Br. Ed Van Merrienboer, OP

Brother Edward reflects on the Gospel encounter where the Pharisees criticize Jesus' disciples for picking grain on the Sabbath. While the Pharisees saw a broken rule, Jesus saw human need and the true purpose of the Law.

Brother Edward explains the image of the Bridegroom. When Christ is present, it is a time for celebration, not mourning! Jesus isn't telling us to forget the traditions of the past, but He is inviting us to see them through new eyes—like putting new wine into new wineskins.

When Zechariah writes "His name is John" on a tablet, it isn't just about naming a baby; it is the moment he finally confirms his trust in the angel's message after nine months of silence. Brother Edward invites us to use these final two days of Advent to take a "time out" from the shopping and wrapping to recognize the wonders God is working in our own lives.

God's grace can take our small, human limitations and expand them into something greater and more beautiful through the power of the Holy Spirit. Just as God intervened in the history of Israel and the life of Mary, He desires to intervene in your life today.

Reflecting on the profound meaning of the Solemnity of Christ the King, which redefines kingship not as worldly power, but as Jesus' self-sacrificing service on the cross.

For the Feast of St. Cecilia, the patroness of sacred music, this reflection explores the profound spiritual importance of singing in liturgy, connecting our earthly voices to the heavenly chorus of saints and angels.