Chapter 4: Guidelines for Christian and monastic good practice (paragraphs 3-5)
Don't let your actions be governed by anger nor nurse your anger against a future opportunity of indulging it. (From para.3 of Ch. 4 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)
"Nursing" anger: even the phrase itself betrays self-deception. "Nursing" anger is steeping myself in the delusions of the ego, believing that such indulgence is vital. What I'm called to to nurture, through meditation, is an awareness of always being able to begin anew.
“22. Not to give way to anger. 23. Not to foster a desire for revenge”: these guidelines remind me of that enlightening definition of forgiveness—forgiveness means “giving up all hope of changing the past.” Meditation helps me live in Your eternal now, Abba, the sacrament of the present moment, leaving the nonexistent past to your mercy and the nonexistent future to your providence.
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