Chapter 54
The Rule of St. Benedict August 6
On this glorious feast in which Sts. Peter, James, and John witnessed the splendor of Our Lord shining upon the peak, let us attend to that within us which, like St. Peter, needs to possess and which needs to control what comes to us. 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.
Br. Chad 2012
Hi Brothers and Sisters:
ReplyDeleteI found this quote today.
" A river doesn't hold all the water that passes through it."
I think that this chapter is speaking about holding onto tokens of things that have deeply changed us in some way. The token is to help us to remember the experience. Picking up an antique cup that had belonged to my mother, instantly transports me to an entire experience of my mother and how I came by her cup. It is (at least for me) easy to walk around in the experience and lose track of what is happening in the moment. As is usually the case, in this chapter, we are being taught to stay in the present moment and focus on the activity at hand.
Every experience that moves through us changes us and we are new people for having the experience. The tokens of our lives that we cling to, are those things that that act as a key to open powerful memories that deeply sleep with in us. I think that Benedict wanted to keep everyone on the same page as it were in working for God, study, prayer etc. He did not want a little gift to be the beginning of regret for answering the call of God to share the brotherhood of the monastery.
Brother, Rawleigh