Chapter 64: The election of an abbot or abbess (paragraphs 1-2)
The grounds on which a candidate is elected abbot or abbess must be the quality of their monastic life and the wisdom of their teaching, even if they are last in order in the community. (From para. 1 of Ch. 64 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)
The quality of alignment is what I think of when I read these words of Benedict's -- being aligned with the current of the Spirit which courses through me and guides my discernment.
“Merit of life and wisdom of doctrine should determine the choice of the one to be constituted, even if she be last of the order of the community.” Abba, give me eyes to see as you see, to look beyond all those externals my head and my culture tell me are so important. Like Pope Francis, may I, too, learn to ask “Who am I to judge?” when I consider those my head and my culture would put “last”, like my gay friends and relatives or the imprisoned or the homeless whom I can too easily ignore. Smash that ego of mine, help me to get out of my head and into my heart, to learn to love as you do, loving me as I am, with all my many warts and differences.
ReplyDelete