Combing the historical significance of the Christmas Nativity with the diversity of cultures and artists that have interpreted it through the ages, "Finding Bethlehem" guides you thoughtful commentaries of theologians and collectors alike, to artist statements and the voices of "behind-thes-scenes" participants in the Festival, the book explores the spiritual and artistic meaning of the Nativity.
Abbey Explores Grief as means to Heal
Sister Ann, a member of the Sisters of Charity of Our Lady of Mercy in Charleston, came to Mepkin Abbey Thursday to lead a seminar on grief and loss, the first in a series of three lectures on “Discerning the Call of the Second Half of Life.”
Read More »Third Sunday of Easter (Year C)
1st rdg Acts 5:27-32, 40b-41 we are witnesses to these things
psalm 30 I will praise you Lord for you have rescued me
2nd rdg Worthy is the Lamb …
gospel Jn 21:1-19 catch of fish / come have breakfast / dialogue
with Peter / belt / follow me
The richness of today’s readings tempts a homilist to try to say something about everything but the readings speak for themselves encouraging us to a deeper commitment in living our faith and a greater capacity to be the church whom God is calling us to be. Are we living as people who feel privileged to believe, obedient to God and fearless in being known as God’s children? If we honor the Lamb slain, having poured out his life for us, are our thoughts and speech about God? Do our lives show in an uncompromising way that we belong to God?
Read More »Paschal Vigil (C) – 2013
Genesis 1:1-2:2; Genesis 22:1-18; Exodus 14:15-15:1;
Ezekiel 36:16-28; Romans 6:3-11; Luke 24:1-12
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!
Really, my brothers and sisters, that says it all. Just remember that and the whole world will change for you. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!
However, the church asks me to say a few more words. I will keep them short. For it is a long night and we still have a ways to go.
This year we have been attempting to look at and interpret the meaning of the Paschal Mystery through the lens of forgiveness, that Jesus is all about forgiveness and mercy. We have taken this theme from Pope Francis, who is making it the foundation of his ministry as Bishop of Rome.
Read More »Good Friday – 2013
Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12; Hebrews 4:14-16 + 5:7-9; John 18:1 – 19:42
When Jesus had received the wine, he said, “It is finished.” Then he bowed his head and handed over his spirit.
What sadness fills our hearts as we reach the midway point of our sacred Triduum. Tears well up in our eyes as Jesus bows his head and breathes forth his spirit. It is over, his life is ended, it is finished and completed.
Who is this Jesus who evokes such emotions in us? What is the portrait of him which today’s Scriptures have painted? We have been asking this question of who Jesus is since Palm Sunday — especially attempting to see how the vision of Pope Francis plays out during this Great Week. Francis continues to emphasize in his talks that Jesus is all about forgiveness and mercy. That God never tires of forgiving, that the face of God is one of mercy, that Jesus’ mission is to seek the lost sheep, the ones who have gone astray and are on the outskirts of society. On Palm Sunday we saw how Jesus in the midst of his suffering and agony stepped outside himself and focussed on forgiving others — especially as seen in his words to Dismas, the good thief: Today you will be with me in paradise. Yesterday our three readings brought us face to face with the reality that God is always the first to come to us. God never waits for us to go to him, but he moves toward us, without calculation, without measure. He first saw the Hebrews suffering in bondage and came to free them; he first saw our alienation and came to bring us the bread and cup of life; he sent his Son to love us to the end, to gift himself for the life of the world.
Read More »Holy Thursday – 2013
Exodus 12:1-8 + 11-14; I Corinthians 11:23-26; John 13: 1-15
Having loved his own who were in the world, Jesus loved them to the utmost.
Through the wonderful meal we were served and shared at noon, through the washing of the feet or hands that occurred at that meal, through the readings which have just been proclaimed in our hearing and through the Eucharist we will soon share, we have entered into the most sacred three days of our Church year. The Paschal Mystery in all its beauty, in all its depth, and in all its saving power becomes present for us. And why? For one reason, and for one reason only. That the Paschal Mystery might become alive in us, that it might transform us, so that God’s salvation might reach the very ends of the earth.
It has become a truism for us that Christ has no hands but ours, no feet, no voice, no eyes, no touch but ours. But this only happens when we allow ourselves to first be touched by Christ. If I do not wash you, you shall have no part in me, Jesus has just said to Peter and to us. And so we gather for liturgy, we gather for our solemn meal, we allow Christ to wash our feet, to bathe us in his blood, to sign us with the seal that protects us from the destroying angel.
Following Pope Francis‘ vision that Jesus is all about forgiveness, I promised on Sunday that we would try to see how forgiveness plays out through the sacred days we are celebrating. On Palm Sunday we saw how Jesus in the midst of his suffering and agony stepped outside himself and focussed on forgiving others — especially as seen in his words to Dismas, the good thief: Today you will be with me in paradise.
Read More »Palm Sunday – 2013
Isaiah 50:4-7; Philippians 2:6-11; Luke 22:14-23:56 Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.
Whew, my brothers and sisters. We have been through a lot in the past hour since we started this liturgy. We have greeted Jesus with Hosannas, we have sung our praises to him as our King, we have lamented with him, ‘My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?’ and we have knelt as we heard of Jesus’ death. All in one hour. What is going on here?
What is going on here, my brothers and sisters, is the reason we call this week ‘Great’, why we call this week ‘Holy’; why we see this week as the most important week in our whole Church year. It is the Passover of the Lord. It is the week we live anew, in faith and in mystery, the events that have brought us from death to life, the events through which we have passed over from alienation from God to friendship with God. And all of this happens when we walk with Jesus on the way of the Cross, when we share in his suffering and death that we might share in the new life that is ours in his resurrection. As in years past, I want to help us enter into this great Paschal Mystery, into the saving death and resurrection of the Son of God, by following one particular theme, one particular word. This year’s word, my brothers and sisters, is forgiveness. Jesus is all about forgiveness.
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