Friday of the 1st Week of Lent: EZ 18:21-28; MT 5:20-26 To ask so much of us, Jesus must have known well the passage from Ezekiel we heard this morning. If our God, who does not need us, desires our good so much, how can I settle for less when I relate to you? I […]
Wednesday of the 1st Week of Lent
Although Saint Benedict denounces obedience that is cringing, half-hearted, grudging and accompanied by grumbling, the story of Jonah reminds us that God can still work in and through us even when our obedience is imperfect and not completely willing. After his dramatic and terrifying escape from the belly of a giant fish Jonah finally takes […]
Fr. James’ Reflection for Tuesday of 1st Week of Lent
Tuesday of the 1st Week of Lent: ISA 55:10-11; MT 6:7-15 I’m learning to appreciate why I should pray, “Thy Kingdom come.” In my youth, among American Catholics, a reaction against the pessimism of Jansenism overestimated present blessings, ignoring the suffering around us. Doesn’t such complacency and indifference keep us outside the Kingdom of Heaven? […]
Fr. James’ Reflection for Thursday after Ash Wednesday
Thursday after Ash Wednesday: DEUT 30:15-20; LK 9:22-25 Both readings bring us to that precarious boundary between life and death, presence and absence. A quote from Metropolitan Anthony Bloom: The day when God is absent, when he is silent—that is the beginning of prayer…when we say to God, ‘I can’t live without you, why are […]
Br. Luke’s Funeral Mass and Burial
The Funeral Mass and Burial of our Brother Luke Scheuerell will be held this Saturday, February 17 at 3.00 p.m. in the monastery chapel. As is our tradition, the Community will receive the body of Brother Luke immediately after Lauds at 7.30 a.m. and then the brothers will be taking turns keeping vigil at the […]
Fr. James’ Homily for the 6th Sunday
Sixth Sunday, Year B, 11 FEB, 2024: Leviticus 13:1-2, 44-46; 1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1; Mark 1:40-45 There’s a real conflict between Jesus’ desire to heal the leper and that man’s disobedience in spreading the news of Jesus’ “power.” In Jesus, God’s merciful, compassionate drive to heal and restore humanity is at work. It is a creative […]
Brother Luke’s Passing
At 11.00 p.m. last night (Monday, February 12) Brother Luke Scheuerell came to the end of his long earthly life—he was 92 years old. In the last two weeks he became steadily weaker and unable to eat and drink. We commend him to your prayers and join you in thanking God for the witness of […]
Friday of the 5th Week
In listening to today’s gospel it is important to acknowledge that there is a sense in which we all have a measure of deafness along with a speech impediment. This is not necessarily a physical deafness, but rather the ability to truly listen; and not so much a physical speech impediment, as the inability to […]
Wednesday of the 5th Week
Ever since Eden, when Adam and Eve blamed the serpent for their disobedience, we human beings have been blaming people, problematic circumstances, and other external factors for our bad behaviors and sinful actions. Jesus, however, is reminding us that external pressures, influences, temptations and other inducements to sin (that seem to originate solely from outside […]
A Word from Our Cistercian Fathers
If anything of that heavenly light has shone on your eyes, be careful not to vaunt yourself on it as though you had escaped all the darkness of being blind. Do not let your speech make you into one of those who rebelled against the Light by claiming: ‘Surely we are not blind?’ What you […]