by Brother Robert Sevensky, OHC I begin with a quote from Father Dan Ward, a Benedictine monk of St. John's Abbey, Collegeville:   “Monastic life is not a static life of perfection...but a journey of coming to recognize human weaknesses and then depending upon God's mercy and help to grow into a tender, understanding and gentle person. Thus, monastic commitment is not a commitment to be instantly perfect, but a commitment to seek God and grow into perfection. This is why a mo

Luke 18:9-14 I like parables, and today’s is no exception. As the story goes, two men went to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee who seemed quite pleased with himself; the other a tax collector who couldn’t even raise his face to God out of his sense of unworthiness and need for mercy. The Pharisee thought that he had gotten it all right and thanked God he wasn’t like the wretched tax man who had it all wrong, right? Wrong. Jesus identifies the tax man as the one who is justi

Matthew 11:28-30 When a young ox is being trained to pull heavy loads, they are first yoked with a stronger, mature ox at their side. ...

Luke 16:19-31 The Gospel teaching from Luke (16:19-31) once again focuses on the evil of wealth and the lack of concern for the poor. In...

Luke 16: 1-13 Well, hands down this may be the most confounding of all the gospel teachings. According to the commentaries this is the...

Skid Row in Los Angeles has roughly 10,000 homeless, poor, and marginally employed residents. The area, with its numerous street...

Luke 14:1,7-14 Before I took monastic vows and entered the monastery, I lived in Burbank. There was a small locally owned diner I used to...

Luke 13:10-17 In Luke’s Gospel we hear the story of the healing of the crippled woman. This poor woman had been bent over and unable to...