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 […]
Abbot Joseph’s Homily for the 4th Sunday
The author of the Book of Proverbs assures us that the fear of the Lord marks the beginning of Wisdom. It would seem that by the time he wrote these words, the Exodus from Egypt event, the desert sojourn, and the covenant sealed on Mount Sinai, were but a distant memory. For, it was their […]
Fr. James’ Homily for the Cistercian Founders
Saints Robert, Alberic and Stephen, 26 JAN, 2024: Genesis 12:1-4; Acts 4:32-35; Mark 10:17-30 I’ve been tempted to identify our struggles to survive with those of our Founders when they began life at Citeaux. But they faced depravations and insecurities, unsupported by any over-arching administration, which our present organization would, rightly, not allow. Our Order […]
Conversion of Saint Paul
In describing his own dramatic conversion from being a persecutor of Christ to becoming his zealous disciple, Paul was also detailing some of the inspiration for his later teaching on the Mystical Body of Christ. This great mystery affirms an ineffable and complete union of Christ with his disciples. Thus, his protest: Saul, Saul, why […]
Tuesday of the 3rd Week of the Year
As Saint Paul reminded us, God has no favorites, and does not parcel out his love according to the nature of our relationship with Christ—be that mother, sister, or brother. Instead, it is solely our capacity to accept and receive God’s love that determines the degree of God’s love poured into our hearts. Doing the […]
Saturday of the 2nd Week of the Year
Although theologians and religious thinkers have sought to illustrate the compatibility of faith and reason, there are instances when reason must be suspended (or at least live with still unresolved questions) while faith nevertheless embraces the deeper reality those questions address. Similarly, in our journey of faith, reason sometimes has to yield to blind faith […]