • Property and Battlefield
    • FAQs
    • Videos
  • Take Part
    • Pray with us
    • Visit
      • Service Times
      • Directions
    • Vocation
    • Lay Members
  • Vocation
  • Retreat House
    • Testimonials
  • Cemetery
    • Overview
    • Stones
    • Rules Overview
    • Pricing
  • Store
    • Gift Shop / Porter’s Cottage
    • Bakery Products
    • Webstore
  • Updates
    • News
    • Liturgy
    • Abbot’s Lectio Post
  • Contact

Holy Cross Abbey

901 Cool Spring Lane Berryville, Virginia 22611

Support Us
  • Facebook
  • YouTube

Thursday of the Fourth Week of Lent

March 18, 2021 by Fr Joseph

In our unhappily individualistic age we can miss the significance of Moses’ impassioned intervention on behalf of his own people threatened with annihilation because of their idolatry. Bear in mind that God’s uncompromising punishment would have spared Moses and made of him a great nation. Yet, later, when Moses returns to the Lord’s presence and implores forgiveness for his people he adds, but if you will not [forgive], then blot me out of the book that you have written. This is reminiscent of Saint Paul’s own startling statement regarding his fellow Israelites who did not accept Christ. For, he tells us, I could wish that I myself were accursed and separated from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kin according to the flesh. Amidst our daily spiritual struggles we can find ourselves becoming self-absorbed and less concerned about one another. And whereas this is understandable, let us remember that we are actually impeding our own progress. Our union within the Mystical Body of Christ means that my deepening union with Christ is inseparable from that of my brothers and sisters. Any practices of self-denial and penance that don’t reinforce this truth are of very limited value and may even be detrimental. Therefore, let us guard against an individualistic spirituality that excludes concern and solicitude for others who share our journey and with whom we hope to share our heavenly homeland.

Share

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: Abbot's Lectio Post

Documentary Trailer

Watch the full-length documentary on the videos page.

More Video

Support Us with a Donation

Contact Us

Newsletter Signup

Holy Cross Abbey

901 Cool Spring Lane
Berryville, Virginia 22611-2700
Phone: (540) 955-4383

  • Facebook
  • YouTube

Quicklinks

  • Cemetery
  • Retreats
  • Directions
  • Links
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy

Get Involved

  • Pray with us
  • Visit
  • Vocation
  • Support Us

Copyright © Holy Cross Abbey - All Rights Reserved
Website Development and Management by MarketSpark
Maintenance Log -  Webmail -  Admin