Daily Reflections

  Being offended is not a moral virtue. Yes, being sensitive and empathetic to the plight of God’s little ones who suffer injustice and marginalization is right, but only if it rouses us to work for concrete solutions to help them. If we are merely offended and pay lip service to justice and conversion, then…

  The prophets Hannaniah and Jeremiah represent two types: the prophet of hope and the prophet of doom. The content of Jeremiah’s book is bad news. This is not by choice; in fact, he laments that he would rather not speak these words but feels compelled by God (cf. Jer. 20:7-9). The Lord chose Jeremiah…

  If you live in a family or an institutional setting (like a monastery), there is one thing you don’t want served: leftovers. However, if you live on your own and you cook what you like, leftovers are another thing entirely: an abundance of ever-remixable versions of your favorite food. When I was a pastor,…

    Like a good prophet, Jeremiah speaks the message the Lord has told him to speak. He is telling the leaders and general populace they are to amend their ways. They are to give up their old ways and seek to follow the way of goodness lest they suffer persecution and the wrath of God. As usually happens when someone tells us or anyone that…

    The stories of the saints are filled with fascinating details and interesting anecdotes. They sometimes include how the individual first came to faith, turning away from an old way of life and now following a new way, a new path that opened vast new horizons to them. Sometimes there were stories of people who were already faith-filled and now experienced…

    Somewhere in the early years of my monastic life, I discovered the potter’s wheel. I had always admired the wonders of the instrument and how such beautiful creations could come from it. I was also aware of the role pottery had in the history of cultures and the evolution of humankind. It was not just…

  We Benedictines add Lazarus to the names of his sisters Mary and Martha and recognize them all as Hosts of the Lord. This seems to be a place where Jesus could rest and be at ease. This is the household that offered hospitality to the Lord as he made his way, bringing his message and healing…

  I confess, I wonder what Jesus meant when he said that we all must become like children if we want to enter the kingdom of God. I think that some of it may be just the wonder in the child’s eye and heart. In the exploration of the wonders in creation, the child is awestruck by the discovery…

  I can’t remember when I first heard this quotation from Scripture. I think it is more precise to say that I don’t recall when I realized the real meaning this text had for me. “… all things work for good for those who love God…” I knew that I loved God; there was no doubt about that in my…

  Today we celebrate the Feast of St. James the Great, Apostle of Jesus and martyr. In the Gospel, we have the story of the mother of the sons of Zebedee, James and John, approaching Jesus with a request. She asked that Jesus “command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right…

  In today’s Gospel, we have the parable of the sower. The sower, Jesus, sows the seed of the word of the Kingdom, and it falls on four different places. It is important to note that all receive the seed, but only one has the right conditions to bear fruit. Jesus is generous in his…

  “Two evils have my people done: they have forsaken me, the source of living waters; they have dug themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that hold no water.” This ending verse in our first reading from the prophet Jeremiah speaks to us of the sin of the people of Israel, and it is a sin that…

  On today’s feast of Saint Mary Magdalene, we have a great example of love for Christ that is good for us to follow. Mary Magdalene’s soul was burning with love for Christ, which kept her at Jesus’ side all the way to the foot of the Cross, even when many of his other disciples…

  “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” In today’s Gospel, Jesus was speaking to the crowds when his mother and brothers appeared, wishing to speak to him. But he does not leave the crowd or stop teaching to visit with them. He rather poses the above question and then answers it by pointing…

  “O my people, what have I done to you, or how have I wearied you? Answer me!” This intense pleading from the LORD, found in the first reading from Micah, is gut-wrenching. This text is used on Good Friday of Holy Week as we venerate the cross with a kiss. In the monastery, these…

  In today’s Gospel, we have three parables proposed to the crowds by Jesus. The first is the parable of the weeds in the field, the second is the parable of the mustard seed, and the third is the parable of the yeast. Jesus explains to his disciples the parable of the weeds in the…

  There is a common expression still used today which can be traced to ancient Roman times. The phrase is simply this: “Misery loves company!” Without venturing into the “why” of the statement, perhaps it’s helpful to focus on the “how” of its function. Today’s Scripture readings give us a context in which to examine…

  Surely one reason for reading and reverencing the Scriptures is the attraction to the hint of strong human emotions that sizzle just below the surface. Today we hear the fear in the words of the dying King Hezekiah as he bargains with God. We hear relief behind the words of the Prophet Isaias as…

  “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” Surely these welcoming words of Jesus in the Gospel can rank among the most comforting and sustaining words we’ll hear today. The fast pace of our social activities and our overloaded “to do” list can eventually lead to…

  If today’s liturgical readings had a teaching method, we might say the writers used the method of “teaching by contrast.” The central foundational covenant of God with the Jewish people was clearly this: “I will be your God, and you will be my people.” Through the generations, God was always consistently faithful, but in…

  Have you ever been fascinated by the nature and function of a simple mirror? Archaeology finds evidence of mirrors going back over eight thousand years, and today mirrors range from the smallest tools to the largest of telescopes.  Mirrors can suggest a way to think about how we interact with God’s love and His…

  Sometimes the “Golden oldies” can still ring true and make you smile! I’m talking about an old TV Coca-Cola commercial of 1969 that had everyone humming and singing “It’s the real thing!” The point behind the smiling young faces as they raised their bottle of Coke was that this was the original, the true,…

  There is nothing quite like the earthy smell of freshly tilled soil in preparation for seeding or transplanting. Perhaps the next best experience of being up close and personal with the soil is walking through the garden barefoot. His garden images suggest that the Prophet Isaias was well acquainted with gardening when he described…

  Many see monastic life as debilitating. We give up private property and the accumulation of wealth. We live a celibate life. We regularly abstain from speech and entertainment. We generally remain at the monastery. We make a vow of obedience to our superiors. Many aspects of our life can be seen as losing something—money,…

  Fear not. The world is a frightening place, but fear not. On a daily basis, we see dangers to ourselves and others in our communities or on the news, but fear not. There are wicked people wish to take advantage of us, natural dangers from weather, and simple accidents that can cause us harm,…

  It is impossible to perfectly describe God. Our language is too limited. We developed our languages to describe ourselves, each other, and the things of the world, all imperfect things. But God is perfect. So all of our descriptions are only analogies to our limited, imperfect existence. God is loving, but not in the…

  Today’s Gospel tells of Jesus’ selection of his Apostles. Apostle comes from the Greek word apostolos, which means “one who is sent.” It is an official term for someone who represents an authority figure. The authority sends out another to speak on their behalf, to make decisions and perform works in their name. These…

  The people of Israel understood that they were God’s chosen people, but they took God’s favor for granted and sought their own desires. Their kings accumulated wealth and power, and they led the people to worship other gods who could increase their holdings. The prophet Hosea, in today’s first reading, condemns their unfaithfulness. All…

  Today’s Gospel displays Jesus’ wondrous power. Not only can he heal a medical issue that doctors have failed to treat over 12 years, but even death is within his ability to heal. He has attracted great crowds because of his ability to heal, and he rewards those who come to him in faith. Indeed,…

  Jesus’ exclamation of praise celebrates the Father’s wisdom in terms of revelation. Because God is not concerned with power and majesty but with love and compassion, he does not generally reveal himself to those in power but to the lowly and poor. Jesus’ disciples come from this group. They are manual laborers, sinners who…

  Today the United States commemorates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The journey toward this historic milestone is an opportunity to pause and reflect on our nation’s past, honor the contributions of all Americans, and look ahead toward the future we want to create for the next generation and beyond. Throughout…

  We don’t know where St. Thomas was when Jesus appeared to the disciples. Some commentators have suggested that the experience of Jesus’ crucifixion and death was devastating for Thomas, and he was experiencing discouragement at the events—his faith was shaken. This seems plausible since none of the apostles had understood Jesus’ words regarding his…

  The healing of the paralytic is a particularly powerful one for the unique fact that there are friends who carried this man for his eventual healing. Jesus healed the man because of the faith of the friends! This isn’t just a nice story; it communicates powerful spiritual realities. The people carrying the stretcher do…

  I was talking to a farmer friend who said that his dad had a saying that he frequently used when taking care of livestock, which certainly has its challenges and frustrations. He would say: “As long as it stays at the barn!” It was a reminder that working with animals was a way of…

  We encounter many personal storms in our lives. These could include suffering an unexpected loss of a loved one, or other emotional, spiritual, or physical hardships. These storms follow a particular pattern: The storms are usually unavoidable. They will pass away, but they are very frightening at the time. The Lord is in control.…

  Peter was a fisherman in his boat with his brother Andrew when Jesus called him to leave everything behind and follow Him—becoming the Apostle to the Jews. Paul was a Pharisee and zealously persecuted Christians, traveling on his way to Damascus as he encountered the Risen Christ, who called him to conversion—becoming the great…

  Recently I saw a monastery’s vocation poster that I liked. Among a collage of the photos that illustrated their life, the poster read: “No pay. Hard work. Endless Prayer. Priceless reward.” I believe that as people of faith, we want to be challenged. We want to find something in this life that is worth…

  All week, we have watched houses fall and asked what holds. Today, the week ends where it has been heading — with the ruins on one side and a house that stands on the other, set right next to each other so we cannot miss the difference. First, the ruins. Lamentations gives us the…

  Yesterday, the Temple fell because the right words were never the foundation — only doing the Father’s will. But that can leave us anxious, as if it all comes down to our own effort, our own building. Today corrects that. The foundation that holds is one we do not construct. We received it. The…