Chapter 73: This Rule is only a beginning

Whoever you may be, then, in your eagerness to reach your Father's home in heaven, be faithful with Christ's help to this small Rule which is only a beginning. (From para. 1 of Ch. 73 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)

This small Rule helps me to see what obscures the presence of God for me. And, this small Rule has helped me to address those blocks and say, "What matters is not what's between me and that problem anymore. What matters is what's between me and God."

Chapter 72: The good spirit which should inspire monastic life

By following this path they try to be first to show respect to one another with the greatest patience in tolerating weaknesses of body or character. (From Ch. 72 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)

Why can it be so hard to tolerate weakness of body or character -- those of others or mine, as well? Impatience is the ego jumping in, I suppose, trying to build itself up by putting others down, or trying to gain attention for its own pitiful state. And so it seems to me that impatience is the opposite of love. Love expands the space between my impatient reaction and my heart, making room for the patient gaze of love.

Chapter 71: Mutual obedience in the monastery

Any monk or nun who is corrected for anything by abbot or abbess or one of the seniors and perceives that the senior is upset by feelings of anger, even though they may be well in control, then that junior should at once prostrate on the ground in contrition and not move until the senior gives a blessing which will heal the upset. (From para. 2 of Ch. 70 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)

I've pondered on this directive quite a bit from a justice point of view. Who's guilty, and of what? Was the junior really at fault for something or unjustly corrected? Isn't the senior's anger a fault, and isn't controlling his anger enough? Why does the junior, guilty or not, have to prostrate himself for his perceived fault to the senior? But I realize St. Benedict isn't talking about justice. He's talking about love in the form of mutual obedience, and that happens in the moment of the blessing. The blessing takes the scenario beyond a matter of justice and moves it into the realm of reconciliation.

Chapter 70: The offence of striking another

Every occasion for presumptuous behaviour in a monastery must be avoided, so we insist that no one in the community may excommunicate or strike another unless given the power to do so by the superior. (From Ch. 70 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)

My behavior is presumptuous when my ego moves in ahead of my heart; when judging takes the place of love. 

Chapter 69: No one should act as advocate for another

Great care must be taken to avoid any tendency for one of the community to take the side of and try to protect another, even though they may be closely related through ties of blood. (From Ch. 69 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)

Protect another from what? I believe in standing up for those I love, for those in need. But perhaps I need to spare them my overprotection, when it would hinder their own growth in self-sufficiency, and their own growth in the Spirit.

Chapter 68: The response to orders that seem impossible

If the superior after listening to this submission still insists on the original command then the junior must accept that it is the right thing and with loving confidence in the help of God obey. (From Ch. 68 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)

Simply stated, I must live each moment with this much trust in God.

Chapter 67: Those who are sent on a journey

Those who are sent on a journey should commend themselves to the prayers of all the community as well as of the superior and, at the last prayer of the work of God in the oratory, there should always be a memento of all who may be absent. (From Ch. 67 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)

How much -- really mindless -- coming and going do I do, day in and day out? May my awareness expand to include all the little journeys I make, on behalf of myself or others, in and out the door, up and down the steps, in and out of the car. May all these little journeys become part of the flow of continuous prayer that keeps me living in a mutual gaze with God.

Chapter 66: The porter or portress of the monastery

At the entrance to the monastery there should be a wise senior who is too mature in stability to think of wandering about and who can deal with enquiries and give whatever help is required. (From para. 1 of Ch. 66 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)

That wise, mature and stable senior at the door of my heart is the mantra. I wander far more than is good for me, especially when circumstances are disorienting and my practice flounders. But that good old monk is always at the door, reminding me how to live.

Chapter 65: The prior or prioress of the monastery (paragraphs 2-3)

Then, since power is delegated to many, there is no room for pride to take hold of any individual. (From para. 2 of Ch. 65 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)

I think that delegation is in the true spirit of servant leadership; it emanates discernment and a sense of unity that comes from living collaboratively on the ground of being.

Chapter 65: The prior or prioress of the monastery (paragraph 1)

It has often happened that unfortunate conflicts have arisen in monasteries as a result of the appointment of a prior or prioress as second in authority to the superior. There have been instances when some of these officials have conceived out of an evil spirit of self-importance that they also are superiors and for that reason have assumed the powers of a tyrant, so that they encourage scandalous divisions in the community. (From para. 1 of Ch. 65 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)

There have been instances when my ego has conceived out of an evil spirit of self-importance that it is also a superior and for that reason has assumed the powers of a tyrant, so that it encourages scandalous divisions in my heart. The way to integrity is the way of the mantra.

Chapter 64: The election of an abbot or abbess (paragraphs 3-4)

They must be so well-grounded in the law of God so that they may have the resources to bring forth what is new and what is old in their teaching. (From para. 3 of Ch. 64 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)

Bringing forth "what is new and what is old in their teaching" expresses, for me, my own experience of being personally and vitally engaged with the ancient wisdom tradition embodied in Benedict's Rule.

Chapter 64: The election of an abbot or abbess (paragraphs 1-2)

The grounds on which a candidate is elected abbot or abbess must be the quality of their monastic life and the wisdom of their teaching, even if they are the last in order in the community. (From para. 1 of Ch. 64 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)

Jean Vanier says: "Some people have a true gift of discernment. They can seize what is essential in a complicated discussion or a confused story. They are quick to understand what is really needed and at the same time, if they are practical, they can suggest the first steps towards putting people on the road to healing. Some people in a community who do not have an important position may have this gift of light for us. We must learn to listen to them."

Chapter 63: Community order (paragraphs 2-3)

In that way they will conform to scripture which says they should try to be the first to show respect for each other. (From para. 2 of Ch. 63 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)

In my glimpses of what continuous prayer must be like, I realize that gazing on the other with love, a non-possessive love reflective of the other's inner beauty, is a wondrous aspect of living in a sphere of mutual respect.

Chapter 63: Community order (paragraph 1)

So, apart from those whom the superior has promoted for a more cogent reason or demoted for specific faults, all the others retain the order of their conversion to monastic life so exactly that one who arrived at the monastery door at the second hour must accept a place junior to another who came an hour earlier, whatever their age or former rank may have been. (From para. 1 of Ch. 3 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)

Order in a community or a family or even my daily life derives from conversion -- turning towards a discipline of seeing God in all things, in all relationships, and in finding stability in Christ in the midst of all that disrupts order.

Chapter 62: The priests of the monastery

When ordained a monk must be careful to avoid a spirit of self-importance or pride and he must avoid taking on himself any duties to which the abbot has not assigned him. (From para.1 of Ch. 62 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)

The shadow side of having spiritual gifts is my taking pride in them and manufacturing a sense of feeling special. The beauty of the gifts comes in using them as God leads me.

Chapter 61: Monastic pilgrims from far away (paragraphs 2-3)

But if no such negative signs are apparent it may be right to go further and not wait for a request to be accepted into the community. It may even be right to persuade such a one to stay so that others may benefit and learn from such example. (From paragraph 2 of Ch. 61 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry,OSB.)

My life is silently clamoring to expand into more and more relationships, in order to find the best in others.

Chapter 61: Monastic pilgrims from far away (paragraphs 1-2)

If, on the other hand, such a pilgrim monk or nun has been revealed as a guest to be overbearing and full of bad habits then not only should all further association with the community be refused but such a guest should quite openly be requested to depart for fear that such a wretched example might lead others to go astray. (From para. 2 of Ch. 61 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)

Even in personal situations of necessary separation, I still ask for the grace to discern why such persons were sent to me by the Lord.

Chapter 60: The admission of priests into the monastery

An ordained priest who asks to be received into the monastery should not be accepted too quickly. (From  para. 1 of Ch. 60 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB.)

If I head into a community thinking I have superior gifts and no need for humility, I become a threat to the community. My gift to the community is to be open to mutually transformative relationships, to be open to interpersonal freedom.

Chapter 59: Children offered by nobles or poor

If parents who are from the nobility want to offer to God in the monastery one of their children, who is too young to take personal responsibility, they should draw up a document like that described above and, as they make the offering, wrap the document with the child's hand in the altar cloth. (From para. 1 of Ch. 59 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)

It's hard for me to identify with offering a child to the monastery, but the mystery is that everything in my life is to be offered to God. There's something achingly tender for me in the image of wrapping the document with the child's hand in the altar cloth. I see in it an image of selflessness, purity, and wholeness.

Chapter 58: The reception of candidates for the community (paragraphs 4-5)

When the decision is made that novices are to be accepted, then they come before the whole community in the oratory to make solemn promise of stability, fidelity to monastic life and obedience.  (From para. 4 of Ch. 58 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)

These precepts, as they apply to my life, are tools of self-knowledge. They remind me that I'm not called to be perfect, but that I am called to be faithful.

Chapter 58: The reception of candidates for the community (paragraphs 1-3)

The entry of postulants into the monastic life should not be made too easy, but we should follow St John's precept to make trial of the spirits to see if they are from God. (From para. 1 of Ch. 58 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)

For me, life's "trial of the spirits" involve more than a test to my patience and humility -- unless the true self-knowledge of humility never loses hope. Loss of hope is, for me, a suffering and a sign that I'm forgetting to place my attention selflessly in the inner chamber of my heart. 

Chapter 57: Members of the community with creative gifts

If there are any in the community with creative gifts, they should use them in their workshops with proper humility, provided that they have the permission of the superior. (From para. 1 of Ch. 57 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997).

In my deepening wonder and awe of the creative process, I realize that humility is exactly the key. Like entering into the prayer of Christ, creativity is something I enter into, or relate to, or am. The ego only holds me back.

Chapter 56: The table for the superior and community guests

The superior's table should always be with the guests and pilgrims. (From Ch. 56 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)

For me, this is a beautiful metaphor for expansion of being -- keeping the highest in me accessible to what is the highest in others, especially in grace-filled and unexpected ways.

Chapter 55: Clothing and footwear for the community (paragraphs 1-2)

The community must not be too sensitive about the color and quality of this clothing; they should be content with what is available in the locality at a reasonable cost. (From para. 1 of  Ch. 55 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)

Well, at least St. Benedict permits me to be a little sensitive about the color and quality of my clothing. But more importantly, I ask myself, when I catch sight of myself, however dressed, am I able to wink back at the divine spark loving me?

Chapter 54: The reception of letters and gifts in the monastery

No one in a monastic community may receive or send to others letters, gifts of piety or any little tokens, without the permission of the superior, whether it is their parents who are concerned or anyone else at all or another member if the community. (From Ch. 54 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)

Gifts and letters are good, I think, except when I use them to manipulate others or make them indebted to me. True generosity comes from one realized heart respecting another, and carries with it liberty of spirit.

Chapter 53: The reception of guests (paragraphs 1-4)

Any guest who happens to arrive at the monastery should be received just as we would receive Christ himself, because he promised that on the last day he will say: I was a stranger and you welcomed me. (From para. 1 of Ch. 53 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans.by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)

Today this passage suggests to me that we are all strangers to each other, in a divine way, because of the unique mystery of Christ in each of us. To realize less would be judgmental. To accept the mystery is to be hospitable to all.