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Amarante, Jorge Brium M. April 8, 2020

Seminar 4 - S Prof. Mark Louie Canete, MAT

Reflection Paper#3: Rule of Saint Benedict

Guests and Strangers

When I was still a kid, I was taught about the three-fold mission of Christ; as a King, as a
Priest, and as a Prophet. To be a King, I must give what I can give, and I must not expect something
in return. To be Priest, one must sacrifice for the benefit of the others. Lastly, be a Prophet by
sharing the word of salvation. At first, I was hesitant to follow such because it will not benefit me in
the end. As time goes by, my family experienced downfalls to the point that we barely eat in one day
and we rely on our neighbor’s generosity for food that they may give to us. Then it struck me, Christ
can be found in everyone. Our neighbors, at that time, are being a King on their own way.

While reading the Rule on St. Benedict, my attention was caught on “How Guests are to be
Received”. St. Benedict goes into the specifics on how guests are to be welcomed and fed but it all
can be summed-up in one phrase “Let all guests who arrive be treated as Christ…” (1)

Then I ask myself, how do I treat everyone around me? How do I treat the homeless man on
the street? My classmates? Friends? Am I treating them as just a person I have to deal with or as an
incarnate of Christ? I must admit I fall short on treating as a person of Christ because I fall short to
treat God as God.

Then I realize, to be hospitable, I do not need to follow exactly what St. Benedict laid down.
How I treat others should be rooted in charity and in love. It can be a simple sincere greeting and
opening the door of my home for those who is in need and hungry because I know how it feels to be
hungry and how it feels to be fed by my neighbors. I should be a king on my own way. After all, it
goes back to Christ Himself saying “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty
and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,” (2)

Courtesy and hospitability go hand in hand, may it be for the Benedictine monks or for us.
Most of all, I will not forget that Christ can be found in everyone.

(1) Section 53, Rule of St. Benedict.

(2) Matthew 25:35, New International Version.