Reflection for the Vigil of the Sixth Sunday of Easter 2009
16 May 2009
by Mary Elizabeth Schweiger, OSB
Readings: Romans 13:8-10 and John 15:9-17

There is a story told about a nurse on the pediatric ward of a hospital. Before listening to the chests of the children, she would plug the stethoscope into their ears and let them listen to their own hearts. Their eyes would always light up with awe, but she never got a response equal to four year old David’s comment. Gently she tucked the stethoscope into his ears and placed the disk over his heart. “Listen”, she said. “What do you suppose that is?” He drew his eyebrows together in a puzzled line and looked up as if lost in the mystery of the strange tap, tap, tapping deep in his chest. Then his face broke out in a wondrous grin and he asked, “Is that Jesus knocking?”

I think Jesus is speaking directly to us in this story of David and in all its simplicity it breaks open the message of our Scripture readings. Jesus is trying to get his disciples to know that he is tapping on their heart, knocking, saying: “Listen, listen to your heart.”

In this last discourse, this last conversation with his friends, Jesus is pulling out all the stops. With deep emotion, tenderness and intensity, he is inviting his disciples into the deep resources of his heart. As my Father loves me, so I love you. No one has greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends, not servants, because I have made known to you everything that I know from my Father. I chose you and appointed you. In the rhythm of a heart beat, Jesus invites his disciples to hear: I love you. I love you. I love you.

I am personally and deeply touched that Jesus speaks these words to each one of us right now. Jesus is inviting each one of us into this profound and intimate relationship. We also personally hear: As my Father loves me, so I love you. No one has greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends because I have made known to you everything that I know from my Father. I chose you and appointed you. I love you. I love you.

Jesus calls for a simple, quite challenging and right to the point response from us: “Love one another as I have loved you.” Love is often times abstract and the overuse of the word can leave it meaningless. However, St. Paul puts flesh on this commandment to love one another in his letter to the Corinthians. Paul writes: “Love is patient, love is kind.” I am suggesting that we reflect on these words in this way: I will be patient, I will be kind. I will not be jealous or pompous. I will not be rude. I will not seek my own interests. I will not be quick-tempered. I will not brood over injury or harbor grudges. I will not rejoice over wrongdoing but will rejoice only with the truth. I will try to bear all things, believe all things, hope in all things and endure all things.” We can continue the list. Love does not murmur or make judgements on others. Love forgives and is forgiving. Love means that we use less and spend less so that all God’s people have what they need. Love is doing our part to keep the earth green. Love means that we resolve conflicts through talking and negotiations rather than violence, war, the silent treatment or a cold shoulder. The list could go on and on.

I think Benedict would have used this story of David if he had known it. He begin the Rule with the same idea: “Listen carefully, my child, to the master’s instruction and attend to them with the ear of your heart.” As Benedictine women, we have to put that stethoscope to our ears and listen, to listen to one another’s heart beat. Love is responding to the Jesus that is within each person. Benedict tells us to show “pure love to our brothers and sisters”, agape love. And that “as we progress in this way of life and in faith, we shall run on the path of God’s commandments our hearts overflowing with the inexpressible delight of love.”

Mother Teresa of Calcutta lived an exemplar life of love. She says: “I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.” Did not Jesus take on our human nature, suffer death on the cross and rise from the dead so that there could be more love?

Augustine says: “Our loving heart sets another on fire.” Love is contagious, makes the impossible, possible, enables us to be more than we ever thought we could be. Through this contagious and outrageous love we can draw more people to seek our way of life.

Our own foundress, Mother Evangelista Kremmeter writes: “The love of Jesus keeps me from fearfulness.” We have nothing to be afraid of if we love God, love others and love ourselves. The message tonight is simple, profound, mysterious! I invite each of us to reflect on the story of David and put the stethoscope to our heart and listen. Is Jesus knocking? Are we listening? How are we doing in our love for God and one another in our own monastery and beyond?

© 2009 Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica
Atchison, Kansas