A reflection by our Abbess, Mother Maria-Michael Newe, OSB
This Lent, as we draw closer to the Lord, I pray we’ll know His heart more and more. That we’ll know what He so loves. We read about the desire of Jesus’ heart in John 17:20-26: “I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one as You Father are in me and I in You. That they also may be in us, that the world may believe that You sent me. And I have given them the glory You gave me so that they may be one as we are Father. I in them and You in me. That they may be brought to perfection as one. That the world may know that You sent me and that You love them even as You love me.”
That was the final prayer of Christ before His passion. That they may be one, and that they may know the love of God in Christ Jesus. And so too in our house, what is the greatest gift we give to God? Our unity. Our unity in love. Our unity in life. And our love for one another. Charity has the highest place. Without charity, you can give all the burnt offerings you want, but it will equal nothing.
It is not for us to scourge one another. It’s for us to love one another. Not to wound. Who does not have wounds here? Who has not had to ask for healing? Who has not had to live through them and learn how to really love, not only others, but ourselves? I don’t think there is one who hasn’t.
From Chapter 31 of the Holy Rule of St. Benedict we read the description of the cellerar (the monk who is assigned to distribute the goods of the monastery), “Above all things, let him have humility. And if goods are not available to satisfy the demands of a brother, let him give at least a kind answer. For it is written, a good word is above the best gift.” Why is it that words stick in our heads? Those things that people have said that just hurt. That have truly wounded. When they say the tongue is a sword, it’s true. But so, too, a healing word is sweet.
Sometimes words are like the scourging. Well, be at the scourging, and join Christ. Be willing to suffer. That’s what makes us live at a different level — A willingness to suffer. A willingness to do things for Christ, that we may be one. Sometimes the hardest suffering is not to run and tell somebody what happened. Not to run and say, “Could you please have compassion on me? This was so bad.” That’s a real suffering. But those moments are those little golden nuggets we should just keep in our pockets, and we can give them to Christ.
In the Prologue of the Rule it says: “If you desire true and everlasting life, keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from words of deceit. Forsake evil and do good. Seek after peace and pursue it, and when you shall have done these things, my eyes shall be upon you and my ears shall be open to your prayers, and before you shall call upon me I will say, “Lo, here I am” (Holy Rule of St. Benedict, Prologue vs. 17-18).
May you all have a very blessed Lent, and may you come to know the heart of Christ more intimately, as He draws us all into Himself.