The Oblates of Mount Saviour Monastery

A Christmas greeting to our Oblate Community of the Mount Saviour Benedictine Monastery

From Oblate Stuart~John

                                     ~~~
          ‘Little quatrain for Christmas’, by John of the Cross, 
which in a few lines he captures simple devotion, profound theology and the constant allure of grace
 
           

Little quatrain for Christmas
 
 The Virgin, weighed  With the Word of God,    Comes down the road:    if only you will shelter her!                              

John of the Cross
                           

~~~~
 
This short poem was found in Teresa’s breviary after her death.
Her long time friend, Fr Jeronimo Gracian, authenticated it. It is
generally known by its first line, although it is sometimes called
”Theresa’s Bookmark”
 
                               Theresa’s Bookmark
   Let nothing disturb you; Nada te turbe;          
     Let nothing make you afraid; nada te espante;
     All things pass; todo se pasa;
     But God is unchanging, Dios no se muda,
    Patience la paciencia
     is enough for everything. todo lo alcanza.
   You who have God Quien a Dios tiene,
    lack nothing. nada le falta. 
   God alone is sufficient. Solo Dios basta.  
                                  St Teresa of Avila    
 

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Also …. A Reflection from Father Michael Perry

The other day as I sat on my perch in the sanctuary during the distribution of Holy Communion I listened to the priest say over and over again: The Body of Christ. My eyes were closed and I imagined the Body of Christ being offered to people who also are the Body of Christ and all of a sudden I grasped something of the mystery of Christmas.
When the Word became flesh it was our flesh that He became and His flesh became one with ours so ours and His could be one. Communion is the Body of Christ received by the Body of Christ and the Body of Christ (us) finding our true identity in Him.
Christmas is about the birth of our identity as the Body of Christ as much as it is about the birth of Christ in His body. And Holy Communion seals that reality by Who we receive and who and what we become when we answer “Amen”
Almost two thousand years ago Saint Leo (Pope from 440 -461 A.D.) said in his Christmas sermon: “Christian remember your dignity” And to that I add Merry Christmas and a Happier and Healthy New Year.