Chapter 54: The reception of letters and gifts in the monastery
Then it will be for the superior, after agreeing to the reception of the gift, to decide who in the community should receive the gift and, if it is not the one to whom it was sent, that should not give rise to recriminations lest the devil be given an opportunity. (From Ch. 54 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)
A generosity of spirit, an attention to the true needs of others, and a detachment from controlling or being controlled by things: All of this is a liberating message to me in the commercial chaos of Christmas.
Just yesterday a trivial event made me aware of how much ego-centric Greed, Envy, Anger, Lust and Gluttony—all the “Capital” sins--continue to live and thrive in me! This time others I love were consuming a certain food item and I watched it disappearing before my eyes, possibly leaving none for me. My disease of “More” is alive and well. Abba, teach me how to live in the moment, in your stillness, silence and simplicity. Your merciful love tells me that, in this moment, I am enough, I have enough, and I do enough. My twice daily meditation supports this. It helps remind me of my poverty and of your generosity, one day at a time.
ReplyDelete