Abbey News

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Annual Visit
Yesterday, the Psalmtones, our friends from Rochester, joined us for Mass and Vespers. Being as it was the memorial of the Queenship of Mary there was a definite Marian flavor to their professional renditions of Gregorian chants, mostly in Latin. The precision and fervor of their performance gave ample witness to the joy with which they sing. If you visit their web site at The Psalmtones you will be able to download and enjoy a few of their repertoire for yourself.

Back To School
Early Friday morning, after receiving the blessing for travelers at the end of Mass, Br. Isaac drove off to Washington, DC and the Dominican House of Studies where he resides while attending Catholic U. for his second year of seminary training. But not before receiving the minor order of lector on Monday, feast of St. Lawrence, in preparation for eventual ordination . Since Fr. John Eudes was heading out the same day to St. Anselm's Abbey, only a mile or so down the street from the Dominican House of Studies, to give the brothers their annual retreat, he took advantage of Br. Isaac's trip to go along for a free ride. He'll fly back in a week or so after the retreat.

Retreatants
For the past week or so we gladly welcomed into the community Bros. Tereccino and Br. Paul of the Friars of the Renewal for their annual retreat with us.

Curious Critter
One of the many blessings of life in the Genesee Valley is having so many of God's innumerable critters as neighbors. Sometimes it can be a little bit like life on the holy mountain the prophet Isaiah describes in chapter 11:6-9:

*Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid;
*The calf and the young lion shall browse together, with a little child to guide them.
*The cow and the bear shall be neighbors, together their young shall rest; the lion shall eat hay like the ox.
*The baby shall play by the cobra's den, and the child lay his hand on the adder's lair.
*There shall be no harm on all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as waters covers the sea.

And, we might add, the tree frog will delight in peeking unharmed into monastic windows!

WOE IS ME! DUE TO TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES WITH OUR SERVER GRAPHICS ARE NOT UPLOADING. . .HOPE TO HAVE THEM RESOLVED BEFORE LONG. . .

The Christian who lives for God and wishes to love him with all his strength feels the need to be sure that his love for God is not an illusion; but how can he be sure? The apostle John answers: If we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us (John 4:12.

The great criterion which characterizes true love of God is the love of our neighbor. This is an infallible standard because theological love is unique, and though difficult to test in relation to God, it is easily verifiable in relation to the neighbor.

We do not need much discernment to perceive whether our love of neighbor is a matter of words, or is a concrete reality, proved in deed. St. Teresa of Jesus teaches her daughters:

We cannot know whether or not we love God, although there are strong indications for recognizing that we do love him; but we can know whether we love our neighbor. And be sure that the more advanced you are in love for your neighbor, the more advanced you will be in the love of God. (Interior Castle)

When fraternal love is sincere and heartfelt and shown by deed, there can be no doubt that God's love is perfected in us (1 John 4:12).

Divine Intimacy
Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, OCD