Chapter 70: The offence of striking another
Every occasion for presumptuous behaviour in a monastery must be avoided, so we insist that no one in the community may excommunicate or strike another unless given the power to do so by the superior. (From Ch. 70 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)
My behavior is presumptuous when my ego moves in ahead of my heart; when judging takes the place of love.
Words can wound. I can and do use them to strike others. Sarcasm, in fact, literally means “to tear the flesh”. ¬¬My sarcastic humor can feed my ego while it too often gets me laughs at the expense of those I supposedly love. I learned it as an adolescent from my siblings and peers. Now, by your grace, Abba, I get to grow up. I learn new ways to relate to myself and my fellows, through the gift of the daily practice of the stillness, silence and simplicity of meditation.
ReplyDeleteThis is not a reminder but a tall order for me to STOP judging my brothers and sisters. It is very easy to judge others by my own faulty standards. Only God is the Judge.
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