Rule of Benedict 31
June 21, 2009
Sabbatical from blogging is over. A time of rest and fasting from blogging was taken because one was needed. Hopefully, I will always be learning to live in his Sabbath rest. That is the challenge of exchanging the busy life with the contemplative life.
I resume the series I started quite a while back from Norvene Vest’s book Preferring Christ, which is a commentary on the Rule of St Benedict. Why be familiar with the Rule of Benedict? Because it is a foundational text on spiritual formation, and living in a Christlike manner in relationship to all.
The comments on the Rule are my own. These stem from a meditative reading of the text. The Rule itself is quoted in italics is from Preferring Christ. When I use Norvene’s comments I indicate so.
We continue the reading from Chapter 4 and verses 41-43:
Put your hope in God. Attribute any good that you see in yourself to God and not to yourself; but recongnize and always impute to yourself the evil that you do.
The injunction of hope is instructive and corrective to me and sheds necessary light on the the rest of the verses. Why attribute the good I see in myself not to myself but to God? Because my hope is not resident in myself but in God. Why should I take responsibility for the evil that I do? Again because my hope is in God and not in my ability to overcome evil on my own.
It seems as if the Psalmist anticipated Benedict with these lines: O Israel, hope in the Lord, for the Lord exhibits loyal love, and is more than willing to deliver. (130:7). An these: Patiently wait for God alone, my soul! For he is the one who gives me confidence (Psalm 62:5).
Prayer: What a wonderful gift you have given, O Lord. You know how to give perfect gifts for every occasion. On the occasion of boasting you remind me not to steal your glory. On the occasion of my failure you remind me there is hope for me. Amen. Lord, have mercy.
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