WCCM Oblate Blog: Reflections from Daily Reading of the Rule of St. Benedict

WCCM Benedictine Oblates are encouraged to read a designated portion of the Rule daily, and to write a brief, personal response. I hope that this blog will support our Oblate community in this practice. Please, keep blog entries brief and in a first-person ("I") voice. Refrain from discussing, offering an opinion, or commenting on other entries. Simply consider how a particular section of the Rule is speaking to you in your present circumstances.

Friday, September 19, 2014

Chapter 4: Guidelines for Christian and monastic good practice (paragraphs 3-5)

Don't let your actions be governed by anger nor nurse your anger against a future opportunity of indulging it. (From para. 3 of Ch. 4 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)

Resentment can grow like a tightening band around my heart. To forgive another or myself allows my heart to beat strong and free, and in this pulse of Christ I become kind.

3 comments:

valSeptember 19, 2014 at 2:44 AM
The words of the prayer, "Let me be an instrument of your peace" come to mind. Shape me, O Lord, as your instrument, and keep me from rusting so that I may bring your love in word and action to everyone I meet this day and every day.
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Wally SaundersSeptember 19, 2014 at 7:09 AM
“We have to decide then either for cleverness or for wisdom. Rather than becoming more knowledgeable we become more loving because everything is revealed to us through love.” (John Main, “Monastery Without Walls”, Kindle loc 3882). I have to be reminded that that is what these “Tools For Good Works”, as Joan Chittister calls Benedict’s list here, are all about: not just knowledge or cleverness but to help me fall more deeply in love, Abba, with you and yours.
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Melanie CondesSeptember 19, 2014 at 7:11 AM
I thank the Lord for the gift of compassion today. This compassion cooled down the boiling anger in my heart.
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