Rule of Benedict 38

August 5, 2009

Benedictine life is this: The call to live holy lives in community governed by an abbot and a Rule for life. This does not sound like an appealing proposition to most of us. Who wants to “escape” into this? Yet, what if in the evangelical church, with the freedoms we have, we could approximate, perhaps not the form, but the spirit of the Rule: Learning to live blamelessly before God and man being separated wholly unto the things of God, learning community living by actually being willing to submit to a community (a few people) which is willing to give direction to our lives and agree to practice our spirituality guided daily by worship, intentional growth, and life with and service to others?

The end of chapter 4 of the Rule of St Benedict says this is hard work and it is possible but demands a load of mercy from God.

Verse 74: And never depair of God’s mercy.

Verses 75-78: Behold, these are the tools of the spiritual craft, which, if they are constantly employed day and night, and fully given back on the day of judgment, will gain for us from the Lord that reward which he himself has promised: “what eye has not seen nor ear heard, God has prepared for them that love him.”

And the workshop where we are to labor diligently at all these things is the cloister of the monastery, and stability in the community.

Craft, Workshop, Diligent labor. Have we misinterpreted the words of Jesus of the easy yoke and light burden to mean don’t do anything to promote your gorwth unto holiness and “perfect” loving? Working at our spirituality (our lived experience with, in, and for God) is a biblical mandate: Train yourself for the purpose of godliness is Paul’s command to Timothy. Train so that you are not boxing at life as if beating the air is his advice to the Corinthians. Yet all of this is too much for us. Mercy, love, grace, hope, faith are all necessary spheres in Christian spirituality.

Prayer: Lord, be merciful unto us, sinners, saved by grace, standing in Christ, with Christ, and for Christ. Amen.

Posted by georges boujakly | Filed Under St Benedict's Rule 

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