Abbot Vincent's words to Br. Craig
Br. Craig, in this Advent season the word of God has been coming at us from every side through the prophets, especially Isaiah and John the Baptist. But there is another prophet among them whom we often do not recognize, a hidden jewel, that is, Our Lady. She is a prophet and the Queen of prophets. She carries forth the entire prophetic tradition. You are now a part of that tradition. Why? Because a monk is a prophet, a hidden one, but a prophet nonetheless, following in the footsteps of Our Lady.
Have you ever thought of yourself as a prophet? It may sound a bit odd. We don’t breathe out fiery oracles (normally). We don’t foretell the future. But we do have a key characteristic of prophets: we are immersed in the word of God, like a fish in water. We carry in our hearts the word of God as Our Lady carried the Word of God in her womb. The word is for us an ongoing revelation—it reveals who we are, what we are meant to do, and what awaits us. It judges us, it searches our hearts, it consoles us. Our mission is to embrace this word in our daily lives as Our Lady did.
Now, it is true that all Christians share in the priestly, kingly, and prophetic mission of Our Lord, but the monk does so in a special way. He has been especially chosen, not because of any merits of his own, but as a pure gift from God to bear this word. This call is not a badge to wear; in fact, the prophetic charism is a two-edged sword, as Our Lady knew all too well. On the one hand, she could prophesy in her Magnificat, “He has shown the strength of his arm and scattered the proud in their conceit…He has cast down the mighty from their thrones…He has sent the rich away empty-handed…” She was a bold witness to the truth. But at the same time, she was not spared the other edge of the two-edged sword as Simeon said, “…and a sword will pierce your own heart.”
In our vocation, too, we experience this two-edged sword. On the one hand, our humble way of life is a judgement on this world. It is a warning for a world that exalts itself. We are witnesses to the words of Isaiah, “All flesh is grass, and all its flower like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it…the grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God endures forever.” But we also know the other side of this sword in the sometimes-bitter self-knowledge that is part of our monastic life. The word unmasks our pretensions. Its judgement falls on us as well. The word of God obliges us to take the log out of our own eye first.
Another necessary characteristic of a prophet is discretion. St. Benedict makes this point for us. Discretion is essential for prophets and “the mother of virtue.” It is the root of humility, and only humility can protect us against the snares of the enemy. Our Lady embodied this discretion, for when the angel Gabriel came to her, she did not launch into a prolonged discussion about the reasons for his visit, but rather, "(S)he was greatly troubled and pondered what his greeting meant.” She waited in the fear of the Lord to learn what God willed for her. Discernment and discretion are essential for those called to witness to the mighty works of God. How many monks have been cast down for lack of discretion and humility? How much we need the aid of Our Lady to show us the way of prudence!
Finally, the monk must proclaim by his life a word of salvation to the people. Isaiah offered these words, “Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God. Speak to the heart of Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her service is ended, her guilt expiated.” Isn’t that what we proclaim together seven times a day in the divine office? Don’t we strive to proclaim with Our Lady, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior…” It is a great comfort for the people of God and a source of hope to know that we are continually gathering to proclaim that “the Almighty has done great things for (us), and holy is his name.”
Br. Craig, we welcome you to a deeper share in the prophetic mission of Our Lord Jesus as a professed monk of Spencer. May Our Lord and Our Lady who have begun this good work in you, continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.
