Blessings to you! Last Thursday I went to our Monastery of Thien Tam in Texas for the priestly ordination of our Brother Paul Nguyen. It was a truly wonderful celebration. Bishop Kevin Farrell of Dallas had been invited to presid because he is the Bishop of the local diocese. He is very happy to have our Monastery in his diocese and always says so publicly.

Brother Paul, of course, was excited and ready for his ordination. He had been a deacon already for two years. How he is a priest. There are four priests in the community at Thien Tam.

Father Christian and Brother James were in Albuquerque over the weekend, selling items from our gift shop in order to keep our economy running.

Brother James will take over as Prior here on May 20th. Father Joseph has been appointed for a three year term as Prior Administrator at Mount Saviour Monastery in New York, beginning June 1st. Brother André will take over as guest master here, leaving Brother James more time to do his work as Prior here.

Another reminder that our newest CD was released on April 24th. If you are interested in purchasing it and helping us in this way, the link is this www.christdesert.org/Detailed/1030.html

There are times in our lives when things happen to us unexpectedly. A death can throw us off our center. An unexpected challenge from another person can make us doubt ourselves. Sometimes it is someone rejecting us and we don't know why.

This all relates to what I was speaking about in this letter last week. How do we get to that place of peace and tranquility where we can rest in God and make good decisions--if we have to make decisions.

Sometimes all we can do is struggle with the turmoil and the upset that is within us. Sometimes we cannot get to the place of peace and tranquility just by wanting to be there. One of the best pieces of advice I ever received, however, was never to made a decision when I was upset. Another great piece of advice was never to write a letter when I was upset.

In the Eastern Churches there is often a great focus on spiritual battle. In the West we don't speak very much about that. We used to talk about resisting sin and near occasions of sin. We used to talk about the challenges of temptation. Really these are the same realities: they are all spiritual combat.

How I used to pray that God would simply change me! I don't like the hard work of the spiritual combat, especially when I seem to lose so often. There have been times in my life where I just have not fought against sin or temptation--because I always lost anyway.

Part of growing and maturing in the spiritual life is learning to accept the necessity of spiritual combat. We have to learn to fight and to fight consistently. No matter how often we lose, we must get up and keep on fighting. In time, God comes to our aid and we know His love and compassion.

Remember Saint Paul: Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me--to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

We need that kind of faith in our daily spiritual combat! We want to accept ourselves in all of our weakness while we still strive to be as faithful as we can. We need never worry about others. Our goal is to love others, not worry about what they might think of us or about how they might treat us.

Sometimes we seem to be asked the impossible. Yet we must try to do our best. Sometimes we have no idea what to do in certain situations. Yet we try to do our best. Sometimes our inner turmoil seems to stop us from doing anything. We must keep trying to do what is right. This combat to live the spiritual life goes to the end of our lives. There can be periods when it is less intense, periods where all seems peaceful and times when it seems impossible. We must keep on walking the path the Lord has put there for us.

Be assured of my prayers for you again this week. I will offer Holy Mass once this week for the intentions of all who read this letter. Please continue to pray for me and for all of the monks and nuns associated with our communities.