I’m not exactly sure why this night requires a homily because tonight is not so much about “words” as it is about “signs.” In some ways the whole service is a sign. Our readings point us in this way. Exodus spoke about the blood on the doorposts being a “sign” of God’s passing over and sparing the enslaved Hebrews from the wrath descending on the land of Egypt. In Paul’s simple words to the Corinthians we have the earliest reference in the New Testament to what we now call the “Eucharist” or “Holy Communion” and learn that bread and cup …
Beauty during Lent
The monastery’s theme for 2022 is beauty. Fyodor Dostoevsky wrote in The Brothers Karamozov: “The world will be saved by beauty.” The first image that came to me as I pondered this was that of Vedran Smajlovic playing Albinoni’s Adagio in G Minor in the bombed streets of Sarajevo in 1992. He played each day for 22 days to mark the death of the 22 people killed standing in line for bread during the siege of the city. Hear the story from BBC news. Beauty can keep the human heart and spirit alive in the midst of suffering. The PBS …
Steve Zwettler’s Homily from Palm Sunday, April 10, 2022
The Cross: A Way of Transformation Palm Sunday: 2022 By: Steve Zwettler Each year —when the rains come—and winter reluctantly gives way to Springtime—we hear the same Mysterious and Life-giving Story. We know it so well. We come face to face with the brutal and bloody death of Jesus by Roman Crucifixion. A moment in History which continues to challenge and amaze, inspire and intrigue all who take the time to look deeply. So……..What Does It Matter? What does it mean for us Believers & Seekers right here and now? On a personal level……speaking just for my own spiritual …
Pushing My Buttons
By Leora Weitzman Putting a pebble in your shoe can still be found under Ten Simple Penance Ideas for Lent at CatholicLiving.net. By now, most pebbles have probably gone metaphorical. Still, what if your shoes are already too full of metaphorical pebbles to add any more? Maybe some pebbles already in our shoes can become our offerings. In my case, pebbles of anxiety and sadness about current events are becoming a focus to sit with more consciously in prayer—which means fasting from at least some efforts to numb those feelings. And as for almsgiving… Do you interact regularly with someone …
Patti LaCross’s Homily from April 3, 2022
The1982 German film The White Rose is set in the early 1940’s; it covers the final five days in the shining life of 21-year-old Sophia Magdalena Scholl, and her brother, Hans. Raised in a spirited Lutheran family; their father had earlier been detained for denouncing the Nazis. Hans was a popular leader in the Hitler Youth. After a stint of national service, he entered medical school at the University in Munich, and Sophie joined him. Their shared friends circle- all immersed in philosophy and theology- were outraged by the mass murders in Poland and Russia, and hearing of the rounding …
Limited in Time
“The life of a monk ought to be a continuous Lent.” So begins Benedict’s brief chapter on the observation of Lent. We should always be preparing for the appearance of the risen Christ. We should always be seeking to rid ourselves of bad habits, practicing self-denial, realizing our faults and living each moment in gratitude for God’s abundant love that pours down on us just as we are. Since few, however, have the strength for this, we urge the entire community during these days of Lent to keep its manner of life most pure and to wash away in this …
Wayne Sigelko’s Homily from March 27, 2022
The Lost Sons: 4th Sunday of Lent, 2022Since thisis the longest of Jesus’ parables, and I don’t intend to rush it, I invite you to please sit. Since itisalso among the most familiar passages of the Bible, Ialso invite us all to pause for just a few seconds,close our eyes, and enter into our deepest listening selves perhaps to hear these words we have heard sooften in a new way.A Reading from the Gospel according to Luke…(Luke 15:1-3, llb-32)The scandal begins right at the start of today’s Gospel. “All the tax collectors and sinners were comingnear to listen to Jesus.” …
Songbirds
By Jim Penczykowski Songbirds have been on my mind lately. I don’t know what to think about them. They are an incredible gift to the senses. I find myself savoring the day when I hear them. Can you imagine what life would be like without them? Do you think the creator wanted to wake us up to the beauty around us by giving us songbirds? Life does not always seem like such a gift. We all get into ruts from time to time, ruts in our behavior (we call them habits) and ruts in our thinking (we call them attitudes). …
New books in the library—April 2022
Enrich your mind and spirit—visit the monastery library! April 2022 Lent concludes this month with the joyous celebration of Easter. There’s still time to reflect on the Lenten season. The monastery library added the following books to its collection: Allen-McLaurin, Lisa. A Womanist theology of worship. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books:, 2021. Casey, Michael. The Promise of deliverance. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2021 Coloe, Mary. John 1-10. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2021. Forest, Jim. Eyes of compassion. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2021. Haught, John. The Cosmic vision of Teilhard de Chardin. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2021. Wilkerson, Isabel. Caste. New York: …
reSTORYation: Doctrine of Discovery
Submitted by Sally Bowers and Julie Melton, Friends of Wisdom Prairie In this installment of reSTORYation, we invite you to consider the doctrine that allowed newcomers to this continent to forcibly remove the indigenous people that were already here. We learn the troubling stories of how doctrines and laws dehumanized indigenous peoples through the removal of their mind, body and spirit. We begin reSTORYation with conciliation. Conciliation occurs with truth telling. Conciliation without truth is like trying to bring health without comprehensive diagnosis. A lament emerges from the confrontational nature of truth and the honest response to the truth.1 The …