Chapter 5: Monastic obedience (paragraphs 4-5)
We should remember, however, that such obedience will be acceptable to God and rewarding to us, if we carry out the orders given us in a way that is not fearful, nor slow, nor half-hearted, nor marred by murmuring or the sort of compliance that betrays resentment. (From para. 4 of Ch. 5 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry OSB, 1997.)
In the translation of the Rule that I'm reading, Abbot Barry notes that murmuring is not a legitimate means for dealing with the complaints that may arise in community, because it can destroy confidence in community life. He goes on to say that, for the individuals who murmur, "[murmuring] becomes increasingly addictive and [murmurers] develop a corresponding blindness to the harm they are doing to themselves and to others." Meditation makes me increasingly alert to habits of my mind and heart that arise from a false sense of self, so that I may correct my course toward love.
“It is love that impels them to pursue everlasting life; therefore they are eager to take the narrow road “…that leads to life”(Matt 7:14). “They no longer live by their own judgment…choosing to live in monasteries and to have an abbot over them”(RB 5.10-13)
ReplyDeleteThe “narrow road” is the road of meditation knowing full well that I could not live by my own judgment and have chosen to “live” in the WCCM community with spiritual guides to help light the way. It is the way, as John Main calls it, the way of the mantra.
“The Rule alone is not enough”(Chittister in The Rule of Benedict, p.70). “Each of us needs a wisdom figure to walk the Way” (of life), holding us up during the hard times in life; acting as compasses when we are veering off course. There is no going through life alone.(Chittister, p.71)
Yes, Christ is there but a lot of times He is very quiet and I don’t know if I am listening hard enough. Meditation, the way of the mantra and wisdom teachers help me to listen to Christ’s quiet voice with the ears of my heart.