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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260508
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260509
DTSTAMP:20260511T192504
CREATED:20260503T215635Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260503T215635Z
UID:14884-1778198400-1778284799@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading - Bl Christian de Charge
DESCRIPTION:A reading on the life of \nCHRISTIAN DE CHERGÉ \n◊◊◊ \nIn its early stages\, monastic life was interpreted in various ways. Not a few \nunderstood monasticism as an authentic martyrdom. The martyr\, the monk and \nthe mystic are people who have oriented their lives toward mystery and entered \ndeeply therein. They long for one thing only: to enter into communion with their \nLord in death in order to be joined with him in the Resurrection. \nChristian de Chergé was born on January 18\, 1937 at Colmar into a \ndistinguished family of eight children. His father was a military man\, as would \nbe his older brother later on. During his childhood he spent three years in \nAlgeria during the Second World War. From the time of his childhood he always \nremained impressed by the Muslim’s way of approaching God. \nOn October 6\, 1956\, at the age of nineteen he entered the seminary of the \nCarmelites in Paris. His studies were interrupted in 1959 when he had to report \nfor military service. Set on becoming an officer\, he took the required courses \nand in July of the following year he was made second lieutenant. That same \nmonth\, at the time of the war of independence\, he arrived in Algeria at the age of \ntwenty-three. \nAn event occurred during this time that left its mark on him for the rest of \nhis life. He had made friends with an Algerian who worked as a warden under \nthe French authorities\, a position that made him susceptible to the violence of \nthe National Liberation Army. Mohamed tried to be faithful at one and the same \ntime to his Christian friend\, to his Islamic faith\, and to his own people. It so \nhappened one day that they were involved in a scuffle in the street. Mohamed \nprotected his friend and tried to pacify his aggressors. The following day\, he was13 \nfound dead. This painful episode was never to be forgotten. Christian came back \nto it in later years\, writing: “I know at least one beloved brother\, a convinced \nMuslim\, who gave his life for love of another\, in a concrete way\, by spilling his \nown blood. Indeed\, since then\, in my hope for communion of all the elect in \nChrist\, I can fix my eyes on this friend who lived\, even in his death\, the one \ncommandment.” \nFor Christian de Chergé all of this was a foundational experience and the \nseed of a vocation. In the blood of his friend\, assassinated for not having wanted \nto bargain with hatred\, Christian said in 1982: “I knew my calling to follow \nChrist would end up living itself out sooner or later in the same country where \nI had been given the pledge of the greater love\, ‘shed for you and for many’”. \nOn March 21\, 1964\, he was ordained a priest and shortly thereafter was sent to \nAlgeria and to the monastic life. On September 14\, 1976\, he made his perpetual \nvows. In it he expressed his desire to “live in Prayer in the service of the Church \nof Algeria\, listening to the Muslim soul\, God willing\, until the final gift of my \ndeath.” \nChristian was elected Titular Prior of Atlas monastery in 1984. He was \nalready deeply involved in the interreligious dialogue. On May 21\, 1996\, united \nwith his six brothers of the community\, he sealed with his blood the witness of \nhis life.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-bl-christian-de-charge/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260509
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260510
DTSTAMP:20260511T192504
CREATED:20260503T215749Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260503T215749Z
UID:14886-1778284800-1778371199@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading
DESCRIPTION:A reading from “The First Apology in Defense of the Christians” by \nST JUSTIN MARTYR \n◊◊◊ \nNone may share the Eucharist with us unless they believe that what we \nteach is true; unless they are washed in the regenerating waters of Baptism for \nthe remission of their sins; and unless they live in accordance with the \nprinciples given us by Christ. \nWe do not consume the eucharistic bread and wine as ordinary food and \ndrink\, for we have been taught that as Jesus Christ our Saviour became a man of \nflesh and blood by the power of the Word of God\, so also the food that our flesh \nand blood assimilates for its nourishment becomes the flesh and blood of the \nincarnate Jesus by the power of his own words contained in the prayer of \nthanksgiving. \nThe Apostles in their recollections\, which are called Gospels\, handed \ndown to us what Jesus commanded them to do. They tell us that he took bread\, \ngave thanks and said: Do this in memory of me\, this is my body. In the same \nway he took the cup\, he gave thanks and said: This is my blood\, and he \ndistributed it only to them. Ever since then we have constantly reminded one \nanother of these things. The rich among us help the poor and we are always \nunited. For all that we receive we praise the Creator of the universe through his \nSon Jesus Christ and through the Holy Spirit. \nOn Sunday we have a common assembly of all our members\, whether they \nlive in the city or in the outlying districts. The recollections of the Apostles or the \nwritings of the prophets are read as long as time permits. When the reader has \nfinished\, the president of the assembly speaks to us\, urging everyone to imitate \nthe examples of virtue we have heard about in the readings. Then we all stand up \ntogether and pray. \nOn the conclusion of our prayer\, bread and wine and water are brought \nforward. The president offers prayers and gives thanks to the best of his ability\, \nand the people give their assent by saying\, ‘Amen’. The Eucharist is distributed\, \neveryone present communicates\, and the Deacons take it to those who are \nabsent. \nThe wealthy if they wish may make a contribution\, and they themselves \ndecide the amount. The collection is placed in the custody of the president\, who \nuses it to help the orphans and widows and all who for any reason are in distress\, \nwhether because they are sick\, in prison\, or away from home. In a word\, he takes \ncare of all who are in need. \nWe hold our common assembly on Sunday because it is the first day of the \nweek the day on which God put darkness and chaos to flight and created the \nworld\, and because on that same day our Saviour Jesus Christ rose from the \ndead. For he was crucified on Friday and on Sunday he appeared to his Apostles \nand disciples and taught them the things that we have passed on for your \nconsideration.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-430/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260510
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260511
DTSTAMP:20260511T192504
CREATED:20260509T230737Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260509T230737Z
UID:14897-1778371200-1778457599@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Skema
DESCRIPTION:Biblical Readings for Office and Mass\n6th Week of Easter\n\n\nMass Readings: Sunday (A)\, Weekdays (II)\nMay 10 – 16\, 2026\n\n\n\nSun\n10\nMon\n11\nTue\n12\nWed\n13\nThu\n14\nFri\n15\nSat\n16\n\n\nOffice\n6th Sunday of Easter\nHoly Abbots of Cluny\nEaster Weekday\nOur Lady of Fatima\nSt Matthias\nSt Pachomius\nEaster Weekday\n\n\nVigils\nActs 20:17-38\nActs 21:1-26\nActs 21:27-39\nActs 21:40-22:21\nPhil 3:13-4:1\nActs 23:12-35\nActs 24:1-27\n\n\nLauds\nCol 1:9-14\nCol 1:24-29\nCol 2:9-15\nCol 4:4-9\n1 Jn 2:18-25\n1 Jn 2:7-11\n1 Jn 2:18-23\n\n\nMass\n55\n291\n292\n293\n564\n295\n296\n\n\n1st\nActs 8:5-8\, 14-17\nActs 16:11-15\nActs 16:22-34\nActs 17:15\, 22-18:1\nActs 1:15-17\, 20-26\nActs 18:9-18\nActs 18:23-28\n\n\n2nd\n1 Pet 3:15-18\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGospel\nJohn 14:15-21\nJohn 15:26-16:4a\nJohn 16:5-11\nJohn 16:12-15\nJohn 15:9-17\nJohn 16:20-23\nJohn 16:23b-28\n\n\nVespers\nCol 1:15-23\nCol 2:1-8\nCol 3:12-17\n1 Jn 1:1-4\n1 Cor 4:1-7\n1 Jn 2:12-17\nCol 3:1-11
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/skema-154/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260510
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260511
DTSTAMP:20260511T192504
CREATED:20260509T230904Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260509T230904Z
UID:14899-1778371200-1778457599@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading - 6th Sunday of Easter
DESCRIPTION:A reading from \nST JOHN CHRYSOSTOM \n◊◊◊ \nIf you love me\, said Christ\, keep my commandments. I have commanded \nyou to love one another and to treat one another as I have treated you. To love \nme is to obey these commands\, to submit to me your beloved. And I will ask the \nfather\, and he will give you another Counselor. This promise shows once again \nChrist’s consideration. Because his disciples did not yet know who he was\, it was \nlikely that they would greatly miss his companionship\, his teaching\, his actual \nphysical presence\, and be completely disconsolate when he had gone. Therefore \nhe said: I will ask the Father\, and he will give you another Counselor\, meaning \nanother like himself. \nThey received the Spirit after Christ had purified them by his sacrifice. \nThe Spirit did not come down on them while Christ was still with them\, because \nthis sacrifice had not yet been offered. But when sin had been blotted out and \nthe disciples\, sent out to face danger\, were preparing themselves for the battle\, \nthey needed the Holy Spirit’s coming to encourage them. If you ask why the \nSpirit did not come immediately after the resurrection\, this was in order to \nincrease their gratitude for receiving him by increasing their desire. They were \ntroubled by nothing as long as Christ was with them\, but when his departure \nhad left them desolate and very much afraid\, they would be most eager to \nreceive the Spirit. \nHe will remain with you\, Christ said\, meaning his presence with you will \nnot be ended by death. But since there was a danger that hearing of a Counselor \nmight lead them to expect another incarnation and to think they would be able \nto see the Holy Spirit\, he corrected this idea saying: The world cannot receive \nhim because it does not see him. For he will not be with you in the same way as I \nam\, but will dwell in your very souls\, He will be in you. \nChrist called him the Spirit of truth because the Spirit would help them to \nunderstand the types of the old law. By He will be with you he meant\, He will be \nwith you as I am with you\, but he also hinted at the difference between them\, \nnamely\, that the Spirit would not suffer as he had done\, nor would he ever \ndepart… \nHe said that the Spirit was another like himself\, that he would not leave \nthem\, that he would come to them just as he himself had come\, and that he \nwould remain in them. Yet even this did not drive away their sadness\, for they \nstill wanted Christ himself and his companionship. So to satisfy them he said: I \nwill not leave you orphans; I will come back to you. Do not be afraid\, for when I \npromised to send you another counselor I did not mean that I was going to \nabandon you for ever\, nor by saying that he would remain with you did I mean \nthat I would not see you again. Of course I also will come to you; I will not leave \nyou orphans.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-6th-sunday-of-easter-3/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260511
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260512
DTSTAMP:20260511T192504
CREATED:20260509T231055Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260509T231055Z
UID:14901-1778457600-1778543999@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading - Holy Abbots of Cluny
DESCRIPTION:A reading from a letter of St Bernard to Pope Eugenius\, on behalf of \nPETER THE VENERABLE \n◊◊◊ \nIt would be silly for me to write you on behalf of the Lord Abbot of Cluny\, \nto act as if I wanted to befriend a man whom the entire world befriends. But \nalthough he does not need me to write on his behalf\, I am nevertheless doing so \nin order to satisfy my affection for him\, for this purpose alone and no other. \nAlthough I cannot accompany him in body I shall be with him in spirit on his \npilgrimage to Rome. Nothing can separate us\, not the height of the Alps\, nor the \ncold of the snows\, nor the long distance of the journey. And I am present to him \nnow\, stretching out my hand to him in this letter. He cannot go anywhere \nwithout me because I am so much in his debt for the favor of his friendship. But \nhis favor itself acquits me of the debt\, for what was a duty has become a \npleasure. \nHonor this man as an honorable member of Christ’s body. He is a vessel \nfit for all honorable employment\, a vessel full of grace and truth\, full of all \nmanner of good things. Send him back with joy to rejoice the hearts of many by \nhis return. Show him great favor\, so that when he returns we may all receive of \nhis fullness. He should\, of course\, find no difficulty in obtaining from you \nanything he asks for in the name of the Lord Jesus. For\, if you do not know it\, he \nit is that holds out his hands to the poor of our Order; he it is that freely and \nfrequently\, as far as he may without offending his own people\, supports our \nbrethren from the possessions of his monastery. \nBut let me explain why I say “in the name of the Lord Jesus.” It is because \nI fear and suspect he may ask to be released from the rule of his monastery; and \nno one who knows him would consider this a petition made in the name of \nJesus. I am very much mistaken if he is not more self-effacing than usual\, if he \nhas not become more perfect since he last saw you\, although it is well known \nthat almost from the first instant of assuming office he reformed his Order in \nmany ways\, in the matter\, for instance\, of fasting\, silence\, and costly and curious \nclothing.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-holy-abbots-of-cluny-3/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260512
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260513
DTSTAMP:20260511T192504
CREATED:20260509T231157Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260509T231157Z
UID:14903-1778544000-1778630399@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading
DESCRIPTION:A reading from “Lumen Gentium” of \nTHE SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL \n◊◊◊ \nThe Lord Jesus\, having prayed at length to the Father\, called to himself \nthose he desired and appointed twelve to be with him\, whom he might send to \npreach the kingdom of God. These Apostles he established in the form of a \nCollege or permanent assembly\, at the head of which he placed Peter who was \nchosen from amongst them. He sent them first of all to the children of Israel and \nthen to all peoples\, so that\, sharing in his power\, they might make all peoples his \ndisciples and sanctify and govern them. Thus they would spread the Church\, \nadminister it under the guidance of the Lord\, and shepherd it until the end of \nthe world. They were fully confirmed in this mission on the day of Pentecost \naccording to the Lord’s promise: You will receive power when the Holy Spirit \ndescends on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea \nand Samaria\, and to the ends of the earth. \nSo\, just as by the Lord’s decree St Peter and the rest of the Apostles \nconstitute a unique apostolic College\, so the Roman Pontiff\, Peter’s successor\, \nand the Bishops\, the successors of the Apostles\, are related with and united to \none another. By ancient discipline the Bishops throughout the whole world lived \nin communion with one another and with the Roman Pontiff in a bond of unity\, \ncharity and peace; they also held Councils in order to settle together\, in a \ndecision rendered balanced and equitable by the advice of many\, all questions of \nmajor importance. \nBoth these facts show clearly the collegiate character and structure of the \nepiscopal order\, which is confirmed by the holding of Ecumenical Councils in \nthe course of the centuries. Indeed\, pointing to it also quite clearly is the custom\, \ndating from very early times\, of summoning a number of Bishops to take part in \nthe elevation of one newly chosen to the highest sacerdotal office. A man is \nmade a member of the episcopal body by sacramental consecration and \nhierarchical communion with the head and members of the College. \nThis College\, composed of many members\, is the expression of the \ndiversity and universality of the People of God. It also shows the unity of the \nflock of Christ because it is assembled under one head. In it the Bishops\, whilst \nloyally respecting the primacy and preeminence of their head\, exercise their \nown proper authority for the good of their faithful and of the whole Church\, \nwhose organic structure and harmony are strengthened by the continued \ninfluence of the Holy Spirit. \nThe supreme authority over the whole Church\, which this College \npossesses\, is exercised in a solemn way in an Ecumenical Council. Every \nEcumenical Council is confirmed or at least recognized as such by the successor \nof Peter and it is the prerogative of the Roman Pontiff to convoke such Councils\, \nto preside over them and to confirm them.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-431/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260513
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260514
DTSTAMP:20260511T192504
CREATED:20260509T231304Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260509T231304Z
UID:14905-1778630400-1778716799@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading - Our Lady of Fatima
DESCRIPTION:A reading from \nPOPE ST JOHN PAUL II \n◊◊◊ \nSince the time when Jesus\, dying on the cross\, said to John: “Behold your \nMother“\, since the time when “the disciple took her into his home”\, the mystery \nof Mary’s spiritual motherhood had its fulfillment in history with an amplitude \nwithout boundaries. Motherhood means concern for her son’s life. Now\, if Mary \nis the mother of all people\, her concern for human life is universal in scope… \nThe spiritual motherhood of Mary is therefore participation in the power of the \nHoly Spirit\, the One who “gives life.” It is with the humble service of the one who \nsays of herself: “Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord“. \nIn the light of the mystery of Mary’s spiritual motherhood\, let us \nunderstand the extraordinary message\, which began to resonate in the world by \nFatima since May 13\, 1917 and lasted for five months until October 13 of the \nsame year. If the Church has embraced the message of Fatima it is mainly \nbecause it contains a truth and a call\, which in their essential content is the truth \nand the call of the Gospel itself. \n“Repent and believe in the Gospel“\, these are the first words of the \nMessiah addressed to humanity. The message of Fatima is in its core a call to \nconversion and penance… The call to repentance is maternal and at the same \ntime\, strong and determined. The love that “rejoices in the truth“\, knows how to \nbe outspoken and determined… Can the Mother\, who with all the power of her \nlove\, which fosters in the Holy Spirit and desires the salvation of every person\, \nkeep quiet about what undermines the very foundations of this salvation? No\, \nshe cannot! \nThe Immaculate Heart of Mary\, opened by the word: “Woman\, behold \nyour son“\, meets spiritually with the Heart of the Son opened by the soldier’s \nlance. Mary’s Heart was opened by the same love for mortals and for the world\, \nwith which Christ has loved humanity and the world\, offering Himself on the \nCross for them. To consecrate the world to the Immaculate Heart of the Mother \nmeans returning beneath the Cross of her Son. More it means consecrating this \nworld to the pierced Heart of the Savior\, bringing the very source of his \nredemption. Redemption is always greater than the sin of man and the “sin of \nthe world.”… The Heart of the Mother is aware of this\, as no one else in the \nwhole universe\, visible and invisible… \nThe Mother of Christ calls us and invites us to join the Church of the living \nGod in the consecration of the world\, this reliance by which the world\, \nhumanity\, nations\, all people are offered to the Eternal Father with the power of \nChrist’s redemption. They are offered in the pierced Heart of the Redeemer on \nthe Cross… \nThe appeal of the Lady of Fatima is so deeply rooted in the Gospel and in \nthe whole of tradition that the Church feels committed by this message. Yes\, we \ncan truly say: “Blessed are you\, daughter\, in front of the Most High God above \nall women on earth!”… Yes\, here and throughout the Church\, in the heart of \nevery man and in the whole world you are blessed Mary\, our sweet Mother!
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-our-lady-of-fatima-2/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260514
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260515
DTSTAMP:20260511T192504
CREATED:20260509T231406Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260509T231406Z
UID:14907-1778716800-1778803199@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading - St Matthias
DESCRIPTION:A reading from \nST JOHN HENRY NEWMAN \n◊◊◊ \n<The feast of St Matthias> is the only day which is to be celebrated with \nmingled feelings of joy and pain. It records the fall as well as the election of an \nApostle. St Matthias was chosen in place of the traitor Judas. In the history of \nthe latter we have the warning recorded in very deed\, which our Lord in the text \ngives us in word\, “Hold that fast which thou hast\, that no man take thy crown.” \nAnd doubtless many were the warnings such as this\, addressed by our Lord to \nthe wretched man who in the end betrayed him. \nThe reflection which rises in the mind on a consideration of the election of \nSt Matthias\, is this: how easily God may affect His purposes without us\, and put \nothers in our place\, if we are disobedient to Him. It often happens that those \nwho have long been in His favor grow secure and presuming. They think their \nsalvation certain\, and their service necessary to Him who has graciously \naccepted it. Now\, this feeling of self-importance is repressed all through the \nScriptures\, and especially by the events we commemorate today. \nWhat solemn overpowering thoughts must have crowded on St Matthias\, \nwhen he received the greetings of the eleven Apostles\, and took his seat among \nthem as their brother! His very election was a witness against himself if he did \nnot fulfill it. And such surely will ours be in our degree. We take the place of \nothers who have gone before\, as Matthias did; we are “baptized for the dead\,” \nfilling up the ranks of soldiers\, some of whom\, indeed\, have fought a good fight\, \nbut many of whom in every age have made void their calling. Many are called\, \nfew are chosen. The monuments of sin and unbelief are set up around us. The \ncasting away of the Jews was the reconciling of the Gentiles. The fall of one \nnation is the conversion of another. The Church loses old branches and gains \nnew. God works according to His own inscrutable pleasure… \nThus the Christian of every age is but the successor of the lost and of the \ndead. How long we of this country shall be put in trust with Gospel\, we know \nnot; but while we have the privilege\, assuredly we do but stand in the place of \nChristians who have either utterly fallen away\, or are so corrupted as scarcely to \nlet their light shine before others. We are at present witnesses of the Truth; and \nour very glory is our warning. By the superstitions\, the profanities\, the \nindifference\, the unbelief of the world called “Christian”\, we are called upon to \nbe lowly-minded while we preach aloud\, and to tremble while we rejoice. Let us \nthen\, as a Church and as individuals\, one and all\, look to Him who alone can \nkeep us from falling. Let us with single heart look up to Christ our Saviour\, and \nput ourselves into His hands\, from whom all our strength and wisdom is \nderived.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-st-matthias/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260515
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260516
DTSTAMP:20260511T192504
CREATED:20260509T231517Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260509T231517Z
UID:14909-1778803200-1778889599@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading - St Pachomius
DESCRIPTION:A reading from \nTHOMAS MERTON \n◊◊◊ \nObedience is the distinctive factor of the new [communal] monasticism of \nSt Pachomius. The whole Pachomian structure is [actually] built on obedience\, \n[which] is not just the docility of the hermit to a director\, but the lifelong \nobedience of the subject to the superior\, as well as of the son to the Father. It \nimplies a real concept of self-emptying and subjection\, a real renunciation of \none’s own freedom\, “for keeps.” Accordingly\, all are to obey the Rule\, superiors \nand subjects. No one in the monastery is to follow his own will. [Even] the heads \nof houses and their assistants\, [for example\,] had to weave a certain number of \nbaskets in a certain time\, as a norm for the others to meet… \nHowever\, the superior must command\, and he is to be obeyed as God. \nFurthermore\, the brethren are to obey one another\, but above all the superiors. \nIn commanding\, the superior himself obeys God who wants him to command \naccording to the Rule. All must obey meekly and willingly\, without murmuring. \nUnwillingness and resistance show lack of faith and seriously affect the spiritual \nvitality of the mystery of the common life. It is not just an individual defect\, it \naffects the community. \nObedience is the highest value—with charity—in the common life. It is \n“greater than sacrifices.” That is to say that emphasis is systematically placed on \nwhat is enjoined by obedience\, over what may be inspired by our own \nspontaneous religious desires\, however good [they may be in and of \nthemselves]. This is another fundamental principle [of communal monastic \nlife\,] of cenobitism. What is enjoined in the name of the community…leads to \nlife much more surely and effectively than what is merely suggested by \nindividual inspiration… \nTo illustrate the importance this\, Pachomius burned 500 mats that had \nbeen woven by the cook in the kitchen\, while he was cooking. He had been \nordered to cook only\, not ordered to weave mats. Work over and above what was \none’s duty was not acceptable\, because it was outside obedience. Hence\, works \nof extra sacrifice are acceptable only when the approval of obedience brings \nthem within the ambit of the common will and the common life. When a good \nwork\, of personal choice\, is approved by the superior\, then it becomes part of \nthe common spiritual striving and merit of the community—it becomes a work \nof Christ. But any work\, however good\, that is deliberately kept out of and apart \nfrom the common life stream\, ceases to be a work of Christ. Hence it is not \nblessed. Hence it is a potential danger\, to the individual and to the community. \nLastly\, obedience is according to the Rule: there is no longer any purely \nsubjective and arbitrary command permitted. In commanding\, the superior \nmust himself obey the Abba\, the founder\, and carry on the founder’s will… The \nRule represents the personal thought and desire of Abba Pachomius\, and is not \na mere legal document. \nThus\, obedience\, for Pachomius\, strikes deep into the heart of the \n“mystery” of common life. If superiors do their own will and inferiors merely \ncomply with that will\, then there is not yet a religious mystery. This [mystery] \nis constituted by the participation of all in the sacrifice and obedience of \nChrist\, in His self-emptying. All have renounced their will. When this \nhappens in a community\, the Holy Spirit then breathes in and through all its \nmembers.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-st-pachomius/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260516
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260517
DTSTAMP:20260511T192504
CREATED:20260509T231620Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260509T231620Z
UID:14911-1778889600-1778975999@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading
DESCRIPTION:A reading from “On the Sacraments” by \nST AMBROSE \n◊◊◊ \nYou were asked: ‘Do you believe in God the Father almighty?’ You replied: \n‘I believe’\, and you were immersed: that is\, buried. You were asked for a second \ntime: ‘Do you believe in our Lord Jesus Christ and in his Cross?’ You replied: ‘I \nbelieve’\, and you were immersed: which means that you were buried with \nChrist. For one who is buried with Christ rises again with Christ. You were asked \na third time: ‘Do you believe also in the Holy Spirit?’ You replied: ‘I believe’\, and \nyou were immersed a third time\, so that the threefold confession might absolve \nthe manifold lapses of the past. \nWe can give you an illustration of this. The holy Apostle Peter appeared to \nlapse through human weakness during the Lord’s Passion. To wipe out and \nabsolve the fault of his denial\, he was asked by Christ three times if he loved \nhim. Peter replied: Lord\, you know that I love you. He answered three times so \nas to be absolved three times. \nThus the Father forgives sin\, so does the Son\, and so does the Holy Spirit. \nDo not be surprised that we are baptized in one name: in the name\, that is\, of the \nFather and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit; because Christ spoke of only one \nname where there is one substance\, one divinity\, one majesty. This is the name \nof which it is written: In this must all find salvation. It is in this name that you \nhave all been saved\, that you have been restored to the grace of life. \nSo the Apostle exclaims\, as you have just heard in the reading\, Whoever is \nbaptized\, is baptized in the death of Jesus. What does in the death mean? It \nmeans that just as Christ died\, so you will taste death; that just as Christ died to \nsin and lives to God\, so through the Sacrament of Baptism you are dead to the \nold enticements of sin and have risen again through the grace of Christ. This is a \ndeath\, then\, not in the reality of bodily death\, but in likeness. When you are \nimmersed\, you receive the likeness of death and burial\, you receive the \nSacrament of his Cross; because Christ hung upon the Cross and his body was \nfastened to it by the nails. So you are crucified with him. \nThe font has the shape and appearance of a sort of tomb. When we believe \nin the Father\, the Son and the Holy Spirit\, we are received and immersed in it; \nthat is\, we are restored to life. You also receive the myrrh\, that is\, the chrism\, \nover your heads. Why over your heads? Because the faculties of the wise man \nare situated in his head\, says Solomon. Wisdom without grace is inert; but \nwhen wisdom receives grace\, then its work begins to move toward fulfillment. \nThis is called regeneration. \nWhat is regeneration? You can read in the Acts of the Apostles that a verse \nfrom the second Psalm\, You are my son\, today I have begotten you\, seems to \nrefer to the Resurrection. That is why he is also called The firstborn from the \ndead. For what is resurrection except that we rise from death to life? So it is in \nBaptism\, which is an image of death: when you are immersed and rise up again\, \nthere\, certainly\, is an image of the Resurrection. So as Christ’s Resurrection is \ninterpreted by the Apostle as a regeneration\, so also this resurrection from the \nfont is a regeneration.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-432/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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