Scripture Reading: 1 Sam. 19:11-17; 1 Cor. 3:1-10; Mt. 2:19-23
Reflections from a Monk
Christ is born!
St Paul, in today’s reading, is trying to help the Corinthians find a renewed peace, joy, and the mutual support of love for one another.
His description of love is not a wedding cake picture but the true and tested path of right living, not only in the eyes of the Lord, but according to the best of Greek and Hebrew wisdom. If only the wedding couples who use this reading for their ceremony realized the challenge and even ordeal this hymn of love portrays! We know love is not “luv”, or infatuations and being in love, or hoping to find the one true love of my life and living happily ever after. Not just smile and be nice and attractive. Not just put on your best face, which can be deceptive. The best is to realign with what is more deeply human as did Jesus.
This doesn’t work, of course, by either righteous stubbornness or winning conflicts. We are called to leave behind our habitual old selves and ways of thinking and reacting. Why can’t we see how fallible we are just like we so easily see everyone else is. Often this means saying I am sorry a lot and then trying to work things out in a less contentious way.
A doctor’s receptionist once said to me, “Aim for 100%, and be happy if you realize 80%.” Was I being too pessimistic to respond and say “Maybe I’ll be lucky with only 50%!”
The Corinthians’ original conversion has not been enough to carry them through. They are still attached to “my view” of the faith, and fighting for “our way,” and dividing my camp from your camp. Can they move out of their resentment, “I know better” thoughts, and the need for everyone to think and act the same? To discover again the unity of Jesus and the Spirit is like standing before –who, Mandela? — who does everyone respect these days? — maybe the throne of God? Or rather deep in our souls something like the heat and heart of the sun that burns all this stuff away, that warms us with its healing energy. The reading today does just that. Just hearing the words he uses can melt our unconscious resistances.
The instruction is this: Do not just remember what I teach you, but evolve with it and develop it — be thoughtful and inspired; not careless but orderly; not right or wrong but merciful and forgiving; not impatient but tolerant and gentle — with myself as well as with others; not having a bone to pick, confrontational, or controlling but letting go; not callous, guilty, competitive, critical, demanding, upset, and grim, but dropping it and looking ahead, consoling, concerned, calm, diplomatic, pleasant, light-hearted, and yes nice too: Not only in social situations but as a standard and goal of life.
The famous French chef Jacques Pepin was describing the wisdom he has gleaned from his life. He would give his young daughter a taste of his latest creation, and she would say, “This tastes good, Papa´;” or she would say, “This is not good, Papa´.” She had not a trace of sarcasm in her voice. Earlier when standing in her infant’s crib, and when he gave her a tiny piece of toast with caviar (or fish eggs to some!) she didn’t wrinkle her nose but ate it and said, “Encore, Papa´!” Another!
We often feel there is no way to get to this wonderful attitude and place. It is difficult to find love and hold onto it—and we often cannot ourselves love and act lovingly! So often, as T. S. Eliot wrote,
“We had the experience but missed the meaning.”
When we are hurt or feel guilty or somehow lose love and feel hopeless, as St. Paul might say, even the wonderful trumpets and trombones of the Canadian Brass may become tiresome.
Some of you might remember Barbara Streisand singing in the mid-1960’s: “Stop the world, I want to get off.” Generations earlier, the poet Rilke wrote:
“Oh, if only for once, all were completely still,
If all mere happening and chance
Were silenced, and the laughter nearby too;
If all that droning on of my senses
Did not prevent my being wide awake—”
The times we did experience faith, hope, and love — maybe these were life-changing events.
“Whatever it was like
How beautiful it was!” –Goethe
But these memories cannot be held in a picture frame or album. Paul is calling us once again to experience that delight and happiness of love but in a new and sustainable way.
In those days the mirrors manufactured by the Corinthians were only polished copper or brass: Just like trying to see our reflection with these or on a metal door handle, we cannot see things clearly now.
We have to be careful, because even to pursue love might be the wrong thing, “for our love might be love of the wrong thing,” as the poet wrote. And right now we still need faith and hope too: Faith to keep praying and trying and learning; hope for growing in the deeper love and peace Paul describes.
So today we can ask this question: Will our Christmas gifts to and from family and friends near and far, and all our presents from Santa, help the Holy Spirit to bear fruit in our lives this next year?
May the love of Joseph and Mary for each other and for the child Jesus the savior, embrace all of us too: He is no longer in the manger; he has risen and is in our midst!
Christ is born!
Have you ever wondered what it is like to live the life of a monastic? In these turbulent times, New Skete is offering a unique opportunity for individuals interested in the monastic life to spend a week with us living according to the rhythms of our contemplative life. Guests will have ample opportunity for solitude and prayer, join us in choir for services, spend a certain period of time each day in common work, share meals with us, and have several spiritual conferences throughout the week on the monastic vocation. The dates for this retreat experience are June 1-7, and no fee is expected. If you are interested, please contact the monastery at 518-677-3928 or the vocation director at br_christopher@hotmail.com.
