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Reflections on the Gospel

The Joy of Encounter

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C, Nov 2, 2025) Lk 19:1-10 “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.”” (Luke 19:6) “The soul seeks the Word, and when it finds Him, it is filled with joy beyond measure.”  ‘IN MY LITTLE BED I sought him whom my soul loves.’ For what? … ‘It is good to me

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Reflections on the Gospel

The Twelfth Degree of Humility is …

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C, Oct 26, 2025) Luke 18:9-14 “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled,and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14)   The twelfth degree of humilityis that a monk not only have humility in his heartbut also by his very appearance make it always manifestto those who see him.That is to say

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Reflections on the Gospel

THE GARDENER   

Saturday of the 29th Week in Ordinary Time Luke 13:1-9 “He told them this parable: “There was once a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard…”   (Luke 13:21) When you look out to the west from our refectory you can see our beautiful velvet ash tree. It started out thirty-some years ago as a little slip of

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Reflections on the Gospel

“How Can We Pray Always?”

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C, Oct 19, 2025) Luke 18:1-8 Abba Agathon said: “If you only pray at the times of prayer, you do not pray at all.” Then, how can we pray continually? Abba Isaac said: We must give you the form of this spiritual contemplation, on which you may always fix your gaze with the utmost steadiness

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2025 Journal

Summer– Autumn 2025 Update

Monastic Experience Weekend – Fall 2025 From October 3–5, we joyfully welcomed three women from the Tucson and Phoenix areas to Santa Rita Abbey for our Autumn Monastic Experience Weekend. Each of the sisters participated in some way, and our guests expressed heartfelt gratitude for the program and the spirit in which it was offered. Bathed in glorious weather, the

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2025 Journal

October 2025 Monastic Experience Weekend

October 2025 Monastic Experience Weekend From October 3– 5, we joyfully welcomed three women from the Tucson and Phoenix areas to Santa Rita Abbey for our Autumn Monastic Experience Weekend. Each of the sisters participated in some way, and our guests expressed heartfelt gratitude for the program and the spirit in which it was offered. Bathed in glorious weather, the

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Reflections on the Gospel

“May they be fervent in spirit, rejoicing in hope…”

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C, Oct 12, 2025) Luke 17:11-19 Hear me, therefore, here me, O Lord my God, and let Thine eyes be open on them day and night. Spread Thou Thy wings, most loving Lord, and shield them; stretch forth Thy holy right hand, Lord, and bless them; and pour into their hearts Thy Holy Spirit,

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Reflections on the Gospel

“I will not serve.”

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C, Oct 5, 2025) Luke 17:5-10   “I will not serve,” man says to his Creator. “Then I will serve you,” his Creator says to man. “You sit down, I will minister, I will wash your feet. “You rest; I will bear your weariness, your infirmities. “Use me as you like in all your

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Reflections on the Gospel

“I wish you to be a friend of the poor…”

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C, Sep 28, 2025) Luke 16:19-31   ‘I wish you to be a friend of the poor, but I would rather you were poor yourself. The former is the stage of the proficient, the latter of the perfect. By friendship with the poor we consort with kings, but by love of poverty we become

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