The fullness of our spirit, mind, and body make up our presence. These three are interwoven and inseparable from who we are as people. Jesus cared for His whole self, and we should follow His example.

Our walk with Jesus is formed by the things we do and the places we go. Into every thing we do we bring our full selves. We spend a large amount of our lives on our second vocation, work. Take care that your work is in harmony with our way of life.

The grace of God sustains all things. This grace comes from God’s love. It flows from there and permeates creation. As we live in God’s love, we find that our grace flows from our love. The Spirit’s transforming work of love gives us a generous spirit and helps us to forgive quickly.

The heart of God is loving your neighbor as yourself. We are neighbors of our God, who inhabits creation with us. God’s love shows us that we are infinitely worthy. It deepens the love we have for ourselves and others. Jesus tells us to love everyone with this love.

It was the first Sunday of Advent in 2019 when Urban Monastics began. A lot has happened over the past 5 years. Our conversation during this gathering is a chance to celebrate what has been, and to share some of what is to come.

We love our cities because we love our neighbors. We love our cities like Jesus loves. Like Him, our love should serve others in humility. Together with God and others, we support and help build a better future for our cities and creation.

God’s love for me is beyond comprehension. This same love flows from God to everyone. As we become more like Jesus, we will grow in our love and service for others. May our lives be marked by a spirit and works of hospitality.

Fasting is a gift. We must each begin our journey to cultivate a love of fasting. It takes time for God to do this divine work within our hearts. Regular fasting is important because there are things we can only experience and discover through fasting. God is with us as we regularly abstain from all food and nourishment. Jesus will help us cultivate our love of fasting.

Every Sunday brings us back to the cross and the resurrection of our Christ. Sunday is a day for remembrance, that we set aside as holy. This is a day we give to prayer, praise, and being present with our God who conquered death.

This day is a gift from God. Every day is a gift. Let us dedicate today to the Lord. Let us take care to wrap each day with the Divine Office. Give special care to the edges of the day. Fold and mark the edges of each day, its mornings and evenings, with these prayers.

Where we live gives shape to the rhythms of our lives. We choose to live within the chaos of the city with a monastic calm. We live our Way of Life against the rapid currents of our cities. For one to be an Urban Monastic, and not a sojourner, one must live in a city

To live monastically is to live a simple life. Let us find ourselves increasing in contentment and gratitude for what we have. Let us prayerfully expect to have, expect to get, and do less.