The Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple – Br. Curtis Almquist
Br. Curtis Almquist In the Gospel record, we read of three presentations of Jesus at the Temple. Today, the first of the presentations, marks forty days following Jesus’ birth. Two things were...
View ArticleA Public Relations Nightmare in Jesus’ Hometown – Br. David Vryhof
There are times in the gospels when it seems like Jesus is his own worst enemy. Here he returns to his hometown, where he gets a warm reception – initially. The gospel writer reports that “all spoke...
View ArticleMartyrs of Japan – Br. Geoffrey Tristram
On this day, February 5, 1597, 26 Christians were crucified in the Japanese city of Nagasaki. For some 40 years before this terrible event, the formerly closed world of Japan had opened up to the...
View ArticleSleepy Heads – Br. Mark Brown
They were weighed down with sleep—but they stayed awake, it says. Icons of the Transfiguration often show the disciples lying on the ground while Jesus and Moses and Elijah stand in glory on the...
View ArticleHope Amidst Bones – Seth Woody
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View ArticleThe Spiritual Practice of Lent – Br. David Vryhof
Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of the season of Lent. This day marks the beginning of a journey we will make together, a journey towards Jerusalem where we will meet the Lord in his Passion and...
View ArticlePraying with the Imagination – Br. David Vryhof
In the audio for this sermon, we’ve retained the pauses during which the congregation tried out the techniques Br. David Vryhof describes. We hope you’ll follow along and try them too. This evening we...
View ArticleAsk, Search, Knock – Br. David Allen
In the part of the Sermon on the Mount read as today’s Gospel Jesus tells us that perseverance in prayer is important. Keep on asking, keep on searching, and keep on knocking. Keep asking and that...
View ArticleLenten Love – Br. Luke Ditewig
I was away recently on my annual personal retreat. Initially I slept a lot. I slowed down, tried doing one thing at a time. I gazed at beauty. I was more aware of being with God as my best friend....
View ArticlePraying with Icons – Br. James Koester
We continue tonight our Lenten preaching series Living Prayer. Last week Brother David began by speaking of the prayer of the imagination, also called Ignation Prayer. Next week Brother Geoffrey will...
View ArticleThe Lesson of the Fig Tree: Repent – Br. David Vryhof
The question posed by Jesus in today’s gospel reading is an ancient one – and one that is still very much with us today. The question is this: “Do people who suffer deserve to suffer?” Pause for a...
View ArticlePraying in the Present Moment – Br. Geoffrey Tristram
In this third sermon from the “Living Prayer” preaching series, Br. Geoffrey Tristram hints at how we meet God not in the past, or in the future, but in the present moment. Now is where God is to be...
View ArticleProdigal – Br. Geoffrey Tristram
When I was in my teens, I hated going to church. I thought Christianity was very unsophisticated – and I preferred exploring the rather more exotic religions of the East. They seemed infinitely more...
View ArticleSigns and Symbols – Br. Curtis Almquist
The Victorian poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning, writes that: Earth is crammed with heaven And every common bush afire with God…1 Ms. Browning is here using sacramental language to describe the...
View ArticleAn Extravagant Love – Br. David Vryhof
John 12:1-8 Philippians 3:4b-14 Many of you, I suspect, will be familiar with that wonderful story of extravagant love by O. Henry, called The Gift of the Magi. The story centers on a young American...
View ArticlePraying with Sacred Texts – Br. Mark Brown
Today we remember St. Joseph. We are celebrating his feast day liturgically, but the sermon this evening is the last installment in our Lenten preaching series on prayer. I’ll be talking about praying...
View ArticleWhen You’re Discouraged – Br. David Vryhof
Jeremiah 20:7-13 John 10:31-42 You may recall that when God called Jeremiah to be a prophet, he tried to avoid the call by protesting that he was too young. God reassured him that God would be with...
View ArticlePalm Sunday – The Passion According to Saint Luke
To listen to the reading of the Passion According to Saint Luke, click here or on the player above. The Passion is read by Seth Woody and Waylon Whitley, two of the Monastery interns. To view a photo...
View Article“That We Might Lovely Be” – Br. Luke Ditewig
Here we kneel at the tomb once more, watching, waiting, numb and grieving. We stare at love embodied and remember love received. Our song is love unknown, our Savior’s love—to you, to me—love to the...
View ArticleNow, Now, Now – Br. James Koester
Isaiah 49: 1-7 Psalm 71: 1-14 I Corinthians 1: 18-31 John 12: 20-36 I’ll tell you a secret about me. Maybe those of you who have listened to me over the years can guess what it might be, but maybe not....
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