As monks we have given ourselves over to a life of patient
love, promising to surrender over and over again to God's Mercy, promising to go the distance with one another in ordinariness and simplicity. But how shall we tolerate- literally bear patiently, lovingly- the
ordinariness of God in Christ, the ordinariness of one another? How shall we
remember to love patiently and kindly and give as Christ Jesus did? How can we
manage the unremitting patience and loving-kindness of Christ's mercy?
The truth is we cannot manage such love; we can only try to accept it as simple
mercy and try to go and do likewise.
Love is patient. Today this simple Word is fulfilled in our
hearing, even in our touching and in our tasting. For once again this morning as at every Eucharist,
Love does what Love loves to do- gives Himself away to us, patient, kind,
small, even forgettable- in a tiny morsel of Bread, a sip of Wine. As we come to receive this Holy Communion on this great feast of His Body and Blood, Jesus beckons
us, “Open to me my Beloved. Open your mouth and I will fill it. Please let me
be all for you. Please don’t give up on me.”
Photograph by Brother Brian.
