From Season to Season

 " He said to one of them in reply, 'My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you?'" —Matthew 20:13-14 Even before the outbreak of the pandemic-when employment and economic uncertainty weren't as widespread as they are now-it wasn't uncommon to see groups of men and women standing in groups in the parking lots of hardware and home improvement stores like Home Depot and Lowes. I never gave them much thought until a friend explained who they were: these were day laborers who were hoping that a contractor or someone needing help with a home repair project would hire them for the day or, at the least, for a few hours.   These people are continuing a tradition that is found in nearly every culture and, as we see in this Sunday's Gospel , was certainly common in Jesus’ day. One of my Salvatorian confreres who had worked in Arizona an...

  Please join us in offering a prayer of thanks: To learn more, visit: https://www.sds.org/apostleship/2020-francis-jordan To learn more about my ministry, Jordan Ministry Team (named for Venerable Francis Jordan), visit: www.jordanministryteam.org

Dear friends and family, the leadership of my province gave me a new assignment: effective July 1, I will be serving as part our community's ministry in Tucson, Arizona, called Jordan Ministry Team . This ministry is named for our founder, Venerable Francis Mary Jordan , who founded the Salvatorians in 1881. JordanMinistry Team , where I will be serving, was established in 2001 by members of the three branches of our Salvatorian "Family" to support the work of the Diocese of Tucson, a "mission diocese" that includes the lower-third of Arizona. This diocese includes more than 47,000 square miles and our ministry helps with the training of permanent deacons and lay ministers, with a special focus on training catechists and teachers. Given the needs of this local church, Jordan Ministries provides an invaluable service, especially in rural areas where the needs of parishes and schools are so, so great. Our hope is to begin offering our services beyond the bor...

Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, Jesus asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. —Luke 5:3–6 This past week, as I was reflecting on this Sunday’s Gospel and thinking about what I would write in this reflection, I happened to have a conversation with another member of my religious community , during which he shared a question he recently asked the members of his parish in a daily homily: “How do you respond when someone confronts you about something you’ve done wrong?” It’s a good question. He shared three possible responses with his parishioners. “First,” he said, ...

In her book, The Jesus Wisdom , Cythia Bourgeault writes: Seeking leads to finding, yes, but the result of that finding is often to plunge you into confusion and disorientation as the new information rattles the cage of your old paradigm. Only gradually, as you can make room for what this gospel calls "wonder," does a new universe begin to knit itself together around you, and you come to rest on a new foundation. The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, which marks the end of the Christmas Season, is a feast that is actually part of the broader celebration of the Epiphany of the Lord. Although we in the West associate the great solemnity of the Epiphany with the three "kings" and their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, the Early Church saw the Epiphany as including three great mysteries in the life of Jesus: the visit of the Magi, the Baptism of Jesus, and the wedding at Cana (the occasion of Jesus' first miracle). But of these mysteries, the Baptism of ...

This Sunday we hear the story of the "generous widow." While we most often focus on the widow's generous spirit, this story is really a lesson in discipleship. "Ultimately, this story of the “widow’s mite” isn’t about the size or amount of the gift. Instead, Jesus is reminding us that his disciples will be known not by what they give away or give up but by how they give over all that they are to God and to those around them, simply because they love." To read the full reflection, click here . On a personal note, I want to offer a word of thanks for the prayers and good wishes I have received since sharing my news of being accepted as a candidate for the Society of the Divine Savior (the Salvatorians). To read my original posting, click here .

Some of you who have been following this blog for a while will remember that I was Benedictine monk for nearly eleven years and, after a long and careful period of discernment, I decided to seek a dispensation from my monastic vows. This was certainly a difficult decision, but those events in 2013 were not the end of the story... Late last year I began to actively discern the possibility of returning to religious life. Early this year I contacted a handful of religious communities, including the Society of the Divine Savior (the Salvatorians). Those conversations and my discernment have continued and the past months have been a time of challenge, opportunity, reflection, and blessings. With all of this in mind, I am happy and humbled to announce that I have been accepted as a candidate for the Salvatorians and will enter formation in January.   I am especially grateful to so many people who have supported my ongoing reflection and discernment, particularly dear f...