Mark Lepper
@thelepper.bsky.social
MDiv. Hospitality Coordinator @ Benedictine Retreat Ctr. Friend of Dorothy Day. Spiritual Director. Centering Prayer practitioner. Benedictine Oblate. Dishwasher for the revolution. "If Henri Nouwen reincarnated as a Muppet." L'Arche for Life! He/Him/His.
There are so many things I want to do with my life and I just don't have the time or capacity. I have known about the Zen Caregiving Project for a few years now and I'd really love to volunteer there but I'm not sure how I could make that work.
December 10, 2025 at 9:03 PM
There are so many things I want to do with my life and I just don't have the time or capacity. I have known about the Zen Caregiving Project for a few years now and I'd really love to volunteer there but I'm not sure how I could make that work.
You will be visited by three spirits...
December 10, 2025 at 3:09 AM
You will be visited by three spirits...
I don't like the term "prayer warrior." I know there are people who find it to be helpful, but to me warriors brings up violent & harmful imagery which seems incongruent to prayer which is about having a relationship with God, who is Love & Love is patient, kind, etc - the antithesis of a warrior.
December 9, 2025 at 4:25 PM
I don't like the term "prayer warrior." I know there are people who find it to be helpful, but to me warriors brings up violent & harmful imagery which seems incongruent to prayer which is about having a relationship with God, who is Love & Love is patient, kind, etc - the antithesis of a warrior.
Quote with your model of masculinity.
December 9, 2025 at 2:10 AM
Quote with your model of masculinity.
Reposted by Mark Lepper
⚓ monastic wisdom?
Do the right thing, even if no one ever notices. If people notice and someone other than you gets the credit, that's ok - the important thing is the fact that something right was done.
- Br. Abraham (St. Gregory's Abbey)
Do the right thing, even if no one ever notices. If people notice and someone other than you gets the credit, that's ok - the important thing is the fact that something right was done.
- Br. Abraham (St. Gregory's Abbey)
October 6, 2025 at 8:34 PM
⚓ monastic wisdom?
Do the right thing, even if no one ever notices. If people notice and someone other than you gets the credit, that's ok - the important thing is the fact that something right was done.
- Br. Abraham (St. Gregory's Abbey)
Do the right thing, even if no one ever notices. If people notice and someone other than you gets the credit, that's ok - the important thing is the fact that something right was done.
- Br. Abraham (St. Gregory's Abbey)
Movie you’ve watched more than six times with a gif. Hard mode: no Stars (Wars nor Trek), LOTR, or Marvel, Disney Animated or Pixar.
December 8, 2025 at 5:35 AM
Movie you’ve watched more than six times with a gif. Hard mode: no Stars (Wars nor Trek), LOTR, or Marvel, Disney Animated or Pixar.
I start my hospice volunteer training on January 6. We decided it was probably better to wait until after the busy-ness & excitement of Christmas.
January 6 is also Epiphany, the celebration of Christ's revelation to the world, when the Magi arrived.
I'm sure there's something theological there.
January 6 is also Epiphany, the celebration of Christ's revelation to the world, when the Magi arrived.
I'm sure there's something theological there.
It's National Hospice and Palliative Care Month. I got a text from the hospice social worker today that apparently there's been a hold up in the process because they need my middle initial. So now they have that so we shall see where it goes.
Hug a hospice worker! (They probably need it).
Hug a hospice worker! (They probably need it).
For those of you interested (look at me pretending people are interested) I called the social worker and she said we are waiting on HR to get me the background check stuff. But she said she'd give them a nudge. So, things are moving - slowly - but they're moving.
December 8, 2025 at 3:54 AM
I start my hospice volunteer training on January 6. We decided it was probably better to wait until after the busy-ness & excitement of Christmas.
January 6 is also Epiphany, the celebration of Christ's revelation to the world, when the Magi arrived.
I'm sure there's something theological there.
January 6 is also Epiphany, the celebration of Christ's revelation to the world, when the Magi arrived.
I'm sure there's something theological there.
Just putting this out into the universe so maybe it'll happen - I want to walk the Camino de Santiago sometime. I could do it alone or with a friend or two. But it's been calling to me for a while and I need to do it!
December 8, 2025 at 2:01 AM
Just putting this out into the universe so maybe it'll happen - I want to walk the Camino de Santiago sometime. I could do it alone or with a friend or two. But it's been calling to me for a while and I need to do it!
My kindness is not transactional. I am not kind because someone else is kind to me. I am also not kind so that others will respond to me with kindness. I am kind simply because I am a kind person.
December 6, 2025 at 12:28 AM
My kindness is not transactional. I am not kind because someone else is kind to me. I am also not kind so that others will respond to me with kindness. I am kind simply because I am a kind person.
I just put two letters in the mail to my new penpals. They are two men who are currently in prison and I thought they might appreciate a friendly letter. Now I just have to wait for their responses!
December 5, 2025 at 3:09 PM
I just put two letters in the mail to my new penpals. They are two men who are currently in prison and I thought they might appreciate a friendly letter. Now I just have to wait for their responses!
Reposted by Mark Lepper
"the USPS is a miracle. it's in the constitution. for the price of a single stamp you can send a letter across the country, from Hawaii to Maine. Trump is trying to take that away from you. He's attacking Christmas cards and wedding invitations. It's un-American and it has to stop."
February 21, 2025 at 10:32 PM
"the USPS is a miracle. it's in the constitution. for the price of a single stamp you can send a letter across the country, from Hawaii to Maine. Trump is trying to take that away from you. He's attacking Christmas cards and wedding invitations. It's un-American and it has to stop."
This is where I post from, if you even care.
December 5, 2025 at 4:03 AM
This is where I post from, if you even care.
I am planning to go on a private retreat over New Years, and I am really excited about it, and kind of want it to be time to go already. But we have a few weeks between now and then. 😐
December 5, 2025 at 3:10 AM
I am planning to go on a private retreat over New Years, and I am really excited about it, and kind of want it to be time to go already. But we have a few weeks between now and then. 😐
Having a frustrating morning printing envelopes & letters for a mailing, so I'm choosing to think about this fun memory from last year when I gave our Prioress, Sister Mary Liz, & Sister Micaela fake tattoos at the 25th anniversary celebration of our spiritual director formation program.
December 4, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Having a frustrating morning printing envelopes & letters for a mailing, so I'm choosing to think about this fun memory from last year when I gave our Prioress, Sister Mary Liz, & Sister Micaela fake tattoos at the 25th anniversary celebration of our spiritual director formation program.
What I'm wearing to the BlueSky Christmas party
December 4, 2025 at 1:41 AM
What I'm wearing to the BlueSky Christmas party
I've already been having a hard time remembering what day of the week it is, but this week's schedule for Liturgy of the Hours isn't helping. Today is apparently Second Tuesday. 😂
December 3, 2025 at 11:29 PM
I've already been having a hard time remembering what day of the week it is, but this week's schedule for Liturgy of the Hours isn't helping. Today is apparently Second Tuesday. 😂
I worked at a nonprofit for 12 years and for many of those years I was in charge of social media, so I understand that Giving Tuesday is an important day for nonprofits but MY GAWD do I get a shit ton of emails about it from every organization I've ever interacted with or even glanced at.
December 2, 2025 at 5:34 PM
I worked at a nonprofit for 12 years and for many of those years I was in charge of social media, so I understand that Giving Tuesday is an important day for nonprofits but MY GAWD do I get a shit ton of emails about it from every organization I've ever interacted with or even glanced at.
I took a stupid quiz I saw online that said if I chose from various international cuisines it would tell me what my red flag is. So I figured what the heck because these things are never right, right? So I did it. And it said mine was conflict avoidance and I felt attacked.
a woman in a pink wig is sitting next to another woman in a colorful shirt .
Alt: Drag queen Laganja Estranga is wearing a ginormous pink afro kind of wig and screaming "I feel very attacked!" from a well known scene of RuPaul's Drag Race season 6. I might have been from an episode of Untucked actually. But Biana del Rio is sitting there pretending like she didn't play any kind of part in the situation that Laganja is having an over the top emotional reaction to. Trinity K Bonet is trying to calm her down but it didn't work and she went out and had a little cry in the hallway after this scene. *spoiler alert* she got eliminated shortly after this.
media.tenor.com
November 30, 2025 at 3:47 AM
I took a stupid quiz I saw online that said if I chose from various international cuisines it would tell me what my red flag is. So I figured what the heck because these things are never right, right? So I did it. And it said mine was conflict avoidance and I felt attacked.
Reposted by Mark Lepper
Today is just another day, and that's perfectly okay. Whether you're celebrating or not, with family or alone, feeling joyful or not-so-great — you are loved just as much as you were yesterday (and that's a lot, by the way). Holidays only have the meaning we give them.
November 28, 2024 at 2:17 PM
Today is just another day, and that's perfectly okay. Whether you're celebrating or not, with family or alone, feeling joyful or not-so-great — you are loved just as much as you were yesterday (and that's a lot, by the way). Holidays only have the meaning we give them.
Met w my spiritual director today. We are scheduled to meet for an hour but we ALWAYS go over. I guess I have a lot of things to process 😂 Also, I think the world would be a better place if everyone met w a spiritual director. If you need help finding one let me know! I can help you find a good one!
November 25, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Met w my spiritual director today. We are scheduled to meet for an hour but we ALWAYS go over. I guess I have a lot of things to process 😂 Also, I think the world would be a better place if everyone met w a spiritual director. If you need help finding one let me know! I can help you find a good one!
My algorithm knows that I like cardigan sweaters. I do really like them. I think they give great cozy Mr Rogers vibes. But the ads they keep giving me are for cardigans that cost between $180-250, so obviously my algorithm has no grasp on my actual budget. Or it doesn't care, which is more likely
November 24, 2025 at 4:42 AM
My algorithm knows that I like cardigan sweaters. I do really like them. I think they give great cozy Mr Rogers vibes. But the ads they keep giving me are for cardigans that cost between $180-250, so obviously my algorithm has no grasp on my actual budget. Or it doesn't care, which is more likely
Today was a foggy day which kind of reflects my inner being. Feeling contemplative and quiet today. Thinking about the things that life seems to be putting in front of me and how I might respond.
November 20, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Today was a foggy day which kind of reflects my inner being. Feeling contemplative and quiet today. Thinking about the things that life seems to be putting in front of me and how I might respond.
Someone needs to make a video of Donald Trump being karate chopped by Miss Piggy after he calls that reporter a piggy. It would be divine retribution.
November 18, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Someone needs to make a video of Donald Trump being karate chopped by Miss Piggy after he calls that reporter a piggy. It would be divine retribution.
I just became a godfather for a cat. There wasn't any baptismal service, like with my other godchildren, but the housekeeper at the retreat center where I worked just put me in her will as the guardian of one of her cats, should anything happen to her. 🐈
November 18, 2025 at 6:46 PM
I just became a godfather for a cat. There wasn't any baptismal service, like with my other godchildren, but the housekeeper at the retreat center where I worked just put me in her will as the guardian of one of her cats, should anything happen to her. 🐈
I recently started listening to "Dying To Tell You" a podcast where a palliative care chaplain talks with people who have been diagnosed with life limiting diseases. It might sound morbid but it isn't. It's fascinating and enlightening and often joy-filled. You should give it a listen.
November 18, 2025 at 4:44 AM
I recently started listening to "Dying To Tell You" a podcast where a palliative care chaplain talks with people who have been diagnosed with life limiting diseases. It might sound morbid but it isn't. It's fascinating and enlightening and often joy-filled. You should give it a listen.