PROLOGUE (cont.)
"Therefore, having our loins girt with faith and the performance of good works, let us walk His ways under the guidance of the Gospel, that we may be found worthy of seeing Him who hath called us to His kingdom (cf 1 Thes 2:12). If we desire to dwell in the tabernacle of His kingdom, we cannot reach it in any way, unless we run thither by good works. But let us ask the Lord with the Prophet, saying to Him: "Lord, who shall dwell in Thy tabernacle, or who shall rest in Thy holy hill" (Ps 14[15]:1)? After this question, brethren, let us listen to the Lord answering and showing us the way to this tabernacle, saying: "He that walketh without blemish and worketh justice; he that speaketh truth in his heart; who hath not used deceit in his tongue, nor hath done evil to his neighbor, nor hath taken up a reproach against his neighbor" (Ps 14[15]:2-3), who hath brought to naught the foul demon tempting him, casting him out of his heart with his temptation, and hath taken his evil thoughts whilst they were yet weak and hath dashed them against Christ (cf Ps 14[15]:4; Ps 136[137]:9); who fearing the Lord are not puffed up by their goodness of life, but holding that the actual good which is in them cannot be done by themselves, but by the Lord, they praise the Lord working in them (cf Ps 14[15]:4), saying with the Prophet: "Not to us, O Lord, not to us; by to Thy name give glory" (Ps 113[115:1]:9). Thus also the Apostle Paul hath not taken to himself any credit for his preaching, saying: "By the grace of God, I am what I am" (1 Cor 15:10). And again he saith: "He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord" (2 Cor 10:17)."

The idea of doing all that we do to the glory of God seems to be one of the foundations not only of Benedict's rule, but of the entire Christian life.  But as we unpack what that actually might look like, I think it becomes apparent just how daunting of a commitment we each must taken on as followers of Christ.

I don't know about others, but I am certain that I fail miserably on a daily basis in my attempts to "do all things for the glory of God."  It's not that I don't try to fulfill this honorable commitment, but like St. Paul in his letter to the Romans, I find that I end up doing so many of the things I don't want to do and doing things I ought not to do.  So do those things that I do on the surface appear conflicting with giving glory to God somehow find redemption in God?  What I mean by this is that if one of the core characteristics of God is His mercy, then doesn't He receive glory even when we stumble? 

I have been reading a book on systematic theology recently and the question of whether or not the incarnation would have occurred had sin not entered the picture was raised.  Now, I am not going to claim to know the answer, but what I can say is that the incarnation presents each and everyone the opportunity to give God greater glory because His son's willingness to take on our humanity and suffer death upon the cross is what ultimately redeems us and pushes us to worship.  Would we feel the desire to worship Almighty God if not of our need for his redemptive love?  I don't know.  However, we must avoid the trap of convincing ourselves that somehow we should continue to sin "so that grace may abound."  No, the way we give God glory through our shortcomings is by trying to avoid future instances of sin.   I think this is at the heart of Martin Luther's great quote that we are to "sin, and sin boldly!" 

Obviously this is an impossible task, but the willingness and desire to pursue holiness brings God a tremendous amount of Glory I would say.  It is with this in mind that we echo the bible and Benedict in declaring "Not to us, O Lord, not to us; by to Thy name give glory."  Amen.