The Church shares its spiritual riches with
its members through its common faith, its sacraments, its Liturgy and worship,
its gifts and talents and most of all in charity, the love which makes us one
with Christ and one another.
The Communion of Saints represents the
notion that all who are in Christ serve one another in love. As Christ’s body,
the Church, we are called to communion, holy communion. Our ambition
is not to glorify ourselves but to bring others to Christ. For us as monks we
are not called to evangelize. Our life itself is our witness. Our prayer,
silence, hospitality, charity and our joy will attract others to Christ. That
is our ambition. To paraphrase the words of St. Francis of Assisi to his
friars: “Preach to the people, but only use words when necessary.”
Initial from an early Cistercian manuscript. Meditation by Father Emmanuel.
