Chapter 7: The value of humility (paragraph 15)
The ninth step of humility leads us to refrain from unnecessary speech and to guard our silence by not speaking until we are addressed. (From para. 9 of Ch. 7 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)
When is speech unnecessary? Surely, it seems to me, the answer must depend on circumstances, and yet I think there is a general principle to consider: Speech is unnecessary when it gets in the way of a greater love.
"Listen, carefully" are the two words that begin the Rule. Listening carefully to the other who is present to me at the moment means my whole attention, my whole concentration must be given. There is no holding back of that attention with a thought to what I am going to say in reply. "Come and listen to me", (Ps.34) are the words of that other person who is present to me. I need to hold back my "flood of words" with a dam of silent love and open fully the ears of my heart.
ReplyDelete“Do nothing . . .”, the Eighth Degree of Humility: “What an outrageous rule!” screams my compulsive workaholic ego. The daily discipline of meditation and the mantra, however, gently grow me from a human doing to becoming a human being, a little boy content just to be here, in your strong arms, Abba.
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