As you may know, part of my daily reading includes The Rule of Benedict. Each day a section of the Rule is called out for reading and reflection. One reads the entirety of the Rule 3 times each year. September 1 begins the 3rd reading cycle with the Prologue. Reading of the Prologue is completed today, September 7.
The version of the Rule which Holy Cross Monastery asks us to follow is: The Rule of Benedict - A Spirituality for the 21st Century – by Joan Chittister. The author may sound familiar as I have used excerpts from other of her writings in previous reflections which I have shared.
One of the things that I like about this version of the Rule is Joan’s reflections/comments following each daily reading. At the end of the Prologue, there is a wonderful summation of Benedictine spirituality and living life according to the Rule which I wanted to share with you. I share this not in an attempt to persuade you to adopt the Rule but that you may better know me, who I am, who I am attempting to be, and to give you an insight as to the path which I am attempting to follow.
The messages of the Prologue are clear: Life is very short. To get the most out of it, we must begin to attend to its spiritual dimensions without which life is only half lived. Holiness is in the now, but we go through life only half conscious of it, asleep or intent on being someplace other than where we are. We need to open our eyes and see things as they exist around us: what is valuable and what is not, what enriches and what does not, what is of God and what is not. It may be the neighborhood we live in rather than the neighborhood we want that will really make human beings out of us. It may be the job we have rather than the position we are selling our souls to get that will finally liberate us from ourselves. It may be what we do rather than the prayers we pray that will finally be the measure of our sanctity. God is calling us to more than the material level of life and God is waiting to bring us to it. All we have to do is to live well with others and live totally in God. All we have to do is to learn to listen to the voice of God in life. And we have to do it heart, soul, and body. The spiritual life demands all of us.