Notes, Homilies, and News
Click here to subscribe to updates via email.
Guesthouse News: Renovations and Reservations(Now Live)
Current as of August 11 2026 Monastery Guesthouse Update: Renovations and Reservations The Monastery Guesthouse is currently closed to guests on private retreat as we continue the full remodeling of our commercial kitchen and substantial upgrades for Guesthouse...
Twenty-Third Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year A
Scripture Readings: Ezekiel 33:7-9; Romans 13:8-10; Gospel According to Saint Matthew 18:15-20 This Sunday’s first reading from the Prophet Ezekiel and the Gospel passage both consider the difficult topic of “fraternal correction,” as it is often called; that is,...
Twenty-Second Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year A
Scripture Readings: Book of the Prophet Jeremiah 20:7-9; Saint Paul’s Letter to the Romans 12:1-2; Gospel According to Saint Matthew 16:21-27 In the Gospel passage for this Sunday, Jesus states clearly that those who wish to come after him must deny their very self,...
August 25th: Refectory
For the past few months our monastic refectory has been doubling as a partial extension of our pantry, while the work of remodeling the kitchen has been going on. Thankfully, now that the kitchen is remodeled and we are slowly moving there for cooking once again, the...
August 20th: Summer Sunset
Tiny amounts of rain have touched our land, and so we continue to pray for more serious precipitation. Summer is swiftly sailing by and soon it will be Autumn, with cooler temperatures and the gradual change of leaves. "To everything there is a season," Scripture...
Twenty-First Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year A
Scripture Readings: Book of the Prophet Isaiah 22:15,19-23; Saint Paul’s Letter to the Romans 11:33-36; Gospel According to Saint Matthew 16:13-20 The famous words of Jesus in the Gospel today, “Who do you say that I am?”, are addressed to his disciples and answered...
August 14th: Remodeled Kitchen Nearly Complete!
Work is almost finished on our remodeled kitchen, and we are just days away from “moving in” and getting to work there once again. Our four main cooks who rotate among themselves, one each day, are eager to “dive in” and prepare meals there once again. Our...
Twentieth Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year A
Scripture Readings: Book of the Prophet Isaiah 56:1, 6-7; Saint Paul's Letter to the Romans 11:13-15, 29-32; Gospel According to Saint Matthew 15:21-28 It should be safe to say and not a heresy to conclude that Jesus was at least mildly bothered by the persistent...
August 10th: Guesthouse Updates and Reservations for 2026 Now Live
Renovations and Reservations The Monastery Guesthouse is currently closed to guests on private retreat as we continue the full remodeling of our commercial kitchen and substantial upgrades for Guesthouse accessibility. We hope to complete these renovations soon and...
August 8th: So Many Saints
The month of August is replete with commemorations of important saints in the Catholic Liturgical Calendar. Today's photo is of just one of the many saints of August, Saint Clare of Assisi. This sacred image of the 12th century disciple of Saint Francis and founder of...
Nineteenth Sunday In Ordinary Time
Nineteenth Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year A Scripture Readings: First Books of Kings 19:9,11-13; Saint Paul’s Letter to the Romans 9:1-5; Gospel According to Saint Matthew 14:22-33 This Sunday the Church offers us Scripture readings that touch on the topic of meeting...
July 31st: Benedictine Scholar in Our Midst
This past week we have been privileged to host the Benedictine scholar, Sister Colleen Maura McGrane, OSB, from the Benedictine Monastery of Perpetual Adoration in Clyde, Missouri. She is the editor of the prestigious "American Benedictine Review," the foremost...
Eighteenth Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year A
Scripture Readings: Book of the Prophet Isaiah 55:1-3; Saint Paul’s Letters to the Romans 8:35,37-39; Gospel According to Saint Matthew 14:13-21 The Scripture readings being offered to us this Summer Sunday are well worth looking at more closely and applying them to...
Seventeenth Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year A
Scripture Readings: First Book of Kings 3:5, 7-12; Saint Paul’s Letter to the Romans 8:28-30; Gospel According to Saint Matthew 13:44-52 As we all know, contemporary culture teaches us to seek the good life, at whatever the cost, literally. Happiness itself too often...
Summer Medical Appeal 2026
Medical Appeal 2026 Dear Friends, Peace and many greetings from the Chama Canyon wilderness. I write you to you as work continues here to update our monastery kitchen, in need of a makeover after more than thirty years of daily use. Upgrading is also taking place at...
July 11th: Solemnity of Saint Benedict
Belated, but heartfelt wishes for a blessed celebration of the Solemnity of Saint Benedict, Father of Western Monasticism! We keep the day with much festivity, including a Solemn Sung Mass and an extended recreation time for the monks. Today's photo is of a stained...
Fifteenth Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year A
Scripture Readings: Book of the Prophet Isaiah 55:10-11; Saint Paul’s Letter to the Romans 8:18-23; Gospel According to Saint Matthew 13:1-23 The three Scripture readings offered to us this Sunday are cause for mediation on the mystery of birth, life and death. These...
July 4th: Work In Progress
Not yet finished, but here is a sneak preview of the main Guesthouse courtyard makeover. Access to the Common Room will be pleasant and easy for all. Yes, the walkway will not stay cement-color and serious landscaping is taking place as well. We are very happy with...
Fourteenth Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year A
Scripture Readings: Book of the Prophet Zechariah 9:9-10; Saint Paul’s Letter to the Romans 8:9,11-13; Gospel According to Saint Matthew 11:25-30 How can we possibly know the mind and heart of God? No easy task, but the best way is to listen to our Lord Jesus Christ,...
DID YOU KNOW you can search over 10 years of Christ Desert homilies and reflections by typing key words, phrases, scriptural citations, or dates into this search box?
"Let everyone that comes be received as Christ."
— The Rule of St. Benedict
If you have two minutes to fill in our website feedback form, we would love to hear what you think...