Witness for Christ

27^th Friday, Year 1 12 October 2007

In today’s Gospel Jesus tells us to rejoice that our names are written in heaven, not because we work miracles and drive out demons. He continues by saying that he who is not with him is against him. And elsewhere Jesus says, “Those who are not against us are for us”.

The martyrs are Christ’s witnesses par excellence. Yet we too are called to witness to Christ every moment of every hour.

Every Christian begins the day with the morning offering. Thereby he stands up for Jesus before the host of heaven if not before the world.

As monks, our morning offering is the Divine Office of Vigils, (of Readings), which we begin at 3.30 a.m.

When I was a junior at Mt St Bernard Abbey, Abbot Finbar of Mt Mellery, visited us every year. He once told us the story of an elderly monk. He told the monk it was time he stopped attending Vigils. So he should stay in bed. Low and behold, next morning, the good man appeared in choir. Later in the day he asked him why he came to Vigils. He replied, “Oh yes, Rev Father, I stayed in bed but I couldn’t sleep. So I went to choir and I had a grand sleep. He preferred to sit in those uncomfortable choir stalls rather than remain in his warm bed.

Abbot Charles enjoyed attending our Vigils here in Nunraw. During his five years at the Generalate in Rome, the thing he missed most was not having Vigils in choir.

I think most of us have similar feelings about attending Vigils however difficult it may be to rise from bed on a cold morning.

It is our joy to rise and stand up for Christ. “They also serve who only stand and wait”, (Milton?).