These monologues were written by Sister the year before she entered the monastery. She hopes they will help you in your own meditation and prayer on this day dedicated to accompanying Christ in His sufferings. May the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ be ever in our hearts!
Read MoreAt the last supper, Jesus offered up His Body and Blood in sacrifice “for you” (see Luke 22:19). I allow those two little words to echo in my own heart: for me … Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection … for me. The Gospel accounts of Christ’s Passion give us seven sayings or seven “words” that Jesus spoke from the Cross, and I hear the “for you” spoken by Jesus at the Last Supper re-echoed there.
Read MoreSt. Augustine is famous for saying, among other things, that the New Testament is concealed in the Old and the Old revealed in the New … Several years ago, I first came upon what was for me a particularly poignant foreshadowing of Christ’s Passion, hidden within the depths of the Book of Leviticus.
Read MoreThe arms and heart of Jesus Crucified are wide open to receive us all. It is good to be here with Mary, so good. Yet how can we be glad, how can we lift up songs of rejoicing, here of all places? What place can joy possibly have on Calvary?
Read MoreIn God’s infinite generosity and love, He gives us the dignity of “making up for what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ, on behalf of His body, the Church” by the sufferings of our lives. Nothing is wasted! The first person to share in the sufferings of Christ was His Mother Mary. As we ponder the Passion and seek to be united with Jesus, Mary’s Mother-heart gives us a unique entryway into the sufferings of Christ.
Read MoreA number of Psalms are particularly applicable to the Passion and Death of Our Lord. They contain some of the more poignant descriptions of physical, psychological, and spiritual suffering, as well as powerful prayers of trust and even prophecies of specific elements of the Passion narrative. The most famous of these is, of course, Psalm 22.
Read MoreIn His infinite mercy, God has come down to our level in Jesus Christ, embracing human weakness in order to win for us the graces – and give us an example to imitate – in every challenge we face. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Passion, where He chooses to exercise His omnipotence precisely through weakness.
Read MoreWherever you fall on the “Lenten preparedness” spectrum, we have an opportunity for you to enter more deeply into the spirit of this season: a new blog series entitled Ponder His Passion! Each Friday of Lent, beginning a week from today, we will share a brief reflection on Our Lord’s Passion, written by one of the Sisters.
Read MoreIn the homily he delivered for our May Vespers service, Deacon Bruce beautifully explored the life of St. Gemma and the lessons she teaches us about the “Gospel of suffering,” to use St. John Paul II’s term. Why do good people suffer? How can a good God allow all the suffering in our world? What is the connection between our suffering and that of Jesus?
Read MoreOne of our Sisters was inspired recently to write a poem about the “inner circle” within the Apostles — Peter, James, and John — who witnessed some of the most important events in Jesus’ life.
Read MoreYou may have wondered before, “What does a Passionist nun do during the Easter season?” After all, the Church is focused throughout these days on the glorious mystery of the Resurrection. It might seem that a Congregation devoted to promoting devotion to and grateful remembrance of the Passion is irrelevant at such a time.
Read MoreGood Friday is especially mournful for Christians around the world this year, as most are deprived of the Church’s beautiful liturgies. It is our prayer that these Stations of the Cross will help you to enter more profoundly into the spirit of this most sacred day.
Read MoreNo sooner has Good Friday drawn to a close than Holy Mother Church begins to anticipate the Resurrection. Holy Saturday’s liturgy is rife with psalms that speak of the confident rest of the soul who trusts in the Lord.
Read MoreFew words are recorded of Christ during His Passion. Unjustly condemned, He does not speak out to defend Himself and argue His case. Mocked and abused, He does not return insult or protest the harsh treatment.
Read MoreWhen the Lord entered the Garden of Gethsemane, He left us the ultimate model of surrender to the Father’s will. The cross looming before His eyes, yet His filial love of the Father led Him to pray only that His Father’s will be accomplished.
Read MoreJesus makes a triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem, and yet in the midst of a splendid reception He is eminently humble. The note of humility resounds through the liturgy of Palm Sunday, in the prayers and in the scripture readings.
Read MoreIn past years, we have shared with you all the beautiful reflections of Mother Catherine Marie on this, the holiest week of the year. Here are all her musings, gathered into one place.
Read MoreAfter His resurrection He appeared again surrounded with splendor more or less accessible to the senses. His face, His tone of voice were the same. he was the Jesus His friends knew before His death. But His body, now breathed in the region of celestial light which was now in Him
Read More[Consider] Mary in her solitude after the death of Jesus. Jesus was her all. By offering Him she was giving everything to God; she had nothing left. She could with all truth say: 'Consummatum est.'
Read MoreWhat was sufficient for God's justice was not enough for His love. This is the reason why Jesus chose to suffer
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