COMMENT:
Fr. Hugh recalls
of the Nigeria Foundation, talking to Br. Benedict and Br. Anthony to make
Solemn Profession, some years ago. In his community TALK, he quoted from the Notes below.
TheJesse Tree ISAAC
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| day_6 Isaac was the only son of Abraham. Christ was the only begotten son of God |
December 5
Symbols: Bundle of
Wood, Ram
And Isaac was a great type, or symbol of Christ. Both carried up a
mount the wood on which they were to be sacrificed. Isaac was the only son of
Abraham, Christ was the only begotten son of God.
The altar with
the slain lamb is a prefigurement of the Sacrifice of Christ on the Cross and
the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
Recommended
Readings: Genesis 22:1-2, 6-13, 15-19
http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/seasons/advent/jesse_tree_day6.cfm
Community
Talk, Thurday 4th 2014.
Fr.
Hugh
Obedience
is not a very popular word with young people today distasteful.
Novicemaster
replies: ‘Would you prefer anarchy?
Answer:
‘0h no but what we cannot stand is a totalitarian use of authority’.
Authority
in the Church is not like that. All have to obey.
The
vow of obedience is part of a much bigger spectrum and first to consider obedience
in its full scope.
‘Obedience
as described by St. Benedict goes a long way beyond the narrow framework of an
order given by the Superior. It implies all the effort which a monk makes to put
his intimate feelings in harmony with God.
(‘The
Rule of St. Benedict and the Ascetic Traditions from Asia to the West’
by Mayeul de Dreulle O.S.B. Page 9)
The
way to perfection for St. Benedict is to harmonise the human heart with God. St.
Benedict calls it obedience but he gives a very rich meaning to that word and wants
it to mean,above all, obedience to God.’ (Page 12 as above)
"In
the first place obedience presupposes listening.
In
the Prologue we are told to listen first and then we are told to do something Listening
is mentioned seven times in the Prologue
God
speaks to us and shows us his will in different ways. Through the words of Holy
Scripture, through the orders of Superiors, through the legitimate needs of
others, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in our hearts.
Through
the words of Holy Scripture.
This
is very much a characteristic of the Prologue. St. Antony of Egypt recognised the
voice of God when he heard the Gospel message: ‘Sell all you have and give to the
poor.’ ‘A quiet, slow reading of the Bible will develop a facility for recognising
the message. It is good to assimilate something of
the
mentality of those who were very close to God.
Seeing
the will of God in the legitimate needs of others.
Obedience
to each other. This takes the form of personal service. Someone asks you for
something at tne wrong time when you are wanting to have a bit of peace. You are
asked to give pastoral service in the Guest House or in the confessional.
It
is Christ you are meeting in your brother or sister. 'In as much as you did it
to the least of these my brethren you did it to me.'
WaIter
Hilton, an English Spiritual writer belonging to the Middle Ages wrote a book
for hermitesses. In it he says:
'If
you are at prayer and someone knocks at your door do not hesitate to go and see
what they want. You will not leave the presence of God but find him in another way.
The
service of others brings happiness.
President
Kennedy said: "Do not ask what America can do for you but what you can do for
America.” The person who puts most into community life will get most out of it.
The joy of living is the joy of giving. If we try to find happiness for ourselves
we shall never find it but if we try to make someone else happy we will find a happiness
of which we have never dreamt.
Obedience
to the Holy Spirit.
Obedience
at the end of Chapter 7 speaks of the good habit and delight in virtue which
God will produce in his workman William of St. Thierry in his Golden Epistle writes
beautifully of the Holy Spirit: 'He forms the affection, gives virtue, helps the
implementation,
doing
all things mightily and disposing all things sweetly. And though men may teach how
to seek God and angels how to adore, it is He alone who teaches us to find, to possess,
to enjoy. '(Ch.16. para 15)
(Obedience to
Superiors
next time)
EVANGELII GAUDIUM
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| Gospel Joy |
. . .
41. At the same time, today's vast and rapid cultural changes demand that we constantly seek ways of expressing unchanging truths in a language which brings out their abiding newness.
"The deposit of the faith is one thing ... the way it is expressed is another"." There are times when the faithful, in listening to completely orthodox language, take away something alien to the authentic Gospel of Jesus Christ, because that language is alien to their own way of speaking to and understanding one another. With the holy intent of communicating the truth about God and humanity, we sometimes give them a false god or a human ideal which is not really Christian. In this way, we hold fast to a formulation while failing to convey its substance. This is the greatest danger. Let us never forget that "the expression of truth can take different forms. The renewal of the e forms of expression becomes necessary for the sake of transmitting to the people of today the Gospel message in its unchanging meaning"."
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