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.
"Envy, quarrels, slander, rivalry, factions, and disorders..." point to a state of mind where pride and arrogance rule and humility and peace have been displaced. Benedict is showing me what happens when I do not take humility seriously as described in various ways in chapter 7. It is in the silence of meditation and prayer that over and over again I find not illusions of self-grandeur or self-righteousness
ReplyDeletebut I come to face the realities of myself as filtered through the sieve of the constant flow of the mantra.
“It has often happened that unfortunate conflicts have arisen in monasteries . . . ”. These conflicts too often also happen in my monastery without walls, in my home, in my marriage and my family. The healing discipline of twice-daily meditation helps me past these challenging spots. The silence and stillness connect me and reconnect me to you, Abba, and I come once more to rest.
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