"To dust you shall return..."

Today the Church entered the holy season of Lent with the observance of Ash Wednesday. At Gethsemani’s daily Mass, the abbot imposed ashes on the crowns of the brothers’ heads. The community also joined the whole Church in its venerable practice of fasting and abstinence. The monks took only bread and water at the main meal, as mandated by our Order’s Constitutions and Statutes.

At this time last year, few could have imagined the upheavals that a virus would soon cause. It was shortly after Ash Wednesday in 2020 that Gethsemani first closed its doors to the public. Though more physically separate from the world than usual, we remain firmly united in prayerful repentance with our community, our church and all the world.

May all be blessed with peace, joyful repentance and much grace during this Lenten journey.