Monday, October 04, 2010

Called to Follow Him

A Sermon delivered to The Company of Jesus at its Profession of Vows Service,
Friday October 1, 2010, The Close Retreat Center, Somerset, KY.

We are here tonight to receive Vocations - to receive those who are answering Jesus' call, "Come follow me..." . His call is to follow Him and become fishers of men, yes, but first and foremost to simply Follow Him.

Just like the first disciples heard the call, left everything and followed Jesus , we too have heard the call and have left the comfort of our former ways to follow Him as disciples and monastics.
The essential call is not "instrumental": 'follow me, so that - You can win people, build a church, or change the world. But it's first and foremost a call to follow Christ. As Benedict says in the Prologue to his Rule: the voice of the Lord invites us, in His lovingkindness to find 'the way of life' - which is precisely Christ.

When St. Anthony heard the call, he left all and followed Christ into the desert - primarily so he could know God better - listen to God better by going to a place where there was nothing else to do but listen. Benedict and Francis too spent significant amounts of time alone in caves just to be with Christ and to hear from him.

As 'Third Order' folks, our call is not quite so radical. Our calling is to remain in place , to follow Christ by staying put in our jobs, our families and ministries -to use all that we have for Him, where we are, but mostly to follow Him, - just for HIM.

While Christ calls everyone to follow him, this calling to monastic life is not for everyone. Not everyone hears Christ calling him or her to follow in the manner of Francis and Benedict. But we are disciples who hear the voices of these Brothers, and we respond to the calling to follow Christ in this monastic way because - - - well we don't know exactly why - why just have to.

Something about it just makes sense to us. It's not the external trappings of robes and scapulars, cinctures and rosaries - it's that we see a life that makes sense, a life that fits our particular personality, a life based in refreshing wisdom, a life centered in Christ.

When we listen to Benedict exhort us to 'Greet everyone as if they were Christ' , and to turn our whole life into the Work of God; when we listen to Francis exhort us to love simple things and to leave aside attachments to this world; when we think about following Christ, Francis and Benedict are two brothers who show us the way. Their sisters, Clare and Scholastica also show us the same ways, but through their own unique perspectives.

We look at the lives of these saints, and we are inspired to follow Christ right where we are. We know that we have not begun to touch the sanctity of men and women who have literally given up everything, but we are inspired. We can see what it looks like for a human being to be Christlike; we relate to the pain and pathos of choosing a misunderstood way - monasticism - in order to walk out a calling to something we can only half explain.

Some object to the form of following Francis or Benedict. 'Why follow a man when you can to directly to the God-Man, Christ?

And the answer is: "Because these men and women are US and they show us how to follow Jesus. And for that we love them. And we follow them as they teach us to follow Christ.

Tonight we will receive the initial vows of new postulants and affirm the life Vows of two who have walked out this life faithfully for the past five years.These Brothers and Sisters will make a Vow. they will 'swear on oath" ('sacramentum' in Latin), making a solemn pledge to follow Christ in the manner of St. Benedict or St. Francis - really both, as our Order blends the two Charisms.

But unlike parties who enter into a contract, these brothers and sisters will not just exchange goods or services, they will make an exchange of Persons. They will give themselves to Christ, just as Christ gives himself to us by taking on human flesh, living among us, dying for us and rising so that we might walk in newness of life.

'Deep calls to deep' says the Psalmist and so it is tonight. The Holy Spirit of God has searched out our deep heart desire and has shown us a way to receive this desire. By making their vows, these postulants are giving themselves to God and receiving back Jesus Christ in their place.
This deep calling is not for anything other than Love. It is always a mistake to think that monasticism is supposed to accomplish something in order to justify its existence. Indeed the response to the call of Jesus to this life is 'just because' and needs no other explanation. It's not instrumental like everything in the world, so the world cannot understand it.

In a sense, we are the Ultimate Hippies. Those of the 60's and 70's wanted to drop out, tune in and turn on to some imagined ideal of a primitive Good Life a life lived 'just because'. But instead of dropping out and turning on through drugs, sex and rock 'n roll, we are seeking 'life and good days' by staying put, living a life that challenges the values of the world system merely by existing and living as we do.

If there is a justification for the monastic life, it is that it shows the world an alternate way to live, a way that lives into the essence of Human Being, convicting the world of its shallowness, explaining the world to itself.

"This is the Way, walk ye in it", says Jesus to us. And we in our turn say to the world: 'Christ is the Way the Truth and the Life'. Follow Him - for his own sake; follow him to find out what your life is really all about and how to live fully human.

If we ourselves live out this calling authentically, we will draw others to Him so that they can have fullness of life: good measure, pressed down and overflowing, just as Jesus said.

My brothers and sisters, your vocations are truly a sign of hope and joy to the whole world. I am pleased and privileged to receive your professions and to charge you to Follow HIM as He calls to you through Francis and Benedict. AMEN