Benedictine Sisters of FL

Holy Name Monastery
Founded 1889

Christ

Fourth Sunday of Lent

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Today in our country, there has been a glut of news and information that can wash us away if we are not careful.  Unfortunately, much of it is commentary disguised as factual news which can mislead well-intentioned people.  It is easy to become overly skeptical of anything we hear or simply become deaf to it – tune it out and live in a news-free bubble.  We become over-saturated, de-sensitized, numb to the sounds of guns that we invited into our family rooms.  We may close our ears to the sounds of violence and personally offensive language.  Or we might shut our eyes to distasteful ads while at the same time are not bothered by liturgical graphics of weapons of cruelty.  We may leave the room during the 7-minute commercial phase that brings previews depicting guns, cyber-crimes, fictionalized murders polluting our relaxation space.

It’s past time we created our own litany of care.  Call to mind caretakers, emergency workers, medical personnel… those who keep a death-watch for a loved one.  Pray for enlightenment for those who are frustrated because in their mental state they cannot recognize the seriousness of the world situation. Pray also for those who are burdened with an already existing anxiety disorder which is only compounded by the 24/7 cycle of dire news.  Pray for those who are isolated and lonely, secluded in small spaces.  Remember in gratitude those who check-in by phone with persons who live alone. Pray for those who are called to make decisions, often unpopular, for those under their care and persons who make poor decisions seemingly oblivious to the ripple effect of their choices.  Pray for those whose theme song is “I am special”.  Pray you never portray the attitude: “I don’t have to follow the rules of the RULE.”  Remember those who attitude projects “I don’t have to do what ‘they’ tell me.”  I am the exception.  I have God’s special protection.  Unusual circumstances call for unusual (some would say heroic) responses.

Pray for all of us, pray for yourself – that we may be patient and forbearing with those who bear the cross of cognitive decline.  Slow your pace to match someone using a walker, hold the door open an extra minute, find the seatmate’s page in the prayer book.  In all ways treat each other, as Benedict says: as a vessel of the altar.  Anticipate the other’s need before she recognizes she can use an extra hand.  May we be graciously cooperative team players with an intact sense of humor.

Strive to live up to the ideals Benedict proposes:

  • Pursue what you consider better for the other.
  • Be the first to show respect to the other.
  • Be patient with each other.
  • Earnestly compete in obedience (even when it goes against the grain).

In all circumstances, may we prefer nothing whatever to the love of Christ.  May we together know Benedict’s promise of life in abundance. (RB 72).  But, as Sister Julia Marie Roy OSB, Benedictine Sister from Tulsa, says: “There is no precedent for us to follow.  For Benedictines, so mindful of tradition, that is a lot to try to process!”

The Gospel readings for these middle three weeks of Lent. Last week the Samaritan woman, today the curing of the blind man, and next week the raising of Lazarus, are proclaimed every year at the liturgies that feature Scrutinies for those in OCIA, (the Catholic Church’s process for welcoming new members).  They tell of a Jesus who offers us new life in him.  These are stories of a Savior who offers us living water, dispels the darkness of our blindness, and conquers the power of death.  They are not simply the plot and climax of good stories.  They tell the real truth.  This isn’t simply factual news.  It is the good news.  Jesus was and is real and the fact that he can heal us should not be disputed.  Too often too many people live lives of anxiety, desperation and despair, seemingly unaware that Jesus wants to help all of us bear our burdens.

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

 

 

 

 

First Reading:   1  Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a      Second Reading:  Ephesians 5:8-14
Gospel:   John 9:1-41
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Gaudete Sunday

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This Third Sunday of Advent is known as Gaudete Sunday, meaning Rejoice!  Seems to me one might be tempted to sing for the Open Hymn “Pretty in Pink” as the celebrant comes reverently to the altar in rose-colored vestments and the altar server lights the one rose or pink candle in the Advent wreath.  The candle and vestments remind us that the coming of Christ is very near. The focus is joy — not a fleeting feeling, but deep down spiritual gladness rooted in God’s goodness. This week encourages us to recognize the ways God is at work in our lives and to share that joy with others, especially those who are burdened or discouraged.  The story that follows is not AI generated but it is adapted from the Internet.

“One cold rainy night at 4 a.m. a young girl entered the diner where I worked.  The lass was trembling. She looked fragile, like she’d been crying, and she had no money. When I asked if she needed help, she stayed silent whether from the cold or fright.  I gave her a cup of warm cider and a muffin to calm her down.

My boss saw it and fired me on the spot for “giving away free items.” I was devastated. That job was the only way I had to support myself and my baby.

Before she left, the girl handed me a clean green sock — just one — and said, “This will save you one day.  Someday you’ll get the matching green sock.”

 I didn’t understand, but I kept it.  5 weeks later, I found the matching green sock on my doorstep. Mmmm! It was heavy. Inside was $30,000 in cash and a small note with a phone number. When I called, a man answered and said, “You don’t know me, but you saved my daughter. This is my ’thank you’!”

He explained that the night she came to the diner, her boyfriend had thrown her out with no phone and no wallet. My simple act of kindness kept her safe until her father found her. Later on, she told her dad everything and begged him to help me because I’d lost my job for helping her.  The money was his way of thanking me. He said, “Good people are rare. My daughter was lucky to meet one. So, I asked about you and found your address.”

That unexpected money truly saved me. It helped me open a small bakery — something I had dreamed of for years. The girl still visits whenever she’s in town. She’s now happily married, and her daughter is thriving.  I’m grateful every day that our paths crossed.”

In our fast and unpredictable world, even small gestures can create big shifts. A quiet act of compassion, a burst of empathy, or a wholesome moment can brighten any day.  Heartwarming stories highlight inspiring acts of kindness. Uplifting experience reminds us how powerful human connection and everyday good deeds can be. What did you do today to bring a smile to the face of the one God placed in your path?

~by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

 

 

 

 

 

First Reading:  Isaiah 35:1-6a, 10                  
Second Reading: James 5:7-10
Gospel Reading:  Matthew 11:2-11
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“Christ the King, the living face of the Father’s mercy.”

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This weekend we observe the solemnity of Christ, the King. The celebration was first was proclaimed universally as a feast in 1925 by Pope Pius IX. In 2015, the prescribed date was moved from October to the last Sunday in the church year and the commemoration was raised to solemnity. At that time Pope Francis added a phrase to the title of the day.” (see title of reflection)

As the liturgical year draws to a close, we consider how Jesus is more than just a king. He is the King, the King of the Universe. We celebrate a ruler who, in mercy, was willing to die for us to give us true freedom. Jesus willingly exchanged the trappings of a king for a place among the poorest of the poor. In place of a red carpet, he’d had a rude stable floor strewn with hay. Later in his life, it was palm branches that lined the way beneath a donkey’s feet. His crown was not one of gems but a crown of thorns. His choice of transportation was usually on foot. In speaking of his home, Jesus said: “Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

Some may wonder why we read a scene from the passion today. How does that help us understand what Jesus’ kingship means? We may always sense a vague uneasy feeling in calling Jesus “king” partly due to the changing attitudes toward kings throughout history. Today, distrust of authority is rampant – accelerated by the rise in belief that the only authority is the individual self. The idea of Christ as ruler, as king is resisted by many who believe that such titles are borrowed from oppressive systems of government. History proves that some kings have been oppressive. But when we allow this type of thinking to overtake us we miss the point that Christ’s kingship is one of humility and service. In contrast to the oppression so prevalent in Jesus’ day, he saw his role as king as one of humble service. He teaches us, his followers, to be servants as well. This is the behavior we must imitate. As Benedict teaches “Anticipate the needs of others and put them before our own; anticipating others’ needs in doing good works.”

This leads us to ponder: how is it that Jesus can be, at the same time, both Suffering Servant and King? That’s the very question that Jesus turns on Pilate: “Do you ask this (are you a king?) on your own? Or have others told you about me?” It pushes us to question ourselves: Is Jesus my King? Do I know him on my own, from my own experiences? Or is my relationship with Jesus based on borrowed thoughts from books I’ve read; homilies and retreat talks? Do I sing with conviction the sentiments of the kingly hymns that spring to mind: “Come, Christians, Join to Sing”; “Rejoice, the Lord Is King”, “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name”, “Hail, Redeemer, King Divine”, “The King of Glory”, “At the Lord’s high Feast”, we sing, praise to our victorious King”? And, let’s not overlook the triumphant echoing of a favorite Christmas carol: “Joy to the World! Let Earth receive her king!”

At the other end of this week, we will be jump-started into the Season of Advent: an experience of an “ending” that is a “beginning” – a time of waiting for the One who will come. He is the One who is promised to us in the Book of Revelation: “Behold, he is coming and everyone will see him; the Alpha and the Omega, the one who is and who was and who is to come.” In Paul’s letter to the Colossians, he writes: “He is before all things, and in him all things are held together; in him all the fullness is pleased to dwell!”

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

 

 

First Reading: 2 Samuel 5:1-3 Second Reading: Colossians 1:12-20
Gospel: Luke 23:35-43
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25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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This parable is challenging to explain but, it came from the mouth of God’s Son so it must be important for us to grapple with. What might Christ be saying to us? Here is what I heard – colored by the recent readings from chapter 2 of Benedict’s Rule on the Qualities of the Prioress. The Gospel tells us if we can’t be trusted in little matters we certainly cannot be trusted with great ones. If you are not a leader in a Benedictine community it may be easy to breeze through chapter 2 with an attitude of ho, hum – that’s for them – glad it’s not me.

To say that Benedict lays down high standards for the superior may be an understatement. He places the chapter on leadership qualities early in the Rule, only after he defines the type of monk he is writing for. So we know he is writing about the qualities of the leaders of the “strongest kind of monastics” – the ones who have chosen to live under a Rule and a monastic leader.

I am thinking Benedict left it unsaid in Chapter 2, but he sprinkled exhortations regarding leadership for all the members elsewhere in the Rule. Benedict echoes Jesus when he presses home the “the person who is dishonest in very small matters will also be dishonest in great ones.” It does not require a great leap to apply this maxim to all of us – the youngest in community to the eldest. It seems to me Benedict is waving a banner before our eyes of what we each need to be so that a call to leadership does not include an abrupt change of lifestyle. Benedict knew from his own experience that the leader’s role in community is time-limited. He himself had experienced the call to leadership and call to a hermit’s life. He must have foreseen, perhaps with a nudge from his twin sister Scholastica, that the monastic must be prepared in all aspects of her life to move in and out of leadership roles. If the individual member does not engage in a lifelong endeavor to develop the attitudes, skills and qualities that Benedict laid out for the superior, (guess what?) an election or appointment to a leadership position will not ipso facto endow a saintly disposition. If a person has not learned to be accountable for her own actions (or at least tried to be), and to be solicitous for the welfare of those in her charge (as a teacher, principal, supervisor, kitchen manager, sacristan, chief floor scrubber, head nurse….), an imposition of hands or a community blessing, or even the bishop’s blessing will not infuse saintliness: responsibility, accountability, compassion or mercy.

You may remember the lesson of the geese who fly in V formation? As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird following it. Combined, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if the individual geese flew alone. Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to fly alone and quickly gets back into formation. When the lead goose gets tired, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies at the point position. The geese in the formation honk from behind to encourage those in front to keep up their speed.

Note that Benedict does not let the “honkers” off the hook. In speaking of the qualities of the abbot, Benedict intersperses words to the “monks in the pews.” If the prioress is to call the community or individuals to account, the member must be docile to listen. If the prioress is to be a shepherd, the sheep have to be willing to be corralled and led. It’s impossible to lead if no one follows.

Benedict reveals his keen insight into human nature when he talks about the cast of characters who can be gathered into one community. He reminds the leader, and by inclusion, all the members, to “accommodate and adapt themselves to the character and intelligence of their Sisters.” In conclusion, Benedict smiles upon the leader consoling her that she does not lack resources. He quotes Psalm 33: “Those who fear God lack nothing.” In helping others, the leader achieves the amendment of her own faults. Benedict does not mention, but I bet he knew, the gratifying support the prioress or the abbot, (or leaders of any sort) daily receives in unpretentious, quiet affirmations.

Like the story of the geese, in monastic life when the leader gets sick or is shot down (with arrows or words), individual members drop out of formation to help, protect and reaffirm the leader until she is either able to again take the lead or fly in formation with the other members. Jesus reminds us in this parable that, in the end, it doesn’t matter when you came into community, even when you came into the church. The reward for putting your hand to the plow will be the same: a day’s work in the kingdom for God’s daily wage … the last, the same as the first. It’s been that way for all eternity. You’ll find when you get there (I’m guessing) that your view from the mansion God is saving for you is just as magnificent as that of Moses or Adam and Eve or your favorite saints – everyone’s mansion has a “throne-side view” of heavenly glory.

 

P.S.  World Mission Sunday

World Mission Sunday is scheduled for the weekend of October 18-19, 2025, and this year’s theme is “Missionaries of Hope Among All Peoples.” During this Jubilee Year of Hope, the theme is most appropriate, and all are called to engage in missionary work in one form or another, thereby bringing hope to those in despair. This annual worldwide collection helps to provide aid to 1,124 dioceses that cannot sustain themselves because they are too poor, young, or actively persecuted.

 

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

 

 

 

First Reading:   Amos 8:4-7         Second Reading:  1 Timothy 2:1-8
Gospel:   Luke 16:1-13
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Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul

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Saints Peter and Paul are probably the best known of all the saints in the Catholic Church.  Both of them were personally chosen by Jesus for the building up of the Mystical Body of Christ.  Peter’s mission was twofold: to lead the Catholic Church in the early stage and to lead the Jewish people into the new Covenant.   Saint Paul came into the picture a little later and played a major role for the Church in converting a great number of the Gentiles to follow Jesus.

Theirs is the same God who continues to reach out to us, calling us to spread God’s light throughout the world. To us, simple human beings, not angels, God gives the Holy Spirit to guide us and teach us according to the evolving needs of the Church – the people of God.

This evening I chose to proclaim the gospel given for the Vigil Mass rather than the one for tomorrow’s liturgy.  The Scripture selection highlights Peter, but Paul will get his solo turn later on.    Many look at the Gospel passage with wonderment. Why did Jesus ask Peter the same question over and over?

Seemingly out of the blue, Jesus says to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?”  Peter responds, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love you.” I cannot imagine a more insulting way for Peter to answer!  Peter is sitting with the risen Jesus  who asks him “Tell me, Peter, do you love me with a selfless love?” and Peter responds using a verb that means: “I am really quite fond of you.”

We can only imagine how “out of place” Peter now felt being with Jesus. Where he had once been comfortable and self-assured as one of the chosen disciples; he now feels the shame of denying he is one of Jesus’ friends.  Self-confidence and faith had withered to self-doubt and a feeling of being an utter “failure.” How could he even bear to look into the face of the resurrected?

The rest of this passage shows Jesus’ compassion for, and continued confidence in, Peter.   “Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go.”  Jesus is confirming his love for Peter even though Peter had failed him.  Jesus gives Peter the opportunity to confess his love for Jesus in front of witnesses.

Jesus then told Peter that he was going to die for Him. What a wonderful piece of prophecy!  Jesus was telling Peter that he was going to have faith great enough to be the kind of man he thought himself to be when he said, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You.”   He didn’t die WITH Jesus, but he knew now he was going to be allowed another chance; to LIVE FOR Him, and that he would eventually die for Jesus. We can only imagine the joy and relief that Peter felt!  Later, in different circumstances, Jesus will issue the same invitation to Paul.

What does this mean for you and me?   Even though we may have failed the Lord miserably, He is sharing GREAT news with us: it is not too late!  We have another chance to prove to the Lord, and to ourselves, what kind of Christians we really are.

~ Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey

 

 

 

First Reading: Acts 12:1-11                       Second Reading: 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18
Gospel: John 21:15-19
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