Sabbatical Journey Day 4

 

This is my 4^th day at the monastery. Needless to say, I’ve spent a lot of time alone. I’ve had spiritual direction for an hour each day and today was the last day for that. Prayer time has been alone or in the church with the monks, but largely alone. I am working my way into a pattern.

One of the things I have been doing is reading and reflecting on the Rule of St. Benedict. His rule was written in the 6^th century and so it’s been around a while. His rule is interesting and, in many ways, is a classic rule on how people can live with one another and grow as people and as Christians.

Benedict sweated out details because he is looking to make life disciplined for people, but not so difficult that it becomes impossible to live.

These is part of Chapter 39,

We think it sufficient for the daily dinner,
whether at the sixth or the ninth hour,
that every table have two cooked dishes
on account of individual infirmities,
so that he who for some reason cannot eat of the one
may make his meal of the other
Therefore let two cooked dishes suffice for all the brethren;
and if any fruit or fresh vegetables are available,
let a third dish be added.

Let a good pound weight of bread suffice for the day,
whether there be only one meal or both dinner and supper.
If they are to have supper,
the cellarer shall reserve a third of that pound,
to be given them at supper.

But if it happens that the work was heavier,
it shall lie within the Abbot's discretion and power,
should it be expedient,
to add something to the fare.

Benedict wants people to have options because he knows that people can be picky. He also does not tell people that they must starve themselves to be monks. While he does, later on, have an admonition about heating meat from animals with four legs, he really isn’t interested in people fasting themselves miserably.

But that’s not really the point that has struck me as so fascination. Look at the last words:

But if it happens that the work was heavier,
it shall lie within the Abbot's discretion and power,
should it be expedient,
to add something to the fare.

There are always exceptions to the rule. He goes into great detail in the Rule to explain how the Psalms should be ordered and prayed. Then he ends it with, unless someone has a better idea, than use the better idea.

It reminds me of Jesus indicating that the Sabbath is for people, not people for the Sabbath. Rules, and the Rule is a guideline made for people and there are always exceptions to the rule. Whether one is a monk or a person of faith, no matter which faith one belongs to, the ‘rules’ are not there for their own sake, but to help us have guidelines for our growth. Everyone needs to live in some parameters, but the parameters need to be flexible.

Benedict remembered that he was a person with faults writing for people with faults. It’s a good lesson we all need to accept about ourselves.