A few nights ago, we had some furry visitors to our garden.  

Monastic Internship program is in full swing at Redwoods Abbey. Already two women have completed their internships.  The young women help us with gardening, cooking and miscellaneous chores while learning about prayer and monastic life.

The readings for the Mass today center on the ‘shepherd’ theme.  Jesus realizes that his disciples need some solitary, silent time and space.  As they retreat to a lonely place, they see before them a crowd of people who arrived there just before them. 

Jesus: the icon of God’s love, the icon stamped upon our hearts. Thus, this is our end goal (telios) to become fully open, arms outstretched in mercy and compassion.  “Acquire a heart and you shall be saved”.  This desert saying coming out of the fourth century from Abba Pambo can accompany us for our whole life’s journey!  ‘Acquire a heart’, ‘find your heart’ – To do so is our salvation. 

Holy Trinity: God-love.  ‘God-love’ is how Pope Francis addresses the Triune God.  This name he gives for God reveals in a terse, poetic way the nature of the triune God: Love, unconditional Love.  Pope Francis writes: “Jesus made manifest the face of God, in substance One and in persons Triune; God is all and only Love, in a subsistent relationship that creates, redeems and sanctifies all: Father and Son and Holy Spirit” (Angelus, June 11, 2017).