Benedictine Sisters of FL

Holy Name Monastery
Founded 1889

Homily

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Come to me – and I will give you rest

My yoke is easy and my burden is light

 

Have you ever owned a woolen turtle-neck sweater?  And you’re wearing it for the first time? You discover that when you turn your head it scratches your neck?  Wear it too long and you may develop itchy red welts.  There’s nothing you can do. The day is just beginning, you have an important meeting, and you don’t have a change of clothes with you.  You soon realize if you sit perfectly still you get some relief.  For you see, it’s only when we wrestle with a “yoke” that it chaffs your necks.

Or, have you ever tried to run a three-legged race strapped to someone whose pace and rhythm just does not match yours?  Until you do match strides you wind up rolling on the ground and struggling more than once to get up.

And, what about that Angelus bell.  Until you give up total control and let the bell help you establish the rhythm …  well, you know what happens.  At least, over here the chain does not come tumbling down in a heap at your feet.  In our former monastery the pull-chain was encased in a pipe that ran from the bell two stories above the person ringing the bell.  If she pulled too hard, to her chagrin the nasty chair landed in a pile at her feet.

Too often our first impulse is to complain about all I don’t have.  The burden of ungratefulness, like that snarled Angelus bell, will only weigh heavy on my heart. Wonder of wonders how quickly it lifts when I consider all that I DO have at hand that will serve my purpose.

When I focus on what irks me about situations or people and forget all the gifts the flow into my life – the chaffing of the rope to the gunny sack I’ve loaded on my back will choke me.

Sometimes we struggle with the devil and temptation.  Maybe more times it a struggle with God that’s taking place within.  When we ease up and take God’s view, the tussle eases.

When you’re new in a group, office staff or in a community and you discover they’re not as perfect as you had imagined, they crumble from their pedestals.  When we give up the battle to make them into my image and look for the pleasantries and similarities to be found, the burden of integration becomes lighter.

Remember during in COVID time, what were the dilemma’s – the “yokes” that we tied around on our own necks?  You could slip into magical thinking in La-La Land.   Convince ourselves it was all a hoax. Act like it was everyone else’s responsibility to keep me safe from harm.   Tell ourselves the rules are for those “others,” not me.  Listen to every source of information I can muster and be scared to breathe? Or, strike a balance of precautions and trust that I can live with – that to the best of my ability keeps me safe and protects others especially those closest to me.  Remember, the yoke “chaffs” until we give up the control we don’t really have anyway.

Jesus saw examples of this everywhere he went.  We marvel at Jesus’ powers of observation!  How many times must he have gazed out on a field watching pair of yoked oxen dragging along a heavy cart or trudging to keep pace with a farmer sowing the next crop.  He saw the tussle and the back and forth between the pair, only hurting themselves with the push and pull of the yoke until a smooth rhythm was set.

Remember: Jesus said: “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  Learn from me – “I am meek and humble of heart.”  As my love for God and my acceptance of the realities of life deepen, we join Jesus in giving “thanks and praise to God the Father” for being so free with the graces given to us; for revealing the divine presence to us.

It behooves us to listen attentively to His words.  To hear His invitation, ‘Come to me’ is always an open invitation, especially at times like now, when we and our country, the church and the world really need the peace, rest, protection of God’s love.  We ask Jesus to come into our hearts and fill our lives with gifts that only God can give us.

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

 

 

 

 

 

First Reading:   Zachariah 9:9-10         Second Reading:  Romans 8:9, 11-13
Gospel:   Matthew 11:25-30
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Who Do You Say I Am?

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Two unconnected but related phrases jump out here in this Gospel: “You – who do you say that I am?” And “Jesus strictly ordered them to tell no one he was the Christ.”  If we finally figure out who Jesus is but we can’t tell anyone, what’re we supposed to do with that long sought-after revelation?

I think the operative word here is “tell.”  We’re not meant to tell others what or who to believe so much as to be a model that reveals more than words can say.  To let our lives be a “show and tell” of mutual love and respect, of deference to each other – a “flesh and blood” model of our aim to build community, and to maintain a balance in our communal and personal lives of prayer and work, art and music and poetry.  A living example of how “give and take” is part of life-long learning and nurtures our love for each other in spite of – no, because it causes us to see our own shadow side.  Our modulated and friendly laughter, our expressions of gratitude with a simple phrase like “thank you” – our hospitality and sharing.  In other words: our gentle determination to be Christ-like AND to BE Christ to others.  Our tenor of voice in our exchanges, our harmony in prayer and song, our attentive awareness to join the pace of our liturgy, our acknowledgement of Christ in the other when we pass in the hallways – all this “tells” who our Beloved model is.

And, you know what it takes to DO and BE this.  That’s the answer to the question Jesus asks: “Who do YOU say that I am?”  It takes close familiarity with WHO Jesus is.  You’ve probably heard the expression “familiarity breeds contempt.”  But the opposite is what’d true for those who seek to know Jesus – really to know anyone.  Time spent in Jesus’ company – in the company of our companions – fosters intimacy, closeness and an ease in each other’s company.   It’s true, too, for all who seek to build a relationship with another person or persons in community.  It’s a powerful realization when we stop to think: each one of us is responsible for the community we create.

One of the many stories Msgr Cummings (1918-2020) shared with me in his later years.  I’d first met “Father George” in 1949 as a youngster at Good Counsel Camp.  This story was also quoted at his funeral.  It serves to remind all of us of what it takes to be a loyal follower, an imitator of Christ – a true servant.

When Msgr was around 50 years a priest, (this true story goes) a young intern at Good Counsel Camp asked Fr. George: “When did you decide to become a priest?”  Without skipping a beat, Cummings answered: “This morning.”  He added as aside, “Every day I wake up and I recommit myself, to serving as a priest.”

That’s a true vocation story!  Each and every day, we hear Jesus ask: “Who do you say that I am.”  Whatever our response, He cautions: “Tell no one I am the Christ.”   “Rather, my friend, recommit yourself to be my instrument of peace in your community who, in turn, together will be a living example of a “peaceable kingdom” to all who witness your way of life, and your living.  “For where God has placed you, that is your pulpit.”

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

 

 

 

 

First Reading:   Isaiah 22:19-23         Second Reading:  Romans 17:33-36
Gospel:   Matthew 16:13-20
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Press Release

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Benedictine Sisters Announce Transition from Monastery to Assisted Living Facility

Saint Leo, Florida — [June 19, 2026] — The Benedictine Sisters of Florida announce that, after a period of prayerful discernment and consultation, the community has made the decision to relocate from the current monastery location to American House – Zephyrhills to ensure the ongoing wellbeing, safety, health care, and spiritual support of the sisters.

“This decision arises from the Sisters’ commitment to care for one another with the compassion and dignity that the Rule of St. Benedict asks of us,” said Sister Tonette Sperando, OSB, Canonical Administrator of the community. “Holy Name Monastery has been a place of prayer, hospitality, and service for generations. As our Sisters’ needs change, we continue that same fidelity by choosing a setting where each sister can receive the level of care she requires while remaining united as a community.”

The transition will take place later this summer in phases over the coming months. The Sisters will continue their daily rhythm of prayer, community, and presence, carrying their Benedictine spirit into their new home. They remain committed to praying for the Church and the world and to staying connected with oblates, friends, and all who have shared life with them over the years.

For generations, the Benedictine Sisters of Florida have served the region through ministries of education, healthcare, parish service, retreat work, social outreach, etc., offering hospitality, stability, and a quiet witness of faith. The community expresses deep gratitude for the support they have received and for the many relationships that have shaped their life.

“We carry forward the legacy entrusted to us,” said former Prioress, Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB. “Our mission remains the same: to seek God in community, to pray for the Church and the world, and to offer a presence of peace wherever we are.”

Information about the future of the monastery property will be shared as it becomes available.

Media Contact:

Sister Tonette Sperando, OSB

Canonical Administrator for the Benedictine Sisters of Florida

tonetteosb@gmail.com

 

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12th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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In this Gospel passage, Jesus uses a simple, mind-opening analogy to illustrate his point.  His listeners knew that the cheapest life in the market was a small bird of the field, perhaps a sparrow.  Yet, God’s providential care knows even when this smallest of birds dies.  Jesus is using here a rabbinic argument technique which compares a light matter to a heavy one. His idea here is to overcome fear and encourage the disciples, and us, to trust God.

Jesus recognizes that fear may cause failure on our part.  We see in the Gospel how on the one hand, the disciples are granted remarkable powers to heal the sick, exorcise demons, cleanse lepers, even to raise the dead. But at the same time, Jesus denies the disciples money, extra clothes, or a walking stick to aid in climbing the ups and downs of life or to protect themselves from wolves.  He even denies them a pair of sandals to shield their feet from rocks and stones, or, if they travel the fields in Florida, sandspurs.

They are to undertake their mission in complete vulnerability and dependence on God with an awareness that they go as “sheep in the midst of wolves.”  We know their stories. They faced arrests and beatings, hatred and persecution and opposition, even from family members.

With great care and compassion Jesus names aloud the suffering to be endured and its causes.  This is the first step in freeing them from the tenacious grip of fear.  Benedict knew this, didn’t he?  Remember what he says about receiving newcomers (Chapter 58).  “Do not grant newcomers an easy entry … test the spirits, let them keep persistently knocking at the door four or five days … they should be clearly told the things of everyday living in community; all the hardships and difficulties that will lead to God.  She, the newcomer, must be aware of what the Rule requires so that she may know what she is entering.”

Just as Jesus modeled the way for his disciples, we make a commitment to the each other to model Benedictine living.   An example: A young boy, out for a walk with his father on a cold winter day, was scared to cross a frozen pond … afraid of falling through the ice. But then his Father offered to lead the way.  Now the boy didn’t hesitate to go across the ice. The ice hadn’t become less frightening, but he was able to follow his father, trusting his father wouldn’t lead him to harm. He followed his father without fear across the ice.   Jesus leads us; we lead each other.

As we sing in the Suscipe: “Uphold me, O Lord, as you have promised, and I shall live, and do not disappoint me in my hope.”

“I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today.” (William Allen White).  Also see Sirach 30:21-15: “Gladness of is the very life of a person, and cheerfulness prolongs our days.”

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

 

 

 

 

First Reading:   Jeremiah 20:10-13         Second Reading:  Romans 5:12-15
Gospel:   Matthew 10:26-33
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Feast of the Sacred Heart

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July is fast approaching when summer’s heat begins to wear down even the most dedicated of beach goers, sun lovers and spontaneous ball players. Life begins to feel sticky; nights get close; days get long and dry – and in Florida, very humid! Everything becomes a major effort; we slow down like rusty cogs on old wheels. Time seems suspended. Nothing much gets done. Day follows day with not much to show for any of them. Oh, yes, monastics know all about that kind of thing. Ancient monastics warn us to “beware the devil of the noonday sun.” Spiritual sloth they called it.  Rather, keep up your practice of lectio and don’t let lazy summer weather slow down your response time to others’ needs nor the whirling storms cause lightning-fast thunderous boisterous uncharitable remarks.

Who is it that gets us through our down times?  Who is it that gives us a boost “up” when life seems “blah”?  Jesus takes all our burdens and gives us every good thing.  In the end, we simply must confess, “Lord, my times are in your hands: my future, you’re my daily bread – you’ve carried it all and always will for me.”  What are we left with?  Comfort, confidence, joy…rest for our souls.  Trust Jesus’ promise.  Take his easy yoke, don’t fight it – trust. It is only when we wrestle with a yoke that it chafes our necks.  Jesus says: “My yoke is easy; my burden is light.  Learn from me – I am meek and humble of heart.”

The evangelist Matthew tells the story in his Gospel of the day Jesus offered us a bequest that gathered many of His lessons into one gift-wrapped package we call the BEATITUDES.  The evangelist Luke, too, relates his version of that afternoon on the mountainside.  Both men may have been there in the crowd on the hillside with Jesus but Matthew’s version contains more details.  We know that Luke gleaned an insight into Jesus’ home life from Mary, Jesus’ mother.  This particular day I know Matthew was there, hearing Jesus firsthand.  He was seated right beside me.  I can conjure up his image now.  He wasn’t very agile so he kept squirming to find a comfortable position on the grassy slope.

 LISTEN UP NOW!  Jesus is getting ready to speak.  Look around you. The Beatitudes that he’ll share are not some pie-in-the-sky sayings.  What Jesus says reflects what He saw so often.   He gives us a gift to unwrap and remember in our everyday life.  “Blessed are they.”

Jesus spots a rich man and his wife who live very simply.  Did you notice her peasant style dress?  She got it at the Jerusalem Good Will store.  This couple has a reputation for generosity.  Raising his hand in blessing over the crowd, Jesus says: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, the kingdom of God is theirs.”

See that family there that is mourning the death of their infant daughter?  Hear Jesus when he says: “Blessed are the sorrowing, they shall be comforted.”

Turning to make eye contact with the family whose only child is in a wheelchair and has many special needs, Jesus says: “Blessed are the lowly; they shall inherit the land.”

 Seeing some of John’s disciples, Jesus senses the people’s hunger for His words.  But, the sun is high in the sky.  Some have traveled far and Jesus knows they must be weary and hungry.  But they wait with an air of expectancy to see if He will offer than a word.  Jesus does not disappoint them as he says: “Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for holiness, they shall have their fill.”

Oh, look over to your right.  Do you see the older woman gently soothing a fretting infant so a young mother can rock her fretting toddler to sleep?  Hear Jesus when he says: “Blessed are they who show mercy, mercy shall be theirs.”

Why is Jesus looking over there?  He seems to be focusing on some who’ve lost interest in his sermon.  He knows that they’ve heard this before in different ways.  This time it might soak in if they’d just listen.  He knows their deep desire to be always in his presence.  He reminds them: “Blessed are the singe-hearted for they shall see God.”

 Why is He smiling now?  Oh, I see.  It’s that young father rolling a yarn ball back and forth to his two young sons.  A moment ago they were squabbling over the ball. Gently flicking the ball in the direction of each boy in turn seems to be a habit of his. And all the time Papa’s listening so intently to Jesus’ words.  “Blessed are the peacemakers; they shall be called children of God.”

Jesus’ express changes.  Mmmm.  He’s looking at those church officials.  The ones who have dared to follow him.  They know they’re going to be the object of tomorrow’s gossip fest.  Jesus speaks directly to them.   “Blessed are those persecuted for holiness sake; the reign of God is theirs.”

Slowly scanning the entire crowd, Jesus goes on to say: “Blest are YOU when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of slander against you because of me.  Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is great in heaven.   You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.”

 Again, I remind you: You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its lampstand so it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, “let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in

heaven.”

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

 

 

 

 

 

First Reading: Zechariah 9:9-10                    Second Reading: Romans 8:9, 11-13
Gospel Reading: Matthew 11:25-30
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Corpus Christi

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Solemnity of the Most Holy Body

and Blood of Christ

This crowd that Jesus is speaking to had made a pilgrimage to see him in person, instead of going to Jerusalem for the celebration of Passover.   It would have been easier to go to the nearby city, but something was drawing them to the great teacher.  And, walking was their mode of transportation, and the distances were often across rough terrain or long detours around lakes. Someone has calculated that in his 3-year public ministry Jesus walked 912 miles.  (Now, I thought that was an interesting tidbit in case you play Catholic trivia.)

Here’s another.  Someone has calculated that Mary, the mother of Jesus, walked 12,187 miles by the time she was 50 years old.  The distance around the world at the equator is 24,901 miles.  This means that in her lifetime Mary walked almost half the distance around world.  (No wonder she waited until after her death to make so many miraculous appearances.)

Now, come with me back to Jesus and the crowd who wanted to take Jesus by force and make him their king.  In other words, Jesus is speaking to a crowd that has felt the pangs of a deep, deep longing for something more than physical hunger.  But as so often happens, they have misplaced the object of their yearning.  They have placed their longing on “king.” Jesus wants them to see that their true longing is for “living bread.”.

Today, Jesus is asking us to defog our soul’s glasses in order to bring our longing into clearer focus.  John wants us to see into and through Jesus, that our real longing is not for things that pass away but for things that endure for imperishable Light, and kinship (not kingship).

Jesus keeps referring to bread, living bread.  We know that the majority of Jesus’ followers were the poor.    And it is a known fact that 50% of a poor person’s diet was (and often is) some form of bread.  Life was a struggle, not unlike the fate of many of the people we know.  Each day’s food had to be earned that day; and was just enough for a day’s survival.  This is not the bread that Jesus is talking about.  He is talking about a Living Bread:  an abiding, dynamic relationship with Him.   “They who eat my flesh and drink my blood will abide in me, and I in them.”

In response to the people who quarreled over his words, Jesus doesn’t seem to answer the question posed about how salvation will come about, perhaps because this reality can only be understood after his death and Resurrection.   They could not imagine a future supper with such significance, or the horrific suffering and death of the One they so admired, nor the resurrection that would startle the world.  They did not yet know the gift of self in Bread and Wine.  As one writer says it, they could not conceive of the Eucharistic presence that Jesus would give us so that He might continue to “mingle with us.”  Isn’t that a touching phrase – mingle with us?!

The bottom line is that people are scrambling like crazy to find the diet that is right for them. But there is a diet you don’t hear much about – the one presented in today’s gospel – the “Bread of Life Diet.” It’s spiritually high-carb but offers full nutritional value. Jesus says, “I am the bread of life,” and promises that people on his program “will never hunger or thirst again!” This is an extravagant claim!  But, unlike some TV ads that offer guaranteed fat burners, Jesus can deliver on what he promises!

We’ve heard the Good News … now it’s our task and obligation to share that news!

~Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

 

 

 

 

 

First Reading: Proverbs 9:1-6              Second Reading: Ephesians 5:15-20
Gospel Reading: John 6:51-58
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