Although the death of Goliath (described in our first reading) was that of a dangerous enemy and most likely prevented the death of many others, it was nevertheless the ending of a life deemed precious in the eyes of the Lord. Accordingly, even when the death of one, prevents the death of many, it remains […]

Although Saint Mark describes Jesus as preaching and driving out demons as if these were separate and distinct functions, in many instances these are one and the same thing. For with Jesus preaching is always synonymous with the Truth and when the Truth is preached and heard, falsehood and ignorance—those hiding places of the demons—are […]

As our days grow imperceptibly longer and brighter, we know that those in far northern latitudes still endure the darkness of twenty-four-hour nights. Although darkness can be experienced as soothing and even comforting, it can also occasion anxiety, confusion, and a sense of being lost. Thus, the people that walked in darkness and have seen […]

Mary and John the Baptist both challenge us not only in witnessing to Christ by who we are, but also in recognizing his presence in others. Mary, because of the unique person she is, was able to carry Christ within her physically, and simultaneously radiate his living presence to both Elizabeth and John the Baptist. […]

In reflecting on today’s gospel, Saint Angela of Foligno, commented: See how Christ gave Himself as an example. Jesus told us to look at Him with the eyes of our souls. God said: “Learn from me. I am gentle. My soul is humble. You’ll find rest for your hearts here.” Pay attention to what Christ […]

The choices of every moment and the actions of every day, are gradually forming the attitude and state of mind with which we will face death. King Antiochus ends his life in misery and regret for all the evils he set in motion and this stands in sharp contrast to someone like the saintly Simeon […]

The Good Shepherd who goes in search of the stray sheep while leaving the other ninety-nine in the desert is a good image for ourselves in seeking out and reclaiming aspects of our true identity lost or severely impaired by enslavement to sin. This is a difficult and painful process and we would prefer to […]

As we know, it is not only the Pharisees who are filled with plunder and evil; each one of us has to make this same painful discovery in the progress of our self-knowledge. Saint Teresa was no exception and her inward scrutiny of her heart and soul was especially thorough and unsparing. However, in the […]

Viewing a Wrentham documentary in the novitiate the other day, we heard Mother Maureen affirm that Cistercian life is one hundred percent community and one hundred percent solitude. This seemingly contradictory statement finds an echo in today’s gospel where we read of Jesus praying in solitude and the disciples were with him. Now, if we […]

As Christians striving to imitate the self-giving and self-sacrificing love of Christ, we forget that receiving help and allowing others to serve us is integral to being Christ’s disciples. Although Jesus insisted that he had come to serve and not to be served, there were occasions when he did allow others to minister to and […]