What Zeal

It’s been over a month since I posted my last blog. The April 27th tornado rampage put me at a loss for words. Our Monastery buildings and our lives were spared, but the devastating effects of the city and neighborhood so close to us is unbelievable. Some places are totally wiped out, others unrecognizable, others still intact. Cullman County experienced only two deaths. Over 800 homes and 90 businesses were destroyed. Without power for six days, without TV and Internet for almost two weeks, we had no idea of the devastating impact of nature’s wrath all around us. Whenever I drive through the city, I become aware of another building destroyed that I had not noticed before. The spirit of the city of Cullman remains hopeful for rebuilding and surviving. The disaster relief and volunteer efforts have shown an overwhelming and generous, caring spirit.

Two blocks from us, corner of Hwy 278 and Convent Road

As I prepared a reflection yesterday for the Sixth Sunday of Easter, the readings reminded me of the virtue of good zeal that St. Benedict teaches in Chapter 72 of his Rule. I am finally able to write of our tornado experience because I see the good zeal manifested by so many during the aftermath of the April 27th monster tornado. And so I share this reflection with you…

In last Sunday’s Gospel (John 14:1-12), we hear Thomas and Philip still asking Jesus for clarification regarding his future destination and revelation of the Father. Jesus’ response “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip?” gives us food for thought in our own faith life. As we grow in our monastic way of life, we might chuckle at Jesus’ response and realize Jesus’ frustration with the fact that they still don’t get it. But then, it hits us that we probably have not gotten it either. Jesus’ statement calls us to reflect on our way of life, our fulfillment of his mission, and our proclamation of his message of love to each other and to the world.

In today’s first reading (Acts 8:5-8, 14-17), we see Philip proclaiming Christ to the people of Samaria. The crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip and saw the signs he was doing. The people witnessed the healing miracles Philip performed and there was great joy in the city. In John’s Gospel (John 14:15-21), we no longer hear any of the disciples asking Jesus for any clarification. We only hear Jesus’ words of instruction to love him and keep his commandments. He will send the Spirit to be with us always. He will not leave us orphans, but will come again. “In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live.” And more and more of the same words of the Gospel of John we have heard over and over throughout the Easter season to make sure we get it.

Philip’s journey of continuing Jesus’ mission confirms he finally got it. We see the zeal with which Jesus’ life within him showed Christ to a world in need of healing and proclamation of love. Perhaps the virtue of good zeal in the Rule of St. Benedict parallels the message of today’s Gospel.

“Thus monks should practice this zeal with the warmest love.”

“Let them strive to be the first to honor one another.”

“They must compete with one another in obedience.”

“No one should pursue what he judges advantageous to himself, but rather what benefits others.”

“They must show selfless love to [all].”

“Let them fear God out of love.”

“Let them prefer absolutely nothing to Christ, and may he lead us all together to everlasting life.”

(Rule of St. Benedict, Ch. 72)

Sr.Aquinata Bockmann, OSB, a renowned scholar on the Rule of St. Benedict, says the following in her commentary on Ch. 72:

“Fervor and love are congruent. They are to be practiced not only within the community, but also in our conduct toward all people who need us. Good zeal thus is ardent enthusiasm, the total engagement of our power of loving. It urges us to hasten, not just to walk, with the whole community and it marks all our actions. When we think of the texts from the Fathers that emphasize that the Holy Spirit makes our hearts wide, that the Spirit is love in person, dwelling within us, then we can also say here: zeal is not just a good force within people and flowing from people, but it is the active presence of Christ himself who urges us on. Zeal is the ardor, the fire of the Holy Spirit, and the dynamic power of community life and of the apostolate. “For the love of Christ impels us.”
(from Perspectives on the Rule of St. Benedict, pp. 57-58)


April 27th brought forth the living out of the practice of good zeal for us. Our togetherness in our sacred space without power, telephone, TV, and Internet was a truly zealous witness of community commitment. We continued to live out our monastic rhythm- praying together in chapel without light or microphone, sharing meals only because we were fortunate enough to have a gas oven, sharing community time with candlelight, celebrating Eucharist in the Great Room to be with those who could not walk up the steps. If we were not faithful to the day in and day out of living the Rule together, these six days of such close proximity and inconvenient interruption of our daily routine may have presented a real challenge for us. But it didn’t, we felt very much at home, because after all, “home is where the Heart is.”

The zealous action of others toward us has been such a gift to us and ignites our hearts to increase our zeal in reaching out to others:

             Two young monks coming over from St. Bernard after the tornado

                               to check on us and showing us pictures of the devastation right around

 us that we had not yet seen

Friends calling friends to check on us

Our employees reporting to work the next morning to help us clear debris

 even though they still had debris in their own yards to clean up

The contribution of generators from Golden Construction

Our Cenocolo community “tree surgeons”

Sisters pitching in to clean up the yard, or help in kitchen

Sister Therese and Robby faithfully adding diesel fuel to the generators

The Bradview Sisters’ hospitality, Sister Margaret Mary Liang’s good cooking for our Sisters that stayed at Bradview (our Birmingham house), and Carolyn Namie’s and Frances Bruno’s generosity in cooking a banquet for them that included scrumptious steak

Other Benedictine houses’ prayers and contributions

The list goes on and on.

As were able, we started to reach out beyond the monastery walls with zeal and fervent love:
Showers or rooms for staff if needed
Contribution of food to disaster relief services

Offering of sacred space to area churches impacted by the tornado
Donation of funds to relief organizations because of generosity of funds given to us
Sisters walking devastated areas and expressing concern for those they met along the way
Sr. Elisabeth’s fidelity to her blogs in keeping others up to date on our status and her prayerful ability to see debris picked up as part of people’s lives
(http://www.shmon.org/  Living the Tradition: A Benedictine Blog)



And most of all our prayer for all those affected by the country wide tornado rampage
And the love of Christ continues to impel us:
Sister Lynn Marie initiated a free legal clinic this past week.
We continue to contribute funds as generous contributions keep pouring in.
We continue to pray daily for all those affected and for those who assist them.
We share our sacred chapel space with the Lutheran community because
of the loss of their worship space.

The Easter Season always revs us up for what our life is about. Pentecost will light the fire of our hearts to continue Jesus’ mission every day for the rest of our lives. Let us take the following words of Joan Chittister, OSB, from her book, The Monastery of the Heart, as a mantra from this day forward:

“We must zealously do what is best for others,

rather than concentrate

simply on what we have decided

is best for ourselves.

We must zealously love one another

chastely and appropriately,

not selfishly

or exploitatively.

We must be in zealous awe

of the presence of God

in us and around us.

We must zealously love our community,

its tradition and its teachers,

with real affection.

Most of all, we must prefer nothing

in the world

to the love of God.

Then, if we do these things-

if we live life

in our Monastery of the Heart-

with this kind of zeal,

we will have reached

the heights of love

to which Benedictine spirituality

is designed to bring us.

“Let them prefer

nothing whatever to the love of Christ,

and may he bring us all

together

to everlasting life.”

The Rule of St. Benedict, Ch. 72:11-12