ABBEY NEWS
Last Days
Today’s celebration of the Solemnity of Epiphany followed by tomorrow’s Feast of the Baptism of Jesus marks the end of the Christmas Season and the beginning of Ordinary Time. So many of us are wondering ‘where did the time go’! Grateful for the graces and celebrations of the season we gladly enter a quiet time of preparation for the arrival of the time of the special grace of the Lent/Easter Season which will be here before we know it. Onwards and upwards we go!
Today is also supposed the be the last of several days of extreme cold weather which all of us will be happy to see go. With Temperatures 
below zero and high winds it couldn’t have gone fast enough. In years past we’ve had the occasional freeze up and rupture of water pipes here and there, usually in the ceilings where they caused a bit of damage. But this year due to precautionary measures we were spared the grief of all that. And for that we are grateful.
Visitation Time
Hard to believe but it’s time for Abbot Gerard’s visitation to our daughter house in Brazil, Novo Mundo. As we recover from our winter blitz (5 below upon rising this morning) he’ll be heading for the warm, lush summer weather of southern Brazil. He departs this Friday, the 12th and returns on Friday the 26th, feast of the three founders of the Cistercian Order, Sts. Robert, Alberic and Stephen. Join us in prayer for his safe traveling and the success of the visitation.
Busy Time
During the past two months there has been more activity in the specialty bakery than all the rest of the year due to a vibrant activity through the on-line store. Things have quieted down a bit giving us a chance to make several changes and upgrades in the bakery equipment, including the addition of much needed added space currently under construction. More about that as things develop.
Lectio Notebook
Therefore, I beg you, let us read the Holy Scripture with the greatest enthusiasm; and then we will rightly understand it when we have made ourselves familiar with its contents.
For whoever applies himself to this divine revelation with zeal and great love, it is impossible that he should be left in the lurch, and he will not stand at the orders of any human teacher: but the Lord himself will descend into our hearts, and enlighten our spirits, and brighten our understanding, and become himself our Teacher, of that which we do not understand – providing we are ready to do what we are able.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily on Genesis
Comments are closed.