Prologue to the Rule (paragraph 5)
And so to prepare ourselves for the journey before us let us renew our faith and set ourselves high standards by which to lead our lives. (From para. 5 of the Prologue to Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)
I'm reminded by John Main's observation that it's not necessary to keep creating better and better agendas, or self-improvement plans. The one thing necessary for me is to be faithful to my twice daily practice of meditation. From this flows a creative energy that will help me find renewal and occasionally reach high standards, as I learn a selfless way of discipline.
“It seemed to me that, in our faith-deficient society, it is a monastery’s pre-eminent service to be a place where faith is lived, honored and nurtured. It is a place where very ordinary people, not spiritual heroes, prove that faith is possible.” (John Main, “Monastery Without Walls: The Spiritual Letters of John Main”, Kindle loc 224). The Rule and the Community support me in my quest that, at times, has seemed impossible: to live in conscious contact with you, Abba. In my lifelong quest to find simple peace and rest for my restless heart, They and the mantra teach me how to love and embrace you in the sacrament of the present moment.
ReplyDeleteMy past has been lived with very complicated plans. It was so complicated that even now that I decided to simplify, its shadow still haunts me. St. Benedict invites me that to go forward in this journey, I have to set my eyes on that only goal, to Be With You Lord. And while here on earth I can only do that by 'praying without ceasing.'
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