Chapter 61: Monastic pilgrims from far away (paragraphs 2-3)
It may even be right to persuade such a one to stay so that others may benefit and learn from such an example. (From para. 2 of Ch. 61 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)
The simple things that can "make my day": receiving a kind look, a helping hand, an encouraging word. These small acts come from people it's good for me to have around; I want to be like them.
A Buddhist monk friend of mine from Florida was moving to Minnesota a few years ago. I had the privilege of suggesting to him that he visit a Benedictine monastery there when he arrived. He telephoned ahead and was received so well that they even offered him a scholarship to some and stay with them for a year where they could learn from one another. What a profound example to me of Benedictine hospitality that transcends all bounds!
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