Laetare, Jerusalem!
Like a Breath of Springtide “Be glad, Jerusalem! Hold an assembly, all you that love her: rejoice and be glad, you that were in sadness:...
Laetare: The Eucharistic Joy of the Church
Rejoice, O Jerusalem: and come together all you that love her: rejoice with joy, you that have been in sorrow: that you may exult, and...
By your word revive me
Saturday of the Third Week of Lent John 8:1-11 Excessive Mercy Today’s Gospel almost did not make it into the canon of the Scriptures; it...
Now begin the mysteries
Saint Augustine preached this morning at Matins. The eloquence, the rhythm, the depth of his homily stir one to the depths of the soul. With...
Febris nostra, febris nostra . . .
Febris enim nostra, avaritia est: febris nostra, libido est: febris nostra, luxuria est: febris nostra, ambitio est: febris nostra, iracundia est. (Homilia sancti Ambrosii Episcopi...
Vidi Dominum facie ad faciem
The Stational Church It is a curious fact of liturgical history that originally the Second Sunday of Lent had no Mass of its own. The...
O mulier, magna est fides tua
A Favourite Antiphon This evening’s Magnificat Antiphon, taken from the gospel of the day (Matthew 15:21-28) is one for which I wait all year long....
Ember Wednesday of Lent
Santa Maria Maggiore One of the graces that comes with living in Rome is the opportunity to go often to the basilica of Saint Mary...
The Rosary of the Seven Dolours
The Ember Wednesday of Lent, with its stational Mass at the basilica of Saint Mary Major, constitutes a Lenten homage to the Mother of God....
Nothing shalt thou have to fear
At the Stational Church Originally, the forty days of Lent were counted from this Sunday. In Rome, the stational church is the basilica of Saint...
Yielding to the attraction of the saints
Every Lent I choose — or rather ask Our Lord to choose for me — a saint or saints to be my Lenten companions. From...
Now Christ, Thou Sun of righteousness,
The Lengthening Day Lent is a lovely word. It belongs to that distinguished family of old English church words. Some of them — Shrove Tuesday...
The Crown of Thorns and Mental Illness
Union with the Passion of Christ The sacred liturgy provides man with the divinely inspired means to express his need in every situation, affliction, infirmity,...
With a Book and a Heavenly Companion
In the grey light of early morning on Quinquagesima Monday, between Lauds and Prime, we assembled in the Chapter Room to listen, once again, to...
For Our Oblates . . . and Others
Saint Benedict the Practical When it comes to the observance of Lent, Saint Benedict is very practical, very concrete. He doesn’t spend a lot of...