Illuminations: Thoughts on Ministry
Jackie Witter

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying,
‘I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.’
John 8:12 NRSV

The word ‘illuminare’ is a Latin word meaning
“to illuminate, to enlighten, to make conspicuous,
to expand on, to magnify.” 

The Ministry to Ministers at The Benedictine Center of St. Paul’s Monastery
is called 'illuminare' first of all
because our primary intent is to strengthen and deepen
ministers’ centering in Christ who is the Light of the world.

As disciples of Christ, the Light of the world,
we remember the charge of Jesus from the Gospel of Matthew:

You are the light of the world.
A city built on a hill cannot be hidden.
 No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket,
but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house.
In the same way, let your light shine before others,
so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. 
(Matthew 5:14-16). 

Baptism calls us to live as children of the Light
so that God will be glorified in all that we are and all that we do.
This is essential as we strive to be the ministers God calls us to be.

The title we have given to the ministry-to-ministers at The Benedictine Center of St. Paul’s Monastery
expresses our vision, mission and purpose. 

iLLUMINARE:
illuminates the meaning of discipleship
and the call to holiness in relationship to ministry,

enlightens ministers about the spiritual disciplines
that will sustain them in the call to ministry,

makes the nature of the vocational call of ministry
more conspicuous for ministers and those they serve,

expands on ministers’ ability to engage in theological reflection
about the nature and practice of ministry, and

 magnifiesthe value of intentional, sustained and shared
ongoing formation.

Illuminations: Thoughts on Ministry
Jackie Witter

 It is not enough to be busy; so are the ants.  The question is: What are we busy about? 
Henry David Thoreau

Ministers are busy people. 
Our calendars are full of places to go, people to see and programs to be involved in. 
Sometimes our busyness becomes a source of pride--
‘I worked 18 straight days last month and that was before Lent even began’--
as if somehow that makes us a better or more worthy minister.

We need, however, to stop and ask, ‘what are we busy about?’ 
We need, like Jesus, to take time to wrestle with the temptations we face that could keep us
from being the ministers God has called us to be. 
We need, like Jesus, to stop and pray in the midst of proclaiming God’s Word
and doing the work God has called us to do. 

This is not a luxury.
It is not shirking our ministerial responsibility.
It is in fact, doing what is necessary so that we might fulfill our responsibility.

Time for prayer and reflection,
for immersion in the Word of God and study,
for re-calling the promises of Baptism and
re-membering who we are in Christ
is essential if we are really committed to
serving well this God whom we claim to love.

What are you busy about?