Chapter 7: The value of humility (paragraph 9)
The third step of humility is to submit oneself out of love of God to whatever obedience under a superior may require of us; it is the example of the Lord himself that we follow in this way, as we know from St Paul's words: he was made obedient even unto death. (Para. 9 of Ch. 7 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)
For me, the third step of humility is to accept reality -- reality as I experience it from rooting my mantra in my heart, and discovering my heart rooted in the ground of my being.
I sense this step means for me submission to a two fold obedience arising from promises already made. Firstly to twice daily meditation as taught by Fr. John and secondly to the way of life of a WCCM Oblate.
ReplyDeleteObedience without love is servile, ingratiating, sterile, angry,impatient,self-willed and locked into unreal self-imposed expectations. Love for the Other is the key that opens the heart to unexpected growth, to expansion and peace, gratefulness, to the Heart of all reality and to a connectedness to the Will which flows through the whole universe making all things new.
ReplyDelete“The third step of humility is to submit oneself out of love of God to whatever obedience under a superior may require of us.” I have always hated this. I so hated being told what to do by anyone. And it almost killed me in my twenties, when I was afraid to tell anyone about my panic attacks and depression, including suicidal thoughts. I put on a happy face and still have the ulcer scars to prove it. “I”, here, is, of course, my ego. My ego warns me not to make myself vulnerable by exposing my pain, my “weakness.” It tells me how much smarter it would be for me to be "strong", “figure it out” for myself, read a self-help book, even meditate. “Superior” here, to me, means anyone outside my skin with whom I share my truth, my reality. This includes the psychiatrist and therapists and spiritual directors and mentors who have helped me over my lifetime. Now I know that they have always been you, Abba, in disguise, my God “with skin”. As the Twelve-Steppers put it, G.O.D. stands for “Good Orderly Direction” from one if these Superiors.
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