The selection of Saint Matthias to replace Judas reminds us that no one is indispensable for the ultimate carrying out of God’s saving plan—a little like David being selected to replace Saul when the latter proved unsuitable to the task. Nevertheless, although none of us indispensable, as John Henry Newman affirmed, God has assigned a […]

As we grow towards spiritual and psychological maturity we need to steer a middle course between a self-conscious preoccupation with what others think of us, on the one hand, and a total disregard and indifference to the opinions that others have of us, on the other. In the former we allow ourselves to be determined […]

Our readings present us with two of the primary reasons for seeking Christ. The first is represented by the crowds who seek Christ because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick. Later, after the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus would tell them, bluntly, I say to you, you are looking for me […]

Like most monastic movements, the first Cistercians drew inspiration from the early Jerusalem Christian community where no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own but they had everything in common. To this end, they would sell all their possessions and lay the proceeds at the feet of the apostles. In our efforts […]

It was before their act of disobedience that God gave Eve and Adam dominion over all creation. Sadly, after their turning away from God, this dominion increasingly became domination, exploitation, and misuse of the land of their exile. This, perhaps, accounts for Jesus’ commissioning his disciples to preach the gospel not only to all peoples, […]

Satellite images of the earth taken at night reveal how much of the earth is lit up during the hours of darkness. One of the unfortunate consequences of this phenomenon is that it becomes a real challenge for the avid stargazer to find locations free of light pollution in which to view the stars in […]

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 […]

EZEKIEL 47: 1-9, 12 Our fear of losing control is bound up with our struggle to trust—a weakness that extends all the way back to Eden and our First Parents. God knows and understands this weakness and thus gently and gradually trains us to trust him and forgo our desperate need to be in control […]

Loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, seems the obvious blessed state of those rare perfected souls whose entire being loves God and radiates his presence. And yet, even in our imperfect state we too are called—even now—to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. This demands deep […]

It would seem that it was by quickly forgetting the great debt he had been forgiven, that the wicked servant (in today’s gospel) had no qualms about refusing a similar mercy to his fellow servant. Yet, perhaps it wasn’t forgetfulness at all, but remembering too well! For, by using the very words he had used, […]