December 1976

No one will take your joy from you (Jn. 16:22)

This year the theme of the Words of Life has been the presence of Christ among those who are united in his name (Mt. 18:20). We have seen that this will depend on our putting into practice the Lord's command of mutual love which in the last analysis means being ready to give one's life for each other. 'Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends' (Jn. 15:13). This is also the condition for praying successfully in the name of Jesus by means of making a 'consenserint' as it is sometimes called (cf. Mt. 18:19) and leads us to maintain our unity with each other whatever the cost. But forgiveness, reciprocal mercy and loving kindness are necessary because we are all weak and need each other's support. So true unity grows, oneness of heart and mind in an atmosphere of freedom. We find ourselves in contrast to the way of the world but our strength is the presence of Jesus among us and within us which overcomes our fear. Our daily experience is that our one master is the Christ, not any particular human being and least of all ourselves. In fact to build up community we have to die to our own ideas because then we will be able to serve our brothers without any strings attached as Jesus served us. The grace of unity will overcome our tendency to judge our neighbour, one of the greatest obstacles to the living of the Gospel. If we have this reality alive in us then no one, nor anything can take away our joy for we have the fullness of life, because if we possess Jesus then nothing is lacking.

This permanent guarantee of joy is ours because we have a certainty of genuine fulfilment. Life is no more centred on the ego, on me and my existence, but is part of something much bigger that touches on the springs of the existence of all men and of all created things. Genuine fulfilment is in that reality, not necessarily in wealth or health, in being a success or in finding acceptance by others; in other words the usual criteria of worldly success do not affect us.

The life of unity has given us a certainty that nobody can take from us because by means of it we are one with Jesus himself; this means a participation in the life of the Trinity. All that is creative, forward looking and good, all that is his will for the world we share, because we too live by allowing his will to unfold in ourselves and that is something dynamic and creative, liberating and purifying. Furthermore by our fidelity to doing what God wants for us we are contributing to the whole plan of God for mankind.

So there is truly a hope by which we may live which is almost tangible, and which we realise is a foreshadowing of our real life that will unfold in paradise. It is this, the power of goodness, which is more powerful than any evil we may experience which sustains us. This goodness is expressed above all in the way we live, our style of life, by the spirit within us which unites us to God and all the saints as well as all who are alive living in this way. If anyone would try and remove this by force then the worst they could do is to kill us. What is death to the Christian? Northing, nor any person, may take this joy from us.

Jonathan Cotton, OSB