Abbey News

Sunday, March 16, 2008

The Great Week

Yesterday, in good Lenten fashion, we celebrated a subdued solemnity of St. Joseph with first vespers of Palm Sunday ushering in Holy Week at the end of the day. In keeping with our usual custom we will be keeping the week as a time of retreat with a bit more silence and solitude to help us prepare for the celebration of the Sacred Triduum and Easter Sunday.

Every now and again the question regarding the date for celebrating Easter arises along with the question why Roman Catholics and Orthodox Catholics celebrate it at different times. One of our regular 'visitors' found an answer that may be of interest to some of you who may have been wondering about that. You'll find it at A Tale of Two Easters.

Corporation Meeting
This past Friday we had our annual meeting of the corporation during which the financial report for 2007 was presented. The good news is that this past year has been a good year for us and that we remain financially sound, thanks in good measure to our bakery and the financial management of our comptroller, Fr. Kevin Baker.

The bad news first: Because of the increased price of Monks' Bread ingredients, especially wheat which has practically doubled, and other increased production and distribution costs, we are forced to raise the cost of our bread in the near future.

Also on the horizon, as of April 1st, the suggested donation for our retreat houses is being raised from $45 per night to $50 to help cover the increased operational costs there too.

The good news is that our on-line bread store has developed a special Easter box offering a selection of quality Trappistine Candy made by our sisters at Mount St. Mary's Abbey, Wrentham, MA. Orders will be shipped this coming Tuesday so there's still time to place an order at Easter Build-A-Box Easter Special. It's on sale too!

The best news is that Easter happened and that makes all the difference in everything!

Passover was celebrated at home. Jesus did this too. But after the meal he got up and went out, and he overstepped the bounds of the law by going beyond the Brook Kidron which marked the boundary of Jerusalem.

He went out into the night. He did not fear the chaos, did not hide from it, but plunged into its deepest point, into the jaws of death:as we pray, he "descended into hell". Faith always means going out together with Jesus, not being afraid of the chaos, because he is the stronger one. He "went out" and we go out with him if we do the same.

Faith means emerging from the walls to build places of faith and of love in the midst of the chaotic world by the power of Jesus Christ. The Lord "went out" - it is a sign of his power. He went out into the night of Gethsemane, the night of the cross and the grave. He is the "stronger man" who stands up against the "strong man" - death.

The love of God - God's power - is stronger than the powers of destruction. So this very "going out," this setting out on the path of the Passion, when Jesus steps outside the boundary of the protective walls of the city, is a gesture of victory. The mystery of Gethsemane already holds within it the mystery of Easter joy. Jesus is the "stronger man."

There is no power that can withstand him now; no place where he is not to be found. He summons us to dare to accompany him on his path; for where faith and love are, he is there, and the power of peace is there which overcomes nothingness and death.

Benedictus
Benedict XVI