April 4

Chapter 53 pt. 1

The Rule of Benedict Apirl 4

There is great wisdom in putting into place a protocol for the welcoming of guests into the presence of the community--into the home.  We suffer as a culture, civil and religious, from the lack of such a protocol.  I am struck in this reading by the central idea at play, which is that Christ is the one being welcomed as we welcome the guest.  The protocol is in place in order to ensure that Christ is greeted and nurtured in the very heart of the community.

I wonder how we are called to practice this teaching of Father Benedict.  I believe that, as non-cloistered Benedictines, it is up to us to determine our own protocol for such encounters, both at our gatherings, and during the course of the rest of our lives.  How is Christ to be honored and served in those who come to us, especially in the poor and the "pilgrim"?