Chapter 64: The election of an abbot or abbess (paragraphs 3-4)
They must be so well-grounded in the law of God so that they may have the resources to bring forth what is new and what is old in their teaching. (From para. 3 of Ch. 64 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)
Bringing forth "what is new and what is old in their teaching" expresses, for me, my own experience of being personally and vitally engaged with the ancient wisdom tradition embodied in Benedict's Rule.
“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 and forget. 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.
ReplyDeleteIf only I will faithfully live according to the Divine Law, I will definitely live in love and peace. There will never be a problem of pride for there is nothing to be proud of about what I think, say or do. Nothing new or novel about them. For before I ever become, everything was already there. It was just a matter of faith that I see clearly.
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