Mark 4: 26-34: Jesus also said, “The reign of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, without knowing how. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once goes in with the sickle, because the harvest has come.” He also said, “With what can we compare the reign of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard …
New books in the library—July 2024
Enrich your mind and spirit—visit the monastery library! July 2024 The monastery library added the following books to its collection: Armstrong, Karen. Sacred nature. New York: Alfred Knopf, 2022. Brink, Laurie. The Heavens are telling the glory of God. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2022. Delio, Illia. The Not-Yet God. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2023. Johnson, Elizabeth. Come, have breakfast. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2024. O’Murchu, Diarmuid. Ecological spirituality. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2024. Oliver, Mary. Devotions. New York: Penguin Press, 2017. Potos, Andrea. Her joy becomes. Newberg, OR: Fernwood Press, 2002. Potos, Andrea. Marrow of summer. American Fork, UT: Kelsay …
James Penczykowski’s Homily for June 23, 2024
As my mind wandered over the image of Jesus, asleep in the stern of the boat while his followers panicked, a lyric and melody came to mind from my younger days, Rescue Me, sung by Fontella Bass, recorded in 1965.[quote]“Rescue meCome on and take my heartTake your love and conquer every part‘Cause I’m lonelyAnd I’m blueI need youAnd your love tooCome on and rescue me” [end quote] While the singer longs for romantic human love, the lyrics do easily fit and echo the disciples’ shout — Master, do you not care? We are going to drown! And Jesus performs his …
Fifteen Steps To Ecumenical Fitness
by Fr. Thomas Ryan, CSP (Reprinted from with Permission from Fr. Thomas Ryan, CSP) Recently a friend asked, “What does ‘being ecumenical’ mean?” It was one of those questions that stops you cold because the answer goes off in so many directions you don’t know where to begin. Later, I took paper and pencil in hand and began to reflect on the lessons of my last 12 years in ecumenical work. Here are some of the things which, in my experience and opinion, “being ecumenical” means: O, God, holy and eternal Trinity, we pray for your Church in all the …
Leora Weitzman’s Homily from June 2, 2024
Body & Blood of Christ • Exodus 24:3–8 • Hebrews 9:11–15 • Mark 14:12–16, 22–26 • 6/2/24 Welcome to the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ. There are many layers of meaning to savor here: the meanings of blood familiar to original hearers of the texts… the challenge of reading Hebrews… the Gospel… and the Eucharist. I’ll start with the meanings of blood. Some are covenant-related – beginning with the ancient history of covenants, when people made ceremonial cuts and mingled their blood to declare themselves blood relatives, pledging to support and protect each other with their very …
New books in the library—June 2024
Enrich your mind and spirit—visit the monastery library! June 2024 The monastery library added the following books to its collection: Armstrong, Karen. Sacred nature. New York: Alfred Knopf, 2022. Brink, Laurie. The Heavens are telling the glory of God. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2022. Delio, Illia. The Not-Yet God. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2023. Johnson, Elizabeth. Come, have breakfast. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2024. O’Murchu, Diarmuid. Ecological spirituality. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2024. Oliver, Mary. Devotions. New York: Penguin Press, 2017. Potos, Andrea. Her joy becomes. Newberg, OR: Fernwood Press, 2002. Potos, Andrea. Marrow of summer. American Fork, UT: Kelsay …
Manato Jansen’s Homily from May 26, 2024
This past Tuesday around greater Madison, and throughout the Midwest, we were reminded of the power of the earth, and our smallness in comparison. While our monastery grounds and some of our neighborhoods had trees and power lines toppled, other neighboring regions witnessed tornadoes and floods. As we felt the thunder shake our homes on Tuesday, perhaps we can more easily channel some of the intensity of today’s reading from Isaiah: The Most High sits on the throne, and just the hem of God’s robe fills the entirety of the temple. The temple fills with smoke, the structure shakes with …
Center for Clergy Renewal staff transition
Submitted by Nancy Enderle, director, Center for Clergy Renewal Dear Holy Wisdom community members, I am writing to let you know about changes in the leadership of the Center for Clergy Renewal (CCR). As we round the corner into our sixth year of helping pastors thrive in ministry, I feel called to set down the director responsibilities that accompany this growing and important work. Depending on the timeline after the search for the next director is complete, I may transition out of the director role sometime in the fall, then conduct the winter immersion for Cohort 5 in January of 2025 …
Pam Shellberg’s Homily from Pentecost, May 19, 2024
Pentecost 2024/May 19 Holy Wisdom Monastery Pam Shellberg Acts 2:1-21; Romans 8:22-27; John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15 Before the days of smart TV’s and Netflix, Hulu, and Roku, before the days of being able to watch just about any TV show at any time day or night, of being able to binge watch seasons of any particular show in a weekend – back in the days when we followed a series one episode a week, some of you might remember how each new episode would begin with, “Previously on _______” and then there’d be minute or two of clips of …
Terry Larson’s Homily from Ascension Sunday, May 12, 2024
Ascension Sunday Holy Wisdom Sunday Assembly May 12, 2024 Terry Larson Acts 10-11 Mark 16: 15-20 Ephesians 4: 2 It’s unbelievable. It would have been easier to believe in the physical ascension of Jesus prior to the audacious claim, first by Copernicus, and then by the real trouble-maker Galileo, that the earth revolved around the sun. Our beloved mother earth is not the center of our solar system. Yes, I know it’s mother’s day, but our earth is just among the planets, asteroids, comets, and space junk held steady by the sun’s gravity. The heliocentric cosmological model (I found that …