“It is harder to live forgiveness that to simply pronounce an empty pardon. In fact, it takes nothing less than the power that made the whole Creation; that fashions you and me.”

Br. Sean Glenn marvels at the glorious pledge of God’s forgiveness.

“We accept the gift of perfect freedom when we surrender everything to God, exchanging willfulness for willingness in union with Christ. From this place of surrender and servanthood, we see that what appears to be choices in human terms, choices made by God, ourselves, and others, are ultimately just the unfolding of God in the world.”

Br. Nicholas Bartoli shares his own personal experience of realizing that true freedom is to be found only in surrender, the perfect freedom of being God’s humble servant.

“As followers of Jesus, and as his sisters and brothers born of God we must not, in these challenging times, let our love grow cold or allow our commitment to prayer and service slacken. May we be brought to urgently desire the fulness of Jesus’ peace and the glory of his resurrection already at work within us!”

For all those of us missing participation in the Sacraments, Br. Jonathan Maury encourages reflection on our participation in Christ through the sacrament of Holy Baptism.

“We are all capable of acts of kindness, humility, justice.  Perhaps we can too can heal with just a word: a word of encouragement, a word of regret and reconciliation, a word of understanding, or even an act of silent compassion, abiding with someone in their pain.”

Br. Jim Woodrum encourages us to channel the mercy and humility of Jesus as we approach those who are different from us.

“We are never alone in our pain – even when we want to be. We do not fight alone. We are hip to hip in this battle, rustling down the straight and narrow path.”

Br. Jack Crowley finds encouragement in the saints who stand beside us in the sometimes-painful struggle of discipleship.