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.

Sunday, November 11, 2018

Chapter 34: Fair provision for the needs of all

This principle from scripture should be established in the monastery, namely that distribution was made to each in accordance with their needs. This, however, should not be taken to mean that favouritism of individuals can be tolerated; far from it. It should simply be a way of showing proper consideration for needs arising from individual weakness. (From Ch. 34 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)

Distributing goods according to needs, showing proper consideration for needs arising from individual weakness. I hear St Benedict talking about discernment, that is, looking at situations with selfless attention, and so knowing what to do.

1 comment:

Wally SaundersNovember 11, 2018 at 4:41 AM
Beware “the evil of murmuring”: how easily I can get into disgruntled griping about the way things are in this world of yours, Abba. My negativity quickly or slowly destroys me and those around me. Meditation counters this in its healing silence. There You teach me how to embrace the sacrament of the present moment and relearn that nothing, absolutely nothing, happens in your world by mistake.
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