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Reflections on the Gospel

YOKES

July 26, 2020: A Reflection for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Matthew 11:25-30 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light. (Matthew 11:30-31) Labor, burdens, rest. Jesus, that is something you, like

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2020 Journal

June 2020 Summertime Update

Our kitchen renovation project, begun on March 9, is now complete. We know we promised to post photos throughout the process, but … as Mother Vicki often reminds us, our life of prayer comes first before all else. Unless we continually cultivate the intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus to which he invited us, why are we here in the

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Reflections on the Gospel

THE HEART OF BEING HUMAN

June 28, 2020: A Reflection for the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Matthew 10:37-42 What would you say unifies Jesus’ life and teaching? Today’s Gospel gives us some manifestations of what this unifying focus is. When Jesus counsels us to take up our cross and follow him, to lose our life in order to find it, to see

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2020 Journal

Holy Week & Easter 2020 at Santa Rita Abbey

Our monastic prayer took on greater urgency and sharper focus as the COVID-19 virus reached pandemic proportions this spring. We’ve never had a Lent, Holy Week or Easter like this before, have you? In the face of all this illness, death, and grief do the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus still mean anything? Like the women watching the passion from

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Reflections on the Gospel

BEYOND FEAR

June 21, 2020: A Reflection for the 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Matthew 10:26-33 So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. (Matthew 10:31) Here we are again, Jesus, dealing with fear. You approach it from so many angles. Today, it is “Fear no one.” Other times it is, “Do not be afraid” and

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Reflections on the Gospel

I AM WITH YOU ALL WAYS

May 24, 2020: A Reflection for the Feast of the Ascension, Year A Matthew 28:16-20 Behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age. (Matthew 28:20) “I am with you always,” you proclaim to your disciples as you ascend from their vision, Jesus, and return to the Father. How comforting it must have been to hear you

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Reflections on the Gospel

LOVE AND THE COMMANDMENTS

May 17, 2020: A Reflection for the 6th Sunday of Easter, Year A John 14:15-21 Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. (John 14:20) This is not how we usually think of expressing love, Jesus: doing what you ask of us. If we had our way, it would be something a little warmer and

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Reflections on the Gospel

DWELLING PLACES

May 10, 2020: A Reflection for the 5th Sunday of Easter, Year A John 14:1-12 DWELLING PLACES Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God. Believe also in me. (Jn 14:1-2) Jesus, how comforting it is to hear you remind us time after time: do not be afraid, do not live in fear, little flock, fear not.

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Reflections on the Gospel

THE GOOD SHEPHERD

May 3, 2020: A Reflection for the Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year A John 10:1-10 THE GOOD SHEPHERD I came that they may have life and have it more abundantly. (John 10:10) Jesus, Good Shepherd, you know each of us by name. You know us better than we know ourselves. And for each one of us you have given a

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