ST JOSEPH'S ABBEY, SPENCER MA

The philosopher, scientist and artist within us combine to lead us throughout life on a journey of exploration, understanding and celebration of the whole of reality. Creation is a single and continuing expression of God's overwhelming goodness and love, even though there is much to bewilder and baffle, much left unexplained. All discovery and research are, however, an exploration into the mind of God. All knowledge is a sharing in it. But at the end of our journey and striving, when we come into the presence of the living God, every other experience, all other beauty, will seem but straw. Then we shall know as we are known, love as we are loved, and God will be all in all. BASIL HUME A Turning to God

We cannot know whether or not we love God, although there may be strong reasons for thinking so, but there can be no doubt about whether or not we love our neighbor. Be sure that in proportion as you advance in fraternal charity, you are increasing in your love of God, for he bears so tender and affection for us that I cannot doubt he will repay our love for others by increasing, in a thousand different ways, that love which we have for him. ST. TERESA OF JESUS Interior Castle

God certainly deserves a lot from us since he gave himself to us when we deserved it least. Besides, what could he have given us better than himself? Hence when seeking why God should be loved, if one asks what right he has to be loved, the answer is that the main reason for loving him is “He loved us first.” Surely he is worthy of being loved in return when one thinks of who loves, whom he loves, how much he loves. Is it not he whom every spirit acknowledges, saying: “You are my God, for you do not need my possessions.” This divine love is sincere, for it is the love of one who does not seek his own advantage. To whom is such love shown? It is written: “While we were still his enemies, he reconciled us to himself.” ST. BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX On Loving God

The practice of silence has its risks because silence is not always a value. There is an unhealthy and negative silence, a silence of death. Non-communication can express mute rebellion, obstinate refusal, deep resentment. By not speaking, one can often avoid being challenged, avoid taking a stand, avoid the relationship that may become too involving, avoid the demands of love. Silence may be a sign of an under developed personality, and introspective, suspicious, moody, morose type of character. Or silence may indicate a vacuum of indifference and be the sign of a haughty, aloof disinterestedness. Such silence is a closure, a selfish shutting-the-world-off, withdrawal behind closed doors posted with a “Do Not Disturb” sign. CHARLES CUMMINGS, OCSO Monastic Practices

We are sometimes inclined to think that the same things are monotonously repeated over and over again in the history of creation. That is because the season is too long by comparison with the brevity of our individual lives, and the transformation too vast and too inward by comparison with our superficial and restricted outlook, for us to see the progress of what is tirelessly taking place in and through all matter and all spirit. Let us believe in revelation, once again our faithful support in our most human forebodings. Under the commonplace envelope of things and of all our purified and salvaged efforts, a new earth is being slowly engendered. PIERRE TEILHARD DE CHARDIN The Divine Milieu, Epilogue

Blessed are we, if in poverty of spirit we free ourselves from false confidence in material things, desiring above all else spiritual and religious goods, treating the poor with respect and love, as our brothers and as living images of Christ. Blessed are we, if in the meekness of the strong, we renounce the ruinous power of hate and vengeance, conquering only by goodness and peace. Blessed are we, if we refuse to direct our lives by self interest, nor take pleasure as our goal, but learn to find in temperance strength, in pain a source of redemption, in sacrifice the summit of greatness. Blessed are we, if for the kingdom of God—in our time and in eternity—we learn to struggle and to pardon, to serve and to act, to suffer and to love. POPE PAUL VI Homily in Nazareth, 5 January 1964

The love that God most high has for our soul is so great that it surpasses understanding. No created being can comprehend how much, and how sweetly, and how tenderly our maker loves us. Our in-born will is to have God, and the goodwill of God is to have us. There is no end to our willing and longing until we know God in the fullness of joy. Then our desire is filled. He wills that our occupation shall be striving to know and love him until we are made whole in heaven. Our life is grounded in faith, with hope and love besides. JULIAN OF NORWICH

The lowest place is the only spot on earth which is not open to envy. Here alone there is neither vanity nor affliction of spirit. Yet, “the way of a man is not his own” (Jeremiah 10:23), and sometimes we find ourselves wishing for things that dazzle. When that happens, there is nothing for it but to take our stand among the imperfect and look look upon ourselves as very little souls who, at every instant, need to be upheld by the goodness of God. God reaches out his hand to us the very moment he sees us fully convinced of our nothingness, and hears us cry out, “My foot stumbles, but your mercy is my strength” (Psalm 94:18). Should we attempt great things, however, even under the pretext of zeal, he deserts us. So all we have to do is to humble ourselves, to bear with meekness our imperfections. Herein, for us, lies true holiness. ST. THÉRÈSE OF LISIEUX

People’s sense of their worth appears increasingly to depend on what they can accumulate with the power of money. We are constantly being pushed to keep buying, consuming, and distracting ourselves, held captive to a demeaning system that prevents us from looking beyond our immediate and petty needs. The love of Christ has no place in this perverse mechanism, yet only that love can set us free from a mad pursuit that no longer has room for a gratuitous love. Christ’s love can give a heart to our world and revive love wherever we think that the ability to love has been definitively lost. POPE FRANCIS Dilexit Nos (2024)

Once you have had the experience of God's benevolence, you need no longer feel abashed in aspiring to a holier intimacy. Growth in grace brings expansion of confidence. You will love with greater ardor; and knock on the door with greater assurance, in order to gain what do you perceive to be still wanting to you. ‘The one who knocks will always have the door opened to him.’ It is my belief that to a person so disposed, God will not refuse that most intimate kiss of all, a mystery of supreme generosity and ineffable sweetness. ST. BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX   On the Song of Songs