“At the very moment of proclaiming that his newborn son will be named “John,” Zechariah was flooded with the Holy Spirit and burst into praise – in words that many of us proclaim each morning in the Liturgy of the Hours.” – Fr. Derek Sakowski
“Advent is a time of “already but not yet.” The Kingdom of God has indeed broken into this world, in the person of Jesus Christ. He promises to come again with the fullness of justice – and he will. Meanwhile, we watch and wait. And wait. And wait.” – Fr. Derek Sakowski
‘“Gift” is only gift if we give all the pieces. That is what integrity means. It means being authentically human – not just a spiritual or cerebral being, but also fully alive in our emotions, our imagination, and our desires’ – Fr. Derek Sakowski.
“Jesus does not expect this transformation to happen all at once. It’s a gradual process that happens over time. Like any great story, ours has moments of triumph, moments of loss and heartache, moments of betrayal, much adversity, and many setbacks.” – Fr. Derek Sakowski
“Shame secretly torments every one of us as fallen human beings. It affects every single relationship we have – with God, with each other, and with ourselves.” – Fr. Derek Sakowski
“It is only when we face the fuller depths of our humanity – in all its beauty and brokenness – that we can die with Christ and rise with him.” -Fr. Derek Sakowski
In the Sacred Triduum, “Jesus transforms our human experience. He willingly enters the depths of human drama and human trauma, conquering every single moment with perfect love.” – Fr. Derek Sakowski
“Jesus, in his Passion, enters fully into both human experiences of “abandonment,” and reconciles them.” – Fr. Derek Sakowski
“The apostle Paul invites us to participate in the baptismal rebirth and renewal that is freely and gratuitously offered in Jesus, along with the rich outpouring of the Spirit (Titus 3:4-7). Let us come into the waters of baptism with Jesus.” – Fr. Derek Sakowski
“The Benedictine vow of conversatio morum is a renewal of the baptismal vow. It is an absolute decision that I want to die and rise with Christ, and that I renounce all seductive counterfeits.” – Fr. Derek Sakowski
