That the faith is shadowy is a blessing, it tempers the light to the eye’s weakness and prepares the eye for the light; for it is written: “He cleansed their hearts by faith.” Faith therefore does not quench the light but protects it. Whatever it may be that the angel sees, is preserved for me […]
Fr. James’ Homily for Trinity Sunday
Trinity Sunday, 30 June 2021: Deuteronomy 4:32-34, 39-40; Romans 8:14-17; Matthew 28:16-20 Most solemnities commemorate an event—we may sing “This is the day Christ is born” or “Christ the Lord is risen today.” But today’s Solemnity celebrates the reality we encounter throughout the Liturgical Year: the revelation of the Triune God existent through eternity, […]
Friday of the Eighth Week of the Year
Virtue and leading a holy life are not things that we are permitted to vacation from, every now and again. Unlike that unfortunate fig tree, there can be no off-season—never a time when we aren’t working at bearing the fruits of holiness. For the true disciple of Christ, the failure to continuously bear some fruit […]
Tuesday in Ascensiontide
Some of us are, by nature, “big picture” people, while some of us tend to focus on details and short-term issues. Saint Paul was, clearly, a “big picture” person and thus able to proceed to Jerusalem with equanimity of heart, even though the Holy Spirit had been warning [him] that imprisonment and hardship awaited [him]. […]
Friday of the 6th Week of Easter
The selection of Saint Matthias to replace Judas reminds us that no one is indispensable for the ultimate carrying out of God’s saving plan—a little like David being selected to replace Saul when the latter proved unsuitable to the task. Nevertheless, although none of us indispensable, as John Henry Newman affirmed, God has assigned a […]
Saturday of the 5th Week of Easter
As we grow towards spiritual and psychological maturity we need to steer a middle course between a self-conscious preoccupation with what others think of us, on the one hand, and a total disregard and indifference to the opinions that others have of us, on the other. In the former we allow ourselves to be determined […]
Fr. James’ Homily for the 5th Sunday of Easter
FIFTH SUNDAY of Easter, YR B, 2 May, 2021: Acts 9:26-31; 1 John 3:18-24; John 15:1-8 In ancient Jewish thought, wellbeing in the Promised Land was represented by every family living on their plot of land sheltered by the proverbial fig tree and vine. We find the fig tree and vine mentioned again and […]
A Word from our Cistercian Fathers
In this wretched and toilsome life, it is essential that Martha be present in our house—that is to say, that our soul attend to physical activities. For as long as we have a need to eat and drink, we have a need to labor. As long as we are tempted by physical delights, we have […]
Abbot Joseph’s Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Easter
Anyone who loves dogs may well have watched with fascination and admiration the amazing skill and effectiveness of well-trained Sheep Dogs as they expertly herd and guide sheep at the direction of their master. But as fascinating and entertaining as this display of skill is, it is surely a very different image of the shepherd […]
Fr. James’ Homily for the Third Sunday of Easter
Third Sunday of Easter, YR B: Acts 3:13-15, 17-19; 1 John 2:1-5; Luke 24:35-48 In recent years, whether in preaching, books or spiritual direction, many people have taught us valuable pointers in owning and working with our doubts. We can appropriate them as positive forces in our spiritual growth. But the unexpected confirmation of […]