Between the two you will forget to sin

Sr. Joan reminds us that humble work is as sacred and sanctifying as prayer.  Today I am blessed to live in a world surrounded by people devoted to taking care of me.  They open my eyes every day to the sacred.

We are all called to work and pray.  The Sayings of the Jewish Fathers reminds us that 

It is wise to work as well as to study the Torah:

between the two you will forget to sin.

Many of us are beginning to be called to read the scriptures of our faith every day and to serve others.  The Jewish Fathers remind us that if we do both, we are beginning to walk and live the way.  Amen

I am building a cathedral

Today we are reminded of the transcendent purpose of work.  We are called to focus on what we do, remembering always, why we serve and love.

As I have done, so you must do...

We all live in community--our homes, at work, among our wider circle of friends and family.  If we do not wish to live alone together we must recognize that we are all called to serve--to serve one another where ever we are--whom ever we are with.

Love and service are the fulcrum of community!

They bind us to Him and to each other!

Echos

Above all, let the cellarer be humble.

Benedict reminds us that we are to be humble all times.  We have a responsibility to serve others without any pride or delay--to burden others to satisfy our own need to be important.

We can give freedom and joy with every gift we give.

Sacred Vessels

Benedict's instructions for qualifying a cellarer describe a person of genuine merit, to the extent that the celler becomes a model for the community.  Someone who knows the difference between needs and desires--guiding us away from excess and indolence.

In the house of Benedict, the principles of the life live in ways no words can convey, in the people who carry them out.  The call to be what we say we believe...

Sister Joan reminds us that people in authority must also keep watch over their own souls--guarding themselves against arrogance, disinterest, unkindness, aloofness.  We are not, for the sake of efficiency, to overlook the sick, the young, the guests, and the poor.  Reminding us that we will be held accountable.

A Benedictine soul takes care of things, treating all the tools of life as sacred vessels of the altar.

A Call to Growth

Sister Joan calls Chapters 23-30 of the Rule, Benedict's penal code.  In doing so she points out that while Benedict called for discipline, Benedict's punishment is always meant to heal, never to destroy; to cure, not to crush.  Most importantly, she reminds us that on the journey to spiritual adulthood, we are called to use every tool we have: love, listening, counsel, confrontation, and prayer. 

Let us look inward today, and invite ourselves to return to God's fold when we stray.  He loves us beyond measure and is ready to listen and counsel us.  But we must invite him in.  We must surrender to His unconditional love.

A Fresh Beginning

Life is often a series of false starts while we find out who we are and determine where we really want to go.  Benedict understands the struggle of uncertainty and indecision.

Eventually we must all settle down and do something serious with our lives and every day we must make a fresh beginning of it.

We are reminded again that He does not expect perfection.  Persistence, however, makes Him smile.

The Price

Human development demands that we grow...grow beyond childish uncontrol

to maturity and that we be willing to correct things in ourselves in order

to grow, whatever the cost.

Benedict clearly believes that there are indeed things we must be willing to die

to in life if we want to go beyond the fruitless patterns we're in right now.

The spiritual life in the Benedictine tradition is not a series of overnight stays.

Human community is the universal obligation to live fully ourselves and to live well with others. 

 

What price do we pay for failure?  Does recognition of this price help us set the cost we are willing to pay to amend our ways?  How much has been said and written about dying to self?  Is this this not another way to say surrender to His saving grace?

When God is at its center!

Sister Joan reminds us life is at its best

when God is at its center.  

God frequently reminds us to slow down and truly be present in His world. We are called to be present and to help Him!  

Live out the Gospel message today!

From "The Upper Room"

Today's reflection comes from The Upper Room for February 11, 2025. 

As I sit on the patio, the breeze brushes against my face, and I can feel the wind and hear it as it swirls through the trees. I have learned to see and enjoy God in everything. Like a gentle breeze, God’s presence is all around. God fills the space around us and is in constant motion — always working, always breathing life into us. 

Scripture tells us in 1 Kings 19 that Elijah was disturbed and confused after a spiritual battle that sapped his strength. As he stood at the mouth of the cave where he had taken refuge, God spoke in a gentle whisper to him that gave Elijah new strength and direction that his life needed. No matter what life brings, we can be certain that God is in constant motion, filling the space around us, as the impulse of the Holy Spirit inspires and guides us.

Learn what has been learned....

By now we have recognized the wisdom and insight to be gained from the Rule of Benedict and Sr Joan's commentary.  Not surprisingly, the eighth step of humility, encourages us to follow the good examples of those who have come before us, and those who live among us.

Value the truths taught by ohers, seek out wisdom and enshrine it in our hearts.  Do not make the mistake of becoming our own blind guide.

Our living communities have a great deal to teach us.  All we need is respect for experience and the comforting kind of faith that it take to do what we cannot now see to be valuable.

We must learn to open our eyes and our hearts 

to the wisdom of others. 

The opportunity to be kind....

Sister Joan reminds us, in the seventh step of humility, of our own meager virtues, of our own massive failures despite all our great effort, of all our fine desires, the chance to understand the failure of others. 

 

In this moment, we have the opportunity to become kind.