Mar 4 - Utmost Care

May his Name remain for ever
and be established as long as the sun endures; *
May all the nations bless themselves in him and call him blessed.
Psalm 72:17

The abbot and prioress must ensure the utmost care and concern for the wayward
Benedict's Rule 27:1 (Chittister, Pg. 149)

The spiritual life is a process, not an event. It takes time and love and help and care. It takes our patient presence. Just like everything else.
Chittister, Pg. 151

Sr. Joan also reminds me "What we have in monasteries and parishes and all fine social movements and devoted rectories and most families are just people, simple people who never meet their own ideals..." You mean I am responsible here too? I can barely get my own act together and you expect me to be there for others that are struggling? Wow, this puts an interesting light on what I must do, what my role is, whether I am at work, at home, or in class... I need the Lord whose Name remains forever.

A Note To Readers:

This entry is part of a series that is developing as I read The Rule of Benedict, A Spirituality for the 21st Century, Joan Chittister, OSB, Crossroads, 2010. I am offering this both to those at St. George's Episcopal Church, Arlington VA, that may be reading this book and to anyone that is interested.

Unless stated otherwise quotes from St. Benedict's Rule are from the translation in this same book.Psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer, The Episcopal Church, 1979 unless otherwise noted.