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Page 5
Archives
God is Love
“The eye wherein I see God is the same eye wherein God sees me”
---Meister Eckhart---
You know that we have the answer to all our
problems. It is closer to us than we think. And
it's truth is made manifest to us through the life
of Jesus Christ: /Deus Caritas Est /(God is Love).
Think of someone you really care for, in whose
happiness you rejoice and in whose suffering
you share tears with. Think of that person that
you 'always think about, that you have no
hesitation to talk about, to be with, and to
put in first place. It may be your child, your
lover, your mother or father, or God. Now
multiply this love for others to infinity...
Monasteries are about educating the heart and
expanding its capacity for love. This is not only
true for the monastic's, it is also true for all
those who frequent the cloister and share in its
wisdom of prayer and work. Think what this
world would be like if all of us could share in
the wisdom of the cloister and experience that
love that becomes compassion for all. The
monastery is called a school of love. Therefore,
it should be a place of privilege for teaching
and learning both how to love and how
to receive love. Nothing is more important in
our world today than to learn this art of
heartfelt, unlimited compassion. All you have to
do is listen to the news, read newspapers and
converse with others to notice that there is a
global need for love. This is what monastic life
is about. This is what monasteries are for. And
never were they so important for the world, as
they are today. We have been called because we
have been called to respond to the hearts need,
to every heart's need.
Entering into a cloister is like entering into the
mystery of life itself. There, we discover the
great spiritual work of birthing Christ in one's
heart and also the desire to share this
experience. You will encounter monastics
who are humorous and playful, intelligent, and
humble. But what is even more important,
because it is a gift of love, they are unapologetic.
Hopefully, the school of love is lifting them above
the sins and temptations of power. I personally
dream of the moment when the appeal of
our monastery will not lie in the individuals,
but in the message and in its uncompromising
truth: unbiased and unconditional love.
Monastics looking at the world with eyes full of
vision, see humanity as brothers and sisters,
without distinctions of race, class, nationality
or gender. They uphold an undiluted message
of love that allows for the "differences" to
become a source of learning and joy. Monastics
know in their hearts that the truth they are
trying to embody is the world's best hope.
St. Benedict in his Holy Rule, has one single
goal for his monastics: expanding the heart in
Christ. It is the true desire of all those who live
the wisdom of the cloister, to take that love and
extend and expand it. This is truly the world's
best hope, only love is believable.
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