Mar 23 - Failure and Growth

I will rejoice and be glad because of your mercy; *
for you have seen my affliction;
you know my distress.
Psalm 31:7

No one is to presume to eat or drink before or after the time appointed.
Benedict's Rule 43:18 (Chittister, Pg. 200)

Both community and prayer, therefore, are essential elements of Benedictine spirituality, and we may not neglect either.
Chittister, Pg. 201

As a Benedictine oblate I face struggle and imperfection in my attempts to fully participate in, live, and accept the norms and rules of the School of God's Service that I am enrolled in. How wonderful to have our Lord who fully accepts my failures and struggles, always loving me and expecting me to grow beyond each failure.

A Note To Readers:

This entry is part of a series that is developing as I read The Rule of Benedict, A Spirituality for the 21st Century, Joan Chittister, OSB, Crossroads, 2010. I am offering this both to those at St. George's Episcopal Church, Arlington VA, that may be reading this book and to anyone that is interested.

Unless stated otherwise quotes from St. Benedict's Rule are from the translation in this same book. Psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer, The Episcopal Church, 1979 unless otherwise noted.