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.
I first get attracted to the Benedictine monastic spirituality six years ago. I was and am awed by the monks balanced life of prayer and work, Ora et labora. I interpreted it as "when one is not praying, he should be working and vise versa." But there is more to it. The vows of obedience, stability and conversion. So, at this point, while I enjoyed being a student of the Rule I am subjecting myself to the test of the spirit ... and wait for God's signal and directions for the next steps.
ReplyDelete“Ask and you shall receive, Seek and you shall find, Knock and it shall be opened up to you,” you tell me, Lord. And I must ask and seek and knock: that’s my one percent of discernment, my one percent of meditation. You provide the ninety-nine percent. Thereby you and the rule teach me patience and humility.
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