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Fr. Jerome Machar, OCSO Tuesday the 4th Week of Easter Acts 11: 19-26, John 10: 22-30 “It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians” (Acts 11:30). This line struck me. To tell the truth, it jumped off of the page and hit me between the eyes. The... read more →

Fr. Justin Sheehan, OCSO For the Holy Abbots of Cluny If you read only the early Cistercians about the monastery of Cluny, you could get a very distorted view of what the life there was like. In fact, today’s feast is a reminder that all of the 10th-century abbots of... read more →

Fr. Justin Sheehan, OCSO Wednesday, the 3rd Week of Easter Monastic tradition has usually considered the chapter on humility as the heart of the Rule, and the key to Benedictine spirituality. And in that chapter, St Benedict takes up a saying of our Lord that occurs in today’s Gospel. He... read more →

Fr. John Denburger, OCSO The Feast of St. Rafael Arnaiz Baron, OCSO In the responsorial psalm 34 we heard: “ When the poor cried out, the Lord heard and from all his distress He saved him. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him and delivers them.... read more →

The 2nd Sunday of Easter - Sunday of Divine Mercy Fr. Jerome Machar, OCSO “Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your Dearly Beloved Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.” We gather on this... read more →

Fr. Justin Sheehan, OCSO Easter Sunday Where is the risen Christ in our suffering world? He seems to have fallen in love with our suffering because he’s so passionately laid hold of it and made it his. He is known to the whole world as the Man of Sorrows. Yet... read more →

Fr. Isaac Slater, OCSO Good Friday “Son though he was he learned obedience from what he suffered.” What is meant by “obedience” here, and how did Jesus learn from suffering? Clearly it’s not the reflexive obedience of a horse or dog being trained. It is not the result of force... read more →

Fr. Stephen Muller, OCSO Holy Thursday When one studies paintings, sometimes you have what is called a “detail”. It is just a portion of the whole painting. So for instance, in the current issue of MAGNIFICAT there is an article on the painting “The Agony in the Garden” by Andrea... read more →

Fr. John Denburger, OCSO Palm Sunday (Isaiah 50: 4 - 7; Ps 22; Phil 2: 6 - 11; Luke 22: 14 - 23: 56) In listening to St. Luke’s account of the Lord’s passion and death, we hear again of Jesus’ horrendous suffering and as someone noted “His ghastly death”.... read more →

Fr. Justin Sheehan, OCSO Saturday the 3rd Week of Lent The Pharisee in the Gospel prided himself on being virtuous and despised the tax collector. But there’s more than one way of being a Pharisee. Another way is to make excuses for yourself for not being virtuous, and then find... read more →