As we all know, and as Benedict is quick to point out, guests are never lacking in a monastery. For many of us, the presence of guests is a daily occurrence. Our manner of receiving guests probably has not changed dramatically over the centuries.
Pilgrims still come to our front or back doors for varied reasons and with diverse needs.
We attend to their needs and share what we have with them, conscious of the fact that they are the presence of Christ in our midst, a gift to our communities. As the new millennium dawns, we are beginning to witness, consciously or unconsciously, a radical change in the way we receive some guests in the monastery. In fact, many of our monasteries are beginning to need two porters . . . In the past few years, the global community has become our neighborhood. With the proper technology in place, we are easily able to make connections with our relatives, friends and other monastics across town or across the globe.