WCCM Oblate Blog: Reflections from Daily Reading of the Rule of St. Benedict

WCCM Benedictine Oblates are encouraged to read a designated portion of the Rule daily, and to write a brief, personal response. I hope that this blog will support our Oblate community in this practice. Please, keep blog entries brief and in a first-person ("I") voice. Refrain from discussing, offering an opinion, or commenting on other entries. Simply consider how a particular section of the Rule is speaking to you in your present circumstances.

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Chapter 61: Monastic pilgrims from far away (paragraphs 1-2)

It may happen, of course, that one of them may find something to point out in criticism about the customs of the monastery, using sound arguments in a spirit of charitable deference. In that case the superior should consider the whole questions with care and prudence in case it was for this very purpose that the pilgrim was sent by the Lord.

(From para. 1 of Ch. 61 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry OSB, 1997.)

My oldest child, coming home from college for Christmas, seems a bit like a pilgrim from far away. St. Benedict reminds me to stay open to the presence of the Spirit, in all the comings, goings, and expectations of this busy time of year.

1 comment:

val latonaDecember 15, 2012 at 4:44 AM
Belonging to community is not an ideal of the mind but a living in relationship, "with all humility and love." I need to find the way of expressing that humility and love that is unique to my personality and that in combination with the personality of others contributes to the growth of each and all.
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