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Holy Name Monastery
Founded 1889

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Articles of Interest

Preparing for Lent in the Covid Crisis

January 14, 2021 by Holy Name Monastery Leave a Comment

 

Webinar

Preparing for Lent in the Covid Crisis

Presented by Fr. Michael White and Tom Corcoran

Date: Tuesday, January 19, 2021

Time: 3:00 PM EST

 

Lent is a spiritually rich time and an excellent season for people to grow deeper in their faith.  While the opportunity for spiritual growth remains, the coronavirus crisis changes how we approach it.  In this webinar, you will learn three practical steps you can take to help you get the most out of Lent this year.

SIGN UP HERE

 

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Filed Under: Events Tagged With: 2021, Fr. Michael White, January 19, Lent in the Covid Crisis, Tom Corcoran, webinar

Prayer for 2021

January 14, 2021 by Holy Name Monastery Leave a Comment

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Filed Under: Blog, Front Page, Homily Tagged With: All things are possible, God, listen, Lord, Lord hear our prayer, prayer for 2021

Baptism of Jesus

January 11, 2021 by Holy Name Monastery Leave a Comment

Baptism of Jesus

Maybe you’ve heard the story about the poor wandering soul, lost in thought, who stumbled upon a baptismal service one Sunday afternoon.  This was one of those “down by the river” sort of baptisms in the warm waters of the South.  Curious about what was going on, this fellow walked right down into the water and stood next to the Preacher.  When the minister finally noticed him, he asked the young man, “Are you ready to find Jesus?”  With a quizzical look and some hesitancy in his voice, he answered: “Yes, Preacher, I think I am.”  The minister then dunked the fellow under the water and pulled him right back up.

“Did you find Jesus?”  “No… should I have?”  The preacher then dunked him under for a bit longer, brought him up and said, “Now, brother, have you found Jesus?”  “No … I haven’t, Preacher.”  The preacher in disgust held the man under for at least 30 seconds this time; brought him to the surface of the water and repeated the question, “Friend, are you sure you haven’t found Jesus yet?”  The confused fellow wiped his eyes and gasping for breath said,.. “Naw, Sir, are you sure this is where he fell in?”

That’s sometimes us, with our heads under the waters that wash over us …  cares, distractions, prayer for others’ intentions, confused by the circumstances of our lives …  looking for Jesus in muddy waters of our own making.

In the Summa Theologiae, (12th century theological summary), St. Thomas Aquinas teaches that “Jesus did not become God’s son at his Baptism; he is the Son of God from all eternity.  Nor did He become the Messiah at this point; he was the Messiah from the moment he became man.  Baptism is the public manifestation of Jesus as Son of God and as Messiah, ratified by the presence of the Blessed Trinity.  The Holy Spirit descended visibly in bodily form upon Christ …  so that we may believe him to descend invisibly upon all those who are baptized.”

We know the facts, right – but how slow we can be to absorb the meaning.  We are witness to Peter’s awakening in the Second Reading from Acts.  And what a day of enlightenment it must have been for him.  He was deep in Lectio …  the Scriptural account says: “He fell in to a trance and saw a vision in which a sheet came down from heaven full of all kinds of animals.  God told him to get up, kill, and eat whatever he wanted.

What a surprise that must have been – now he could taste foods he’d been forbidden under Jewish law.  Of course, God wasn’t really concerned that Peter could enjoy his first ham sandwich.  God was teaching Peter, and us, that there is no distinction between “clean” and “unclean” neither in animals nor in people.  The almighty’s plan of salvation wasn’t just for the Jewish people; it was for the Gentiles – for everyone – everyone is included in God’s far-sighted providence.

You’ll remember the story as it continues in Acts.  The very next day Peter “got ready and went” to the home of Cornelius and “some of the believers from Joppa went with him…. Cornelius met him, fell at his feet and bowed down before him.  But Peter made him rise: Stand up, I myself am only a man.”  Cornelius related what led to his requesting Peter’s visit, ending his story with these words: “Now we are all here in the presence of God, waiting to hear anything that the Lord has instructed you to say.”  Sounds like the sentiment of an opening to any Lectio time: “I am here, Lord, in Your presence, waiting to hear anything You are ready to say to me.”

The Cornelius story is the lead-in to Sunday’s Second Reading when Peter shares his awakening, “I now realize that it is true that God treats everyone on the same basis…. (he continued) You know the message that God sent to the people …  You know the great event that took place throughout the land.  You know about Jesus of Nazareth and how God poured out on him the Holy Spirit and power.  We are witnesses of everything that he did.”

If you continue reading in Acts, beyond tomorrow’s selection, you’ll see – as Paul Harvey used to end his TV evening news – you’ll “know the rest of the story.”  While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit came down on all those who were listening.”

We hear the same message from St. Paul in his Letters to the Ephesians, Galatians and the Romans when he writes: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for we are all one in Christ Jesus.”  And isn’t this same message in the Holy Rule?  It’s true that in Chapter 2, Benedict is directly addressing the Prioress but it’s a top-down principle and, with the rotation of roles in monastic life, is intended for all.  “We are all cautioned “… to avoid all favoritism in the monastery … “not to love one more than another.”  Benedict echoes Paul when he writes: “One born free is not to be given higher rank than one of lowly birth … for God shows no partiality among persons.”  Step by step, Benedict leads his followers from non-partiality in Chapter 2 to the ideal of mutual obedience and good zeal (in the closing chapters of the Rule): Deference, Respect and the pursuit of “nothing whatever to the Love of Christ.”

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

 

On Monday we begin what the Church refers to as “Ordinary Time” – Oh, if only!  But the COVID and unrest in our country still rages … What’s the psalmist say “like a roaring lion.”

Praise God with us – we are grateful – that at Holy Name Monastery, we have received our first dose of the COVID Vaccine – knowing full well we still need to practice universal precautions with lots of extra hand-washing and marked social distancing. 

We look forward the time when we can open our doors and welcome guests.   

Thank you each for your loyal friendship, support and prayers.

Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

 

First Reading   Isaiah 47:1-4, 6-7           Second Reading  Acts 10:34-38
Gospel  Mark 1:7-11

 

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Filed Under: Blog, Front Page, Homily Tagged With: Baptism, Baptism of Jesus, God, Jesus, Jesus Baptism, Messiah, Peter, Ready to find Jesus?, Son of God, St. Paul

A Prayer to Ponder

January 7, 2021 by Holy Name Monastery Leave a Comment

A Prayer to Ponder

 

Peace and Blessings as we move toward in a new year!  

Prayerfully,

Sister Mary David, OSB

 

Lord,

For You I long

You are my song

Come walk with me

Come talk with me

Help me to see

What can and should be

Help me abide

Ever at Your side

I will not hide

When You call.

 

With Your aid

I will not hesitate or stall

My love, not fade

For You I yearn

Help me learn

And discern

Your Way

Today. 

Amen.

 

 

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Filed Under: Blog, Front Page, Homily Tagged With: came talk, come walk, Lord, prayer to ponder, spend time with me

Auld Lang Syne

January 5, 2021 by Holy Name Monastery Leave a Comment

Lovely message for the New Year! 

 

 

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Filed Under: Blog, Front Page, Homily Tagged With: 2021, Auld Lang Syne, lovely message for new year, New Year's

Epiphany

January 4, 2021 by Holy Name Monastery Leave a Comment

 

Epiphany

This solemnity of the Epiphany has for so long been associated with the image of “Three Kings” that it’s easy to forget that Matthew, who is the only evangelist who relates this particular story, nowhere mentions either the number of visitors or their kingly rank.  The number three seems to have been inferred from the three gifts—gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Tradition holds that, guided by a miraculous light of a star, the three kings or magi arrived in Bethlehem where they paid homage to the Infant Jesus.  Their names, Balthasar, Melchior and Caspar are derived from their home countries named in the Responsorial Psalm: Arabia, Persia, and India.  They are usually shown to be of the three races: white, brown and black to stress that the Manifestation of the Lord was being made to all peoples.

Greek and Russian traditions hold there were twelve Magi because as they argue there were twelve legions of angels, twelve apostles, and twelve tribes of Israel.  A folksy story arises from the Holy Land about a Bethlehem widow named Babushka who put finishing touches on her housework ahead or trailing after the three mysterious visitors who spoke of a guiding star.  Her story holds a moral for us: never let the important interfere with the essential.

Kindred beliefs, stories and customs come from all over the world.  In Kerala, India, Epiphany is a holyday of great importance.  The annual celebration begins early in the day at the cathedral with much congregational participation.

With our closeness to Tarpon Springs, we are well aware of the Greek tradition of young men diving into the bayou (no matter how cold the water is) in hopes of retrieving the Cross that will bring them a year of blessings.

In Spanish-speaking countries it is often the tradition to observe Three Kings Day, first at church, then it’s time for partying and exchanging gifts.  For some, reminiscent perhaps of the St. Nicholas Day customs, a trail of hay is left for the Kings’ camels to lure them to homes to leave a gift.

One of the customs in some places in Germany is for carolers to go house-to-house.  (You’ll recognize this practice in our Epiphany house blessing.  I suspect that our Benedictines ancestors must have brought it with them when they came to the U.S. in 1852 .. from PA to our foundation in 1889).   The carolers paint, above or near the doorway, “20+C+M+B+21” which are the first letters, some say, of the three kings Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar.  Others say it is Latin for “Christ bless this house.”

In England and some former British colonies, according to an old custom, the “downstairs folk” celebrate Boxing Day on December 26, when their manor house employers gifted them with their unwanted gifts.  (Today we’d say they recycle the gifts.)  In some countries – most notably Italy and Russia – there is a long-held shared tradition of the kindly old witch who makes her annual visit bringing presents by climbing down the chimney on Epiphany eve.

In the Philippines, which is composed of 2000 inhabited islands, Epiphany is a mix of celebrations honoring the elders and children and the wearing of King’s Hats.  And you know the custom of the King’s Cake.

But why would we be interested in any of this or in any of the Epiphany or Twelfth Night customs that have evolved over the years.  For one, we are a nation, and a community, from a variety of backgrounds.  As Pope Francis said to us in his Apostolic Letter on Consecrated Life: “Journeying together always brings enrichment and can open new paths to relationships between peoples and cultures.”  Our prayer intention this week is that the dawning of this new year may bring with it the gifts of a warm welcome, peace, financial security, good health and worthy companionship for migrants, immigrants, displaced persons and all for whom we have promised to pray – and let’s not overlook each other.

In closing, I want to share with you a little story I was reminded of recently.  It was first published in 1977 – Sharon’s Christmas Prayer by John Shea (To our readers: Take a breath, read the poem, if you will, aloud – with a child’s exuberance.)

“She was five, sure of the facts, and recited them with slow solemnity convinced every word was revelation.

She said they were so poor they had only peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to eat and they went a long way from home without getting lost.  The lady rode a donkey, the man walked, and the baby was inside the lady.

They had to stay in a stable with an ox and an ass (hee-hee)
but the Three Rich Men found them because a star lited the roof.
Shepherds came and you could pet the sheep but not feed them.

Then the baby was borned.  And do you know who he was?

Her quarter eyes inflated to silver dollars, The baby was God.

And she jumped in the air whirled round, dove into the sofa and buried her head under the cushion which is the only proper response to the Good News of the Incarnation.

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Filed Under: Blog, Front Page, Homily Tagged With: Apostolic Letter, Bethlehem, Boxing Day, Epiphany, frankincense, gold, Holy Land, myrrh, Tarpon Springs, Three Kings

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