Chapter 40: The proper amount of drink to be provided
St Paul says that each of us has a special gift from God, one kind for one of us and quite a different one for another. That reflection makes me reluctant to decide on the measure of food and drink for others. (From para. 1 of Ch. 40 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry OSB, 1997.)
St. Benedict's vision of how the gifts of the Spirit can penetrate my life at seemingly simple and mundane levels (e.g., how much I drink), energizes me with the realization that God's gifts surround me --and include the gift for me to receive God's gifts.
Excessive drinking or overeating can be symptoms of the diagnosable disorder of alcoholism or of an eating disorder. Those recovering from an addiction disorder in a 12-Step program are taught to beware of what is called a “dry drunk”. “It is easy to make a cosmetic change in the name of religion”, says Joan Chittister, or in the name of recovery, say addiction treatment professionals. Abba, save me from superficiality, from my too easily triggered prideful and arrogance-filled “dry drunks”.
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