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.

Saturday, March 17, 2018

Chapter 38: The weekly reader

During meals there should be complete silence disturbed by no whispering nor should anyone's voice be heard except the reader's. Everyone in the community should be attentive to the needs of their neighbours as they eat and drink so that there should be no need for anyone to ask for what they require. (From para. 2 of Ch. 38 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)

This instruction on total attention that takes in both the reader and the community seems almost contradictory, and yet I think it can all somehow work together through love. It reminds me of Jesus' teaching that the kingdom of God is both within and among us.

1 comment:

Melanie CondesMarch 17, 2018 at 6:52 AM
"O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall declare Your praise." I desire to live "Ora et labor a" in my life. But being a person of many words, I find it difficult to practice. So may my prayer be that my words be my prayer and that I will only utter words that will edify a soul. I am a long way to go but may the grace of God be upon me. Amen
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