Yearning for Everlasting Life

Yearn for everlasting life with holy desire. RB80.4.46

I LOVE life. I thoroughly enjoy the experience of awakening every morning to all the new opportunities available. To me, every new day is filled with a myriad of new experiences, adventures and ways to discover God in our world.

That being said...I need to examine whether I truly yearn for everlasting life with holy desire. Is it the fullness of life that I love or is it a life which is basically more of the life I live now? I would like to say that I seek the fullness of life...afterall, who would settle for anything less?

But what does this life look like? What is this fullness to which we are called through our baptism?

We are taught that the essential vocation of all baptized Christians is a life of holiness, modeled after Jesus. We are called to be "saints-in-progress." We are called to a life of love of God and others. We are invited to serve others within our respective communities and to be witnesses to the life,death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

If I am truly seeking to life the fullness of life daily, I need to ask myself: What face of Christ am I showing today to those I encounter?

Sr. Catherine, OSB

Lent Throughout the Year

Chapter 49 of the Rule of Benedict invites me to live daily life with Lent in mind. For someone who has never found anything terribly positive about the season of Lent, this can be a real downer. I am sure that Benedict is not expecting life to be a somber drudgery...so what could he possibly be trying to say?

The great feast that signifies the end of the lenten season is Easter--the feast not only when we get to celebrate by stuffing ourselves with chocolates, desserts and all that we deprived ourselves of for 40 days but the day that celebrates God's victory over death and the outpouring of God's love for us. It is that love which needs to be the driving force behind my daily life. I need to strive to live out the reality of God's love and to share that with everyone I meet daily.

Sr. Catherine, OSB

Keeping Guard Over Self

While he guards himself at every moment from sins and vices of thought or tongue, of hand or foot, of self-will or bodily desire, let him recall that he is always seen by God in heaven, that his actions everywhere are in God’s sight and are reported by angels at every hour. (RB80.7.12-13)

Growing up, it seemed that every time I did something wrong or thought of doing something that was wrong (but seemed exciting or fun) there would be someone watching to report me to the teacher, the principal, my parents, the hall monitor... At the time, it seemed that I was destined for a life of boredom.

As I grew older and have reflected on some of my former ideas for fun, I have realized that while it might have been fun for a minute, I could have been putting my life at risk. From this perspective, although I never got to climb our neighbors cool, 7 foot fence that had doberman pincers on the other side, and I never got to cross the 6 lane busy street by myself at 5 yrs old...I did get to mature and understand that those might not have been my wisest options. And ultimately, there were people watching over me and protecting me because they love me.

God is like that. Although I have free will, I also have a very clear awareness that God is always watching me--not to punish and make life boring but to protect and show love. To me that is comforting. I like that image of God.

May I always remember that God is watching.

Sr. Catherine, 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

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.

God The Loving Parent

I have always had some hesitancy in relating to God in terms of father or parent. Part of this difficulty, I am sure, is due to the fact that in my own life I have had various issues relating to my own father, father figures and parents in general.

There is one experience I have though that has helped me to make real the image of God as parent and the love and concern that God has for me. About I year ago, I was traveling through the town where my paternal grandparents lived. I took a chance and called my grandparents before my trip and asked if I could come by for a short visit. My grandparents and I were not really close but we did speak on the phone on occasion. My visit with them was arranged. My grandfather (96) had just been released from the hospital the day before. As I visited with my grandparents that day, I felt the love and care that they had had for me throughout my life though at a distance. I was surprised to find out that they had scrapbooks with clippings of my accomplishments through school and into adulthood. My grandfather who was visibly very weak seemed to light up when I was there and hang on to every word during our visit. When it was time to leave I had two things with me: a photo of my grandfather responding to a story I was telling him and, more importantly, the knowledge that I was really loved and accepted in a different way than ever before. My grandfather died a few weeks later.

That visit with my grandfather, though, gave me new insight into the love which God has for each one of us. No matter how many turns or how distant we may be from God at times--God is very deeply in love with us. God is watching over us and waiting for us to return to that love and to respond in love.

Sr. Catherine

Ever Present God

God is everywhere. God sees everything. God knows everything. These are all truths about God that I learned as a child. Pretty basic, right? If so, then why do these same statements turn my life upsidedown sometimes?

While I usually find comfort in God's "allness" there are times when I seek to hide from God. Usually when I am scared, embarrassed or ashamed, I tend to forget easily that God loves me, especially when I don't find myself particularly loveable.

That is when I need to embrace those simple statements and believe in God's love. God loved me first. My response should be love.

Sr. Catherine, OSB

The Elders and The Young

At our family celebrations the old folks—Grandma, Grandpa, the great aunts and uncles—and the young folks, not yet teenagers, got the most attention.

The old folks got special places at the table and special food if required, and the young folks always got to eat early or have a snack before dinner. Isn’t it amazing that St. Benedict seems to favor the elderly and the young with special treatment, too.

At other times in the Rule when Benedict speaks of calling the community together for discussing issues, he asks the monks to listen to everyone in the community even the youngest. The elder monks may have wisdom and knowledge of how life was BACK THEN, but the younger monks have the wisdom and knowledge of how life is NOW.

Sr. Veronica, OSB

On Service

At Senator Ted Kennedy’s memorial service his nephew told this story about him. He said that when Kennedy was running for the Senate the first time, his opponent criticized him for having never worked a day in his life. A steel worker stopped Kennedy during his campaign and said, “I hear you have never worked a day in your life.” And Kennedy told him no, he had never really had a job and worked like most people. The steel worker replied, “I’ve worked all my life and I want you to know that you haven’t missed a thing.”

St. Benedict would never agree with the steel worker. Serving one another is the work Benedict calls us to do. This serving one another fosters love and builds up the community. If we don’t work at serving one another, we have missed the whole purpose of our Benedictine life.

Sr. Veronica, OSB

God's Return on Investment

Chapter 33 of the rule reminds me of Mark’s gospel story about the poor widow and her contribution of two coins; “she contributed her whole livelihood.” In a sense she was left with no money, with nothing to provide for her own well-being. And yet, at the same time she was left with everything, with a faith in God to sustain her, a hope in God to encourage her and a love of God to nourish her. She contributed her whole livelihood, but God returned it to her in a more precious kind of livelihood.

When people ask us how we can live without owning something, without having something to call our own, our response is the poor widow’s response. We may have contributed a livelihood with possessions , and yet , we have a more precious livelihood without possessions. We are cherished by God and community and have time to share our faith, our hope and love with others.

Sr. Veronica, OSB

The Lord's Prayer

Assuredly, the celebration of Lauds and Vespers must never pass by without the superior's reciting the entire Lord's Prayer at the end for all to hear, because thorns of contention are likely to spring up. (RB 13. 12)

In our community, the Lord's Prayer is recited at least 3 times daily in our common prayer. Benedict requires recitation of this prayer at least twice daily. Since we live in community and at times bitterness and resentments can arise, Benedict recommends that we also put forgiveness into practice daily.

The phrase "forgive us as we forgive" is meant to remind us that we should give others the same forgiveness and benefit of the doubt that we desire for ourselves. It is sometimes difficult for me to forgive those who have slighted me in some way. When I consider how much I have been forgiven any injury to me suddenly pales.

May God continue to be more gracious to me than I might tend to be to others.

Sr. Catherine, OSB

Following the Rules

…a monk does only what is endorsed… (RB 7.55)

There is no room in monasteries, friendships, families, work places for the perpetually special. No one can be the leader all the time, the star at everything, the exception to every rule.

This section of Chapter 7 reminds us that there is holiness and virtue in doing only what is prescribed and expected. This concept is counter to what society tries to instill in us in encouraging everyone to be the best, be the first, be the most outstanding.

Maybe God’s invitation is to be the best in following the example set before us. Maybe we are invited to be the best in respect, reverence, love and service.

May we all find ourselves winning in this race.

Sr. Catherine, OSB

A New Kind of #1

...a monk is content with the lowest and most menial treatment,… (RB 7.49).

Humility is starting to lose its appeal. Not only am I being asked to be honest about whom I really am, now Benedict invites me to be happy with the worst and with being the last! What kind of program would ask that of me?

This section causes major problems for me since I’ve always thought that it is healthy and natural to be competitive, to want to be #1. Here I am invited to be #1 in different way—to be #1 in love, patience, gentleness, trust, listening and serving…a new kind of #1. In this kind of quiet competition, I can strive to be #1 in imitating Jesus and the saints. Those aren’t bad role models to have.

Sr. Catherine, OSB

Love of God/Love of Neighbor

First of all, love the Lord God with your whole heart, your whole soul and all your strength, and love your neighbor as yourself (Matt 22.37-39; Mark 12: 30-31; Luke 10.27). (RB 4.1-2)

Love of God and love of neighbor…the two essential elements to begin our study of the tools of good works. Without love, I cannot move towards the other tools. It is love that moves me forward and love that provides the energy boost I need when everything seems overwhelming, impossible or too much effort.

This love requires all of me—my heart, my soul, my will, my strength. No room for half-hearted efforts here. I am motivated to love God and others by the love that first brought me into being. It is God’s generous and gracious love that draws me forth to love others.

Sr. Catherine, OSB