The Point of No Return

[No, as much as I like the Phantom of the Opera, that's not what this post is about. Sorry to disappoint any Phantom fans out there. Also sorry to those who don't get the reference to Phantom and just wish I'd get on with the post...]

I'm writing a paper on the history of the Taize community for Church History, so I thought I'd read some of their primary documents before checking out secondary sources. I'm enjoying it so much it doesn't feel like school work. Yea! The following excerpt is from The Sources of Taize, by Brother Roger, the founder of that community. Enjoy!

Committing ourselves to the point of no return

When Christ asks you, "For you, who am I?" suppose you were to reply:

"Christ Jesus, you are the One who loves me into the life of eternity.

"You open for me the way of risk. You are expecting from me not just a few crumbs, but the whole of my life.

"You are praying within me, day and night. My stammerings are prayer; simply calling you by the Name of Christ Jesus fills the empty places in my heart.

"You place on my finger the ring of the prodigal son, the ring of festival.

"And for my part, might I have 'exchanged the radiance of God for half-heartedness? Have I abandoned the source of living water and dug myself cracked cisterns that hold no water?'

"Christ, tirelessly you were seeking me.

"Why did I hesitate, asking for time to look after my own affairs? Once I had put my hand to the plow, why did I look back?

"And yet, though I have never seen you, I loved you, perhaps not as I would have liked to, but I did love you.

"Christ Jesus, you were suggesting to me, 'Live the very little of the Gospel that you have understood. Proclaim my life among humanity. Come, follow me.'

"Until one day, returning to the source, I understood. You were asking me to commit myself to the point of no return."