Reflections

Reflection for the Lighting of the Christ Candle – by Br Daniel at St Benedict’s Monastery in Harkerville

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As we gaze upon the Advent wreath on this night that begins our celebration of the Nativity of our Lord, its circle of evergreen is a symbol of God’s eternal love. Four candles have been lit over four weeks, with the promises of hope, peace, joy, and love, encircling the white Christ Candle at the centre. Today, as we light this final candle, we invoke the words of John 12:44-47, where Jesus proclaims: “Whoever believes in me believes not in me but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. I have come into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me need not remain in darkness.”

Lord Jesus, Light of the World, as we light this candle, may your divine light brighten the shadows of our weary hearts.

As this candle burns, may it burn away the darkness of sin, doubt, and despair. We reflect on Jesus’ mission: not to condemn, but to save. In a world darkened by division and sorrow, this  light invites us to believe, to see the Father’s face in Jesus and in each other.

Gracious God, as the Christ Candle burns brightly, stir within us a deeper faith. May its glow symbolize your incarnation, the Word made flesh, dwelling among us. Help us, like the disciples who heard your cry, to embrace your words and live them out, not in fear of judgment, but in the joy of salvation. As this Advent comes to a close, we pray that your light will guide our paths, warm our spirits, and draw others to your saving grace. As the flame endures, so does your promise: no one who believes need walk in darkness.

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Reflection for the Fourth Sunday in Advent at St Benedict’s Monastery in Harkerville

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Scripture Readings

On the fourth Sunday of Advent, we are invited to reflect on the light of God’s love.

How often are we like Joseph, caught in a seemingly impossible situation, trying to do the right thing but struggling to figure out what that is? The Lord Himself gave Joseph a sign, coming to Joseph when he was most vulnerable, in his dreams, telling him not to be afraid of the work of the Spirit of Holiness but to act in response to what was shown to him.

Through the Spirit of Holiness, Jesus comes to be the light of God’s countenance, that we might be saved and find ourselves where we belong. Jesus comes to be our Immanuel, the sign that God is with us, the One who knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good and who shows us how to do the same.

Through the Spirit of Holiness, may we find ourselves, as Mary did, pregnant with Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love, pregnant with possibility.

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Reflection for the Third Sunday in Advent at St Benedict’s Monastery in Harkerville – by Br Mpumelelo

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The rose glow of the Gaudete Candle feels like a tiny sunrise in the middle of Advent’s darkness—a reminder that joy is already breaking through. It points back to that first Christmas, when the world was waiting in the night and a newborn baby lit up the sky. At the same time, the candle’s hopeful flame whispers forward to the Second Coming, when that same light will blaze fully and every shadow will be gone.

So, dear Brothers and Sisters in CHRIST, as we watch the candle flicker, we’re caught between two moments: the humble birth in a manger and the glorious return at the end of time. The rose light tells us that the joy of that first coming is already here, and it’s the same joy that will burst forth when CHRIST comes again. Let that gentle glow shape our waiting, turning anticipation into a quiet, confident celebration.

May the warmth of this candle’s glow stay with us, guiding our steps until that blessed day when we celebrate together in everlasting joy.

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Reflection for the Second Sunday in Advent at St Benedict’s Monastery in Harkerville – by Br Josias

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Today marks the second week of Advent. As we might well know, Advent is the period of waiting and preparing for both the celebration of Jesus’s birth at Christmas, acknowledgement of his perpetual presence as encountered in the Eucharist and anticipation of his return at the Second Coming. In this second week, a candle of Peace is lit. Traditionally, the second candle is called the Bethlehem Candle, and it symbolizes peace and preparation, reflecting Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem and the peace that Christ’s birth brings.1

In his Rule, St. Benedict encourages his followers to “seek peace and pursue it.” 2 Before we strive for peace, we need to accept that there is conflict in our hearts, our lives, and in our world. Dealing with that conflict will bring all the necessary peace. So let us pursue peace. And may the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard our hearts, minds and souls in Christ Jesus.3 Amen!

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1 See https://www.mercyhome.org/blog/sunday-mass/advent-wreath/

2 RB: Prologue 17

3 Philippians 4:7

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Reflection for the First Sunday in Advent at St Benedict’s Monastery in Harkerville – by Br Aelred

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Dear Family in Christ.

We find ourselves, again, standing around the light of the first lit Advent candle.  This time, in our new monastery as we prepare to celebrate the Nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

We are reminded anew that Christmas is not just about a baby being born, but it is about God Himself, the Creator entering His creation, and this is why it changes everything.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, He took on our humanity completely, fully and truly, and united it to His Divinity, in order that we might be fully restored from our wounded, broken and separated nature. With the incarnation, God entered our darkness to fill it with light, entered our weakness to fill it with strength and hope, and entered our death to give us life. Therefore, we prepare our hearts for the salvation event of Christmas, not a holiday or just a story: the Creator stepping into His creation. So, may this time of preparation through Advent be filled with Hope.

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Sermon for Nov 6 – A Special Occasion…

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(readings for Lent 1A) (It is not lent… but this sermon is for a particular occasion – so be patient…)

Some of us have spent the past few days here at Volmoed thinking about acedia, the “noonday demon,” or what is sometimes referred to as “the sin of sloth.” This morning we’ll continue that exploration a bit. So, I wanted to start today with the readings that normally bring us into Lent – the temptation of Christ in the desert. It may not be apparent yet, but I think there is a connection… 

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Sermon for Nov 6 – A Special Occasion… Read More »

Feast of James Otis Sargent Huntington

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Readings for the feast are here

Today the Church remembers James Otis Sargent Huntington. We think of him as founder of the Order of the Holy Cross. Typically, the Church remembers people on the anniversary of their death, or sometimes their birth. But this is neither the anniversary of his death nor his birth. Rather this is the anniversary of his life profession in the Order of the Holy Cross. Father Huntington is perhaps most remembered as a monastic, so this seems appropriate. But the truth is that the other dates were already claimed by other saints… 

Remembering the Founder of the Order of the Holy Cross seems like a straightforward thing… and yet it offers food for thought… 

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Day of Pentecost – Conversation with a Benedictine monk

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I recently came across a 2016 podcast in the On Being series by Krista Tippett, in which she interviews Br. David Steindl-Rast, a Benedictine monk at the Gut Aich Priory in St. Gilgen in Austria and a teacher and author on the subject of gratitude, who is the founder and senior advisor for A Network for Grateful Living. A Benedictine monk for over 60 years, Br. David was formed by 20th-century catastrophes. He calls joy “the happiness that doesn’t depend on what happens”. And his gratefulness is not an easy gratitude or thanksgiving — but a full-blooded, reality-based practice and choice.

Why do I share this at Pentecost? Because he defines “spirituality” from “spiritus” that means “life”, “breath”, “aliveness”. Spirituality is aliveness on all levels. It must start with our bodily aliveness. But of course, when we say “spirituality”, we also mean aliveness to interrelationships, aliveness to our confrontation with that great divine mystery with which we are confronted as human beings and which we can look away from or forget or be dead to. We come alive to it. When people are grateful, they come alive.

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