(Matthew 16:24-28) The cross that Jesus exhorts us to take up is not generic but personal and unique. Thus, he doesn’t say that the disciple must take up the cross, but rather take up his cross. This, in turn, highlights the difference between the cross we take up and that on which Christ died. His […]

Clay in the hand of the potter can only be reworked for as long as it remains moist and malleable. As the clay dries out it hardens and can no longer be re-formed. The human heart when moistened and softened by the tears of compunction and sorrow can also be reworked by grace and re-formed […]

Sins occasioned by human weakness or impulsivity are qualitatively different from sins that are premeditated and more freely willed—what the Prophet Micah describes as planning iniquity and working out evil on their couches. As monks we are right to be distressed and lament our sins of weakness, but we should fear and be ever vigilant […]

All the circumstances of life have the potential to either threaten our life of faith, or deepen and enhance it. Thus, although adversity and suffering can drive us to seek God’s help and comfort, these can also undermine our faith in God’s provident love—more than one Christian has abandoned his or her faith because of […]

In our first reading, we heard Amos exhort the people to hate evil and love good. For Christians striving for holiness this seems an almost unnecessary statement, for what serious Christian would love evil! However, our gospel incident reminds us that although we might more naturally hate evil our loving the good is not always […]

Faith in God’s ability to cleanse, heal, and save us is qualitatively different from faith in his desire or willingness to do so. There are occasions when some problematic situation seems hopeless and we wonder if even God can solve the problem or bring any good out of some tragedy. But, perhaps more frequently, we […]

When giving alms, Jesus exhorts us to not let the left hand know what the right hand is doing. However, he is not thereby encouraging that lack of self-awareness that perpetuates deficits in self-knowledge and keeps us out of touch with our often hidden motivations and intentions. Indeed, to truly obey Jesus’ instruction, our hearts […]

Even great saints and prophets are not immune to great discouragement and the temptation to give up and despair. Elijah seems to have come close! Prior to this encounter with the Lord he had sat under a broom tree and prayed for death because, as he expressed it, I am no better than my ancestors. […]

I suspect that we may all have either yielded to flattery or employed this, often, manipulative psychological tool for selfish ends. As one would expect, Jesus, neither yields to, nor resorts to, flattery in his dealings with others. The Pharisees and Herodians are certainly accurate when they say we know that you are a truthful […]

Although by nature some are more inquisitive, it is also true that inordinate curiosity can be indicative of the desire to distract oneself from the unpleasantness of one’s inner state. Not minding your own business but busying yourself with that of others can thus serve as a welcome distraction from the difficult interior work associated […]