Prologue, part 3 - January 3

And the Lord, seeking his laborer in the multitude to whom He thus cries out, says again, "Who is the one who will have life, and desires to see good days" (Ps. 33[34]:13)? 

And if, hearing Him, you answer, "I am the one," God says to you, "If you will have true and everlasting life, keep your tongue from evil and your lips that they speak no guile. Turn away from evil and do good; seek after peace and pursue it" (Ps. 33[34]:14-15).

And when you have done these things, My eyes shall be upon you and My ears open to your prayers; and before you call upon Me, I will say to you, 'Behold, here I am'" (Ps. 33[34]:16; Is. 65:24; 58:9).

What can be sweeter to us, dear ones, than this voice of the Lord inviting us? Behold, in His loving kindness the Lord shows us the way of life.

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As Benedictines, we are called but it is call we seek because we sense something lacking or desire to uncover something more than the life construct we previously lived within. We don't run ads in bulletins or post invitations on social media to prospect for those who might be interested in the Benedictines. When we here the cry of the Lord asking who seeks him, it is because we are already listening for the invitation usually without knowing what it is we seek. We are looking for life and a desire to see good days, not in the next world or next week or next week but now. Today. At this very moment. We respond him that we are the ones he calls out to and he next responds with a promise to be present for us and what a presence it is we are given, one that leads to true and everlasting life.

Our commission is simple. Speak without deceit or unholy intent and to turn away from evil and do good, and seek peace but as is said to the point of being tiresome, simple does not mean easy. Note we invited to journey toward a destination and not to consider ourselves with to have completed a journey without the need of further investment of effort. We can speak without negative intention but we only have to turn away from evil and do good, not be good. To see it any other will result in disaster.

To seek peace is possible, to be at peace with any sense of permanency is not. We, can however, find peace by turning toward holiness in sufficient measure to sustain us. There is nothing sweeter.