Vigils Reading – All Benedictine Saints

IN PRAISE OF

THE MONASTIC VOCATION

From “The Golden Epistle” by William of St-Thierry4

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Surely it is right to feast in the Lord and rejoice because the fairest part of

the Christian religion, which seemed to come into close contact with heaven, has

returned to life after having died, has been found after being lost.

Our ears had heard tell of it, but we did not believe, we read in books of it

and marveled at the ancient glory of the solitary life and at the great grace of God

manifested in it; when suddenly we found it in the clearings of a wood, on

God’s mountain, on the fertile mountain, where the fair places of the desert now

wax fat on its richness and the hills are girt with exultation.

For there, through you it now offers itself to all and in you it displays itself.

Hitherto unknown, it stands revealed in a few simple men. He who brings it

among us is the same who by means of a few simple men subjected the whole

world to himself, to the amazement of that world. “Do not be afraid then, you,

my little flock,” says the Lord, “but show utter trust, because your Father has

determined to give you his kingdom”… It is not for you to concern yourselves

feebly with the ordinary commandments nor to give your attention only to what

God lays down as of obligation; you must seek his desires, fulfill in yourselves

what is God’s will, the good thing, the desirable thing, the perfect thing.

It is for others to serve God, it is for you to cling to him; it is for others to

believe in God, know him, love him and revere him; it is for you to taste him,

understand him, be acquainted with him, enjoy him.

This is no slight matter, no easy goal; but he who, in his love, makes you

such promises is almighty and good. He will be faithful in fulfilling them and

untiring in giving help. To those who in their great love for him pledge

themselves to great things and, believing and trusting in his grace, undertake

what is beyond their own strength, he imparts both the will and the desire; and

he follows up the grace to will by bestowing also the power to achieve. Let the

calumniator calumniate as he will: if a person faithfully does what is humanly

possible for him to do, God himself in his mercy will give judgment for his poor

one, will champion his cause, because the person did what he could.

Yet…let all exaltation be far from the opinion you have of yourselves.

Consider [others] as being far above you in strength and admire their glory,

those who are mighty with both hands – who use their left hand as readily as

their right. As long as they are allowed, they love to stay inside and devote their

leisure with all devotion to the contemplation of truth in charity; then when

necessity summons or duty impels, they go out without a moment’s hesitation to

give themselves to the practice of charity in truth.

Rather, in fear and trembling work out your own salvation. Do not

wonder what others are like but, to the best of your ability, what they may

become through your influence; not only those who are now alive but also those

who will come after you and take you as their models in the pursuit of their

vocation. For it is from you, from your example, from your authority that all the

future of this holy Order in these parts will derive its character.