Even in the darkest moments of grief (Fr. Patrick van der Vorst)

    One of the moments when we feel our own weakness most acutely is in times of sorrow. Grief has a way of stripping away our illusions of self-sufficiency. When faced with loss, disappointment, illness or death, we often discover that no amount of planning, strength or determination can shield us from pain. It is precisely in such moments that today’s Gospel becomes especially consoling. Jesus does not promise that his disciples will never suffer; rather, he promises that they will never suffer alone. 

    Paul Cézanne’s La Douleur (Sorrow) captures this with extraordinary sensitivity. The painting depicts Mary Magdalene overwhelmed by grief after the crucifixion of Christ. Her head is bowed, her body seems weighed down by sadness, and the entire composition is infused with a profound sense of loss. Yet Cézanne appears to hint at something more. Above her head are three swirling, flame-like forms that resemble tongues of fire. They evoke the image of the Holy Spirit descending at Pentecost. It is as if the artist is reminding us that even in the darkest moments of grief, God never abandons us. The Spirit hovers quietly over our sorrow, not always removing the pain, but accompanying us through it. 

--Fr. Patrick van der Vorst

In November we remember All Souls...

Source of image & quotation: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/matthew-10-16-23-2026/

Holy Wisdom (Sr. Patricia Bruno OP)

    Is it not Wisdom, who spirits our gardens and oceans as we play in the abundant beauty that surrounds us? 

    Is it not Wisdom, who sits at our kitchen table as we discuss the events of the day, measuring our wealth by what we share with others? 

    Is it not Wisdom, who plays in our sandboxes with our children when generosity is taught, forgiveness is given, and justice is rewarded? 

    Is it not She, who helps us keep a compassionate silence in the face of suffering? 

    Yes, Holy Wisdom delights in us. 

    We will never understand the mystery that the poet of Proverbs explores, but if we sit in silence with the barn doors open wide, Wisdom will feed our imaginations so that our spirits will rise and be able to enter into the dance of praise and gratitude. And don’t worry. Even if our legs are a bit old, we’ll be able to join in the dance because we know the steps by heart. 

--Sr. Patricia Bruno OP 

Image source: Emily K. Grieves, Wisdom’s Table (2017). https://www.emilykgrievesart.com/images/wisdoms-table
Quotation source

The lamp of our faith (Pope Francis)

    The condition for being prepared for the encounter with the Lord is not only faith, but a Christian life abundant with love and charity for our neighbour. If we allow ourselves to be guided by what seems more comfortable, by seeking our own interests, then our life becomes barren, incapable of giving life to others, and we accumulate no reserve of oil for the lamp of our faith. 

--Pope Francis 

Image source: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1323834017/christ-oil-lamp-faith-israel-christian
Quotation source

We do not want to be the foolish virgins (Paula Rush)

"Then the door is locked.
Afterwards the other virgins come and say, '
Lord, Lord, open the door for us!'
But he says in reply,
'Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.'" ‍

   And in that moment, we realize this parable is all about knowing. Our hearts wrench hearing those words. We do not want to hear them spoken to us. We do not want to see his face as he closes the door in ours. We do not want to be the foolish virgins. 

   And this is exactly what Jesus needs us to realize. He needs us to get in touch with that desire. The desire to know and be known. We want to be wise. We want wisdom. 

--Paula Rush 

Image source: William Blake, The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins (ca. 1799-1800), https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/340853
Quotation source

Sunday Gospel Reflection, November 8, 2026: My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God...

My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God…
Have we learned to thirst for God’s wisdom? 

    We start with a story. There are two characters. One chooses wisdom; one is Wisdom. The author of the Book of Wisdom personifies its subject in order to draw his readers into the story: Resplendent and unfading is wisdom… Whoever watches for her at dawn shall not be disappointed, for he shall find her sitting by his gate. The one looking for wisdom is actively seeking her out, and of course the wisdom with whom he desires relationship is the Divine Wisdom of God. Our relationship with God, the Book of Wisdom suggests, is essential to our well-being, and so the sage thirsts for that wisdom, a quest Psalm 63 captures well: O God, you are my God whom I seek; for you my flesh pines and my soul thirsts. The psalmist knows that divine kindness is a greater good than life, and that in relationship with God his life is blessed. 

    But in what frame of mind do we pursue this relationship? In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the ten virgins (or bridesmaids), five of whom were foolish while five were wise. The foolish young women brought no oil with them, and eventually their lamps went out. The wise bridesmaids, on the other hand realized that, if, while they waited for the bridegroom, their lamps went out, they would be unable to fulfill their role in the relationship. They were ready; they were open to relationship; they were prepared to come to the feast! 

    Like the wise bridesmaids, we must be ready to encounter Jesus in the Eucharist, our communion feast. It’s about being conscious and intentional. It’s a choice. And if, as Paul writes to the Thessalonians, we believe that Jesus died and rose, so too will God, through Jesus, bring with him those who have fallen asleep, along with all living believers, to eternal union with him at the feast of heaven. Thus we shall always be with the Lord! But first, we need the wisdom to trust in relationship, open to and longing for the Lord’s presence in our lives always, here and now, full of hope in his promise and ready to meet him when he comes! 

This post is based on Fr. Pat’s Scripture class.
Image source: www.wordclouds.com

We will never perish (St. Teresa of Avila)

We
bloomed in Spring.
Our bodies
are the leaves of God.
The apparent seasons of life and death
our eyes can suffer;
But our souls, dear, I will just say this forthright:
They are God
Himself,
we will never
perish
unless He does. 

―St. Teresa of Avila,
I Will Just Say This
(trans. Daniel Ladinsky)

Image source: https://faith.yale.edu/media/how-to-read-teresa-of-avila
Quotation source

We are not limited to space and time (Bishop Robert Barron)

      Joseph Ratzinger said that the soul corresponds to our capacity for relationship to God. We have a whole range of intellectual and relational powers, but beyond them all, we have the capacity to know and love God. And since God is eternal, this power links us to eternity, proving that we are not simply limited to space and time. To say that we are nothing but “bodies” that flourish briefly and then fade away is to miss this dimension of our existence. Instead, we speak of souls and of the enduring existence of those who have gone before us into death. 

--Bishop Robert Barron

Image source: CNS/NASA, ESA & The Hubble Heritage Team, https://catholicleader.com.au/news/vatican-astronomer-just-a-matter-of-time-until-life-found-in-universe/
Quotation source