Mar 26 - Be Available Always

I do not occupy myself with great matters, *
or with things that are too hard for me.
But I still my soul and make it quiet, like a child upon its mother's breast; *
my soul is quieted within me.
Psalm 131:2-3

When the cause of sin lies hidden in the conscience, the monastic is to reveal it only to the prioress or abbot or to one of the spiritual elders...
Benedict's Rule 46:5 (Chittister, Pg. 207)

The challenge of community lies in whether we ourselves care enough about anyone else to be willing to be their light, to treat their wounds well, to protect their reputations when they try to walk with us.
Chittister, Pg. 207-208

It is not about me, it is about everyone else around me. I need engage only when asked -- be available always, but insert myself never. It is about always being available.

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.