Thursday, May 29, 2008

RB Reflection: 29 May 2008

Chapter 7: 19-23

Truly, we are forbidden to do out own will, for Scripture tells us: Turn away from your desiers (Sir 18:30). And in the Prayer too we ask God that his will be done in us (Matt 6:10). We are rightly taught not to do our own will, since we dread what Scripture says: There are ways which men call right that in the end plunge into the depths of hell (Prov 16:25). Moreover, we fear what is said of those who ignore this: They are corrupt and have become depraved in their desires (Ps. 13[14]:1). As for the desires of the body, we must believe that God is always with us, for All my desires are known to you (Ps 37[38]:10), as the Prophet tells the Lord.

"We are rightly taught not to do our own will." What a valuable lesson this is in today's world where doing one's own will is precisely what we do, and teach others to do. In a world of throw away marriages, and genocides (oh, you object to the comparison?) and of the essential snobbery that is so easy for religious people to show to those they perceive as less religious than themselves, Benedict gives us that caution.

"We are rightly taught not to do our own will." So much time, and energy, and blood, has been wasted on our demanding that "our church is the only church," or going after gays, abortion, conservatives, or liberals; Latin Mass, or Vernacular Mass, that we have trampled down the body of Christ until it is almost completely flat. We have to have it our way.

"We are rightly taught not to do our own will." Very soon the Lay Encounter will occur in Spain. As Lay Cistercians we are challenged not to do our own will, but to embody the values and spirituality of the Cistercian Charism to the world. That cannot be done if we are doing our own will. It is a fact that every Lay Cistercian has their own view of what is the best way for things to proceed in Spain, in the Church, and in the world. But! "We are rightly taught not to do our own will."

In the coming days, let us pray night and day for the Lay Encounter.

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