The ancients say that once upon a time a disciple asked the elder, "Holy One, is there anything I can do to make myself Enlightened?"
And the Holy One answered, "As little as you can do to make the sun rise in the morning."
"Then of what use", the surprised discipole asked "are the spiritual exercises you prescribe."
To make sure, the elder said, that you are not asleep when the sun begins to rise".
..............
"We are each an ember of the mind of God and we are each sent to illumine the other through the dark
places of life to sanctuaries of truth and peace where God can be God for us, because we have relieved
ourselves of the ordeal of being god for ourselves."
..................
Two short extracts from Joan Chittister, The Rule of St Benedict. Insights for the Ages. (Slough: St Paul's, 1992) 32, 73.
Comments