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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Lay Cistercians of Gethsemani Abbey
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250102
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250103
DTSTAMP:20260403T180429
CREATED:20241229T120213Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241229T120213Z
UID:12975-1735776000-1735862399@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading - SS Basil & Gregory
DESCRIPTION:THE QUALITIES OF THE MONK \nFrom a discourse by St Basil the Great \n◊◊◊ \nFirst and foremost\, the monk should own nothing in this world\, but he \nshould have as his possessions solitude of the body\, modesty of bearing\, a \nmodulated tone of voice\, and a well-ordered manner of speech. He should be \nwithout anxiety as to his food and drink\, and should eat in silence. In the \npresence of his superiors\, he should hold his tongue; before those wiser than he\, \nhe should hearken to their words. He should have love for his equals\, give \ncharitable counsel to his inferiors\, and keep aloof from the wicked\, the carnal\, \nand the officious. He ought to think much but speak little\, be not forward in \nspeech nor given to useless discoursing\, not easily moved to laughter\, respectful \nin bearing\, keeping his eyes cast down and his spirit uplifted\, not answering \ncontradiction with contradiction\, docile. He should work with his hands\, be ever \nmindful of his last end\, joyful in hope\, patient in adversity\, unceasingly \nprayerful\, giving thanks in all things\, humble toward everyone\, hating pride\, \nsober and watchful to keep his heart from evil thoughts. \nHe ought to heap up treasures in heaven by observing the \ncommandments\, examining himself as to his daily thoughts and actions\, not \nentangling himself in the occupations and superfluities of the world. It ill befits \nhim to concern himself about those who lead careless lives; he should emulate \nthe life of the holy fathers\, rejoicing with those who are successful in the practice \nof virtue and not envying them. He must sympathize with the suffering and \nweep with them\, sorrowing deeply for these\, but not on any account should he \ncondemn them\, nor upbraid him who has renounced his sin\, nor ever justify \nhimself. He should\, above all\, confess before God and men that he is a sinner. It \nis his duty\, moreover\, to admonish the undisciplined\, encourage the faint- \nhearted\, minister to the sick\, wash the feet of the saints\, and be mindful of the \nduties of hospitality and fraternal charity. He must preserve peace with the \nmembers of the household of the faith\, shun the heretic\, read the canonical \nScriptures. He should spend his time in good words and deeds. He should \nconverse without deceit\, speak no word against anyone\, and neither gossip nor \ntake pleasure in listening to gossip. He should not be quick to trust evil report of \nanyone\, nor be mastered by ill temper nor overcome by despondency. He ought \nnot to become angry with his neighbor without cause\, nor nurse wrath against \nanyone\, nor return evil for evil. It behooves him to be reviled rather than to \nrevile\, to be struck rather than to strike\, to be wronged rather than to do wrong\, \nto be despoiled rather than to despoil. \nHe must not grow weary in observing the precepts of the Lord to the best \nof his ability\, but he should await reward and praise from Him\, continuing in his \ndesire for the enjoyment of everlasting life. Moreover he should love God as a \nson\, with his whole heart and strength and mind and with all the power that is in \nhim; but as a servant he should reverence\, fear\, and obey Him and work out his \nsalvation in fear and trembling\, fervent in spirit\, girt about with the full armor of \nthe Holy Spirit. \nBut\, over and above all this\, he must be mindful of the words of the \nApostle: “For the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with \nthe glory to come that will be revealed in us”.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-ss-basil-gregory-2/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250103
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250104
DTSTAMP:20260403T180429
CREATED:20241229T120316Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241229T120316Z
UID:12977-1735862400-1735948799@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading
DESCRIPTION:CHRIST AMONG US \nFrom a homily by St Basil the Great \n◊◊◊ \nGod is on earth\, God is among us\, not now as lawgiver – there is no fire\, \ntrumpet blast\, smoke-wreathed mountain\, dense cloud\, or storm to terrify \nwhoever hears him but as one gently and kindly conversing in a human body \nwith his fellow men and women. God is in the flesh. Now he is not acting \nintermittently as he did through the prophets. He is bringing back to himself the \nwhole human race\, which he has taken possession of and united to himself. By \nhis birth he has made the human race his own kin. \nBut how can glory come to all through one man? How can the Godhead be \nin the flesh? In the same way as fire can be in iron: not by moving from place to \nplace but by the one imparting to the other its own properties. Fire does not \nspeed toward iron\, but without itself undergoing any change it causes the iron to \nshare in its own natural attributes. The fire is not diminished and yet it \ncompletely fills whatever shares in its nature. So is it also with God the Word. \nHe did not relinquish his own nature and yet he dwelt among us. He did not \nundergo any change and yet the Word became flesh. Earth received him from \nheaven\, yet heaven was not deserted by him who holds the universe in being. \nLet us strive to comprehend the mystery. The reason God is in the flesh is \nto kill the death that lurks there. As diseases are cured by medicines and \nassimilated by the body\, and as darkness in a house is dispelled by the coming of \nlight\, so death\, which held sway over human nature\, is done away with by the \ncoming of God. As ice formed on water covers its surface as long as night and \ndarkness last but melts under the warmth of the sun\, so death reigned until the \ncoming of Christ; but when the grace of God our Savior appeared and the Sun of13 \nJustice arose\, death was swallowed up in victory\, unable to bear the presence of \ntrue life. How great is God’s goodness\, how deep his love for us! \nLet us join the shepherds in giving glory to God\, let us dance with the \nangels and sing: Today a Savior has been born to us. He is Christ the Lord. The \nLord is God and he has appeared to us!
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-249/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250104
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250105
DTSTAMP:20260403T180429
CREATED:20241229T120426Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241229T120426Z
UID:12979-1735948800-1736035199@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading - St Elizabeth Ann Seton
DESCRIPTION:O SOUL OF MY SOUL \nBy St Elizabeth Ann Seton \n◊◊◊ \nHow often have I felt my soul awakened by your Light and warmed by the \nfire of your Love – then I approach you – I find you – but Alas instantly after\, I \nlose you; often I think myself received – then fear I am rejected – and in this \ncontinual change of interior dispositions I walk in darkness and often go astray \n– I desire and know not how to desire\, I love\, and know not how to love\, nor how \nto find what I love. \nThus my soul loses itself without ceasing to hope in you – It knows by its \nown experience that it desires much\, and is unable to do anything – you see its \ntrouble O lord – and in that happy moment when fatigued with so many \nvicissitudes it falls at last into entire diffidence of itself then you open its eyes \nand it sees the true way to Peace and Life – it knows you were nearer than it \nimagined – you instruct it all at once without Voice or Words\, it thinks only of \nwhat possesses it\, abandoning all things else it then possesses you – It sees \nwithout knowing what it sees\, it hears\, and is ignorant of what it hears\, it knows \nonly Who he is to whom it is attentive\, it contents itself with loving HIM\, it loves \nHim continually more and more – Words cannot express\, nor the mind \ncomprehend what it receives from you O MY GOD even in this place of \nBanishment. \nHow happy is that moment O divine Jesus! How pure is that Light\, how \nineffable is that communion of your Blessings! You know O Lord how precious \nthat gift is\, and your Creature that receives it knows also – Ah! if it were faithful\, \nif it never departed from you – if it knew how to preserve the Grace it had \nreceived\, how happy would it be! And yet this is but a drop of that infinite Ocean \nof Blessings which you are one day to communicate to it. \nO Soul of my Soul – what is my Soul and What Good can it have without \npossessing you – Life of my Life! What is my Life when I live not in you – Is it \npossible that my Heart is capable of possessing you – of enjoying you all alone – \nof extending and dilating itself in you – can your creature thus be elevated above \nitself to repose in your Breast\, and after that depart from you? Bury itself in the \nEarth? Ah Lord I know not what I ought to say to You: but hear the voice of your \nlove and of my misery; live always in me\, and let me live perpetually in You and \nfor You as I live only by You. \nEnlighten me\, O Divine Light! Conduct me\, O supreme Truth! Raise me \nagain\, O uncreated Life! Separate me from every thing that displeases you. \nSuffer me to remain at your Feet!
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-st-elizabeth-ann-seton-3/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250105
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250106
DTSTAMP:20260403T180429
CREATED:20250103T205922Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250103T205922Z
UID:12990-1736035200-1736121599@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Skema
DESCRIPTION:Biblical Readings for Office and Mass\nEpiphany Week\n\n\nMass Readings: Sunday (C)\, Weekdays (I)\nJanuary 5 – 11\, 2025\n\n\n\nSun\n5\nMon\n6\nTue\n7\nWed\n8\nThu\n9\nFri\n10\nSat\n11\n\n\nOffice\nEpiphany of the Lord\nWeekday after Epiphany\nWeekday after Epiphany\nWeekday after Epiphany\nWeekday after Epiphany\nSt Gregory of Nyssa\nWeekday after Epiphany\n\n\nVigils\nIsa 60:1-22\nIsa 61:1-11\nIsa 62:1-12\nIsa 63:7-19\nIsa 64:1-11\nIsa 65:13-25\nIsa 66:10-14\, 18-23\n\n\nLauds\nBaruch 4:36-5:9\nIsa 59:14-21\nIsa 60:1-7\nIsa 60:10-14\nIsa 60:15-22\nBaruch 4:30-37\nBaruch 5:1-9\n\n\nMass\n20\n212\n213\n214\n215\n216\n217\n\n\n1st\nIsa 60:1-6\n1 John 3:22-4:6\n1 John 4:7-10\n1 John 4:11-18\n1 John 4:19-5:4\n1 John 5:5-13\n1 John 5:14-21\n\n\n2nd\nEph 3:2-3a\, 5-6\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGospel\nMatt 2:1-12\nMatt 4:12-17\, 23-25\nMark 6:34-44\nMark 6:45-52\nLuke 4:14-22a\nLuke 5:12-16\nJohn 3:22-30\n\n\nVespers\n2 Tim 1:6-14\nEph 4:1-6\nEph 4:17-24\nEph 4:25-32\nEph 5:6-20\nEph 6:10-17\nCol 2:8-15
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/skema-99/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250105
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250106
DTSTAMP:20260403T180429
CREATED:20250103T210137Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250103T210137Z
UID:12992-1736035200-1736121599@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading - Epiphany of the Lord
DESCRIPTION:THE GLORY OF CHRIST \nFrom a sermon by St John Henry Newman \n◊◊◊ \nThe Epiphany is a season especially set apart for adoring the glory of \nChrist. The word may be taken to mean the manifestation of His glory\, and leads \nus to the contemplation of Him as a King upon His throne in the midst of His \ncourt\, with His servants around Him\, and His guards in attendance. At \nChristmas we commemorate His grace; and in Lent His temptation; and on \nGood Friday His sufferings and death; and on Easter Day His victory; and on \nAscension Thursday His return to the Father; and in Advent we anticipate His \nsecond coming. And in all of these seasons He does something\, or suffers \nsomething: but in the Epiphany and the weeks after it\, we celebrate Him\, not as \non His field of battle\, or in His solitary retreat\, but as an august and glorious \nKing; we view Him as the Object of our worship. \nThen only\, during His whole earthly history\, did He fulfil the type of \nSolomon\, and held (as I may say) a court\, and received the homage of His \nsubjects; namely\, when He was an infant. His throne was His undefiled \nmother’s arms; His chamber of state was a cottage or a cave; the worshippers \nwere the wise men of the East\, and they brought Him presents\, gold\, \nfrankincense and myrrh. All around and about Him seemed of earth\, except to \nthe eye of faith; one note alone had He of divinity. As the great of this world are \noften plainly dressed\, and look like other people\, except for having some one \ncostly ornament on their breast or on their brow; so the Son of Mary in His lowly \ndwelling\, and in an infant’s form\, was declared to be the Son of God Most High\, \nthe Father of ages\, and the Prince of Peace\, by His star; a wonderful appearance \nwhich had guided the wise men all the way from the East\, even unto Bethlehem. \nThis being the character of this Sacred Season\, our services throughout it\, \nas far as they are proper to it\, are full of the image of a king in his royal court\, of a \nsovereign surrounded by subjects\, of a glorious prince upon a throne. There is \nno thought of war\, or of strife\, or of suffering\, or of triumph\, or of vengeance \nconnected with the Epiphany\, but of august majesty\, of power\, of prosperity\, of \nsplendor\, of serenity\, of benignity. Now\, if at any time\, it is fit to say\, “The Lord \nis in His holy temple\, let all the earth keep silence before Him.” “The Lord sits \nabove the waters\, and the Lord remains a king forever.” “The Lord of Hosts is \nwith us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.” “O come\, let us worship\, and fall down\, \nand kneel before the Lord our Maker.” “O magnify the Lord our God\, and fall \ndown before His footstool\, for He is holy.” “O worship the Lord in the beauty of \nholiness; bring presents\, and come into His courts.”
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-epiphany-of-the-lord-2/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250106
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250107
DTSTAMP:20260403T180429
CREATED:20250103T210305Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250103T210305Z
UID:12994-1736121600-1736207999@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading
DESCRIPTION:THE SEASON OF MAJESTY \nThe continuation of a sermon by St John Henry Newman \n◊◊◊ \nYou will observe\, then\, that the only display of royal greatness\, the only \nseason of majesty\, homage and glory\, which our Lord had on earth\, was in His \ninfancy and youth. Gabriel’s message to Mary was in its style and manner such as \nbefitted an Angel speaking to Christ’s Mother. Elizabeth\, too\, saluted Mary\, and the \nfuture Baptist his hidden Lord\, in the same honorable way. Angels announced His \nbirth\, and the shepherds worshiped. A star appeared\, and the wise men rose from \nthe East and made Him offerings. He was brought to the temple\, and Simeon took \nHim in his arms\, and returned thanks for Him. He grew to twelve years old\, and \nagain He appeared in the temple\, and took His seat in the midst of the doctors. But \nhere His earthly majesty had its end\, or if seen afterwards\, it was but now and then\, \nby glimpses and by sudden gleams\, but with no sustained light and no diffused \nradiance. \nWe are told at the close of the last-mentioned narrative\, “And He went down \nwith His parents\, and came to Nazareth\, and was subject to them.” His subjection \nand servitude now began in fact. He had come in the form of a servant\, and now He \ntook on a servant’s office. How much is contained in the idea of His subjection! and \nit began\, and His time of glory ended\, when He was twelve years old. \nSolomon\, the great type of the Prince of Peace\, reigned for forty years\, and \nhis name and greatness was known far and wide through the East. Joseph\, the \nmuch-loved son of Jacob\, who in an earlier age of the Church\, was a type of Christ \nin His kingdom\, was in power and favor eighty years\, twice as long as Solomon. But \nChrist\, the true Revealer of secrets\, and the Dispenser of the Bread of life\, the true \nwisdom and majesty of the Father\, manifested His glory only in His early years\, \nand then the sun of Righteousness was clouded. For He was not to reign really\, till \nHe left the world. He has reigned ever since; nay\, reigned in the world\, though He is \nnot sensible presence in it – the invisible King of a visible kingdom – for He came \non earth only to show what His reign would be\, after He had left it\, and to submit to \nsuffering and dishonor\, that He might reign. Christ descends to the shadows of this \nworld\, with the transitory tokens on Him of that future glory into which He could \nnot enter till He had suffered. The star burned brightly over Him for a while\, \nthough it then faded away.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-250/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250107
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250108
DTSTAMP:20260403T180429
CREATED:20250103T210418Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250103T210418Z
UID:12996-1736208000-1736294399@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading
DESCRIPTION:A HYMN ON THE MANIFESTATION \nOF CHRIST \nBy St Ephrem the Syrian \n◊◊◊ \nBlessed is the King Who has come and will come! \nThe Redeemer shone forth to the blind\, but they looked to others. \nThe Sun showed His rays\, but they were clothed in darkness. \nThe Resplendent One sent His light\, and it summoned the children of light \nto reveal to the children of darkness\, “Behold in your midst is the light\, \nbut over your eyes a veil.” To You be glory\, New Sun! \nThe prophets announced His birth but did not specify His time. \nHe sent the Magi\, and they came and declared His time. \nBut the Magi who made known the time did not specify where the Infant was. \nThe glorious star of light ran and showed were the Infant was… \nA pair of announcers expressed the properties of the Only-Begotten: \nthe star of light and John – one a shining forth\, the other a voice. \nFor the One Announced was also a Word and a Light. \nVoice and ray serve Him. The shining forth announced His light \nand the voice His wisdom. More blessed is the First-born than His announcers! \nJohn gazed at Him and cried\, “This is the Lamb of God!” \nThe Lamb grew fat and matured\, and He came to be an offering. \nJohn was not afraid to cry\, “Behold\, it is He!” – \neven if the slayers attack\, even if it was the time of sprinkling \nso that forgiveness would be by His blood\, Blessed is the Compensator of our \nsins. \nThe glorious star of light was not like John\, \nfor there was a place where it rose and made straight the way for the simple\, \nbut there was a place where it sank and made the path of the wolves go astray. \nIt kept the Lamb from the slaughter so that the day for the slaughter would \ncome\, that in Him the flock would be pardoned. Blessed is He in Whom \nHis possessions were redeemed!
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-251/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250108
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250109
DTSTAMP:20260403T180429
CREATED:20250103T210548Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250103T210548Z
UID:12998-1736294400-1736380799@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading
DESCRIPTION:TAKING GOD ON HIS OWN TERMS \nBy Fr Edward Leen4 \n◊◊◊ \nEverybody knows that the call of the Magi typifies the vocation of the \nGentiles to the Church of God. But to penetrate more deeply into this mystery \nand to read therein an experience common to a multitude of souls demands a \ndeeper understanding of God’s way of manifesting himself to his creatures\, and \na keener discernment of his action in human souls. God is a hidden God\, and \nmust be so for us. He manifests himself obscurely. God does not hide himself \nfrom us purposely or to make approach to him more difficult. He desires \nrevelation of himself to us\, and approach to him on our part. God in his \napproach to us but tempters his brilliancy to accommodate it to our weak and \ndiseased spiritual vision. He\, as it were\, takes care not to hurt our soul’s sight. \nBut he aims at revelation through dimmed radiance. The incarnation\, which is \nthe utmost concealment of the Godhead that there is\, or that can be — except \nthat of the Eucharist alone — is the greatest revelation of God. \nThat we are dull of perception is certainly not due to the mode in which \nGod reveals himself\, but must be traceable to our fault. It is the poor quality of \nour faith that is responsible for this dullness. We do not take God on his own \nconditions. We are always given to imposing ours on him. We have a tendency \nto decide for ourselves what shall be the sensible exterior vesture of God’s \nmessage. We clothe that message with a garment woven of our own ideas and \nimaginings\, and we reject the material selected by God himself for his \nrevelation. \nNot so the wise men. They took God on his own terms. We choose a \ncertain mode for his manifestation\, and they acknowledged him as God in the \nlowliness of the guise in which he appeared. They looked on a babe and they said \nGod. Their faith was superb. That the three wise men were able to discern in the \nform of a helpless babe\, lying in an earthly Mother’s frail arms\, under a \nmiserable roof\, the king of kings\, the great redeemer of the human race that had \nbeen spoken of in prophecy for centuries before\, was a truly marvelous thing. It \nis a proof that they must have been men of very pure lives and to a large extent \nimmune from the corruption of the world in which they lived. Gifted with great \nscience\, as their name implies\, they must have had clear and docile and simple \nminds\, minds eager to acquire the truth and ready to submit to it\, no matter how \nmuch it might conflict with the traditions and prejudices of their race. \nThe wonderful faith of these men passes all belief. Their appearance in the \npages of Saint Matthew is like a sudden burst of glorious sunshine\, breaking in a \nflood of glory\, through a sky wrapped in a mantle of somber grey. And the star \nwent before them\, until it came and stood over where the child was; and seeing \nthe star they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And entering into the house \nthey found the child with Mary his Mother. Their long quest had come to an \nend. As they saw the humble roof under which the child was\, and as they \nperceived the lowly simple conditions of his parents\, were they taken aback? \nHad they any misgivings? Were they harassed by any doubts? Were they \nexpected to discern in this humble babe an object of their kingly homage? It was \nthe supreme test to which they were put\, and their magnificent faith triumphed \nover all appearances. Their hearts responded loyally to the touch of grace\, for \nthey were unprejudiced and ready to concede to God whatever form he should \nchoose for his manifestation. \n  \n4 In the Likeness of Christ\, pp. 56-68; reprinted in Meditations on the Sunday Gospels: Year A; introduced and edited by John \nE. Rotelle\, Hyde Park\, NY: New City Press\, 1995\, pp. 32-33.9 \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-252/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250109
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250110
DTSTAMP:20260403T180429
CREATED:20250103T210702Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250103T210702Z
UID:13000-1736380800-1736467199@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading
DESCRIPTION:GOD’S DISCRETION IN \nREVEALING HIMSELF \nBy Réné Voillaume \n◊◊◊ \nJesus appears in the world without giving any warning of his coming and \nwithout making known to any neighbor who he is. Had he come into the world \nin his house at Nazareth\, all his relatives would have made an event of his birth \nwith the neighbors and the other inhabitants of the town. He would have been \nheralded and celebrated. He would thus have allowed himself to behave well \nenough like a true little Nazarene\, but he would have been confiscated\, as it \nwere\, by his earthly family and his earthly country. Quite to the contrary\, he \nelects to be born away from home\, on a journey\, amid an anonymous crowd; in \nthis way\, he would really belong to everybody\, and could come quietly and \ndiscreetly\, with no tumult and excitement. \nGod\, if he had so wished\, could naturally have made all sorts of efforts to \nspread the news abroad. And if any proof were needed of this\, one could point to \nhis having mobilized the angels but contented himself with bringing a few poor \nshepherds to the manger. It is also clear from this that he could easily have \nbrought the whole of Jerusalem and all the just among the Israelites with pure \nand upright hearts\, worshipers of God and living in expectancy of the Messiah. \nAnd there were in fact many of them\, all true friends of his\, in the country of \nJudea and Galilee! \nBut it is obvious that God did not wish to impose his Son: people must \ncome to him by seeking and discovering him. Even the shepherds and the Wise \nMen\, though warned personally\, had to search for him with the help of a sign \nwhich\, rather than leading them easily and directly to the manger\, was little \nmore than a suggestion to send them on their way. The shepherds must have \ngone to many houses and stables before they found the right babe wrapped in \nswaddling clothes. \nAs for the Magi\, they had to show some initiative in order to discover\, by \nthe normal means at their disposal\, the birthplace of the young king of Israel. \nJesus was infinitely discreet; he simply waited\, and such a way of appearing \ncould have made us somewhat impatient\, had it not been proved for centuries \nback that people have found in this very discretion a true sign of God. That sign \nof weakness\, which draws people in spite of themselves\, makes them surrender \nand acknowledge themselves outdone\, without Jesus ever having forced himself \nupon them in any way other than a certain presence — a presence that waits\, and \ninvites\, and demonstrates God’s heaven in a humble manner which gives hope \nand humility\, peace and love — just how\, one does not really know! God is a \nmaster who knows how to go about speaking to us with the use of the things of \nthe earth — these various beings\, both animate and inanimate — and the events \nof human history.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-253/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250110
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250111
DTSTAMP:20260403T180429
CREATED:20250103T210825Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250103T210825Z
UID:13002-1736467200-1736553599@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading - St Gregory of Nyssa
DESCRIPTION:ON PURITY OF HEART \nFrom a commentary by St Gregory of Nyssa \n◊◊◊ \nNow the divine nature\, as it is in itself\, according to its essence\, \ntranscends every act of comprehensive knowledge\, and it cannot be approached \nor attained by our speculation. Mortals have never discovered a faculty to \ncomprehend the incomprehensible; nor have we ever been able to devise an \nintellectual technique for grasping the incomprehensible. For this reason the \ngreat Apostle calls God’s ways unsearchable\, teaching us that the way that leads \nto knowledge of the divine nature is inaccessible to our reason; and hence none \nof those who have lived before us has given us the slightest hint of \ncomprehension suggesting that we might know that which in itself is above all \nknowledge. \nYet the Lord does not deceive us when he promises that the pure of heart \nshall see God; nor does Paul deceive us when he teaches that no one has seen \nGod nor can see Him. The Lord does not say that it is blessed to know something \nabout God\, but rather to possess God in oneself: Blessed are the clean of heart\, \nfor they shall see God. And this teaches us that the one who purifies his heart of \nevery creature and of every passionate impulse will see the image of the divine \nnature in his own beauty. So too in this short sentence the Word\, I think\, is \ngiving us the following advise: All you mortals who have within yourselves a \ndesire to behold the supreme Good\, when you are told that the majesty of God is \nexalted above the heavens\, that the divine glory is inexpressible\, its beauty \nindescribable\, its nature inaccessible\, do not despair at never being able to \nbehold what you desire. For you do have within your grasp that degree of the \nknowledge of God which you can attain. For\, when God made you\, Hr at once \nendowed your nature with this perfection: upon the structure of your nature He \nimprinted an imitation of the perfections of His own nature\, just as one would \nimpress upon wax the outline of an emblem. But the wickedness that has been \npoured all over this divine engraving has made your perfection useless and \nhidden it with a vicious coating. You must then wash away\, by a life of virtue\, the \ndirt that has come to cling to your heart like plaster\, and then your divine beauty \nwill once again shine forth. \nIt is just like those who look at the sun in a mirror. Even though they \ncannot look up directly at the heavens\, they do see the sun in the mirror’s \nreflection just as much as those who look directly at the sun. So it is\, says our \nLord\, with you. Even though you are not strong enough to see the light itself\, yet \nyou will find within yourselves what you are seeking\, if you would but return to \nthe grace of that image which was established within you from the beginning. \nFor the Godhead is all purity\, freedom from passion\, the absence of all evil. And \nif you possess these qualities\, God will surely be within you. When your mind is \nuntainted by any evil\, free of passion\, purified of all stain\, then will you be \nblessed because your eye is clear. Then because you have been purified you will \nperceive things that are invisible to the unpurified. The dark cloud of matter will \nbe removed from the eye of your soul\, and then you will see clearly the blessed \nvision within the pure brilliance of your own heart. And what is this vision? It is \npurity\, holiness\, simplicity\, and other such brilliant reflections of the nature of \nGod; for it is in these that God is seen.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-st-gregory-of-nyssa/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250111
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250112
DTSTAMP:20260403T180429
CREATED:20250103T210923Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250103T210923Z
UID:13004-1736553600-1736639999@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading
DESCRIPTION:TODAY HE MANIFESTED \nHIS GLORY \nFrom a sermon by Blessed Guerric of Igny \n◊◊◊ \n“Arise\, be enlightened\, Jerusalem\, for your Light has come.” This present \nday of lights has been enlightened for us and consecrated by the Light of Light. \nHe had lain hidden and unknown\, but today he has vouchsafed to reveal himself \nto the world for the enlightenment of all nations. For today he revealed himself \nto the Chaldeans by the sign of a new star\, dedicating in them as in first fruits the \nfaith of all nations. Today he revealed himself to the Jews\, by the witness not \nonly of John but also of the Father and of the Holy Spirit\, when\, baptized in the \nJordan\, he consecrated the baptism of all. Today he manifested his glory before \nhis disciples when by changing water into wine he prefigured that ineffable \nmystery in which by his word the substance of things are changed… \nThe Lord indeed had come; he was in the world\, and the world was made \nthrough him\, but the world did not know him. He was born\, but he was not \nknown\, until the day of light began to manifest him. So the Prophet says: “O new \nJerusalem\, great city of the new king\, arise\, be enlightened\, for your light has \ncome.” Arise\, you who sit in darkness; look at the light which has risen up in the \ndarkness but is not mastered by the darkness. Draw near to him and be \nenlightened\, in his light you shall see the light\, and it will be said to you: “You \nwere once darkness\, but now you are light in the Lord.” Look upon the Eternal \nLight which has tempered itself to your gaze\, so that he who dwells in \ninaccessible light affords access even to weak and bleary eyes. See the Light in a \nlamp of earthenware\, the Sun in a cloud\, God in man\, the Splendor of Glory and \nBrightness of Eternal Light in the clay vessel of your flesh. \nMajesty indeed lies hid in human nature\, power in lowliness; but signs \nand prodigies break through the covering and leave no doubt as to their origin. \n“The works which I do\,” he says\, “bear witness to me.” Great indeed is the \nwitness of John\, who came to bear witness as a lamp to the light. But much \ngreater is that heavenly witness which the Father and the Holy Spirit bore to the \nSon\, the Father by his voice\, the spirit in the form of a dove; since on the \nevidence of two witnesses every claim is established… A new-born child cries on \nearth while in the heavens he creates a new star\, so that light may witness to \nLight\, a star to the Sun\, and so that kings in the splendor of its rising may be led \nto the Eternal Splendor which has also risen up… \nThanks be to you who bade light shine out of darkness and have kindled a \nlight in our hearts whose shining is to make known your glory as you have \nrevealed it in the features of Jesus Christ… We know indeed through faith\, \nholding on to it as to a trustworthy pledge so that we shall know by sight too. In \nthe meantime increase our faith\, leading us on from faith to faith\, from \nbrightness to brightness\, by your Spirit\, so that from day to day we may enter \nmore deeply into the treasures of light…until\, through faith\, we are led to the \nvision of your face\, as if led by a leading star to our Leader at Bethlehem.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-254/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250112
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250113
DTSTAMP:20260403T180429
CREATED:20250111T211512Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250111T211512Z
UID:13012-1736640000-1736726399@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Skema
DESCRIPTION:Biblical Readings for Office and Mass\n1st Week in Ordinary Time\n\n\nMass Readings: Sunday (C)\, Weekdays (I)\nJanuary 12 – 18\, 2025\n\n\n\nSun\n12\nMon\n13\nTue\n14\nWed\n15\nThu\n16\nFri\n17\nSat\n18\n\n\nOffice\nBaptism of the Lord\nWeekday\nWeekday\nSS Maur & Placid\nOffice for Vocations\nSt Anthony\, Abbot\nMemorial of the BVM\n\n\nVigils\nIsa 42:1-9\, 49:1-9\n1 Kings 1:1-31\n1 Kings 1:32-53\n1 Kings 2:1-12\n1 Kings 2:13-35\n1 Kings 2:36-46\n1 Kings 3:1-15\n\n\nLauds\nActs 19:1-7\nJoel 1:1-8\nJoel 1:9-12\nJoel 1:13-20\nJoel 2:1-6\nJoel 2:7-11\nJoel 2:12-17\n\n\nMass\n21\n305\n306\n307\n308\n309\n310\n\n\n1st\nIsa 40:1-5\, 9-11\nHeb 1:1-6\nHeb 2:5-12\nHeb 2:14-18\nHeb 3:7-14\nHeb 4:1-5\, 11\nHeb 4:12-16\n\n\n2nd\nTitus 2:11-14; 3:4-7\n1 Cor 1:1-9\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGospel\nLuke 3:15-16\, 21-22\nMark 1:14-20\nMark 1:21-28\nMark 1:29-39\nMark 1:40-45\nMark 2:1-12\nMark 2:13-17\n\n\nVespers\nRev 21:1-7\n1 Cor 1:1-9\n1 Cor 1:10-17\n1 Cor 1:18-25\n1 Cor 1:26-31\n1 Cor 2:1-5\n1 Cor 2:6-13
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/skema-100/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250112
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250113
DTSTAMP:20260403T180429
CREATED:20250111T211828Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250111T211828Z
UID:13014-1736640000-1736726399@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading - Baptism of the Lord
DESCRIPTION:BY WATER AND \nTHE HOLY SPIRIT \nFrom a commentary by Hippolytus of Rome \n◊◊◊ \nAs soon as he had been baptized\, Jesus came out of the water. The \nheavens were opened to him and the Spirit of God in the form of a dove came \ndown and rested on him. Then a voice from heaven said: This is my beloved \nson\, in whom I am well pleased. \nIf the Lord had yielded to John’s persuasion and had not been baptized\, \ndo you realize what great blessings and how many we should have been \ndeprived of? Heaven was closed until then; our homeland on high was \ninaccessible. Once we had descended into the depths we were incapable of rising \nagain to such lofty heights. The Lord was not only baptized himself; he also \nrenewed our fallen nature and restored to us our status as God’s children. At \nonce the heavens were opened to him. The world we see was reconciled with the \nworld that lies beyond our vision; the angels were filled with joy\, earthly \ndisorders were remedied; mysteries were revealed; enemies were made friends. \nThe heavens were opened to him you have heard the evangelist say. This \nhappened for three wonderful reasons. The heavenly bridal chamber had to \nopen its shining gates to Christ at his baptism because he was himself the \nbridegroom. The gates of heaven also had to be lifted up to allow the Holy Spirit \nto descend in the form of a dove and the Father’s voice to resound far and wide. \nThe heavens were opened to him and a voice said: This is my beloved Son\, in \nwhom I am well pleased. \nThis is my beloved Son who appeared on earth without leaving his \nFather’s side. He both appeared and did not appear\, for he was not what he \nseemed. As far as appearance goes the one who gives baptism is superior to the \none who receives it. This is why the Father sent the Holy Spirit down on him \nfrom heaven. As in Noah’s ark a dove revealed God’s love for the human race\, so \nnow it was in the form of a dove\, as though with an olive branch in its beak that \nthe spirit descended. He did so to make sure that the Father’s voice would be \nrecognized and the ancient mystery would be believed. Which prophesy? The \none that says: The Father’s voice resounded over the waters. The God of glory \nthunders. The Lord thunders across many waters. And what does he say? This \nis my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. \nPay close attention now\, I beg you\, for I want to return to the fountain of \nlife and contemplate its healing waters at their source. The Father of \nimmortality sent His immortal Son and Word into the world; he came to us to \ncleanse us with the water and the spirit. To give us a new birth that would make \nour bodies and souls immortal\, He breathed into us the Spirit of life and armed \nus with incorruptibility. \nTherefore in a herald’s voice I cry: Peoples of every nation; come and \nreceive the immortality given in baptism. To you who have spent all the days of \nyour life in the darkness of ignorance I bring the good news of life. Leave your \nslavery for freedom\, the tyrant’s yoke for a kingdom. corruptibility for eternal \nlife. Do you wish to know how to do this? By water and the Holy Spirit. That is to \nsay\, by the water through which we are born again and given life\, and by the \nSpirit who is the Comforter sent for your sake to make you a child of God.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-baptism-of-the-lord-2/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250113
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250114
DTSTAMP:20260403T180429
CREATED:20250111T211943Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250111T211943Z
UID:13016-1736726400-1736812799@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading
DESCRIPTION:THE LIVING \nAPOSTOLIC CHURCH \nBy Cardinal Jean Danielou \n◊◊◊ \nIt is the manhood of Jesus that is the Temple of the new Law\, but this \nmanhood must be taken as a whole\, that is to say\, it is the Mystical Body in its \nentirety; this is the complete and final Temple. The dwelling of God is the \nChristian community whose Head is in heaven\, and whose members are still \nmaking their earthly pilgrimage; it is the true Temple of which the Temple of \nstone was the figure. “Be you also as living stones built up\, a spiritual house\, a \nholy priesthood\, to offer up spiritual sacrifices\, acceptable to God by Jesus \nChrist“… \nThere is a basic difference between the Temple at Jerusalem and the \nChristian Church. Under the old law\, the presence of God is connected with the \nbuilding of stone; under the new law\, it is connected with the spiritual \ncommunity. The church of stone is not in the succession of the Temple\, but of the \nsynagogue; it is the assembly\, the ecclesia\, the meeting-place. Or rather\, at the \nsame time it continues both of them\, since it is the normal place for the sacrifice. \nBut it can be dispensed with; it is not necessary that it should be there for the \ncelebration of the Mass\, while the community is necessary. \nThus is fulfilled the saying of Jesus: “Where there are two or three \ngathered together in my name\, there am I in the midst of them“. It is the \nessential condition required for the offering of an acceptable host that is \npresented in the Sermon on the Mount\, where it is written: “If you offer your gift \nat the altar\, and there you remember that your brother has any thing against \nyou\, go first to be reconciled to your brother: and then coming you shall offer \nyour gift“. No offering is accepted save that which is made in charity\, in \ncommunity. For there the temple is\, the one and only place where man is in the \npresence of God. \nThis is an extraordinary fact\, as extraordinary in its own order as the \npresence of God in the Temple at Jerusalem. God enters into relationship not \nwith isolated souls\, but with the community. Through the baptismal rites\, the \nentry of the catechumen into the church of stone is a figure of entry into the living \nChurch\, into the community which is the place of meeting with God. Of this \nmeeting the Eucharist is the permanent sign\, being at once the sacrament of the \nmystical body and the sign of the real presence\, and bringing about at the same \ntime union with God and the strengthening of the bonds of charity. Sin has the \neffect simultaneously of alienating the sinner from the presence of God\, and of \nseparating the sinner from the community. The primitive discipline of the \nChurch made this clear when it excluded the sinner publicly from the community. \nThe sinner still remains excluded from communion; and reconciliation with God \nis necessarily required by the community as intermediary. This is the meaning of \nconfession\, in which the priest represents the people\, which itself represents God. \nThis is why the Church has the deposit of the living Word of God. It is in her \nthat the Word mysteriously dwells\, thus continuing the Incarnation of the Logos. \nWe come to faith in Christ not by the study of dead literary documents\, but in a \npreliminary way through the living witness of an organism sustained and \nanimated by Christ\, through the teaching of the living Apostolic Church; in a full \nand effective way by immediate contact with the living Christ in the Church\, \nthrough the operation of grace acting in all its fullness in the sacrament.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-255/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250114
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250115
DTSTAMP:20260403T180429
CREATED:20250111T212058Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250111T212058Z
UID:13018-1736812800-1736899199@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading
DESCRIPTION:HE INCLINES TO ME \nAND I TO HIM \nFrom a sermon on the Song of Songs by St Bernard of Clairvaux \n◊◊◊ \n[In the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians\, he quotes Scripture\, saying “It \nis written in the law of Moses: ‘Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the \ngrain.'”] It is obvious that what the Apostle says about oxen has no reference to the \nBride [of Christ\, which is the Church]; he who loves her and gave himself for her \nmust needs care for her. Is she not that lost sheep whose care came before even that of \nthe heavenly flock? The shepherd left the rest and came to earth to find her. He \nsought her diligently\, and when he found her he did not lead her\, but carried her \nback! Then on her account he called the angels together and celebrated a new and \njoyful festival with her. How then can it be said that he will not care for her\, when he \ndeigned to carry her on his shoulders? \nShe is not mistaken\, then\, when she says\, ‘The Lord takes thought for me’\, nor \nis she deceived when she says\, ‘The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me’\, or when she \nsays anything else which shows God’s love for her. Thus it is that she speaks of the \nLord of Hosts as her beloved\, and glories that he who judges all things in tranquility \ncares for her. Why should she not glory? She has heard him saying to her\, ‘Can a \nwoman forget her child\, and not have compassion on him? And even if she does \nforget him\, yet I will not forget you.’ Again\, ‘The eyes of the Lord are upon the \nrighteous.’ \nNow what is the Bride but the congregation of the righteous? What is she but the \ngeneration of those who seek the face of the Bridegroom? It cannot be that he should \nincline to her\, and she not incline to him. Therefore she says\, ‘He inclines to me and I \nto him.’ He inclines to me because he is good and gracious; I incline to him because I \nam not ungrateful. He gives me grace from his graciousness; I give him gratitude for \ngrace. He has a care for my deliverance and my salvation; I for his honor and the \nfulfillment of his will. He has a care for me\, and for no other\, for I am his only dove; I \nhave a care for him and for no other; I do not hear the voice of others\, nor do I listen to \nthose who say “Look\, here is Christ” or “look\, there he is!”’ It is the Church who \nspeaks.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-256/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250115
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250116
DTSTAMP:20260403T180429
CREATED:20250111T212451Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250111T212451Z
UID:13020-1736899200-1736985599@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading - SS Maur & Placid
DESCRIPTION:SAINTS MAUR AND PLACID \nFrom the “Dialogues” of St Gregory the Great \n◊◊◊ \nThe holy man\, St Benedict\, having returned to Subiaco\, long continued to \nshine by his virtue and miracles\, and assembled a great number of solitaries \nwho consecrated themselves to the service of God\, so that\, with the aid of our \nLord Jesus Christ\, he built twelve monasteries\, placing in each twelve Religious \nwith an Abbot to govern them. He retained with himself only a few of his \ndisciples who\, he thought\, still needed his presence to be better formed to \nperfection. It was at this time that many persons in Rome\, conspicuous for their \nnobility and virtue\, began to visit him and offer their children that he might \nmold them to piety\, and teach them to live for God alone. Aequitas and \nTertullus\, who had the honor of being Roman Patricians\, came to see the saint \nand confided to his care their two children; the former was distinguished for \nspotless innocence of life\, and merited\, though young\, to be chosen by his \nmaster to assist him in his functions. As to Placid\, being only a boy\, he was \nsubject to the weaknesses inseparable from tender age… \nThe venerable Benedict being one day in his cell\, the boy Placid…went out \nto fetch water from the lake\, but\, when dipping his pitcher into the water\, not \ntaking sufficient heed\, his body followed the vessel and he fell into the lake. The \nwaves immediately bore him out from the land as far as the usual flight of an \narrow. The saint\, who was in his cell\, knew of the sad accident at that very \ninstant\, and at once calling Maurus\, his disciple\, said to him: “Brother Maurus\, \nrun with all speed; the boy who went to fetch water fell into the lake and has \nbeen already carried off a long distance.” \nThe thing wonderful and unheard of since that instance of the Apostle \nPeter! Maurus having asked and received the blessing\, ran to the lake to execute \nthe order of his Abbot. Thinking he was treading upon dry land\, he advanced to \nthe very place whither the waves had carried off the child\, and laying hold of him \nby the hair\, brought him back with great haste to the shore. Having reached the \nland\, he began to reflect on what he did\, and casting a look behind\, saw that he \nhad been running over the waves. He was astonished thereat and very much \nafraid\, seeing that he had performed what he would not have dared to undertake \nif he had been aware of what he was doing. Having returned to the monastery\, \nhe narrated the whole occurrence to the Abbot. The venerable Benedict did not \nattribute this miracle to his own merit\, but to the obedience of the disciple. \nMaurus\, on the other hand\, said he was only fulfilling a command\, and could \nhave no share in a miracle which he unconsciously performed. \nDuring this pious dispute arising from the humility of the holy Abbot and \nhis disciple\, the boy rescued from peril presented himself as arbitrator\, and put \nan end to the contest thus: “When I was being drawn out of the waves\, I saw the \nAbbot’s robe above my head\, and it seemed to me that it was he who delivered \nme from the water.”… \nAn ancient tradition says that the monk Maurus was sent into Gaul by the \nsame holy Father. There\, according to the same tradition\, he founded a \nmonastery at Glannofol; after having governed it for a long time\, he died in the \nLord in a good old age\, renowned for his sanctity and miracles… while Placid died \na martyr’s death in Sicily in 541\, a few years before the death of St Benedict \nhimself.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-ss-maur-placid-2/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250116
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250117
DTSTAMP:20260403T180429
CREATED:20250111T212609Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250111T212609Z
UID:13022-1736985600-1737071999@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading - Office for Vocations
DESCRIPTION:THE PROMISES WHICH \nYOUR LIPS HAVE UTTERED \nFrom “The Mirror of Charity” by St Aelred of Rievaulx \n◊◊◊ \nThese three elements — stability\, conversion of life\, and obedience — \nconstitute the essential character of monastic profession… Blessed Benedict \nrecommends obedience\, which he wants to be neither tardy nor tepid\, neither \nmorose nor grumbling\, unwavering in the face of injuries and adversities\, and \nunflagging even in the face of death… \nHow then can anyone who does not keep these things keep to his \nprofession? Someone will say: if someone is proud\, stubborn\, impatient\, and yet \nobserves all the things mentioned above\, must we say that he keeps the Rule of \nSaint Benedict? I maintain that if a monk has committed any of these faults \nagainst God’s law\, he will not be guilty of transgressing his profession if he \nmakes amends for them according to the means prescribed by the Rule. \nBut what if someone looks at the Rule of Saint Benedict as a tool for \npruning away vices more easily and fulfilling the gospel precepts more carefully\, \nand yet\, as could happen\, abusing this excellent tool\, he neither prunes away his \nvices nor acquires virtues by it. Does he not keep the Rule to his peril then\, and \nstill not fulfill Christ’s precepts? Does blessed Benedict not allude to this? We \nare going to establish\, he says\, a school of the Lord’s service\, in which we hope \nnot to institute anything harsh or burdensome… \nTo beginners\, of course\, this strictness seems not inconsiderable when \nthey think about the meager\, paltry quantity of food and drink\, the roughness of \nthe clothing\, the discomforts of fasts and vigils\, the wearing grind of daily work\, \nand all the other things we find he instituted in the Rule. If anyone does not \nagree that the Rule consists of these alone\, at least let him admit what cannot be \ndenied except by stubborn obstinacy: that our profession and Rule consist of \nboth\, that is\, of virtues and observances\, and let him therefore not refuse to \nadmit that we necessarily practice both. \nIf you have charity it is not necessary for you to be forced to fulfill the \npromises which your lips have uttered. If you scorn fulfilling the things you \npromised by putting your signature to them and calling on God and his saints as \nyour witnesses\, you can be very sure you do not have charity. For do you love \nsomeone you mock? If anyone does other than he has promised\, he said\, let him \nknow that he will be condemned by the God whom he mocks.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-office-for-vocations-19/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250117
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250118
DTSTAMP:20260403T180429
CREATED:20250111T212746Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250111T212746Z
UID:13024-1737072000-1737158399@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading - St Anthony\, Abbot
DESCRIPTION:THE PATH OF VIRTUE \nFrom “The Life of Anthony” by St Athanasius \n◊◊◊ \nAll the monks were one day gathered around Anthony so as to hear his \nwords. He said to them with the authority of a prophet: “The Holy Scriptures are \nsufficient for our instruction; nevertheless it is a good thing to encourage each \nother mutually in the faith and to urge one another in discourse. You\, therefore\, \nin a filial manner\, bring what you know to your father\, and I\, your elder\, will \ntransmit to you something of what I have experienced. \nIn the first place\, let us all endeavor together not to become lax after \nhaving begun well\, and not to be discouraged in the face of difficulties. Let us \nnot say to ourselves: We have been living the ascetical life for a long time. On \nthe contrary\, let us increase our ardor every day as if we were just beginning\, for \na person’s whole life is very short compared with the centuries to come\, and the \nwhole of time present is nothing compared with eternal life… After combating \non earth we shall obtain no earthly inheritance but a celestial one\, and when we \nhave left this corruptible body we shall receive it again incorruptible. Therefore\, \ndear sons\, let us not be discouraged nor find the time long. Let us not believe \nourselves doing too much\, for ‘The sufferings of this present time cannot be \ncompared to the glory that will be revealed in us.’ \nFor this reason\, my sons\, let us remain firm in asceticism and flee from \nsloth. The Lord is working with us\, as it is written: ‘God collaborates for good \nwith the one who has chosen what is good.’ In order to avoid negligence we will \ndo well to meditate upon the Apostle’s words: ‘I die every day’. If\, in fact\, we live \nas if each day were that of our death\, we shall not sin. This means that every day\, \non waking\, we must think that we shall not last until evening; and every night\, in \nfalling asleep\, we must think that we shall not reawaken. \nHaving thus begun and walked along the path of virtue\, let us press \nstraight on\, straining forward. Let no one look back\, like Lot’s wife\, especially as \nthe Lord has said: ‘No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for \nthe kingdom of God.’ Looking back is nothing else than feeling regret\, and \nrenewing a taste for things of the world. \nDo not fear\, on hearing talk of virtue\, that it will remain foreign to you. It is \nnot far from us nor outside of us. It is a work which is taking place within us\, and \nan easy thing if only we wish it. The Greeks leave their country and cross the sea \nto gain learning\, but as for us we have no need to travel to obtain the kingdom of \nheaven\, nor to cross the ocean to become instructed in virtue. The Lord indeed \nsaid: ‘The kingdom of God is within you.’ So virtue has need only of our will\, as it \nis in us and finds its source in ourselves… If we had to go outside of ourselves to \nacquire virtue\, it would be difficult; but since it is actually within us\, let us keep \nourselves from evil thoughts and preserve our soul for the Lord as a trust received \nfrom him\, to the end that he may recognize his handiwork\, for it is in the state in \nwhich he formed it.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-st-anthony-abbot/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250118
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250119
DTSTAMP:20260403T180429
CREATED:20250111T212855Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250111T212855Z
UID:13026-1737158400-1737244799@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading - Memorial of the BVM
DESCRIPTION:IN PRAISE OF THE \nBLESSED VIRGIN MARY’S HUMILITY \nFrom a sermon by St Bernard of Clairvaux \n◊◊◊ \nNot everyone is a virgin\, but there are still fewer who join humility to \nvirginity\, as does Mary. So if you can do no more than admire Mary’s virginity\, \ntry to imitate her humility and for you this will be enough. \nBut in Mary there is something else still more admirable [than humility \njoined to her virginity]; her childbearing allied with her virginity. Never since \nthe world began has it been known for any woman to be at once a mother and a \nvirgin. If you just think whose mother she is surely you must be astounded at \nsuch marvelous greatness. Who could ever admire this enough? To your way of \nthinking\, or rather\, not yours but Truth’s\, should she not be exalted above all the \nchoirs of angels\, she who bore God the Son? Who else would dare\, as Mary did\, \nto call ‘son’ the Lord and God of angels\, and to say “son\, why have you treated us \nso?” Would any angel dare this? They already consider it a great favor to be \ncalled\, and to be\, angels\, when they are no more than spirits\, as David suggests \nwhen he says “He makes the spirits his angels.” Yet his was the same Majesty \nwhom they serve with awe and reverence that Mary\, knowing herself the \nmother\, confidently called her son. \nNor did God disdain to be called what he had deigned to become. As the \nEvangelist tells us a bit later\, “he was obedient to them.” Who? God. To whom? \nTo men. God\, I repeat\, to whom the angels are subject\, he whom the \nprincipalities and the power obey\, he was obedient to Mary. And not only to \nMary but to Joseph\, too\, for Mary’s sake. Marvel then at these two things: the \ngracious kindness of the Son and the surpassing dignity of the mother. Choose \nwhich you consider more wonderful. Just imagine!.. God does what a woman \nsays—unheard of humility. A woman outranks God — unparalleled sublimity. In \npraise of the virgins we sing that “they follow the Lamb wherever he goes.” Of \nwhat praise then do you consider her worthy\, who preceded him? \nMan\, learn to obey! Earth\, learn to be subject! Dust\, I say\, learn to submit \nyourself! The Evangelist tells you that your Creator was obedient to them – \nmeaning to Mary and Joseph\, of course. Blush for shame… God stoops down in \nhumility\, and you exalt yourself? God is obedient to men\, and you\, anxious to lord \nit over men\, set yourself up as your own authority? God preserve me from ever \nthinking such a thing! And if I should\, may he be so kind as to rebuke me with that \nanswer he have to the apostle: “Get behind me\, Satan! You do not know the things \nof God.” Every time I seek to lord it over men\, I am trying to get in front of my God \n– and then\, in all truth\, I do not know the things of God. For it was said of him \nthat he was obedient to them.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-memorial-of-the-bvm-6/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250119
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250120
DTSTAMP:20260403T180429
CREATED:20250119T113929Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250119T113929Z
UID:13029-1737244800-1737331199@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Skema
DESCRIPTION:Biblical Readings for Office and Mass\n2nd Week in Ordinary Time\n\n\nMass Readings: Sunday (C)\, Weekdays (I)\nJanuary 19 – 25\, 2025\n\n\n\nSun\n19\nMon\n20\nTue\n21\nWed\n22\nThu\n23\nFri\n24\nSat\n25\n\n\nOffice\n2nd Sunday\nBl Cyprian Tansi\nSt Agnes\nWeekday\nWeekday\nSt Francis de Sales\nConversion of St Paul\n\n\nVigils\n1 Kings 3:16-28\n1 Kings 4:1-7\, 20-28\n1 Kings 4:29-5:12\n1 Kings 5:13-6:13\n1 Kings 6:14-38\n1 Kings 7:1-22\n2 Macc 3:22-36\n\n\nLauds\nJoel 2:18-22\nJoel 2:23-27\nJoel 3:1-5\nJoel 4:1-8\nJoel 4: 9-16\nJoel 4:17-21\nSir 39:1-10\n\n\nMass\n66\n311\n312\n313\n314\n315\n519\n\n\n1st\nIsa 62:1-5\nHeb 5:1-10\nHeb 6:10-20\nHeb 7:1-3\, 15-17\nHeb 7:25-8:6\nHeb 8:6-13\nActs 22:3-16\n\n\n2nd\n1 Cor 12:4-11\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGospel\nJohn 2:1-11\nMark 2:18-22\nMark 2:23-28\nMark 3:1-6\nMark 3:7-12\nMark 3:13-19\nMark 16:15-18\n\n\nVespers\n1 Cor 2:14-3:4\n1 Cor 3:5-9\n1 Cor 3:10-17\n1 Cor 3:18-23\n1 Cor 4:1-5\n1 Cor 4:6-13\n2 Cor 4:7-18
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/skema-101/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250119
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250120
DTSTAMP:20260403T180429
CREATED:20250119T114047Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250119T114047Z
UID:13031-1737244800-1737331199@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading - 2nd Sunday
DESCRIPTION:THE NEW CHALICE \nOF ETERNAL SALVATION \nFrom a commentary by St Maximus of Turin \n◊◊◊ \nThe Son of God went to the wedding so that marriage which had been \ninstituted by his own authority\, might be sanctified by his blessed presence. He \nwent to a wedding of the old order when he was about to take a new bride for \nhimself through the conversion of the Gentiles\, a bride who would forever \nremain a virgin. He went to a wedding even though he himself was not born of \nhuman wedlock. He went to the wedding not…to enjoy a banquet\, but rather to \nmake himself known by miracles. He went to the wedding not to drink wine\, but \nto give it\, for when there was none left for the wedding guests\, the most blessed \nMary said to him: They have no wine. \nJesus answered as though he was displeased: Woman\, he said\, is that my \nconcern or yours? It can hardly be doubted that these were words of \ndispleasure. However\, this\, I think\, was only because his mother mentioned to \nhim so casually the lack of wine\, when he had come to offer the peoples of the \nwhole world the new chalice of eternal salvation. By his reply\, My hour has not \nyet come\, he was foretelling the most glorious hour of his passion and the wine \nof our redemption which would obtain life for all. Mary was asking for a \ntemporal favor\, but Christ was preparing joys that would be eternal. \nNevertheless the Lord in his goodness did not refuse this small grace while great \ngraces were awaited. \nHoly Mary\, therefore\, since she was in very truth the Mother of the Lord\, \nand in her spirit knew in advance what would happen and foresaw the Lord’s \nwill\, took care to advise the servants to do whatever he told them. Of course this \nholy Mother knew that the rebuke of her Son and Lord was not an insult born of \nanger\, but that it contained a mysterious compassion. \nThen\, to save his Mother from embarrassment because of his reproach\, \nthe Lord revealed his sovereign power. Addressing the expectant servants\, he \nsaid\, Fill the jars with water. The servants promptly obeyed\, and suddenly in a \nmarvelous way the water began to acquire potency\, take on color\, emit \nfragrance\, and gain flavor – all at once it changed its nature completely.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-2nd-sunday/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250120
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250121
DTSTAMP:20260403T180429
CREATED:20250119T114216Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250119T114216Z
UID:13033-1737331200-1737417599@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading - Blessed Cyprian Tansi
DESCRIPTION:THE ROAD TO THE FATHER’S HOUSE \nFrom the homily of Pope St John Paul II \nat the Beatification of Blessed Cyprian Tansi \n◊◊◊ \nThe life and witness of Father Tansi is an inspiration to everyone in the \nNigeria that he loved so much. He was first of all a man of God; his long hours \nbefore the Blessed Sacrament filled his heart with generous and courageous \nlove. Those who knew him testify to his great love of God. Everyone who met \nhim was touched by his personal goodness. He was then a man of the people: he \nalways put others before himself\, and was especially attentive to the pastoral \nneeds of families. He took great care to prepare couples well for Holy \nMatrimony and preached the importance of chastity. He tried in every way to \npromote the dignity of women. In a special way\, the education of young people \nwas precious to him. Even when he was sent by Bishop Heerey to the Cistercian \nAbbey of Mount Saint Bernard in England to pursue his monastic vocation\, with \nthe hope of bringing the contemplative life back to Africa\, he did not forget his \nown people. He did not fail to offer prayers and sacrifices for their continuing \nsanctification. \nFather Tansi knew that there is something of the Prodigal Son in every \nhuman being. He knew that all men and women are tempted to separate \nthemselves from God in order to lead their own independent and selfish \nexistence. He knew that they are then disappointed by the emptiness of the \nillusion which had fascinated them\, and that they eventually find in the depths \nof their heart the road leading back to the Father’s house. He encouraged people \nto confess their sins and receive God’s forgiveness in the Sacrament of \nReconciliation. He implored them to forgive one another as God forgives us\, and \nhand on the gift of the reconciliation\, making it a reality at every level of \nNigerian life. Father Tansi tried to imitate the father in the parable: he was \nalways available for those searching for reconciliation. He spread the joy of \nrestored communion with God. He inspired people to welcome the peace of \nChrist\, and encouraged them to nourish the life of grace with the word of God \nand with Holy Communion… \nBlessed Cyprian Michael Tansi is a prime example of the fruits of holiness \nwhich have grown and matured in the Church in Nigeria since the Gospel was \nfirst preached in this land. He received the gift of faith through the efforts of the \nmissionaries\, and taking the Christian way of life as his own he made it truly \nAfrican and Nigerian. So too the Nigerians of today — young and old alike — are \ncalled to reap the spiritual fruits which have been planted among them and are \nnow ready for the harvest… Father Tansi’s witness to the Gospel and to \nChristian charity is a spiritual gift which this local Church now offers to the \nUniversal Church… \nWe must be convinced that each of us\, according to our particular state in \nlife\, is called to do no less than what Father Tansi did. Having been reconciled \nwith God\, we must be instruments of reconciliation\, treating all men and \nwomen as brothers and sisters\, called to membership in the one family of God…
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-blessed-cyprian-tansi/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250121
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250122
DTSTAMP:20260403T180429
CREATED:20250119T114323Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250119T114323Z
UID:13035-1737417600-1737503999@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading - St Agnes
DESCRIPTION:ST AGNES \nFrom The Oxford Dictionary of Saints \n◊◊◊ \nThe earliest witness to her cult is the Deposito Martyrum of 354. About \nthe same time a basilica was built in her honor over her grave in the Via \nNomemtana. Her name was in the Roman Canon; her feast was kept in \nnumerous churches of both East and West from early times. This evidence from \ncalendars and martyrologies make her one of the most famous and universal of \nthe early Roman martyrs. Writers who praised her include Ambrose\, Jerome\, \nand Prudenius. \nHer 5th-century Acts\, wrongly attributed to Ambrose\, made her a girl of \nonly thirteen who refused marriage because of her dedication to Christ. Calmly \nand deliberately she preferred death to any violation of her consecrated \nvirginity; for this reason she has been venerated by many nations. She was \nkilled by the sword…piercing her throat. Legendary accretions to this simple \nstory were numerous\, but unhistorical. \nThrough the remembrance of the word agnus (lamb) to Agnes\, her \nprincipal iconographic emblem is a lamb\, at least from the time of the 6th \ncentury mosaics at San Apollinare Nunco at Ravenna. On her feast are blessed \nthe lambs which produce the wool from which pallia for archbishops are woven \nby the nuns of St Agnes’s convent in Rome. In England\, as elsewhere\, her cult \nwas ancient and widespread\, with five early church dedications. \nWith other virgin martyrs she also appears…frequently in late medieval \nstained glass\, but the finest cycle of her life story is on a gold and enamel cup at \nthe British museum\, which formerly belonged to the Duke of Berry and passed \nthrough the Duke of Bedford to King Henry VI… Formerly the Roman calendar \ncontained a second feast in her honor on January 29th. This seems to have \ncommemorated her birthday rather than her octave.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-st-agnes-2/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250122
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250123
DTSTAMP:20260403T180429
CREATED:20250119T114453Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250119T114453Z
UID:13037-1737504000-1737590399@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading
DESCRIPTION:THE VALUE OF HUMAN LIFE \nFrom the encyclical “The Gospel of Life” by Pope St John Paul II \n◊◊◊ \nThe human person is called to a fullness of life which far exceeds the \ndimensions of earthly existence\, because it consists in sharing the very life of \nGod. The loftiness of this supernatural vocation reveals the greatness and the \ninestimable value of human life even in its temporal phase. In a special way \nbelievers in Christ must defend and promote this right\, aware as they are of the \nwonderful truth recalled by the Second Vatican Council: By his incarnation the \nSon of God has united himself in some fashion with every human being”. This \nsaving event reveals to humanity not only the boundless love of God who “so \nloved the world that he gave his only Son”\, but also the incomparable value of \nevery human person. \nThe Church acknowledges this value with ever new wonder. She feels \ncalled to proclaim to the people of all times this Gospel\, the source of invincible \nhope and true joy for every period of history… Today this proclamation is \nespecially pressing because of the extraordinary gravity of threats to the life of \nindividuals and peoples\, especially where life is weak and defenseless. In \naddition to the ancient scourges of poverty\, hunger and disease\, violence and \nwar\, new threats are emerging on an alarmingly vast scale… \nAll this is causing a profound change in the way in which life and \nrelationships between people are considered. The fact that legislation in many \ncountries\, has determined not to punish these practices against life\, and even to \nmake them altogether legal\, is both a disturbing symptom and a significant \ncause of grave moral decline. Choices once unanimously considered criminal \nand rejected by the common moral sense are gradually becoming socially \nacceptable. Even certain sectors of the medical profession\, which by its calling \nis directed to the defense and care of human life\, are increasingly willing to carry \nout these acts against the person. \nThe end result of this is tragic; not only is the fact of the destruction of so \nmany human lives still to be born or in their final stage extremely grave and \ndisturbing\, but no less grave and disturbing is the fact that conscience itself\, \ndarkened as it were by such widespread conditioning\, is finding it increasingly \ndifficult to distinguish between good and evil in what concerns the basic value of \nhuman life. \nThe present encyclical\, the fruit of the cooperation of the episcopate of \nevery country of the world\, is therefore meant to be a precise and vigorous \nreaffirmation of the value of human life and its inviolability\, and at the same \ntime a pressing appeal to each and every person\, in the name of God\, respect\, \nprotect\, love and serve life\, every human life! Only in this direction will you \nfind justice\, development. True freedom\, peace and happiness.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-257/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250123
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250124
DTSTAMP:20260403T180429
CREATED:20250119T114606Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250119T114606Z
UID:13039-1737590400-1737676799@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading
DESCRIPTION:ON THE THRESHOLD \nOF CONTEMPLATION \nFrom a sermon by St Bernard of Clairvaux \n◊◊◊ \nMy brethren\, I beseech you\, be on your guard all the time\, for this is the \nhour of battle… Let us stand firmly at our post. Let us lean with all our strength \non the invincible rock which is Christ\, in accordance with these words from the \nscriptures: “He set my feet on a rock\, and ordered my goings”. Thus set up and \nfortified\, let us apply ourselves to contemplation: we shall see what is said to us \nand what we should answer to him who reproaches us. \nThe first stage of contemplation…is that we should ceaselessly consider \nthe Lord’s wishes as to what pleases him\, what he wants. For we all make many \nmistakes. Our want of simplicity bruises the honesty of his will\, and this \nprevents us from unifying ourselves\, from cleaving to him. So let us humble \nourselves beneath the mighty hand of the Most High God and hasten to lay our \nwretchedness before the eyes of his mercy\, saying\, “Heal me\, O Lord\, and I shall \nbe healed; save me\, and I shall be saved”\, and again\, “Lord\, be merciful to me\, \nheal my soul\, for I have sinned against you’. \nWhen the eye of the heart has been purified by this kind of thought we no \nlonger live with a heart full of bitterness but in the joys which are found in the \nSpirit of God. And now we consider no longer what is God’s will for us\, but what \nthis will is in itself. For God wills life\, and nothing is better or more profitable \nthan to conform to his will. That is why the eagerness with which we try to \npreserve our life should be directed\, as far as possible\, into never swerving from \nthe path which brings us to God’s will… \nLet us recall how gentle the Lord is\, how good he is in himself. With the \nprophet let us ask to see the Lord’s will\, let us ask him to bring us\, no longer to \nour hearts but to his temple\, “to behold the fair beauty of the Lord\, and to visit \nhis temple”. And in addition let us say with him\, “My God\, my soul is vexed \nwithin me: therefore will I remember you”. \nThese two things embrace the content of the whole spiritual life: at the \nsight of ourselves we are troubled and contrite\, and in fear of our salvation; \nwhile in contemplating God we find relief\, and the joy of the Holy Spirit brings \nus consolation. On one side\, fear and humility; on the other\, hope and love.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-258/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250124
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250125
DTSTAMP:20260403T180429
CREATED:20250119T114718Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250119T114718Z
UID:13041-1737676800-1737763199@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading - St Francis de Sales
DESCRIPTION:A DELICATE SENSE \nOF GOD’S PRESENCE \nBy St Francis de Sales \n◊◊◊ \nThe soul thus inwardly recollected in God or in God’s presence is at times \nrendered so sweetly attentive to the goodness of its beloved as to think that its \nattention is not actually attention\, so simply and so delicately is it exercised. It \nis like certain rivers which flow so calmly and smoothly that those who look at \nthem or sail on them seem neither to see nor to feel any motion\, since they see \nno waves or currents whatever. This loving repose of the soul is called the \n“prayer of quiet” by the holy virgin Teresa of Jesus\, and is scarcely different \nfrom that which she calls “the sleep of the powers\,” at least if I understand her \nproperly. \nIndeed\, even men in love are at times content with being near or within \nsight of the one they love without actually speaking to her and without thinking \nespecially either of her or of her perfections. They seem to be pleased and \nsatisfied with enjoying this dear presence\, not by any consideration they give it \nbut by a certain calm and repose their spirit finds in it… \nSometimes this repose goes so deep in its tranquility that the whole soul \nand all its powers remain as if sunk in sleep. They make no movement or action \nwhatsoever\, except the will alone and even it does no more than receive the joy \nand contentment that it receives but enjoys it insensibly. It does not think of \nitself but of him whose presence gives it such pleasure. It is like what often \nhappens when we drop off unaware into a light sleep. We only half hear what \nour friends are saying around us\, or feel their caresses almost imperceptibly \nwithout feeling that we feel. \nNevertheless\, the soul enjoying in this sweet repose such a delicate sense \nof God’s presence\, even though it does not have perception of such enjoyment\, \nstill shows clearly how precious to it and how worthy of love is this happiness. \nFor when anyone tries to deprive the soul of it or something turns it from it\, then \nthat poor soul complains\, cries out\, even weeps at times. It is like a little child \nawakened before it has slept enough; by the pain it feels on being awakened \nclearly shows the pleasure it had in sleep. For this reason the heavenly shepherd \nadjures the daughters of Sion\, “by the roes and harts of the fields\,” not to cause \nthe beloved to awaken up until she pleases\, that is\, to let her awaken by herself. \nA soul thus at peace in its God would not change that repose for all the world’s \ngreatest goods.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-st-francis-de-sales-2/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250125
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250126
DTSTAMP:20260403T180429
CREATED:20250119T114828Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250119T114828Z
UID:13043-1737763200-1737849599@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading - Conversion of St Paul
DESCRIPTION:THE BEARER OF A MISSION \nBy Fr Lucien Cerfaux \n◊◊◊ \nIn terms of today\, Paul passed from the Jewish religion to Christianity. He \nis the first of the great “converts” who distinguish the pages of Christian history \nand provide the apologists with proof of the supremacy of our religion. Yet he \nhimself would not have used the term “conversion” if this implied abandoning \none religion for another. For him Christianity was not a new religion\, distinct \nfrom Judaism. If it had been suggested to Paul that he was no longer a Jew\, he \nwould not have understood what was meant. The many protests in the epistles \ndo not apply to the past: Paul is and continues to be Hebrew and Jew\, in race \nand religion… \nWe can state definitely that St Paul interprets the event which took place \non the road to Damascus as a call from God\, a vocation to a mission which ranks \nhim with the prophets of the Old Testament. Like the prophets\, he has been \ngranted a vision; like them\, he has been given a mission\, and like them too\, he is \nconstrained to answer the call: his human resolve is endowed by grace to such \nan extent that it is God himself who carries out the work with which the Apostle \nis entrusted. \nThe book of Acts confirms these conclusions. Paul is the chosen instru- \nment to “carry” the name of Christ\, that is\, to bear witness\, in the midst of \npersecution\, before kings\, nations and Israel. The three accounts of the vision at \nDamascus agree with the Epistle to the Galatians; Paul changed abruptly from \nbeing an active persecutor of the church and submitted himself to the orders \ntransmitted by Christ… \nThere are two distinct aspects of his vocation. The first concerns salvation \nonly: the chosen are destined for the messianic era; they are called children of \nGod\, they receive the messianic graces. The summons to the messianic feast was \nknown to the rabbis from the first century and was used by Jesus. A second \nseries of texts reserves the call to outstanding leaders in the Old Testament such \nas Abraham\, Moses\, Joshua\, the prophets\, who were predestined before their \nbirth and “called” at the chosen moment by God. When he calls someone by \nname it is to entrust that one with a mission. \nSt Paul is called as the bearer of a mission. He is ranked on the same level \nas the spiritual leaders of Israel and shares their privileges. His mission is \naddressed to the gentiles\, to whom he will transmit the call to the messianic \ngraces.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-conversion-of-st-paul-2/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250126
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250127
DTSTAMP:20260403T180429
CREATED:20250126T112842Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250126T112842Z
UID:13061-1737849600-1737935999@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Skema
DESCRIPTION:Biblical Readings for Office and Mass\n3rd Week in Ordinary Time\n\n\nMass Readings: Sunday (C)\, Weekdays (I)\nJan. 26 – Feb. 1\, 2025\n\n\n\nSun\n26\nMon\n27\nTue\n28\nWed\n29\nThu\n30\nFri\n31\nSat\n1\n\n\nOffice\nSS Robert\, Alberic\, & Stephen\nSS Timothy & Titus\nSt Thomas Aquinas\nOffice for the Dead\nWeekday\nWeekday\nMemorial of the BVM\n\n\nVigils\nLev 26:3-13\n1 Kings 7:23-51\n1 Kings 8:1-21\n1 Kings 8:22-40\n1 Kings 8:41-53\n1 Kings 8:54-66\n1 Kings 9:1-14\n\n\nLauds\nSir 2:1-11\nAmos 1:1-5\nAmos 1:6-10\nAmos 1:11-15\nAmos 2:1-5\nAmos 2:6-16\nAmos 3:1-8\n\n\nMass\n606\, 322\, 815.8\n520\, 317\n318\n319\n320\n321\n322\n\n\n1st\nSir 44:1\,10-15\n2 Tim 1:1-8\nHeb 10:1-10\nHeb 10:11-18\nHeb 10:19-25\nHeb 10:32-39\nHeb 11:1-2\, 8-19\n\n\n2nd\nHeb 11:1-2\, 8-16\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGospel\nMark 10:24b-30\nMark 3:22-30\nMark 3:31-35\nMark 4:1-20\nMark 4:21-25\nMark 4:26-34\nMark 4:35-41\n\n\nVespers\nEph 4:1-6\n1 Cor 4:14-21\n1 Cor 5:6-13\n1 Cor 6:1-11\n1 Cor 6:12-20\n1 Cor 7:17-24\nRom 12:1-5
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/skema-102/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250126
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250127
DTSTAMP:20260403T180429
CREATED:20250126T113053Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250126T113053Z
UID:13063-1737849600-1737935999@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading - SS Robert\, Alberic\, & Stephen
DESCRIPTION:THE BEGINNINGS OF THE \nCISTERCIAN ORDER \nA reading from the “Exordium Parvum” \n◊◊◊ \nWe Cistercians\, the first founders of this Church\, in this document hereby \nrelate to our successors how this Monastery and its way of life took its beginning \naccording to the Laws of Holy Mother the Church; by what authority it began\, \nand also by what persons and at what times; so that by the telling of the plain \nand unadulterated truth\, they may be moved to a deep love for this Monastery \nand for the observance of the Holy Rule of St Benedict which was begun in it by \nus through the Grace of God; and that they might pray for us who have borne the \nheat and the burden of the day without losing courage; that they might labor \nwith great fervor in the straight and narrow way which the Rule describes\, even \nunto complete union with God\, when\, having shed the garments of this flesh\, \nthey might happily rest in eternal peace. \nIn the year 1098\, Robert of blessed memory\, the first Abbot of the Church \nof Molesme founded in the Diocese of Langre\, together with some of the \nbrethren from the same Monastery\, came to the venerable Hugh\, who was at \nthat time the Legate of the Holy See and the Archbishop of the Church of Lyons\, \nstating that they desired to live their life under the guidance of the Holy Rule of \nFather Benedict\, and that in order that they might follow out these designs with \ngreater freedom and security\, they earnestly entreated him that he would bless \nand endorse their project with his Apostolic Authority. The Legate was happily \npleased with their desire\, and he laid the foundation of their beginnings by his \nLetter. \nAfter these affairs\, Robert and those who sided with him returned to \nMolesme and chose from that community of brethren those who wished to \nassociate with themselves\, brothers who had made their vows according to the \nRule; so that between those who had spoken to the Legate at Lyons and those \nwho had been chosen from the Monastery\, there were twenty-one monks. \nAccompanied by such a troop\, they made their way in all haste to the desert \nwhich was called Citeaux… Because of the thickness of the woods and \nundergrowth\, it was very rarely visited by people and it was inhabited by \nnothing but wild animals. \nWhen they arrived there\, the men of God immediately conceived a great \nand holy reverence for the place\, for the more contemptible and inaccessible it \nwas to the people of the world\, the more they considered it fit for their life. This \nwas the very reason for which they had come there. Far away and hidden by the \ndensity of trees and undergrowth\, they began to construct a monastery there \nwith the help of the Bishop of Chalons-sur-Saone and the consent of the one \nwho owned the property. For these men\, while they were still at Molesme\, \ninspired by the grace of God\, had frequently spoken among themselves about \nthe transgressions of the Rule of Blessed Benedict\, Father of Monks. They had \nlamented and grown sad in spirit\, seeing that both they and the rest of the \nmonks who had promised by their Solemn Profession that they would observe \nthis Rule\, kept that promise to a very small degree. On account of this\, by the \nauthority of the Holy See\, they came to this solitude in order that they might \nfulfill their profession by the observance of the Holy Rule.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-ss-robert-alberic-stephen-2/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250127
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250128
DTSTAMP:20260403T180429
CREATED:20250126T113430Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250126T113430Z
UID:13065-1737936000-1738022399@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading - SS Timothy & Titus
DESCRIPTION:THE VIRTUE OF ST TIMOTHY \nAS A PATTERN FOR CHRISTIANS \nFrom a sermon by St John Henry Newman \n◊◊◊ \n“Drink no longer water\, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and \nfor your other infirmities”. This is a remarkable verse\, because it accidentally tells \nus so much. It is addressed to Timothy\, St Paul’s companion\, the first Bishop of \nEphesus. Of Timothy we know very little\, except that he did minister to St Paul\, \nand hence we might have inferred that he was a man of very saintly character; but \nwe know little or nothing of him\, except that he had been from a child a careful \nreader of Scripture… \nTimothy…had so read the Old Testament\, and had so heard from St Paul the \nNew\, that he was a true follower of the Apostle\, as the Apostle was of Christ. St Paul \naccordingly calls him “my own son”\, or “my true son in the faith”. And elsewhere \nhe says to the Philippians that he has “no man like-minded to Timothy\, who would \nnaturally” or truly “care for their state”… St Paul does not expressly tell us that he \nwas a man of mortified habits; but he reveals the fact indirectly by cautioning him \nagainst an excess of mortification. “Drink no longer water\,” he says\, “but use a little \nwine.” It should be observed that wine\, in the southern countries\, is the ordinary \nbeverage; it is nothing strong or costly. Yet even from such as this\, Timothy was in \nthe habit of abstaining\, and restricting himself to water; and\, as the Apostle \nthought\, imprudently\, to the increase of his “frequent infirmities.” \nThere is something very striking in this accidental mention of the private \nways of this Apostolic Bishop. We know indeed from history the doctrine and the \nlife of the great saints\, who lived some time after the Apostles’ age; but we are \nnaturally anxious to know something more of the Apostles themselves and their \nassociates. We say\, “Oh that we could speak to St Paul – that we could see him in his \ndaily walk\, and hear his…teaching! – that we could ask him what he meant by this \nexpression in his Epistles\, or what he thought of this or the other doctrine.” This is \nnot given to us. God might give us greater light than He does; but it is His gracious \nwill to give us the less. Yet perhaps much more has been given us in Scripture\, as it \nhas come to us\, than we think\, if our eyes were enlightened to discern it there. Such\, \nfor instance\, is this text; it is a sudden revelation\, a glimpse of the personal \ncharacter of Apostolic Christians; it is a hint which we may follow out. For no one \nwill deny that a very great deal of doctrine\, and a very great deal of precept\, goes \nwith such a fact as this: namely\, that this holy man\, without impiously disparaging \nGod’s creation\, and thanklessly rejecting God’s gifts\, yet\, on the whole\, lived a life \nof abstinence. \nI cannot understand why such a life is not excellent in a Christian now\, if it \nwas the characteristic of Apostles and friends of Apostles then. I really do not see \nwhy the trials and persecutions\, which surrounded them from Jews and Gentiles\, \ntheir forlorn despised state\, and their necessary discomforts\, should not even have \nexempted them from voluntary sufferings in addition\, unless such self-imposed \nhardships were pleasing to Christ. Such were the holy men of old. How far are we \nbelow them! Alas for our easy sensual life\, our cowardice\, our sloth! Is this the way \nby which the kingdom of God is won?
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-ss-timothy-titus-2/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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