To Live for Christ

Brothers, tomorrow something wonderful, daring and brave will happen here in this Chapel, as our brother Jim makes his profession of life vows as a member of our community. As should be the case it will be an occasion of great joy, as Jim, surrounded by us his brothers, and friends from near and far, promises to abide in our midst under the vows of poverty, celibacy and obedience for the rest of his life. There will be cause for much rejoicing. But it will also be an occasion of awe and wonder. We say in our Rule of Life that the life profession of a brother inspires us with awe as well as joy; we wonder at the risk of such an irrevocable choice… Only by depending on God for the grace of perseverance, fixing ourselves by faith in God’s unwavering commitment to us, can we risk taking vows which bind us forever. A life profession will be a special opportunity to renew our confidence that grace will not fail us. “If what you have heard from the beginning abides in you, then you will abide in the Son and in the Father.”[1]

In many ways, what will happen tomorrow is also an act of great daring. Who knows what life will bring, and to make such a vow as we have, is to make an act of faith and hope as we trust our soul to the love of God.[2] Yet as Father Benson teaches, the God to whom we entrust our lives will in turn give in return for a vow is a promise made to Almighty God, and as such it is a compact with Him. We cannot promise anything to God without receiving a corresponding promise from God. Whatever we give to God, God always gives us something in return.[3] That something is God’s very self.

Yet for some, such a vow is sheer folly and foolishness. For them, to freely bind oneself by vow to a life of poverty, celibacy and obedience in community is nothing short of lunacy, because it is an act of complete self-denial. To deny oneself so completely is the act of the fool. Yet for those of us who have made these vows we have come to know in them, not denial but life. In binding ourselves to God we have done what Moses commanded the people of Israel: I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him; for that means life to you and length of days, so that you may live in the land that the Lord swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.[4]

By choosing to bind ourselves to God is the only thing we can do, because it is the only thing that makes sense for their life. It is as Father Benson says a most blessed thing to have this call. But when He opens the ear of the soul to hear His voice, directing us by His providence, impelling us by His constraining grace to be wholly His, then we must continue in this life by a reliance on the Divine strength. But as we say in our Rule, such a life has its risks, and Father Benson does not see this life through a romantic vision. He goes on to say the vow does not remove the uncertainties of the will, the fluctuations of feeling, the tendencies of depression, the uprising of passion. It does not shut out the visions of the world or quench the fires within, or benumb the lower human will. But it brings down the pledged blessing in giving to the soul the unchanging assistance of God. The life-giving hand of the Eternal is given to the soul which is bound to Himself, enabling it to triumph over all the temptations of the world. The soul become dead, not with the death of apathy, but dead to the world because alive to God.[5]

It is this, I think, that Father Benson means when he reminds us that the purpose of our life in community is to help us live for God,[6] or as 1 Peter puts it you shall be holy, for I am holy.[7] For us, this quest to live for God, this quest for holiness is a continual quest to be shaped and molded into the image and likeness of Christ himself. The purpose of the vows is nothing less than this.

To be like Christ however, is no easy thing for it requires us to give our all, even our lives. Yes, there are days when we know the peace of God which surpasses all understanding.[8] But there are others days when we know what it means to be crucified with Christ.[9] Our monastic forebears spoke of the monastery as the place of our crucifixion. They knew from experience what it means to be: always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh.[10]

In 1896 Father Benson wrote to Father Bignold on the occasion of his profession. In that letter Father Benson said every act whereby we claim [God’s] love will bring forth a loving response, far greater than we know how to claim. Even the temptations, which we must expect.., will bring out continual increase of grace as they drive us to seek our security in the shelter of His covenant. In our life … we must remember that difficulties are the sure warrant of proportionate grace, so that we must take encouragement than the reverse from finding things go against us. God will never let us be tempted beyond what we are able – i.e. not beyond the measure of grace which He is giving. We must find temptations and sorrows beyond all that we had expected, if we would reach out after those joys which are so far above our possibility of imagining.[11]

If we are faithful to our life, Brothers, and truly give our lives completely to God, then we will surely know both the peace of God and the cross of Christ. For if our lives are lived for Christ alone we cannot but know both. But the God of all grace who has called us to surrender our lives to Christ will after [we] have suffered for a little while, [and], who has called [us] to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish [us].[12]

We come to this life to belong completely to God. For many such a life is folly because it looks only like death and denial. But to us to whom this vocation has been given, it is life and freedom and peace. May we rejoice in the gift of our vocations and come to know that as dying, …—we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.[13]

The paradox of our vocation is that we give everything away, even our own lives, and in return God gives us God’s very self. What more could we possibly want?

 

One of a series of addresses given by James Koester SSJE to the brothers of The Society of Saint John the Evangelist at the Friday morning Eucharist in the monastery chapel. Originally given on 16 June 2017.

[1] SSJE, Rule of Life, Life Profession, Chapter 39, page

[2] Benson SSJE, Richard Meux, Instructions on the Religious Life, First Series, page 13

[3] Ibid, page 12

[4] Deuteronomy 30: 19 – 20

[5] Benson, Instructions, First Series, page 15

[6] Benson SSJE, Richard Meux, The Religious Vocation, Of the Objects of the Society, chapter 1, page 37

[7] 1 Peter 1: 16

[8] Philippians 4: 7

[9] Galatians 2: 19

[10] 2 Corinthians 4: 10 – 11

[11] Benson SSJE, Richard Meux, Further Letters, page 307 – 308

[12] 1 Peter 5: 10

[13] 2 Corinthians 6: 9 – 10