Author Archives: Bethlehem Abbey

Solemnity of the Holy Founders of the Cistercian Order, Sts Robert, Alberic and Stephen

Tuesday 26th January Solemnity of the Holy Founders of the Cistercian Order, Sts Robert, Alberic and Stephen Today, we celebrate the moment of our Cistercian birth and the men who, listening deeply to the Spirit within them, gave impetus to our monastic life. Today, all of us become Cistercians in some way by listening, forContinue reading “Solemnity of the Holy Founders of the Cistercian Order, Sts Robert, Alberic and Stephen”

Mark 8:27-33 – Who do you say I Am?

With this lectio divina we reach a turning point in the Gospel, and with it, perhaps, a turning point for ourselves. There is no doubt that we cannot avoid being drawn into this scene as participant, both hearing Jesus’ questions addressed directly to us, and feeling his expectation as he waits for each of us to answer. He asks a profoundly disturbing question, which divides itself into two parts – the first general, by way of softening us up, as it were; the second particular, personal, and pointed.

12th January – St Aelred of Rievaulx, Cistercian Abbot (1110-1167)

Today we celebrate the memory of one of the formative abbots and teachers in the early Cistercian tradition who, together with Bernard of Clairvaux, Guerric of Igny and William of St Thierry forms a group often known as the Four Evangelists of Cîteaux: St Aelred of Rievaulx.

Mark 8:14-26 – Christ Event: Darkness to Light, Blindness to Sight

The themes of blindness, loss of sight, and poor sight, are some of the most common themes which appear in Sacred Scripture. This suggests that the particular affliction – whether from birth or occurring in formerly sighted people – was not uncommon and provides a foundation of experience for our sacred authors. A quick scan in a biblical concordance reveals a wealth of passages in which the blind or blindness is mentioned, and that’s without looking for phrases which express loss of sight or similar experience.

Homily Notes for the Feast of the Holy Family 2020

In the early Church we encounter the idea of “mystery” frequently. The English term seems at first sight to be a translation of the Greek, or better, a transliteration, and has lost the richness ofits meaning in an ecclesial setting. When we hear the Church Fathers, from Cyril of Jerusalemthrough to Augustine, speaking of “mystery”Continue reading “Homily Notes for the Feast of the Holy Family 2020”

Mark 8:11-13 – Signs

Just a few verses, but so much comes into our prayer as Christ asks us to reflect with him on the value of signs in our lives. The Pharisees are really not very happy people! Almost nothing satisfies them and they continually hanker after something more. It’s a way of life and an outlook on life which is doomed to be characterized by perennial disappointment. More than that, it lacks the wonder and awe which is the mark of those who know that they have the possibility of encountering mystery at every moment.

Mark 8:1-10 – A Second Course – the Same but Different

There is no repetition in a Gospel simply for the sake of repetition. In this the sacred writings are somewhat akin to music, when a section is marked with a repeat mark: although the very same notes and chords will be played the performer must have a sense of a slightly different feel to the same music and communicate that to the audience.