Lay Cistercians of Gethsemani Abbey

Biblical Readings for Office and Mass Holy Week Mass Readings: Sunday (B), Weekdays (I) March 28 – April 3, 2021   Sun 28 Mon 29 Tues 31 Wed 31 Thu 1 Fri 2 Sat 3 Office Palm Sunday Monday of Holy Week Tuesday of Holy Week Wednesday of Holy Week Holy Thursday Good Friday Holy … Continue reading Skema – HOLY WEEK →

NT-MK26 03.28.21 A Commentary on the Gospel of Mark by Bl. Guerric of Igny 1 When Jesus entered Jerusalem like a triumphant conqueror, many were astonished at the majesty of his bearing; but when a short while afterward he entered upon his passion, his appearance was ignoble, an object of derison. If today's procession and … Continue reading Vigils Readings →

TM-Holy Wk1  03,29.21   A Sermon for Holy Week by St Aelred Our Lord Jesus Christ worked for our salvation not in one way only but in many, Because his mercy provided for our redemption, he accomplished it in such a way that he might be an example for us .Behold, my brothers, how at … Continue reading Vigils Readings →

TM-HolyWk2 03.30.21 Continuation of a Sermon  for Holy Week by St Aelred   We have discussed the divine mystery of the cross; now we will speak of the way it is an example of dying or living. First we are taught by this example not to fear those who kill the body because they cannot … Continue reading Vigils Readings →

TM-LNT61 03.31.21 From a Homily by St. Gregory Nazianzen 1 We are soon going to share in the Passover, and although we still do so only in a symbolic way, the symbolism already has more clarity than it possessed in former times, because under the law the Passover was, if I may dare to say … Continue reading Vigils Readings →

TM-LNT63 04.01.21 A Reading from St. Ephrem 1 The evening before our Lord gave himself up to death he shared his own body with his apostles and offered them his blood, with the commandment that they were to do what he had done in order to keep the memory of his passion alive. Then a … Continue reading Vigils Readings →

09SN1405.WPD  04/02/21 The Triumph of the Cross: a reading from a treatise by St.  John Chrysostom.1 Isaiah made it clear that Christ will raise up all men when he said: “The dead shall be raised up again, even those in the tombs shall be raised up.  For the dew from you is healing for them.”  … Continue reading Vigils Readings →

TM-HWK08  04.03.21                                                               The Death of Christ has Transformed Death, Cyril of Alexandria They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it in linen cloths with the spices, according to the Jewish burial custom.  At the place where he had been crucified there was a garden, and in this garden a new tomb in which no … Continue reading Vigils Readings →

  Biblical Readings for Office and Mass Octave of Easter Mass Readings: Sunday (B), Weekdays (I) April 4 – 10, 2021   Sun 4 Mon 5 Tues 6 Wed 7 Thu 8 Fri 9 Sat 10 Office Easter Sunday Easter Monday Easter Tuesday Easter Wednesday Easter Thursday Easter Friday Easter Saturday Vigils * Easter Vigil … Continue reading skema: Easter Octave →

A Reading from an Easter Sermon of Pope St Leo the Great. Though we once knew Christ according to the flesh, we now do so no longer. The resurrection of the Lord did not mean the end of his flesh, but its transformation, and his bodily substance was not consumed by its increase in power.  … Continue reading Vigils: Easter Sunday →

A Discourse on Christ's Resurrection, by Symeon the New Theologian. Already Easter, that joyful day, that day of all gladness and delight, the day of Christ's resurrection, has arrived in the circle of the year.  But rather, it happens daily and eternally in those who know its mystery, and so has filled our hearts with … Continue reading Vigils: Easter Monday →

A Discourse of Christ's Resurrection, by Symeon the New Theologian. Most people believe in the resurrection of Christ, but very few have a clear vision of it.  Those who have no vision thereof cannot even adore Christ Jesus as the Holy One and as Lord.  As it is written, "No one can say, 'Jesus is … Continue reading Vigils: Easter Tuesday →

On Loving Christ. From an Easter Sermon of St. Augustine Appearing to his disciples after the Resurrection, Our Lord put a question to the Apostle Peter, prompting him who had denied him three times out of fear to make a threefold profession of his love.  Christ rose bodily from the dead, Peter was raised spiritually. … Continue reading Vigils: Easter Wednesday →

THE RESURRECTION AND THE DAY OF THE LORD, from a Sermon by Card. John H. Newman "A little while, and you shall not see me: and again, a little while, and you shall see me, because I go to the Father." (Jn 16:16)...Now observe what the promise is, in the text and the verses following-- … Continue reading Vigils: Easter Thursday →

He is Risen II. From a Book by Thomas Merton. The risen life is not easy; it is also a dying life. The presence of the Resurrection in our lives means the presence of the Cross, for we do not rise with Christ unless we also first die with him. It is by the Cross … Continue reading Vigils: Easter Friday →

The Experience of Faith by Hans Urs von Balthasar The analogy between the pre-Easter and the post Easter testimony (comparable to the analogy between testimony in the Old and the New Testament) signifies the decisive step forward:  the leaving behind of the old, which had served as basis, in order to become established in the … Continue reading Vigils: Easter Saturday →