Daily Reflections
Right in the middle of today’s gospel passage is one of the most puzzling statements that Jesus ever makes. Jesus says, “From the days of John the Baptist, the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence and the violent are taking it by force.” It is possible that Jesus is referring to the opposition that both…
Today’s gospel passage is very short, only three short verses (Mt 11:28-30); and it begins very comfortingly: “Come to me all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” The next verse becomes a little bit more intense but still comforting: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,…
In today’s gospel passage, Jesus tells us the parable of the lost sheep. I am sure that all of us, when we hear this parable, identify with the lost sheep, and feel some comfort when the shepherd leaves all behind to go and find the lost sheep. I am sure we all have times…
Today we celebrate the patronal feast of Conception Abbey. Interestingly enough, the town in which the Abbey was founded was already named Conception after the Immaculate Conception even before the monks arrived. According to Wikipedia, there was a post office in the town named Conception from 1864, some nine years before the monks arrived.…
John the Baptist’s vocation was to “prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths” according to today’s gospel. His basic message was to “repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” He also told the people about someone who was coming. Someone who was so high in stature that John was…
We began this week of Advent as pilgrims launching into the story line of God revealing the Kingdom of God for all peoples. It’s a revelation that continues to take shape around the person of Jesus who chose twelve disciples and gave them a special mission. That mission was to extend the Spirit of…
Progress on any pilgrimage is measured not so much by the number of steps we take (even if counted!) as by what comes to us by sight and insight. This means that new and nourishing insights can come at any point along the pilgrimage if we’re open to that gift. Our Advent pilgrimage leading…
Does the Advent season have a split personality and a double purpose? Is Advent a time of constantly moving forward or is it a time of waiting? In other words, is there an emphasis on constant growth and moving deeper into the mystery of the Lord coming to us in history, mystery and grace?…
Have you ever picked up a hitchhiker? Have you ever been a hitchhiker? This was a common way to get around a good number of years ago, but today, hardly ever. Times have changed. What if our Advent pilgrimage called us to use our imagination such as traveling a road which allowed hitchhikers, and…
Videos of toddlers and cute puppy dogs at play never fail to get your attention. The Prophet Isaiah is riveting our attention today with images of innocence and impossible relationships. What is the message behind pairing up the wolf and the lamb, the leopard and the young goat, the calf and the lion, the…
Our Advent pilgrimage has begun and already from day one our readings begin to drop markers and themes pointing to our ultimate destination. Look closely and you’ll find the theme of “great expectations.” Our critical and cynical world seems to thrive on finding fault with everything and everyone who projects a personal hope or…
In sports and other areas of life getting a great start is essential for the outcome. Today we begin the season of Advent which of course begins the entire Liturgical Year, a nice occasion to wish someone a “Happy New Year” and leave them wondering what you meant! This beginning is quite different from…
Tomorrow is a new year. Tomorrow, we begin to anticipate the celebration of the Nativity of our Lord. His Advent is upon us, but we must first move on from what came before. If we wish to meet our Lord with confidence, we should cleanse ourselves of our faults through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.…
Sometimes we can lose vigilance in our religious practice when we repeatedly hear about the end of the world but it never happens… Except, it does happen. Over and over again. The world is completely different than it was 2,000 years ago. Empires rise and fall, philosophies change, and technology alters how we live.…
The word “Eucharist” means “Thanksgiving.” Every time we celebrate the Mass, we are giving thanks to God. As a matter of course, we should enter the celebration with particular things in mind for which we are thankful, but our salvation through Jesus Christ is always at the forefront of that thanksgiving. It is the…
We often only come to appreciate our trials some time after the experience, when we can see the fruit that they produced. It is like athletes who challenge their bodies to run faster, jump higher, endure longer, or lift more. They experience pain in the moment, knowing that it will help them in the…
As human beings, our natural perspective is very limited. We tend to see the world around us in terms of what we have individually experienced. This is especially so for young people who generally have less experience than those who have lived through more events, but we are all prone to view everything in…
Yesterday we celebrated the Feast of Christ the King, acknowledging Jesus as rightful ruler of all creation. Our first reading today describes the exile of the Israelites from the Promised Land after their kings had failed to lead them in the ways of God. Whereas Jesus exercised true power by submitting his will to…
Power is the enemy of those who seek it. Many start out with such good intentions, wanting to make a difference in the world, so they seek to become important in order to have influence over people. But the pursuit of power enslaves us. You know the saying: power tends to corrupt, and absolute…
Monks are said to live the “Angelic Life,” because we anticipate heaven, forsaking marriage for the sake of the Kingdom of God and devote ourselves to prayer. We, therefore, point to the resurrection in Christ with our whole lives. The most important aspect of this life is the part that lasts into eternity and…
Today we celebrate the Presentation of the Virgin Mary in the Temple at Jerusalem. It comes from the tradition describing Mary as the miraculous child of Sts. Joachim and Anne, from a long line of blessed elderly people who had been unable to conceive in the Bible. Like the parents of Samuel, they dedicate…
This reading from the Book of Maccabees is likely hard for many of us to stomach – let alone understand why it’s in the liturgy. Suffice to say, that the extinction of right worship by an aggressive power left few options for an oppressed people. In our own time and country, freedom of speech…
This reading from Maccabees is particularly hard to hear: the martyrdom of the seven brothers under the evil King Antiochus. The gruesome narrative speaks to the heroic endurance of martyrs. The brothers make clear that they know the one they should fear. According to Jesus much later: “Do not be afraid of those who…
Our readings present us with two examples of holiness. The first is Eleazar, the elder scribe martyred for his faith in the Book of Maccabees. The other is Zacchaeus, the tax collector who converts at Jesus’ invitation. The former is the example of steadfast witness and the latter the repentant. Sometimes when we hear…
The story of the Books of Maccabees is that of the Jewish people holding on to their religious practice against a dominant culture seeking to stamp it out. Most distressing, as we find out today, is that many Jews themselves “sold out.” They figured the material benefits of taking on Greek customs and pagan…
In today’s second reading, we hear the saying of St. Paul, “Brothers and sisters; You know how one must imitate us. For we did not act in a disorderly way among you.” This speaks to a great truth that dwells within each and every spiritual life, and St. Paul refers to it with the…
Will the Son of Man find faith on earth when He comes again? When you look into your soul in reflection, do you find faith? What does your faith look like? More often than not, we struggle to have faith! Unshakeable faith in the Lord is difficult in this world because we have no…
People often ask me how they can know God is real. Usually my answer sounds like this, “have you looked outside recently?” This is my answer because God reveals Himself every day through the Beauty of His creation. Today’s first reading points out the grandeur of creation and how it is so easily missed.…
Jesus tells us in today’s Gospel, “When you have done all that is commanded of you, say ‘We are unprofitable servants, we have only done what we are obliged to do.’” I don’t know anyone who would speak like that, but I do know a phrase that has a similar meaning and is used at…
The readings from today are about the mercy of God towards the lowly. In the Gospel, ten lepers approach Jesus to be healed. But they ask him in an interesting way. Instead of asking outright to be healed, they ask him to have pity. To have pity means to be aroused by another’s suffering…
As a seminarian, I can feel as if I barely have time in a day to fulfill all that’s asked of me. Even with the best effort I can muster, I feel like I’m always lagging just behind where I should be. Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel seem to add even more pressure to…
“The Spirit of the Lord fills the world, and that which holds all things together knows what is said” (Wisdom 1:7). These words echo the wonder of Psalm 139 “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” There is something both overwhelming and intimate in knowing that the…
You may have recently heard, as did I, that the penny has been excised as a currency option in the United States. I even received an ominous warning in an email titled “the end of the penny.” Not dissimilar to that of the prophets of Israel in the Old Testament. In today’s readings, we…
“No servant can serve two masters.” (Luke 16:13a) Jesus’ words are direct and searching: “You cannot serve both God and mammon.” There’s no middle ground, no polite compromise. We must choose what controls our hearts. Sometimes I find that decision is made quietly, in small moments. How I spend my time, what I cling…
“Because of the grace given me by God.” (Romans 15:15b) St. Paul speaks not from pride but from gratitude. He knows that everything fruitful in his life—his preaching, his perseverance, his hope—comes from grace. He is not the source of his strength; he is its steward. “Because of the grace given me by God.”…
“Each of us shall give an account of himself to God.” (Romans 14:12) Every life, every choice, every thought, will one day meet the gaze of God. There is no act too small, no gesture too fleeting, no silence too insignificant. Each step is part of our journey, and each moment will be seen…
“Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another.” (Romans 13:8) In the Christian life, to love is a commandment, an obligation. In monastic life, to love one another has a particular resonance. We live in a rhythm of prayer, work, and shared life where each brother depends on the other. We try not…
“We are one Body in Christ.” (Romans 12:5) St. Paul uses the image of a human body to describe the interdependence of believers. Christian life is never a solo endeavor. Faith draws us into communion. Each member’s gift sustains the whole. In a world that prizes self-sufficiency, being dependent on others can be hard.…
“The gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.” (Romans 11:29) God does not take back what He has given. St. Paul reminds us that God’s fidelity is not like our human moods or passing affections. Once God has called, He does not un-call; once He has gifted, He does not reclaim. Even when…
“Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me.” (John 6:37) All Souls’ Day draws me into a quiet space of remembering my departed relatives and those I never knew. The Abbey grounds are beautiful this time of year, the trees turning color,…