Readings: 1 Kings 17:10-16; Hebrews 9:24-28; Mark 12:38-44 Jesus sat opposite the treasury and observed… I believe this is so characteristic of Jesus, who told us Behold the birds of the air, or Behold the flowers of the field. The more I ponder the Gospels, the more I feel that Jesus is someone who paid […]
Reflection for Thursday of the Thirty-first Week
Readings: Philippians 3:3-8a; Luke 15:1-10 In purely logical terms, Jesus’ parables can seem exaggerated. Would a shepherd really leave ninety-nine sheep just to look for one? Would a woman turn her house upside down to find one coin? Well, since the ninety-nine sheep would tend to stay together, or if I’m poor enough, every coin […]
Reflection for the Monday of the 31st Week
Readings: Philippians 2:1-4; Luke 14:12-14 …when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled. the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous. Jesus continues to teach us with banquet imagery. Today’s teaching could certainly be […]
First Sunday of the Month: Eucharistic Adoration
Today, 4 November, is the first Sunday of the Month and the monks will observe Eucharistic Adoration starting at 3:00 PM. Adoration will conclude after Vespers (5:30 PM) with Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament. All are invited to join us throughout the afternoon.
Sunday, 4 November: Return to Standard Time
This Sunday, Daylight Savings time ends and we’ll have brighter mornings for a while. That means we turn back our clocks one hour. As it is, although we changed the Mass time to 10:00 AM some time ago, we still have people showing up for 11:00 AM Mass–or even 10:30 AM Mass! Be sure to […]
1 November, All Saints and 2 November, All Souls
This week we celebrate the solemnity of All Saints on Thursday, 1 November. It is a non-work day for us and we follow the Sunday schedule, so Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 AM and Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament will follow Vespers (5:30 PM). Friday is the annual Commemoration of All Souls. We […]
Reflection for Thursday of the Twenty-ninth Week
Readings: Ephesians 3:14-21; Luke 212:49-53 I have come to set the earth on fire…Do you think I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. The divisiveness described in today’s Gospel seems a very apt description of the current state of affairs. I look at the contradictory ways […]
Reflection for the Wednesday of the 28th Week
Readings: Galatians 5:18-25; Luke 11:42-46 Dante called St. Luke’s the “Gospel of mercy.” However, were I one of the Pharisees or Scribes in today’s Gospel, I probably wouldn’t register “mercy” as Jesus levelled with me. It can be a relief to see Jesus express his anger, though that’s no justification for my own outbursts. What […]
Reflection for Monday of the 27th Week
Readings: Galatians 1:6-12; Luke 10:25-37 I recognize three strong emotions behind today’s parable, known as “the Good Samaritan.” The first is operative before the narrative begins: anger. There must have been anger–resentment against the system or family, frustration of being unable to get ahead–motivating the robbers who stripped and beat up this traveler to Jericho. […]
Monthly Eucharistic Adoration, now and hour earlier, an hour longer
Today is the First Sunday of October and from today the monthly Eucharistic Adoration will begin an hour earlier at 3:00 PM. As always, it will continue through Vespers (5:30 PM), followed by Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament. All are invited to join us.