“Knowest thou not that the patience of God leadeth thee to penance?” For the good Lord saith: “I will not the death of the sinner, but that he be converted and live.”
GOD WANTS US TO BE SAVED, ST. BENEDICT REMINDS US AT THE PREAMBLE OF HIS RULE, IF ONLY TO JOIN US TO HIM. BUT DESPITE HIS OMNIPOTENCE, IT IS NOT SOMETHING HE FORCES.
SO WHY THE DISTANCE, THE HIDDENESS, THE APPARENT COYNESS OF THE MOST HIGH?
FOR ONE, YOU CAN'T FORCE LOVE. SECONDLY, TO TRULY LOVE GOD MORE IS INVOLVED THAN MANY REALIZE. THAT WAS DEMONSTRATED IN EDEN, AT MT. MORIAH, AT MERIBAH, AND FINALLY AT CALVARY. TO LOVE GOD TRULY IS TO OFFER HIM ALL. BENEDICT'S FATHERLY REALISM IS THAT THIS OFFERING IS NOT GIVEN *BY US* LIGHTLY.
GOD’S PATIENCE WITH US IS AN INEXHAUSTIBLE EXTENSION OF THIS TRUE LOVE THAT ALLOWS OUR LOVE TO BE REAL IN THE FIRST PLACE, EVEN OUR LIMITED CREATURLY LOVE, AND THIS IS PERHAPS ONE OF THE GREATEST GIFTS GOD HAS BESTOWED UPON THE RATIONAL SOUL OF MAN. WE ARE ALLOWED TO KNOW AND CHOOSE WHAT WE LOVE.
"NOT ONLY DO I GIVE YOU THE GIFT OF LIFE, BUT I GIVE YOU LOVE AND THUS THE COMPASS OF YOUR UNIQUE SENSE OF FREEDOM; AND NOT ONLY THAT GOOD BUT ALSO TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOOD, AND THUS TO WILL THROUGHOUT ALL ETERNITY WHAT YOU LOVE."
THIS IS THE GIFT OF GRACE AS EVIDENCED THROUGH HIS DIVINE SON ASSUMING OUR NATURE. THROUGH CHRIST'S SACRED HUMANITY IN TURN WE ARE JOINED TO HIM AND SHOWED HOW TO LOVE. AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING LEARNED WHICH IS WHY BENEDICT OPTS AS WE SEE IN THE DAY THAT FOLLOWS TO CALL HIS MONASTERY A KIND OF "SCHOOL".
Add comment
Comments