One of the vows Benedictine Sisters profess is the vow of stability. This weekend as I looked out the Chapel window at the snow covered woods I noticed a single tree that still had its golden brown leaves. An odd site in a snowy winter like we are experiencing. But there is was – big, bold and stark against the barren woods. Continue Reading
It was great to hear from Alissa a couple of days ago. She has touched upon a fundamental discernment question for many women. They are pulled between marriage and children as well as religious life. Amost every woman I have encountered has grappled with that choice. That is why it is important to be prayerfully connected to God – as God helps us discover the path for us. Continue Reading
Today we celebrate one of the Church’s most beautiful feasts, Epiphany. Can you imagine the three wise men traveling to find Jesus and give him their gifts? The drama of their journey in evading Herod and those working against them, their faith and determination to find Jesus and, finally, being saved by the Star. What a dramatic story! Continue Reading
As we approach the New Year, consider how you may be challenged to live in a re-energized way. Is it time to align your experience of Christ with your everyday desires, hopes, questions and fears? Continue Reading
Advent is the Season of Promise leading to the Season of Light. The morning readings on the last day of Advent richly reflect the Promise we have inherited throughout the ages. By evening at our Christmas Vigil we are delighting in the reading of Jesus’ Birth. Continue Reading
You may recall Matthew begins his Gospel with an incredibly long family history. It was intended to show his audience of Romans that Jesus is a descendant of Abraham and therefore the long-awaited Messiah. If you can ignore the complicated names and focus on the connection generation after generation – well, then you get Matthew’s point. God’s care flows through the generations. Continue Reading
One of my favorite characters in the Gospels is John the Baptist. His story is essential to Advent – for he prepares us for the Coming of Christ. Jesus and John, as we know, are only months apart. Mary went to visit Elizabeth during their pregnancies and a close relationship between their sons began. Continue Reading
Mary is a unique personality in the Gospels. On December 8, we celebrated Mary, Mother of God, in our Church. Actually, we know very little about Mary in that there are not many details about her life. In the Gospel, we hear her accepting God’s challenge to bear Jesus and we learn what is most essential about Mary. Her trust and love for God, her deep faith that allows her to freely accept that she is to bear a child who is God’s Son. Here, we get a glimpse of real humility. Continue Reading
The Gospel at this mornings Eucharist really struck me in a new way. Perhaps you remember the story in Matthew’s Gospel about the man who built his house and sand and it slipped away while another man who built his house on rock remained sturdy? Often this story is interpreted as whether our foundation with God is one built on sand or on rock. Continue Reading
On the First Sunday of Advent the Gospel ended rather starkly. The last word uttered was watch. That word has stuck with me since. It is a stark reality of what our lives must be about: Watch for the Lord who comes in many unexpected ways. I am not saying life is fragile and can be sniffed out at any moment. I am saying we must be alert for how the Lord enters our daily lives. Continue Reading
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