Chapter 7: The value of humility (paragraph 17)
The tenth step of humility teaches that we should not be given to empty laughter on every least occasion because: a fool's voice is for ever raised in laughter. (Para. 17 of Ch. 7 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)
The adjectives here are important: "empty" laughter, and "every least" occasion. There's nothing wrong with laughter, but like any other authentic expression I strive for, my laughter should be full of heart, integral with myself, and appropriate, mostly.
The phrase that hits hard is this one: "a fool's voice is forever raised in laughter." "The foolish woman is loud; she is ignorant and knows nothing."(Prov.9:1-8)Proverbs goes a little further in echoing Benedict(or the other way around.) Wisdom calls for gentleness, acknowledgement of the other, and a respectful recognition of another's feelings-quite the opposite of what is intended by Benedict and described by Proverbs. I can come to an acceptance of the wisdom underlying these negative statements and descriptions through the "way of insight"(Prov.9:1-18) which is the way of silence and the way of the mantra.
ReplyDelete