May youlike the milkweed and the foxglove of the prairieassent fresh each morning to being scatteredand buriedin the dark, moist soil of God. May youlike the purple prairie clover and the rattlesnake masterof the prairie sow and be sownin the Godwho loves this world beyond measure and without regret. Bless you. You are holy ground. This blessing is given to the Ecumenical Center for Clergy Spiritual Renewal (ECCSR) pastors after their first immersion from the people and place of Holy Wisdom Monastery. We hope you enjoyed this Benedictine Reflection. Learn more about the sisters’ mission and the Year of Beauty …
A Desert in the Woods
By David McKee opening the Opus Dei in this bardo intimate as ever was Five days alone in the hermitage—no phone, no internet, no reading, no writing, no music—only the Liturgy of the Hours, many hours of wordless prayer, walking, eating, sleeping and silence—suspending all the usual outer distractions of daily life in order to face all the inner ones—all the things that drop a veil between myself and God—all the false selves for which I have so many names, and the desire to let go of all those names and disappear into the true self that is hidden in …
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 …