On January 25, the church celebrates the conversion of Paul. His name at the time was Saul of Tarsus, and he was on his way to Damascus to find and arrest in the synagogue the followers of the Way and bring them back to Jerusalem. Acts 9 tells the story. He was blinded by aContinue reading “Conversion”
Author Archives: Stephen Isaacson
Doubting Thomas
On December 21, the Church celebrates the life of Saint Thomas the Apostle, who sometimes carries the unfortunate nickname of “Doubting Thomas.” The Gospel of John tells the story. When Jesus had just explained that he was going away to prepare a heavenly home for his followers and that one day they would join him there,Continue reading “Doubting Thomas”
Stability
On December 5th, the Cornerstone Community in Portland, Oregon, met to install two new members and, for continuing members, to renew their vows. This is the homily from that service: In a few minutes, both our new members—who are taking their first vows—and continuing members—who will be renewing their vows—will pledge to work towards Stability,Continue reading “Stability”
All Saints
From the Rule of St. Benedict: “On the feasts of Saints and on all festivals let the Office be performed as we have prescribed for Sundays, except that the Psalms, the antiphons and the lessons belonging to that particular day are to be said. . .” (Chapter 14) From Praying with Saint Benedict: Benedict instituted aContinue reading “All Saints”
Seeds of Contemplation
From Thomas Merton (1961) Every expression of the will of God is in some sense a “word” of God, and therefore a “seed” of new life. . . In all the situations of life the will of God comes to us not merely as an external dictate of impersonal law but above all as anContinue reading “Seeds of Contemplation”
Improbable Saint
Early Church tradition holds that the first book of the New Testament was written by the apostle Matthew. Although later scholars have disputed the claim, his authorship was first attested among the writings of the first and second centuries by the early Christian bishop Papias of Hierapolis. The Gospel of Matthew identifies Matthew as aContinue reading “Improbable Saint”
Good Zeal
From Chapter 72 of the Rule: “Just as there is an evil zeal of bitterness which separates from God and leads to hell, so there is a good zeal which separates from vices and leads to God and to life everlasting. This zeal, therefore, the monks should practice with the most fervent love.” And Romans 12 tellsContinue reading “Good Zeal”
Mary
On August 15th much of the Christian world celebrates the feast day of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Other than Jesus himself, it is hard to think of any human being more celebrated by the Christian church than Mary. She has been venerated in the Church since the apostolic age and is a favorite subject in Western art,Continue reading “Mary”
Ora et Labora
In Chapter 48 of his Rule for Monasteries, Benedict wrote: “Idleness is the enemy of the soul. Therefore, the brothers and sisters should be occupied at certain times in manual labor, and again at fixed hours in sacred reading….” Ora et labora—prayer and labor—was Benedict’s motto. In the Rule, Benedict extols the virtues of physical labor asContinue reading “Ora et Labora”
Celebrating Benedict
Benedict of Nursia was a sixth-century abbot who founded twelve monasteries and gave Christian monasticism its lasting foundation in Western Europe. In the early ninth century, Louis the Pious, son of the emperor Charlemagne, declared that Benedict’s Rule for Monasteries would be the standard of organization for all monastic institutions. It is hard to overestimate Benedict’s role in western civilization. BenedictineContinue reading “Celebrating Benedict”
Improbable Benedictine 