Tag: Follow

The Way God Looks at You

August 29, 2025

A reflection by our Abbess, Mother Maria-Michael Newe, OSB

The reading from Zephaniah we have in the Office of Readings on the 21st Monday in Ordinary Time is such a delight. It reminds me of the spirit of Advent, that Christ has come and given us everything, and given us the ability to stand before God as beloved children. He comes to say, “You are loved…” It is a reality that can’t be denied. You should know how greatly you are loved.

Mosaic: Source Unknown

The Lord spoke through Zephaniah saying, “Shout for joy, daughter Zion! Sing joyfully, Israel! Be glad and exult with all your heart, daughter Jerusalem! The LORD has removed the judgment against you, he has turned away your enemies; The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst, you have no further misfortune to fear. On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem: Do not fear, Zion, do not be discouraged! The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a mighty savior, Who will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in his love, Who will sing joyfully because of you, as on festival days. I will remove disaster from among you, so that no one may recount your disgrace” (Zep. 3:14-18).

When you walk into the Chapel, I hope you think of that. He’s singing for joy when you walk in. He’s the one rejoicing over you, and renewing you in His love. That should make you smile. Believe in His love—It should make us run with all our hearts to God, who really does delight in us. He looks on us with so much love.

If you’ve ever wanted somebody to look at you as if they had stopped with their mouth open…That’s God looking at you. That’s how He sees you. He stops and just stares with love. That’s how we should see God. Do we return that love? Do we look with love? Do we sing with joy for Him? That’s what we’re here to do. Who could want more?

Oh that the angels and saints in heaven would be able to say to the Lord of us,
“You should see they way they look at You…”

The Feast of St. James

July 26, 2025

A reflection by our Abbess, Mother Maria-Michael Newe, OSB

Photo taken along the Camino de Santiago by one of our Sisters,
who did the pilgrimage before entering our community

Commemorating the Camino de Santiago

In 2 Corinthians (for the first reading at Mass on the feast of St. James, celebrated on July 25) we hear, “Brothers and sisters: We hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us” (2 Cor. 4:7).  St. James had very little time to even be an Apostle—Just as he was beginning, his head was taken off (cf. Acts 12:2).  And yet, who is the incredibly popular Saint today, whose “Camino” everybody talks about?  Everyone seems to know about that pilgrimage to St. James (the Camino de Santiago), which has so much to do with people seeking the answers to the questions, “What is my vocation?” and “What am I supposed to do at this point in my life?”  People spend up to a month on this walk, asking God to show them the way.  It’s a long trek, and their feet hurt at the end, but it often does reveal to people what they need.  It often does give them the time and the prayer along the way to know God’s will.

In heaven as on earth

So we see how after St. James’ death, he is so powerful an Apostle.  God alone can do that.  I truly believe that how we live our lives will make a difference in how we are able to help people after we die.  When you spend your life giving everything (even if it is short, like St. James), then perhaps you will get to spend your heaven getting to help others on earth give their everything. 

Leaving our nets and following our servant leader

How different are the ways of heaven from the ways of earth!  Even after Christ’s resurrection, He is found cooking breakfast for everybody.  But in some professions today, the mentality is that if you’re in charge, you don’t help anybody under you.  And yet Christ is so different—He is God, but He calls Himself a servant, and He instructs His Apostles to be servants as well (Matt. 20:26-28).  It is such a different attitude than the attitude of man.  God became an earthen vessel, and changed it into gold.  And He will do the same with us, but we have to let Him.  We have to be willing, like St. James, to give up our nets (cf. Matt. 4:18-22).  Sometimes we hang on to our nets and everything in them, and they are really hard to get rid of.  But we should strive to let them go, and especially those petty little grievances which we all tend to carry around. 

So in the spirit of the Camino, I encourage you take a walk with St. James today.  May he help to guide you along the way to Jesus.