Chapter 33: Personal possessions in the monastery
Following the practice of the early church described in Acts, everything in the monastery should be held in common and no one should think of claiming personal ownership of anything. (From Ch. 33 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)
I can feel at a loss to know how to practice such non-possession in my life, especially because I know that the most clinging possession can be the ego. And yet, I also know that in meditation I own nothing; that the meditation isn't even "mine". I'm simply opening myself to the grace of entering into the prayer of Jesus. So, entering into grace may be the way I need to see my life today.
I can feel at a loss to know how to practice such non-possession in my life, especially because I know that the most clinging possession can be the ego. And yet, I also know that in meditation I own nothing; that the meditation isn't even "mine". I'm simply opening myself to the grace of entering into the prayer of Jesus. So, entering into grace may be the way I need to see my life today.
"Let no one say or assume that anything is his own." I am so convicted by this as I feel that I am sufficient. Let my sufficiency be you and you alone oh Lord.
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