Jan 18 - What I Want Or...

Hallelujah!
Sing to the Lord a new song; *
sing his praise in the congregation of the faithful.
Psalm 149:1

You must relieve the lot of the poor, clothe the naked, visit the sick, and bury the dead. Go to help the troubled and console the sorrowing.
Benedict's Rule 4:14-19 (Chittister, Pg 57)

The call to contemplation here is the call not simply to see Christ in the others but to treat the others as Christ.
Chittister Pg. 57

Two Thoughts:

1. Now we are getting to the core of why we have Benedict's spirituality at the heart of the Community of Hope
2. This is when it gets hard for me

I clearly understand the call to see the other as Christ. Now I have to give up my selfish desires and make room for that other in my life.

I realize that often this I do not want to do.Should I stop reading that article that I think provides insight about the others around me? Do I keep watching more television or do I go to bed so I have energy for tomorrow? Or do I stop and listen to the person that asks me a question at the end of my weekly self-help meeting? Do I greet the newcomer at church before running over for my coffee at coffee hour?

The bottom line seems to be a choice: Do I do what I want or do I do what God wants?

A Note To Anyone Reading:

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, Crossroads, 2010. I am offering this both to those at St. George's Episcopal Church, Arlington VA, that may be reading Ms. Chittister's book and to anyone that is interested.

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

Comments are welcome, and encouraged, please use the blog comment feature.

Jan 17 - Surrounded And Supported

Some put their trust in chariots and some in horses, *
But we will call upon the Name of the Lord our God.
Psalm 20:7

In the monastery, monastics are not to follow their own heart's desire, nor shall they presume to contend with the prioress or abbot defiantly, or outside the monastery.
Benedict's Rule 3:8-9 (Chittister, Pg 54)

Benedictine monasticism is life lived within the circuit of four guy wires: the gospel, the teachings of its abbots and prioresses, the experience of the community, and the Rule of Benedict itself.
Chittister, Pg 54

We are called to put our trust in God, letting go of chariots, horses, defiance, even asked to let go of our "own heart's desire." So how do we follow God? Sister Joan talks of four guy wires. On the next page (55) she rephrases these four concepts, speaking more clearly to us that are not in a monastery:

"Each of us, monastic or not, deals with the same elements in life. We are all:

1. bound to the gospel
2. under leadership of some kind
3. faced with the dictates of tradition or the cautions of experience
4. in need of a direction"

This speaks to me in my every day life. When I am pulled in different directions (tempted to sin, perhaps?) or confused about a decision, or enjoying a great day in the warmth of God's care and creation I come back around these guides that originated long before me, and, with God's grace, will continue long after I am gone.

I also see where we, as our instance of the wider Community of Hope forms and grows, can use these four guy wires. As we meet for the first time we will have many questions. Each of us will have many thoughts of how to navigate this path forward, some of us will wish to move faster than the prescribed course moves us (while others, of course, may wish to go slower...) As we continue meeting we will learn much, and as we move from a collection of individuals to an integrated community, we will build our own leadership and experience so we can reach out to others. We will add our group's experience to the tradition and experience that has come before us.

A Note To Anyone Reading:

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, Crossroads, 2010. I am offering this both to those at St. George's Episcopal Church, Arlington VA, that may be reading Ms. Chittister's book and to anyone that is interested.

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

Comments are welcome, and encouraged, please use the blog comment feature.

Jan 16 - Thoughts on Decision Making

Weigh my heart, summon me by night, *
melt me down; you will find no impurity in me.

Keep me as the apple of your eye; *
hide me under the shadow of your wings,
Psalm 17:3,8

The community members, for their part, are to express their opinions with all humility, and not presume to defend their own views obstinately.
Benedict's Rule 3:4 (Chittister, Pg 52)

And Benedict knows that there is a spark of the divine in all of us. The function of an abbot or prioress, or leaders and spouses everywhere, is not so much to know the truth as to be able to espy it and recognize it in the other when they hear it.
Chittister, Pg 53

Shared decision making. Here we have a central part of creating community, and a way of guiding the community. As I read all of the portion of the Rule for today and all of Sister Joan's reflection I hear that I am to listen and share. I am not to make decisions rashly. If my role is the leader I must, in the end, make the decision. If I am not the leader then I must abide by the decision. I do not get "let off the hook" either way. I cannot simply say "All of you voted for it, make the best of it", nor can I say "I am agreeing only because all of you voted for it". Will this work everywhere? No. And I think mostly because there are places where everyone concerned is not willing to make decisions with these rules.

For our potential, growing, community I hope we can all think about sharing, listening, and abiding by decisions. We all have a part in creating this community. It will not happen without our all taking an active part.

A Note To Anyone Reading:

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, Crossroads, 2010. I am offering this both to those at St. George's Episcopal Church, Arlington VA, that may be reading Ms. Chittister's book and to anyone that is interested.

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

Comments are welcome, and encouraged, please use the blog comment feature.

Jan 15 - A Busy Day

He delivered me from my strong enemies and from those who hated me; *
for they were too might for me.
Psalm 18:18

Rather they should keep in mind that they have undertaken the care of souls for whom they must give an account...
...let them realize that on judgement day they will surely have to submit a reckoning to God for all their souls -- and indeed for their own as well
Benedict's Rule 2:34, 38 (Chittister Pg 47, 49)

No reflection for Jan 15th, as my work day allowed only time for my reading, not time for reflection and sharing.

A Note To Anyone Reading:

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, Crossroads, 2010. I am offering this both to those at St. George's Episcopal Church, Arlington VA, that may be reading Ms. Chittister's book and to anyone that is interested.

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

Comments are welcome, and encouraged, please use the blog comment feature.

Jan 14 - Strength Beyond Puny Efforts

With my whole heart I seek you; *
let me not stray from your commandments.
Psalm 119:10

...aware that more will be expected of one to whom more has been entrusted
Benedict's Rule 2:31a (Chittister, Pg 45)

We must each strive for the ideal and we must encourage others to strive with us, not because we ourselves are not weak but because knowing our own weaknesses and admitting them we can with great confidence teach trust in the God who watches with patience our puny efforts and our foolish failures.
Chittister, Pg 47

I start today with the first three sections of Psalm 119. I find comfort and wisdom within them. I could simply post the Psalm and we would learn much. I share with the Psalmist to seek the Lord with my whole heart, to not stray from the commandments. But Sister Joan Chittister's final line reflects the reality, the puny efforts and foolish failures that go along with my great desire.

I know I can't live up to the ideal of the Psalms, but I haven't stopped trying. I know that as I step forward and live the life where I have been entrusted with much, that much is expected of me. Today as I read these readings I gain strength. On good days I gain the strength to reach beyond where I have been. On many days I gain the strength only to not fall back. On some days I do fall back, gaining only the strength to start again tomorrow.

A Note To Anyone Reading:

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, Crossroads, 2010. I am offering this both to those at St. George's Episcopal Church, Arlington VA, that may be reading Ms. Chittister's book and to anyone that is interested.

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

Comments are welcome, and encouraged, please use the blog comment feature.

Jan 13 - Responsible For My Own Sins

Have pity on me, Lord, for I am weak; *
heal me, Lord, for my bones are racked.
Psalm 6:2

They should not gloss over the sins of those who err, but cut them out while they can, as soon as they sprout...
Benedict's Rule, 2:25 (Chittister, Pg 42-43)

There is no room in Benedictine spirituality, though, for bloodless relationships between people in authority and the people for whom they have responsibility.
Chittister, Pg 43-44

Who's sins am I looking at here? Mine. I have responsibility for myself first. I may be prioress or abbot, parent, or supervisor, even some combination of all of those, and be responsible for others. But...

To be responsible for others I must be responsible for myself. I cannot gloss over my sins when I err. And err I will. They sprout. They may even ooze, even out the same openings as the beauty I spoke of two days ago. While we are human, built in our Creator's image, we are only human.

For me I know I need to be in a place where I have active, warm, mutual, and robust relationships with others. Others that I allow to have authority. Join me.

A Note To Anyone Reading:

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, Crossroads, 2010. I am offering this both to those at St. George's Episcopal Church, Arlington VA, that may be reading Ms. Chittister's book and to anyone that is interested.

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

Comments are welcome, and encouraged, please use the blog comment feature.

Jan 12 - The Insane Jesus Life

I lie down and go to sleep; *
I wake, again, because the Lord sustains me
Psalm 3:5

The prioress or abbot should avoid all favoritism in the monastery.
Benedict's Rule 2:16 (Chittister, Pg 40)

This is the Jesus life. What is insane in the streets is common coin here.
Sr. Joan Chittister, Pg 41

If this is the Jesus life, I am looking for some easy perfection. I want it to be easy to do the things that are "insane in the streets". Benedict is speaking about leaders, and the "insanity" of not ranking by education, money, or social status. The leaders, Benedict says, are to "show equal love to everyone and apply the same discipline to all..." Sister Joan ends her reflection with request to "Imagine a world that was run by holy listeners."

Yes, I want the "Jesus life", or at least I want Jesus in my life, and I want to be known by others as being holy. Or do I? At work do I want to be thought of as someone living the Jesus life, or do I want to be known as successful? At home do I want to put my hobbies, my recreation, my book reading aside to attend to another's needs? Do I love God enough that I am ready to sacrifice my life? I must admit, "Not Always", to say the least.

I can imagine being a holy listener, though. At least some of the time. Perhaps this is enough go keep me moving forward in the Jesus life today.

A Note To Anyone Reading:

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, Crossroads, 2010. I am offering this both to those at St. George's Episcopal Church, Arlington VA, that may be reading Ms. Chittister's book and to anyone that is interested.

Unless stated otherwise quotes from St. Benedict's Rule from the translation in this same book.

Psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer, The Episcopal Church, 1979 unless otherwise noted.

Comments are welcome, and encouraged, please use the blog comment feature.