New Skete Monasteries News

  By Ralph Karow   Before continuing my article we’ll need to recall my thoughts on eternal life being a deeper immersion in the perichoresis of perfectible harmony; otherwise known as the mystical Body of Christ. It’s only one’s spiritual nature that enters the mystical body, yet one’s spirit must be somehow bounded if we are to remain our individual selves. And here’s another reason I prefer the analogy of cells in a body to stones in a building: cells contain a nucleus and organelles within the bounds of a permeable membrane. When we enter into eternity, is our soul with its organelles of rationality, heart, eye, and ear encompassed by a mystical membrane so that it may adhere to and interact with the other cells in Christ’s body? And what other than love could be the force of adhesion? Not just any love, but the threefold love of self, God, and neighbor. When I was with my father at the nursing home, we didn’t talk much, but we certainly shared a heartfelt silent love...

  By Sister Cecelia There is a saying that things come in threes.   Not long ago, Sr. Patricia and I were involved in a car accident. We were not hurt, but the vehicle was totaled. When I learned that two of our parishioners had also had their cars hit quite recently, we could all sympathize with one another. In theory we know we can die at any moment, but this accident made me realize just how vulnerable we all are. What goes through our minds at the time and in the days that follow? For me, I felt exceptionally blessed, not just because neither we nor the other driver were physically hurt, but that many people came to our aid in whatever way they could. I know that not everyone has the same experience. So, what enables some to be so giving and others to seem to turn a blind eye, so to speak, to the needs of others? Haven’t we all been given some abilities to be able to love others, to freely give of ourselves? When the scribe or lawyer asked Jesus what he needed to do ...