With Christians throughout the world, we celebrate the solemnity of Easter, the feat of Christ’s resurrection from the dead: liberation from sin, hope for the world.

Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed.  John 20:8  

The Resurrection of our Lord is the central mystery of Christian faith. It is also the central hope of daily human existence. With the Resurrection we can be certain that suffering and death is not the final word on the human condition. This is the deepest source of Christian hope. And it is the wellspring of true Christian joy.  On Easter Sunday God’s Word bursts forth in a joyful hymn of praise as the Church resounds with Alleluias.  Our Lenten observance now finds its fullest meaning.  As the message of Easter resounds in our minds and hearts, the truth of Jesus’ Resurrection … continue reading…

The Christ who went to the poor

like steel to a magnet, was poor himself.

He was poor in his origins and in his birth,

but even more so when he left behind the life of a village tradesman.

The poor Christ is not just the wandering preacher…

he is above all the one who died.

-   Rosemary Haughton, Theologian

Today is a day of quiet and darkness, as Jesus lies lifeless, bound by the burial cloths, confined to the tomb. Mary is our example today. She is quiet. She mourns. She protects her Son’s body. But she does not despair. We ask for light in the darkness that, even on this most sorrowful day of the liturgical year, we be allowed to look with hope to tomorrow.

Please join us and share your  prayers and reflections.

On Good Friday we recall the passion, suffering and death of Jesus.  A day of prayer, fasting and reflection, Good Friday is a time for loving remembrance of  those who are outcast, alone and neglected.

I look at your dead body on the cross.

One of the soldiers peirces your side with a lance,

and immediately blood and water flow.

Your broken heart is the source of my salvation,

the foundation of my hope, the cause of my love…

Together with all people of all times,

I look up to you whom they have pierced,

and I come to know what it means to be part of your body and your blood,

what it means to be human. 

-from Henri Nouwen, Spiritual Writer

Please share your Good Friday prayers and reflections.

On Holy Thursday, we remember that Jesus gathered with his disciples for a final meal.  He washed their feet, and shared bread and wine with them. Their great teacher, their Rabbi, Jesus showed love for his friends through simple gifts and service.

On this holy night,
we pledge once again to use our hands and feet
for the work of forgiveness, for the work of loving each other.
We pledge to wash each other’s feet,
to hand over our lives for each other, for the sake of the world.
We pledge ourselves to do Eucharist,
to do this in memory of the One who gave His life for us.

We do so because Jesus is our Passover Lamb,
who takes away the sins of the world.

- Abbot John Klassen, O.S.B., St. John’s Abbey (Collegeville, MN)

Please share with us: How does Jesus’ display of love inspire you?

 This beautiful song speaks of God’s mercy and abundant love.

“It Would Have Been Enough”

Had he brought us out of Egypt and not judged them,

Dahyenu; It would have been enough for us.

Dahyenu; It would have been enough for us.

Had he judged them, and not done so to their idols,

Dahyenu; It would have been enough for us. 

Dahyenu; It would have been enough for us.

… continue reading…

This evening begins the first day of Passover.  Passover, or Pesach, is the Jewish celebration of the Exodus, when the ancient Israelites were freed from captivity in Egypt.  A special Seder meal is eaten, while prayers explaining the great feast are read from Haggadah. 

God of all, remind us often that glad tidings to someone who is hurting goes beyond mere charity.  Let us be good news to the poor and suffering by our willingness to be present to them in love, in their pain, and on their journey, as Jesus is with us. Amen. 

Share your prayers and reflections with us. Also, how have you served the poor and suffering?

Yesteday, the Sisters of Bon Secours celebrated one of the Church’s feasts of Mary, the mother of Jesus.  Every year on on May 24th, we gather to celebrate the Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians (Our Lady of Bon Secours), patronness of our community.  We’d like to share the following prayer with you taken from our prayer manual.

O Mary, our Mother, we come to you today to thank you for all the favors we have received through your intercession, and to ask you as our Patroness, the Help of Christians, to help us in our vocation to Bon Secours to imitate you in your virtues, especially, your humility, patience, love, prayerfulness and hatred for sin.

 Mary, we come before you as a Congregation dedicated to you, look favorably on our sisters in all the countries where we serve; give us good capable leaders, animate us with … continue reading…

 The Solemnity of Easter

With Christians throughout the world, we celebrate the solemnity of Easter,  the feast of Christ’s resurrection from the dead: liberation from sin, hope for the world.

Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first,  and he saw and believed. – John 20:8

 Reflection:

The Resurrection of our Lord is the central mystery of Christian faith. It is also the central hope of daily human existence.

With the Resurrection we can be certain that suffering and death is not the final word on the human condition.

This is the deepest source of Christian hope. And it is the wellspring of true Christian joy.

On Easter Sunday God’s Word bursts forth in a joyful hymn of praise as the Church resounds with Alleluias.

Our Lenten observance now finds its fullest meaning.

As the message of Easter resounds in our minds and hearts, the truth of Jesus’ Resurrection finds echo in our lives…. continue reading…

Yesterday was the beginning of the Lenten season in the Catholic Church. Traditionally Lent is a time of preparation for baptism and being received into the Church at Easter.  Lent also calls us to live more fully the life we are meant to live all the time, which is to live in ‘joy’.

We are called to love God more deeply and to love our neighbor through service.  This calls for a conversion of heart at times.  How am I called to be the truest person God created me to be?  What stands in the way of that happening?  This is a good place to start.

A local parish priest said in his homily, instead of giving up chocolate, why not instead of cursing the person who cut you off in traffic, say “God bless you.”  Why not say that in many situations we find ourselves – what effect would that have on me over time?  The affects may be that I’m more patient, understanding, and peaceful.  Lent is a good itme to take stock of how we are called to goodness and love.

I made this … continue reading…

When Jesus began his public ministry it was by word of mouth and deed that people began to see more than “just  another prophet.”   Some saw him only as a prophet though and could not open their hearts to the possibility that he really was the long awaited Messiah that John the Baptist announced.    

 The Gospel today (Mark 6:14-29) shows how the last days of John the Baptist parallels that of Jesus’ passion and death.  Herod even thinks that Jesus is John raised from the dead.  Today, aside from the oral and written words (Scripture) of our faith, through modern technology using the internet and Googling, etc, we have the benefit of learning about Jesus.  Who do we follow?  Can we see the real Jesus?  This is our challenge today – ask yourself, who is Jesus for me and how can I follow him more closely?  Does knowing Jesus help me to understand my vocation in life?  God’s will for me?