Butterfly Drinking Flower Nectar May 2005

Spider's Web May 2005

Trinity Sunday May 22, 2005

The Rule of St Benedict
Chapter 4: What Are the Instruments of Good Works
To fulfil God's commandments daily in one's deeds.
To love chastity.
To hate no one.
Not to be jealous, not to harbor envy.
Not to love contention.
To beware of haughtiness.
And to respect the seniors.
To love the juniors.
To pray for one's enemies in the love of Christ.

Ex 34:4b-6, 8-9 Early in the morning Moses went up Mount Sinaias the LORD had commanded him,taking along the two stone tablets.Having come down in a cloud, the LORD stood with Moses thereand proclaimed his name, "LORD."Thus the LORD passed before him and cried out,"The LORD, the LORD, a merciful and gracious God,slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity."Moses at once bowed down to the ground in worship.Then he said, "If I find favor with you, O LORD,do come along in our company.This is indeed a stiff-necked people;yet pardon our wickedness and sins,and receive us as your own."

Chapter 4 The Rule of St Benedict continued
To make peace with one's adversary before the sun sets.
And never to despair of God's mercy.
These, then, are the tools of the spiritual craft.
If we employ them unceasingly day and night,
and return them on the Day of Judgment,
our compensation from the Lord
will be that wage He has promised:
"Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
what God has prepared for those who love Him" (1 Cor. 2:9).

Now the workshop
in which we shall diligently execute all these tasks
is the enclosure of the monastery
and stability in the community.

Jn 3:16-18 God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,because he has not believed in the name
of the only Son of God.

"This is indeed a stiff necked people." Moses acknowledged the obvious flaws of our ways as a people. I know that myself there are times, that I should do one thing but then out of some self will impulse, I do another thing and not what I understand that I should do. The temptations of impulse and self will and doing it "my way" are always crop up and are easy to fall into. I need to remember to show mercy and compassion when I experience a situation of being "wronged" by a person or group. Somehow it has helped me to detatch from the injury and be loving to actually say out loud "these are a stiff necked people." It brings a smile to me, then I can move on in love toward the way of Christ and God's will in the situation and out of my self will in reaction.

God is a loving God not condemning but one of love and salvation.The Bible is a history of salvation of the people. The monastery is a perfect workshop to daily turn to the love of God and live the teachings of Jesus, the Word made flesh. My heart is still filled with the Holy Spirit which is a fire that gives the energy to live in love daily and turn from hate, stubborness, falsehood and evil.

My full name is Sister Joan Irene Morris, OSB of the Holy Trinity. Today I pray that the spirit of love and life remains in me for all my days. That God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit who has love and compassion for all lead me in all that I do.