“God our Father gives that we might give and be made richer by our giving. So the True King invites us to enter into his joy by multiplying the free gifts of the Spirit.” Br. Sean Glenn ponders the joy that the world cannot give.

“What might you be clinging to so tightly such that it’s hard to recognize what is real? What is getting in the way between you and Jesus?” Br. Luke Ditewig encourages us to let go, reminding us that before our heritage, privilege, or ability, before our losses, lack, or inability, before our fear, grief, confidence, or confusion, Jesus is.

“Do you know what it’s like to be trapped by fear? To not accept a generous invitation? To not risk doing something new or challenging? To not take action except perhaps to dig a really great hole and carefully hide something—or yourself—so that it is seemingly safe and prevented from changing?” Br. Luke Ditewig urges us to embrace our God given gifts with courage and trust.

“It is in our fallen nature that we have created boundaries and barriers separating us in the hopes of being deemed better; as superior to our neighbor; as somehow worthy of our creation.  Racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, income inequality, educational disparity, and all their ilk: these are elements of a poverty that is man-made, born out of shame and then forced on others, seeking to strip them of their dignity and rob them of the provision that God has intended for us all.” Br. Jim Woodrum considers the root of our flawed human judgments, and invites us to share with each other the diversity of God’s infinite goodness.

“The wise bridesmaids trust that the bridegroom will arrive. They know that the light entrusted to them will be required when he comes to meet them. And still they allow for the fact that the desired event may not happen as expected or at their convenience.” Br. Sean Glenn considers how we are called to live with hopeful expectation, as the wise bridesmaids did.

“So where are we now? We have come, at last, to the end of one of the most bitterly contested national elections this country has ever seen.  For many of us, finally naming a winner doesn’t bring the resolution we hoped it would; it feels like we’re all on the losing side in this contest.  What message of hope can the Church possibly offer?” Br. David Vryhof, in the wake of the U.S. Presidential election, considers Jesus' calling – and promise – of reconciliation.

“For better or worse, the closest anyone of us is going to get to being in a group of seventy Christians is on a large Zoom meeting with a gallery view. This is probably going to be true for a while. So what meaningful work can we do in the spirit of those original disciples?” Br. Jack Crowley urges us onward in the spirit of the original disciples, as we prepare the way for Christ, even in this moment and according to its unusual constraints and opportunities.

“For Father Benson, the contemplation of the present reality of heaven is not an escape from the world, but a way to sustain us as we take up our cross, even in the midst of the present reality of the world.” Br. James Koester considers the heavenly vision of the Society's founder, and how it can encourage and sustain us today.

“A fractious political environment, with lots of different groups vying for power and influence, might seem rather familiar to you. It does to me. Many people are wondering how bonds of family, friendship, and community can be maintained across these divides.” Br. Lucas Hall ponders how we can best navigate the fraught political divides that threaten our society and our relationships.

“You could see this period we are in now, this pandemic, as a kind of plateau, a kind of flat time. So, it could also be a perfect time to pause and take stock of our lives.  What’s the journey been like so far, and what have I learned?  And when this flat period is over, how will I go forward again in my life; what route will I take? Call on the Spirit of Jesus.” Br. Geoffrey Tristram invites us to take inspiration from the example of Paul's extraordinary journeys, as we navigate our own way through life's challenges and ever deeper into love for Jesus.