Instructions to the Monastic or the Pilgrim A poem by Nicholas Samaras Enter this room and call it a cell. Fold yourself and put yourself away. For your whole life, you will be an amateur. But be an amateur striving. Enter this room and call it vigilance. Make your ego
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An image, a metaphor, is a powerful tool to understand life and theology. For many years I had the wrong image in mind of what Jesus meant by “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me.” As I read and visualized this passage I could feel Jesus’ compassion in
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“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” In Matthew 27:46 we hear Jesus on the cross say in Aramaic and Hebrew “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” How is it possible the the Son of God, knowing that He was fulfilling His Father’s plan, felt such despair? This
When we do the sign of the cross we are putting ourselves in the presence of God and are asking for His spiritual and physical protection. Yet, this simple prayer has a much more profound meaning. The sign of the cross is simple. We trace a cross from our forehead
“What we would like to do is change the world—make it a little simpler for people to feed, clothe, and shelter themselves as God intended them to do. And, by fighting for better conditions, by crying out unceasingly for the rights of the workers, the poor, of the destitute—
With Ash Wednesday we begin the beautiful and important liturgical season of Lent. Even though Advent is such a happy season, full of light and joy, I actually prefer Lent. Perhaps because there are so many other distractions during Advent with parties, Christmas cards, gifts, special meals, etc. I like
Merciful and loving Father, We beseech you, open our hearts so that we may provide hospitality and refuge to migrants who are lonely, afraid, and far from their homes. Give us the courage to welcome every stranger as Christ in our midst, to invite them into our communities as a
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The term beatitude comes from the Latin noun beātitūdō which means “happiness.” Merriam Webster more appropriately defines it as a state of utmost bliss. What gives us this utmost bliss? Simply, to seek God, to know God, and to serve God, until we live as one with God. “How is
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“But there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of
This week the Catholic Church celebrated the Feast of Corpus Christi, also known as the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. In this feast we celebrate the wonderful gift of Jesus’ real presence in the Eucharist. We honor His body, blood, soul, and divinity truly and
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“Abide in me, as I abide in you.” I have been thinking about these words from Jesus for a month now. Every now and then they rise into my consciousness and sit for a few moments and I get to soak in the significance. Jesus didn't say I
Yesterday I heard a radio program about Guardian Angels and today I read a July 15, 1913 letter from Padre Pio to Annita Rodote, to whom he gave spiritual direction. In the letter he gives her wonderful advice about her relationship with her Guardian Angel. Padre Pio was a friar,