Community of Divine Love

07/27/2026

DREAMS & DREAMING - a three-week series begins this Wednesday, July 29: 6:15 - 7:45pm Pacific on Zoom.
Led by Brother Dennis
For Zoom link, email to: [email protected]

07/12/2026

New blog post: FERTILE GROUND — a reflection on Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 by Brother Dennis. Discover how the condition of the heart is the soil that determines how the Gospel grows, and how preparing that soil leads to remarkable fruit. Read the full reflection: https://wix.to/HVzYRWa

Matthew 13:1-9,18-23 by Brother Dennis The reading from Matthew makes clear that the reception of the Gospel message depends upon the soil. That is, the condition of the heart of the one who receives it. In this teaching, the seed and the sower are the same in each case, but the soil varies. There w...

05/28/2026

Dawn comes with the freshness of that first day of creation. May my worship at the beginning of this day be united with that of birds and wild animals, with clouds and sky. With gratitude and wonder, for the rich gift of life itself, I enter into this day in prayer:
O Divine Giver of Life in whom we breathe and live, show yourself to me today in countless ways. And grant me the grace to bow in wonder and in joy wherever and whenever I discover you. Boldly trace your sacred sign upon me in love as I begin this day in your holy name and in the name of your So and in the abiding presence of your Spirit, One God forever and ever.
Amen +
EDWARD HAYS
Prayers for a Planetary Pilgrim

05/06/2026

PRAYER
by Brother Dennis

Being alone in silence with God is my preferred way to pray. There is something about the space of solitude that settles the soul and invites the Quieting of God. The important thing is to remain open and true to yourself. God will meet you there.

This is not to say that I do not value prayer spoken with words. I do. In the monastery or in church gatherings, there are many prayers that we say together, and they help connect us in a communal way to God. In group worship, the intercessory prayers have a way of gathering the hearts of all present and bringing power to prayer in a way that is different than praying on one’s own. Once while attending the Alcoholics Anonymous World Convention in Minneapolis, I held hands along with 50,000 people gathered in the Metrodome reciting the Lord’s Prayer. It was exhilarating. I will never forget the stunning awareness of the Holy Spirit moving through that moment. Still, as amazing as that moment was, the Divine Spirit moves just as powerfully in the individual heart with the same quiet exhilaration.

In over two decades as a jail chaplain, I have prayed with thousands of my friends living behind the wall. I have felt the grace of God quiver our hearts and wet the faces of suffering with tears, cleansing our souls. We have held each other so close that it is hard to distinguish one trembling heartbeat from the other. Men have collapsed into my arms as I buoyed the weight of their sorrow and contrition. In these moments, life has never felt so real. We have never felt so seen by each other and felt so utterly loved by God. This is the power of prayer. It’s not about just asking God to remove our suffering; it is about the opening of ourselves to allow for the grace and comfort of God who is in the thick of it with us – in full solidarity with us.

READ MORE HERE
https://www.cdlmonks.org/post/prayer