Georgette – My Promise for 2025
What prevents me from preferring nothing whatever to Christ?
I balk at getting wet and having my human rub my tummy. Both make me think bad thoughts. I squirm to escape, or I belt forth an annoyed hiss. I forget that I am a very affectionate feline.
Practices from the Rule to help me craft my promise:
“Your way of acting should be different from the world’s way; the love of Christ must come before all else.” RB 4.20-21
“As soon as wrongful thoughts come into your heart, dash them against Christ and disclose them to your spiritual guide.” RB 4.50
“Monastics may be assigned a burdensome task or something they cannot do. If so, they should, with complete gentleness and obedience, accept the order given them. Should they see, however, that the weight of the burden is altogether too much for their strength, then they should choose the appropriate moment and explain patiently to the prioress or abbot the reasons why they cannot perform the task.” RB 68.1-2
My 2025 Promise:
I promise to lead with love in when I get wet or have my tummy rubbed. But, if it too much for me, I will negotiate a change or two with my human so I don’t harbor unloving thoughts.
What my human needs to learn to help her prefer nothing whatever to Christ:
Patience
Practices from the Rule to help my human craft her promise:
“Never swerving from God’s instructions, then, but faithfully observing God’s teaching in the monastery until death, we shall through patience share in the sufferings of Christ that we may deserve also to share in the eternal presence.” Prologue 50
“The second step of humility is that we love not our own will nor take pleasure in the satisfaction of our desires; rather we shall imitate by our actions that saying of Christ’s: I have come not to do my own will, but the will of the One who sent me” (John 6:38). RB 7.31-32
“The fourth step of humility is to go even further than this [Steps 2 and 3] by readily accepting in patient and silent endurance, without any thought of giving up or avoiding the issue, any hard and demanding things that may come our way…We are encouraged to such patience by the words of scripture: Whoever perseveres to the end will be saved (Matt 10:22) . And again there is the saying of the psalm: Be steadfast of heart and trust in the Lord.” (Ps 27:14) RB 7.35-37 trans Patrick Barry
“Place your hope in God alone.” RB 4.41
My Human’s 2025 Promise:
Georgette asks you to join her and craft your own 2025 Promise.