Corpus Christi Monastery

Since late Friday afternoon I have been on a private retreat at Corpus Christi Monastery in the Hunts Point section of the Bronx, NY. I do this private retreat every year at around the same time and look forward to being alone with God and praying with these women of prayer.

I join them in their rounds of the Liturgy of the Hours, Mass and Rosary. The rest of the time I spend by myself, reading scripture, and praying for those in my life that need prayer. I also pray for myself in order to become a better Christian and better deacon in order to serve the Lord more faithfully.

Today the church commemorates the memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Our lady's whole life was that of being totally opened to the will of God in her life and the service of others. In the Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38), we hear the angel Gabriel announce to Mary that she will be the mother of the Messiah. At first Mary was puzzled, but then, after Gabriel explains, Mary says, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." (Luke 1:38).

Then, after hearing that her elderly cousin, Elizabeth, is pregnant (with John the Baptist), Mary "set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah" (Luke 1:39) in order to be with Elizabeth in her time of need.

In the gospel for today's feast, we hear the familiar passage of the Child Jesus being missing, only to be found three days later talking to the teachers at the temple. Though Mary chastised Jesus for giving them this anxiety, she still pondered on what happened, and "kept all these things in her heart." (Luke 2:51).

The trust that Mary had in God at all times in her life, even during that anxious time of not knowing where Jesus was, is an example of how we are to live out our lives. We are to live in complete trust in God, even during those times in our lives when we are anxious or troubled about what may be happening in our lives.

Like Mary, we are to have Jesus at the center of our lives and to trust in God completely, in good times and even in those times when we are anxious about the problems we are facing. Then we will have the peace of God in us, knowing that Our Lord and His Mother are with us to help us through anything and everything.

For more information about Corpus Christi Monastery go to http://www.opbronx.org/. I'm sure also they would love to receive a financial gift from you, as well, for their ministry of prayer.