I come to your feet, most loving Father; behold my sins have made a separation between you and me. Ah! Have mercy on me according to the multitude of your mercy! Break the wall of my old way of life which keeps me from you; and drag me to you so vehemently that I may, […]
Fr. James’ Homily for the Thirteenth Sunday, Year B
Readings: Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-24; 2 Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13-15; Mark 5:21-43 Little Lamb, arise. This is what Jesus’ words, the Aramaic, Talitha koum, literally mean–a beautiful, gentle expression. Another beautiful quote, much less obvious, is Jesus question, Who has touched my clothes? How is that beautiful? It is addressed to a woman whose malady, the […]
Reflection for the Gospel of Wednesday of the Twelfth Week, Year Two
Readings: 2 Kings 22:8-13, 23:3-5; Matthew 7:15-20 By their fruits you will know them. We continue to hear Jesus’ teaching from the Sermon on the Mount and today’s warning about false prophets adds a nuance to the warning from a couple of days ago about our judging. That was not an invitation to passivity or […]
Monday of the Twelfth Week, Year Two
Readings: 2 Kings 17:5-8,13-15a, 18; Matthew 7:1-5 Jesus said to his disciples, “Stop judging so you will not be judged.” This is the teaching of Jesus that we all wrestle with, that none of us can master. I often celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation in any given week and whether it’s penitents coming to me, […]
Fr. James’ Homily for the Tenth Sunday, Year B, 10 June, 2018
Readings: Genesis 3:9-15; 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1; Mark 3:20-35 The scribes in today’s Gospel seem to view the demonic as an exterior force of quantifiable power that could be enlisted like a military reserve. Perhaps their notion of God is equally externalized–and equally threatening. Yet God dwells in each of us and is the foundation of […]
The Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Friday, 8 June, 2018
Readings: Hosea 11:1, 3-4, 8-9; Ephesians 3:8-12, 14-19; John 19:31-37 The community Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 AM, Fr. Vincent presiding and preaching. It is a non-work day for the monastic community, so we follow the Sunday schedule with Midday Prayer at 12:20 PM (rather than at 2:00 PM). Because Benediction concludes the 10:00 […]
A Word from the Cistercian Fathers for June
You know that in a community of many it is impossible for all to be of the same strength, whether in body or in character, and so the authority of the Rule advises us to bear each weakness with patience, and charity requires us to stoop down somewhat to each. Some other person sees this, […]
The Solemnity of Corpus Christi, Year B, 3 June, 2018
Readings: Exodus 24:3-8; Hebrews 9:11-15; Mark 14:12-16, 22-26 The Community Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 AM, Abbot Joseph Wittstock presiding and preaching. Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament begins immediately after Communion. Members of the community will keep watch in the church in 30 minute periods from Mass though Vespers (5:30 PM). Vespers will […]
Fr. James’ Homily for Trinity Sunday
Readings: Deuteronomy 4:32-34, 39-40; Romans 8:14-17; Matthew 28:16-20 Since Advent we’ve been celebrating events from the life of Christ. This Sunday, it’s as if we’re looking beyond that personal history to the background of eternity against which those scenes are played out. It might be better to describe what we celebrate today as the foundation […]
Memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church
Readings: Acts 1:12-14; John 19:25-27 In mid-March, Pope Francis announced a new Memorial to be celebrated the Monday after Pentecost: Mary, the Mother of the Church. The Gospel tells us: Standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary, the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his […]