From Br. Joseph — The modern mind always tends to reduce the greater to the lesser rather than seeing the lesser as reflecting the greater. (Peter Kreeft) There is a grove of aspen trees that cover nearly 200 acres in south-central Utah. This grove, named “Pando”, was once considered the largest living organism in the world. […]
There are times in life when a person has to rush off in pursuit of hopefulness. — Jean Giono, afterword to The Man Who Planted Trees I want to run and go search for it, but I know it is right here, if I look. There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high […]
The thought that the affairs of the world, like those of the stars, are in God’s hands—and therefore in good hands—apart from being actually true, is something that should give great satisfaction to anyone who looks to the future with hope. It should be the source of faith, joyful hope, and, above all, of deep […]
From Br. Joseph — There is a moment in each day that Satan cannot find. (William Blake) I saw this quote the other day. My mind searched for a specific time or moment to label as “Satan free.” Was it in those precious few moments just after waking before the thoughts of the day rush in? […]
From the last line of the song “Closing Time” by Semisonic, Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end. Life is full of little transitions, little deaths and rebirths. What stays the same? What dies? What is transformed? It is the Paschal Mystery, the mystery of the Cross. What do you get to take […]
From Br. Joseph — Most people are familiar with the poem “Footprints in the Sand” by Mary Stevenson. Here’s a different set of footprints (author unknown)… — — — — — — — Now imagine you and the Lord walking down the road together. For much of the way, the Lord’s footprints go along steadily, […]
From Br. Joseph — St. Jerome, best known as the translator of the Bible into Latin from Greek and Hebrew, is reported to have had a vision of the child Jesus. In the vision, Jesus asked Jerome why he had not given Him everything. Jerome was puzzled. “Lord,” he protested, “I have devoted my life […]
God refuses to be known except by love. — St. John of the Cross
From Br. Joseph — Hope keeps faith alive, and faith rekindles hope when all seems lost. At one point in Hannah Hurnard’s allegorical book of the spiritual journey, “Hind’s Feet on High Places”, the protagonist is having a particularly tough time. The Shepherd, an obvious symbol for Christ, says to her: Don’t you know by […]