Chapter 57: Members of the community with creative gifts
If there are any in the community with creative gifts, they should use them in their workshops with proper humility, provided that they have the permission of the superior.
(From para. 1 of Ch. 57 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry OSB, 1997.)
For a long time it seemed to me that creative gifts, my own included, were a sign of someone's "specialness". What I didn't realize was how this viewpoint put creative gifts under the purview of the ego. But sure enough, my ego became critic, inhibitor, and ruthless perfectionist in the creative realm. St. Benedict's approach to regarding my creative gifts with true self knowledge finally allows me to use them in the spirit and expression of love.
More often than not, I think of a creative gift as resulting in a product. In this reading, Benedict seems to dwell on that aspect in terms of a "craft". Having just participated in a Confirmation of a group of young people, the focus is on the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit which are not so much seen as unseen- wisdom, understanding, counsel, knowledge, fortitude, piety and fear of the Lord. These gifts are like leaven in a community,and strengthened through meditation. How I use them is a Holy Spirit choice which hopefully I can realize.
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