WCCM Oblate Blog: Reflections from Daily Reading of the Rule of St. Benedict

WCCM Benedictine Oblates are encouraged to read a designated portion of the Rule daily, and to write a brief, personal response. I hope that this blog will support our Oblate community in this practice. Please, keep blog entries brief and in a first-person ("I") voice. Refrain from discussing, offering an opinion, or commenting on other entries. Simply consider how a particular section of the Rule is speaking to you in your present circumstances.

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Chapter 6: Cherishing silence in the monastery

I am guarded about the way I speak and have accepted silence in humility refraining even from words that are good. (From para. 1 of Ch. 6 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)

Linking silence with humility reminds me not to rely on ego-driven words to resist, control or even improve life according to my design. Instead, silence teaches me to sink into the humus of the divine ground and discover from there what is most redemptive in any situation.

1 comment:

Melanie CondesSeptember 24, 2014 at 7:22 AM
I am very sad that I was not able to follow this precept this morning. Until now I still can imagine the sad reaction of the person who was the object of my careless words. May this feeling of guilt leads me to the path of "holding my tongue" in speaking words that will break other people's heart.
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