Effective May 18, 2026
All are welcome to join the Sisters in prayer.
Monday – Saturday
Morning Prayer 8:00 am
Mass 11:15 am
Evening Prayer 5:15 pm
Sunday and Feast Days
Morning Prayer 9:30 am
Mass 10:30 am
Evening Prayer 5:15 pm
It’s just not going to be the same.
Today’s Gospel is an expression of an impending separation cushioned with a promise of an abiding presence. Jesus is speaking to his disciples at their last supper together. And it must have been a LONG, many-course supper given the length of Jesus’ discourse. He lovingly reassures those gathered with him that even though he must leave them, he is not abandoning them. In his stead, he promises, he will send the Holy Spirit. And, on that day they will realize that He and the Father God are one.
When a lifetime friend moves far away we can reassure one another that we’ll stay in touch but we also probably agree [even if we do have FaceTime and Instagram]: “It’s just not going to be the same.” This may have been the feeling of the disciples. Jesus is saying “goodbye”. This is not just a farewell before going on a short trip, when they will see one another again in a few weeks or months. It’s a more permanent farewell. He is preparing them for the shock of his violent death and the collapse of their plans for the future. Everything is about to change for them “It’s just not going to be the same.”
Jesus is sensitive to the feeling of loss they are about to endure. He’s telling them quite clearly, “It’s just not going to be the same.” He knows they won’t make it on their own. Their human courage, like ours, just won’t be enough – they’ll need continued support to spread Jesus’ message after He is gone.
So, Jesus makes a FANTASTIC, and unbelievable promise: He is going to the Father and he will send the Holy Spirit to guide them as they face new challenges. There are going to be new issues and suffering for what they believe. But they will become aware of Jesus’ abiding presence.
We may be 2000+ years away from those disciples around the table with Jesus that night; but we too have experienced loss and need. We have said many goodbyes to family and community members. We’ve experienced big changes in our lives. There have been times when we’ve needed to be strong ourselves and for others: times of grave illness, worry over a troubled or addicted loved one, sorrow over a broken relationship or an uncertain future.
Those are the times when we’ve known: “It’s just not going to be the same.” And it wasn’t. God sends us curve balls when we least expect it. But, like a skilled ball player we can still hit a home run. God gives us the strength to stay faithful and the wisdom to maneuver life’s many twists and turns.
Who could have foreseen, or even imagined, this day when we would be lesser in number? These are times when we know well the feeling: It’s just not going to be the same.
Our duty, our challenge, then, is to believe, to trust that we DO have the Spirit with us – in Word, the Eucharist, in each other. We believe Jesus has kept his promise to give us the gift of the Spirit – an abiding, permanent dwelling with each and every one of us. We believe Jesus when he says: I will send the “Advocate” – a counselor, a consoler, a mediator – divine energy that will bind you together with one another, and all you in God.
A Thomas Merton prayer speaks to me when all I do know is: “it’s just not going to be the same.”
“My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And, I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore, will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.”
[Thomas Merton, Thoughts on Solitude, 1956}
~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB
First Reading: Acts of the Apostles 8:5-8, 14-17 Second Reading: 1 Peter 3:15-18
Gospel: John 14:15-21
Continue ReadingNational Day of Prayer
Today is National Day of Prayer. It is so easy to forget to pray. Jesus knows about being human, a soul housed in a human body, a body which needs air, needs water, needs food. But He admonishes us that we must also nourish our spiritual self not only through the sacraments, but also through private prayer.
Today we have the opportunity to join with all people of faith in prayer for ourselves, our communities, and our world. We can go into our personal desert to pray alone as Jesus did while on earth. But prayer is an anywhere, anytime, activity. We can pray in the car, in the shower, while we walk, during the commercial breaks while watching television (the mute button is useful here). Jesus is always ready to hear us.
Today, let us join all who pray. Let us raise our souls to God, if only for moment, if only to say “Here I am. Thank you for life. Thank you for now”.
~by Sister Eileen Dunbar
Continue ReadingGood Shepherd Sunday
These two brief parables in the Gospel reveal Jesus as our unique means to salvation, our Good Shepherd. He is the “sheep gate,” the gateway to eternal life, and the selfless, caring “shepherd” who provides protection and life itself. Jesus presents a comparison between a concerned shepherd and a hireling who is there only for the paycheck. The good shepherd is willing to pay any price to protect the sheep, even if it means that he has to give His very life for them. Christ, the Chief Shepherd, knows our individual weaknesses and failings and watches over us with discerning love and sympathetic understanding. With infinite concern He notes the doubts, fears, trials, conflicts, and defeats that disturb our peace, and He swiftly comes to our aid Jesus is warning his hearers and reminding us, “don’t be scammed” – only thieves and robbers seek to enter the sheepfold by any means other than the door.
Tony Campolo loved to tell the story of a particular census taker who went to the home of a rather poor family in the mountains of West Virginia to gather information. He asked the mother how many dependents she had. She began, “Well, there is Rosie, Billy and Lewella, Susie, Harry and Jeffrey. There’s Johnny, Harvey, and our dog, Wille.” The census taker interrupted her: “No, ma’am, that’s not necessary. I only need the humans.” “Ah,” she said. “Well, there is Rosie, Billy, and Lewella, Susie, Harry, and Jeffrey, Johnny, Harvey, and…” At this the exasperated man he said, “No, ma’am, you don’t seem to understand. I don’t need their names. I just need the numbers.” The woman replied, “But I don’t know their numbers. I only know them by name.”
In today’s gospel Jesus, the Good Shepherd, says that he knows his sheep by name. Although there may be several flocks sharing the same sheepfold, when the shepherds walk up to the gate and call their sheep, each one instantly recognizes the voice of its own shepherd. When he calls, they instinctively follow (they are led and they follow, they are not driven, that’s for goats). They will ignore the voice of any shepherd other than their own. We will hear many voices competing for our attention, but there is a special note to the voice of Jesus that demands our immediate and full attention.
A man in Australia was arrested and charged with stealing a sheep. But he claimed emphatically that it was one of his own that had been missing for many days. When the case went to court, the judge was puzzled. Not knowing how to decide the matter, he at last asked that the sheep be brought into the courtroom. Then he ordered the plaintiff to step outside and call the animal. The sheep made no response except to raise its head and look frightened. The judge then instructed the defendant to go to the courtyard and call the sheep. When the accused man began to make his distinctive call, the sheep bounded toward the door. It was obvious that he recognized the familiar voice of his master. “His sheep knows him,” said the judge. “Case dismissed!”
There is no question that Jesus is our Good Shepherd. The only question that remains at this point is this: Do you know the Shepherd? Do you recognize His voice?
~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB
First Reading: Acts 2:14, 36-41 Second Reading: 1 Peter 2:20-25
Gospel: John 10:1-10
Continue ReadingOn the Road to Emmaus
Two of the disciples of Jesus were on the road that leads to Emmaus. They were low because their Master had been crucified like a common thief. But now they’d heard reports that their Master was not dead at all. Reliable sources have told them that he had appeared to some of their most trusted friends. Was he really alive? Should they believe the good news or the bad? And that’s our dilemma, isn’t it? DO WE BELIEVE THE GOOD NEWS OR THE BAD? The good news is that Christ is alive. The bad news is how little impact that event is having in our world.
The Jewish custom required that the two disciples invite Jesus to a meal. Hence, they invited Him for a night’s rest in their house–and Jesus accepted the invitation. During the meal, when Jesus broke the bread, the disciples realized that this stranger was not a stranger after all – this was Jesus, the Risen Christ. Later they said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us when he opened up the Scriptures to us?” Hidden for a time, Jesus took delight in revealing himself in the breaking of the bread. Mangiare! Eat up! It’s good for you!
You will recall on Easter morning, Jesus told the disciples to “go home” – this time they “go back” -walking 7 miles to Jerusalem to share their story. They were probably pondering all along the way how they, like Mary Magdalene, did not recognize Jesus. For Mary the revelation (Jesus’ delight) came when she heard Jesus’ voice. For the Emmaus disciples it was the breaking of the bread. That continues to this day, Jesus meets us on our way to Emmaus, in the ordinary experiences of our lives, and in the places to which we retreat when life is too much for us. The story warns us, however, that the risen Lord will take delight in coming to us when we least expect him.
In the story of Winnie-the-Pooh, Pooh and Piglet are taking their evening walk. For a long time they walk in the kind of silence good friends can share. Finally, Piglet asks, “When you wake up in the morning, Pooh, what’s the first thing you say to yourself?” “What’s for breakfast?” answers Pooh and then asks. “And what do you say, Piglet?” Piglet says, “I say, I wonder what exciting thing is going to happen today?” You and I can’t really plan to meet the Risen Christ because we never really know when or where He’s going to show up. But you can be sure of this: He will show up. Take delight in his revelation!
Have you heard about the little boy who told his mother, “I’m going out to play ball with God.” When his mother asked him just how he could do this, the little boy answered: “Oh, I throw the ball up to His sky, and He throws it back to me.” Jesus will not disappoint you – You can depend on Him – throw the ball up – He will toss it back – be careful it does not land on your head because you failed to recognize him in the unexpected moment. Consider when an idea comes to you “from out of the blue”. Might it be God throwing it back to you with the prayer you tossed in his lap? Might it be God’s way of saying: “Catch! You can handle this one?”
How about the tale of the young boy walking home through the park after attending a Sunday school class? Somehow, he couldn’t stop thinking about the Bible lesson for that day. What impressed him most was when the teacher said, “You will find the risen Jesus in everyone you meet.” As he continued through the park, he noticed an old woman sitting on a bench. She looked lonely and hungry. So he sat down next to her, took out the chocolate bar he had saved and offered some to her. She accepted it with a beautiful smile. They sat together in silence, just smiling at each other. When the boy was leaving, he had gone short distance when he ran back to the bench, and gave the woman a big hug. When he arrived home, his mother asked, “What’s making you so happy today?” He said, “I shared my chocolate bar with Jesus.” Before his mother could ask more questions, he added, “You know, she has the most beautiful smile in the world.” Meanwhile, the old woman returned to her little apartment where she lived with her sister who remarked, “You seem really happy today. “I am,” she replied, “I was sitting in the park, eating a chocolate bar with Jesus. And, you know, he looks a lot younger than I expected.” Isn’t that the lesson in today’s gospel? We will meet and experience the risen Jesus in unexpected places and persons. Make someone smile and take care to notice God’s delight in the smiles returned to you.
~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB
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God bless you and your family.
First Reading: Acts 2:14 Second Reading: 1 Peter 1:17-21
Gospel: Luke 24:13-35
Continue ReadingSecond Sunday of Easter
The Frailty of Easter Based in part on a reflection by John Slattery (adapted)
Easter is all about smallness. That’s why we are drawn to reading and re-reading the Easter accounts in the Gospels each year. Despite the ocean of books, songs, sermons, and lectures written about Easter or on Easter-themes, our Scripture includes just four small stories about this Jesus who rose from the dead. The combined resurrection stories encompass about 3500 words–the equivalent of about 15 pages, the length of an average term paper.
Jesus’ resurrection was such a humble thing. There were no angel trumpeteers or singers in the skies. It was more like the story in Psalm 119. “Without a word, without a sound, without a voice being heard, the message fills all the earth, resounding to the ends of the universe.” First, Jesus surprised Mary in the garden. She told a few other women, then they told a few men and soon Jesus appeared to them. He spoke about peace, about the Spirit of God, about hope. He showed his wounds. He ate some food and then he drifted up into the clouds. He didn’t march on Rome or lead a rebellion against those who brought him to Pilate. After his resurrection He didn’t heal anyone else or preach to vast crowds as He had done previously. He didn’t cast out any more demons, trade barbs with rabbis, or visit the Temple. The resurrection, in many ways, was a quiet event.
It challenges us to read that Jesus showed his followers his wounds. “See,” he seems to say, “a broken body is not made whole by erasing the imperfections. Feel this hole in my side,” he says to Thomas and to each of us. “See, I have sanctified what the world calls spoiled. A broken body is made whole not by removing the scars but by embracing the permanence of the wounds.”
We like this small and quiet resurrection where Jesus is not the definition of a contemporary superhero. He doesn’t return triumphant and knock Pilate off his throne, bringing God’s wrath on the vicious Roman Empire. He appears to his friends, simply showing his wounds and talking about love and peace.
Today’s story of Thomas illustrates our Christian experience. We are called to believe without seeing. In fact, all Christians (after the first witnesses) have been called to believe without seeing. Thus, we sing “Without seeing you, we love you; without seeing you, we believe.” Thomas’ doubt is hardly surprising; the news of Jesus’ appearance was incredible to the disciples who had seen him crucified and buried. Thomas’ human nature compelled him to want hard evidence that the Jesus, who appeared to the disciples after his death was indeed the same Jesus who had been crucified. Thomas is given the opportunity to act on that desire. He is our witness that Jesus is truly raised from the dead. With him we proclaim: “We have been told, we’ve seen his face, and heard his voice alive in our hearts.”
Jesus wants us to be perfect, but not the kind of perfect that ninjas or Superman display. Jesus wants us to be perfect “as our heavenly Father is perfect.” God’s perfection and the message of Jesus’ Resurrection call us to an unconditional embrace of frailty, pain, and brokenness.
It is an embrace that calls us to resist all forms of violence, power, and hatred. There is growing acknowledgement of that fact that TV and video game violence, like second-hand smoke affects one’s lungs, permanently affects our brains. Many persons, families, and faith communities refuse to allow TV violence, fictionalized or news reports, to invade their living spaces. Jesus did not arm his apostles with weapons for revenge — he armed them with prayer and baptized them in a spirit of hope and forgiveness.
We are surrounded today with so much sadness and fear and anger. We who live in a peaceful community rejoice in the security and sanctity that empowers us to extend open arms in hospitality to those in the world who yearn for that same privilege.
At the end of our Gospel selection we read, “Jesus did many other signs that are not written in this book. But these ARE written that you may come to believe …and through this belief you may have life in Jesus’ name.
We join the psalmist in singing: “By the Lord has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes. This is the day the Lord has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it.”
~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB
