Monastery News

“Enough of science and of art;
Close up these barren leaves;
Come forth and bring with you a heart
That watches and receives.”

English poet William Wordsworth, +1850

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“The meals of the brothers ought not to lack reading. . . Profound silence should reign there, so that the only voice heard will be that of the reader.”

Rule of Saint Benedict, Chapter 38: “The Weekly Reader

“The heart had its reasons which reason knows not.”

French inventor and writer Blaise Pascal, +1662

“Let Christ the power of God be your strength. Let charity influence your zeal, let knowledge give it direction, and constancy be its strength. Let your zeal be fervent and careful and unconquered. Let it not be lukewarm or lacking in discernment or fearful.”

French Cistercian Abbot Bernard of Clairvaux, +1153

“I give you the end of a golden string;
Only wind it into a ball,
It will lead you to heaven’s gate
Built in Jerusalem’s wall.”

English poet and artist William Blake, +1827

“In the life of an individual, restraint in conversation often leaves the mind empty of potential distractions not only during the time of prayer but also while engaged in other occupations.”

Australian Trappist monk and author Father Michael Casey

“As believers we live our time in an awareness of eternal time and must align our entire behavior to the eternal time that has been revealed to us in the Resurrection of the Son.”

Swiss Catholic physican and theologian Adrienne von Speyr, +1967

“Nights and days, bless the Lord;
Light and darkness, bless the Lord;
Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord.”

Book of the Prophet Daniel, chapter 3

“Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none.”

Jesus’ words, Gospel According to Saint Luke, chapter 3, verse 11

“With everything that happens in our life, with our sin and deficiency, with our sluggishness and foolishness–with everything, God draws us into the heavenly world and we come in.”

Swedish Author Hjalmar Ekstrom, +1962

“To live is to change, and to be perfected is to have changed often.”

Saint John Henry Newman, +1890

“The monk does not come to the monastery to ‘get’ something which the ordinary Christian does not have. On the contrary, he comes there in order to realize and to appreciate all that any good Christian already has.”

Trappist monk Thomas Merton, +1968

“My life is not just about myself, trying to achieve salvation, trying to upgrade my living so as to serve others better. My life is mystical participation in the life of Christ, a reality that is not mine alone, but is shared with all who are ‘in Christ.’ ”

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight. . . and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us.”

Letter to the Hebrews, chapter 12, verse 1

“The Lord is in His holy temple; silence before Him all the earth!”

Book of the Prophet Habakkuk, chapter 2, verse 20