Blessed are they who hope in the Lord. — Psalm 40:5 

Mass readings: Malachi 3:13-20 / Luke 11:5-13 

Monastery Wanted 

Several times every school year additional activities (Catholic Schools Week, speech tournament, “Bible Bowl,” etc.) would bump teaching duties up several notches from Busy to Frenetic. They often coexisted with additional seasonal home duties: fertilizing the lawn, mulching perennial beds, driving kids to and from sports, and on and on. At such times, I would mutter darkly, “I need a month in a Carthusian monastery.” That was before I learned more about Carthusian monasteries. I would have lasted there two, maybe three days tops. 

Today we remember St. Bruno (d. 1101), founder of the Carthusian order. He himself was reacting to academic, religious, and political intrigues of the time. Many of us (even retirees) find ourselves far busier than we’d prefer. Letting prayer and meditation slide can happen almost without our realizing it. Not wise. 

Prayer: St. Bruno, when I’m sorely in need of a monastery, help me make one.