The orientation of the apocalyptic gospel for this Sunday is toward “the complete fulfillment of the reign of God”.  Sometimes it is important to look towards the end in order to help us live in this precious present moment.  Here is what Pope Francis says about the ‘final goal’.  “Our final goal is the encounter with the Risen Lord. I would like to ask how many of you think about this. ‘There will be a day in which I meet the Lord face to face’. And this is our goal: the encounter” (Angelus, November 15, 2015).  This, the ‘final goal’, face to face with the One whom we have been, day by day growing closer to, in heart and mind, and in our very flesh.

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. 

Happy Labor Day

Readings of the Day
RB: Prologue 14-20
Mass: 1 Co 2:1-5; Resp Ps 119; Lk 4:16-30


But he passed through the midst of them and went away.

Today's offering includes related quotations for your reflection, on the theme of silence, listening, and

“Through God’s Word the monastics are trained in a discipline of heart and action to be responsive to the Holy Spirit and so attain purity of heart and a continual mindfulness of God’s presence” (CST 2). This is a profound statement given right at the beginning of our Order’s Constitutions, which explicate the ‘nature an

Reading of the day: RB 49 How Lent Should Be Observed in the Monastery


Something strange is happening—there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still becau