Chapter 48: Daily manual labor (paragraphs 1-2)
Idleness is the enemy of the soul. Therefore the community must be occupied at definite times in manual labour and at other times in lectio divina. (From para. 1 of Ch. 48 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)
Meditation and lectio teach me an openness of mind and heart that expands my being -- and helps me to penetrate experiences to find the presence of God.
What a vast difference between living to work and working to live! With my ego-driven workaholic tendencies, it took me one long time even to awaken to this distinction. How easily that ego of mine and the production/consumer culture that surrounds me can drive me to overdo anything. They tell me that “anything worth doing is worth doing to excess” and they reward me for this insanity. My twice-daily stopping to enter the silence, stillness and simplicity of meditation begins to heal me as I do the work of becoming faithful to it. And I finally know peace as I find rest, at last, in you, Abba.
ReplyDeleteOne letter changes "word" to "work". "Prayerful reading", "lectio divina" are spiritual work. Benedict brings manual work and spiritual work in one chapter stressing the importance of both. It is holy work to reflect and read the holy word. When I eat, "chew", and digest the Word of God so it becomes a part of me and am able to live with and through It, then as with manual work, I am able to add to the "upbuilding of community" with love and selflessness. Working with the Word of God cannot stay in a narcissistic act of self-complacency. I had often left it up to others to do the digesting and interpreting for me. I am grateful for the realization that it takes work and humility to break open the Word of God. This came with a circumstance that left me without the ability to attend frequent Mass and the realization that I was not doing the hard internal work with Scripture.
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