Homily Library

The homily is part of the Liturgy of the Word at Mass. It is a living commentary of the Word of God just proclaimed. Pope Francis says that the homily is like a mother teaching her children. There is a long tradition of monastic homilies. The homily in a monastery is usually a kind of oral and public lectio divina on the part of the monk who is delivering it. Every day the brother who presides at Mass gives a brief homily that is at once personal and also sheds evangelical light on the realities the brothers and guests are living through at the moment. We are happy to offer some of our monastic homilies here.

Below are links to a number of homilies preached at New Melleray and Our Lady of the Mississippi by members of our community.

February
Fr. Stephen VerbestFebruary 1, 2025Memorial of Our Lady, Queen of All Creation
January
Fr. Stephen VerbestJanuary 29, 2025Wednesday in the Third Week of Ordinary Time
Fr. Jerome MacharJanuary 26, 2025Solemnity of the Founders of the Cistercian Order
Fr. Stephen VerbestJanuary 23, 2025Votive Mass for Christian Unity
Fr. Stephen VerbestJanuary 23, 2025Votive Mass for Christian Unity
Fr. Stephen VerbestJanuary 20, 2025Memorial of Blessed Cyprian Tansi
Fr. David BockJanuary 19, 2025Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Fr. Stephen VerbestJanuary 17, 2025Memorial of St. Anthony the Great
Fr. Stephen VerbestJanuary 14, 2025Tuesday in the First Week of Ordinary Time
Fr. Jerome MacharJanuary 13, 2025Monday in First Week of Ordinary Time
Fr. Stephen VerbestJanuary 12, 2025Feast of the Baptism of the Lord
Fr. Jerome MacharJanuary 9, 2025Thursday after Epiphany
Fr. Stephen VerbestJanuary 8, 2025Wednesday after Epiphany
Fr. Jerome MacharJanuary 5, 2025Solemnity of the Epiphany
Fr. Stephen VerbestJanuary 3, 2025Friday before Epiphany
Fr. Jerome MacharJanuary 2, 2025Memorial of Saints Basil and Gregory
December
Fr. Stephen VerbestDecember 30, 2024Sixth Day of the Christmas Octave
Fr. David BockDecember 29, 2024Feast of the Holy Family
Fr. Stephen VerbestDecember 29, 2024Feast of the Holy Family at Mississippi Abbey
Fr. Jerome MacharDecember 28, 2024Feast of the Holy Innocents
Fr. David BockDecember 27, 2024Feast of St. John the Apostle
Fr. Jerome MacharDecember 25, 2024Christmas Midnight Mass
Fr. Stephen VerbestDecember 25, 2024Christmas Day Mass
Fr. Jerome MacharDecember 23, 2024Monday in the Fourth Week of Advent
Fr. Stephen VerbestDecember 22, 2024Fourth Sunday of Advent
Fr. Jerome MacharDecember 20, 2024Advent Weekday December 20 #1
Fr. Stephen VerbestDecember 18, 2024Advent Weekday, December 18, #1
Fr. Jerome MacharDecember 15, 2024Third Sunday of Advent
Fr. Stephen VerbestDecember 15, 2024Third Sunday in Advent at Mississippi Abbey
Fr. Stephen VerbestDecember 14, 2024Memorial of St. John of the Cross
Fr. Stephen VerbestDecember 11, 2024Wednesday in the Second Week of Advent
Fr. Jerome MacharDecember 9, 2024Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
Fr. David BockDecember 8, 2024Second Sunday of Advent
Fr. Stephen VerbestDecember 7, 2024Memorial of St. Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Fr. Jerome MacharDecember 5, 2024Thursday in the First Week of Advent
Fr. Stephen VerbestDecember 3, 2024Memorial of St. Francis Xavier
Fr. Jerome MacharDecember 2, 2024Monday in the First Week of Advent
November
Fr. Jerome MacharNovember 30, 2024Feast of St. Andrew the Apostle
Fr. Jerome MacharNovember 29, 2024Friday in the Thirty-Fourth Week of Ordinary Time
Fr. Stephen VerbestNovember 26, 2024Tuesday in the Thirty-Fourth Week of Ordinary Time
Fr. Stephen VerbestNovember 24, 2024Solemnity of Christ the King
Fr. Jerome MacharNovember 22, 2024Friday in the Thirty-Third Week of Ordinary Time
Fr. Stephen VerbestNovember 20, 2024Wednesday in the Thirty-Third Week of Ordinary Time
Fr. Jerome MacharNovember 17, 2024Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Fr. Jerome MacharNovember 14, 2024Thursday in the Thirty-Second Week of Ordinary Time
Fr. Stephen VerbestNovember 11, 2024Memorial of St. Martin of Tours
Fr. David BockNovember 10, 2024Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Fr. Jerome MacharNovember 9, 2024Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica
Fr. Stephen VerbestNovember 8, 2024Firday in the Thirty-First Week of Ordinary Time
Fr. Jerome MacharNovember 4, 2024Memorial of St. Charles Borromeo
October
Fr. Jerome MacharOctober 31, 2024Thursday in the Thirtieth Week of Ordinary Time
Fr. Stephen VerbestOctober 28, 2024Feast of the Apostles Simon and Jude
Fr. Jerome MacharOctober 27, 2024Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Fr. Stephen VerbestOctober 27, 2024Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time at Mississippi Abbey
Fr. Stephen VerbestOctober 25, 2024Friday in the Twenty-Ninth Week of Ordinary Time
Fr. Jerome MacharOctober 24, 2024Thursday in the Twenty-Ninth Week of Ordinary Time
Fr. Stephen VerbestOctober 20, 2024Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Fr. David BockOctober 18, 2024Feast of St. Luke, Evangelist
Fr. Stephen VerbestOctober 16, 2024Wednesday in the Twenty-Eighth Week of Ordinary Time
Fr. Jerome MacharOctober 14, 2024Monday in the Twenty-Eighth Week of Ordinary time
Fr. Stephen VerbestOctober 9, 2024Wednesday in the Twenty-Seventh Week of Ordinary Time
Fr. Stephen VerbestOctober 4, 2024Memorial of St. Francis of Assisi
September
Fr. Stephen VerbestSeptember 30, 2024Memorial of St. Jerome
Fr. Jerome MacharSeptember 29, 2024Tlwenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Fr. Stephen VerbestSeptember 29, 2024Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time at Mississippi Abbey
Fr. Jerome MacharSeptember 28, 2024Saturday in the Twenty-Fifth Week of Ordinary Time
Fr. Jerome MacharSeptember 23, 2024Memorial of Saint Padre Pio
Fr. Stephen VerbestSeptember 23, 2024Tuesday in the Twenty-Fifth Week of Ordinary Time
Fr. David BockSeptember 22, 2024Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Fr. Jerome MacharSeptember 19, 2024Thursday in the Twenty-Fourth Week of Ordinary Time
Fr. Stephen VerbestSeptember 18, 2024Wednesday, Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Fr. Brendan FreemanSeptember 16, 2024Funeral Mass for Br. Gilbert Cardillo
Fr. Stephen VerbestSeptember 15, 2024Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Fr. Stephen VerbestSeptember 13, 2024Memorial of St. John Chrysostom
Fr. Jerome MacharSeptember 12, 2024Thursday in the Twenty-Third Week of Ordinary Time
Fr. Jerome MacharSeptember 9, 2024Monday in the Twenty-Third Week of Ordinary Time