Love for the Weak

Rather, as the Apostle says: Let love for him be reaffirmed (2Cor 2:8), and let all pray for him. RB80.27.4

We all have our times of weakness, when our frailty seems to be closely connected with our identity. It is good for me to remember that during these times although life may look bleek it is not a time to dispair.

Today's selection of the Rule, which is from the disciplinary section of the Rule, reminds the community that it is at the time when one is that weakest that the love and concern of the group needs to be reaffirmed in order to gently guide the wayward or weak back into relationship. I know that when I begin to wander away from the boundaries set by the norm it is time for me to reach out to others and ask for extra support.

What does this support look like? It does not necessarily have to be anything spectacular or flashy,,,it can be taking time to listen to another's concerns, it can be a smile, a hug or a touch of the arm. It only needs to be some genuine expression of compassion or concern for the other. Just letting the person know that someone cares. I know that for me these brief moments of connection allow me the space and confidence needed to reassess my current situation and move forward in the future.

Whenever possible, I try to be that connection point for others also. It is in these encounters that we find surprising strength at times. How am I being a connecting point for others today?

Sr. Catherine, OSB

Wisdom of the Young and the Elders

Absolutely nowhere shall age automatically determine rank. Remember that Samuel and Daniel were still boys when they judged their elders (1Sam3; Dan 13.44-62). RB80.63.5-6

One of the blessings of my life is the opportunity that I have had to live with people of various ages most of my life. Growing up, grandparents, great-grandparents, and older relatives and family friends were always included as part of our home structure. Our home was multigenerational by design. Although I did not fully appreciate it at the time, this aspect of my early years has had a significant impact on most of my life and on building my character. I am grateful for the experience.

In my 25+ years as a member of this monastic community, I have also been fortunate to have developed many relationships across our various age groups. I treasure the many lessons that I have learned from our elders--lessons of faith, lessons of fidelity, lessons of courage, strength and grace. I am indeed very fortunate in this way.

Here are some of the bits of wisdom that I have learned along the way:

• Life does not always have to move at a fast speed. There is a gentleness acquired in doing things slowly and thoughtfully.


• Plan ahead for life--learn a hobby, develop some leisure time activities, keep acquiring new skills. It is important to have skills in place for a happy and healthy future.


• Take time to listen. There is life wisdom to be learned in hearing stories from the past.


• Remain faithful to values. There are many things that can clutter my life, I need to remember the essentials.


• Be patient and loving--with others and with myself. Sometimes the hardest lesson is to remember to be patient with myself and not take myself so seriously.

What life lessons am I imparting on others today?

Sr. Catherine, OSB

The More Vulnerable

Since their lack of strength must always be taken into account, they should certainly not be required to follow the strictness of the rule with regard to food, but should be treated with kindly consideration and allowed to eat before the regular hours. RB80.37.2-3

Chapters 36 and 37 of the Rule of Benedict deal with the sick (chapter 36) and the elderly and the young (chapter 37). These two chapters deal with those who are especially vulnerable and defenceless and can easily be forgotten. Benedict requires that special care be given to those who have special needs but might not be able to advocate for themselves. He relates our treatment of those with special concerns with the Gospel scene from Matthew 25.34-40.

What are some practical ways through which I can be compassionate and aware of the needs of all in the group--whether family, team, office or community?

1. Remembering to treat all as individuals. Taking the time to be aware of the special issues which might be troublesome and relevant for each person. What are the stumbling blocks to avoid?
2. Use the same compassion towards others that I would like to receive myself. Taking the Golden Rule a step further.
3. Not set my expectations or standards unreasonably high. I usually have more issues when I set my personal expectations at a level higher than humanly possible (either for myself or others).
4. Take time to slow down before reacting. Problems arise when I expect everyone to have the some values or beliefs that I have.

God calls me daily to be open and compassionate towards those I encounter daily because it is through relationships that I grow in holiness and self-awareness.

Sr. Catherine, OSB

Being a Good Patient

Let the sick on their part bear in mind that they are served out of honor for God, and let them not by their excessive demands distress their brothers who serve them. RB80.36.4

I am fortunate to have been blessed with very good health. My health is a blessing to me and also to those who live with me because I am not sure how good a patient I would be if I was ever really ill.

First, I am not a fan of pain in any form. As soon as I feel a headache, a toothache or itch coming on, I know that whining and complaining is probably not far behind. I can stand pain or discomfort about 30 seconds, then it's time to look for a way out.

Second, patience is not a hallmark of my personality. I am definitely a person who wants everything right now--as soon as I think of it. Unfortunately, relief from pain is usually not quite so automatic. I can not will my pain away, although I might be tempted to try.

Third, I am not one to suffer quietly, if something is wrong, I really believe that everyone around needs to know about it and share my misery.

That being said, how does today's reading about Care for the Sick help me to grow in this aspect of my life?

Benedict reminds the one who is ill that the care and respect offered are out of love of Christ. The person in need is to be humble in all their needs not demanding and overbearing. The sick are to remember that for that particular instance they are taking the place of the weak Christ in the community.

When I can recall these things, I am less likely to be demanding, impatient, and disagreeable and to be humble in my requests.

Sr. Catherine, OSB

Care of the Goods

The goods of the monastery, that is, its tools, clothing or anything else, should be entrusted to brothers whom the abbot appoints and in whose manner of life he has confidence. RB80.32.1

Benedict wants to assure that the material possessions of the community are in good care. Benedict, once again, states that the character of the monastic should be taken into account in the distribution of tools and goods. The character and behavior of the person has been important in the assignment of responsibilities and authority, in relationships within the monastery, and now with how the monastery goods are handled. What is it about these three things that would have them take on such importance? After all, aren't the goods just things???

I think that Benedict might be reminding the person that all is gift from God--our possessions, our relationships, and all of creation. These are all loans to us from God and need to be handled wisely with humility and care.

How can I increase my awareness of this amazing gift from God? I desire to grow daily in this aspect during Lent.

Sr. Catherine, OSB

Don't Overkill

There ought to be due proportion between the seriousness of a fault and the measure of excommunication or discipline. RB80.24.1

This short verse from the Rule seems to be pretty clear: make sure that the consequence is in proportion to the action. The reasoning behind it makes sense and seems fair--big penalties should not be associated with minor infractions. Both the severity of the action and the particular situation of the person(s) involved should be considered.

This theory holds true in any kind of group whether a family, a team, a classroom or an office. I am reminded of an incident that happened at home with my siblings. My younger sister did not have a whole lot of emotional control as far as I could see. (I had somehow forgotten that I was more than 15 years older than her, so hopefully I had a little more control than she did.) One day she was upset about something and threw a hairbrush at me. She was about two at the time. I was not going to let this offense go by lightly so I flung the brush back at her. She had totally missed me but I had better aim. I hit her on the head. My mom happened to be coming into the room about the time the brush hit my sister. Needless to say, I got in trouble for not using my best judgement in responding to my sister. I had forgotten about the difference in age and strength between us.

I remember that incident when I am in a situation where I need to evaluate how to respond to an action. Do I really need to respond in like manner? Is my proposed consequence disproportionate to the original offense? How would I like others to respond to me in that situation? How forgiving would I like God to be with me?

Sr. Catherine, OSB

Good Works and Humility

Only in this are we distinguished in his sight: if we are found better than others in good works and in humility. RB80.2.21

I am always looking for that one thing which will set me apart from others...that special little thing that gives me the desired edge in life. Today, Benedict gives me insight into what sets me apart in community, on a team, in God's sight.

The secret: being better than others in good works and in humility. Doing what I am called to do; being who I was created to be and working diligently at that.

How can I accomplish this?

• Doing the loving, caring thing...even when no one is watching.
• Doing the next appropriate thing quietly. I don't have to announce everytime I do something kind or unexpected for another.
• Offering to help out but not insisting on being the center of attention.
• Remembering that everything in life does not have to be about ME.
• Using my competitive nature to the best in doing good quietly and patiently.

Sr. Catherine, OSB

Compassion for the Needy

Chapters 36 and 37 of the Rule (yesterday's chapter and today's) deal with the compassion that needs to be shown to those among us with special needs. We are all among the needy at different times whether through illness, age, strength, or personal weakness. There are always some among us that need our love in a special way.

This reality is something that I need to remember daily. Being fairly healthy, capable and independent, I tend to lose patience when I feel that I am having to adjust MY plans or timetable to help another...even when it really is not costing me anything. I get impatient waiting in lines, being stuck in traffic behind a slower driver or having to patiently wait to get my meal in our buffet line. I need to constantly find ways to reframe these times into something positive rather than more infuriating annoyances.

Here are some ways in which I might do this in even small ways:

• When stuck in traffic, use the opportunity to use the Jesus Prayer.
• Being grateful for my health and independence--and thanking God for that especially when needing to wait behind someone who needs extra help.
• Taking time to notice the beauty of the world around me...something I sometimes miss when I am either rushing around or stressing about having to wait for something.
• Looking for ways that I can help at least one person who needs assistance--even if it's just with a smile or a hug.

How else can I learn patience and compassion for others today?

Sr. Catherine, OSB

Respecting Silence

...there are times when good words are to be left unsaid out of esteem for silence. RB80.6.2

When visitors first come to our house they often comment on how quiet and still our home seems to be. Our monastery can be considered an oasis of sorts from the hectic world.

Chapter 6 of the Rule invites us to consider the virtue of silence or restraint of speech. Although Benedict acknowledges that there appropriate times and uses for speech, he also points out that there are occasions when even good words are to be left unsaid. Since I am a person who is very comfortable in the world of speech, I am invited to consider situations when words that are true might better be left unsaid for the sake of charity or compassion.

• I do not have to speak every thought that passes through my mind. Sometimes my initial reaction or response to something new or different may be harsh and might hurt another.
• There are situations when information must be held until the appropriate time. If there is a surprise party being held for someone, I really do not want to be the person who spoils the secret.
• I may not have all the information necessary to be able to speak adequately on a topic.
• I might be wiser to hold my comments until I have had some time to think through the plan and any consequences.
• As true and sincere as the words might be, not everyone needs to know what is passing through my mind.

I need to learn to filter my speech with charity and compassion. I need to remember to ask myself: Is this something that really needs to be said?

Sr. Catherine, OSB

Protecting Your Soul

The monastery should, if possible, be so constructed that within it all necessities, such as water, mill and garden are contained, and the various crafts are practiced. Then there will be no need for the monks to roam outside, because this is not at all good for their souls. RB80.66.7-8

Benedict envisioned a monastic complex which would be self-sufficient. There would be little need, if any, to leave the property to take care of the needs of the members. That probably was reasonable in the 6th century but is highly improbable in the 21st.

So...how does a person maintain the focus of monastic values even as they navigate the daily challenges of life in our world. Part of the answer, I think, is in remembering that we are meant to be in the world but not necessarily of the world. We are to function within the parameters of society but also show a different response to the events around us. We are called to be radically counter-cultural.

• Where society might encourage us to value a person for their productivity, I am to take time to listen to the old and the young, the sick, the weak, the poor....and value their insights.
• When my natural tendency is to rush from one thing to the next, I am to be mindful of the world around me and God's love in each moment. I need to take time to listen and be present to life.
• When I am encouraged to think only of #1 and to be competitive in all aspects of life, Benedict encourages me to be #1 only in showing respect and love to others.

How am I called to be present to the world but not of the world today?

Sr. Catherine, OSB

God's Bells

At the time for the Divine Office, as soon as he hears the signal the monk should drop whatever is in hand and rush there with the greatest haste. But he should do so with dignity so as not to provide an occasion for silliness. Therefore nothing should be put ahead of the Work of God. (Benedict's Rule: A Translation, Terrance Kardong, 43.1-3)

Bells, bells, bells...just when it seems that I am finally being productive the bell always rings to interupt me. Benedict invites me to perceive these signals as the voice of God calling me to prayer--not just as one more interuption.

Bells come in all different forms and sizes. Sometimes the bell could be the sick child that needs extra attention today. It could be the stranger that sits next to me in the pew at church. It could be the lonely elderly neighbor that stops by to chat. These are all ways in which God calls to us in life.

Who is God's bell for me today?

Sr. Catherine, OSB

A Kind Word--The Best Gift

Above all, let him be humble. If goods are not available to meet a request, he will offer a kind word in reply, for it is written: A kind word is better than the best gift (Sir 18:17). (RB80.31.13-14)

Benedict realizes that the requests made to the cellarer might not always be able to be fulfilled. Rather than have the person say "no" angrily or with disdain, the person is asked to respond with a kind word or maybe even an alternative solution to the request. The concern here is that the person asking would feel that they are being heard and their need respected. There are times when a request might come at an inappropriate time or at a time of lack or scarcity.

Isn't it better to hear, "I understand your need and it will be addressed as soon as possible." rather than, "Why would you ask for that when you know that it is not available."? Many times a person might be needing someone to recognize their need and to help come up with alternatives rather than a plain no.

Benedict points out again that in all types of communal situations, it is the relationships (respect, dignity, communication) among the members that is more important than the material concerns.

Sr. Catherine, OSB

The Superior=The Good Shepherd

He is to imitate the loving example of the Good Shepherd who left the ninety-nine sheep in the mountains and went in search of the one sheep that had strayed, So great was his compassion for its weakness that he mercifully placed it on his sacred shoulders and so carried it back to the flock (Luke 15:5). (RB80.27.8-9)

In discussing how to deal with community members who happen to stray from the community, either physically, mentally or spiritually, Benedict uses an image of the Superior as Christ (The Good Shepherd). Rather than be grateful that at least one trouble has been abolished (through the loss of the wayward and troublesome), the leader is encouraged to try to talk the person into amending his ways.

Maybe he didn't realize how serious the personal fault was. Maybe the person was just straying through inattention--not malice. It might even be something that the person had little control over. Through the compassion, patience and love of the Superior, the erring might return, and might end up stronger in the end.

I find consolation in this since I have done my own share of wandering through potential danger in former days. The security, love and support of my community always gave me the courage to work through the issues involved and to gain wisdom and strength.

May I be a source of wisdom and strength for others when they struggle.

Sr. Catherine, OSB

Listen to Me

…God loves a cheerful giver. (RB80.5.16)

“Listening is a form of spiritual hospitality by which you invite strangers to become friends, to get to know their inner selves more fully, and even to dare to be silent with you.” (Henri Nouwen) We have all been baptized in the Spirit and received the breath of God breathing within us. This Spirit prays in us and listens in us to all who come to us with their joys and sorrows. This Spirit allows us to give our full attention to others and welcome them into our very being. This power of God’s spirit listening in us is a healing power. Those who are listened to start to feel accepted, start to take their words more seriously, and start to discover who they really are in the eyes of God.

The listener is truly “a cheerful giver.”

Sr.Veronica,OSB

Living with Hope

…never lose hope in God’s mercy. (RB80.4.74)

“Life is an adventure in forgiveness.” (Norman Cousins) On this adventure God’s mercy is always available. But all too often when one door closes and another opens, we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one God has opened for us. All the great spiritual leaders in history were people who forgot the closed door and walked through the open one. Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Mary, Gandhi, Lincoln, Mother Teresa and Nelson Mandella walked through that open door with a promise of “hope in God’s mercy,” and looked toward the future without the need to know exactly what it would look like.

This is the kind of life adventure Benedict asks of us.

Sr.Veronica,OSB

The Love of Christ

...the love of Christ must come before all else. (RB80.4.21)

Love is the essential element in all of our relationships.

• It is love that helps us forgive the wrongs done to us.
• I find myself going well beyond myself for the sake of love.
• The largest burdens are soon forgotten.
• Love impels us to try again and again when hope can seem dim.

Love is a gift. The love of God first touched us at creation when God created everything freely out of the abundance of his love. God sent his Son, Jesus, out of love for us. Jesus freely laid down his life for us out of love for God the Father and love for us.

It is this love which pushes us forward daily to proclaim God's saving love to the world.

How am I reflecting God's love today?

Sr. Catherine, OSB

No Justifiable Grumbling

Benedict spread power and authority in the group or community among many. He was aware of the many uses of power and was careful to assure that it would be used well. Benedict also placed a flexibility in the Rule which allowed for individual circumstances to be evaluated and adjustments made as necessary.

In Chapter 40 of the Rule, Benedict advices that no cause for "justifiable grumbling" be presented to the community. Benedict knew the danger that exists when people begin to question or grumble against the norm. Grumbling and bickering can destroy a team or family from the inside. Benedict also knew that there were occasions when grumbling could be considered justifiable--as in situation of exploitation of power or true injustice. Benedict puts the burden of assuring that this does not exist on the superior (abbot, prioress, boss, coach).

This assurance that no cause for justifiable grumbling also is addressed to me because on some level I am or will be in a position of authority. I need to pray for the wisdom to see any authority as service to others rather than tyranny. This perspective will allow me to be able to remember to listen to the team members rather than do everything my own way.

Sr. Catherine, OSB

The Old and The Young

One of the things that appealed to me about Monastic Communities when I was first considering religious life was the multigenerational aspect of our life. The young and the old interact freely together and amazingly the young and the older learn from each other. This appealed to me because I grew up in a multi-generational family.

Growing up we were fortunate to always have at least one grandparent living with us and coming from a family with lots of aunts and uncles there was always someone young around. Those of us that were young learned to respect the wisdom of the elders. We learned traditions and culture from them and we loved to hear stories of how life used to be. The older folks made life interesting for us.

The older folks, on the other hand, were always interested in what the young had to say and in what our ideas were. They wanted to know what made life work for our generation and they always had time to play games with us.

In this interaction between the young and the old, we learned naturally to be flexible, to have a sense of humor and to honor differences. I think that St. Benedict knew about this dynamic and was striving to instill it into his communties. I value this aspect of my life.

May God continue to make me sensitive to the needs of the older and to the insights of the young.

Sr. Catherine, OSB

We Are Pro-Life

Sr. Mary Louis spent a few years in our health center. She was unable to walk and at times her mind was a bit confused, but she always kept her wry sense of humor. On one occasion as were praying Morning Prayer it seems everything was going wrong. The organist played the wrong hymn, so we sang the wrong hymn, the choir intoned the wrong psalm, so we prayed the wrong psalm. Finally, Sr. Mary Louis could contain herself no longer, so she blurted out, “I think we should just close our books and go to breakfast, we don’t seem to know what we are doing here.” After the laughter died down, we did just that.

Sr. Mary Louis and other sisters in our health center are the reasons we are pro-life from the time of beginning of life at conception to the time of ending of life at death. Benedict ranked care of the sick above and before all else, so in our Benedictine monastery it is the same. Not only do the sick give us the opportunity to carry out Jesus’s words, “I was sick and you visited me,” and, “What you did for one of these least of my people you did for me,” but they also give us an opportunity to enjoy and rejoice in their wisdom.

Sr. Veronica, OSB

She May Bear Fruit

As any gardener will tell you, good soil is essential to a good garden. And the common garden tool every gardener needs is the common garden hoe. Hoeing the garden allows the nutrients of the fertilizer to be absorbed into the soil. Hoeing keeps the weeds under control and keeps the soil moist. Hoeing breaks up the hard crusts and allows the soil to breathe life-giving oxygen. The gardener knows that hoeing keeps the soil in good condition so that whatever is planted there will bear fruit.

Benedict recommends that we need to create this same kind of good soil in forming minds and hearts of the persons of every age and level of understanding in the community. It will take a lot of hoeing and using every tool we have. Loving and listening with the heart are tools that may work with some, while counseling and confrontation may be necessary with others. But the common tool in formation is always prayer. God’s life-giving grace can do what our tools cannot do.

These Lenten days are hoe days for turning over the soil of our soul garden, for reworking the soil of our vocation, for weeding out selfishness and greed so that generosity may bloom.