A Prayer of St BenedictO gracious and Holy Father,
give us wisdom to perceive you,
intelligence to seek you,
patience to wait for you,
vision to behold you,
a heart to meditate upon you,
and a life to proclaim you,
through the power of the Spirit
of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
It's the feast day of St. Benedict, who is widely known as the founder of Western Monasticism. Just last week I purchased a door plaque with a quote by Benedict, "All are to be welcomed as Christ".
I haven't hung it up yet because I'm just not sure I can really live up to the concept. I like the idea of welcoming everyone as Christ but can I actually do it? What if spending time with God actually means spending time with those who annoy the hell out of me? What if seeking God is directly connected to loving my neighbor as myself?
These are questions I wrestle with. If all are to be welcomed as Christ then I have to treat all as I would Christ. And that can only happen with God's help. Putting the plaque up will be a spiritual discipline and a step into the unknown. I'm not particularly a fan of the unknown. I'll let you know how it goes.
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5 comments:
That is a challenging motto! It would make me nervous to hang it too.
If you are at all familiar with Bennie's rules, you know he always leaves a way out if you are weak. In general, it's a do the best you can. Balance is paramount.
Put up the damm door plate, fer God's sake. I had a similiar quote from Frank on our door. It said in effect "All are welcome here." Which, of course has loopholes.
Hugs, gene
remember they may be angels,and you wont know it!
Right on! AND it means being nice to all Jehovah's Witnesses, itinerant Mormons, and the odd door-to-door salesman (do they still exist?). And here's another thought - does "welcomed as Christ" mean "welcomed as if they are Christ," "welcomed as Christ would welcome them," or maybe both? Well said, Benedictus, well said!
LOL... Oh, Roberta... I love your honesty!
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