Living the call to Benedictine Community can be great and grand like the Chapter Meetings and voting for new members, but it is more often built up during the mundane and everyday events in our lives.
which separates from God and leads to hell,
so there is a good zeal
which separates from vices and leads to God
and to life everlasting.
This zeal, therefore, the sisters should practice
with the most fervent love.
Thus they should anticipate one another in honor;
most patiently endure one another's infirmities,
whether of body or of character;
vie in paying obedience one to another --
no one following what she considers useful for herself,
but rather what benefits another -- ;
tender the charity of sisterhood chastely..."
~Rule of Benedict, Chapter 72
This admonition by Benedict plays out in the dailiness of our lives... Yesterday, Sister Roommate and I had a guest from the Monastery in the Apartment Convent! Sister Traveler was passing through the city on her way to visit a dear friend in Florida. However, passing through means a little extra work and deviation from our own needs. I brought a little less work home from school and Sister Roommate stayed up a bit later so we could visit with our Sister Traveler. We tried to anticipate what needs she might encounter in her short stay with us. Most imporantly, we made sure she was safely delivered to the airport in time for her TSA check in : ) This meant that since I knew the way to the airport and even though I have been a night person since birth, I was up at 4:30 AM to warm up the car and help Sister carry her bag.
This is like the many little things we all do for family and friends, but Benedict calls us to do them out of good zeal for each other and for God. This good zeal or love should color all we try to do for each other. So this morning, out of this call to love, I smiled brightly and listened as Sister Traveler shared about her upcoming fun in the sun, and I sent her off with a warm hug in the cold pre-dawn air and a promise of our prayers for her safe travel.
Blessings,
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