"At the beginning of each day, after we open our eyes to receive the light of that day, As we listen to the voices and sounds that surround us, We must resolve to treat each hour as the rarest of gifts, and be grateful for the consciousness that allows us to experience it, recalling in thanks that our awareness is a present from we know not where, or how, or why. When we rise from sleep let us rise for the joy of the true Work that we will be about this day, and considerately cheer one another on. Life will always provide matters for concern. Each, however, brings with it reasons for joy. Every day caries the potential to bring the experience of heaven;have courage to expect good from it. Be gentle with this life, and use the light of life to live fully in your time."
–from Always we Begin Again:The Benedictine Way of Living, John Acquisition II

I picked up this tiny book at a conference recently. It is not a particularly eye-catching book,no flashy cover or engaging photo drew me in. The title caught my eye, and my sensibilities. Always We Begin Again. To find that it was written by one busy lawyer,disillusioned with the church,who had stumbled upon The Rule of Benedict intrigued me. I, too, had been inspired by the Rule when in seminary….another tiny book written in sixth century Italy for a bunch of monks helping them create a way of living together, faithfully. The original Rule covers everything from how to worship together to how to cook and clean, how to deal with difficult, irresponsible people and most importantly how to begin again, each day, to live a life of gratitude and joy. It may have been one of the first "how-to" books that now flood bookstore shelves.

Always We Begin Again. There are nights when, as I go to sleep, I think back about the day’s events and am pleased, not only with what I have accomplished, but how they were accomplished. There are other nights, I admit,  I lay tossing and turning going over all the ways in which I might have said words differently, been kinder here, less judgmental there. As my eyes close, I actually look forward to the coming of the light, when I will, hopefully, get a chance to begin again.

Each hour….a rare gift. How often I forget. How often I move mindlessly from meeting to meeting, task to task, forgetting. Let us rise for the joy of our true Work. Whatever that Work….washing floors or faces, making meals or music, solving problems or crimes, meeting deadlines or people, saving coupons or lives……all with as much joy as we can muster, having the courage to expect goodness from the gift of it all.

What does this day hold for you? How will you go about doing your true Work? Where will you expect to find goodness, to bring goodness? Be gentle with this day…….for it holds a little glimpse of heaven, right here in our time.

Have a blessed weekend…………………..