Tuesday, October 3, 2017

Chapter 7: The value of humility (paragraph 13)


The sixth step of humility for monks or nuns is to accept without complaint really wretched and inadequate conditions so that when faced with a task of any kind they would think of themselves as poor workers not worthy of consideration and repeat to God the verse of the psalm: I am of no account and lack understanding, no better than a beast in your sight. Yet I am always in your presence. (Para. 13 of Ch. 7 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)

The sixth step of humility teaches me to allow meditation to burn away selfish concern, to sharpen my vision of reality through the practice of other-centered attention, and to realize that the divine companion walks with me through life.

1 comment:

  1. Benedict, like Paul, reminds me to be content with reality.

    ReplyDelete