When I first learned about the monastic vow of stability, it resonated deep in my soul. I was discerning my vocation to religious life, and I felt like I was already living a life of stability. I had lived in the same place and worked in the same company for many years. Since then, I have learned that stability in the monastery goes even deeper. Several years ago, I wholeheartedly made my life commitment to this particular community, in this particular place, to “persevere in God’s teaching in the monastery until death” (as St. Benedict says in his Rule). But that was just the beginning! I must make this choice daily.

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God has called each sister here to journey together, forever, to help each other grow in wholeness and holiness. We celebrate and raise each other up and we challenge each other to grow, working through our differences and other difficult situations that arise in community living. St. Benedict teaches us many ways to intentionally live together in love. For example, we are to “support with the greatest patience one another’s weaknesses of body or behavior,” “never give a hollow greeting of peace, or turn away when someone needs your love,” and “make peace before the sun goes down.” This kind of love takes perseverance, humility, self-sacrifice, surrender, acceptance, forgiveness, courage to stay and begin again, and abundant grace.

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It has become so clear to me that monastic stability is about safeguarding love. This means that my heart must be rooted and grounded in Christ’s love. Christ, who once seized my heart, calls me to remain in his love (John 15:4). St. Benedict tells us that “the love of Christ must come before all else.” So, it is essential that I keep Christ as my center, my source of love and grace. Then I will continue to grow in my love for Christ and for my sisters in this community and learn to love as he loves, with his love.

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So, stability calls us to strive individually and together as a community to prefer nothing whatever to Christ and to safeguard love with the love of Christ and the help of his grace. And we trust that Christ will bring us all together to everlasting life.