{"id":4858,"date":"2025-08-13T09:16:07","date_gmt":"2025-08-13T09:16:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/turveyabbey.org.uk\/blog\/?p=4858"},"modified":"2025-08-13T09:16:08","modified_gmt":"2025-08-13T09:16:08","slug":"preferring-nothing-to-christ-7-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/turveyabbey.org.uk\/blog\/?p=4858","title":{"rendered":"Preferring Nothing to Christ (7)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

CHRIST<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let them prefer absolutely nothing to Christ,
and may he lead us all together to everlasting life.<\/strong>
(Ch 72, On Good Zeal)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That the Rule of St Benedict is Christological is evident on just about every page of the text. Whether St Benedict is speaking of ‘running in the way of God’s commands’ (Prologue), or treating the ‘goods and utensils of the monastery as the sacred vessels of the altar’ (Ch 31), it is to Christ that everything is directed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a school of thought that sees the Prologue of the Rule as baptismal catechesis. Implicit is the leaving behind of one way of life in order to take up ‘the strong and noble weapons of obedience, to do battle for the true King, Christ the Lord.’ There is a clear sense that you are being invited to embark upon a new path. The Rule concerns itself with training us to run on a road together, under the direction of Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Baptism we were each called to a life that is centred on Christ, in the fullness of his humanity and divinity. We were called to imitate Christ in all that we do. As the priest anointed us with the Oil of Chrism he said these words:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has freed you from sin,given you a new birth by water and the Holy Spirit, and welcomed you into his holy people. He now anoints you with the chrism of salvation. As Christ was anointed PRIEST, PROPHET and KING, so may you live always as a member of his body, sharing everlasting life.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The call to enter a monastery is one that makes concrete the call of baptism. Whichever way we choose to live out our baptismal call, our aim will be to become more and more like Christ. The monastic path offers us the opportunity to do this with a community of people, a Rule of Life, the guidance of an abbess, communal prayer, personal prayer and manual work. Our task in the monastery is to be open to the ways in which we can imitate Christ as Prophet, Priest and King in the monastic rhythm of each day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How does your baptismal call shape your day to day life?
Where are you most aware of the call to image Christ?
Perhaps you have your own Rule of Life. How does this centre you on Christ?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

CHRIST Let them prefer absolutely nothing to Christ,and may he lead us all together to everlasting life. (Ch 72, On Good Zeal) That the Rule of St Benedict is Christological is evident on just about every page of the text. Whether St Benedict is speaking of ‘running in the way of God’s commands’ (Prologue), or … <\/p>\n

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