These helps are for those who cannot travel. They do not replace the parish altar when you can go.
Just as the Holy Spirit is not hostage to one Church or even nationality, the world’s wisdom is also more than that contained in the Scriptures. The wisdom that is authentic comes from God through people of various faiths and dispositions. Humans who are moving towards their authentic intelligent progression exhibit Truth, Wisdom, Peace, Love, […]
Although I am insignificant to the world, in terms of changing or converting anything to something else, as an adopted son (daughter) of the Father, I have access to the power of the Holy Spirit in my Lectio Divina and other Cistercian practices. Each human is unique and has the capacity to hold life experiences […]
In Catholicism, we use the presence of angels to help us battle the forces of evil. One idea about angels is, that if you don’t think you have one, you probably are not using the gifts that Christ gave us to help us move from our false selves to our true selves (capacitas dei). Personally, […]
I would never have believed that the Holy Spirit would be giving dancing lessons, but that is what happened in my latest Lectio Divina, one which I share with you now. You form your own conclusions. Here are some dancing steps that have been so enjoyable for me in the world, that the Holy Spirit […]
The theme from Shindler’s List, the movie, stirs my soul as a haunting piece of melody that transports me to a place in my life where I think of the people of the Holocaust and how far we have strayed from being the human beings intended by our Creator. Good as this is for me, […]
I share with you a resource that is of immense value in looking at the heritage of our Catholic Faith. I do so without commentary. To go to the many resources below, just highlight them with your mouse and click. The resource should come up. I have added only a tiny part of what this […]
If you have not read the works of Joesph Campbell or Mircea Eliade, not only are you missing a big chunk of how to look at being human with a systematic approach to intelligent progression, but how the Ascension of Christ completes the classic hero myth form in all literature. Here is a blog that […]
A neglected or blind spot in most of my approaches to the Sacred is the existence of early hymns, poetry, and art that depicted what words alone do not convey, namely, that “Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah.” (John 20:30-31) Early believers used any means they could to communicate to those around them […]
That statement sounds rather harsh because Jesus died to save all humans. All humans don’t necessarily know that God is God, nor do they love in such a way as to move to the next level of human evolution (adoption by God as sons and daughters of the Father). Equally, human nature does not possess […]
For a Lay Cistercian, spirituality, as I see it, becomes a neverending process of movement toward more complexity, as set forth by the Jesuit Paleontologist, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. I have adopted his chart on the movement from where I was to where I will be as my template against which I think and challenge […]
I asked the question from the Holy Spirit, “What type of Catholic am I, now that I have a template against which I measure myself?” This is the answer I received. I share it with you with the understanding that it is for me and you may find some of it or none of it […]
Scriptures, according to John 20:30-31 exits for us to assimilate the energy of God in order to come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah and that believing, we might have lift in his name. God communicates through authors using the Scriptures as accounts of Israel, the Life of Christ, and the Evangelization of the […]
This heritage is not passed down from us to the Apostles but rather comes down from the Apostles through the ages as a testament to our Faith together as Universal, Catholic, Apostolic, and One gathering of believers. Read your heritage and renew your Faith with the Real Presence. Lord, I believe, help my unbelief. This […]
Have you the saying, “The pen is mightier than the sword?” Words have power. A YES created the world and another YES from the Blessed Mother was the starting button for Jesus, our Savior, our Redeemer, our friend. Don’t ever underestimate the power of words. In keeping with my focus on growing deeper in Christ […]
The materials below are from Catholic Answers and are without any commentary. It is the compendium of your Faith, the Church, into which you find your heritage. What the Early Church Believed: Resurrection of the Body The Bible tells us that when Jesus returns to earth, he will physically raise all those who have died, giving them […]
Next time you think it inconvenient for you that God asks for your presence at Eucharist, think about the price that the early believers paid. You can’t make this stuff up. Read for yourself and make your own conclusions. You have reason for a reason. www.newadvent.org The Martyrdom of Justin Please help support the mission […]
Contemplation, or what I know of it so far, is going to that one place inside you where no one wants to go, a place where you are vulnerable and frightened of what you might find, but one that, like a moth to a flame, draws you into its magnetic attraction. From its earliest confrontations […]
There are at least four themes of prayer that I have detected in my Lectio Divina. They are not the typical four types of prayer, such as petition, thanksgiving, praise, and reparation. I realized these four themes in my sleep sometime before I woke up at 3:00 a.m. I had been thinking of Philippians 2:5, […]
In my opinion, there are several scientists who are God’s scientists, not all of whom are professional ones. For me, they would be the late Stephen Hawking, Enrico Fermi, of the Fermi’s Paradox fame, plus influencers such as Gallileo, Aristotle, Marcus Aurelius, Einstein, Bishop Robert Barron, Pope Francis, Dr. Scott Hahn, St. Bernard of Clairvaux, […]
Magister Noster is our heritage. You have a heritage of thinking and believing that provides you with authentic love and a direction in life. Don’t squander it with your apathy. From the time of your Baptism as the son (daughter) of the Father, you learn what it means to inherit the kingdom of heaven. The […]
If you think Christianity just “popped up” out of nowhere, you could not be further from the truth. The Old Testament is like the first stage of a rocket ship, one that has the power to lift humanity beyond just thrashing around, creating random Gods based on human experiences. Abram became Abraham because the movement […]
I have always believed in the efficacy of the Ten Commandments. I never challenged why these ten and not some other societal norms form the basis of my ethical (the World) and spiritual (the spirit) assumptions about what is good or bad for me. They originate outside of my human nature and are guidelines for […]
As one who can only aspire to be a Lay Cistercian, I aim to seek God by moving from self to God. That word, moving, is actually key to my attempts. Here are some reflections on moving from my false self to my true self. In our most recent retreat, one of the monks at […]
Reading becomes so familiar and casual that we sometimes don’t reflect on the deeper meaning contained in words. The Sacred Scriptures, early writings of the Church Fathers, and subsequent Cistercian writers, such as the late Dom Andre Louf, O.C.S.O., are not just to be read but to be assimilated into oneself to form a Way […]
My comments are about the ruminations of some people I have met during my past few years in Tallahassee, Florida, and my foray into www.quora.com/, which I have discontinued. Quora is a very seductive service where people ask questions and others give answers. There are even segments of thinking, such as Christians, Atheists, Writers, etc… […]
I find it interesting to think of these three steps to solving The Divine Equation (Way, Truth, and Life). Why, for example, is Way the first requirement? I would have thought Truth would be first. Here are a few fragmented scraps of ideas from my basket of Lectio Divina meditations on this subject (Philippians 2:5). […]
Everyone has a center to their life. In fact, I have changed centers frequently, depending on the stage of life I am encountering. My work stage, for example, has worked near the top of my list. I have to eat, so I earn money to pay the bills. It was interesting to me to discover […]
You can imagine my surprise when the Holy Spirit presented me with this next Lectio Divina meditation. The Holy Spirit has a sense of humor. I know, you think I am delusional or making this up. Maybe so. You be the judge. Remember my position here. The Holy Spirit is God and I don’t speak […]
I share with you what I myself use. All of these sources are online and are of no cost to you. I offer them in no order of importance, they are all important. When I use the term “spiritual reading,” I always include Holy Scriptures are the core reading. Next level is the early writers […]
Here is a fanciful topic. For one thing, any changes I make to the Church would have to come from the compendium of life experiences I have accepted as my assumptions in life. I can’t imagine anything worse than designing a Church based on me. One centered around Christ? Now that’s a different question. I […]
The ramifications of wonder dictate that I probe “What If” questions, if for no other reason than to use my reason and intelligence to bolster my Faith. I did and it has. Here are some preliminary observations about a world in which there is no Catholic Church. You get the point! The reality is, if […]
All kinds of ideas pop up in my Lectio Divina meditations. Here is one that asked myself and the answer that came almost before I stopped asking the question. My answer is, life would go on, but I would still have the spiritual framework that allows me to become more human and move with hope […]
What follows is the text of the encyclical on the Church. Use this, as I do, to recommit myself to being more Christ-centered. https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html
This excerpt is from my book, The Divine Equation. THE DIVINE EQUATION: THE CORRUPTION OF EVERYDAY LIVING The focus of my thinking these days has been on Original Sin and how humans must live within its parameters, such as death, pain, emotions, and the ambiguity of choosing either good or bad behaviors that we think […]
Growing up, Chesterton was one of my favorite characters. I hope you take advantage of the opportunity to add his wit and wisdom to your portfolio contained in your Book of Life. Who is this guy? I recommend the following resources for your spiritual edification (and enjoyment).https://www.chesterton.org/who-is-this-guy/ https://www.chesterton.org/category/discover-chesterton/chestertons-selected-works/ uiodg
Several years ago, I was part of a discussion at the Monastery of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit (Trappist) centered around humility. St. Benedict has twelve steps to achieve humility which is Chapter 7 of his Rule. Humility does not come automatically. Like human love, Erich Fromm says in his Art of Loving that […]
While trolling through the various YouTube streamings on my television, I came upon some topics that I would like to comment upon in terms of what I consider a dangerous temptation for those whose faith is not grounded in Christ Jesus. It is difficult enough for me to stay focused on “having in me the […]
My most recent Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) this very morning makes absolutely no sense, in terms of the core theme: “…have in you the mind of Christ Jesus.” How do you go from that core theme to a series of thoughts about “the devolution of the species?” Is the Holy Spirit just jerking me around, […]
I have wondered what it means for Jesus to be my Savior, My Redeemer Lives. There are a couple of ways to grow deeper with this phrase as Lectio Divina. I share with you what I did to move to a deeper level of my humanity, not just on the surface with what I can […]
I offer you what I use as spiritual reading. Remember, reading Sacred Scripture is the deepest part because you become what you read. With these readings and all spiritual readings, you gain wisdom and perspective. Both are necessary, but one is essential. These readings are not my regular routine reading but provide a real-life look […]
I have adopted the model of a cosmic universe from the Jesuit Paleontologist Henri Pierre Teilhard de Chardin as how I look at intelligent progression on a cosmic scale. I offer you his URL and some quotes from AZ Quotes. “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a […]
Here is a reading from the www.newadvent.org website in the top right-hand corner under the category of Library. It is a treasure trove of source materials for those wanting to delve deeper into contemplation. Doctor Mellifluus His Holiness Pope Pius XIIEncyclical on St. Bernard of ClairvauxMay 24, 1953 To Our Venerable Brethren, the Patriarchs, Primates, […]
Contemplation is not a word exclusive to Benedictine, Carthusian, and Cistercian monks. Other religions practice it. My emphasis will be limited to what I know about Cistercian, and even more selectively, Lay Cistercian contemplation. I always like to offer you the same resources I use in my quest to discover what it means to be […]
The Lay Cistercian Way is more about how the individual Lay Cistercian crafts what it means to take Cistercian spirituality as they know it and live it out each day, simply seeking God in whatever happens. For me, that means doing the Lay Cistercian practices each day as I can and as I have scheduled […]
I am not the person I once was, not just because my cells regenerated, but because my spirit reconstituted itself due to the power of Sacred Scripture. I read and then tried to penetrate the Word’s purpose with the Holy Spirit’s aid. (John 20: 30-31) Last Sunday, our Lay Cistercian Gathering Day met (I was […]
I offer you some of the YouTube readings on my favorite topics as read by Tom O’ Bedlam. I do so without commentary.
I wonder if there is such a thing as a schizophrenic in religion, such as a person that has two personalities and exists in two sets of behaviors within that personality type. I do not refer to the duality that exists when Baptism makes us heirs to the kingdom of heaven, while we have citizenship […]
Assumptions are those ways of thinking that are the foundation of why we believe what we do. When an atheist says “There is no god,” it is because of the assumptions that they hold. It is the god that they assume NOT to be true that they place at the center of their lives. To […]
Anniversaries are part and fabric of what it means to be human. Mine are no different, and I mark them (celebration is a bit too over the top for me) each year with the sober realization that I am now one year closer to my death, my parousia, my destiny as a human who has […]
In keeping with my daily theme of digging deeper into reality using Lay Cistercian practices and charisms, I noticed that there are levels of habits available to me, depending on how deep I go in my capacitas dei and conversio morae (growing more in Christ and gradually moving from false self to true self). Level […]
I have selected this section on angels from www.newadvent.org for your reading. I do not provide comment. I would encourage you to sign up for New Advent as a site to use frequently. Angels Please help support the mission of New Advent and get the full contents of this website as an instant download. Includes the […]
For all the theologies and descriptions of the Scriptures, it can all be reduced to the simplicity of me, sitting in the back bench of the Church, eyes lowered (custos occuli), repeating over and over the prayer of penitence, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me, a sinner.” “Any old woman can love God […]
It seems that when introducing humans to God in evermore intense encounters, there is always that admonition of “Don’t be afraid.” Human reasoning, and the ability to authentically choose what is good for them, seems to have presented itself to selected humans by God in stages, over the ages, or in the fullness of time. […]
In this series of blogs on Chapter 14 of John’s Gospel, I will share with you what I received from my Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) meditations on the significance of THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE. Each of these three elements of my Lay Cistercian spirituality has four inscrutables resulting from capacitas dei in […]
Jesus called those he loved and who loved him back as friends. Read this most eloquent of texts in their entirety, so you get the context. Note that Jesus calls us friends, in this passage. He has chosen us, we have not chosen Him. Because He first chose us, we are able to become adopted […]
You can’t make this stuff up, even in Hollywood. The Incarnation Moment is so beyond the ability of humans to put it out of that hat that is so improbable that such an event could occur within normal limits of human experiences. Where does all of this God stuff come from? If the disciples made […]
As a result of my Lection Divina, and having reflected on where I am in the process of believing in The Christ Principle, here are some Beatitudes that come to my mind. If you are a Catholic, practicing your faith may not always be peaches and cream but may often be the way of the […]
This Easter Sunday, some will hunt Easter eggs, some will eat a wonderful Easter meal with their families, and some will disavow Easter altogether as a conspiracy of Jesus’ followers to justify his death by making up a fantasy story about rising from the dead because no one can rise from the dead. Then, there […]
And just when you thought the world was going to Hell… here are resources to give Hope. https://www.scotthahn.com/about-dr-hahn https://www.youtube.com/@word-on-fire
To be clear, this is not a heresy as defined by the Catholic Church, but rather one that I observe to be so insidiously pervasive in society that whole nations and their Judeo-Christian moral compasses have been recalibrated based on a new North. It is the old standard of Idolatry with a relativistic twist. This […]
What follows is inspirational reading about the notion of the Church. Your heritage has been won by the blood of the Lamb. Your own blood is the price you pay to die to yourself each day and reaffirm God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven. www.newadvent.org The Church Please help support […]
In this recent Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5), I asked myself, “How can I see Jesus daily?” Here are some thoughts. When I go to Church, I see Jesus: There are many more ways to see Jesus in Church, but I am running out of juice.
Here is an early church writer before there was a bible as we know it. I offer you what I myself read and you can make your own conclusions. Church History (Book I) Please help support the mission of New Advent and get the full contents of this website as an instant download. Includes the Catholic […]
My current preoccupation in my Lectio Divina is on the nature of truth. Having sat on a couch with Christ next to me, my thoughts seem to drift towards very esoteric thinking no one wants to hear or read. It is the nature of truth. What is absolute truth? Why original sin means no one […]
If you are facing the Gates of the Kingdom of Heaven and Michael and Alex Trebek are there, one with a flaming sword to keep out those that don’t belong, what would be the one question asked and what is the correct answer? The problem is, there is only one correct question and one correct […]
When watching the latest movie the film, Wednesday, I had this feeling of wondering why I am filling time watching some bizarre series of stories about Ghouls and Goblins, other than I really like it. Is there more to life? Of course, I told myself, there is. But, despite my mental convictions that God exists […]
I like to watch the odd movie that comes out of the myriad of flicks produced these days. The Harry Potter movies are ones that I enjoy, not because I espouse witchcraft at all, but because it has a remarkable insight into good and evil and their consequences. The context of the series is one […]
Heavy title, don’t you think, with an even heavier implication for contemplative practice? Here are some rapid responses to the question of absolute truth (only found in the divine nature). They are linked together unless I get a senior moment and go off the planet. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and […]
My Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) meditations take the form of looking at the totality of my life from the viewpoint of The Christ Principle. When I do that, old behaviors that I still practice, have not been excised (not exorcized, although I am an ordained exorcist). Since my acceptance as a Lay Cistercian, I have […]
Church tradition is not looking back and guessing what people actually said, but rather looking forward and reading the primary sources. I offer this section from www.newadvent.org for your spiritual reading and edification without my comments. It has helped me. Church History (Book III) Please help support the mission of New Advent and get the full […]
To find out what makes humans fulfill their humanity as nature intended, I focused my Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) on nature, as in animal nature, human nature, and divine nature. These are my assumptions as I move forward and ask the following questions. Is there a natural physical boundary in the reality we find ourselves? […]
Perhaps it is due to what I drink in the water, but I have had an inordinate number of short, intense bursts of insights into Hell. Rather than psychoanalyze them ad nausea, I just offer them here. All of my Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) meditations are usually the result of what I have read in […]
Hell is one of those elephant-in-the-room topics that humans would rather not discuss. It is easier to dismiss Hell than Faith, although humans know sparsely little of both. Here are my thoughts, limited as they are, about why there is a hell as the logical consequence of our freedom to choose. During Lent, my Lectio […]
When I was baptized on September 29, 1940, I became an adopted son(daughter) of the Father. Naturally, I did not know what was happening, but, consistent with my human nature, I received seven gifts from the Holy Spirit, gifts I still use to this day. My Holy Spirit (notice how the Holy Spirit has become […]
Growing old has its own set of peculiarities that seem to infiltrate my Lay Cistercian Way. Here are some observations from an old, temple of the Holy Spirit.
Sirach Pagination 1Do not be a foe instead of a friend. A bad name, disgrace, and dishonor you will inherit. Thus the wicked, the double-tongued!* Unruly Passions 2Do not fall into the grip of your passion,a lest like fire it consume your strength. 3It will eat your leaves and destroy your fruits, and you will […]
This Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) yesterday was an unexpected voyage into the syncretic world of looking at Lent through the lenses of a totally different venue. In this case, the profile of a sinking boat came to mind. Here are some of my ideas on Lent as a time to bring the boat of your […]
Without commentary, here are the words from the Holy Father, Pope Paul VI on Divine Revelation. I found it quite inspiring. DOGMATIC CONSTITUTION ON DIVINE REVELATIONDEI VERBUMSOLEMNLY PROMULGATED BY HIS HOLINESSPOPE PAUL VION NOVEMBER 18, 1965 PREFACE 1. Hearing the word of God with reverence and proclaiming it with faith, the sacred synod takes its […]
What follows are some answers I gave to the website Quora.com. I must not have enough to do in my old age. Profile Most recent Michael Conrad Worked at Professed Lay Cistercian3m What is the best way for a pope to say goodbye without causing controversy? Wave. Michael Conrad Worked at Professed Lay Cistercian4m When did priests stop being […]
I read this article from USCCB about what humans create about God to be able to grasp what is beyond the capability or capacity to comprehend with human intelligence. If you notice, and I am not sure I even notice, I don’t synthesize or restate materials. I read them and want you to read the […]
Here is a resource that I discovered that lists Saints and their accomplishments and when they lived. Sometimes we forget that these people actually existed way back when. https://devotiontoourlady.com/january-martyrs.html
When you think about football, as an example of only one sporting venue, of all the college players, very few get selected to play Professional Football. Still, fewer are selected by the football press to be in the Football Hall of Fame. You can tell that this is a select group of gents. They got […]
Here is a blog I wrote a few weeks ago detailing what are the criticisms of the Catholic Church. I turned it around and wrote what I thought the strengths are. Having some additional thoughts on the matter in a recent Lectio Divina, I would like to share my thoughts about Father as the Way, […]
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Achilles%27%20heel#citations “When the hero Achilles was an infant, his sea-nymph mother dipped him into the river Styx to make him immortal. But since she held him by one heel, this spot did not touch the water and so remained mortal and vulnerable, and it was here that Achilles was eventually mortally wounded. Today, the tendon […]
If you have Faith, do you need proof? There are two different kinds of proofs: one to measure the visible universe primarily and emotions and the human condition, as a backup; then there is a proof that is the opposite of all of that and cannot measure what cannot be measured but instead hinted at. […]
The Real Presence I want to share with you a wonderful resource about the writings of the writers of those in the first few centuries after Christ. I like this because, not only is it our heritage from primary sources, but it bolsters the Scripture and how early Christians used it to love others as […]
Here are some ideas from a broken-down, old Lay Cistercian. uiodg The following is found in what I wrote on Quora.com. Be careful, it is the Mirror of Arisad of the Internet. What is meant by the eternal power of God. The energy of God is pure energy, the power of Being 100% of your […]
I watched this as part of my Spiritual Awareness Renewal time. I recommend it to you. Listen, with the ear of your heart.
I wanted to share with you what I myself read about the early church. I offer no commentary. https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05617b.htm Introduction. 1. We have discussed in the preceding book those subjects in ecclesiastical history which it was necessary to treat by way of introduction, and have accompanied them with brief proofs. Such were the divinity of the saving Word, and the […]
Erich Fromm, the author of the Art of Loving, introduced me to the concept of learning, one where love is not infused as something we get automatically from being born as a human. We must learn what love is over a lifetime of trial and error, plus applying norms and social constructs to test if […]
Here are some random thought fragments from the leftovers of my Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5). I must admit these are “way out there.” I just relate to what was given to me. The following responses are ones from my Lectio based on esoteric questions from www.quora.com What is the definition of finding God within oneself? […]
I have one focus this year, to “have in me the mind of Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 2:5), which allows me to be in the presence of Christ and sit in the stillness of my heart and wait. TEN THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN WITHIN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH uiodg
III. THE CORRUPTIBILITY OF CHOICE AND MARTYRDOM OF THE ORDINARY— The effects of Original Sin on three defining behaviors of human nature: sexual urges, the urges of control, and the urges of power. The wages of sin. I hypothesize that there is only one reality, but it contains three distinct characteristics that I call universes […]
Here are some thoughts from Sirach to light the tree of your life. Responsibilities to Parents* 1Children, listen to me, your father; act accordingly, that you may be safe. 2For the Lord sets a father in honor over his children and confirms a mother’s authority over her sons. 3Those who honor their father atone for […]
Here are some fragmented thoughts about Mary that I would like to share. Praise be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever. The God who is, who was, and who is to come at the end of the ages. -Cistercian doxology Holy, Mary, Mother of God, pray […]
I can remember watching the monks at St. Meinrad while they filed in for Conventional Mass on Sunday. They had eyes down in the process in and out of the Archabbey Church and also during the Eucharist. I asked my classmate, also a monk, why they had eyes down. He said it was to remind […]
The problem with trying to solve any equation is knowing the formula. Granted that the Divine Equation’s six postulates have been answered correctly, there is still one thing left to do. You must use the correct key, the only one that fits into this lock, and turn it, to open the door to the fullness […]
Assumptions are like icebergs; what you see, hear, taste, touch, and feel and thus know about the reality around you at any moment always has something deeper involved; in this case, my assumptions that you cannot see unless I share them. Assumptions are like icebergs. All assumptions are critical because how I look at reality […]
Here are some of my favorite readings by Tom O’Bedlam. uiodg
On my way to achieving Lectio Divina, I begin with Philippians 2:5 (Have in you the mind of Christ Jesus.) Then, I go to meditation. I have to have templates to help me focus on The Christ Principle now and then. I share with you three such templates. A template is an overlay that shapes […]
There are two aspects to my Lay Cistercian life on which I intend to focus until I die. They are: I have assimilated these concepts into my system of contemplative practices to help me approach The Christ Principle in humility and obedience to what I discover. The key to keeping me from falling off the […]
I remember seeing a video of how snakes shed their skins.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmqwcb1fh_0 One of the signs of vitality for humans is making all things new. Animals do it when they shed their skins. Soft shell crabs molt, as do many other creatures, one of which is the snake. I remember that picture of Harry Potter entering […]
In the previous blog, I listed some of the references that early Church Fathers wrote defending the Faith against the rampant heresies of individuals who were in error. I took Hippolytus as an example and his writings against a thinker called Noetus. Read this unedited text from www.newadvent.com in bits and pieces. This text shows […]
Reading a phone book (do those still exist?) provides me with information about how to communicate with another person if they are in the phone book. Reading Sacred Scriptures is unlike reading any other book. Because it is God’s Word, authorized through the Church Universal, it is from God. As such, like Lectio Divina and […]
One of the sad commentaries of any time in human history comes when we explore reality around us and find that many people are illiterate in their spirituality, particularly their contemplative spirituality. Can you answer these six questions? Take your time. You have between now and when you die to answer them correctly. Remember, objective […]
In one of my more adventuresome forays into the world of Internet space, I happened to stumble onto a site called Quora.com. Interesting site where people give questions and invite others to answer. There is a wide diversity of questions, but those Atheists question the existence of God because there is no. “proof” caught my […]
For nearly fifty years, I have attempted to grapple with the concept of God and where I fit into the Divine Economy. At age 72, I finally reached the age of reason when I became a Lay Cistercian of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit (Trappist) Monastery in Conyers, Georgia. I had lived a good […]
I won’t say I am an expert in anything except procrastination or forgetting my appointments. My Lectio Divina Reflections on Philippians 2:5 have recently been about the passage in the Scriptures, which speaks of new and old skins. Here it is for your reflection on Luke’s Gospel. The Question About Fasting. o 33And they said […]
Responsibilities to Parents* 1Children, listen to me, your father; act accordingly, that you may be safe. 2For the Lord sets a father in honor over his children and confirms a mother’s authority over her sons. 3Those who honor their father atone for sins; 4they store up riches who respect their mother. 5Those who honor their […]
This is probably the last straw for those of you who think I have lost it (I never had it to lose). I love the Harry Potter set of books by J.K. Rowling. What a creative mind and certainly an enchanting look at life from the viewpoint of a wizard. Yes, I know it is […]
Today’s Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) was about the Devil (it seems the Holy Spirit is on a series of ideas about the Devil). Here are some fragments left over in baskets from my Lectio Divina on Satan. Anarchy, using the Rule of Threes, means: Physical Universe — Humans, as descendants of animal nature, tend to […]
Reading Sacred Scriptures is one of my Lay Cistercian practices that help me grow in my capacity for Christ within me. This happens because the Word of God produces that which it signifies. It is the energy of God that I assimilate into my upper room (Matthew 6:5) where I wait for Christ to overshadow […]
While looking at the nooks and crannies of the website: www.newadvent.org, I came across this encyclical that might interest you as much as it did me. Many, most prominently, my wife, tell me I don’t have enough to do. Actually, I like rummaging throughout the history of our Church and finding those gems that always […]
Here are some quotes that I use to help me re-center myself on Christ Jesus. www.azquotes.com “Pray, hope and don’t worry. Anxiety doesn’t help at all. Our Merciful Lord will listen to your prayer.” ~ Pio of Pietrelcina “Prayer is the best weapon we have; it is the key to God’s heart. You must speak […]
It is impossible to assimilate energy from God directly without a transformer. This transformer is the person of Jesus Christ as The Christ Principle. If it is true that no one can go to the Father except through Christ, that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, then it also must be true […]
During my self cloistering with COVID-19 and beyond, I have had an abundance of time with which to explore Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5). I find that I am doing Lectio three to four times a day, but they are shorter snatches of time than before. Another surprise from my self-imposed estrangement from reality is that […]
God gives you several gifts to commemorate the occasion when you are baptized. This is one of the most momentous events you will ever experience. Baptism is when Christ chooses you to be his disciple like he did to St. Peter and the other Apostles. Baptism removes the Original Sin of Adam and Eve and […]
I have attached The Life of Christ, by the late Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. It is a must-read for me. https://fulton-sheen.catholic.edu/bio/index.html
This entry is the second in a series on what I imagine the Devil might write as a handbook. They are the results of my Lectio Divina meditations (not contemplations) about my temptations and missteps. This might be Satan’s graduation address to those graduating from his Basic Course on Seduction. My dear purveyors of falsehoods […]
One of the characteristics of the Holy Spirit, as I observe our interaction, is being long-winded. If you remember, I spoke of at least four strings or patterns that cut across the physical, mental, and spiritual universes in Part I of the ramifications of dissonance. One string but three meanings depending on what universe they […]
Here are some inspirational quotes for your reflection and meditation. St. Charles de Foucault “Above all, always see Jesus in every person, and consequently treat each one not only as an equal and as a brother or sister, but also with great humility, respect and selfless generosity.” ~ Charles de Foucauld “It is not necessary […]
This blog is the first series on the premise that if the Devil had a handbook to train demons in how to seduce the faithful, what would be in it. Of course, I made all of this up. Still, the content comes from my Lectio Divina meditations, and the examples are those I experienced during […]
These are my five favorite movies. Your list might be different. The Left Hand of God starring Humphrey Bogart The Keys of the Kingdom starring Gregory Peck A Man for All Seasons starring Paul Scoffield Of Gods and Men (Seven Cistercians Martyrs) The Shoes of the Fisherman starring Anthony Quinn
My thoughts this morning are a reflection of, not only what I am, but more importantly, who I have and will become if I continue to profess my Faith through the Catholic approach to spirituality. I write this, not to apologize (defend) or try to prove my Church is better than your Church (denomination), but […]
Just because your road is rocky, doesn’t mean you are on the wrong road. All the rowers in the world won’t help you if your boat has a hole in it. Mud thrown is ground lost. You won’t break the commandment but they might break you. The Scriptures are not to be read and memorized […]
One of the things I like about the Catholic Church is its vulnerability, tripping over the wrong pathways only to reconnect with the Holy Spirit and renew itself. It is a history of how the Church is Holy because Christ is Holy, but each Pope is a sinful person who sometimes makes wrong choices. A […]
I. The -s-s-s-serpent s-s-s-seduces the Innocents when you least expect it. You won’t even see it coming. Be on guard. TIP: Be careful what you place at your center; this is your God. Be on guard, for Satan is like a “roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.” Christ’s temptations in the desert were attempts […]
Sometimes words fail to capture what is real about how I feel. Here are some expressions of love for Christ through the Holy Spirit. I am nothing in the presence of the nothingness of God.
Disclaimer: What follows is not authorized by Cistercians, Lay Cistercians, or Roman Catholic Church but is solely the opinion of a broken-down, old temple of the Holy Spirit. During one of my Lectio Divina meditations (Phil 2:5), I asked what Christ did to ensure the continuity of his mission, giving honor and glory to the […]
These ideas are unrelated thoughts I find interesting.
The world has seduced us into thinking that everything is measured by how much some things cost. I ran into a similar situation when I had the affrontery to suggest that science is a closed system. The words we use to describe what is around us carry different weights for each person. Each person hears […]
When I apply my Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5), then sit back and wait, here is what I received. You judge its value for you. That was a big basket.
From a sermon by Saint Bernard, Abbot The stages of contemplation Let us take our stand on secure ground, leaning with all our strength on Christ, the most solid rock, according to the words: He set my feet on a rock and guided my steps. Thus firmly established, let us begin to contemplate what he […]
Being nearly 82 years of age, the one thought that keeps popping up in my Lectio Divina meditations is unlikely. If I die, where will I go? What will it be like? If my focus is to be more like Christ and less like me, what does that look like? THOUGHTS FROM AN OLD, BROKEN-DOWN […]
In keeping with my Top Ten Favorites theme, here are my top ten photos with a twist. They are the focus of contemplation in various Lectio Divina (Phil 2:5) sessions I have used. Photos add richness and a touch of realism to my Lectio Divina meditations. They allow me to use more of my five […]
To solve the Divine Equation correctly, I must use the correct language. This language does not come from human nature because the questions and their correct answers originate from pure knowledge (beyond our pay grade). To solve anything about God, we must use the language of God to have it makes sense. This language is […]
Q & A Question: Do I need contemplative prayer to be a practicing Catholic? Answer. Catholics have a rich heritage of prayer, dating back to Apostolic times. As you read from the section on contemplative prayer, prayer means a way we communicate with the Sacred. We use various methods to approach God (Eucharist, Penance, Lectio […]
It seems that the most complex problems always have the most straightforward answers. Actually, God and I do not have precisely the same problem. Jesus had to learn how to communicate his mission as the ransom for many humans. My problem is to try to demythologize what He is saying in terms of the totality […]
If you have been following my meanderings, I write around a core of The Divine Equation in my Lectio Divina meditations on The Christ Principle. Mainly, I just listen to what is said and try to keep my mental mind open. It doesn’t always work, but here is one of the fragments I found in […]
I use a template to create the exact product each time I make it. This could be a furniture template to turn out lamps that look exactly alike. I thought about the notion of a template when I thought of the Christ Principle, one concept into which all reality trends and flows from which all […]
Remember that Catholic is the name for those individuals who share one faith, one lord, one baptism, Unity in the Body. 1* I, then, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received,a 2with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love,b […]
My preoccupation for some time has been to move from my false self to my true self. This transition is a transformation (conversio morae) from being human in two universes (physical and mental) to that being fully human in three universes (physical, mental, and spiritual). As I am beckoned by the Holy Spirit to abandon […]
I have constantly been upset with myself for claiming that the Holy Spirit is my generator of ideas, not because it is not valid but because it sounds so haughty to claim that. No more. I give credit to the source of my thinking. My approach to Lay Cistercian spirituality is totally my own experiences […]
MY TOP TEN FAVORITES: Movies What follows is what came from my Lectio Divina (Phil 2:5) meditations. I need to acknowledge Brother Michael, O.C.S.O. and Father Cassian, O.C.S.O., monks both at the Monastery of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit, Conyers, Georgia, for expanding my idea of Lectio to group Lectio, photos, and music Lectio […]
I must warn you that what I am writing, I do so with the promptings from the Holy Spirit, which are not traditional to my Catholic Faith on the first review but which I consider illuminating, at least. This is just a blog, the mutterings of an old, broken-down Lay Cistercian temple of the Holy […]
The Feeding of the Four Thousand.* 1In those days when there again was a great crowd without anything to eat,a he summoned the disciples and said, 2“My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. 3If I send them away hungry […]
Use these visuals to focus on Christ. With all the blather around issues in the Church, one good way to lose your Faith is to lose your focus on Christ. St. Benedict says, “…prefer nothing to the love of Christ.” (Chapter 4, Rule) WHAT DO YOU SEE? WHAT DO YOU SEE? WHAT DO YOU SEE […]
I share with you some of the photos I use in my Lectio Divina and other PowerPoint learning events. They make good screensavers. WHAT DO YOU SEE? WHAT DO YOU SEE? Above are the new skins for the new wine (Christ yesterday, today, and tomorrow). This is the old skins. WHAT DO YOU SEE? WHAT […]
I added these to the website Quora to answer one of their questions. With some of these inane questions, no wonder many countries are going more and more atheistic. I don’t blame them, but I offer some ideas that help me with the insanity of false questions. It’s a living. That they ask you to […]
In my Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) today, I thought about how powerful energy must be to create what we know as the known universe (multiple universes is another discussion). These are just the thoughts of a broken-down, old temple of the Holy Spirit that has been blessed to be accepted as a Lay Cistercian by […]
Don’t ask. This topic just popped into my compendium of Lay Cistercian practices for my consideration. Whenever we use words, the user (me) has assumptions that have taken a lifetime to associate with that word, and the receiver uses the same lifetime of assuming what the word means to them. When I say I have […]
Humans interact with our outside environment by using our five senses and reason to form thought processes that mean something. Language is such a set of signals that we identify to form ways to communicate with each other. Knowing the language is so crucial for any group of people. Physicians have their own language, which […]
In thinking about my own mortality and how it will be after I die, I usually abandon myself to Christ and fall upon the mercy of God to take care of me. John Chapter 17 is an unusually comforting Scripture that I enjoy reading repeatedly. There is another dimension about Heaven that has crept into […]
Based on my contemplation of the Christ Principle (Philippians 2:5), I have conjured up a strange contradiction. All reality from its inception (however that happened) is an intelligent progression from what is simple to the more complex. Yet, to fulfill my nature, I must move from complex to what is most simple. How can that […]
Among the more esoteric topics for my Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5), I consider this one on time near the top of the list. In my Lectio Divina this morning (at 2:02 a.m.), the question popped into my mind, “If there is an evolution in all matter and within all living species (I call it intelligent […]
I asked the question this morning, “What am I doing now that I was not doing five years ago, the caveat being Lay Cistercian practices that come from my observance of monastic charisms at Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Monastery (Trappist), Conyers, Georgia? CUSTOS OCULI –– I now practice custos oculi, the custody of […]
Each of us, in the short time we find ourselves in this existence, uses the totality of our human experiences to probe the depth of what it means to be human. We may not even be conscious of it, but we want to ensure that we are worth something, that our living is for a […]
I asked one of the monks about contemplative prayer and what it meant. He told me, “if you have to ask for a definition, you need to do more contemplation.” Although I am still not sure what he meant, I do know that my human side wants to know more, while my spiritual side just […]
Francisco Paco Ambrosetti, God rest his soul, is a Lay Cistercian now standing before the Throne of the Lamb and proclaiming the glory of the Father. Here is his prayer. May his soul, and the soul of all Lay Cistercians rest in the peace of Christ. Paco’s Prayer COME, Holy Spirit. Replace the tension within […]
If you have not done so, I recommend reading (and reflecting) on the late Teilhard de Chardin’s book, The Phenomenon of Man. I do so because it is at the heart of my Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) meditations about The Christ Principle. My thoughts go through a process of intelligent progression, reflecting what is happening […]
There is one shortcoming, I stop short of calling it a failure, of the Church Universal in teaching the Faith to those who are growing in their faith (youngsters or the newly professed Catholics): sustainability. RCIA is an excellent greenhouse in which those who discern what it means to be Catholic Universal (all rites) can […]
My Catholic Faith is not a philosophy where I have a set of goals I meet or not. It is not a way of life that is easy. Taking up the cross daily means being more human than I ever thought possible. I keep asking myself why things are so difficult? Part of my Lectio […]
Contemplation is a process of what happened before. In the case of just one word, if that word is the Word that is made flesh and dwells among us in the Eucharist, these words are not just human in origin but contain the energy of God, as much as we are able to receive it. […]
We are made in the image and likeness of God. For as long as I can remember, I have struggled with what that phrase could mean. Somehow, I think it is at the very core of what it means for me to be human, but how any of this has a bearing on my spirituality […]
My mind is a computer of unimaginable complexity and wonder. With the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI), my capabilities and capacities have increased, but only because I create my World from those assumptions and trials and errors that my reason tells me are good for me. I occupy a pocket of time during which I […]
It might seem strange for me to ask a question about wasting my time on putting together a view of reality where God might not exist. Actually, if I don’t ask the opposite of what I hold so tenaciously, then my belief is blind faith rather than faith informed by reason. Here is my question: […]
I have found a speaker that is compelling, not because of their rhetoric but because of how they view reality with statistics and trends in demography and geography. The speaker is Peter Zeihan and I recommend you consider watching his YouTube. I watch everything I can from what he has produced, which is considerable.
I must make a disclaimer for this blog. Usually, my interactions with the Holy Spirit have some connection with a life experience or something I read somewhere and maybe forgot. These ideas are entirely outside what I can remember from how long I have been conscious. They are not new ideas but are new to […]
This is the trailer for the movie and not the movie itself. It is for your information.
Humans, progressing from animality, contain all those traits, but something more is at work here. Animals don’t have a choice to progress or regress. Nature dictates the laws by which they must abide. We can go against nature and do what we want but are bound by those same instincts and feelings from our animal […]
In this blog, just watch theseYoutube videos with no comment from me. It doesn’t need commenting, sadly.
All of this started with my asking, “What is time?” I am having difficulty with this idea because, just when I think I have the answer, a new door opens with more challenging questions. I have been in the business of opening doors for some forty-one years. It doesn’t look like it will stop anytime […]
I never know what will present for my examination and reflection during my Lectio Divina. (Philippians 2:5). Today, I am sitting in the bathtub (that is how people who are 81.7 can take a bath), and the thought of how ridiculous it is to try to prove the existence of God popped into my mind. […]
Two resources for you that I find helpful. First, here is the site where all the Vatican written materials are stored. Doctor Mellifluuus is one such document about Saint Bernard of Clairvaux. Also, check out each of the Ecumenical Councils at the top of the page. https://www.newadvent.org/library/ Secondly, here is the actual document. https://www.newadvent.org/library/docs_pi12dm.htm Pass […]
One lesson that I have begun to be aware of as a direct result of Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) is my prayers, even my routine life chores have been noticeably slowing down. Awareness of these little hints at growth is all that I have to tell me that I am growing in Christ and becoming […]
Two years ago, this coming month, I made the mistake of sitting down on a park bench in the dead of winter, seeking to be near the heart of Christ and receive energy from the Holy Spirit. All I did was say to the Holy Spirit, “Be it done unto me according to your will.” […]
I. BEWARE OF THINKING YOU ARE SOMEHOW BETTER AS A LAY CISTERCIAN THAN OTHER LAY OBLATES OF OTHER TYPES OF APPROACHES TO CONTEMPLATION (Dominican, Franciscan, Benedictine, Basilian, or Jesuit approaches to spirituality for the Laity). This trap is one that the Devil can use to deceive the faithful and those, especially with blind faith. The […]
Listening is praying. May the music speak to your heart as you sit in silence and solitude contemplating how grateful you are that the Father calls you son or daughter. uiodg
This title does not refer to how many words you can read in sixty seconds, but how many ideas I can put together, linking one to another in rapid branching. No commentary. No opinions on my part. I seem to remember that I used this fifty years ago, called data dumping. Try it yourself. Just […]
If you want to explore being a Lay Cistercian, I recommend you read the commentaries of those who existed after Christ and before there was an officially sanctioned list (canon) of books. I use the following resources. https://web.archive.org/web/20180716100726/https://www.churchfathers.org/ https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/ If you try reading these resources out of their context, it just becomes a frustrating exercise […]
Here are some excuses that people might use when they stand face to face before Jesus in their particular judgment when they die. How do I know what people might say? I don’t. What I do know is what excuses I might make when my time comes. The Devil Made Me Do it. Read Genesis […]
As much as I am shocked by what comes out of my Lectio Divina sessions with the Holy Spirit, these seemingly unrelated ideas are beginning to make sense, which is scary since I don’t control any of them. I looked back at my life as primarily a failure and missed opportunities to love others as […]
This rather long and windy title is quite sophisticated as I begin to unwind the various depths contained within the words. First, behind the quote sits the center of the Old Testament, the Shema Yisrael (Deuteronomy 6:5). Not only that, it is the center of the New Testament (Matthew 22:36). Next, this quote answers the […]
Posted on May 20, 2019, by https://thecenterforcontemplativepractice.org This might seem like an odd topic for Lectio Divina, but I assure you, it is authentic, embarrassingly honest. It is natural because none of us practice prayer and hopefully contemplation without distractions and trying to avoid evil thoughts. That it is not just the tomfoolery of a broken-down old […]
There is no free will or the ability to choose anything if there is only one choice. Animal Nature has only one choice, that of being what Nature intended as a part of their natural progression. With the transition from animality to rationality, there is a paradigm shift. The new variables are human reasoning and […]
I just dusted off an excerpt from some of the writings I made about my last retreat at Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Monastery (Trappist) sometime last February. I added some fresh ideas, much like putting new wine in old skins, so I don’t know if it is spoiled or not. You can judge. […]
Now you have done it, you must be thinking. Here is a topic no one wants to talk about but actually dictates how we behave within ourselves and outside with others. In one of my Lectio Divina sessions (Phil 2:5), while reflecting on Christ emptying himself out for us, I thought about how he was […]
It is amazing what happens when you change your perspective.
Homily by Fr. Tom Dillon on the scandals in the Church and our challenge to deal with imperfection and sin. https://soundcloud.com/user-158728690/09-01-18-530-homily  President-Rector addresses Church crisis in the opening talk Friday, August 31, 2018 Note: Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology began the fall semester this week with the Intensive Spiritual Formation Week. President-Rector Fr. […]
I was fumbling around trying to wrap my mind around the “Nature of God” concept when I decided to look it up. Where would a broken-down, old Lay Cistercian temple of the Holy Spirit look to find out about what our heritage is? The answer surprised even me. It was the Catholic Catechism. https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catechism/catechism-of-the-catholic-church The […]
A GATHERING DAY Yesterday (Sunday), the Lay Cistercians of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Monastery (Trappist) gathered together to meet with the Holy Spirit and share some ideas about our journey in life and how we each have realized that Christ is walking with us each day. Although we realize that each of our […]
To be fully human ourselves, we must make sure everyone has a chance to be Pro-Choice. We are the sum of our choices.
I apologize for brushing off the dust of my old Latin texts of the Scriptures. This means “the kingdom of heaven is like…” Matthew 13. The Old Testament was all about the forecast of the one to come, the Messiah. The New Testament is all about the fulfillment of the plan of salvation that shows […]
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/58032/58032-h/58032-h.htm
The following blog is what I wrote down in my Lectio Divina Meditation several months ago. I had to swim in the pool at Premier Gym in Tallahassee, Florida. A particularly loquacious former minister was holding court in the pool, telling people what they believed, as someone who fancied himself judge, jury, and executioner. The […]
Without comment, here is the prayer of abandonment recited by Saint Charles de Foucauld. He and ten others were raised to Sainthood to be venerated by the Church Universal as worthy of our imitation.
One of the great lessons I have taken away from being exposed to Cistercian spirituality is the sheer simplicity of allowing God to shine on your behavior. This life-giving energy replenishes Faith with grace and conversio morae, growing more like Christ and less like the worldly you. I will offer my thoughts about the conversion […]
“Why does human life find itself on a planet just far away from the Sun not to burn up, with just the correct mixtures of gases to exist, with just the correct protection from radiation not to be torched?” Added to that seeming statistical anomaly, humans developed on this planet with the awareness that they […]
My latest Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) is a continuation of one that I wrote down nearly six months ago. The general theme of my thinking is The Christ Principle, and stains emanating from that one idea included Genesis 2-3 and its treatment of “What it means to be a human being.” The basic premise of […]
There is no doubt about it. When I first began my training as a novice Lay Cistercian, I took baby steps to implement a Lay Cistercian Way that would fit my particular situation in life (a retired, broken-down, old temple of the Holy Spirit). Eight years later, I find myself still broken down and still […]
In the most recent wandering in my upper room (with doors locked), I wondered about how Jesus was a carpenter with his dad up until his public ministry. In my later years (and at 82 years old, I am about as late as you can get), I am becoming more recalcitrant about religion in general, […]
In my latest Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5), I was struck by the notion of how difficult it is to live in the world and yet also be a citizen and adopted son in the Kingdom of Heaven. This dual citizenship causes anxiety sometimes and often a choice between what seems like conflicting goods. What brings […]
This title seems like it is innocuous, don’t you think? A couple of days ago, in my Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5), I thought of Christ as my yardstick to measure my behavior, approach to the Sacred, and obligations as a Lay Cistercian (www.trappist.net). I realize that I can never measure up to what Christ is, […]
Human reasoning is a beautiful attribute that animals don’t share and, as far as we can tell, no one has but our species. I find t interesting that, using what I know of what the purpose of life is, the same reasoning that compels me to have a fierce love of Christ Jesus, also propels […]
This morning at 2:30 a.m., I make my pilgrimage to the bathroom. Usually, when I come back to bed, I do a mini-Lectio Divina with my patron Saint, Michael, and ask him to join me as we approach Jesus to give glory and honor to the Father with the Holy Spirit. I use the Lectio […]
You might have some different ideas about this. Five of my thoughts that I still romance after all these years follow. I guess I never will ultimately reach the depth of their significance in my seeking God in my daily living. “That in all things, God be glorified.” –St. Benedict EVERYTHING HAS A BEGINNING AND […]
You know the parable of the good seed falling on good ground. There are three fertilizers that Christ told us to use to keep the soil of our Faith from drying up and becoming sterile. It is no accident that God is depicted as hiring Adam and Eve to take care of the Garden of […]
Those still making our trek to the heavens are fond of saying that those around us who have died are in a better place or are reaping the rewards of a life well-lived. Is this a pious saying, or do we actually believe it? A test might be: do you pray for your loved ones […]
I was involved this last week in a bit of controversy over a statement in the press about how the Church does not have to convert Jews. As with all the reports that try to cast doubt on Christ and the Church, this one is subtle and seems to state that the Church teaches conflicting […]
Wait! Can you answer these six questions before you die? How do you know these are THE six questions you must answer before you die? How do you know they are not? This is my Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) for today. In any event, I have the answers to these six questions. Who told you […]
I can remember reading The Soul of the Apostolate in College. This is the spiritual classic by DOM JEAN-BAPTIST CHAUTARD, O.C.S.O. (Abbot of Notre Dame de Sept Fons). This morning, the Holy Spirit tickled my neurons to bring up my previous encounters with this most revered of Cistercian writings. I not only enjoy reading this […]
I made this contemplative retreat recently and found it to be life-changing and the most inspiring thoughts that I am still processing to assimilate into my personal spiritual worldview. I offer to share this with you, but be forewarned, it is not for the faint of heart, and you must go to a place where […]
If you choose to access this blog from various Trappist websites, hopefully, you will be as inspired as I was.
I had gall bladder removal surgery yesterday and am slowly getting back to normal (which is no small feat for me because I haven’t been normal for over twenty years). As I grow in awareness that I don’t know the full implications of the questions that I raise in my Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5), two […]
Remember the actor Flip Wilson and his characters.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kaiLcwHXB4 This is one of my favorite comedic routines, “The Devil Made Me Do It.” Geraldine blams the Devil on her buying a new dress. Sounds a lot like Genesis 1-2, where Eve blamed the Serpent for eating the fruit. We know the consequences, right? The older I […]
Humans have human nature. That sounds like a Yogi Berra truism, but there is a wisdom that belies this simple turn of phrase. The Book of Genesis, the archetypal story of our nature, points out that we humans are not God. Yet, as a result of the Original Sin, the principal sin we commit has […]
ASSUMPTIONS UNDERPINNING THE DIVINE EQUATION For some reason, always unknown to me, the notion of The Divine Equation popped up in my Lectio Divina this morning. I have been writing down what I have received from the Holy Spirit without totally knowing what I am writing but hoping to put the pieces together gradually. I […]
The title suggests that the blog you now read is the last one I will ever write. I don’t mean that. My Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) meditation is “If you could write one short paragraph, summing up everything you have learned about the purpose of life and your purpose within it, what would that be?” […]
The “Don’t tell me” generation goes back a long way. In fact, it is recorded in the Book of Genesis, Chapters 2-3. The classic archetype of humans is one with fundamental flaws yet whose nature is good. Individually, not so much so. We have reason and free choices, but the choices are sometimes destructive to […]
LOVE IS LIKE A VALENTINE CARD Love has two dimensions: the mind (knowledge and logic) and the heart (emotion and feeling). Remember when you were in Third Grade, and everyone exchanged Valentine’s Day cards? What did you do when you went home that day? Did you put them in a special spot in your drawer […]
To wander through the high grass of the English language is to walk through paths that are sometimes strewn with weeds among the wildflowers. The communication problem becomes one of learning to delve into the assumptions underlying the words we use. For example, to say the word “Love” might mean one thing to my wife […]
There is nothing more challenging in life than moving or growing in awareness of your environment. The most basic and fundamental unit is the human person, who comes into being with two other persons’ consent and lives for seventy or eighty years, if lucky. I would like you to accompany me on a Lectio Divina […]
Would you join me in praying the Office of the Dead for my friend, Father Carl Roos, who died on April 3rd in Indianapolis, Indiana? We can also include any other souls of the Faithful Departed. May they rest in the peace of Christ. Here is the website www.divineoffice.org. You may also find my blog […]
Here are some sayings I discovered on one of my favorite websites.
Here are some sayings that have popped up in my Lectio Divina Marriage is not the purpose of life, but the purpose of marriage is life. Love means following your heart to sit down next to Jesus on a park bench and wait. Just because your road is rocky doesn’t mean you are on the […]
This topic would not be the conversation starter around any dinner in my experience of eating, but it is critical to what it means to be a human. REFLECTIONS ON WHY WE HAVE THE CHOICE OF GOOD OR EVIL Does good or evil originate with humans? Within humans? Outside of humans? With God? With society? […]
What follows is a blog from last year on the liturgical celebration of what Christ did for us in the passion, death and resurrection.
The recent fiasco over two actors, one of whom struck the other because of an insult, indicates just how much we revere actors in general as the paragons of what it means to be human. This fixation on a celebrity or who’s who in the zoo can border on the ridiculous was it not so […]
This topic is near and dear to me because it is me and my attempts to die to self to move from false self to God. This is the Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) I had this morning at 7:15 EDT at Cardiology Associates on the third floor in Tallahassee, Florida. I drove to an early […]
In one of my Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) meditations, I experienced a rapid succession of ideas all unrelated. I call them firecracker thoughts because they are explosive bursts of energy from the Holy Spirit. “Life has no meaning. Each of us has meaning and we bring it to life. It is a waste to be […]
The fourth type of cross-cutting strings or patterns that span all reality is that of a YES or a NO. This is how I dissect all reality into its manageable components, the physical universe of matter and energy. This mental universe is aware that there is a YES or NO, then the spiritual universe seeks […]
Mr. Putin: Listen to this YouTube. You would have been a truly generational leader, had you chosen what this Youtube embodies.
In keeping with my slightly off-center personality, I pose to you some photos/YouTubes/articles and ask you to think about what questions these images raise in your mind. Remember, I am not you; you are not me; God is not you; and you, most certainly, are not God. St. Thomas Aquinas says that knowledge precedes love. […]
I USED TO LOOK DOWN AT THE BAPTISTS We all are guilty. When we hear something, we process it according to our first impressions. As the saying goes, you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. Perhaps this is because the old adage applies: whatever is received, is received according to the disposition […]
RESOURCES THAT HAVE HELPED ME ON MY LAY CISTERCIAN JOURNEY (SO FAR) Here are some wonderful, contemplative websites that may help you find some rest for your soul. I admit my bias. https://www.trappist.net https://www.newadvent.com https://thecenterforcontemplativepractice.org https://www.cistercianfamily.org/ https://siena.org/ https://www.carlmccolman.net https://scotthahn.com https://www.cistercianpublications.org https://dynamiccatholic.com https://www.centeringprayer.com/cntrgpryr.htm https://www.monk.org https://cistercianpublications.org/Category/CPCT/CistercianTradition https://www.saintmeinrad.edu https://w2.vatican.va/content/vatican/en.html https://ccc.usccb.org/flipbooks/catechism/files/assets/basichtml/page-I.html# https://www.catholicapologetics.org/ https://stpaulcenter.com/support-the-center https://www.osv.com/Home.aspx https://www.osb.org/cist/ https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/how-weteach/catechesis/catechetical-sunday/word-ofgod/upload/lectio-divina.pdf https://www.ewtn.com/library/mary/bernard2.htm https://www.ecatholic2000.com/index2.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_shhU_H5Z0 […]
In my minuscule accumulation of knowledge throughout my life experience, many languages are out there. Almost all of them I have a novice’s mastery, and a few of them enough to know that I know how much I don’t know. St. Thomas Aquinas, O.P., great Doctor of the Church, has a quote close to how […]
The title, I must apologize, is somewhat misleading. In my Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) this morning, while I was sitting in the bathtub taking a shower (at 81+ I have to sit in a chair), these thoughts came to me. I was struck by what the center of the physical universe might be. Here is […]
What follows is a cryptic outline of the blogs I will narrate for YouTube. Contemplate practice is just that, the repetition of going into your inner room, locking the door, and waiting. OUTLINE OF THE ART OF CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE I. FUNDAMENTAL CORE OF CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE SKILL ONE: What is the purpose of life? Learn how […]
During one of my Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) meditations, I thought about the wisdom that Christ came to give us through revelation. I also thought of how great thinkers have taught us what the appropriate behavior for humans is. In his simple message of “love others as I have loved you,” Christ is the fulfillment […]
At the heart of Lay Cistercian spirituality, or the way each person, each day seeks God by having in them the mind of Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:5), is conversion. I share with you some of the readings that have made me ponder my morality and immortality during Lent. https://www.goodcatholic.com/your-guide-to-the-seven-deadly-sins/ Whenever I think of converting myself […]
Here are some thoughts about how the Christ Principle links all peoples to himself. The Coming of Jesus’ Hour.*20Now there were some Greeks* among those who had come up to worship at the feast.n21* They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.â€o22Philip went and told […]
I know that I am. Being full of hatred, depending on your assumptions, means different things to different readers (or writers). Here are some reflections on hatred and some contexts in which they might be good or evil. Once, when I was thinking about having in me the mind of Christ Jesus (Phil 2:5), I […]
Here is a reading that has helped me to experience the lessons of Christ, our Rabbi, our High Priest, our Advocate, and the Christ Principle. The Anointing at Bethany.a1*Â Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.b2They gave a dinner for him there, and Martha served, […]
One of those recurring questions I must keep asking myself from now until I die is, “Am I a Roman Catholic, or am I just passing through?” It is like the examination of conscience that St. Benedict writes about in Chapter 4 of his Rule. Read it. https://christdesert.org/rule-of-st-benedict/chapter-4-the-tools-for-good-works/ I always cite my source and give […]
The practice of contemplative thinking is being able to move ideas from the head into the heart. One way to do this is Cistercian (Trappist) spirituality which stresses: silence, solitude, work, prayer, and community. I have used seven habits that allow me to focus consistently and purposefully on moving from my false self to my […]
During the Lenten season, particular emphasis is on how to move from my false self to my true self. The book, The Cistercian Way, written by the late Dom Andre Louf, O.S.C.O., is one that I continue to read, again and again, to recreate the pattern of the passion, death, and resurrection in my person […]
My Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) presented me with a bit of a puzzle that I am still trying to decipher. As God’s word, bring the words, the prayer, the sharing, the becoming what you read into your inner room (Matthew 6:6) is like having a glass of concentrated orange juice in front of you that […]
Read Psalm 115 and reflect on it in the silence of your inner room. Not to us, Lord, not to us. I 1Not to us, LORD, not to us but to your name give glory because of your mercy and faithfulness.a 2Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?â€*b 3Our God is in heaven […]
This Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) came about when I ask the Holy Spirit the question: How is it that Jesus (human and divine natures) knew about his mission and purpose on earth? Remember, I only write what I think the Holy Spirit said. I am not claiming to be correct, only that I received and […]
My Lectio Divina meditation (Philippians 2:5) took me to ask about my being faithful to what Christ taught about loving others as Christ loved us. Read the whole text about love with its fantastic approach to Christ being real inside you. I offer it to you so that you can enjoy the depths of meaning […]
It is Lent, the liturgical season once again, and I am drawn to think about my mortality, my corruption of life and its companion, conversio morae. Other than realizing that my life is more like a yo-yo in my struggle to have in me the mind of Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:5) rather than a merry-go-round, […]
During Lent, I want to focus on moving away from my false self (pride) and replacing it with humility and the energy of the Holy Spirit (as much as I can take). This is capacitas dei, making room for Jesus in that upper room of your consciousness where you keep the doors locked for fear […]
Play now, pay later. I would not want to be in your shoes when you meet God.
For the many times I have gone to confession and received a penance from the priest, it was to recite Three Hail Marys and make a true promise not to sin again. No amount of penance by me can make up for my sins. The Three Hail Marys are just a token of my desire […]
Russian people. Don’t you remember how it feels to invade another country? It was evil of Germany, and now you are repeating it. Wake up.
During this Lenten season, a time to die to self to rise with Christ, there is no better example of abandonment than that of Viscount Charles de Foucauld, soon to be canonized as a Saint of the Church Universal. When Jesus tells us to love others as He loved us, the example of St. Charles […]
Remember the murder of Kitty Genovese and how neighbors would not help her after she was wounded and dying? What is happening now resembles that situation, where all of us, beginning with myself, wring our hands and shout out, “I stand behind you,” as one country bullies and swallows another sovereign nation, raping their ability […]
Actually, there is no solution to the Divine Equation as much as it is a key to living your humanity in such a way that you can see reality and thus fulfill the next step in the evolution of the species. In seeing reality authentically, you need to answer six questions. They need to be […]
Taking up your cross each day to follow Christ is a preposterous idea to those who only live in two universes, the physical one which is our base, and the mental one which gives us the tools of reason and free choice to discover the interrogatories of the world of our experiences (WHO, WHAT. WHEN. […]
This might seem like an innocuous topic for contemplative practice but stick with me. The world is obsessed with power, be it physical power, personal power, military prowess, such as we witness in the takeover of Ukraine, or political power (the one I detest the most). What bothers me most is that when we use […]
When entering the realm of the heart from the realm of the mind, Phil 2:5 taught me to have perspective. I thought of humility and how much Christ had to become one of us, how strange it must have been to be God one moment and human and God in the next. It is all […]
These days when I am at the mercy of my body, I found myself in the waiting room of my Internal Medicine physician, awaiting an appointment to examine pain in my upper right quadrant. As I always do, my thoughts go to my Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5). Waiting rooms these days are strange places. People […]
Once, a young man wanted to know the one question, that, if you asked it, all others depended upon it. He set out to find that one question, one that kept him up at night, not with worry but with curiosity. He went to his local high school chemistry teacher, which he admired the most. […]
Thus passes the glory of the world. What a profound saying as the whole world seems destined for hatred and power-grabbing. My thoughts in a Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) had to do with what doesn’t pass away, what is secure, what lasts forever, plus how can I get some of that in my life. I […]
Recent events in our time have one country with considerable power and military take over another country, one who is sovereign and not provoking anyone in the name of nationalism. It is not just nor is it acceptable, yet many nation-states stand on the sidelines, wringing their hands with eyes glued on this rape, intently […]
In my last few years of being a Lay Cistercian, I have completely changed my viewpoint about being the center of my world, but not in the way you might expect. I have been tutored to avoid being self-centered and selfish all of my life. I now glory in my selfishness because I understand that […]
One of the most impactful movies of my life is that of the martyrdom of the seven monks of Tibhirine (Algeria) in 1996. Here are some of the movies I watch during Lent as a way to lift my consciousness to how others live out their lives trying to live the model Christ left us: […]
Look up the website called The Prodigal Catholic under resources. Astounding. This is in my top five all-time websites. https://prodigalcatholic.com/free-books-resources/
Very rarely does the Holy Spirit throw something at me out of the blue, so to speak. This is a topic I share with you without comment, which would only dilute this concentrated orange juice of Flannery O’Conner’s thoughts. Each of us can mix the lived reality of our life against the words from this […]
I offer to you what I myself received. I don’t know what to do with it, and you might or might not either. I warn you, linking up with the Holy Spirit and asking that the Spirit enlighten you with divine energy is risky. You might just get what you wished. The following is like […]
I share with you the Lenten Practices I do as part of my habit of penance that comes with being a Lay Cistercian. I do not wish you to do as I do. I recommend that you do as Christ does as we prepare liturgically to appreciate the importance of the Resurrection. SCRIPTURAL READINGS These […]
The Rule of St. Benedict has a Chapter that I just read for my spiritual reading last week. It is called The Abbot’s Table. Obviously, we don’t live in the time of St. Benedict in the 6th Century. However, the notion of hospitality is still very much alive today for Benedictines, Cistercians, and Lay Cistercians, […]
One of the first things monks and nuns, particularly those cloistered, do is to learn custody of the eyes. Here are some readings for you that I, myself, did, and which I share with you. During this time of Lent, when we recognize that we are dust and into dust we all will return, ponder […]
With patience, you can achieve all things. (My loose translation). Patience is a virtue, so that saying goes. With patience, you can achieve all that you seek. I find it very important to achieve silence and solitude within myself. Every time I try to do Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5), I find that there is a […]
Here is a primary source for those wishing to delve deeper into the silence of their hearts. Be careful what you let into your mind, it may transform you or corrupt you. https://aquinas101.thomisticinstitute.org/st-ia#TOC17 Here are a few quotes from St. Thomas Aquinas, O.P. “We must love them both, those whose opinions we share and those […]
How is it possible for the Spirit to be corruptible if God is incorruptible? It isn’t. What is possible is, once I am baptized, I am corruptible in my resolve to keep myself centered on The Christ Principle. I am continuing my reflections on reality as I focus on the impact of Original Sin on […]
Did you get your Valentine Day’s card from God yet? You should have. God sent it to every human who ever lived. Reflect on them. What follows is the Valentine’s God sent us. John 3:16 gives us a glimpse of how much God loves us. The greatest Valentine gift must be Jesus, Son of God, […]
Each human being has a beginning and an ending. We experience the physical universe of matter, energy, time, space, all that lives on the earth within our lifespan. It is our base of existence, the physical foundation of our humanity. This humanity has characteristics or charisms that differ from other life forms. The very fact […]
The focus of my thinking these days has been on Original Sin and how humans must live within its parameters, such as death, pain, emotions, and the ambiguity of choosing either good or bad behaviors that we think will make us satisfied. Saint Augustine also struggled with this concept and coined the famous catchphrase: “Our […]
My own experience with Lectio Divina has a twofold dimension. First, a horizontal one is a time I take before, during, and after my Lectio process. This is horizontal Lectio because it has a beginning and an ending, however long that may last. What is prayer happens within those parameters? Vertical contemplation (my term to […]
My Lectio Divina yesterday provided me with some intriguing thoughts about human nature, admittedly, not your usual morning reading choice. I use the word “nature” as meaning the independent and self-contain category of being. Independent because one is not the other, distinct but joined together as alive but with different characteristics and energy sources. These […]
There are so many wonderful resources for contemplative practice out there. Here are some of my favorite. https://www.catholicbiblical.org/links www.prodigalcatholic.com/freebooks-resources www.usccb.org usccb catholic catechism www.newadvent.org www.divineoffice.org I have a blog on this website. uiodg
You are capable of living in three realities or universes simultaneously. Think about that statement. If you are human, you automatically live in two universes. Some of us never progress to the third universe, the spiritual plane of existence. The physical universe — all matter, chemical elements, physics, all that lives belong to this universe. […]
This morning, I thought about The Rule of Opposites in my Lectio Divina meditation (Philippians 2:5). You probably have never heard of it. That is because I wrote a book about it called The Three Rules of the Spiritual Universe, and The Rule of Opposites is one of those three. The other two Rules are […]
When reflecting on my experiences with being a Lay Cistercian, I find it amazing that I am so much more aware of what it means to “have in me the mind of Christ Jesus.” This mind of Jesus has remained more of a novelty or talking point rather than a capstone of my spiritual development. […]
January 1, 2022, those who gather together to celebrate the death of the Lord until he comes again in glory (Eucharistic Prayer) do so by venerating The Blessed Mother, Mary, Mother of God. Just as the phrase “Mother of God” is misunderstood in its meaning, so too, praying to Mary is always taken out of […]
You will never guess where I received my last Lectio Divina inspiration. I was sitting in my bathtub with a towel over my head, just concentrating on The Christ Principle. (Philippians 2:5) The thought came to mind that when Christ emptied himself of divine nature to take on human nature, from what and into what […]
I purposefully stumbled on a YouTube about one of my five favorite subjects to watch (Korean Walking Tours in the Snow, Science Shows about the universe, Blue Bloods, Cowlin Cowherd on The Herd, FS1, and surgical procedures of total knee or brain tumor removal). I know it is a rather eclectic group in which I […]
My life has been a curious combination of private and public prayer, sometimes created by me spontaneously (Lectio Divina), while other times praying rituals that seek routine consistency as a way to praise God. All prayer, no matter the kind or type, is simply you taking time to say Thank You to God for the […]
In this season of reflection and penance, the Church calls Advent, where we prepare for the coming of Christ in our hearts rather than just have the same old, meaningless merchant’s Santa Claus, I try to remind myself that my adoption as a son (daughter) of the Father carries with it consequences. I shun the […]
Remember the tune, “How deep is your love?” It is one of my favorite tunes from the Bee Gees. I can’t say I remember all of the words, except the refrain and the melody. This song resurrects some old thoughts from a Lectio Divina way back when. It even predates the Bee Gees. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpqqjU7u5Yc&t=120s I […]
Like any good examination of conscience (Chapter 4 of St. Benedict’s Rule, https://christdesert.org/rule-of-st-benedict/chapter-4-the-tools-for-good-works/), it is my custom to review my life achievements and frequent faults and failings at the end of each year with the resolve to “prefer nothing to the love of Christ,†with the help of the Holy Spirit. Today, I performed such a […]
After trying to live a habit of Lectio Divina for many years, the steps of Guibo II (oratio, meditatio, oratio, and comtemplatio) become like blinking (an autonomic response we do but don’t think about doing it). So does the idea of conversatio morae, conversion of life (the words moved to a vertical depth rather than […]
One of those traits humans have is to judge the many by the one. There is a pedophile priest, so therefore all priests must be bad. There is a corrupt cop, so we should defund the police. We humans are creatures of the moment. We erect monuments to our heroes only to tear them down […]
Usually, I don’t play God games (My God can beat your God), and I still don’t intend to do so. Still, this week’s incident of an Orthodox Priest calling the Pope a heretic raised an interesting issue for me, one that is not on my front burner but will cause the pot to burn if […]
Woah! As they say in Indiana, “Thems might big words for a pipsqueak.” About two years ago, at a Gathering Day presentation by one of the monks to Lay Cistercians at Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Monastery (Trappist), he told us God was male. Of course, I knew that was incorrect, theologically. God is […]
One of the most interesting YouTube programs I have watched is one with the hypothesis, What would it be like if, all of a sudden, all humans would disappear? The video is worth watching for its profound implications for Original Sin and the natural law (physics and morals). Look it up on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Of1NS66Wn14 I […]
If you wish to love Christ as He loved us, you must be a penitential person. How you that depends on your capacitas dei (capacity for God) and listening with the ear of your heart (St. Benedict in the Prologue to the Rule). This blog is the first of four parts about the Table of […]
Nota Bene: This blog is lengthy. As the Feast of the Nativity fast approaches, the thought comes to mind in Advent about how each one of us should be grateful for the fact that God became one of us because of love and to show us how to love authentically. When we live authentically, we […]
Being a Lay Cistercian is one of not only discovering what it means to be Cistercian and a Layperson, but also how that openness to the heart of Christ transforms me into something I was not before. If I am a Table of the Lord, I build myself in vain if God does not inspire […]
The following excerpt is from a book entitled Profound Listening: A Lay Cistercian reflects on habits that help “listen with the ear of the heart:” Due out in December 2021. ROWING AGAINST THE FLOW OF LIFE The struggle to be spiritual may be compared to a rower paddling upstream. When we are baptized, God tells […]
This title seems confusing, if not outright contradicting itself. The cross is associated with pain, suffocating rules that take away freedom, and sometimes even acute depression. While it can be that, there is an almost paradoxical twist to taking up our cross daily to follow Christ. It makes me, at least, happy. This is not […]
Yesterday was Veterans’ Day. I attended the Eucharist to pray for all those I know and don’t know and their families. That brought back some memories. In 1979, I was awarded The Chaplain of the Year by the Reserve Officers’ Association. I had to travel to Washington D.C. and attend a fancy gathering and give […]
In its purest form, Lectio is a movement from just repeating one phrase in Holy Scriptures repeatedly before moving to the next sentence. Lectio has never been an end in itself, although beginners will try to move through each of the four steps of Lectio (lectio, meditatio, oratio, and contemplatio) compulsively. As time goes on, […]
I came across the following excerpt while reading some Chesteron as part of my spiritual reading. No comments from me. I enjoyed it and hoped that you might, too. What follows is my homage to one who challenges us to reflect on who we are with the Christ Principle. AZ QUOTES “Jesus promised his disciples […]
The Christ Principle is the center of all reality, the purpose for why all of us are. I am not you, you are not me; God is not you, and you, most certainly, are not God. –Michael F. Conrad There is one Christ Principle while each human relates to his energy with the sum of […]
As I learned about Lectio Divina from Brother Michael, O.C.S.O., our Junior Instructor for Lay Cistercians at Our Lady of the Holy Spirit (Trappist), Conyers, Georgia, this way of praying is at the center of Cistercian spirituality, and so is what we Lay Cistercians place towards the top of our practices. Lectio Divina has four […]
Several years ago, I tried to bake one batch of biscuits to fix biscuits and gravy for my anniversary. “Tried” is the operable word here because I found out baking is not a skill that I have yet acquired, much less mastered. If I stopped trying to bake biscuits, life would still go on, but […]
When St. Benedict wrote his Rule at the very beginning of the Prologue, his warning to brothers and sisters was to “listen with the ear of your heart.” Cistercian contemplative practices allow me to have Christ Jesus’s mind each day and be aware that I am aware of my mindset to seek God each day […]
“Faith,” as a topic has always been a terrible teaser to me. Faith is the substance of what I believe, and yet, it is a Mystery of Faith; one has eluded me at the same time I find myself moving towards some semblance of knowledge. I know that it is a gift from God’s own […]
Lectio Divina has taken me to many alarming places, not the least of which has just been an iceberg. It happened this morning at 2:01 a.m. In this mini-Lectio adventure, the Holy Spirit invited me to sit on an iceberg and then just left me there to ponder in silence and solitude the profound why-ness […]
If you hold that we are in a spiritual battle with the forces of Evil played out on the playground of the seventy or eighty years we each live, then it is good to know your enemy. With Baptism, we have the energy (from God), and the tools (from Jesus and the Holy Spirit) to […]
In my most recent Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5), the image of a drop of water kept reoccurring. I stopped worrying about it and asked the question, “What does this mean?” My answer was “You only live life one drop of time at a time.” Upon further reflection, here are some of my drops. We only […]
As the accumulated experiences bombard my heart with knowledge, love, and service (energy), more and more, I find topics pop out from my Lectio Divina encounter with the Holy Spirit, ones that were latent and dormant in the synaptic recesses of my brain. Synchronicity is the latest remarkable and unexpected idea from one of my […]
It is true that, once you begin to abandon your will to allow the Holy Spirit to move at will, you are never the same. You may be older or wiser, but encountering the Sacred is an awareness that you can’t describe with mere human words or emotions. Yet, there are several layers of depth, […]
This coming September 29, 2021, the Church celebrates the feast of St. Michael. In my case, it is the day on which I was accepted by God as an adopted son of the Father and dedicated at Baptism under the protection of St. Michael. St. Michael’s prayer is one of exorcism (casting out the Devil […]
In the previous blog, entitled “What is missing?” I provided a YouTube of what 10,000 days on Mars would be like. At first, I was struck with the sheer brilliance of the future vision and some of the milestones we humans would have to achieve to get us there and maintain our existence in this […]
I enjoy watching the progress of Elon Musk in his drive to colonize Mars. Watching all the promotional videos on colonization, I find something alarming is missing from the whole concept of life on another planet. Look at this YouTube of a possible Mars colonization and ask yourself the question, “What is missing?” Rather than […]
When I recite the Liturgy of the Hours, the prayer of the Church Universal, I have noticed that there is a growth from just “saying the Divine Office” to that of “having the Liturgy of the Hours be the occasion where I stand before Christ and am the words I recite.” Here are a few […]
Here are some thoughts which I find compelling and merit deeper reflection. A religion that is not made up of sinful people (all of them) is not worth the cost of Christ’s death and resurrection. I find it difficult to explain how a Church composed of sinful people can have Christ without sin as the […]
In one of my Lectio Divina sessions, the Holy Spirit presented me with an image of contemplative practice and my Lay Cistercian daily practices in the form of weight and strength training, much like what professional athletes do. Here are some of the random thoughts that percolated through my mind. The Holy Spirit is the […]
https://www.ecatholic2000.com/pray/prayer.shtml uiodg
One of the great delights of my later years has to do with writing down what the Holy Spirit tells me. Again, I don’t speak for the Holy Spirit, but hopefully, the Holy Spirit speaks to me if I am humble enough. So far, so good. One of the blessings of just being open to […]
I am redoing my Lectio Divina on St. Thomas Aquinas based on the input generated during one of my naps (I take two naps a day, one in the morning and one in the middle afternoon). I read Mortimer Adler’s book, How to Read a Book, while in College (c. 1958-62). What is remarkable is […]
Humans are good at playing games, be it Monopoly, Chess, Basketball pickup, or mind games. There are three mind games that I have identified that are as potentially dangerous to your spiritual well-being as is COVID. It is best not to go there if you want to keep from the clutches of the Evil One. […]
I think I have heard this request a thousand times: “Pray for me.” I ask people to pray for me frequently. What is the meaning behind these words? What are the assumptions that are hidden from others yet are the so-called elephant in the room? In my view of reality, I always begin by quoting […]
Here are some URLs to check out. I went through the listing of those sites I have saved, ones I want to read again. I share them with you. https://www.virginiatrappists.org/category/abbots-lectio-post/ https://www.giamusic.com/sacred_music/RGP/psalmDisplay.cfm https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12789a.htm https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/ https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/ https://usccb.org https://www.newadvent.org/library/ https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html
I find that my Lectio Divina meditations tend to group themselves in clusters of topics. My center is always the same: “have in you the mind of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 2:5) This current cluster is about what is important in my spiritual travels each day and what is not. Here are some examples. I DON’T […]
In my search for God each day, I do a lot of “What Iffing.” I should refine that statement to say, “In my search for God each day, when I use only the world as my center (money, fame, fortune, adulation, pleasure, being god, thinking that I am the center of the universe), I can’t […]
Here are some fractured thoughts that I had while trying to reposition my thoughts to that of having in me the mind of Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:5). Too many times, I find I ask questions that are either the opposite of what exists or that require wrong answers. Wrong questions only generate wrong answers. What […]
We all have taken a trip somewhere, even if it is just to go to Trader Joe’s and buy some delicious root beer drink. Not all trips or vacations are pilgrimages. Muslims celebrate their faith in pilgrimage by visiting Mecca. Catholics pilgrimage to the Vatican to restore their faith or to some other shrine, such […]
I recently read a list of “Best Of” restaurants. That list prompted me to think back to the URLs that are sites I can’t live without (actually, the only thing I can’t live without is Jesus). I offer them with comments and in no particular order of importance. These are a few Internet sites I […]
Hell is not the opposite of Heaven, but rather the absence of it. If that is so, and the kingdom of heaven is right now for us to absorb into our human nature, then would it not be true that hell is also right now? Right or wrong, that is the topic of my Lectio […]
Normally, I would give you some thoughts about a subject from my Lectio Divina. No one has ever accused me of being normal, so I will just share with you the magnificent homily from Bishop Barron on Mary. How biblical. These insights have caused my faith to increase by having more of Christ in me […]
As I wabble down the ever shorter path to my next portal in life, passing from life to death, I become more aware of how the Scriptures are pertinent to who I am now and how the words of Scripture feel as well say or read them. It is particularly true when I read the […]
When beginning to practice meditation before moving to the deeper reality of contemplation, there are some dangers along the way. My latest Lectio Divina Meditation (Philippians 2:5) led me to an unlikely YouTube scene of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. The scene has to do with Harry standing before a mirror being fixated on […]
All living things need food and water to survive, in addition to the right environment. I have learned much from following the Rule of St. Benedict as interpreted by the councils and constitutions of the Cistercian Order of the Strict Observance (OCSO) and further interpreted by Lay Cistercian spirituality. As a professed Lay Cistercian I […]
I admit to not taking the notion of Messiah more seriously than it deserves. Not brought up in the Jewish tradition, I just accept that Jesus is Lord and go on about my business. But, as of late, my Lectio Divina meditations (Philippians 2:5) have been trending towards a deeper penetration into the notion of […]
I agree with St. Thomas Aquinas that God is “essentially unknowable.” Beneath that statement lies several assumptions: Human intelligence can never capture the essence of who God is. We are incapable of doing so. It makes sense that God loved us so much that he sent his only son to tell us and more importantly […]
I thought about the notion of a Divine Equation during one of my Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5) while asking myself the series of questions around “If God did use science and mathematics to formulate all reality, then why did he not communicate the reality in which He exists in terms of mathematics, physics, chemistry, the […]
St. Benedict teaches his monks that the monastery is a School of Charity or Love where we can learn how to love others as Christ loved us. It takes a lifetime to master the Art of Contemplative Practice. In one of my Lectio Divina meditations, the Holy Spirit prompted me to think of this School […]
If you think the Holy Spirit doesn’t have a sense of humor, then you will not appreciate this blog that I wrote down for my Lectio Divina (Philippians 2:5). I like to focus these end days (of my life) on how all things move into and out of the Christ Principle. This is a recent […]
There is a controversy in the Church over the use of the Latin language in the Mass. As usual, almost everyone misses the point. This points out a phenomenon that has plagued the Church all the way back to Moses and the Ten Commandments. Remember the story of the Golden Calf and the Israelites, so […]
Isn’t the Holy Spirit everywhere? Next time you travel with anyone in the car or truck, try this contemplative practice. Ask those in the car to think of one idea only as you read this passage. Read Scriptures from Philippians 3:5-12 outloud (not the driver), then wait for three minutes. Have each person give what […]
Usually, my tastes in television movies and sitcoms goes from following Jason Statham movies to that of Father Brown Mysteries. I came across a television series entitled Lucifer. I thought it would be about the usual fodder fed by sensationalists to sell movies.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yK5lZTPHozs I did watch one episode of Lucifer. It turns out those who […]
One characteristic of love is to want to share what is critical with those whom you value most. I wanted to share an aspect of prayer that is part of our Benedictine/Cistercian/Carthusian heritage. I came across this YouTube of a Cistercian monastery, one which you can see and hear how they created space to lift […]
BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX,Parable One: The Story of the King’s Son1.Once upon a time, there was a rich and powerful king, God the almighty. And he caused Man,whom he had created, to become his son. And because he was a delicate boy, he delegated Lawand the Prophets to be his guardians, and he gave him other […]
I was never very good at academics in school, having the curse to have a slow mind that seems to dwell on how things fit together rather than their composition. I seem to gravitate toward the bigger picture. The problem is that the bigger picture kept getting bigger and bigger. As I look back on […]
