Our chapel on Ash Wednesday, just before Mass and the distribution of ashes.
At noon in the refectory today, we will listen to a reading from the Cistercian monk Thomas Merton. Writing in the early 1960s, he said:
“The Paschal Mystery is above all the celebration of life, in which the Church, by celebrating the death and resurrection of Christ, enters into the Kingdom of Life which He has established once for all by His definitive victory over sin and death. We must remember the original meaning of Lent, as the ‘ver sacrum’, the Church’s “holy spring” in which the catechumens were prepared for their baptism, and public penitents were made ready by penance for their restoration to the sacramental life in a communion with the rest of the Church. Lent is then not a season of punishment so much as one of healing. ”
During a time in our world and Church when so many are already suffering gravely—from illness and recovery, financial hardship caused by the pandemic, loss or the separation of loved ones, loss of physical access to the sacraments and community of faith, the involuntary restriction of things big and small that add to the ordinary joy of life—does it really make sense to celebrate Lent? Our liturgy and faith say “Yes, absolutely!” Technically speaking, Lent proper actually begins this upcoming Sunday; Ash Wednesday and subsequent days are a kind of preparation for the preparation, a chance to calm down and enter into the the season. Today, then, may be a good day to reflect on what exactly we will be celebrating forty days from now.
Historically, Lent developed as a season of prayer, fasting and almsgiving in preparation for feasting the Paschal Mystery at Easter. The word “Paschal” has its roots in the Hebrew Pesah, or “Passover,” and is rooted in that Jewish feast; it recalls God’s liberation of the ancient Israelites from slavery in Egypt, to new life and hope in a land marked by relationship with Him. For Christians, this word takes on the further meaning of Christ’s Passion and Resurrection. As we sing in the Exultet at the Easter Vigil, “This is the night when Christ broke the prison-bars of death and rose victorious from the underworld.” Love alone is strong as death, as fierce as the grave (Song 8:6-7); and this is true, not only of physical death, but of all our “deaths” of regret, fear, shame, loss, failure, sin, limitedness. At Easter, we remember that Love has come to set us free (Jn 3:16), and He does so, literally with a Passion. This is not just a historical event of our salvation, but a daily one, present and active through the Holy Spirit. The story of Exodus and Easter is, ultimately, the story of each of our lives; or, at least, it can be. If a journey of hope is offered, are we listening?
As we begin this season of preparation, and reflect more deeply on how we will pray, fast and give alms, let us do so in the light of the Resurrection, the life and love that God has promised. Please know that we continue to be united with you in prayer. Although we cannot physically be together with you in our chapel at this time, we pray for you daily, especially in our liturgy.
God bless,
your sisters at Queen of Peace Monastery
As we enter the season of Lent, we also realized that it’s been quite a while since we posted a news update! The time between Christmas and Lent is generally pretty quiet around the monastery, but on the Feast of the Presentation (February 2), we were delighted to celebrate the vestition of Sonia. She received the Dominican habit and the religious name Sister Laetitia Maria of the Holy Spirit. “Laetitia” means joy in Latin, and refers to the greeting of the angel Gabriel at the Annunciation: “Rejoice, Mary, full of grace.” We wish Sr. Laetitia Maria all the best as she continues to follow the Lord in Dominican monastic life!
We haven’t received much snow yet this winter, or much sun, but in late January, we received both at least twice! Here is a glimpse of our valley at its finest.
Finally, there are at least a few projects “lurking” in the monastery’s basement, growing quietly yet steadily as spring approaches. Here is a sneak peek…
