Wednesday in the Octave of Easter

I don’t think the word Resurrection is ever mentioned in the Rule of St. Benedict. It is implied of course but Benedict does not say the monastic life should have at all times a Resurrection quality about it but rather a Lenten quality. And he does not say in Chapter 4 that we should keep the Resurrection constantly before our eyes but rather keep death before our eyes daily. Lent and death do root us in the reality of our life on earth, but both of these do not stand alone but the sentence has to be completed by the words Easter and life. Just as we always speak of Christ’s death and Resurrection. They have to go together.

The monastic life is an entering into and acceptance of the dura and aspera of life – the hard and difficult things inherent in our human condition. Like the two disciples in today’s Gospel, we are walking our seven miles out of Jerusalem – cast out of paradise. Like them we too have met Jesus on the way and at Baptism have had our eyes open but like the blind man that Jesus healed, the clarity of our vison is gradual sort of like looking in a smokey mirror. Easter Season represents our journey back to Jerusalem with the two disciples who are now not walking with downcast eyes but have their hearts burning within them in anticipation of regrouping with the Apostles and the first Christian community,

Lent and Easter go together but one day Lent and death will fall away and our eyes will be fully opened and we will realize that Christ was walking with us all the time and that like him we too have to suffer things in this life so as to enter into the glory of the Lord.