Looking at life in the light of Jesus’ endurance, we see light. He, for the joy set before Him, endured the cross and despised its shame. Can we not, for the joy set before us, endure every offense and humiliation?  Darrell Evans’ wonderful song admonishes us to trade our sorrows, our pain, our sickness, our shame, laying them down, for the joy of the Lord.

Jesus’ first joy was, surely, obedience to His beloved Father. He was purchasing for Himself a Bride, and with joy He will one day present her at His Father’s throne.   Shall we not rejoice every day to be the ones the Father chose for the Son, and the ones the Son will bring in Bridal Splendor to the Father?  We are returning to the featured topic of this blogsite … the joys and fulfillment and the personal challenge of a monastic life.

To live obediently, humbly, joyfully, forgiving offenses, showing mercy, and prizing the Nearness of God … this is the monastic ecstasy, and it is the life’s work of every true monastic soul.   This life is, for us, never a life closed off from family and friends, never lived in strict enclosure or perfect silence, but taking advantage of all we can learn about the inner life where we must all abide, alone with God.

When did our own daily failures or the daily offenses of those who have themselves failed to receive or display the love of God become the lodestar of our happiness?   When did . . . anything . . . become more precious to us than our First Love?       Senanque Cloister, dormitory by permission, Wikipedia   Ioan Sameli