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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20240221
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240222
DTSTAMP:20260404T002926
CREATED:20240217T145232Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240217T145232Z
UID:11598-1708473600-1708559999@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Lenten Weekday
DESCRIPTION:CAST YOUR CARE UPON THE LORD\nFrom a sermon by St Leo the Great 4\n◊◊◊\nApostolic teaching\, Beloved\, exhorts us that we put off the old man with\nhis deeds\, and renew ourselves from day to day by a holy manner of life. For if\nwe are the temple of God\, and if the Holy Spirit is a Dweller in our souls\, as the\nApostle says: You are the temple of the living God; we must strive with all our\nvigilance that the dwelling of our heart be not unworthy of so great a Guest. And\njust as in houses made with hands\, we see to it with praiseworthy diligence that\nwhatever may be damaged\, either through the rain coming in\, or by the wind in\nstorms\, or by age itself\, is promptly and carefully repaired\, so must we with\nunceasing concern take care that nothing disordered be found in our souls\, that\nnothing unclean be found there. For though this dwelling of ours does not\nendure without the support of its Maker\, nor would the structure be safe\nwithout the watchful care of the Builder\, nevertheless\, since we are rational\nstones\, and living material\, the Hand of our Maker has so fashioned us\, that\neven he who is being repaired may cooperate with his Maker. \nLet human obedience then not withdraw itself from the grace of God\, nor\nturn away from that Good without which it cannot be good. And should it find\nin the fulfillment of His commands something that is difficult to accomplish or\nbeyond its powers\, let it not remain apart\, but rather turn to Him who\ncommands us\, and Who has laid on us this precept that He may both help us\nand awaken in us the desire of Him\, as the Prophet tells us: Cast your care upon\nthe Lord\, and He will sustain you. Or perhaps there is someone who prides\nhimself beyond due measure\, and who imagines himself to be so untouched\, so\nunblemished\, that he has now no need to renew himself such a belief is wholly\ndeceiving\, and he will grow old in folly. All things are filled with dangers\, filled\nwith snares. Desires inflame us\, allurements lie in wait for us\, the love of gain\nbeguiles us\, losses frighten us. \nBut in holding fast to virtue\, so faltering is our control\, so uncertain our\ndiscernment\, that though a person may observe with the utmost fidelity the\nlines between what is good and what is bad\, it is difficult for the person of\nupright conscience to escape the wounding tongue of the slanderer\, or for one\nwho loves justice to avoid the reproaches of the wicked. \nWhen\, dearly beloved\, should we more fittingly have recourse to the\ndivine remedies than when\, by the very law of time\, we are once again reminded\nof the mysteries of our redemption? And that we may the more worthily\ncommemorate them\, let us earnestly prepare ourselves by these days of Lent.\nFor as the apostle says: Whoever thinks that he stands\, let him take heed lest\nhe fall\, no one is sustained by such strength of mind that he can be certain of\nhis own constancy in virtue. \n4 The Sunday Sermons of the Great Fathers – vol. 2 – Henry Regnery Co – Chicago – 1958 – pg 125.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/lenten-weekday-3/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20240222
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240223
DTSTAMP:20260404T002926
CREATED:20240217T145759Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240217T145759Z
UID:11600-1708560000-1708646399@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Chair of St. Peter
DESCRIPTION:THE CHAIR OF ST PETER \nBy St John Henry Newman 5\n◊◊◊\nThe very first act of the Apostles after Christ was gone out of their sight\, was the\nordination of Matthias in the place of the traitor Judas. That ordination is related very\nminutely. Every particular of it is full of instruction; but at present I wish to draw attention\nto one circumstance more especially: namely\, the time when it occurred. It was contrived\n(if one may say so) exactly to fall within the very short interval which elapsed between the\ndeparture of our Lord\, and the arrival of the Comforter in His place: on that ‘little while\,’\nduring which the Church was comparatively left alone in the world. Then it was that St\nPeter rose and declared with authority\, that the time was come for supplying the vacancy\nwhich Judas had made. ‘One\,’ said he\, ‘must be ordained;’ and without delay they proceeded\nto the ordination. Of course\, St Peter must have had from our Lord express authority for\nthis step. Otherwise it would seem most natural to defer a transaction so important until the\nunerring Guide\, the Holy Spirit\, should have come among them\, as they knew he would in\na few days. \nOn the other hand\, since the Apostles were eminently Apostles of our Incarnate\nLord\, since their very being\, as Apostles\, depended entirely on their personal mission from\nhim…one should naturally have expected that he himself before his departure would have\nsupplied the vacancy by personal designation. But we see it was not his pleasure to do so.\nAs the Apostles afterwards brought on the ordination sooner\, so he had deferred it longer\nthan might have been expected. Both ways it should seem as if there were a purpose of\nbringing the event within those ten days\, during which\, as I said\, the church was left to\nherself; left to exercise her faith and hope\, much as Christians are left now\, without any\nmiraculous aid or extraordinary illumination from above. Then\, at that moment of the New\nTestament history in which the circumstances of believers corresponded most nearly to\nwhat they have been since miracles and inspiration ceased\, — just at that time it pleased our\nLord that afresh Apostle should be consecrated\, with authority and commission as ample\nas the former enjoyed. In a word\, it was his will that the eleven Disciples alone\, not himself\npersonally\, should name the successor of Judas; and that they chose the right person\, he\ngave testimony very soon after\, by sending his Holy Spirit on St Matthias\, as richly as on\nSt John\, St James\, or St Peter. \n5 Tracts For the Times\, Vol.ii No.52.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/chair-of-st-peter/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20240223
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240224
DTSTAMP:20260404T002926
CREATED:20240217T150400Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240217T150400Z
UID:11602-1708646400-1708732799@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Lenten Weekday
DESCRIPTION:BEHOLD\, NOW IS THE ACCEPTABLE TIME \nFrom a sermon of St Aelred of Rievaulx 6 \n◊◊◊ \nThese forty days are called an acceptable time and named a day of salvation\, because during these days the Lord cleanses and sanctifies his church through fasting. That is why the Lenten fast was established by the holy fathers\, so that whatever is lacking in us during the year may be purified and made clean for the remaining times\, generally by fasting in this holy observance… \nMoses fasted for forty days and nights so that he would merit to receive the law. And through fasting he merited to have an audience before God and to see God face to face. So let anyone who desires to approach the Lord love fasting… Although we do not presume to investigate secret and profound mysteries of divinity\, let us nonetheless gain acquaintance with God as much as we can. To do so we must still prepare and train ourselves; that way we might contemplate God here as through a mirror and obscurely\, and in the future we might see him face to face… \nThat forgiveness of sins is given generously through fasting\, we see manifestly among the Ninevite penitents who took refuge in repentance and reconciled themselves to God through fasting… when the Lord had threatened them\, through the prophet\, with death and overthrow of the city. In fact\, the wise king also learned to avoid the danger; having laid aside royal finery and sitting in ashes\, he exhausted his flesh with fasting\, ordering not only human beings but even beasts to fast and to cry out to God through fasting with courage. Thus they evaded the overturn of the Ninevite city and peril of death… \nEven Christ\, King and Lord of prophets\, who founded and sanctified fasting\, before he was tempted by the devil fasted forty days and nights\, to teach that the adversary is to be overcome through fasting. The Lord let an example for us\, so if we want a full victory over the devil\, the world and the flesh\, then let us take refuge in the weapons of fasting\, by which the devil is slaughtered\, the world is conquered\, and every attachment of the flesh is expelled… \nFinally we must offer to God repentance in all of our sacrifices\, always repenting that we either overlooked the good or continued in evil… Because therefore the measure of repentance must be weighted according to the measure of sin\, it is necessary to produce fruit repentance. If your suffering in correction is less than was your enjoyment in the fault\, then the fruit of your repentance is not worthy… \nStill\, so that a sinning conscience might be consoled\, the method and measure of exterior repentance have been set; as the conscience is satisfied and perfected you begin to have confidence\, and with a certain holy anticipation in the hope of divine mercy\, you have confidence pardon and forgiveness of sins\, so the more truly then — the more sincerely you fulfill the imposed repentance… To the extent that we attain full and perfect pardon we may also merit eternal glory. \n6 Aelred of Rievaulx. The Liturgical Sermons: The Reading-Cluny Collection\, 1 of 2 – Sermons 85-133. Trans. Daniel Griggs. Collegeville\, MN: Cistercian Publications\, 2021. 108-115.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/lenten-weekday-4/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20240224
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240225
DTSTAMP:20260404T002926
CREATED:20240217T150651Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240217T150651Z
UID:11604-1708732800-1708819199@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Lenten Weekday
DESCRIPTION:GOD’S LOVE POURED OUT\nFrom a commentary by Origen 7\n◊◊◊\nSt. Paul has told us that the love of God has been poured into our hearts\nby the Holy Spirit. Now in his desire to demonstrate the power of that love more\nfully\, he gives us the convincing proof that it was not for good people but for\nsinners that Christ died. It is indeed true that we were sinners before we turned\nto God and that our Lord Jesus Christ laid down his life for us before we believed\nin him. This he surely could not have done without an immense love for us\,\neither the love that he himself showed by dying for sinners or the love God the\nFather showed by giving his only Son for our redemption. \nFew people would give their lives even for a just person\, and all of us face\ndeath with reluctance\, even in a just cause. How great a Savior we have\, then\,\nand how deeply we ought to ponder his love for us! It is a clear proof of his\ndivine goodness that when the time appointed came\, he did not hesitate to\nsuffer and die for the wicked and unjust. In the gospel it is said that no one is\ngood but God the Father; and so unless our Savior had been his Son\, sharing in\nthe Father’s very substance\, he could not have shown such great goodness\ntoward us. By this proof\, therefore\, we can recognize in him that good man for\nwhom someone might have the courage to die. \nOnce people have understood the extent of Christ’s goodness toward\nthem and his love has been poured into their hearts\, they will long not only to\ndie for this good man Christ\, but to die voluntarily. In fact we often see this\nhappen\, when Christians whose hearts are overflowing with love for Christ\npresent themselves before their persecutors of their own free will and with the\nutmost courage\, confessing the name of Christ in the presence of angels and\nmen for the whole world to hear. Not only do they have the courage to suffer\ninjustice for the name of this good man\, but for his sake they are even ready to\ngive their lives. Few would do this even for a just person\, since our love of this\nmortal life is so great that even in a just cause hardly anyone can bear to die.\nOnly for God’s sake will people have the courage to submit to death of their own\nfree will. For any other reason they can scarcely endure it\, even in the cause of\njustice and in obedience to the law of nature. \nGod has proven his love for us; it was while we were still sinners that\nChrist died for us. Since we are justified by the shedding of his blood\, how can\nwe doubt that he will save us from the wrath to come? \nThe Apostle has told us that at the appointed time Christ died for the\nwicked. Now he is showing us how this reveals God’s immeasurable love for the\nhuman race. If the love of God for ungodly sinners was so great that he could\ngive his only Son for their salvation\, he says\, how much more abundantly will\nhis love be poured out upon those who have turned to him in repentance and\nwhom he has redeemed by his Son’s own blood. \n7 Origen\, Lib.4\,10-11; PG 14\, 997-999.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/lenten-weekday-5/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20240225
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240226
DTSTAMP:20260404T002926
CREATED:20240224T133936Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240224T133936Z
UID:11607-1708819200-1708905599@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Skema
DESCRIPTION:Biblical Readings for Office and Mass\n2nd Week of Lent\n\n\nMass Readings: Sunday (B)\, Weekdays (II)\nFebruary 25 – March 2\, 2024\n\n\n\nSun\n25\nMon\n26\nTue\n27\nWed\n28\nThu\n29\nFri\n1\nSat\n2\n\n\nOffice\n2nd Sunday of Lent\nLenten Weekday\nLenten Weekday\nLenten Weekday\nLenten Weekday\nLenten Weekday\nLenten Weekday\n\n\nVigils\nDeut 7:12-26\nDeut 8:1-20\nDeut 9:1-24\nDeut 9:25-10:11\nDeut 10:12-22\nDeut 11:1-17\nDeut 11:18-32\n\n\nLauds\nExod 7:1-7\nExod 7:8-13\nExod 7:19-22\nExod 8:1-3\, 8-11\nExod 8:12-15\nExod 9:1-7\nExod 9:8-12\n\n\nMass\n26\n230\n231\n232\n233\n234\n235\n\n\n1st\nGen 22:1-2\, 9a\, 10-13\, 15-18\nDan 9:4b-10\nIsa 1:10\, 16-20\nJer 18:18-20\nJer 17:5-10\nGen 37:3-4\, 12-13a\, 17b-28a\nMic 7:14-15\, 18-20\n\n\n2nd\nRom 8:31b-34\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGospel\nMark 9:2-10\nLuke 6:36-38\nMatt 23:1-12\nMatt 20:17-28\nLuke 16:19-31\nMatt 21:33-43\, 45-46\nLuke 15:1-3\, 11-32\n\n\nVespers\nHeb 6:1-8\nHeb 6:13-20\nHeb 7:17-28\nHeb 8:1-6\nHeb 8:7-13\nHeb 9:1-10\nHeb 9:11-14
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/skema-62/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20240225
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240226
DTSTAMP:20260404T002926
CREATED:20240224T134155Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240224T134211Z
UID:11610-1708819200-1708905599@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading - 2nd Sunday of Lent
DESCRIPTION:DIVINE GLORY \nFrom a commentary by St Ephrem1 \n◊◊◊ \nJesus took the three apostles up to the mountain for three reasons: first\, \nto show them the glory of his divinity\, then to declare himself Israel’s redeemer \nas he had already foretold by the prophets; and thirdly to prevent the apostles’ \nbeing scandalized at seeing him soon afterwards enduring those human \nsufferings which he had freely accepted for our sake. The apostles knew that \nJesus was a man; they did not know that he was God. To their knowledge he \nwas the son of Mary\, a man who shared their daily life in this world. On the \nmountain he revealed to them that he was the Son of God\, that he was in fact \nGod himself. Peter\, James\, and John were familiar with the sight of their \nmaster eating and drinking\, working and taking rest\, growing tired and falling \nasleep\, experiencing fear and breaking out in sweat. All these things were \nnatural to his humanity not to his divinity. He therefore took them up onto the \nmountain so that they could hear his Father’s voice calling his Son\, and he could \nshow them that he was truly the Son of God and was himself divine. \nHe took them up unto the mountain in order to show them his kingship \nbefore they witnessed his passion\, to let them see his mighty power before they \nwatched his death\, to reveal his glory to them before they beheld his \nhumiliation. Then when the Jews took him captive and condemned him to the \ncross\, the apostles would understand that it was not for any lack of power on his \npart that Jesus allowed himself to be crucified by his enemies\, but because he \nhad freely chosen to suffer in that way for the world’s salvation. He took them \nup onto the mountain before his resurrection and showed them the glory of his \ndivinity\, so that when he rose from the dead in that same divine glory they \nwould realize that this was not something given him as a reward for his labor\, \nas if he were previously without it. That glory has been his with the Father from \nall eternity\, as is clear from his words on approaching his freely chosen passion\, \n“Father\, glorify me now with the glory I had with you before the world was \nmade”. \n  \n1 Journey with the Fathers – Year B – New City Press – NY -1993.3 \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/2nd-sunday-of-lent/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20240226
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240227
DTSTAMP:20260404T002926
CREATED:20240224T134412Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240224T134412Z
UID:11613-1708905600-1708991999@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading
DESCRIPTION:PRAYER AND FASTING \nBy St Bernard of Clairvaux2 \n◊◊◊ \nNotice in this Lenten observance how prayer and fasting assist each other \nlike two allies\, as it is written: “When a neighbor helps a neighbor\, both shall be \ncomforted”. Prayer obtains the strength for fasting and fasting merits the grace \nto pray. Fasting renders prayer more powerful\, and prayer responds by \nsanctifying the fast and presenting it to the Lord. What would our fast profit us \nif – God forbid – it were allowed to remain on the earth? Let it therefore be lifted \nup on the wing of prayer. But since this one wing may not be sufficient\, it is \nnecessary to add a second. “The prayer of the just one pierces the heavens”\, says \nEcclesiasticus. Consequently\, in order that our fast may be easily lifted up to \nheaven\, let it be provided with the two wings of prayer and justice. \nNow what is justice but the virtue which inclines us to render everyone \ntheir due? Therefore it is not enough to have regard only to God. You are a \ndebtor also to your human superiors\, and a debtor to your equals. It is certainly \nnot the will of God that you should despise those whom He is far from despising. \nYou may have said to yourself\, “It is enough for me if I have the approval of God \nalone for my conduct. Why should I be concerned about the judgment of \nothers?” But be assured of this: that the Lord is pleased with no action of yours \nwhich either gives scandal to His children or which is done contrary to the will \nof the one whom you are obliged to obey as God’s representative. \nJoel says: “Sanctify the fast; call a solemn assembly”. What is it to “call a \nsolemn assembly” but to preserve unity\, to foster peace\, to “love the family of \nbelievers”? The proud Pharisee fasted; he also returned thanks to God. But he \ndid not call the assembly\, since he rather isolated himself by saying\, “I am not \nas others”. And therefore his fast\, borne up on only one wing\, was unable to \nascend to heaven. See to it carefully that your fast shall have two wings\, “peace\, \nnamely\, and holiness\, without which no one shall see God”. “Sanctify the fast\,” \nthat is to say\, let a pure intention and devout prayer offer it to the Divine \nMajesty; and “call a solemn assembly\,” that is to say\, your fast should not be \nsingular or detrimental to unity. \nSince I have spoken about justice and fasting\, it is right that I should say \nsomething concerning prayer. Now just as this holy exercise is more efficacious \nwhen discharged as it ought to be\, so the adversary strives to hinder it. \nSometimes he obstructs prayer by inspiring “smallness of spirit” and \nimmoderate fear. This happens when a person is so taken up with consideration \nof their own unworthiness that they lose sight altogether of the goodness of God. \nThe psalmist says: “Abyss calls on abyss”: the abyss of light on the abyss of \ndarkness\, the abyss of mercy on the abyss of misery. For the human heart is \ndeep and unfathomable. But although my iniquity is great\, much greater\, O \nLord\, is Your goodness. And consequently\, whenever my soul disquiets me\, I \nshall be “mindful of the multitude of Your mercies” and so shall be comforted. \n  \n2 St. Bernard’s Sermons for the Seasons & Principal Feastivals of the Year. vol. II. Bernard of Clairvaux. The Carroll \nPress. Westminster\, MD. 1950. p. 91.5 \n  \n 
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-157/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20240227
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240228
DTSTAMP:20260404T002926
CREATED:20240224T134534Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240224T134534Z
UID:11615-1708992000-1709078399@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading
DESCRIPTION:TRUE REPENTANCE \nFrom a sermon by St Ambrose3 \n◊◊◊ \nBehold now is the appointed time\, in which you must confess your sins to \nGod\, and to the priest; and by prayer and by fasting\, by tears and by almsgiving\, \nwipe them away. Why should sinners be ashamed to make known their sins\, \nsince they are already known and manifest to God\, and to the angels\, and even \nto the blessed in heaven? Confession delivers the soul from death. Confession \nopens the door to heaven. Confession brings us hope of salvation. Because of \nthis the Scripture says through Isaiah: “First tell your iniquities\, that you may \nbe justified.” Here we are shown that they will not be saved who\, during their \nlife\, do not confess their sins. Neither will that confession deliver you which is \nmade without true repentance. For true repentance is grief of heart and sorrow \nof soul because of the evils one has committed. True repentance causes us to \ngrieve over them with the firm intention of never committing them again. \nAnd even though every day we live may rightly be a day of repentance\, yet \nis it in these days more appropriate to confess our sins\, to fast\, and to give alms \nto the poor\, since in these days you may wash clean the sins of the whole year. \nTherefore I counsel all of you\, and I exhort each one of you to repair whatever \nyou know within your soul is blameworthy. Whoever among you discerns \nwithin yourself what is unworthy in a Christian\, make amends. \nWhat does it mean to give tithes faithfully\, but that no one should offer \nto God [anything that] is defective or stunted. For of all things which the Lord \nbestows on us\, a tenth part we reserve to God. So it is not lawful to keep what \nis reserved to God. And if you do not give God’s tenth part\, God will take nine \nparts from you. \nAgain\, if you know in your own heart that you have taken something \nunjustly from another\, make amends by restoring what you have unjustly taken. \nFor if you do not render the tenth to God\, which is reserved for Him\, and \n[return] to another what you took from him unjustly\, you are a person who no \nlonger fears God and does not know the meaning of true repentance\, or of true \nconfession of sins. \nAnd you ought to do this\, since each person should give to the needy \naccording to his means; that is\, that you who have much should give much and \nif you have little ought to give little; as the holy Tobias taught his son: “Give \nalms out of your substance\, and do not turn away your face from the poor\, \nthat the face of the Lord may not be turned away from you”. \n  \n3 From The Sunday Sermons of the Great Fathers\, Henry Regnery Co.\, 1958\, pp. 13-15.7 \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-158/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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DTSTAMP:20260404T002926
CREATED:20240224T134715Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240224T134715Z
UID:11617-1709078400-1709164799@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading
DESCRIPTION:LOVE THE LORD WITH YOUR WHOLE HEART \nFrom a meditation by Dom Alban Boultwood4 \n◊◊◊ \nIn Chapter 49 of the Holy Rule\, “On the Observance of Lent\,” St. Benedict \nbegins by saying that the spiritual man ought really to be living at all times in \nthe spirit of Lent\, that is\, in wholehearted conversion to God. Our frailty causes \nus to fail often in this\, but if we do not try to live in this spirit during the holy \nseason of Lent\, when shall we ever do so? \nSt Benedict sees the spirit of Lent not as one of unhappiness\, but rather \nas a spirit of free and joyful oblation: “so that everyone of his own will may offer \nto God\, with joy and the holy spirit\, something beyond the measure appointed \nto him”. The Church herself has been preparing us for this\, first by drawing us \nand inspiring us by the sublime glimpse of divine love unveiled at Christmas\, \nand then by summoning us to hear the Savior’s call as he manifests his divine \nmission and power after the Epiphany. And now we are called to follow him\, in \nthe work of his oblation and redemptive sacrifice which he now so lovingly takes \nup. Our Lord calls us to unite ourselves with him in his oblation to his Father’s \nwill\, for this is his mission. \nOur response to this divine invitation has led us to the “oblation” by which \nas [monks] we offer ourselves wholly to God\, and it seems specially fitting for \nus during Lent\, to renew\, solemnly\, sincerely\, reflectively\, our formal [offering] \nof ourselves to God through the Rule of St. Benedict. It is true that our [offering] \nis really made once and for all but the point lies in the renewal of the spirit of \nour [offering]. It is not enough to set up a religious program in our life\, Even in \nthe monastery itself\, where the vows and the whole rule of life establish a \nwonderful religious machinery to guide and speed us towards God\, yet these \nthings still remain in themselves just the machinery of our life; and we soon \nfind\, here too\, precisely that tendency for things to become mechanical in the \nbad sense. And so we are always having to renew our spirit\, deepening\, \nclarifying\, purifying\, reaffirming\, our interior [offering]\, as the years bring us \nthe daily opportunities of fulfillment. \nWe must go forward in faith and in hope and in love\, one step at a time\, \ntrying to be ready to recognize God’s will as it comes to us day by day\, and trying \nto give ourselves to it with all our heart. As occasion arises\, the “instruments of \ngood works” [which St. Benedict mentions] will be offered to us; so many \nspiritual tools\, yet all but a part of the first great one to love the Lord with your \nwhole heart. \n  \n4 Alive to God [Benedictine Studies VII]\, Baltimore-Dublin\, 1964\, pp. 72-75.9 \n  \n 
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-159/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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UID:11619-1709164800-1709251199@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading
DESCRIPTION:BE CONVERTED TO GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART \nFrom a sermon by St Bernard of Clairvaux5 \n◊◊◊ \n“Be converted to Me with all your heart\,” says the Lord Almighty\, “in \nfasting\, and in weeping and in mourning. And rend your hearts and not your \ngarments\, and turn to the Lord your God.” What does it mean\, dearest brethren\, \nthat the Lord here commands us to turn to Him? For He is everywhere\, He fills \nall things and at the same time contains all things… This\, my brethren\, is a \nsecret of divine wisdom\, a secret which is communicated only to the friends of \nGod. It is a “mystery of the kingdom of God” which is revealed privately to the \ndisciples. “Unless you be converted\,” said the Lord\, “and become like little \nchildren\, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven”. Now I see clearly where \nHe wants us to turn. We must turn to that little Child in order to learn from \nHim\, because He is “meek and humble of heart”. \nBut let us now see how we should turn to this little One\, to this Master of \nmeekness and humility. “Be converted to Me\,” He says\, “with all your heart.” \nMy brethren\, had His words been simply “Be converted to Me”\, without any \naddition\, we might have replied: “That we have already done; give us now \nanother precept.” As a matter of fact\, however\, He admonishes us here of a \npurely spiritual conversion which cannot be accomplished in a single day; and \nwould to God we were able to complete it in the whole course of the life we live \nin the body! An external turning to God\, unaccompanied by a conversion of the \nheart and spirit is worth nothing. It is only a formal\, not a true conversion\, \n“having the appearance indeed of godliness but lacking the power of it”. \nUnhappy the monk who\, devoting all his attention to outward \nobservances\, remains ignorant of his interior\, for “thinking himself to be \nsomething\, whereas he is nothing\, he deceives himself”. For as he looks only to \nthe outward appearance\, when that is found to be in order he judges everything \nsecure\, unaware of that secret worm that is consuming his being. The tonsure \nstill remains\, the religious habit is not yet put off\, the regular fasts are observed \nas before\, the divine praises are chanted at the appointed hours. Nevertheless \nthe Lord says of such a one\, “His heart is far from Me”… \nTherefore\, let your love be converted to God\, so that henceforth you shall \nlove nothing besides Him\, or at least nothing except for His sake. Let your fear\, \ntoo\, be converted to the Lord\, because every fear is perverse other than fear of \nHim or on account of Him. To Him let your joy also as well as your sadness be \nconverted. This will happen when you no longer grieve or rejoice over anything \nexcept according to God… \nLet us therefore rend our hearts\, in order that thus we may be able to keep \nour garments whole. Our garments are our virtues. One can understand this \nrending of heart in two senses: compunction rends the evil heart\, while \ncompassion rends the strong heart. Both rendings are undoubtedly profitable; \nfor the poison of sin must not remain concealed in the heart and the depths of \ncompassion should not be closed to a needy neighbor\, so that we ourselves may \nobtain mercy from our Lord Jesus Christ. \n  \n5 St. Bernard’s Sermons for the Seasons & Principal Festivals. Bernard of Clairvaux. vol. II. The Carroll Press. \nWestminster\, MD. 1950. p. 76.11 \n 
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-160/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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UID:11621-1709251200-1709337599@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading
DESCRIPTION:FORGIVE US\, AS WE FORGIVE \nFrom a sermon by Caesarius of Arles6 \n◊◊◊ \nIf any one of us is in conflict with another\, let us end the quarrel lest we \nourselves end badly. Do not consider this unimportant\, my beloved. Let us call \nto mind that our life here is mortal and frail\, that it is endangered by many and \ngreat temptations\, and this makes us pray that we may not be overcome. And \nso\, we realize that even the just are not without some sins. But there is one \nremedy which enables us to keep alive. For God\, our Master\, told us to say in \nour prayers: “Forgive us the wrong we have done as we forgive those who wrong \nus.” We have made a contract with God and taken a resolution that the wrong \nmust be forgiven. This makes us ask with complete confidence to be forgiven \nprovided we too forgive. \nIf\, on the contrary\, we do not forgive\, how can we in good conscience hope \nthat our sins will be forgiven? Let us not deceive ourselves: God deceived no \none. It is human to be angry\, but I wish it were impossible. It is human to \nbecome angry but let us not water the small plant born of anger with various \nsuspicions. Let us not permit it to develop into a tree of hatred. It happens also \nfrequently that a father is angry with his son\, but he does not hate the son. He \nis angry because he wishes to correct the son. If this is his purpose\, his anger is \nanimated by love. \nWe read in Scripture: “Why look at the speck in your brother’s eye when \nyou miss the plank in your own?” You find fault with another person for being \nangry\, and you keep hatred in yourself. Anger in comparison with hatred is only \na speck\, but if the speck is fostered\, it becomes a plank. If\, on the contrary\, you \npluck out the speck and cast it away\, it will amount to nothing. \nOur Master says in another place: “Anyone who hates his brother is a \nmurderer.” Those who hate their brother\, walk around\, go out\, come in\, march \non\, are not burdened by any chains and are not shut up in any prison\, but they \nare bound by their guilt. Do not think of them as not being imprisoned. Their \nheart is in prison. When you hear: “He who hates his brother is in darkness all \nthe while\,” lest you might despise that darkness\, the evangelist adds: “Anyone \nwho hates his brother is a murderer.” \nYou hate your brothers and sisters and walk safely around and refuse to \nbe reconciled with them\, and God has given you time and opportunity. Yet you \nare a murderer and are still alive. If you felt God’s wrath you would be suddenly \nsnatched away with your hatred toward others. God spares you; spare others \nlikewise; make up and seek reconciliation with them. But suppose you want \nreconciliation and another does not want it. That is enough for you; you have \nsomething to grieve for\, you have freed yourself. If you want agreement and the \nother refuses\, say confidently: “Forgive us the wrong we have done as we forgive \nthose who wrong us.” \n  \n6 Fraternal Harmony (Morin Sermon 185) 1-2: PLS IV\, 446-447. (CR VI p 215)13 \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-161/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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UID:11623-1709337600-1709423999@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading
DESCRIPTION:THE SEASON OF PURIFICATION \nBy Pope St Leo the Great7 \n◊◊◊ \nThis sacred season is dedicated to the purification of the soul\, let us \ntherefore be careful to fulfill the Apostolic command that we cleanse ourselves \nfrom all defilement of the flesh and of the spirit\, so that restraining the conflict \nthat exists between the one and the other substance\, the soul\, which in the \nProvidence of God is meant to be the ruler of the body\, may regain the dignity \nof its rightful authority\, so that\, giving offence to no one\, we may not incur the \ncontumely of evil mongers. With just contempt shall we be tormented by those \nwho have no faith\, and from our wickedness evil tongues will draw weapons to \nwound religion\, if the way of life of those who fast be not in accord with what is \nneeded in true self-denial. For the sum total of our fasting does not consist in \nmerely abstaining from food. In vain do we deny our body food if we do not \nwithhold our heart from iniquity\, and restrain our lips that they speak no evil. \nWe must then so moderate our rightful use of food that our other desires \nmay be subject to the same rule. For this is also a time for gentleness and \npatience\, a time of peace and serenity\, in which having put away all stains of evil \ndoing we strive after steadfastness in what is good. Now is the time when \ngenerous Christian souls forgive offences\, pay no heed to insults\, and wipe out \nthe memory of past injuries. Now let the Christian soul exercise itself in the \namour of justice\, on the right hand and on the left\, so that amid honor and \ndishonor\, evil report and good\, the praise of all will not make proud the virtue \nthat is well rooted\, the conscience that has peace\, nor dishonor cast it down. \nThe moderation of those who worship God is not melancholy\, but blameless. \nTherefore\, you Dearly Beloved\, the holy offspring of the Catholic Mother\, \nWhom the Spirit of God has taught in the School of Truth\, use your freedom of \naction with right reason\, knowing that it is good to abstain\, even from what is \nlawful; and when you must practice self-denial\, so abstain from food as merely \nputting aside its use\, not as condemning its nature. And so you will not allow \nyourselves in any way to be infected by the error of those who are completely \ndefiled by their own observance of it; serving the creature rather than the \nCreator; and dedicating their own stupid observance to the lights of heaven. \n  \n7 Sermons of the Great Fathers. “Lent the Season of Purification” by Pope Leo the Great. Henry Regenery Co.\, 1958\, \npp. 29-31.15 \n  \n 
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-162/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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UID:11631-1709424000-1709510399@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Skema
DESCRIPTION:Biblical Readings for Office and Mass\n3rd Week of Lent\n\n\nMass Readings: Sunday (B)\, Weekdays (II)\nMarch 3 – 9\, 2024\n\n\n\nSun\n3\nMon\n4\nTue\n5\nWed\n6\nThu\n7\nFri\n8\nSat\n9\n\n\nOffice\n3rd Sunday of Lent\nLenten Weekday\nLenten Weekday\nLenten Weekday\nLenten Weekday\nLenten Weekday\nLenten Weekday\n\n\nVigils\nDeut 12:1-14\nDeut 12:29-13:19\nDeut 14:22-15:11\nDeut 16:1-17\nDeut 16:18-17:13\nDeut 18:1-22\nDeut 19:1-21\n\n\nLauds\nExod 10:7-11\nExod 10:21-29\nExod 11:4-10\nExod 12:21-28\nExod 12:29-36\nExod 13:11-16\nExod 13:17-22\n\n\nMass\n29\n236\n238\n239\n240\n241\n242\n\n\n1st\nExod 20:1-17\nExod 17:1-7\nDan 3:25\, 34-43\nDeut 4:1\, 5-9\nJer 7:23-28\nHos 14:2-10\nHos 6:1-6\n\n\n2nd\n1 Cor 1:22-25\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGospel\nJohn 2:13-25\nJohn 4:5-42\nMatt 18:21-35\nMatt 5:17-19\nLuke 11:14-23\nMark 12:28b-34\nLuke 18:9-14\n\n\nVespers\nHeb 9:15-22\nHeb 9:23-28\nHeb 10:1-10\nHeb 10:11-18\nHeb 10:19-25\nHeb 10:26-31\nHeb 10:32-39
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/skema-63/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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UID:11633-1709424000-1709510399@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading - 3rd Sun Lent
DESCRIPTION:THE TEMPLE OF GOD\, \nTHIS BODY OF CHRIST \nFrom a commentary by St Augustine1 \n◊◊◊ \nGod’s temple is holy\, and you are that temple all you who believe in Christ \nand whose belief makes you love him. Real belief in Christ means love of Christ: \nit is not the belief of the demons who believed without loving and therefore \ndespite their belief said: “What do you want with us\, Son of God?” No\, let our \nbelief be full of love for him…so that instead of saying: What do you want with \nus\, we may rather say: We belong to you\, you have redeemed us. All who believe \nin this way are like the living stones which go to build God’s temple\, and like the \nrot-proof timber used in the framework of the ark which the floodwaters could \nnot submerge. It is in this temple\, that is\, in ourselves\, that prayer is addressed \nto God and heard by Him. \nBut to pray in God’s temple we must pray in the peace of the Church\, in \nthe unity of the body of Christ\, which is made up of many believers throughout \nthe world. When we pray in this temple our prayers are heard\, because whoever \nprays in the peace of the Church prays in spirit and in truth. \nOur Lord’s driving out of the temple people who were seeking their own \nends\, who came to the temple to buy and sell\, is symbolic. For if that temple was \na symbol it obviously follows that the body of Christ\, the true temple of which \nthe other was an image\, has within it some who are buyers and sellers\, or in \nother words\, people who are seeking their own interests and not those of Jesus \nChrist. \nBut the temple was not destroyed by the people who wanted to turn the \nhouse of God into a den of thieves\, and neither will those who live evil lives in \nthe Catholic Church and do all they can to convert God’s house into a robber’s \nden succeed in destroying the temple. The time will come when they will be \ndriven out by a whip made of their own sins. \nThe temple of God\, this body of Christ\, this assembly of believers\, has but \none voice\, and sings the psalms as though it were but one person. If we wish\, it \nis our voice; if we wish\, we may listen to the singer with our ears and ourselves \nsing in our hearts. But if we choose not to do so\, it will mean that we are like \nbuyers and sellers\, preoccupied with our own interests. \n  \n1 Journey with the Fathers – Year B – New City Press – NY – 1994 – pg 14.3 \n 
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-3rd-sun-lent-2/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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UID:11635-1709510400-1709596799@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading
DESCRIPTION:YOUR VERDICT ON OTHERS\, \nWILL BE THE VERDICT PASSED ON YOU \nFrom a homily of St Asterius of Amasea2 \n◊◊◊ \nIf you desire to resemble God\, for you have been created in God’s own \nimage\, imitate your model. You\, Christians\, whose very name calls to mind love\, \nimitate Christ’s love. Consider and wonder at the wealth of Christ’s love for us. \nWhen he was about to show himself to us in our own nature\, he sent John to \npreach repentance by word and example. Before John he sent all the prophets. \nThey too were to teach people to amend their lives. Then he came himself and \nwith his own voice cried out: Come to me\, all you who labour and are \noverburdened\, and I will give you rest. And how did he receive those who \nlistened to his call and followed him? He readily forgave them their sins\, \ninstantly relieving them of all their cause for grief. The Word has sanctified \nthem and the Spirit has confirmed them. Their old self was buried in the waters \nof baptism and a new self born; their youth was renewed by grace. And the \nresult? Enemies of God became his friends\, strangers to him became his \nchildren\, idolaters became worshipers of the true God. \nYou\, therefore\, who are harsh and unable to show gentleness\, learn \ngoodness from your Creator. Do not act as bitter judges and severe arbiters \ntoward those who are your companions in service\, as you wait for the coming of \nOne who will reveal the secret recesses of the heart and\, as the Almighty Lord\, \nwill assign to each person their proper place in the life beyond. \nDo not pass severe judgements that you may avoid being judged with the \nsame severity\, being pierced yourselves by the words of your own mouth as by \nsharp-pointed teeth. For it is against this kind of fault that the words of the \ngospel seem indeed to warn us where it is said: If you want to avoid judgement\, \nstop passing judgement\, your verdict on others will be the verdict passed on \nyou. \nChrist does not thereby mean that he wants to banish discernment and \nwisdom. What he condemns is a condemnation that is too severe. So\, lighten as \nmuch as possible the weight of your measurement of others\, if you want your \nown actions not to be considered excessively heavy when our lives are weighed \nat the divine judgement… Do not refuse to act mercifully that you yourselves \nmay not be sent away unpardoned at the time when you will need forgiveness. \n  \n2 Homily 13: PG 40\, 355-359C-D. [CR VI 221] [cf. also WS II 176].5 \n 
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-163/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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UID:11637-1709596800-1709683199@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading
DESCRIPTION:EVERYWHERE MERCY PRECEDES \nFrom a sermon of Blessed Guerric of Igny3 \n◊◊◊ \nO happy the humility of those who repent; O blessed the hope of those \nwho confess. How mighty you are with the Almighty; how easily you conquer \nthe unconquerable; how quickly you turn the dreadful judge into a devoted \nfather. We have heard to our great edification of the prodigal son’s sorrowful \njourney\, tearful repentance and glorious reception. He was so gravely guilty and \nhad not yet confessed but only planned to; had not yet made satisfaction but \nonly bent his mind to it. Yet by merely intending to humble himself he \nimmediately obtained a pardon\, which others seek for so long a time with such \ngreat desire\, beg for with such tears\, strive for with such diligence. The thief on \nthe cross was absolved by a simple confession\, the prodigal by only the will to \nconfess… \nScripture says\, “I will confess my transgression to the Lord; and you did \nforgive the guilt of my sin.” Everywhere mercy precedes. It had preceded the \nwill to confess by inspiring it; it preceded also the words of confession by \nforgiving what was to be confessed. “When he was still far off\,” we read\, “his \nfather saw him and was moved with compassion\, and running to meet him fell \nupon his neck and kissed him.” These words seem to suggest that the father was \neven more anxious to pardon his son than the son was to be pardoned. He \nhastened to absolve the guilty one from what was tormenting his conscience\, as \nif the merciful father suffered more in his compassion for his miserable son than \nthe son did in his own miseries. We do not mean to attribute human feelings to \nthe unchangeable nature of God; we intend rather that our affection should be \nsoftened and moved to love that supreme goodness by learning from \ncomparison with human feelings that he loves us more than we love him… \nSee how where sin abounded grace abounds still more. The guilty one \ncould scarcely hope for pardon; the judge\, or rather not now the judge but the \nadvocate\, heaps us grace. “Quick\,” he says\, “bring forth the best robe and clothe \nhim in it\, put a ring on his finger and shoes on his feet; fetch the fatted calf and \nkill it\, let us eat and make merry\, for this son of mine who had died has come \nback to life. \n” \n… What a wealth of graciousness and sweetness\, what an \nabundance of most blessed joy\, what torrents of most holy delight do they not \ncontain?… \nIf such is the grace accorded to the repentant what will be the glory of \nthose who reign? If such are the consolations of the wretched\, what will be the \njoys of the blessed? And since he gives us so much in advance while we are still \non the way\, what treasures is he not keeping stored up for us when we arrive in \nour fatherland? Indeed\, what has not entered into the heart of man: that we \nshould be like him and that God should be all in all. \n  \n3 Guerric of Igny – Liturgical Sermons – vol. 1 – CF #8 – Cistercian Publications – Spencer\, MA – 1970.7 \n  \n 
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-164/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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UID:11639-1709683200-1709769599@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading
DESCRIPTION:THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW ROAD \nFrom a sermon of St Caesarius of Arles4 \n◊◊◊ \nI beseech you\, beloved\, with God’s help let us celebrate these days\, \nsalutary for bodies and healing for the soul\, in so holy and spiritual a manner \nthat the observance of a holy Lent may lead to progress for us and not judgment. \nFor if we lead a careless life\, involving ourselves in too many occupations\, \nrefusing to observe chastity\, not applying ourselves to fasting and vigils and \nprayers\, neither reading Sacred Scripture ourselves nor willingly listen to others \nreading it\, the very remedies are changed into wounds for us. As a result of this \nwe shall have judgment\, where we could have had a remedy… \nFor this reason\, dearest brethren\, “Have no love for the world\, nor the \nthings the world affords\,” because “the world with its seductions is passing \naway”. What\, then\, remains in a man except what each one has stored up in the \ntreasury of his conscience for the salvation of his soul by reading or prayer or \nthe performance of good works? For miserable pleasure\, still more wretched \nlust and dissipation\, through a passing sweetness prepare eternal bitterness; \nbut abstinence\, vigils\, prayer and fasting lead to the delights of paradise through \nthe briefest hardships. The Truth does not lie when He says in the Gospel: \n“Straight and narrow is the road that leads to eternal life\, and how few there are \nthat find it!” Not for long is there rejoicing on the broad way\, and not for long is \nthere labor on the straight and narrow road. After brief sadness those who travel \nthe latter receive eternal life\, while those who travel the former\, after short joy\, \nsuffer endless punishment. \nFor this reason\, dearest brethren\, by fasting\, reading and prayer in these \nforty days we ought to store up for our souls provisions\, as it were\, for the whole \nyear. Although through the mercy of God you frequently and devoutly hear the \ndivine lessons throughout the entire year\, still during these days we ought to \nrest from the winds and the sea of this world by taking refuge\, as it were\, in the \nhaven of Lent\, and in the quiet of silence to receive the divine lessons in the \nreceptacle of our heart. Devoting ourselves to God out of love for eternal life\, \nduring these days let us with all solicitude strive to repair and compose in the \nlittle ship of our soul whatever throughout the year has been broken or \ndestroyed or damaged or ruined by many storms\, that is\, by the waves of sins. \nAnd since it is necessary for us to endure the storms and tempests of this world \nwhile we are still in this frail body\, as often as the enemy wills to lead us astray \nby means of the roughest storms or to deceive us by the most voluptuous \npleasures\, with God’s help may <the enemy> always find us prepared against \nhim. \nIf…you both willingly heed and strive faithfully to fulfill…the truths which \nwe are suggesting for the salvation of all by presuming on your obedience\, you \nwill celebrate Easter with joy and happily come to eternal life. May He Himself \ndeign to grant this\, who together with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and \nreigns for ever and ever. \n  \n4 St Caesarius of Arles\, Sermons\, vol.3\, The Fathers of the Church\, vol. 66\, Catholic University of America Press\, \nWashington DC\, 1973\, pg. 41.9 \n  \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-165/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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UID:11641-1709769600-1709855999@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading
DESCRIPTION:THE BEATING HEART OF THE UNIVERSE \nFrom a homily by Pope Benedict XVI5 \n◊◊◊ \nIt is not God’s presence that alienates man\, but His absence: without the \ntrue God\, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ\, illusory hopes become an invitation \nto escape from reality. Speaking with God\, dwelling in His presence\, letting \noneself be illuminated and purified by His Word introduces us\, instead\, into the \nheart of reality\, into the very motor of becoming cosmic; it introduces us\, so to \nspeak\, to the beating heart of the universe. \nIn a harmonious connection with prayer\, fasting and almsgiving can also \nbe considered occasions for learning and practicing Christian hope. \nThe…ancient writers liked to emphasize that these three dimensions of Gospel \nlife are inseparable\, reciprocally enrich each other and bear more fruit the more \nthey collaborate with each other. Lent as a whole\, thanks to the joint action of \nprayer\, fasting and almsgiving\, forms Christians to be men and women of hope \nafter the example of the Saints… \n“The true measure of humanity is essentially determined in relationship \nto suffering and the sufferer. This holds true both for the individual and for \nsociety. Easter\, to which Lent is oriented\, is the mystery which gives meaning \nto human suffering\, based on the superabundant compassion of God\, brought \nabout in Jesus Christ. The Lenten journey therefore\, since it is wholly steeped \nin the Easter light\, makes us relive what happened in Christ’s divine and human \nheart while he was going up to Jerusalem for the last time to offer himself in \nexpiation. \nSuffering and death fell like darkness as he gradually came nearer to the \nCross\, but the flame of love shone brighter. Indeed Christ’s suffering was \npenetrated by the light of love. It was the Father’s love that permitted the son to \nconfidently face his last “baptism”\, which he himself defines as the apex of his \nmission. \nJesus received that baptism of sorrow and love for us\, for all of humanity. \nHe has suffered for truth and justice\, bringing the gospel of suffering to human \nhistory\, which is the other aspect of the Gospel of love. God cannot suffer\, but \nHe can and wants to be compassionate. Through Christ’s passion he can bring \nhis <consolation> to every human suffering\, “the consolation of God’s \ncompassionate love – and so the star of hope rises.” \nAs for prayer\, so for suffering: the history of the Church is very rich in \nwitnesses who spent themselves for others without reserve\, at the cost of harsh \nsuffering. The greater the hope that enlivens us\, the greater is the ability within \nus to suffer for the love of truth and good\, joyfully offering up the minor and \nmajor daily hardships and inserting them into Christ’s great compassion. \n  \n5 L’Osservatore Romano – February 13\, 2008 – pg 6.11 \n  \n 
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-166/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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UID:11643-1709856000-1709942399@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading
DESCRIPTION:HE BORE THE PUNISHMENT \nWHICH BRINGS US PEACE \nFrom a sermon by St Cyril of Alexandria6 \n◊◊◊ \nIn the account of Abraham’s sacrifice of his son Isaac\, the Bible portrays \nthe mystery of our Savior in all its aspects. Because I want you to have a clear \nunderstanding of this deep mystery of our religion\, I must show you the \nconnection between the events that typified the truth itself\, and explain how \neach part of the story should be interpreted. \nThe holy Abraham took his son and hastened to the place that God had \nshown him. The fact that the boy was brought to be sacrificed by his father is \nmeant to teach us by way of type or sign that the Lord Jesus Christ was not \nraised upon the cross by any human power\, nor by the wickedness of those who \nlaid snares for him\, but by the will of the Father\, whose providential plan \npermitted him to suffer death for the whole world. The Savior himself said as \nmuch when he answered Pilate: you would have no power over me if it had not \nbeen given you from above. At another time\, speaking to his Father in heaven\, \nhe said: Father\, if it is possible\, let this cup pass me by. But your will\, not mine\, \nbe done. \nAbraham laid the wood for the sacrifice on his son’s shoulders. In the \nsame way\, the Jews laid the wood of the cross on the Savior’s shoulders and they \ndid this with the consent\, one might almost say the cooperation of the Father; \nfor it is not possible to compel the divine power. The prophet Isaiah bears \nreliable witness to this when he says: He bore the punishment which brings us \npeace\, and by his wounds we are healed. We had all strayed like sheep\, \neveryone had gone his own way and the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all. \nWhen the patriarch eventually arrived at the appointed place\, he put all \nhis skill into building a good altar. This too we are meant to interpret in a \nspiritual way and so to understand that what appears to the human eye as a \ncross and a gibbet is in fact in the eyes of the Father of the whole universe a vast \nand towering altar raised up for the salvation of the world\, and blackened by the \nsmoke of a pure and most holy sacrifice. \nBy his words\, I bared my back to the scourge\, and let myself be struck on \nthe face\, Isaiah foretold the blows that his enemies would shamelessly inflict on \nthe Savior’s body\, and their spitting upon it… Our Lord Jesus Christ\, \ndisregarding the shame\, humbled himself in obedience to the Father\, even to \nthe extent of dying for our salvation. He died to give us life through the Holy \nSpirit and to raise us up with himself\, to open the gates of heaven to us and to \nlead us in\, thus restoring to the Father the human race whose sin had long ago \nmade it fly from his presence. \nTherefore\, beloved\, let this great work of our Savior be acclaimed by every \nvoice\, let his praise be on every tongue. Let the sweet sound of that ancient song \nbe heard again: God has gone up with shouts of jubilation\, the Lord has \nascended with a fanfare of trumpets. He completed the work of our salvation \nand then ascended\, indeed he not only ascended but he also led captivity \ncaptive and gave gifts to mortals. \n  \n6 A Word in Season – vol. II – Exordium Books – 1982 – pg 147.13 \n 
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-167/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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DTSTAMP:20260404T002926
CREATED:20240302T143950Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240302T143950Z
UID:11645-1709942400-1710028799@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading
DESCRIPTION:HE CAME TO CALL SINNERS \nFrom a letter by St Maximus the Confessor7 \n◊◊◊ \nGod’s will is to save us and nothing pleases him more than our coming \nback to him with true repentance. The heralds of truth and ministers of divine \ngrace have told us this from the beginning\, repeating it in every age. Indeed \nGod’s desire for our salvation is the primary and preeminent sign of his infinite \ngoodness\, and it was precisely in order to show that there is nothing closer to \nGod’s heart that the divine Word of God the Father\, with untold condescension\, \nlived among us in the flesh\, and that he did\, suffered\, and said all that was \nnecessary to reconcile us to God the Father when we were at enmity with him\, \nand to restore us to the life of blessedness from which we have been exiled. He \nhealed our physical infirmities by miracles; he freed us from our sins\, many and \ngrievous as they were\, by suffering and dying\, taking them upon himself as if he \nwere answerable for them\, sinless though he was. He also taught us in many \ndifferent ways that we should wish to imitate him by our own kindness and \ngenuine love for one another. \nThus he proclaimed that he had come to call sinners to repentance\, not \nthe righteous\, and that it was not the healthy who required a doctor\, but the \nsick. He declared that he had come to look for the sheep that was lost and that \nit was to the lost sheep of the house of Israel that he had been sent. Speaking \nmore obscurely in the parable of the silver coin\, he tells us that the purpose of \nhis coming was to reclaim the royal image\, which had been coated with the filth \nof sin. You can be sure that there is joy in heaven\, he said\, over one sinner who \nrepents. \nTo the same lesson he revived the man who\, having fallen into the hands \nof brigands\, had been left stripped and half-dead from his wounds; he poured \nwine and oil on the wounds\, bandaged them\, placed the man on his own mule\, \nand brought him to an inn\, where he left sufficient money to have him cared for\, \nand promised to repay any further expense on his return. \nAgain\, he told of how the father\, who is goodness itself\, was moved with \npity for his profligate son who returned and made amends by repentance; how \nhe embraced him\, dressed him once more in the fine garments that befitted his \nown dignity\, and did not reproach him for any of his sins. \nThen there was the time when one of the hundred sheep in God’s flock \nwent astray. When he found it wandering in the mountains and hills he did not \nexhaust it by driving it back to the fold\, but placed it on his own shoulders\, and \nso in his compassion restored it safely to the flock. \nHis teaching was the same when he cried out: “Come to me\, all you that \ntoil and are heavy of heart.” “Accept my yoke\,” he said\, by which he meant his \ncommands\, or rather the whole way of life that he taught us in the Gospel. He \nthen speaks of a burden\, but that is only because repentance seems difficult. In \nfact\, however\, “my yoke is easy\,” he assures us\, “and my burden is light.” \nThen again he instructs us in divine justice and goodness\, telling us to be \nlike our heavenly Father\, holy\, perfect and merciful. Forgive\, he says\, and you \nwill be forgiven. Treat other people as you would wish them to treat you. \n  \n7 A Word in Season – Monastic Lectionary – vol. II – Lent – Exordium Books – 1982 – pg. 14.15 \n  \n 
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-168/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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DTSTAMP:20260404T002926
CREATED:20240310T161504Z
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UID:11650-1710028800-1710115199@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Skema
DESCRIPTION:Biblical Readings for Office and Mass\n4th Week of Lent\n\n\nMass Readings: Sunday (B)\, Weekdays (II)\nMarch 10 – 16\, 2024\n\n\n\nSun\n10\nMon\n11\nTue\n12\nWed\n13\nThu\n14\nFri\n15\nSat\n16\n\n\nOffice\n4th Sunday of Lent\nLenten Weekday\nLenten Weekday\nLenten Weekday\nLenten Weekday\nLenten Weekday\nLenten Weekday\n\n\nVigils\nDeut 21:1-9\, 22-23\nDeut 24:10-22\nDeut 26:1-15\nDeut 26:16-27:10\nDeut 27:11-26\nDeut 28:1-19\nDeut 28:58-69\n\n\nLauds\nExod 14:10-14\nExod 14:19-22\nExod 14-26-31\nExod 15:19-21\nExod 16:1-3\nExod 16:9-15\nExod 19:1-8\n\n\nMass\n32\n243\n245\n246\n247\n248\n249\n\n\n1st\n2 Chr 36:14-16\, 19-23\nMic 7:7-9\nEzek 47:1-9\, 12\nIsa 49:8-15\nExod 32:7-14\nWis 2:1a\, 12-22\nJer 11:18-20\n\n\n2nd\nEph 2:4-10\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGospel\nJohn 3:14-21\nJohn 9:1-41\nJohn 5:1-3a\, 5-16\nJohn 5:17-30\nJohn 5:31-47\nJohn 7:1-2\, 10\, 25-30\nJohn 7:40-53\n\n\nVespers\nHeb 11:1-7\nHeb 11:8-16\nHeb 11:17-22\nHeb 11:23-31\nHeb 11:32-40\nHeb 12:1-6\nHeb 12:7-13
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/skema-64/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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UID:11652-1710028800-1710115199@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading - 4th Sunday of Lent
DESCRIPTION:THE CROSS OF OUR LORD \nFrom a commentary by St John Chrysostom1 \n◊◊◊ \nAlthough we praise our common Lord for all kinds of reasons\, we praise \nand glorify him above all for the cross. It fills us with awe to see him dying like \none accursed. It is this death for people like ourselves that Paul constantly \nregards as the sign of Christ’s love for us. He passes over everything else that \nChrist did for our advantage and consolation and dwells incessantly on the \ncross. The proof of God’s love for us\, he says\, is that Christ died for us while we \nwere still sinners. Then in the following sentence he gives us the highest ground \nfor hope: If\, when we were alienated from God\, we were reconciled to him by \nthe death of his Son\, how much more\, now that we are reconciled\, shall we be \nsaved by his life! It is this above all that made Paul so proud\, so happy\, so full \nof joy and exultation\, when he wrote to the Galatians: God forbid that I should \nglory in anything but the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. What wonder\, indeed\, \nif Paul rejoices and glories in the cross\, when the Lord himself spoke of his \npassion as his glory. Father\, he prayed\, the hour has come: glorify your Son. \nThe disciple who wrote those also told us that the Holy Spirit had not yet \ncome to them because Jesus was not yet glorified\, calling the cross glory. And \nwhen he wanted to show God’s love\, did he do so by referring to signs\, wonders\, \nor miracles of any sort? By no means: he pointed to the cross\, saying: God so \nloved the world that he gave his only Son\, that all who believe in him might \nnot perish but have eternal life. And Paul writes: Since he did not spare his own \nSon\, but gave him up for us all\, how can he fail to lavish every other gift upon \nus? And in his exhortation to humility he uses the same example\, saying: You \nshould have the same dispositions as you find in Christ Jesus. Although his \nnature was divine\, he did not cling to his equality with God\, but emptied \nhimself to assume the condition of a slave. Bearing the human likeness\, \nsharing the human lot\, he humbled himself and was obedient even to the point \nof dying – dying on a cross! \nReturning to the subject of love\, Paul again urges his hearers to love one \nanother\, even as Christ loved us\, and gave himself up for us as a fragrant \noffering and sacrifice to God. And Christ himself showed how the cross was his \nchief preoccupation\, and how much he longed to suffer. In his ignorance\, Peter\, \nfirst of the Twelve\, foundation of the Church\, leader of the Apostles\, protested: \nGod forbid\, Lord! This shall never happen to you! Listen to what Christ called \nhim: Get behind me\, Satan. You are an obstacle in my way\, proving by the \nstrength of his reprimand his great eagerness to suffer on the cross. \n  \n1 Journey with the Fathers -Year B – New City Press – NY – 1993 – pg 36.3 \n  \n 
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-4th-sunday-of-lent/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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DTSTAMP:20260404T002926
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UID:11654-1710115200-1710201599@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading
DESCRIPTION:THINK OF YOURSELF IN HUMILITY \nFrom a sermon by Blessed Guerric of Igny2 \n◊◊◊ \nNow you\, blessed sinner\, although not blessed because a sinner but \nbecause repentant of sin\, what encouragement was yours in your father’s \nembrace and his kiss\, when he restored his love to you of whom he had almost \ndespaired\, when he made your heart clean again and overwhelmed you with the \njoy of your salvation. \n“And how\,” he says\, “shall speech explain what the mind cannot contain?” \nUnspeakable are the groans and inexplicable the affections to which the spirit \ngives birth as if impregnated by the incomprehensible. The human heart is too \nnarrow for them and therefore it is torn and pours itself out. The ardor\, which \nit conceives but cannot contain\, it breathes forth and spreads abroad in what \nways it can\, by tears\, groans\, sighs. These things are better known to people who \nhave tasted them often and abundantly. \nNow also\, I say\, when you have been released after those embraces and \nkisses\, when you think over what has passed between you and him\, when you \nconsider what your cause was and how it was judged by him\, bearing in mind \non the one hand the abundance of your offence\, on the other hand the \nsuperabundance of his grace\, to what\, I ask\, does your thought give birth in you? \n“Naught but this”\, he says\, “that an unutterable fire blazes out in my \nmeditation\, on the one hand for sorrow and shame\, on the other hand for joy \nand love. I would not consider myself a man but a stone if I were so hard-hearted \nas not to grieve or be ashamed\, or so wicked and ungrateful as not to be wholly \nliquefied for joy or love of that father.” \nKeep then\, O happy sinner\, keep carefully and watchfully this spirit of \nyours\, this most fitting affection of humility and devotion by which you may \nalways think of yourself in humility and of the Lord in goodness. There is \nnothing greater than it among the gifts of the Holy Spirit\, nothing more precious \nin the treasures of God\, nothing more holy among all the charisms\, nothing \nmore health giving in all the sacraments…. \n  \n2 Guerric of Igny – Liturgical Sermons – vol. 1 – CF #8 _ Cistercian Publications – Spencer\, MA – 1970 p 143.5 \n  \n 
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-169/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20240312
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240313
DTSTAMP:20260404T002926
CREATED:20240310T162146Z
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UID:11656-1710201600-1710287999@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading
DESCRIPTION:GOD WILL HELP YOU \nFrom the Fourth Vision of St Hildegard of Bingen3 \n◊◊◊ \nDearest children\, open your eyes and ears… The choirs of angels sing\, \n“You are just\, O Lord!”\, because God’s justice has no flaw in it; for God delivered \nMan not by power but by mercy\, when He sent His Son into the world to redeem \nhim… But you\, when you consider good and evil\, are standing\, as it were\, where \ntwo roads branch off. If you despise the darkness of evil and want to see Him \nWhose creature you are\, and Whom you acknowledged in holy baptism where \nthe old sin of Adam was nullified in you; and if you say\, “ I want to fly from the \nDevil and his works and follow the true God and His precepts”; then think how \nyou have been taught to turn away from evil and do good\, and how the Heavenly \nFather did not spare His Only-Begotten but sent Him for your deliverance; and \npray to God to help you. And He\, hearing you\, will say\, “These eyes are pleasing \nto me!” And if you then cast off weariness and run courageously in God’s \ncommands\, He will always hear the cry of your prayers… \nBut if you have fallen into sin\, quickly rise by confession and pure \npenitence\, before death lays claim to you. For your Father wants you to cry out\, \nweep and ask for help so as not to remain in the squalor of sin. For if you have \nbeen wounded\, you seek a physician lest you die. Does not God often send \npeople troubles\, so that they will more intently invoke Him? But you\, O human\, \nsay “I cannot do good works!” I say you can. And you say “How?” And I say\, \n“By thought and action.” And you answer\, “I lack decision.” And I answer\, \n“Learn to fight against yourself!” And you say\, “I cannot fight against myself \nunless God helps me.” Hear then how you can fight against yourself. When evil \nrises up in you and you do not know how to get rid of it\, then\, touched by…grace\, \nwhich reaches you in the paths of your inner vision\, at once cry out\, pray\, \nconfess and weep so that God will help you\, and remove evil from you\, and grant \nyou strength in good. For this good is yours by the knowledge that lets you \nunderstand God by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit… So let the faithful person \nrecognize his pain and seek a physician before he falls dead. \n  \n3 Hildegard of Bingen. Scivias. Trans. Mother Columba Hart and Jane Bishop. New York: Paulist Press\, 1990. 125-128.7 \n  \n 
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-170/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240314
DTSTAMP:20260404T002926
CREATED:20240310T162300Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240310T162300Z
UID:11658-1710288000-1710374399@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading
DESCRIPTION:LET US LOVE ONE ANOTHER \nFrom a sermon by St Leo the Great4 \n◊◊◊ \nIn the gospel of John the Lord says: “In this will all people know that you \nare my disciples\, if you have love for one another”. In a letter of the same apostle \nwe read: “Beloved\, let us love one another\, for love is from God\, and everyone \nwho loves is born of God and knows God; whoever does not love does not know \nGod\, for God is Love”. \nThe faithful should enter into themselves and make a true judgment on \ntheir attitudes of mind and heart. If they find some store of love’s fruit in their \nhearts\, they must not doubt God’s presence within them. If they would increase \ntheir capacity to receive so great a guest\, they should practice greater generosity \nin doing good\, with persevering charity. \nAny time is the right time for works of charity\, but these days of Lent \nprovide a special encouragement. Those who want to be present at the Lord’s \nPassover in holiness of mind and body should seek above all to win this grace\, \nfor charity contains all other virtues and covers a multitude of sins. \nAs we prepare to celebrate that greatest of all mysteries\, by which the \nblood of Jesus Christ did away with our sins\, let us first of all make ready the \nsacrificial offerings of works of mercy. In this way we shall give to those who \nhave sinned against us what God in his goodness has already given to us. \nLet us extend to the poor and those afflicted in different ways a more \nopen-handed generosity\, so that God may be thanked through many voices and \nthe relief of the needy supported by our fasting. No act of devotion on the part \nof the faithful gives God more pleasure than that which is lavished on his poor. \nWhere he finds charity with its loving concern\, there he recognizes the reflection \nof his own fatherly care. \nIn these acts of giving do not fear a lack of means. A generous spirit is \nitself great wealth. There can be no shortage of material for generosity where it \nis Christ who feeds and Christ who is fed. In all this activity there is present the \nhand of him who multiplies the bread by breaking it\, and increases it by giving \nit away. \nThe giver of alms should be free from anxiety and full of joy. His gain will \nbe the greatest when he keeps back least for himself. The holy Apostle Paul tells \nus: “He who provides seed for the sower will also provide bread for eating; he \nwill provide you with more seed\, and will increase the harvest of your \ngoodness”\, in Christ Jesus our Lord\, who lives and reigns with the Father and \nthe Holy spirit for ever and ever. \n  \n4 The Liturgy of the Hours – vol II – pg 295 – Catholic Book Publishing Co – 1976.9 \n 
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-171/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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DTSTAMP:20260404T002926
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UID:11660-1710374400-1710460799@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading
DESCRIPTION:THE ROLE OF THE PROPHET \nFrom the writing of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel5 \n◊◊◊ \nThe certainty of being inspired by God\, of speaking in His name\, of having \nbeen sent by Him to the people\, is the basic and central fact of the prophet’s \nconsciousness. Other people regard experience as the source of certainty; what \nsingles out the prophet in the world of man is that to him the source of his \nexperience is the source of his certainty. To his mind\, the validity and \ndistinction of his message lie in the origin\, not only in the moment of his \nexperience… \nIn a variety of ways\, in utterance and in action\, the prophets stressed their \nstaggering claim. It was such certainty of being inspired that enabled the \nprophet to proclaim again and again: “Thus says the Lord”; “Hear the word of \nthe Lord”… There is no doubt that the prophets were conscious of their own \nsincerity; that their tongues were not confuted by their consciences. “What I \nheard from the Lord of hosts\, … I announce to you\,” said Isaiah. And Jeremiah \ninsisted “That which came out of my lips was before Thy face”. \nThe prophet does not speak of a resolution or a purpose\, framed by \nhimself\, to devote himself to his vocation\, but describes a decisive moment in \nwhich he received a call. He thinks of himself as “a messenger of God”\, sent by \nHim to His people. Moreover\, he does not speak on the strength of a single \nexperience or sporadic inspirations. His entire existence is dedicated to his \nmission… When “Jeremiah’s harsh word of judgment against the Temple of \nJerusalem provoked the priests… that they wanted to kill him\,” Jeremiah had \nnothing to say in his defense before the royal officials except: “…the Lord has \nsent me to you\, to say all these words in your ears”… \nTo the consciousness of the prophet\, the prophetic act is more than an \nexperience; it is an objective event… It is not a discovery\, a coming upon \nsomething permanently given by the mind of the prophet…a timeless idea… \njustice\, a law\, but something dynamic\, an act of giving; not an eternal word\, but \na word spoken\, a word expressed\, springing from a Presence\, a word in time\, a \npathos overflowing in words. His experience is a perception of an act that \nhappens rather than a perception of a situation that abides… \nThus\, to the prophetic consciousness\, inspiration is…experienced as a \ndivine act which takes place not within but beyond\, as an event which happens \nin one’s view rather than in one’s heart. The prophet does not merely feel it; he \nfaces it. \n  \n5 Heschel\, Abraham J. The Prophets. New York: Harper & Row\, 1962. 426-433.11 \n  \n 
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-172/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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DTSTAMP:20260404T002926
CREATED:20240310T162538Z
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UID:11662-1710460800-1710547199@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading
DESCRIPTION:A CHURCH OF PENANCE AND PRAYER \nFrom a sermon by St Oscar Romero6 \n◊◊◊ \nNot everyone… will have the honor of offering their blood physically or of \nbeing killed for the faith. But God does ask all those who believe in him to have \nthe spirit of martyrdom. In other words\, all of us should be ready to die for our \nfaith even if the Lord does not grant us this honor. If we are so disposed\, then \nwhen our time comes to give an accounting of our lives\, we can say: “Lord\, I was \nwilling to give my life for you. And I have given it\, because giving one’s life is \nnot only being killed; it means living with the spirit of martyrdom and giving \nthrough duty\, through silence\, through prayer”. Indeed\, it is in the honest \nfulfillment of duty and in the silence of daily life that we give our lives to God. \nWe give our lives as does the mother who with no fuss\, with the simplicity of \nmotherly martyrdom\, gives birth and gives her breast to her children and \nlovingly cares for them. This is what it means to give one’s life… May we all \ninterpret for our lives what is now so necessary: surrendering our lives to \nholiness and being faithful to our obligations… \nIt is wonderful to be Catholic at this time. Let us not be distressed but \nhappy. Let us feel joyful in our spirit of courage and in our commitment to \nGod… The less we place our trust in the things of earth\, the greater will be God’s \nprotection… In God is our hope. \nPenance was the word with which Christ began to preach the gospel\, and \nit is also the substance of the church’s preaching: “Do penance! Be converted! \nLeave behind your evil ways!”… How I wish…that this Gospel word\, spoken with \ntenderness…would reach those places where so many criminals are hidden\, \nthose dark corners of hell where so many calumnies are being plotted: “Be \nconverted. Do not plant seeds of hatred! Do not kill more of our sisters and \nbrothers! Do not spread more calumnies. Be converted\, for these perverse \nroads lead to hell\, and the Virgin wants you in her heaven. \n… May prayer never fail in our hearts and on our lips. May we lift up our \nhearts to God\, seeking favors\, giving thanks\, and asking for mercy. At this time \nI have great confidence… because there are many souls deep in prayer. As long \nas people are praying\, I am not distressed. I tell the Lord in the intimacy of my \nMass\, as all priests do\, “Lord\, look not on my sins\, but on the faith of your \nchurch”. The faith of your church\, Lord\, is the old woman praying her rosary. \nThe faith of our church is the sick man who feels useless but offers his suffering \nto God. The faith of the church is the father worried about supporting his \nfamily\, honest and faithful to his home. The faith of the church is the religious \nwho becomes holy in her own vocation. It is the priest\, the seminarian\, the \nchild\, and all those who live their vocation as church. The church is made up of \nall of us\, and insofar as we pray and become holy\, we are the power of the world\, \nthe force that descends from God\, because the power of our prayer is derived \nfrom God. \n…Let us become a church of penance and prayer… that this Blood of \nChrist “that is shed for you” may become truly a rain of peace\, tranquility\, \nharmony and reconciliation…. \n  \n6 Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero. A Prophetic Bishop Speaks to His People: Vol. 1. Trans. Joseph \nOwens\, S.J. Miami\, FL: Convivium Press\, 2015. 110-114.13 \n  \n 
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-173/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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UID:11664-1710547200-1710633599@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading
DESCRIPTION:LABOR WHILE IT IS YET DAY \nFrom a sermon by St Ambrose7 \n◊◊◊ \nGive thanks\, brethren\, to the Divine Mercy which has brought you safely \nhalf-way through the season of Lent. For this favor they give praise to God\, \nthankfully and with devotion\, who in these days have striven to live in the \nmanner in which they were instructed at the beginning of Lent: that is\, those \nwho\, coming with eagerness to the church\, have sought with sighs and tears\, in \ndaily fasting and alms\, to obtain the forgiveness of their sins. \nThey\, however\, who have neglected this duty\, that is to say\, those who \nhave not fasted daily\, or given alms\, or those who were indifferent or unmoved \nin prayer\, they have no reason to rejoice\, but cause rather for mourning. Yet let \nthem not mourn as if they had no hope; for He who could give back sight to the \nman blind from birth can likewise change those who now are lukewarm and \nindifferent into souls fervent and zealous in His service\, if with their whole heart \nthey desire to be converted unto Him. \nLabor therefore\, beloved children in the Lord\, labor while it is yet day; for \nas Christ our Lord says\, The night comes\, when no man can work. Daytime is \nthis present life; night is death and the time that follows death. If after this life \nthere is no more freedom to work\, as the Truth tells us\, why then does every \nperson not labor while yet there is time…while he still lives in this world? \nBe fearful\, brethren\, of this death. All those who now work evil are \nwithout fear of this death\, and because of this when they depart from this life \nthey shall encounter everlasting death. Labor while you yet live\, and particularly \nin these days; fasting from dainty fare\, withholding yourselves at all times from \nevil works. For those who abstain from food\, but do not withhold themselves \nfrom wickedness\, are like the devil\, who while he eats not\, never ceases from \nevildoing. \n  \n7 The Sunday Sermons of the Great Fathers – vol. 2 – Henry Regnery Co – Chicago – 1958 – pg \n82.15 \n 
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-174/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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UID:11678-1710633600-1710719999@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Skema: 5th Week of Lent
DESCRIPTION:Biblical Readings for Office and Mass\n5th Week of Lent\n\n\nMass Readings: Sunday (B)\, Weekdays (II)\nMarch 17 – 23\, 2024\n\n\n\nSun\n17\nMon\n18\nTue\n19\nWed\n20\nThu\n21\nFri\n22\nSat\n23\n\n\nOffice\n5th Sunday of Lent\nLenten Weekday\nSt Joseph\nLenten Weekday\nLenten Weekday\nLenten Weekday\nLenten Weekday\n\n\nVigils\nDeut 29:1-20\nDeut 30:1-14\nHosea 11:1-11\nDeut 31:16-29\nDeut 31:30-32:20\nDeut 32:36-52\nDeut 34:1-12\n\n\nLauds\nExod 19:16-19\nExod 20:1-7\nWis 10:9-12\nExod 20:18-21\nExod 24:12-18\nExod 32:7-14\nExod 32:30-35\n\n\nMass\n35\n250\n543\n253\n254\n255\n256\n\n\n1st\nJer 31:31-34\n2 Kgs 4:18b-21\, 32-37\n2 Sam 7:4-5a\, 12-14a\, 16\nDan 3:14-20\, 91-92\, 95\nGen 17:3-9\nJer 20:10-13\nEzek 37:21-28\n\n\n2nd\nHeb 5:7-9\n\nRom 4:13\, 16-18\, 22\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGospel\nJohn 12:20-33\nJohn 11:1-45\nMatt 1:16\, 18-21\, 24a\nJohn 8:31-42\nJohn 8:51-59\nJohn 10:31-42\nJohn 11:45-56\n\n\nVespers\nHeb 12:14-17\nJames 1:22-27\nEph 3:14-21\nHeb 13:1-8\nHeb 13:9-16\nHeb 13:17-25\nGal 3:7-14
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/skema-5th-week-of-lent/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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DTSTAMP:20260404T002926
CREATED:20240316T215457Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240316T215457Z
UID:11680-1710633600-1710719999@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:5th Sunday of Lent
DESCRIPTION:HE LAID DOWN HIS LIFE\nFrom a commentary by St Cyril of Alexandria 1\n◊◊◊\nAs the first fruits of our renewed humanity\, Christ escaped the curse of\nthe law precisely by becoming accursed for our sake. He overcame the forces of\ncorruption\, by himself becoming once more\, free among the dead. He trampled\ndeath under foot and came to life again\, and then he ascended to the Father as\nan offering\, the first fruits…of the human race. He ascended\, as Scripture says\,\nnot to a sanctuary made by human hands\, a mere copy of the real one\, but into\nheaven itself\, to appear in God’s presence on our behalf. He is the life-giving\nbread that came down from heaven\, and by offering himself to God the Father\nas a fragrant sacrifice for our sake\, he also delivers us from our sins and frees us\nfrom the faults that we commit through ignorance. \nWe can understand this best if we think of him as symbolized by the calf\nthat used to be slain as a holocaust and by the goat that was sacrificed for our\nsins committed through ignorance. For our sake\, to blot out the sins of the\nworld\, he laid down his life. Recognized then in bread as life and the giver of\nlife\, in the calf as a holocaust offered by himself to God the Father as an\nappeasing fragrance\, in the goat as one who became sin for our sake and was\nslain for our transgressions\, Christ is also symbolized in another way by a sheaf\nof grain… \nThe human race may be compared to spikes of wheat in a field\, rising\, as\nit were\, from the earth\, awaiting their full growth and development\, and then in\ntime being cut down by the reaper\, which is death. The comparison is apt\, since\nChrist himself spoke of our race in this way when he said to his holy disciples:\nDo you not say\, “Four months and it will be harvest time?” Look at the fields I\ntell you\, they are already white and ready for harvesting. The reaper is\nalready receiving his wages and bringing in a crop for eternal life. \nNow Christ became like one of us; he sprang from the holy Virgin like a\nspike of wheat from the ground. Indeed\, he spoke of himself as a grain of wheat\nwhen he said: I tell you truly\, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and\ndies\, it remains as it was\, a single grain; but if it dies its yield is very great.\nAnd so\, like a sheaf of grain\, the first fruits\, as it were\, of the earth\, he offered\nhimself to the Father for our sake. \nFor we do not think of a spike of wheat\, any more than we do of ourselves\,\nin isolation. We think of it rather as part of a sheaf\, which is a single bundle\nmade up of many spikes. The spikes have to be gathered into a bundle before\nthey can be used\, and this is the key to the mystery they represent\, the mystery\nof Christ who\, though one\, appears in the image of a sheaf to be made up of\nmany\, as in fact he is. Spiritually\, he contains in himself all believers. As we\nhave been raised up with him\, writes Saint Paul\, so we have also been\nenthroned with him in heaven. He is a human being like ourselves\, and this has\nmade us one body with him\, the body being the bond that unites us. We can say\,\ntherefore\, that in him\, we are all one\, and indeed as he himself says to God\, his\nheavenly Father: It is my desire that as I and you are one\, so they also may be\none in us. \n1\nJourney with the Fathers – Year B – New City Press – NY – 1993 – pg 38.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/5th-sunday-of-lent/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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