The Rule of St. Benedict: Chapter 54
How appropriate that this chapter concerning the giving and receiving of gifts falls on the feast of St. Nicholas! On this ancient feast from which are derived many of our Christmas traditions such as stockings and the giving of gifts to children, let us attend to that within us which needs to possess and which needs to control what comes to us.
In the words of Isaiah we hear during Advent, these needs are the mountains we make low to prepare the way of the Coming One.
And let us also attend to that within us which feels unworthy to receive from the generous hand of God.
These feelings are valleys we lift up.
When God'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
I just sent Advent cards to two of my monk friends and wondered about this very thing, but it sounds like the point is to prevent community members from becoming too attached to anything, and to care properly for what is given.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure how this works out in my own life. I am a steward of many things and a caregiver for my family, but I don't generally frame what I have (except my children, who aren't things) in terms of what God has entrusted to me. Hmm.
Interesting! I wonder how many people have the first-hand experience of sending things to monks!
ReplyDeleteAs for your hmm, do you find fault with the terms of entrustment, or is it simply a matter of fact that you don't frame what you have in those terms?
Not very many these days, I would think, given the relative rarity of monks in the 21st century!
DeleteMy "hmm" is more of a question, like, "How would I shift my framework to think in terms of God entrusting something to me?"