Oblate Program at Belmont Abbey, NC

Tag: Dohle

Getting Our Act Together

I met Kay (not her real name) for the first time last night in the retreat house. She was very attractive, 62 years old, intelligent, and she lived a very busy life. One of the first things she said to me, which was something I could sympathize with was: “before I die I want to… Read More ›

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Easter Vigil

Before (the Vigil) Before the beginning there was naught, perhaps something impossible to comprehend, no space nor time, there was not even nothing for that would imply the opposite, something, even speaking of the void does not encompass what the before wasn’t it just was not. Then The word spoken, light, pulsating outward, universe expanding… Read More ›

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Holy Saturday

Carved into rock the tomb stood waiting, the body wrapped in linen tight with spices; according to Jewish law. A stone rolled before the entrance, within only darkness, silence, that only death can bring, the interior cold the body alone in its inner nothingness The void, the thing feared most, to drop in never to… Read More ›

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Good Friday

Long the journey was not from Pilates chair of judgment to the place of the skull, the pain endured however beyond human knowing, body torn with lashes, head deeply wounded by sharp thorns, blood pouring into his eyes, face beaten black and blue beyond recognition, the continued jeering mocking, being spit upon, the soul shattering… Read More ›

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Holy Thursday: The Garden

Alone in the garden leaning upon a rock, his followers asleep not understanding what was coming, the shivering in fear the sweating of blood caused by the depth of anxiety, the prayer of surrender “not my will but yours be done”; the kiss of betrayal done in mockery, “hail Rabbi”; the fleeing of the apostles,… Read More ›

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Wednesday of Holy Week

Did Jesus understand, did he know the fate, just around the corner stalking him, he was fully human after all, true the Word, yet he did grow in wisdom and knowledge. From what he said the answer seems to be yes, so the day before it began perhaps his soul was already sweating blood long… Read More ›

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Tuesday of Holy Week

There is an inner coldness, A deep emptiness that comes upon me this time of the year, Perhaps it is the radiating darkness From the occupied tomb of Holy Saturday, An ending known, The ending of us all A tomb waiting after our own passion, Ending in the bleakness of death. Beyond that day of… Read More ›

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Warm winter evening

The evening warm for a December day, the air quiet, gentle, comforting in its caress, the woods piled high with the fall’s bounty the leaves spreading their decaying perfume , frankincense like to my perception. In one small part of forest surrounded by small roads on all sides, contains a beautiful Bamboo crop, some tall… Read More ›

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Hook in me

Emotions flow of their own accord often times my mind plays it’s own tapes, movies, reruns seen often, all I have to do is sit back and observe, the length of their life depending on how the observer reacts, calmly allowing things to proceed, or being absorbed by the inner play, which allows the story… Read More ›

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Outcast

At times I get weary about who and what I am, what we are as a species, how we need to struggle to just be rational, yet often controlled by our deep sub-conscious, lip surface to a path chosen, yet in reality often possibly forced by inner forces to act otherwise, yet the will remains… Read More ›

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