In the midst of all the noise of everyday life: July in review

Early in July, Tom reminded us that Benedict’s rules serve to help us live together in community with the presumption that we are striving to live as Christ.  The instructions to the cellarer, who manages the community’s goods and provides for the material needs of each member in the community, remind us today about attitudes -- not only toward material goods -- but attitudes toward service and stewardship and work. This is an attitude of service and caring for one another.  We ended our conversation with these questions:  Am I doing the best job I can?  Am I caring for the people for  and with whom I work?  Am I being kind to people?

The following week Daniel posed these questions:  Are we paying attention to the shepherd? Do we recognize the Shepherd working in our lives?  A shepherd nudges with his crook to guide sheep in the direction he would have them go.  In the midst of the business of the world, we often miss the Good Shepherd’s directions, going our own way rather than the way Christ would have us go.  Daniel led us in a discussion about being aware and paying attention and listening for Christ in our lives.  Sara reminded us that the Rule begins with the word “Listen.”

The noise of our lives and our culture distracts us from the voice of Christ.  This week’s readings spoke to the conversation begun by Daniel: one reading focused on the silence following Compline; one, on reading at meals.  The silence is not just about quiet and holding our tongues, but stilling our minds and emptying out the world’s need, enabling us to listen and enabling our souls to be emptied and filled with the spirit of Christ.  This listening and stillness is prayer that centers us in faith and Christ. Larry connected this listening to the Benedictine practice of reading during meals, not difficult or rigorous texts, but readings to feed the soul as the food feeds the body. Larry ended our discussion with these words from Sr. Joan: 

“The point is that it isn’t so much the practice of reading at the table that is important in this chapter; it is the idea of groundedness in the spiritual life that could make us stop and think.  We’re all busy.  We’re all overscheduled.  We’re all trying to deal with people and projects that consume us.  We’re all spiritually thirsty.  And, we’re all responsible for filling the mind with rich ideas in order to leaven the soul.”