Posts by Conception Abbey

Apollos comes from Alexandria to preach for “the way of the Lord.” He was an authority on scriptures and spoke with “an ardent spirit.” He spoke boldly in synagogues. He still had more to learn though. Aquila and Priscilla heard him speak, and they took him aside to offer him correction. Despite his great ability,…

St. Paul is the center of attention this week in the Acts of the Apostles. In this reading, he has suffered and needs encouragement. He has a vision where God tells him not to be silent and encourages him to keep preaching Christ’s message. As it turns out, he needed the encouragement, because not long…

St. Paul moves on from Athens to Corinth. There he meets people who practice his trade, tent-making. He does not feel uncomfortable bringing his faith to his work. Do not be afraid to bring your Christian faith to your workplace or job. This doesn’t mean you have to proselytize or be pushy about Jesus. It…

Today’s reading has St. Paul preaching in the Aeropagus in Athens. He calls on the Athenians to come to know the “Unknown God.” How amazing it is that God is unknown to us because of our lack of understanding and is still closer to us then we know? St. Paul declares that God gives life…

Fr. Mychal Judge, a New York City priest, had a great prayer he used in his spiritual life. “Lord, take me where you want me to go. Let me meet who you want me to meet. Tell me what you want me to say, and keep me out of your way.”  This prayer carries with…

We begin with the “We” section of the Acts of the Apostles, where the author speaks in terms of a group traveling together. “We” set sail for Neapolis from Troas. Onward from there, we set sail for Philippi. Thus we see the early Church in its apostolic beginning as Paul, Luke, and presumably other companions…

Philip the Deacon travels to Samaria today in the Acts of the Apostles. He performs miracles that inspire faith in the local people. There is great rejoicing in the town, and many convert to Christianity. While this is a great event, it doesn’t complete the work of their conversion. Peter and John come to know…

Love and hate, as opposites, are two very strong emotions. I am not speaking of the mild likes and dislikes a person can have toward, let’s say, pineapple on pizza or their favorite pub, but raw life-changing emotions that will shape a person’s lifelong decisions. Our Gospel today speaks of hate toward followers of Christ.…

When is the last time you were commanded to do something? We are often told what to do in order to accomplish a task correctly, or we might be reminded of our legitimate responsibilities. But to be commanded is something many of us are not used to, especially if it is something that impinges on our freedom.…

Dramatic change, of any sort, is disruptive. You can never, even if you wish, to go back to how things were before. Some dramatic change is exciting – new home, new spouse, new child, new job; some change is devastating – sickness, death, isolation, betrayal. In either instance, you must face the challenge of life…

I want you to notice something vitally important in the first reading today: honest argument. While we will not hear the rest of the scene presented (I encourage you to read the rest of it), a remarkable thing happens: the Church, split in its understanding of what it takes to be a true Christian, argues,…

Over the last few days, we have had the opportunity to reflect on Jesus’ summons to live a radical life of obedience and charitable service. The readings today continue that theme, but this time with an emphasis on gratitude. Our responsorial psalm reveals another necessary attitude that of appreciation: “Let all your works give you…

  The first reading, and its accompanying story, has held particular interest to me for many years. As one of the men chosen to be a deacon – Stephen – is my monastic patron. My name, Etienne, is French for Stephen, and so the story surrounding Stephen, and his own, has shaped my monastic life.…

  Sometimes hearing a few words at the right moment can make all the difference. When things are really hectic, and we wonder how we are going to handle conflicting needs and how they will turn out, we begin to feel a great deal of stress. But if a friend comes along and promises: “I…

  Often when I am visiting with people and encouraging them in their prayer life, they will respond: “Yes, I know…but it’s hard.” I can’t disagree—the spiritual life is hard. Maintaining a consistent prayer life is very hard. There is a subsection in the Catechism of the Catholic Church entitled, “The Battle of Prayer,” which…

  The Acts of the Apostles highlights quite the contrast between Stephen’s relationship to the Holy Spirit versus that of the elders, scribes, and the people. Stephen demonstrates docility and confidence in the Spirit, which inspires him to forgive the very people who are stoning him. Whereas the people, on the other hand, show their…

  When Jesus fed the 5,000, many of the people not only saw the miracle Jesus performed, but more importantly they experienced it, and understood what it was like to be filled. This experience put within them a strong desire to seek Jesus, so much so that they were willing to travel all around and…

  Among the many levels of meaning and the rich imagery throughout St. John’s Gospel, today there is a contrast between physical sight and spiritual sight—a blind man who comes to see and the Pharisees who remain blind. Faith in Christ is a great gift—a supernatural virtue infused in us by God. We must remember…

    Looking at Lent Through A Different Lens Throughout the Second Week of Lent, we will look at the readings presented to us in the sacred liturgy through the lens of the entrance and communion antiphons given to us in the Roman Missal.  These texts often provide a unique perspective on the scripture passages…

  Welcome! My name is Fr. Daniel, and we, the monks of Conception Abbey, welcome you as we begin this spiritual journey through Lent. We welcome you, our regular fellow travelers, as well as newcomers who are serious about preparing for Easter. In a special way, we welcome you who are catechumens as you eagerly…

  If we take Lent seriously and truly desire a radical and fruitful time, we must pay attention to the readings today. Often, and for a good reason, we deny ourselves certain pleasures to help us focus on what is important to us. But if this is all we do, any gains we achieve during…

  Cry out, full-throated! We are used to calling out to God in times of need, of piously seeking the help of Jesus. This is all good, necessary, and beneficial. However, what of those moments of dire circumstances, moments of real tragedy in our lives, how do we respond? Are we meek and mild, or…

  “If anyone wants to be my disciple, take up his cross, and follow me.” These words sum up, radically, the Christian vocation: to become like Christ. The cross, which Christ took up, lead to his death on Calvary. We, too, in accepting the cross, must realize that it leads to our own death as…

    “Remember, you are dust.” Such stark and startling words mark the beginning of Lent, 40 days of journeying, with Christ, to both Calvary and Resurrection. The ashes we receive, remind us, dramatically, that we all share in the same human condition, that we are finite, that we suffer, and that we die because…