Blog

Fr. Justin Sheehan, OCSO Sunday the 3rd Week of Easter “He gave the impression that he was going on farther”. But his heart remained with his two fellow travelers whom he was apparently leaving, and his wish was that the sight of him going away might kindle in their hearts... read more →

Fr. Jerome Machar, OCSO Tuesday the 2nd Week of Easter (Acts 4: 32-37, John 3: 7b-15) “The community of believers was of one heart and mind” (Acts 4:32). This unity of the community fulfilled Jesus’s words, “In this shall all know that you are my disciples, if you love one... read more →

Fr. Justin Sheehan, OCSO Easter Thursday The disciples of Jesus had come to recognize him in the breaking of bread. When the disciples saw bread being broken, they could only think of him who had once taken bread, and broken it, and said, This is my Body. From now on,... read more →

Fr. John Denburger, OCSO Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord Today we celebrate the greatest feast of the Church year and yet, in the Gospel chosen by the Church there is no appearance of the Risen Christ and He is only mentioned insofar as His body, it seems,... read more →

Fr. Justin Sheehan, OCSO Tuesday of Holy Week In the traditional Cistercian rite, the Gospel for Tuesday of Holy Week focuses on the Parable of the Ten Virgins. St. Seraphim of Sarov expounded this parable in the light of the gift of the Spirit. The goal of Christian existence, he... read more →

Fr. Stephen Muller, OCSO Palm Sunday (Mt 21:1-11, Is 50:4-7, Ph 2:6-11, Mt 26:14-27:66) I know a person who spends a lot of time each summer hiking in the high Sierras in California. He’s retired so he has plenty of time, and he feels close to God when he’s in... read more →

Fr. Justin Sheehan, OCSO The 5th Wednesday of Lent “You are trying to kill me,” says Jesus, “a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God”. The “truth” that the liturgy would have us focus on is the one presented in the first reading: those who... read more →

Fr. Jerome Machar, OCSO The 5th Sunday of Lent (Ezekiel 37:12-14, Romans 8:8-11, John 11:1-45) As I reflected on today’s readings, I had a flashback to my years in the parish. At the risk of showing my age, RCIA was just coming into vogue around the time I was ordained.... read more →

Fr. John Denburger, OCSO The Solemnity of the Annunciation ( Isaiah 7: 10 -14; 8:10; Resp 40; Hebrews 10: 4 - 10; Luke 1: 26 - 38) In praying the Creed we call to mind the great and incomprehensible mystery of the Incarnation: “...He came down from heaven, and by... read more →

Fr. Justin Litsec, OCSO The 3rd Sunday of Lent One of the classic expressions of our human longing for God occurs in the Confessions of St Augustine. Towards the beginning of this work, Augustine wrote: “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they... read more →