"What, dear ones, is more delightful than this voice of the Lord calling to us? See how the Lord in his love shows us the way of life."

In this post, Sr. Antoinette Purcell, shares with us her favorite quote from the Rule of St. Benedict.

It has been many years since I was a novice in this community but I still remember that one of my favorite quotes in the Rule of Benedict at that time was from the Prologue verses 19-20, "What, dear ones, is more delightful than this voice of the Lord calling to us? See how the Lord in his love shows us the way of life." At that time, the verses helped me through times of trial that every novice faces. I kept reminding myself that the voice of the Lord calling me took precedence over everything else.

Now, all these years later the verses take on new meaning for me especially as we continue our Easter celebration. The scriptures of this season keep reminding us that we are called to a new way of life. The call is to all the baptized. We renewed our baptismal commitment at the Easter Vigil. Now is the time to live what we promised, trusting that the Risen Christ is the one who sets the example and shows us the way, ever with us as Advocate Spirit, giving us nourishment in the Eucharist and teaching us by the Word of God.

For the commercial world, Easter is prepared for by putting new clothes and sweets before our eyes, enticing us to indulge in things that do not last. The stores quickly unload their Easter goodies the day after. But for us Christians, the church celebrates seven weeks of Easter. What a nice balance to the six weeks of preparation we did before Easter. We know that the true "goodies" of Easter last for eternity. While we celebrate the Risen Christ year round, it is during this season that we renew the reality of the mystery that is core to our faith that life as we know it on earth is about transformation; and that death is the passage to eternal life. We remind ourselves that we have been called by the God who loves us more than we can imagine, who points out to us the way of life and who desires to be one with us. The only question is how will we respond? Will we put away our baptismal commitment the way the stores change their shelves the day after Easter? Or, will we allow the sweet voice of the Lord to beckon us ever onward along the path that leads to life?