Mia – My Promise for 2025
What prevents me from preferring nothing whatever to Christ?
My lack of patience with my human. I’m impatient when she picks me up and when she is late getting home from work. I lose my patience when she stops brushing me too soon and I want more. I realize that these behaviors show that I don’t prefer Christ, but that I prefer myself.
Practices from the Rule to help me craft my promise:
“No monastics are to pursue what they judge better for themselves, but instead, what they judge better for someone else.” RB 72.7
“Clothed then with faith and the performance of good works, let us set out on this way, with the gospel for our guide, that we may deserve to see the Holy One who has called us to the eternal presence (I Thess 2:12).“ Prologue 21
“Obedience is a blessing to be shown by all, not only to the prioress and abbot but also to one another, since we know that it is by this way of obedience that we go to God.” RB 71.1-2
My 2025 Promise:
I promise to study the gospels to find all the ways Jesus showed patience. Then, I will do my best to translate these to my situations. What I do will show that I prefer nothing whatever to Christ. And I will also mew understanding to my human.
What my human needs to learn to help her prefer nothing whatever to Christ:
My human could be a little more patient with me especially at 6 am when I want breakfast. I don’t like to be picked up so she needs to learn that I will jump in her lap or on the bed or other furniture on my terms.
Practices from the Rule to help my human craft her promise:
“No monastics are to pursue what they judge better for themselves, but instead, what they judge better for someone else.” RB 72.7
“Obedience is a blessing to be shown by all, not only to the prioress and abbot but also to one another, [especially to me], since we know that it is by this way of obedience that we go to God. Therefore…orders of the prioress and abbot [or feline] or of the subprioress or prior appointed by them take precedence, and no unofficial order may supersede them…” RB 71.1-3a
Modified by Mia
“Among themselves they show the pure love of sisters and brothers; to God, reverent love; to their prioress or abbot [and to me], unfeigned and humble love.” RB 72.8-10 Modified by Mia
My Human’s 2025 Promise:
Mia asks you to join her and craft your own 2025 Promise.