Phillipa Catherine – My Promise for 2025
What prevents me from preferring nothing whatever to Christ?
When the dogs jump on the bed after I’m already settled for the night, I get very annoyed. I look at them with disgust. I get annoyed, too, when I don’t get my own way, which does happen. The bad feelings that follow show that I don’t prefer Christ.
Practices from the Rule to help me craft my promise:
“This, then, is the good zeal which members must foster with fervent love: They should each try to be the first to show respect to the other (Rom 12:10), supporting with the greatest patience one another’s weaknesses of body or behavior, and earnestly competing in obedience to one another. No monastics are to pursue what they judge better for themselves, but instead, what they judge better for someone else.” RB 72.3-7
“You are not to act in anger or nurse a grudge.” RB 4.22-23
“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
My 2025 Promise:
When the dogs jump on the bed, I will say a little prayer to Jesus – that he helps me be a welcoming presence and that I stay patient. I will also do my best to not insist that everything go my way.
What my human needs to learn to help her prefer nothing whatever to Christ:
She needs some help learning about how to welcome guests she doesn’t yet know and prefers to hide away until strangers are gone. She’s only really comfortable talking with small groups of her closest friends.
Practices from the Rule to help my human craft her promise:
“All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ, who said: I was a stranger and you welcomed me (Matt 25:35). Proper honor must be shown to all, especially to those who share our faith (Gal 6:10) and to pilgrims.” RB 53.1-2
“Once guests have been announced, the prioress or abbot and the community are to meet them with all the courtesy of love. First of all, they are to pray together [or pray in your heart] and thus be united in peace, but prayer must always precede the kiss of peace because of the delusions of the devil” [who doesn’t want you to connect with others]. RB 53.3-5 Modified by Phillipa Catherine to help her human
“Place your hope in God alone.” RB 4.41
My Human’s 2025 Promise:
Phillipa Catherine asks you to join her and craft your own 2025 Promise.