"A Question of Value"
A
Reflection on the Rule of St. Benedict continued
Appreciatin
g the Kingdom’s value
requires that we listen with our heart
But the Rule of St. Benedict is
more than just a list of virtues required for being part
of God’s kingdom. The Rule of St. Benedict is also
a message of encouragement for those who are seeking
that kingdom. For many of the demands of God’s
kingdom are difficult for us to accept, many of the
requirements of the gospel require painful sacrifices in
order to put into practice. And we are not always
sure that it is worth it. Unlike the little boy at
the ice cream counter, we might rather have the ice
cream sundae than show kindness to an impatient
waitress. So in order to make any sense of God’s
kingdom, we have to listen to God with the ear of our
heart. In order to find the desire to really live
for God’s kingdom, we must let him change our ways of
thinking, of living, of loving. And St. Benedict
assures us that this is possible to the one who
believes; this is possible to the one who is able to
hear the Lord’s voice calling to him or her and showing
us the way to life, the way to God’s kingdom. May
we come to see that kingdom as the most valuable, the
most meaningful thing in our lives, and may we be
willing to offer all we have in exchange for its worth.
.