A few days ago, one of the elder friars in our community gave an excellent homily concerning the devastating sexual abuse crisis within the Catholic Church. Having been surrounded by the whirlwind of media coverage over the last couple of weeks, he pondered what the takeaway message should be for us as Christians and specifically as Carmelites...
The silence of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is not one of emptiness. No, her silence is pregnant with meaning. At the Annunciation, her yes to God was so perfect and pure that it echoes continuously throughout the rest of her life and the rest of eternity. It's not that Mary has nothing to say, it's that she's already said it all: "Let it be done to me according to your Word."
What God wants from you and me—for the SAKE OF HIS GLORY—is that we come to greater faith in His IRREPRESSIBLE love for us. Christ despoils us of all accusations of injustice.
St. John lays his head against the breast of Jesus. He can feel Jesus’ chest as it rises and falls—the chest clothed in garments that became dazzling white at the transfiguration will soon be burdened beneath the weight of the cross...
A practice that many do not practice is the traditional Easter greeting among Christians. I do it every year, but not everyone knows the response. The greeting is, “The Lord is Risen!” Our response to that is, “The Lord is truly Risen!” I once again address you brothers and sisters in the Lord, “The Lord [...]
Fr. Don Brick, OCD, gives his insight on Palm Sunday. Today's Readings Do you notice the different contrasts in the Passion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? There is a litany of conflict in the Passion, a tale of tensions in the Passion. We see for instance the betrayal of Judas vs. the loyalty [...]
LinK: Today's Readings There are two movements in the season of Lent. The first four week period is a mode of conversion and a time to look at ourselves and to examine whether we are taking serious the commitment we have made to the Lord Jesus in our Baptism. It is a period of renewal [...]
Readings for Today It is always good to recommit ourselves during Lent; we are half way now and some people are already worn out with their prayer, fasting, and almsgiving and others have not done anything substantial yet. Whether you have done much or not done anything at all, today is a time for us [...]
“Everybody sleeps. And God, so watchful, so magnanimous, so worthy of praise is forgotten! Nobody thinks of Him! Behold, nature praises Him; heaven, stars, trees, grasses – everything praises Him, while man, who acknowledges His benevolence, who should praise Him, sleeps! Let us wake up the universe!” This poem from our recently canonized Saint Mariam [...]
