“I listened to Dr. Bette Hecox-Lea, an Episcopalian and marine biologist, speak words of unvarnished truth about how biosphere degradation has activated tipping points that, if left on course, will result in a massive extinction event. On behalf of the scientific community, she said plainly, 'We do not know what will come after these points have tipped permanently, other than that the earth will become uninhabitable.' I wept tears of shocked but sober recognition as I absorbed information I have heard before, but this time, truly listened.” In this sober but hopeful recognition of the true scale of climate emergency, Br. Keith Nelson calls for an emerging ecological Christian ethos, grounded in and empowered by our gift of a new self in Christ.

“Jesus comes to us as a friend, into our homes, knowing our hearts, listening with compassion, and redirecting us on the way to life.” Br. Luke Ditewig reflects on two stories from Luke's Gospel, inviting us to ask with its characters: "What must I do to inherit eternal life?"

“The truly surprising thing is that you don’t have to travel thousands of miles to be surprised by God. You only have to be a pilgrim. And you can be that, right here and right now, by opening yourself up to the power and presence of God.” Br. James Koester invites us to be pilgrims: right here, right now.

“When Jesus finds his voice – at around age 30 – he speaks a great deal about fear, worry, and anxiety: he tells us that we need not be afraid, that we need not worry, that we need not be anxious.  Why is that?  Because of God’s powerful presence and provision; and because of God’s enduring faithfulness.  Jesus learned this.  In facing his own fears, he discovered he was not alone.” Br. David Vryhof encourages us to see our fear not as an obstacle to God, but as an invitation from God, who promises to be with us.

“The world needs monks, because monks are liminal people who stand on the threshold of two worlds, guiding women and men of faith, and pointing to the stranger on the shore, saying, it is the Lord. Jack, today you take your place on that threshold, as friend and guide to others, who is not afraid of the dark, and who has the clarity of vision to see and recognize the Lord as he emerges, clothed in shadows, on the shore.” Br. James Koester welcomes Jack Crowley as a professed member of the community, and as a guide who stands on the threshold between two worlds.

“A farmer works every day through all the changing weather and seasons, with each turn of the spade having the ultimate harvest in mind. So too, the merchant who travels and the soldier who fights. There is always the end goal in mind. And for the monk? The end goal is purity of heart, the conversion to Christ.” Br. Curtis Almquist draws inspiration from John Cassian, whose teachings on the goals and ends of monastic life remain relevant today, in a monastery and beyond.

“We often shoot off panicked prayers, frenzied, striving and scared. How can we be still? Stop. For a minute or for a few. Stop what you’re doing. Stop the noise. Disconnect from devices. Take deep breaths. Go outside to breathe fresh air. Shake out the panic, or walk or run. Gently sway, rocking, calming yourself. Gaze at something beautiful: light and shadow, tree, bird, or you own hand. Pray your desire: 'Let me be still, and know that you are God.'” Br. Luke Ditewig reminds us that we were created for stillness.

“As we gathered around our mother and described our day, the fun bits, the sad bits, our hopes, our fears, our anger, our confusion, we were learning, and growing in understanding and maturity. The same thing was happening when those disciples gathered around Jesus to talk about their days on mission. They described their experiences and feelings, their hopes and fears, and as they spoke, Jesus was gently guiding and encouraging them, feeding their souls, restoring their spirits.” Br. Geoffrey Tristram invites us to look back and chat about our day with God as openly as the disciples did with Jesus.

“If asked the question, “How would you describe God’s character?” how would you respond? Of course, none of us can really answer that question in its fullness. Even with a careful apophasis—that is, an approach to speaking of God in terms of what God is not—we nonetheless remain confronted with the reality that our language about God can only ever attempt to point toward God’s character.” Rising above language's limitations, Br. Sean Glenn points to the heart of who God actually is.

“The picture which Jesus paints of the sabbath is not a day constrained by rules and regulations, such as my mother experienced, but a day of healing, wholeness, and liberation, a day of mercy, love, and delight, in which we discover again the very nature and being of this God, who is a God of rest.” Br. James Koester invites us to experience the joys of the Sabbath.