Chapter 73
The Rule of Benedict December 31
from May:
Here at the end of his Rule, Benedict models humility regarding his own work. We can learn from his example and hold gently the good that comes from our lives, recognizing that it is by God's love and grace that we have been brought to the place we are. Let us adopt our Father Benedict's humility, then, and open ourselves to what we can learn from others on parallel journeys so that we might be formed more completely into the likeness of Christ.
from August:
Benedict reminds us here at the end of the Rule that means to do not equal ends, and it is the end, the goal, the telos of our life that is the priority. We are formed by our Benedictine practices to find our true self at home with God, and to find God at home in our lives. We are all beginners. And we will always need to begin again.
This will be my last daily post on this blog. I look forward to a blessed and fruitful New Year with you all.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Friday, December 30, 2011
December 30
Chapter 72
The Rule of Benedict December 30
The first sentence of this chapter resonates with me today. The evil zeal is bitterness, and it separates from God. If our life's journey was represented on a map, the zeal of bitterness would point us in a the direction opposite of where we desire to travel. Yet the good zeal points us precisely in the direction we desire to go--to our true home with God.
The difference between these two zeals is found in the depths of our inner life, at the intersection of our emotions, desires, and will. Good zeal must be cultivated and grown within by our consistent effort and by Divine grace. Evil zeal grows in the soil of our false self, that persistent foe who desires MY will, not God's.
The Rule of Benedict December 30
The first sentence of this chapter resonates with me today. The evil zeal is bitterness, and it separates from God. If our life's journey was represented on a map, the zeal of bitterness would point us in a the direction opposite of where we desire to travel. Yet the good zeal points us precisely in the direction we desire to go--to our true home with God.
The difference between these two zeals is found in the depths of our inner life, at the intersection of our emotions, desires, and will. Good zeal must be cultivated and grown within by our consistent effort and by Divine grace. Evil zeal grows in the soil of our false self, that persistent foe who desires MY will, not God's.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
December 29
Chapter 71
The Rule of Benedict December 29
In my reading of the Gospel of Mark this morning during lectio, I witnessed Jesus in Gethsemane fully owning his emotions and desires, bringing them before his Abba whom he trusts, and fully releasing them with, "yet, not what I want, but what you want."
Benedict states in this chapter that the road of obedience brings us to God, and I perceive that the road Jesus walked in Gethsemane is the same road we all must walk among our own particular emotions and desires.
Here are thoughts from April:
Benedictine obedience comes down the point at which we, in the thick of our emotions, desires, and will, submit to another. It is a painfully difficult practice. It requires the laying down of whatever story I tell myself that places me in the possession of what is right. And at no time are the feelings of being right stronger than when I am in conflict. Yet it is precisely at this point that Benedict instructs us to quickly and decisively put aside excuses and blame.
Next time you find yourself being offended, imagine what it would take to extend a blessing rather than a rebuttal or a curse. And next time you find yourself having given offense, imagine setting aside explanations and asking for unqualified forgiveness. This is the inner freedom that Benedict seeks to cultivate in us.
The Rule of Benedict December 29
In my reading of the Gospel of Mark this morning during lectio, I witnessed Jesus in Gethsemane fully owning his emotions and desires, bringing them before his Abba whom he trusts, and fully releasing them with, "yet, not what I want, but what you want."
Benedict states in this chapter that the road of obedience brings us to God, and I perceive that the road Jesus walked in Gethsemane is the same road we all must walk among our own particular emotions and desires.
Here are thoughts from April:
Benedictine obedience comes down the point at which we, in the thick of our emotions, desires, and will, submit to another. It is a painfully difficult practice. It requires the laying down of whatever story I tell myself that places me in the possession of what is right. And at no time are the feelings of being right stronger than when I am in conflict. Yet it is precisely at this point that Benedict instructs us to quickly and decisively put aside excuses and blame.
Next time you find yourself being offended, imagine what it would take to extend a blessing rather than a rebuttal or a curse. And next time you find yourself having given offense, imagine setting aside explanations and asking for unqualified forgiveness. This is the inner freedom that Benedict seeks to cultivate in us.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
December 28
Feast of the Holy Innocents
The Rule of Benedict December 28
from August:
I find it so easy to set myself up as judge and executer. So often my perspective is trapped behind my two small eyes, and I succumb to the temptation to act as though I see Reality. Benedict seeks to prevent this very impulse in this chapter.
As a non-cloistered community, let us consider carefully how we posture ourselves with each other and with those we encounter in our daily lives. As much as it appears at times to be the case, God has not set us up as vigilantes for God's own Truth.
The Rule of Benedict December 28
from August:
I find it so easy to set myself up as judge and executer. So often my perspective is trapped behind my two small eyes, and I succumb to the temptation to act as though I see Reality. Benedict seeks to prevent this very impulse in this chapter.
As a non-cloistered community, let us consider carefully how we posture ourselves with each other and with those we encounter in our daily lives. As much as it appears at times to be the case, God has not set us up as vigilantes for God's own Truth.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
December 27
Feast of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist
Chapter 69
The Rule of Benedict December 27
from April:
An unspoken assumption in this chapter provides a key to understanding its deepest meaning. The assumption is that God is the one against whom any act of defense is undertaken in a monastery. Each monk has handed himself over totally to being formed by God, a sacred relationship that must not be compromised by even the best of intentions.
It takes true discipline both to submit to being formed and to keep from stepping in when we perceive the struggles of another in her formation.
Chapter 69
The Rule of Benedict December 27
from April:
An unspoken assumption in this chapter provides a key to understanding its deepest meaning. The assumption is that God is the one against whom any act of defense is undertaken in a monastery. Each monk has handed himself over totally to being formed by God, a sacred relationship that must not be compromised by even the best of intentions.
It takes true discipline both to submit to being formed and to keep from stepping in when we perceive the struggles of another in her formation.
Monday, December 26, 2011
December 26
Feast of St. Stephen
Chapter 68
The Rule of Benedict December 26
As we approach a new year, from August:
Let us renew our resolve to follow the clear instructions of our true Superior, the Spirit, and face the difficult task assigned to us of establishing a practice of prayer in our daily lives. This is the basis upon which all else that God has for us will be built.
Chapter 68
The Rule of Benedict December 26
As we approach a new year, from August:
Let us renew our resolve to follow the clear instructions of our true Superior, the Spirit, and face the difficult task assigned to us of establishing a practice of prayer in our daily lives. This is the basis upon which all else that God has for us will be built.
Sunday, December 25, 2011
December 25
The Nativity of Our Lord: Christmas Day
Chapter 67
The Rule of Benedict December 25
from April:
This chapter is the reason why we remember all our absent members before the closing prayer on Thursday evenings.
Our Father Benedict acknowledges and seeks to deal with a spiritual reality here that I have experienced often during that last year or so. Gil has talked for a long time about the fact each person brings with her to church an invisible crowd of other people that affect the spiritual climate of the gathering. Benedict is wise to make this explicit and establish a protocol for returning monks whereby the spiritual climate of the monastery can be cleansed from any unintended negative effects. Let us pay attention to who we bring with us to our gatherings [and what we bring spiritually to our common life of prayer], and let us pray for each other that we may ourselves be free and present to our community.
Chapter 67
The Rule of Benedict December 25
from April:
This chapter is the reason why we remember all our absent members before the closing prayer on Thursday evenings.
Our Father Benedict acknowledges and seeks to deal with a spiritual reality here that I have experienced often during that last year or so. Gil has talked for a long time about the fact each person brings with her to church an invisible crowd of other people that affect the spiritual climate of the gathering. Benedict is wise to make this explicit and establish a protocol for returning monks whereby the spiritual climate of the monastery can be cleansed from any unintended negative effects. Let us pay attention to who we bring with us to our gatherings [and what we bring spiritually to our common life of prayer], and let us pray for each other that we may ourselves be free and present to our community.
Saturday, December 24, 2011
December 24
Christmas Eve
Chapter 66
The Rule of Benedict December 24
As we celebrate the Nativity of Our Lord tonight, there will inevitably be those who come to our parish for the first time. Many various needs will be present in these and all who attend our celebration of this great feast. In the spirit of today's reading about Benedictine hospitality, let us seek to put into practice an attitude of kind welcome with "meekness inspired by the fear of God and with the warmth of charity." It may be as simple as looking into the eyes of a stranger and giving silent thanks to God for the blessing of her presence.
Chapter 66
The Rule of Benedict December 24
As we celebrate the Nativity of Our Lord tonight, there will inevitably be those who come to our parish for the first time. Many various needs will be present in these and all who attend our celebration of this great feast. In the spirit of today's reading about Benedictine hospitality, let us seek to put into practice an attitude of kind welcome with "meekness inspired by the fear of God and with the warmth of charity." It may be as simple as looking into the eyes of a stranger and giving silent thanks to God for the blessing of her presence.
Friday, December 23, 2011
December 23
Chapter 65 pt. 2
The Rule of Benedict December 23
from August:
Benedict goes to great lengths in this chapter to make very clear that the Abbot is in charge--that there is no confusion whatsoever about under whom the Prior serves. Let us remember, though, that the authority exercised by the Abbot is in the spirit of Christ, not in the spirit of the world around us. Christlike authority can hold in tension the two statements: "All authority on heaven and on earth has been given to me" and "not my will, but yours be done."
The Rule of Benedict December 23
from August:
Benedict goes to great lengths in this chapter to make very clear that the Abbot is in charge--that there is no confusion whatsoever about under whom the Prior serves. Let us remember, though, that the authority exercised by the Abbot is in the spirit of Christ, not in the spirit of the world around us. Christlike authority can hold in tension the two statements: "All authority on heaven and on earth has been given to me" and "not my will, but yours be done."
Thursday, December 22, 2011
December 22
Chapter 65 pt. 1
The Rule of Benedict December 22
from August:
Benedict was no stranger to the nitty gritty of institutional authority dynamics. Clearly he had seen enough trouble around the issue of appointing a Prior that he saw fit in this passage to shed light on the primary circumstances surrounding that trouble. But as I said in April, the root of this trouble is deeper and more basic to the human experience than the circumstances described here. The root is self-interest attached to a position of leadership. When leadership is exercised in the interest of the leader, it is not
leadership in the spirit of Christ.
Fr. Rohr's thoughts about the "King" antiphon for today are worth reading:
Fr. Rohr December 22 meditation
The Rule of Benedict December 22
from August:
Benedict was no stranger to the nitty gritty of institutional authority dynamics. Clearly he had seen enough trouble around the issue of appointing a Prior that he saw fit in this passage to shed light on the primary circumstances surrounding that trouble. But as I said in April, the root of this trouble is deeper and more basic to the human experience than the circumstances described here. The root is self-interest attached to a position of leadership. When leadership is exercised in the interest of the leader, it is not
leadership in the spirit of Christ.
Fr. Rohr's thoughts about the "King" antiphon for today are worth reading:
Fr. Rohr December 22 meditation
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
December 21
Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle
Chapter 64 pt. 2
The Rule of Benedict December 21
Gil speaks often about "non-anxious presence" as a leadership technique. I experience this from him as a peaceful silence--an openness to what and who is there. Benedict's words below call this value to mind.
Let her not be excitable and worried,
nor exacting and headstrong,
nor jealous and over-suspicious;
for then she is never at rest.
Chapter 64 pt. 2
The Rule of Benedict December 21
Gil speaks often about "non-anxious presence" as a leadership technique. I experience this from him as a peaceful silence--an openness to what and who is there. Benedict's words below call this value to mind.
Let her not be excitable and worried,
nor exacting and headstrong,
nor jealous and over-suspicious;
for then she is never at rest.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
December 20
Chapter 64 pt. 1
The Rule of Benedict December 20
I'm struck by how intent father Benedict is to establish a structure of authority that is the antithesis of worldly power, which is always self-interested. The Superior is chosen by the community to serve God's intention, not their own perceived needs. And if the community does choose someone "who will acquiesce in their vices" Benedict relies upon the wider Christian community to perceive God's intentions and intervene. For all the talk of the Rule of Benedict being hierarchical and authoritative, we see here that it is Christ alone whose authority is to be honored.
The Rule of Benedict December 20
I'm struck by how intent father Benedict is to establish a structure of authority that is the antithesis of worldly power, which is always self-interested. The Superior is chosen by the community to serve God's intention, not their own perceived needs. And if the community does choose someone "who will acquiesce in their vices" Benedict relies upon the wider Christian community to perceive God's intentions and intervene. For all the talk of the Rule of Benedict being hierarchical and authoritative, we see here that it is Christ alone whose authority is to be honored.
Monday, December 19, 2011
December 19
Chapter 63 pt. 2
The Rule of Benedict December 19
This passage has much to offer us as we live out our Benedictine lives in a parish setting. The way in which we think about, talk about/to, and treat the elders in our parish is an important matter. I have been guilty of nursing grudges and speaking unkindly about some in the older generation at St. Augustine's. I hear from this passage that it is mine to lay aside my own sense of entitlement and/or rightness in the face of the inevitable conflicts of interest that will arise in a multi-generational community. Let us practice deference and gracious concern for the best interest of our elders.
The Rule of Benedict December 19
This passage has much to offer us as we live out our Benedictine lives in a parish setting. The way in which we think about, talk about/to, and treat the elders in our parish is an important matter. I have been guilty of nursing grudges and speaking unkindly about some in the older generation at St. Augustine's. I hear from this passage that it is mine to lay aside my own sense of entitlement and/or rightness in the face of the inevitable conflicts of interest that will arise in a multi-generational community. Let us practice deference and gracious concern for the best interest of our elders.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
December 18
Chapter 63 pt. 1
The Rule of Benedict December 18
from August:
I experienced the system of community ranking at St. Gregory's during my time there. What I said in April, that the effect of such a ranking is egalitarian given the class system outside the monastery, seemed to ring true. The places in choir and the seats in the refectory were the only two applications of the ranking that I experienced as a vocationer, and I remember an immediate sense of comfort in knowing that my seats were assigned, that I didn't need to jockey for position. As other vocationers left, I went from the 9th position, to the 6th, to the 3rd, which had the effect in me of deepening my sense of belonging at the monastery rather than any feelings of superiority over those in lower positions.
The Rule of Benedict December 18
from August:
I experienced the system of community ranking at St. Gregory's during my time there. What I said in April, that the effect of such a ranking is egalitarian given the class system outside the monastery, seemed to ring true. The places in choir and the seats in the refectory were the only two applications of the ranking that I experienced as a vocationer, and I remember an immediate sense of comfort in knowing that my seats were assigned, that I didn't need to jockey for position. As other vocationers left, I went from the 9th position, to the 6th, to the 3rd, which had the effect in me of deepening my sense of belonging at the monastery rather than any feelings of superiority over those in lower positions.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
December 17
Chapter 62
The Rule of Benedict December 17
As I wrote in August, this passage underscores my vocational calling as I am hearing it. The call to the religious priesthood is not a common calling for an Episcopalian. In fact, in our diocese, it is unprecedented. As I meet with the Bishop and with the Commission on Ministry just after the New Year, I ask for your prayers that I may be given clarity and wisdom to share my story in such a way that my calling can be heard.
Speaking of Wisdom, read Fr. Richard Rohr's reflection from today about the monastic tradition that begins today, December 17. The "O Antiphons" he refers to are the verses to "O Come, o come Emmanuel," which explains the dates in front of the verses in the hymnal.
Fr. Rohr December 17
The Rule of Benedict December 17
As I wrote in August, this passage underscores my vocational calling as I am hearing it. The call to the religious priesthood is not a common calling for an Episcopalian. In fact, in our diocese, it is unprecedented. As I meet with the Bishop and with the Commission on Ministry just after the New Year, I ask for your prayers that I may be given clarity and wisdom to share my story in such a way that my calling can be heard.
Speaking of Wisdom, read Fr. Richard Rohr's reflection from today about the monastic tradition that begins today, December 17. The "O Antiphons" he refers to are the verses to "O Come, o come Emmanuel," which explains the dates in front of the verses in the hymnal.
Fr. Rohr December 17
Friday, December 16, 2011
December 16
Chapter 61 pt. 2
The Rule of Benedict December 16
from August:
The spirit of hospitality in this chapter is not separated from the spirit of discernment. The welcome is of the visiting monastic as she is, and the ear of the community is tuned to hear what God has to say through the presence of the visitor. Benedict makes it clear, however, that the community is likewise responsible to perceive clearly whether that presence is helpful or harmful and to act accordingly.
The Rule of Benedict December 16
from August:
The spirit of hospitality in this chapter is not separated from the spirit of discernment. The welcome is of the visiting monastic as she is, and the ear of the community is tuned to hear what God has to say through the presence of the visitor. Benedict makes it clear, however, that the community is likewise responsible to perceive clearly whether that presence is helpful or harmful and to act accordingly.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
December 15
Chapter 61 pt. 1
The Rule of Benedict December 15
from April:
I love the posture of humility that this passage instructs the community to assume with regard to the visitor. The community is instructed to listen to and learn from the visiting monastic. Benedict desires open hearts and receptive minds to whatever God brings to the communities that bear his name.
As we move forward, let us open ourselves to hearing and learning from others who have walked the path of a vowed religious life. I believe that in this way we will discover profound blessings as we enter the next stage of our life together.
The Rule of Benedict December 15
from April:
I love the posture of humility that this passage instructs the community to assume with regard to the visitor. The community is instructed to listen to and learn from the visiting monastic. Benedict desires open hearts and receptive minds to whatever God brings to the communities that bear his name.
As we move forward, let us open ourselves to hearing and learning from others who have walked the path of a vowed religious life. I believe that in this way we will discover profound blessings as we enter the next stage of our life together.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
December 14
Chapter 60
The Rule of Benedict December 14
from August:
Benedict's question from the Gospel of Matthew, "Friend, for what have you come?" is a question we would all do well to consider as we take our next steps. Regardless of how the particulars of a Benedictine way of life are brought into our world through this community, our soul's answer to this question looks no different than the answers of those to whom Benedict posed the question in the sixth century.
The answer to Benedict's rhetorical question is found back in the Prologue. We come to be formed in the likeness of Christ--as souls in which God is fully at home--by means, as Sr. Joan writes, of "a way of life immersed in the Scriptures, devoted to the common life, and dedicated to the development of human community . . . simple, regular, and total, a way of living . . ."
The Rule of Benedict December 14
from August:
Benedict's question from the Gospel of Matthew, "Friend, for what have you come?" is a question we would all do well to consider as we take our next steps. Regardless of how the particulars of a Benedictine way of life are brought into our world through this community, our soul's answer to this question looks no different than the answers of those to whom Benedict posed the question in the sixth century.
The answer to Benedict's rhetorical question is found back in the Prologue. We come to be formed in the likeness of Christ--as souls in which God is fully at home--by means, as Sr. Joan writes, of "a way of life immersed in the Scriptures, devoted to the common life, and dedicated to the development of human community . . . simple, regular, and total, a way of living . . ."
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
December 13
Chapter 59
The Rule of Benedict December 13
from August:
The term, "oblate," originally described children whose parents offered, or made an oblation of, them to a monastery as described in this chapter. Laying aside the manifold cultural and religious problems that our perspective perceives in such a practice, the tangible image of this exchange can help us make sense of what it is to be an oblate in our context. As I have said before, a Benedictine oblate offers her "secular" life to God by means of a particular "monastery" by endeavoring to give the practice of that "monastery" an expression in her own life.
The Rule of Benedict December 13
from August:
The term, "oblate," originally described children whose parents offered, or made an oblation of, them to a monastery as described in this chapter. Laying aside the manifold cultural and religious problems that our perspective perceives in such a practice, the tangible image of this exchange can help us make sense of what it is to be an oblate in our context. As I have said before, a Benedictine oblate offers her "secular" life to God by means of a particular "monastery" by endeavoring to give the practice of that "monastery" an expression in her own life.
Monday, December 12, 2011
December 12
Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Chapter 58 pt. 2
The Rule of Benedict December 12
The ceremony here is much like the ceremony of a marriage in which one's identity before God and the community is changed. Ceremonies surrounding sacramental mysteries are full of rich imagery and ritual that are meant to convey outwardly, in a physical way, that an unseen reality, an "inward grace", is at play.
Look at the pictures of the clothing of the novice, Br. Joshua at St. Gregory's Abbey, and ponder the unseen reality this ceremony is meant to convey:
Listen carefully, my child August 12
Chapter 58 pt. 2
The Rule of Benedict December 12
The ceremony here is much like the ceremony of a marriage in which one's identity before God and the community is changed. Ceremonies surrounding sacramental mysteries are full of rich imagery and ritual that are meant to convey outwardly, in a physical way, that an unseen reality, an "inward grace", is at play.
Look at the pictures of the clothing of the novice, Br. Joshua at St. Gregory's Abbey, and ponder the unseen reality this ceremony is meant to convey:
Listen carefully, my child August 12
Sunday, December 11, 2011
December 11
Chapter 58 pt. 1
The Rule of Benedict December 11
from April:
I feel that in some ways we are all, as an order, still novices in need of an elder who is skilled in winning souls. I find great peace in reading that one does not find one's way into a Benedictine life in an instant of decision, but by patience and persistence. Nor does one find one's way alone.
from August:
Let us seek to maintain within ourselves a spirit of deliberation regarding our life together and our individual places within it. We are still very much at the beginning of things--newcomers to a way of life that is coming into being as we live it.
The Rule of Benedict December 11
from April:
I feel that in some ways we are all, as an order, still novices in need of an elder who is skilled in winning souls. I find great peace in reading that one does not find one's way into a Benedictine life in an instant of decision, but by patience and persistence. Nor does one find one's way alone.
from August:
Let us seek to maintain within ourselves a spirit of deliberation regarding our life together and our individual places within it. We are still very much at the beginning of things--newcomers to a way of life that is coming into being as we live it.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
December 10
Chapter 57
The Rule of Benedict December 10
As we experience this liminal space in our life together, let us open ourselves to perceive the gifts God desires to give to the world through our community. The creative breath of the Spirit is flowing among us. May we have the courage to be moved.
The Rule of Benedict December 10
As we experience this liminal space in our life together, let us open ourselves to perceive the gifts God desires to give to the world through our community. The creative breath of the Spirit is flowing among us. May we have the courage to be moved.
Friday, December 9, 2011
December 9
Chapter 56
The Rule of Benedict December 9
I hear from this little chapter the importance of caring for the needs of the guest, the outsider, the one who does not belong. The Abbot/Abbess holds the place of Christ, and Benedict would have their behavior mirror Jesus' in this act of eating with those outside the community. We see here the (super)natural flow of spiritual formation from a disposition inward, cultivating knowledge and love of God, to a disposition outward, practicing love of neighbor.
The Rule of Benedict December 9
I hear from this little chapter the importance of caring for the needs of the guest, the outsider, the one who does not belong. The Abbot/Abbess holds the place of Christ, and Benedict would have their behavior mirror Jesus' in this act of eating with those outside the community. We see here the (super)natural flow of spiritual formation from a disposition inward, cultivating knowledge and love of God, to a disposition outward, practicing love of neighbor.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
December 8
Chapter 55 pt. 2
The Rule of Benedict December 8
from April:
In this passage I can't help but see the scenario described through the lens of Julie and Monty's experience of attachment disorder with Mila. Attachment disorder occurs when a person does not form the normal attachments to a parent or primary caregiver during early childhood. The result is a human being that believes, on a primal level, that she must fend for herself in a hostile world that does not meet her needs.
I don't think it's a stretch to say that the Rule is therapy for a soul that has lost its attachment to God. Benedict's instructions can seem harsh until you realize the nature of the illness that needs to be cured. The sort of love that is willing to bear the bruises of a screaming, striking child in a calm, firm, four-limbed embrace is the kind of love displayed here by our Father Benedict.
from August:
Awakening to those things we keep hidden in our bed and facing, forgiving, and healing the child within who does not trust God is among the most difficult and beautiful work a human being can do. And it is work we do from the midst of God's firm, unyielding love.
The Rule of Benedict December 8
from April:
In this passage I can't help but see the scenario described through the lens of Julie and Monty's experience of attachment disorder with Mila. Attachment disorder occurs when a person does not form the normal attachments to a parent or primary caregiver during early childhood. The result is a human being that believes, on a primal level, that she must fend for herself in a hostile world that does not meet her needs.
I don't think it's a stretch to say that the Rule is therapy for a soul that has lost its attachment to God. Benedict's instructions can seem harsh until you realize the nature of the illness that needs to be cured. The sort of love that is willing to bear the bruises of a screaming, striking child in a calm, firm, four-limbed embrace is the kind of love displayed here by our Father Benedict.
from August:
Awakening to those things we keep hidden in our bed and facing, forgiving, and healing the child within who does not trust God is among the most difficult and beautiful work a human being can do. And it is work we do from the midst of God's firm, unyielding love.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
December 7
Chapter 55 pt. 1
The Rule of Benedict December 7
from August:
Benedict's instructions on dress seem to be a part of his overall approach to life in common. It boils down to the point at which we each release our claim on Creation as one who must obtain, possess, and secure resources. I hear Jesus' words in Matthew 6 echoed here: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear." This is a crucial and difficult process of inner transformation.
The Rule of Benedict December 7
from August:
Benedict's instructions on dress seem to be a part of his overall approach to life in common. It boils down to the point at which we each release our claim on Creation as one who must obtain, possess, and secure resources. I hear Jesus' words in Matthew 6 echoed here: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear." This is a crucial and difficult process of inner transformation.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
December 6
Chapter 54
The Rule of Benedict December 6
In this season of preparation, let us attend to that within us which needs to possess and which needs to control. These are mountains brought low to prepare the way of the Lord.
And let us also attend to that within us which feels unworthy to receive from the generous hand of God. These are valleys raised up.
When the Lord's path into or lives is level, we are able to receive God and bear God into the world, joyfully offering what has been entrusted to us for the benefit of all.
The Rule of Benedict December 6
In this season of preparation, let us attend to that within us which needs to possess and which needs to control. These are mountains brought low to prepare the way of the Lord.
And let us also attend to that within us which feels unworthy to receive from the generous hand of God. These are valleys raised up.
When the Lord's path into or lives is level, we are able to receive God and bear God into the world, joyfully offering what has been entrusted to us for the benefit of all.
Monday, December 5, 2011
December 5
Chapter 53 pt. 2
The Rule of Benedict December 5
from August:
Niceness is a poor substitute for kindness. Kindness, not niceness, is a component part of hospitality. It is easy for some of us to confuse smiles and pleasant tones of voice with the things that make for true kindness and hospitality. If we continue in this confusion for long enough, we become unable to distinguish between kindness and unkindness, hospitality and inhospitality.
The monks at St. Gregory's Abbey are not nice, by most standards. But they are kind. My hope for our life together is that we will attune and live according to the essential difference between these two as well.
I encourage you to read the discussion below this post from August 5:
Listen carefully, my child. August 5
The Rule of Benedict December 5
from August:
Niceness is a poor substitute for kindness. Kindness, not niceness, is a component part of hospitality. It is easy for some of us to confuse smiles and pleasant tones of voice with the things that make for true kindness and hospitality. If we continue in this confusion for long enough, we become unable to distinguish between kindness and unkindness, hospitality and inhospitality.
The monks at St. Gregory's Abbey are not nice, by most standards. But they are kind. My hope for our life together is that we will attune and live according to the essential difference between these two as well.
I encourage you to read the discussion below this post from August 5:
Listen carefully, my child. August 5
Sunday, December 4, 2011
December 4
Chapter 53 pt. 1
The Rule of Benedict December 4
This passage goes to great lengths to assure that the essence of hospitality is practiced by the community--Christ, "received in [guests'] persons." There are many ways in which we have occasion to practice such hospitality in our life together on a parish level, and many ways that we can forsake it. When it comes to being hospitable to the poor, in whom Christ is "especially" received, a reflection from our brother, Robert, is appropriate to consider:
The Rule of Benedict December 4
This passage goes to great lengths to assure that the essence of hospitality is practiced by the community--Christ, "received in [guests'] persons." There are many ways in which we have occasion to practice such hospitality in our life together on a parish level, and many ways that we can forsake it. When it comes to being hospitable to the poor, in whom Christ is "especially" received, a reflection from our brother, Robert, is appropriate to consider:
Every time I see people try to weasel out of a charitable human spirit, I remember that an antidote to it is found in --of all places-- the Christian Patristic Fathers.
Gregory Nazienzen, a bishop in the 370s, confronted reasons people give to not help the poor, reasons that are as familiar to us as they were to Gregory: some people deserve to be poor, they brought it upon themselves, there is "not enough", or it's a punishment from God. Gregory will have none of it. In fact, in the face of these objections, service to the poor is necessary so that we might "restrain those who have such an attitude towards [the poor], and [that we] might not give in to their foolish arguments, making cruelty into a law turned against our very selves."
Saturday, December 3, 2011
December 3
Chapter 52
The Rule of Benedict December 3
from August:
At St. Gregory's Abbey I witnessed the value of a space being set aside as the oratory in which nothing but prayer was done. The church stands soaked in the prayers of the resident community. For more than 70 years the monks have gathered 7 times a day to chant the Psalms, celebrate daily Eucharist, light incense and candles, read the Scriptures, and sit in silence within the wooden walls of the abbey church.
Although we may not be able to set aside a place in our home as an oratory in which nothing else is done or kept, I know that to live a life of prayer within our own walls has a tangible, lasting effect on us and on all who visit. May we seek to inhabit such spaces.
The Rule of Benedict December 3
from August:
At St. Gregory's Abbey I witnessed the value of a space being set aside as the oratory in which nothing but prayer was done. The church stands soaked in the prayers of the resident community. For more than 70 years the monks have gathered 7 times a day to chant the Psalms, celebrate daily Eucharist, light incense and candles, read the Scriptures, and sit in silence within the wooden walls of the abbey church.
Although we may not be able to set aside a place in our home as an oratory in which nothing else is done or kept, I know that to live a life of prayer within our own walls has a tangible, lasting effect on us and on all who visit. May we seek to inhabit such spaces.
Friday, December 2, 2011
December 2
Chapter 51
The Rule of Benedict December 2
from April:
At first glance, the punishment in this chapter appears a bit extreme for the offense. But if we think about it in terms of vows and what it means to violate the spirit of a vow, it seems quite appropriate. For example, if I, without Jana's permission, were to meet a female friend for lunch in some hidden cafe across town, the issues at play cut straight to the heart of what it means for me to be married. These are matters of fidelity and trust.
The Rule of Benedict December 2
from April:
At first glance, the punishment in this chapter appears a bit extreme for the offense. But if we think about it in terms of vows and what it means to violate the spirit of a vow, it seems quite appropriate. For example, if I, without Jana's permission, were to meet a female friend for lunch in some hidden cafe across town, the issues at play cut straight to the heart of what it means for me to be married. These are matters of fidelity and trust.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
December 1
Chapter 50
The Rule of Benedict December 1
from April;
We have in this chapter a good example of circumstances that are more similar to our own as non-cloistered members of an order. We must be equipped with spiritual practices that can sustain us throughout our days outside of a monastery, just as those referenced here who are working at a great distance.
The Rule of Benedict December 1
from April;
We have in this chapter a good example of circumstances that are more similar to our own as non-cloistered members of an order. We must be equipped with spiritual practices that can sustain us throughout our days outside of a monastery, just as those referenced here who are working at a great distance.
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