Xochi – My Promise for 2025
What prevents me from preferring nothing whatever to Christ?
When I joined the Feline Cloister, I confessed that I needed to review the ladder of humility. As a novice I have been doing this and found one step that is impossible for me – the fourth step that asks us to accept in obedience those things which are difficult and not what we want. This challenge of this step became very clear to me during the endless renovations that besieged our home.
Practices from the Rule to help me craft my promise:
“The third step of humility is that we submit to the prioress or abbot in all obedience for the love of God, imitating Jesus Christ of whom the apostle says: Christ became obedient even to death (Phil 2:8).” RB 7.34
“The fourth step of humility is that in this obedience under difficult, unfavorable, or even unjust conditions, our hearts quietly embrace suffering and endure it without weakening or seeking escape. For scripture has it: Anyone who perseveres to the end will be saved (Matt 10:22), and again, Be brave of heart and rely on God” (Ps 27:14). RB 7.35-37
“Furthermore, the disciples’ obedience must be given gladly, for God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor 9:7).” RB 5.16
My 2025 Promise:
I will ask my canine friend Fiona, now in the Paradise Cloister, to send prayers to help me set aside my insistence in having my own way. I will endeavor to be more accepting of things that happen, even more renovations. I will keep Christ in my heart to help me for he had greater trials than me and never hissed.
What my human needs to learn to help her prefer nothing whatever to Christ:
Slow down! At age 73 she needs to adapt to a gentler rhythm. (And not to do any more home renovations!)
Practices from the Rule to help my human craft her promise:
“Idleness [change to overwork] is the enemy of the soul. Therefore, the community members should have specified periods for manual labor as well as for prayerful reading…But after Sext and their meal, they may rest on their beds in complete silence.” RB 48.1, 2, 5a Modified by Xochi
“Yet, all things are to be done with moderation on account of the fainthearted.” RB 48.9
“…members are to be given help when it is needed, and whenever they are free, they work wherever they are assigned.” RB 53.20
My Human’s 2025 Promise:
Xochi asks you to join him and craft your own 2025 Promise.