New Skete Monasteries News

  by Ida Williams During Resurrection Sunday, my Southern pastor mentioned something called the Fresh Start Effect. I immediately wrote it down in my notes. It’s a concept from behavioral science that explains why people feel more motivated to pursue goals after a clear “new beginning.” When we step into a new chapter—whether marked by a date, a place, or a change in circumstances—we tend to separate our “old self” from our “new self.” These fresh starts can be obvious: New Year’s Day, birthdays, the first of the month. Or surprisingly ordinary: a Monday morning, rearranging a room, stepping into a new role. It isn’t the event itself—it’s the sense of a clean slate. Even in baseball, players who are traded or move between teams often show a surge in performance. The change of environment offers a psychological reset—a chance to leave behind a slump and step forward with renewed focus. It’s not just about skill. It’s about perception, momentum, and belief. Not every fresh start come...

  A timeless message from St. Maximus the Great whom we remember on January 21st. The icon was a gift to the community from the iconographer Robert Lentz, OFM. Matins reading from Maximus the Great, Jan. 21 The Lord reminds us in the gospels, “Whoever loves me will keep my commandments. And this is my commandment: that you love one another.” So, those who do not love their neighbor do not obey God’s command. But those who do not obey this command cannot love God. People are blest if they can love everyone equally. Moreover, if they truly love God, they must love their neighbor absolutely. Such people cannot hoard their wealth. Rather, like God, they generously give from their own resources to each according to their needs. Since they imitate God’s generosity, the only distinction God draws is the person’s need. God does not distinguish between a good person and a bad one, a just person and one who is unjust. Yet God’s own goodness of will makes God prefer the person who strives aft...

  by Brother Luke Sometimes when I set out for a walk with my dogs, I do not have a particular route in mind. Usually, they are resting in their crates in our “mud room,” which exits our building behind the Bell Tower. That is the quickest way out and often the most efficient. But if I want them to get water before we go, I have to go out the back door past other dogs in their crates. That’s more of a challenge and may affect my choice of routes outside. Once outside, I have many options. Which one to choose? Does it matter? To me, maybe, but not to my dogs. They will enjoy their romp in the woods no matter what the season or which trail I pick. So, I pick the trail and they go with it. Dogs operate in nature as they are designed to do, and they are not troubled by the need to wrestle with choices of right or wrong. It’s not exactly autopilot; they do have to operate within their framework. Bark, growl, or bite may be determined by circumstances, training, or temperament, but whate...