After Compline, the last prayer service (or Divine Office) of the day, I go and set up the books for Vigils, which is our first Office early in the morning. As I set up the books, I see the locals that come here just about every day. They come up for the asperges, which is a blessing with holy water that is sprinkled over them. It is a reminder of our baptism and our commitment to serve Christ Jesus all the days of our lives. When done with conscious intent it is about renouncing sin and Satan.
I know some of those who come every night, others only by sight. Some nod to me and smile as they walk by me sitting up the choir books. They are all sorts of people. Most are Catholic, others from other denominations, but who love to come here and pray. Others come because they find some peace here but with no particular faith tradition or path….though deeply committed to seeking. The longer I am here the more I love those who come out. It is true I do have my days when I am tired and I may have to work a little harder to be present to them, but that is just the up and downs of the inner life of any human being. I seek to see Christ in all of them, or Christ Jesus one with them, in-fleshed/incarnated in some way and if I have the eyes to see and the heart to perceive this it gives me great joy. I don’t always succeed. Grace does that; it can open up our hearts and minds to see the world in a different hue, one that is healing for the one perceiving as well for those who are seen. When our hearts and minds grow in the ability to love those outside our ‘camp’, I believe that this is the work of grace.
We humans love to make up groups, those others, the outsiders, the fringe people etc. Of course I would suppose we all belong to one of the above groups for those who are other than us. God sees each human being in their essence, which is God’s divine image. If what Jesus said is true, that whatever we do to the least in our own eyes, it is done to Him, when understood properly, I would think it would turn just about everything upside-down. So where do we find Chris Jesus? In those who are like minded? Well yes I guess we do. However we meet Jesus in those we would rather avoid on a more profound level, because it is then that we begin to see more deeply….this is grace at work, not our own doing. I wonder what our culture would be like today if that was actually lived out. I think it would be somewhat different than it is today.
One of the great scandals in the world is the hatred that Christians have for one another. The put downs, the condemnation that flow from many encounters are rather shocking to those who do not belong to our faith. Sometimes the least amongst us is the Christian from a different tradition. As long as this continues our ability to be the salt of the earth is diminished because we Christians wound the Body of Christ by our lack of love for one another.
Br. Mark Dohle, OCSO
Holy Spirit Monastery
