Chapter 39: The amount of food to be made available
We must always be careful, however, to avoid excessive eating which might also cause indigestion. Nothing so so opposed to Christian values as overeating, as we can see from the words of our Lord: take care that your hearts are not weighed down by overeating. (From para. 2 of Ch. 39 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)
"Nothing is so opposed to Christian values as overeating" -- this might be hyperbole on Benedict's part, but I've come to think not. My body must be as relaxed and alert for prayer as my mind and my heart.
“All the dispositions of the Rule are made to dispose the heart of the monk for the experience of Being in the experience of pure prayer.” (John Main, “Community of Love p134.) This “disposing” includes the Rule’s confronting me with and making me look at my over-eating and at my over-consumption of everything, my addiction to “More”. St. Benedict reminds me what the experience of being in love and pure prayer are all about
ReplyDeleteOvereating of food and overconsumption of material goods point to the same root cause- an inability to say no to the ever-demanding, spoiled self who likes comfort in food and possessions which all revolve around the me. Poverty of spirit in meditation where comforting images of God are let go of lead the way for poverty of body where little by little comforting things are let go of to make more room for God and Love. Sacrifice by giving up a second helping of something delicious or by passing a little cosmetic purchase can be an opportunity to make more room for Christ in the heart.
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