Chapter 7: The value of humility (paragraphs 6-7)
As to pursuing our own will we are warned against that when scripture says to us: turn away from your own desires and in the Lord's prayer itself we pray that his will may be brought to fulfilment in us. (From para. 6 of Ch. 7 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)
Pursuing my own will, my own desires -- what am I really being warned against? Is my will or desire necessarily bad? I think that Benedict is asking me to look to the root. If the root of my will or desire is in my ego, then what grows from that may very well be just be a larger ego. If the root of my will or desire is in God's "will" --which I would be more inclined to call God's "nature" or God's "love" -- then what grows from that is a deeper and more loving human nature.
Pursuing my own will, my own desires -- what am I really being warned against? Is my will or desire necessarily bad? I think that Benedict is asking me to look to the root. If the root of my will or desire is in my ego, then what grows from that may very well be just be a larger ego. If the root of my will or desire is in God's "will" --which I would be more inclined to call God's "nature" or God's "love" -- then what grows from that is a deeper and more loving human nature.
"As to pursuing our own will we are warned against that . . . ."
ReplyDeleteI love sailing. It has taught me so much about life, about love, and about you, Abba, Love itself. To me today, Your love is a fierce combination of wind and waves on the open sea. The humility of pursuing your will, not mine, means I get, today, to have one more opportunity for adventure, for the adventure of aligning my will with yours. I get one more lesson in love. Once more I get to hoist the sail, grab the tiller and set out in my tiny bark, moving with you to another fresh adventure. I chart today's course as best I can, but, by your grace, I try never to forget Elizabeth Barret Browning's reminder: your plans, Abba, put my best dreams to shame. Let's enjoy today's sail, Father!