Stability

 Homily Notes

July 11, 2021

Fr. Terry Ryan, CSP

Feast of St. Benedict

Proverbs, 2:1-9, Colossians 3:12-17, Mt. 19: 27-29

Today is the Feast of St. Benedict, founder of the Benedictine Rule by which the Cistercians live here at St. Benedict’s Monastery.  Benedict’s Rule and way of life taught me something after yesterday’s debacle and seemingly total failure.  My zoom director/technician and I thought up the idea of teaching outdoors in person to the local residents of our area and zoom it as well.  We had lots of homemade treats and drinks.  I expected at least forty people would show up on our beautiful front lawn, Aspen and flowers in full bloom.  I got all dressed up in my teaching best.  Only two people showed up.  I gave the talk anyway, thinking that it would be available as a recording, as well as those watching on zoom, as I spoke.  I did not know until after the talk that the technology  failed to connect.  So there was no zoom talk and no recording, as of this moment.  

I thought afterwards that I have no friends, but the two who showed up.  I received no contributions which means Debtor’s Prison down the road.  I was a failure, with a growing resentment list of all who no-showed.  Pack my bags and move on.  But then I realized that we would have all these delicious treats for the Feast of St. Benedict.  And since no one heard the talk, but the two who showed up, I could use this talk at some point down he road.  

I was still feeling a lot of self-pity when I went out that evening before going to bed.  I saw our yellow rose bush.  It had past its peak, but there were a few beautiful flowers budding.  Then it hit me.  Stability.  Benedict talks about stability, staying in one place and making it your home.  The rose bush, most of the year is just a bush, ignored by most people, unnoticed and unspectacular.  It only blossoms flowers for a short period this time of year up here.  But all that time that the bush does not have flowers, it is ignored, and unspectacular, yet it is working on its underground root strength and nourishment.  The rose bush does not move.  It does not try to be something it is not, such as a tall pine tree.  It has stability.  A monk has routines, not ruts.  A rut closes one off from change and growth.  Routines allow us to live without a lot of drama.  This outward stability is to develop what Benedict calls, “Stability of the Heart.”  The Heart is the symbol of in depth prayer and connection with God, so that we continue on day by day, whether our plans work out or not.  We work on our interior spiritual roots, so we can allow grace to make us shine and blossom in due time, but not try and become a 24/7 center of attention.  

All of us have ups and downs.  Spouses die, relatives get sick and die, there is divorce, machinery breaks down, plans go haywire, but with a stability of heart we can let go a bit and let God work on our roots so that when our time comes to shine, we will shine.  Patience, acceptance and no resentment list.