Most people are familiar with the afternoon and evening liturgies of the Triduum: Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, the Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday, and, of course, the Easter Vigil Mass the night before Easter Sunday. But there is also another powerful time of liturgical prayer during the early morning of these three days: Tenebrae.
Read MoreGod forms an alliance with us through Mary. Yet we must understand, that which is done for us cannot save us without our own consent. God waits for us, for our humble concurrence to His plan for our lives.
Read MoreYou’ve learned your betrothed is pregnant, and you’re not the father. Human? Divine? What do you do? Then, God speaks to you in a dream. Take her as your wife. Raise the son she carries. You wake with peace and resolve and immediately obey what God has asked of you. To the rest of the world, it sounds crazy…
Read MoreIt goes without saying that by living a cloistered life, we have made the choice to forego going outside our monastery walls, even for good causes, such as a liturgical or devotional event within the local Church. Because of the graces and blessings of this life, we are usually not too troubled by this fact. But our community is especially blessed to have a local Church that is mindful of our cloister and “goes the extra mile.”
Read MoreToday we celebrate Jesus’ birthday. “Wait a minute?” You might exclaim. “Didn’t we do that a couple weeks ago?” Maximus of Turin can explain.
Read MoreHow many Magi visited the Holy Family? We don’t actually know, because Scripture doesn’t specify exactly. Tradition tells us there were three because Scripture mentions three gifts they brought: gold, frankincense and myrrh. But legend speaks of a fourth. Here is his story.
Read MoreA young woman recently completed her aspirancy with our community. As she was nearing the end of her month-long stay, one of the sisters asked her, “Has anything surprised you during your time here?” The young woman smiled and exuberantly responded, “You’re all crazy – in a good way! I didn’t expect you to have so much fun!” She’s not the first to be surprised by our Dominican joy.
Read MoreHe saw and he believed. St. John saw an empty tomb and burial cloths rolled up and folded; he believed the mysterious words of his Master, “on the third day he will rise again”. St. John did not need to see Jesus. It was enough that his body was no longer in the tomb. In the same way, Simeon, years earlier, had been satisfied at seeing and holding in his arms a tiny baby…
Read MoreA few years ago at a general audience in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis reminded the Church, “Let us give thanks to the Lord for the powerful testimony of cloistered life.” He also urged the faithful to lend their spiritual and material support to these brothers and sisters of ours “so that they can carry out their important mission.”
Read MoreEach year around Labor Day, we have the privilege and joy of extending hospitality to one of our Dominican friars, Father Luke Buckles, O.P., before he returns to the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (the Angelicum) in Rome, where he is a professor of theology. This year, as part of his visit, we were treated to a two-session seminar on Dominican and Carmelite mystics.
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