Reflection on the Rule

[jaynefury]

Today's reading from The Rule:

In no circumstance are monastics allowed, unless the prioress or abbot says they may, to exchange letters, blessed tokens or small gifts of any kind, with their parents or anyone else, or with another monastic. They must not presume to accept gifts sent them even by their parents without previously telling the

Comments

[qos]

Thank you for sharing this thoughtful meditation.

[mollya]

That's a really interesting rule. When I read it - before I got to your commentary - I thought that it might be about communication across the barrier between those in the monastic life and those out of it. Even if you do accept all of those letters and gifts with permission, you still have to get the permission. That makes you thoughtful of the differences between the world outisde - and the chosen world of the monastic life. It's almost like kissing a mezuzza - a reminder that we step out of our houses into a non-Jewish world. Even if you do accept emails without permission for each one, I'll bet that you think about the possibility of asking permission - and that's a reminder.

[jaynefury]

I loved that part about being Jewish.

Reminders...

Thank you for that one.

[zator]

Hmm. The need for worldly possessions.

There is a need for worldly possesions. We live here - we must have a place to protect us from the elements. We must have food to eat. Our children, who may not understand this idea, also need things. While its true we may not have to own them, there is a need for them.

So, go beyond the necessities. iPods, cell phones, tv, all the things that make this life convenient are not necessities. Do we give them up? How far are we willing to reduce our lifestyle to follow rules? Are two-income families really necessary?

As a side note, I like to think of the whole natural man thing as if there are two parts of us - the spirit and the body. The spirit part is absolutely pure, but the body is truly made up from the stuff of this world. What I try to learn is how to put the sprirt part in control of my self. Forcing the body to the will of the sprit instead of letting it do what it wants.

[jaynefury]

The Bible says that when Satan was cast from the Heavens he was given the realm of the Earth for his kingdom. The more we have of this world, embracing it above God's, the more the temptation to be unGodly.

There are conveniences that I must use in order to live. The train, cellphone, computers, these are necessities that are needed to function in this world for transportation and communication. Heck, I email my Oblate Director.

The rule is there for me to interpret as a reminder of keeping God (as triune) in my forethoughts -- all the time.

I can see why

[black_felt_hat]

I can see why you are having trouble adapting to this rule. Were someone to come to me and say, you can't get gifts from your parents without permission, or any gifts without our having the right to take them from you, I would find it quite upsetting. My parents, who are no longer alive, did many things for me. Had they given me a gift, no matter how small or large, I would have been obliged to take it simply out of my love and apreciation for them. Futhermore, the blanket statement about the church having the right to take your posessions from you strikes me as cultish. Does that include one's inheratence? Property? Savings

Re: I can see why

[black_felt_hat]

When I said church, I meant Abbot. Obviously this is not the general rule for all Catholics.

Re: I can see why

[black_felt_hat]

I came back to edit my post, seeing that some of what I said could have been seen as very anti-Catholic, but wasn't able to delete it. Let me try to be a bit clearer: I mean that were someone from my faith to tell me these things, I would have a hard time following them.

Re: I can see why

[jaynefury]

I've learned to read between your lines a little and I'm not offended.

Let's look at the Rule of St Benedict in the context it was written in first...

1500 years ago, a guy lays down the rules for a bunch of poor guys to live by. They're zealots, granted, because hey, they want to live a monastic life apart from the world. He lays down the rules not to separate them but to make their life one of deliberate contemplation. It is the beginning of the Interior Life. Also, remember that mail and any sort of luxury in 500AD is pretty rare so he's talking about something that's not everyday.

Today, as an Oblate in the 20th century my task is not to live by the rule of a monastic but to interpret that rule in practice for a person in the everyday.

I don't have to report to the Abbott. I am the abbott of my own life and my household. If you think about it in the context of a family and the monks are the abbott's children, it makes much more sense.