One of my favorite quotes is this: “In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things, charity.” It’s attributed to St. Benedict. 

I bet Benedict was old-ish when he wrote that, so I looked into it. He was probably in his 50’s. We rarely understand stuff like that until we’ve walked the walk for a while. It’s too generous. It gives others too much credit. We love our do’s and don’t’s. We want the clarity. The measureability of it all. And we sure as heck don’t want to extend grace to those who don’t deserve it. That wouldn’t be fair.

We want what is essential to us to be essential to all. Even if the list is long.

But then…I can hear Jesus saying… “but only a few things are needed, or indeed, only one.” Luke 10:42. 

“Well, which one is it, Lord? Help us out here. We can make an essential out of it. A law.” 

Benedict knew. He knew that grace is more important than the law, even though we need the law.

Jesus figured it out in his early 30’s. Actually, he knew it all along. It’s his whole point.

Few things are needed. Indeed, only one. It’s a spiritual thing that goes against our quid-pro-quo sensibilities. Grace over law. Him over the ways of the world.

Some people never figure this out. They strive to the bitter end and end up where they started. With the law. So they double down on the law…and miss the grace…and look like mean people.

So maybe the essential is to not miss the grace. Each of us has to find it within. I’m not talking about showing legal grace to Venezuelan criminals. We have the law to handle those things. I’m talking about showing grace to those who miss the grace. Some of the most militantly MAGA people I know are hurting right now. I can’t be blinded by their MAGA-ness…and miss their pain.

“But come on, Debbie, quit being so ethereal. We need issues, baby, issues! I’m not going to negotiate on these five issues! I’m willing to give a little on these five. And yeah, all should be done with as much good will as we can muster.”

Yes. Your essentials may or may not be my essentials. But ah, those non-essentials! What progress we could make there.  

​And while we’re at it, let’s not miss the grace, whatever that looks like.