RB Reflection: 31 May 2008

The second step of humility is that a man loves not his own will nor takes pleasure in the satisfaction of his desires; rather he shall imitate by his actions that saying of the Lord: I have come not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me (John 6:38). Similarly we read, "Consent merits punishment; constraint wins a crown."

Today's selection from the rule is very short, but not as short as the reading for tomorrow. We must not let the shortness fool us into thinking it's easily read and done with. I cannot speak for everyone, but I know that I do love my own will, and I do enjoy satisfaction of my desires. That places me in direct opposition to the words of Jesus quoted in the passage. "I have come not to do my own will. . . ."

If by some miracle of grace I am able to realize ahead of time that I am about to do my own will in direct opposition to the will of God, then there is a fifty/fifty chance I might change my mind and do what God wants, instead of what I want. Fifty/fifty is not obedience to the will of God. It is better than the ninety/ten chance that I would do my own will in direct disobedience of God, which is where I started.

The point isn't that I am a bad boy, although I can be, but that we all act in ways that our better selves know is most certainly not the will of God. And when it comes to desires! Oi Vey! I long to do not my own will but the "will of the one who sent me," but I fail at that with alarming regularity. Throughout my life I have dropped one rebellious practice after another, consciously trying to bring myself closer to the will of God. I suspect much the same is true you, the reader.

Today the Lay Encounter in Spain begins. I read the house reports today and have to say, we are the most disorganized bunch of people on the face of the earth, yet one thing stands out very clearly -- we cannot live without the strength we find in the Cistercian charism. Beside that reality, organization is entirely secondary.

As LCG we need to find out why it is that people feel connected to the Abbey of Gethsemani when there is another Abbey nearer to them, by hundreds of miles. There is a deep and profound need buried in that question. What causes a person to drive past one Cistercian Abbey to come to Gethsemani? Why have we grown to such huge numbers? What does this mean for us? What obedience does that call from us?

In light of today's rule we have to remember humility, and to not take too much pride in how our groups have grown to surpass almost all the other groups. That would be our fastest road to hell, if we started thinking that way. No matter what the reason is that causes people to drive nearly a thousand miles and past another Abbey just to come to Gethsemani, we must remember to do the will of the one who sent us, and sent them, as well.

Let us explore that question in greater detail as a body. We must delve deeply into the reasons; the call that is experienced to one particular Abbey over another.

RB Reflection: 30 May 2008

We must then be on guard against any base desire, because death is stationed near the gateway of pleasure. For this reason Scripture warns us, Pursue not your lusts (Sir. 18:30).
Accordingly, if the eyes of the Lord are watching the good and the wicked (Prov. 15:3), if at all times the Lord looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see whether any understand and seek God (Ps. 14:2); and if every day the angels assigned to us report our deeds to the Lord day and night, then, brothers/sisters, we must be vigilant every hour or, as the Prophet says in the psalm, God may observe us falling at some time into evil and so made worthless (Ps. 13[14]:3). After sparing us for a while because hs is a loving father who waits for us to improve, he may tell us later, This you did, and I said nothing (Ps. 49[50]:21).

Ok, I have to admit that when I read this the first forty times I couldn't make heads or tails out of some dark ages mish mash theology about angels telling on us at all times. And where he gets the death is stationed near the doors of pleasure, I have no idea.

Lucky for us that I cheated, otherwise the above paragraph would be all there is for today's reflection. What I did was go to see what S. Joan Chittister OSB, had to say on the subject. Basically, that God asks for all of us. It reminds me of the Frank Sinatra song "All of me, why don't you just take all of me," because a commitment to God is a commitment to the life that God calls us to live.

We know God doesn't want us running about getting into orgies, or using people for any reason, sexual or otherwise. We must never put anything above God. And I think that is what Benedict is trying to say here. We must remember that Benedict lived in the Dark Ages, and that there were many superstitious believes, not to mention outright heresies going on at the time, and that what is now Italy was basically nothing but a war zone, he was trying to tell us simply to forget all this feasting and orgies and raping, and messing around, and get it straight -- God is all in all.


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RB Reflection: 29 May 2008

Chapter 7: 19-23

Truly, we are forbidden to do out own will, for Scripture tells us: Turn away from your desiers (Sir 18:30). And in the Prayer too we ask God that his will be done in us (Matt 6:10). We are rightly taught not to do our own will, since we dread what Scripture says: There are ways which men call right that in the end plunge into the depths of hell (Prov 16:25). Moreover, we fear what is said of those who ignore this: They are corrupt and have become depraved in their desires (Ps. 13[14]:1). As for the desires of the body, we must believe that God is always with us, for All my desires are known to you (Ps 37[38]:10), as the Prophet tells the Lord.

"We are rightly taught not to do our own will." What a valuable lesson this is in today's world where doing one's own will is precisely what we do, and teach others to do. In a world of throw away marriages, and genocides (oh, you object to the comparison?) and of the essential snobbery that is so easy for religious people to show to those they perceive as less religious than themselves, Benedict gives us that caution.

"We are rightly taught not to do our own will." So much time, and energy, and blood, has been wasted on our demanding that "our church is the only church," or going after gays, abortion, conservatives, or liberals; Latin Mass, or Vernacular Mass, that we have trampled down the body of Christ until it is almost completely flat. We have to have it our way.

"We are rightly taught not to do our own will." Very soon the Lay Encounter will occur in Spain. As Lay Cistercians we are challenged not to do our own will, but to embody the values and spirituality of the Cistercian Charism to the world. That cannot be done if we are doing our own will. It is a fact that every Lay Cistercian has their own view of what is the best way for things to proceed in Spain, in the Church, and in the world. But! "We are rightly taught not to do our own will."

In the coming days, let us pray night and day for the Lay Encounter.

RB Reflection: 28 May 2008

Jan. 27-May 28-Sept. 27

Let him recall that he is always seen by God in heaven, that his actions everywhere are in God's sight and are reported by angels at every hour. The Prophet indicates this to us when he shows that our thoughts are always present to God, saying: God searches hearts and minds (Ps 7:10); again he says: The Lord knows the thoughts of men (Ps 93[94]:11); likewise, From afar you know my thoughts (Ps 138[139]:3); and, The thought of man shall give you praise (Ps 75[76]:11). That he may take care to avoid sinful thoughts, the virtuous brother must always say to himself: I shall be blameless in his sight if I guard myself from my own wickedness (Ps 17[18]:24).

"You can run but you can't hide." How useful a phrase that is, "you can run but you can't hide," when it comes to our life with God. It hearkens back to a few days ago where the rule discussed going about your duties with a cheerful heart, and not being a grouch harboring resentment. At that time the phrase I used was, "fake it till you make it."

A person who is paranoid would really hate today's reading, especially with Angels reporting on you every hour. Whether that is the case or not, it certainly does give us pause to think about how we do sin in our thoughts, and how those same thoughts sometimes cause us to go one step further, and sin in the deed.

The whole thing can be summed up as guarding the thoughts, or the old time term, Nepsis. It is guarding our thoughts as a spiritual practice. As Lay Cistercians living in the secular world, nepsis is of primary importance for us. It is a part of the asceticism, which is part of the Cistercian Charism that we seek to follow. Today's section of the rule speaks specifically to that need to watch our thoughts.

Fr. Michael Cassagram tells the Novices at Gethsemani that the "job of the monk is to stand at the door of his heart and watch his thoughts, and determine are they from God or from the Evil One." Can we do any better, or any more than that?

RB Reflection: 26 & 27 May 2008

Chapter 7: On Humility

Holy Scripture, brethren, cries out to us, saying,
"Everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled,
and he who humbles himself shall be exalted" (Luke 14:11).
In saying this it shows us
that all exaltation is a kind of pride,
against which the Prophet proves himself to be on guard
when he says,
"Lord, my heart is not exalted,
nor are mine eyes lifted up;
neither have I walked in great matters,
nor in wonders above me."
But how has he acted?
"Rather have I been of humble mind
than exalting myself;
as a weaned child on its mother's breast,
so You solace my soul" (Ps. 130:1-2).

Hence, brethren,
if we wish to reach the very highest point of humility
and to arrive speedily at that heavenly exaltation
to which ascent is made through the humility of this present life,
we must
by our ascending actions
erect the ladder Jacob saw in his dream,
on which Angels appeared to him descending and ascending.
By that descent and ascent
we must surely understand nothing else than this,
that we descend by self-exaltation and ascend by humility.
And the ladder thus set up is our life in the would,
which the Lord raises up to heaven if our heart is humbled.
For we call our body and soul the sides of the ladder,
and into these sides our divine vocation has inserted
the different steps of humility and discipline we must climb.
The first degree of humility, then,
is that a person keep the fear of God before his eyes
and beware of ever forgetting it.
Let him be ever mindful of all that God has commanded;
let his thoughts constantly recur
to the hell-fire which will burn for their sins
those who despise God,
and to the life everlasting which is prepared
for those who fear Him.
Let him keep himself at every moment from sins and vices,
whether of the mind, the tongue, the hands, the feet,
or the self-will,
and check also the desires of the flesh.

Now we begin to climb the ladder of humility. For those of you with literal eyes, you will notice that I copied this chapter lock, stock, and barrel from the OSB website. "We descend by self-exaltation, and ascend by humility." Now whether that phrase came from the Rule of the Master, of from Benedict himself, matters not a bit. And it is the phrase we shall focus on today.

As Lay Cistercians we are called to live by this "little Rule for beginners," and incorporate it into our own Rule of Life. A wide diversity exists amongst the various groups in the United States, as well as international groups. Diversity of practice is no sin, for we have our share of the charism as it manifests itself in each local group. We are united by the Charism, but are not made of one practice by the Charism.

No, what unites us all is the Rule of Benedict. What we receive from the Cistercian Charism is unique to each group. Groups are made up of people, separated by geographic distance. No two groups will ever be the same. But! We are all one with the Abbey of Gethsemani, and not divided up into many smaller Lay Abbeys.

So what do the two paragraphs above have to do with anything? "We descend by self-exaltation, and ascend by humility." The moment one group self exalts above the others and starts demanding conformity, we can be sure the group is descending the ladder of humility. This has not happened, nor do I believe that it will ever happen. This Charism is so strong that it unites the most conservative Catholic with the most liberal Episcopalian. Nothing else can do that, except the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is notorious in its own diversity.

As we grow, and as we seek acceptance by the OCSO, we shall have to present some type of organization. A large body of people who are unorganized are not a community of faith, they are, at best, a bunch of New Age hippies. So we must be careful as we go through the process of change that the Chrism is calling us to do, so that we remain on the ladder of humility always rising by our humility, and never, or at least seldom, falling by our self-exaltation.

RB Reflection: 25 May 2008

I would like to apologize for the lack of a reflection on Sunday the 25th, but it was the Solemnity of Corpus Christi. I was blessed to be at the monastery for the Mass and for the Forty Hours Devotion, that is still going on. Much of my day was taken up be two very long sessions before the Sacrament. And so, no discussion of the rule was sent out. My apologies, but I am only human. Tomorrow, Chapter 7, Humility, will have a discussion of two days worth of readings. Chapter 7 1-9 and then 10-12.


May 25
Chapter 6: Restraint of Speech

Let us follow the Prophet's counsel: I said, I have resolved to keep watch over my ways that I may never sin with my tongue. I have put a guard on my mouth. I was silent and humbled, and I refrained even from good words (Ps 38[39]:2-3). Here the prophet indicates that there are times when good words are to be left unsaid out of esteem for silence.

There are times when good words are to be left unsaid? Surely Benedict can't be serious? What about those good words that help to build up the Body of Christ, or the good words we need to say to someone who is in pain, or ....or....or? "Out of esteem for silence." That changes everything. Funny enough, on the first reading of this section all I saw was good words left unsaid. Out of esteem for silence removes the seemingly disregard for giving comfort and friendship to others. How is it then that good words, even for the sake of silence, should not be said?


For all the more reason, then, should evil speech be curbed so that punishment for sin may be avoided. Indeed, so important is silence that permission to speak should seldom be granted even to mature disciples, no matter how good, or holy, or constructive their talk, because it is written: In a flood of words you will not avoid sin (Prov 10:19); and elsewhere, The tongue holds the key to life and death (Prov. 10:19). Speaking and teaching are the master's task; the disciple is to be silent and listen.

Therefore, any requests to a superior should be made with all humility and respectful submission. We absolutely condemn in all places any vulgarity and gossip and talk leading to laughter, and we do not permit a disciple to engage in words of that kind.

So then it is in the monastery that we are to refrain from speech for the sake of speech, out of respect for silence. Every Cistercian monastery has places of silence. They even post signs saying, "this area is silent." Do we respect it? Do you?

In the world, where the Lay Cistercian must live we are bombarded all day long with words and more words. Half of those words we hear, and half that we speak, are just to hear the sound of our own voice, or to spread some news we've heard, but have no proof of it's truth. It is so easy to slip into gossip that we must guard against it day and night. When the subject is someone we don't particularly like, then we glory to hear stories of their failures and humiliations. In this case, Benedict's words are all the more compelling for us. We must refrain form too much chatter for the sake of chatter, lest it become evil speech.

In the world where we live, our words fulfill a different function. As employees, and employers, words are the main form of communication. And we should remember that just because we don't say something nasty, or hurtful, just by having felt that nasty speech which would have hurt, we are just as guilty as if we spoke them aloud. Benedict is calling us to a change of heart! A change of life in a world where nothing is sacred, certainly not our brothers and sisters on earth.

This very obedience, however, will be acceptable to God and agreeable to men only if compliance with what is commanded is not cringing of sluggish or half-hearted, but free from any grumbling or any reaction of unwillingness. For the obedience shown to superiors is given to God, as he himself said: Whoever listens to you, listens to me (Luke 10:16). Furthermore, the disciples' obedience must be given gladly, for God loves a cheerful give. If a disciple obeys grudgingly and grumbles, no only aloud but also in his heart, then, even though he carries out the order, his action will not be accepted with favor by God, who sees that he is grumbling in his heart. He will have no reward for service of this king; on the contrary, he will incur punishment for grumbling, unless he changes for the better and makes amends.

Well! Is that a challenge or what? Not only are we to obey, we are to obey with a cheerful heart! Even if we don't like it, and say nothing to anyone else, we are still called on the carpet by the rule because we are grumbling in our hearts. It reminds us that God sees the heart, and therefore, sees the grumbling as well.

It calls to mind though the parable about the two sons, one is asked to go into the fields and says he will, but does not. The other son says no way, but eventually does go into the field and does the work his father asked him to do. We know Jesus favored the son who said NO, but went and did it anyway. I think there is a safe comparison here between the monk/nun/lay who says "of course I will do that" while thinking a wide variety of spiteful things they can do to make their obedience an act of passive aggression. Then the monk/nun/lay who says no, but then takes a change of heart and obeys after all.

What Benedict is trying to teach us is to bring our will in line with the will of the Superior, and by doing that, in line with the will of God. Or, let your yes really be yes, and not some passive aggressive exercise in oneupmanship. Now, as Lay Cistercians this passage can apply to us just as much as to the monk/nun. It applies at the local level of our personal community, and at the larger level of the LCG, and even at international level, as well.

Someone said once, "fake it till you make it." There is truth in that. When I was in college as an adult, and the younger students would say I can't get excited about this class, I would tell them to fake it till you make it. Decide that you are interested, no matter what, and before very long, you are interested! In spite of yourself. The same should apply to the monk, the nun, and the Lay Cistercian.

When we were asked to write papers in response to the questions given us by the International Committee, how many of us really sat down and wrote what we were asked to write? I can tell you from experience, not very many. In the light of today's reading, shouldn't that shame us? It is no good being wrapped up in "me" and "my views," because we are not alone in this charism. It is well known I oppose too much organization, but if the Charism is calling us to put some organization into things, then who am "I" to say no?

How do you resist?

RB Reflection: 23 May 2008

The first step of humility is unhesitating obedience, which comes naturally to those who cherish Christ above all. Because of the holy service they have professed, or because of dread of hell and for the glory of everlasting life, they carry out the superior's order as promptly as if the command came from God himself. The Lord says of [men] like this: No sooner did he hear than he obeyed me (Ps 17[18]:45); again, he tells teachers: Whoever listens to you, listens to me (Luke 10:16). Such people as these immediately put aside their own concerns, abandon their own will, and lay down whatever they have in hand, leaving it unfinished. With the ready step of obedience, they follow the voice of authority in their actions. Almost at the same moment, then, as the master gives the instruction the disciple quickly puts it into practice in the fear of God; and both actions together are swiftly completed as one.

It is love that impels them to pursue everlasting life; therefore, they are eager to take the narrow road of which the Lord says: Narrow is the road that leads to life (Matt 7:14). They no longer live by their own judgment, giving in to their whims and appetites; rather they walk according to another's decisions and directions, choosing to live in monasteries and to have an abbot over them. Men of this resolve unquestionably conform to the saying of the Lord: I have come not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me (John 6:38).

The idea of obedience is spelled out here in great detail. In other words, if the Abbot stands as Christ in the community, obeying the abbot is the same as obeying Christ. This is a powerful statement, both for the one giving the order and the one obeying it.

I heard a story once about a woman who was sending money to a TV evangelist, and when told that the evangelist was using her money for his own ends, she said, "I gave the money to God." That illustrates a type of obedience that makes sense. If you have an abbot who is giving questionable orders, but you obey them anyway, have you sinned by being obedient?

As Lay Cistercians we are all called to a similar obedience. Fr. Michael Cassagram has put it this way "by becoming obedient to the demands of the moment, whether these come from family, work, the needs of others. . . ." The following is a longer quote from Fr. Michael's paper, Toward the Formation of LCG Members.

Obedience to God is often mediated through another human being in the mysterious design of grace. Without this, as one sees even in the very early desert fathers/ mothers, the inner transformation cannot take place. Often it is a simple matter of humility, of learning to surrender one's own will so that God's may be accomplished. Accountability is a major step toward spiritual maturity.

RB Reflection: 22 May 2008

Chapter 4: What Are the Instruments of Good Works

62. To fulfill God's commandments daily in one's deeds.
63. To love chastity.
64. To hate no one.
65. Not to be jealous, not to harbor envy.
66. Not to love contention.
67. To beware of haughtiness.
68. And to respect the seniors.
69. To love the juniors.
70. To pray for one's enemies in the love of Christ.
71. To make peace with one's adversary before the sun sets.
72. And never to despair of God's mercy.

These, then, are the tools of the spiritual craft.
If we employ them unceasingly day and night,
and return them on the Day of Judgment,
our compensation from the Lord
will be that wage He has promised:
"Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
what God has prepared for those who love Him" (1 Cor. 2:9).

Now the workshop
in which we shall diligently execute all these tasks
is the enclosure of the monastery
and stability in the community.

This ends lengthy Chapter 4 of the Rule. There is a plethora of items we could focus on today, considering it's a list of Christian values that are more or less difficult for each of us to carry out; yet we'll not be spending time with those. No, today's focus is on the last paragraph. The last two lines leap out as us almost like an accusation, as if to say, "you Lay Cistercians are frauds." Hey, not so fast there, Benedict-like accuser. What about Benedictine Oblates? They keep the rule and they don't live in the enclosure of the monastery.

I'm making a case out of this because some people are so literal minded that those lines could prevent them from taking a next step into any type of lay association. In the context of Lay Cistercian living we must keep in mind that our local lay community is the enclosure. What happens in our local enclosure, stays in our enclosure, if you will forgive the pun on the Las Vegas commercial. Yet it is true. In each local community we share some of the deepest parts of our selves, and our lives, things not meant to be spread about to the outside world.

Each of the tools that have been listed over the last three days prepare us for the meeting of our confrères, as the Trappists say, and that we, as well as they, are able to call us to account for good deeds, and our bad deeds. I know that in my local lay community we have discussed how we are not a support group, or a therapy group, we are a group of people committed to a life grounded in the values of the Cistercians and the Rule. When we cross lines, it is we ourselves who must pull one another back and say, "no, that breaks the rule."

More than a hundred people feel called to be Lay Cistercians of Gethsemani Abbey, and for them in their local community, even if it is by phone, must live out the Charism as it has been handed down to us by the witness of the Monastic community of the Abbey. That is our stability.

RB Reflections, Guest Commentator, Barry Cappleman

May 21, 2008 RB 4.44-61

Chapter 4: What Are the Instruments of Good Works

44. To fear the Day of Judgment.
45. To be in dread of hell.
46. To desire eternal life with all the passion of the spirit.
47. To keep death daily before one's eyes.
48. To keep constant guard over the actions of one's life.
49. To know for certain that God sees one everywhere.
50. When evil thoughts come into one's heart, to dash them against Christ immediately.
51. And to manifest them to one's spiritual mother.
52. To guard one's tongue against evil and depraved speech.
53. Not to love much talking.
54. Not to speak useless words or words that move to laughter.
55. Not to love much or boisterous laughter.
56. To listen willingly to holy reading.
57. To devote oneself frequently to prayer.
58. Daily in one's prayers, with tears and sighs, to confess one's past sins to God, and to amend them for the future.
59. Not to fulfill the desires of the flesh; to hate one's own will.
60. To obey in all things the commands of the Abbess, even though she herself (which God forbid) should act otherwise, mindful of the Lord's precept, "Do what they say, but not what they do."
61. Not to wish to be called holy before one is holy; but first to be holy, that one may be truly so called.

There is a saying in our society: “Give credit where credit is due.” Frankly, I do not think we mean it, because we don’t give credit where credit is due. For instance, we often don’t thank God for the good things and often blame God for the bad things. Clearly, the Bible teaches, “all good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights…” (James 1:17).

I think it is beyond time that the human race admits that it is we who have caused the woes of the world. The saying, “We have met the enemy and the enemy is us” is so very true.

Thus in giving credit where credit is due, we need to confess our sins and weep over our sins, because sin always leaves a destructive mark on someone or something. St Benedict gives some helpful dos and don’ts in this particular passage, which would behoove us to pay close attention to. These dos and don’ts can help us with our relationships with God and to have healthy, constructive relationships with others.

We also need to remember that one day we will all die. For me, that is an awesome thought. We don’t know when we will die, so we must always be ready to die. I suppose it will be nice if people who remember me have good things to say at my funeral. But if one thinks about it, what good will that do us?! We are not there, we are dead!!!!

What really matters is what God will say to us. Hebrews 9:27 reads, “Just as it is appointed that human beings die once, after this the judgment.” By God’s grace, and only by God’s grace, I believe I will hear God say to me that my name “is found in the book of life” (Revelation 3:5) and “come thy good and faithful servant.” Everything else said about me in the long run is meaningless.

A good reminder to us all is that only what God in Christ has done and what we have done in the name of Jesus will last forever. (Matthew 25:31ff).

RB Reflection: 20 May 2008

Chapter 4: What Are the Instruments of Good Works

22. Not to give way to anger.
23. Not to nurse a grudge.
24. Not to entertain deceit in one's heart.
25. Not to give a false peace.
26. Not to forsake charity.
27. Not to swear, for fear of perjuring oneself.
28. To utter truth from heart and mouth.
29. Not to return evil for evil.
30. To do no wrong to anyone, and to bear patiently wrongs done to oneself.
31. To love one's enemies.
32. Not to curse those who curse us, but rather to bless them.
33. To bear persecution for justice' sake.
34. Not to be proud.
35. Not addicted to wine.
36. Not a great eater.
37. Not drowsy.
38. Not lazy.
39. Not a grumbler.
40. Not a detractor.
41. To put one's hope in God.
42. To attribute to God, and not to self, whatever good one sees in oneself.
43. But to recognize always that the evil is one's own doing, and to impute it to oneself.

This is quite a list of items worthy of our study. I mentioned once to Br. Thaddeus from Gethsemani, that one thing I'd learned from the Trappists was to do your work and don't whine. He smiled and added, and don't complain. It seems from the list that makes up today's reading from the Rule that Benedict had the same thing in mind.

Leaving aside modern psychology as it might apply to the last two statements, I think it's safe to say that each verse of today's reading applies to all family life, or, all life in common. Unless you are an only child, you've heard most of today's reading told to you by your parents when you were at war with a sibling. So it should not surprise us to hear that these are instruments of good works applied to the spiritual life.

How often has any of us considered that the simple rules of getting along are spiritual rules as well? Let's look at how all of this affects us as Lay Cistercian's. As the Charism calls more and more people to it, we are challenged with creating a structure that is capable of dealing with such large numbers of people. We are thrown together with those whom we did not choose to be our friends, and would not have chosen had not God put us together in community, but here we are and the more there are, the greater the number of opinions.

As people who live in the secular world we are used to asserting our opinions and thoughts in our jobs, our social life, even in our home life. As Lay Cistercian's our opinions matter, but usually only when we are asked for that opinion.

A personal example. I oppose too much organization of the Lay Cistercian's, but the fact of the matter is that the growth in numbers all over the world is calling for some kind of organization around which we can build a common life. I view each individual community to be a daughter house, and not merely an extension of the monastery of our association. While I may not be alone in that view, I must accept that the Lay Cistercian Charism is a living thing, and my personal viewpoint is not necessarily the direction which the Holy Spirit wishes the Charism to move.

If I promoted my opinion regardless of anyone and everyone, then I would be guilty of breaking a great many of the things in the list of today's reading. We are called to live as people in the world, but not of the world. The Lay Cistercian's are not Lay Cistercian's Inc., so we are not free to arrange it as we see fit, we must let the Holy Spirit arrange things as the Holy Spirit sees fit.

A last thought: if the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance are ever going to take us seriously, we cannot present ourselves as a bunch of aging hippies who despise organization. We must present to the Order, which we love, a purpose, a structure, in short, a plan where we can clearly show that not only have we responded to the Charism, but we have taken the steps necessary to be considered an organization of people, internationally, who have rules, and diversity, and are centered in the same life, that those in the cloisters consider theirs alone. May the Holy Spirit guide us all to the righteousness in the eyes of God.

"This God of ours is a saving God."

RB Reflection: 19 May 2008

First of all, love the Lord God with your whole heart, your whole soul and all your strength, and love your neighbor as yourself (Matt 22:37-39; Mark 12:30-31; Luke 10:27). Then the following: You are not to kill, not to commit adultery; you are not to steal, nor to covet (Rom. 13:9); you are not to bear false witness (Matt 19:18; Mark 10:19; Luke 18:20). You must honor everyone (I Pet. 2:17), and never do to another what you do not want done to yourself (Tob 4:16; Matt 7:12; Luke 6:31).

Renounce yourself in order to follow Christ (Matt 16:24; Luke 9:23); discipline your body (I Cor. 9:27); do not pamper yourself, but love fasting. You must relieve the lot of the poor, clothe the naked, visit the sick (Matt 25:36), and bury the dead. Go to help the troubled and console the sorrowing.

Your way of acting should be different from the world's way; the love of Christ must come before all else.

That is quite a list of commands I find it very hard to comment upon. The first and greatest commandment, as the Book of Common Prayer says, is followed by the statement, "and the second is like unto it," Love your neighbor as yourself.

The list of scriptures which Benedict strings together here form an overview of the entire Christian Religion. Renounce yourself; honor everyone; do unto others; discipline your body; all of these lead to the first words that come from Benedict: "do not pamper yourself, but love fasting." It's the final sentence which sums up all the scripture quotes and shows Benedict as he is. "Your way of acting should be different from the world's way; the love of Christ must come before all else."

What does this say to us as Lay Cistercians? Every single thing listed above is basic Christianity, so what are we to learn specifically from this? I think it is the final sentence, we should act like Christians because the love of Christ must come before all else.

Does the love of Christ come before all else in your life as a Lay Cistercian? This is a call to examine our motives, our reasons for the things we do in day to day life. Why did we join the Lay Cistercians? How do we let the love of Christ come before all else? Do we even think about the Love the Christ in our day to day actions?

There will be no answers from me on this, only questions, things to ponder for each of us in the depths of our own hearts. This chapter is titled The Tools of Good Works. Are you equipped with those tools? Am I? Is it even possible have such tools firmly in our grip? This will require each one of us to discern in deep prayer how close, or how far we are to the simple list of scripture quotes.

RB Reflection: 18 May 2008

Chapter 3 7-13 Jan 17, May 18, Sept 17

Accordingly in every instance, all are to follow the teaching of the rule, and no one shall rashly deviate from it. In the monastery no one is to follow his own heart's desire, nor shall anyone presume to contend with his abbot defiantly, or outside the monastery. Should anyone presume to do so, let him be subjected to the discipline of the rule. Moreover, the abbot himself must fear God and keep the rule in everything he does; he can be sure beyond any doubt that ht will have to give an account of all his judgments to God, the most just of judges.

If less important business of the monastery is to be transacted, he shall take counsel with the seniors only, as it is written: Do everything with counsel and you will not be sorry afterward (Sir. 32.24)

Yesterday we discussed the need for the abbot to take serious matters affecting everyone before the entire community, with the understanding that in the end, the abbot has the final say. It is just another way of saying "the buck stops here."

Today we look at the lesser matters that the abbot may decide with his counsel. Yet, that is not where the passage starts. It starts with saying follow the rule and don't be rash in going your own way. In community life all must abide by the rules of the community, whether monastic or lay, or even in towns and cities. Rules do indeed run our lives. There is a speed limit on our roads, and age limits on drinking. In Bardstown Historic District there are strict rules on what colors you may paint your house!

So it should come as no surprise that in the monastery, as in our Lay Cistercian lives, we must follows the rules as set down by Benedict, the monastery of our association, and the particular group we meet with monthly. Last year during the Lay Cistercian Retreat, we gained the moniker of those "loud Lay Cistercians." Obviously, we deviated from the rule by breaking the silence of the monastery of our association. We could try to argue that it's a once a year thing and people were happy to see one another, but couldn't the monastery also say that we flagrantly broke the rules of silence?

We openly defied the rules of the house, and indirectly contended with the abbot. While the monks said nothing to us, they let it be known that we had done something they considered out of line. We followed "our own heart's desire" and did not abide by the rule.

Chapter 3: Summoning the Brothers for Counsel.

As often as anything important is to be done in the monastery, the abbot shall call the whole community together and himself explain what the business is; and after hearing the advice of the brothers, let him ponder it and follow what he judges the wiser course. The reason why we have said all should be called for counsel is that the Lord often reveals what is better to the younger. The brothers, for their part, are to express their opinions with all humility, and not presume to defend their own views obstinately. The decision is rather the abbot's to make, so that when he has determined with is more prudent, all may obey. Nevertheless, just as it is proper for disciples to obey their master, so it is becoming for the master on his part to settle everything with foresight and fairness.

It appears in this section of the rule to say that important business is to be brought before the entire community for discussion, and not held secretly in some kind of closed council. And, that we should listen to the young as seriously as to the old. What we might learn from that is to listen to only the old is an invitation to stay the same. That is always tempting in life, to let nothing change, to remain the same as we always were, without pushing the boundary or learning something new about ourselves.

Benedict knew that the Lord will use whom the Lord will, and not just the most experienced people. After all, think of the book of Job, and how the only one to call all the friends of Job to account was a young man. Clearly God spoke through the young at that time. Think also of the horrors of war, and when the young people of this nation rose up against the Vietnam war. It was clear that the Lord was speaking through them too, at that time.

So as Lay Cistercians we are to listen to those new to the life, and to those who are experienced in the life. As the rule says, the decision belongs to the abbot. That calls again to mind our question of to whom exactly are we obedient as Lay Cistercians? We must hope that the OCSO will come to understand that we are their new vocations. As the number of vocations to the monastic life declines, our numbers rise exponentially.

As our Lay representatives prepare to meet in Spain, and later, as the MGM of all the Abbots and Abbesses of the OCSO meet, we must remember that ultimately our obedience is to God, and our hope must be in the Holy Spirit. We must not make decisions in closed council.

RB Reflections, Guest Commentator, Barry Cappleman

Chapter 2: What Kind of Person the Abbot Ought to Be

Above all let him not neglect or undervalue
the welfare of the souls committed to him,
in a greater concern for fleeting, earthly, perishable things;
but let him always bear in mind
that he has undertaken the government of souls
and that he will have to give an account of them.

And if he be tempted to allege a lack of earthly means,
let him remember what is written:
"First seek the kingdom of God and His justice,
and all these things shall be given you besides" (Ps. 33:10).
And again:
"Nothing is wanting to those who fear Him."

Let him know, then,
that he who has undertaken the government of souls
must prepare himself to render an account of them.
Whatever number of brothers he knows he has under his care,
he may be sure beyond doubt that on Judgment Day
he will have to give the Lord an account of all these souls,
as well as of his own soul.

Thus the constant apprehension
about his coming examination as shepherd (Ezech. 34)
concerning the sheep entrusted to him,
and his anxiety over the account that must be given for others,
make him careful of his own record.
And while by his admonitions he is helping others to amend,
he himself is cleansed of his faults.

RB2.33-40 May 16, 2008

Accountability, Judgment Day, our fellow human being’s keeper: these are words we don’t like to hear or admit to in our society. The fact remains that God teaches that we are accountable to Him and there is a judgment day (see Matthew 25:31ff; 1 Corinthians 3:10-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10).

Viktor Frankl wrote in his book The Will to Meaning “Freedom threatens to degenerate into mere arbitrariness unless it is lived in terms of responsibleness. I like to say that the Statue of Liberty on the east coast should be supplemented by a Statue of Responsibility on the west coast.” Being accountable is not fun or comfortable, but it is an act of love (see Hebrews 12:5-6). Someone, whom I cannot remember, said that accountability and God’s comforting omnipresence are the same side of the same coin. God is not like Santa Claus checking his list to see who is naughty or nice. God is omnipresent, omnipotent, and omniscient because that is who God is. God loves us so much that God sent His son to die and rise for us. God also loves us so much that He gave us free will, and with free will comes accountability on how we use that free will.

Not only are we accountable for ourselves, we are also accountable to God for how we influence others (see Matthew 5:19; Ezekiel 33:1-6). John Donne and Thomas Merton were right when they wrote, “No Man is an Island”. We are not responsible for other’s decisions, they are, but we are responsible for our influence on others.

We, as Christian/LCG and members of Christ’s body, need to hold each other accountable so that out of love we may help each other to live out our God given potential. All this is an awesome responsibility we all have as Christians/LCG. We can fulfill our responsibility to God and others through God’s strength and power (see Philippians 4:13; Matthew 6:33; Psalm 33:10).

We are not alone. God in Christ is with us. Let us place our faith in Him. Let us sing and live the chorus of the old hymn, “We’ll work till Jesus comes…” and if we do that then we will hear God say to us, “Come, thy good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21).

RB Reflections, Guest Commentator, Barry Cappleman

RB 2.30-32. May 15, 2008 RB Reflection

The Abbot should always remember what he is
and what he is called,
and should know that to whom more is committed,
from him more is required (Luke 12:48).
Let him understand also
what a difficult and arduous task he has undertaken:
ruling souls and adapting himself to a variety of characters.
One he must coax, another scold, another persuade,
according to each one's character and understanding.
Thus he must adjust and adapt himself to all
in such a way that he may not only suffer no loss
in the flock committed to his care,
but may even rejoice in the increase of a good flock.

(Written April 29, 2008, at the Abbey of Gethsemani) As I sit here at the Abbey on the day of abbatial elections, I imagine that this and other parts of the Rule are being read to the monks present. I suspect there is much anticipation in electing a new abbot and what changes this new abbot may bring.

I also imagine that whoever is elected the new abbot will have a mixture of feelings, such as being honored by his fellow monks and a bit of fear and trepidation at such a daunting task which he has ahead of him.

While the Rule mentions “the abbot must always remember what he is and remember what he is called,” it also behooves us to remember the same things. We are children of God and we are called to the various ministries assigned to us by God. We are called to be members of the church so that we may contribute to the body of Christ. We are called to be LCGers so that we may contribute to the kingdom of God through every part of our lives. These callings of God should make us tremble to our knees so as to humble us and ask God to forgive us for our pride and give us grace to fulfill our callings.

The calling of the abbot and our own requires us to adapt the way we minister to others and ourselves. God in Christ made each of us unique. One size does not fit all. When ministering to others, one starts where the person being ministered to is at. To do this, one must put away one’s own agenda and allow God to direct his/her minds and her/his words. (In other words, make sure that I am trying to meet the other’s needs and not my own.) We must be prepared at all times to encounter people in need and be able to address that need in accordance with God’s plan. What better way to be prepared than to engage in spiritual readings, prayer and follow the LCG Plan of Life.

Blessing and wisdom from God in Christ upon Father Elias and all those he leads.

January 13, May 14, September 13
Chapter 2: What Kind of Person the Abbess Ought to Be

In her teaching
the Abbess should always follow the Apostle's formula:
"Reprove, entreat, rebuke" (2 Tim. 4:2);
threatening at one time and coaxing at another
as the occasion may require,
showing now the stern countenance of a mistress,
now the loving affection of a mother.
That is to say,
it is the undisciplined and restless
whom she must reprove rather sharply;
it is the obedient, meek and patient
whom she must entreat to advance in virtue;
while as for the negligent and disdainful,
these we charge her to rebuke and correct.

And let her not shut her eyes to the faults of offenders;
but, since she has the authority,
let her cut out those faults by the roots
as soon as they begin to appear,
remembering the fate of Eli, the priest of Silo (1 Kings 2-4).
The well-disposed and those of good understanding
let her correct with verbal admonition the first and second time.
But bold, hard, proud and disobedient characters
she should curb at the very beginning of their ill-doing
by stripes and other bodily punishments,
knowing that it is written,
"the fool is not corrected with words" (Prov. 18:2; 29:19),
and again,
"Beat your son with the rod,
and you will deliver his soul from death"(Prov. 23:13-14).

The more we read of the duties of the Abbot/Abbess, the more sorry I feel for anyone elected to the office. In love, the Abbot/Abbess must adjust the way they deal with each person in their community according to what is going to work with that person. That's not so dissimilar to families, where the parents know that grounding will have no effect on Lara, but it does with Bobby. To get to Lara, you have to argue with logic, and still sometimes must invoke the parental right to say "no."

Now, we also know that if anyone goes about beating their "son with the rod" they will find themselves in prison, where they rightfully belong. But that is today. When Benedict wrote this, the world was an extraordinarily violent place. The monks he had to deal with came from who knows what kind of backgrounds, and probably only understood "the rod" as a form of correction. "Bold, hard, proud, and disobedient characters," they were the ones that got the rod.

What does this all boil down to? That the Abbot/Abbess must act as a parent to all the community in their charge. They must know each person in their community, and know what is going to work with that particular person. Most important though, they must deal with the problem, not just look over it. Without such discipline, there can be no community life. At least, peaceful community life.

Application to Lay Cistercians? Just like the monastic community, the Lay Cistercian community is going to have the bold, hard, proud and disobedient. We certainly are not going to use the rod on them -- no matter how tempting it may be -- no, we must find the right way of dealing with each individual in a way that both corrects them, and upholds them in the faith. Those who are disruptive at every meeting, need to be dealt with. Those who oppose everything just for the sake of opposing, need to be dealt with. While it is not up to us to throw people out of our groups, it is up to us to find ways of making ourselves, and each other, obedient to the structures, and strictures, that our individual community has set up as the norm.

For the next two days we have a guest writer. All I will do is include the section of the RB for the day, the commentary will be that of the guest writer.

RB Reflection: 13 May 2008

The abbot should avoid all favoritism in the monastery. He is not to love one more than another unless he finds someone better in good actions and obedience. A man born free is not to be given higher rank than a slave who becomes a monk, except for some other good reason. But the abbot is free, if he sees fit, to change anyone's rank as justice demands. Ordinarily, everyone is to keep to his regular place because, whether slave or free, we are all on in Christ (Gal. 3:28; Eph 6:8) and share alike in bearing arms in the service of the one Lord, for God shows no partiality among person (Rom 2:11). Only in this are we distinguished in his sight: if we are found better than others in good works and in himility. Therefore, the abbot is to show equal love to everyone and apply the same discipline to all according to their merits.

In this section we find several interesting, and quite modern, concepts. First is plain old good sense, don't play favorites. Every parents know that playing favorites is the best way to start trouble between your children, and trouble that could last a lifetime. Leaders know that playing favorites is almost the same as ripping the fabric of your community. So, Benedict starts us off with plain good sense.

Next is something that almost amazes the eye: a man born free has the same place as one born a slave! That would have some people checking for the date of composition, because it certainly doesn't sound like anything you would expect to hear from the sixth century. It's hardly comprehensible today, where lingering racism has turned itself against the Mexican immigrant population in our country. Benedict was fourteen hundred years early with his democratic thinking.

So what does this passage of the Rule teach us as Lay Cistercians? We should remember that all that distinguishes us in God's sight is good works and humility. We have an executive council, we will soon have an international council, but the only thing that distinguishes us in our lives as Lay Cistercian's is our good works and humility. Whether or not the order accepts us, or opposes us, we have our marching orders from Benedict himself: good works, and humility.

RB Reflection: 12 May 2008

Chapter 2: What Kind of Person the Abbess Ought to Be

Therefore, when anyone receives the name of Abbess,
she ought to govern her disciples with a twofold teaching.
That is to say,
she should show them all that is good and holy
by her deeds even more than by her words,
expounding the Lord's commandments in words
to the intelligent among her disciples,
but demonstrating the divine precepts by her actions
for those of harder hearts and ruder minds.
And whatever she has taught her disciples
to be contrary to God's law,
let her indicate by her example that it is not to be done,
lest, while preaching to others, she herself be found reprobate (1 Cor. 9:27),
and lest God one day say to her in her sin,
"Why do you declare My statutes
and profess My covenant with your lips,
whereas you hate discipline
and have cast My words behind you" (Ps. 49:16-17)?
And again,
"You were looking at the speck in your brother's eye,
and did not see the beam in your own" (Matt. 7:3).

The interesting thing about today's reading from the rule is the "lead by example" style teaching. Yes, words are good, they help to clarify some things, but they must be the definition of what others see you do. The old adage "do as I say, not as I do," comes to mind. We simply are not allowed to hold up the bible, or the rule, and quote at length from it with power and might, only to be found two hours later breaking the very rule we were so proudly preaching.

When you think of the wider world of Christianity this particular passage seems almost a condemnation. For instance, the southern, Pentecostal preacher who with so weeping confessed "I have sinned, I have sinned." Yes he had, in a hotel room with a whore. This came after he had made a point of condemning just about every soul that was not his type of Christian. If we went by what he did, the clearly we should all go out and find a prostitute.

Abbots/Abbesses are not to behave in such a fashion. That does not mean that somewhere in history and abbot or an abbess has behaved in exactly that fashion. But for our purposes, and Fr. Elias specifically, I have no fear of trusting his teaching. His style of life is certainly known to all of us.

What is here for the Lay Cistercian to learn? That just because we study the rule, and the Bible, and are able to spout both on command, none of us must live in such a way that contradicts both the rule and the Bible. We are not a perfect people, or a perfect organization, "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," (Rom. 3:23). The secret is to make sure what we speak with out mouths we live in our lives. That is much harder to do than we first thought.

RB Reflection: 11 May 2008 - Pentecost

Chapter 2: What Kind of Person the Abbess Ought to Be Let the Abbess always bear in mind that at the dread Judgment of God there will be an examination of these two matters: her teaching and the obedience of her disciples. And let the Abbess be sure that any lack of profit the master of the house may find in the sheep will be laid to the blame of the shepherd. On the other hand, if the shepherd has bestowed all her pastoral diligence on a restless, unruly flock and tried every remedy for their unhealthy behavior, then she will be acquitted at the Lord's Judgment and may say to the Lord with the Prophet: "I have not concealed Your justice within my heart; Your truth and Your salvation I have declared" (Ps. 39:11). "But they have despised and rejected me" (Is. 1:2; Ezech. 20:27). And then finally let death itself, irresistible, punish those disobedient sheep under her charge.

Here we come to one of those passages in the rule where most people scratch their head and say, who still thinks that way? I think this passage is showing us that if you take charge of something, then you had better take care of it too. Keeping people in line in the military is very important, otherwise the military will not run. In kitchens run in the tradition of French Cuisine there is the Chef de Cuisine, the Sous Chef, the Saucier, etc., all the way down to the lowliest dishwasher.

Religious communities, whether monastic or Lay Cistercian, must tow the party line, otherwise it will dissolve into confusion, I don't mean party line as in Republican or Democrat or Chairman Mao's Little Red Book, I mean party line as the life and charism to live as a Cistercian, monastic, or lay. But it could turn into a situation where a paltry few show up for Vigils, but most of the community are no-shows. That is a serious failure to keep your vows. The abbot cannot let that happen. The abbot/abbess is responsible for keeping their monks/nuns on the right track. After all, why else did any of them join the order to begin with?

As Lay Cistercian's we are challenged to get on with living within the Charism, and not just daydreaming about it. Be your own abbot. Until the lines of obedience are settled from the order down to us, then we must be our own abbot/abbess. We have a helper in Christ, and depend upon the prayers of our community of Lay Cistercian's, and all the angels and saints, to keep us in the path to God.

RB Reflection: 10 May 2008

Chapter 2. Qualities of the Abbot

To be worthy of the task of governing a monastery, the abbot must always remember what his title signifies and act as a superior should. He is believed to hold the place of Christ in the monastery, since he is addressed by a title of Christ, as the Apostle indicates: You have received the spirit of adoption of sons by which we exclaim, abba, father (Rom. 8:15). Therefore, the abbot must never teach or decree or command anything that would deviate from the Lord's instructions. On the contrary, everything he teaches and commands should, like the leaven of divine justice, permeate the minds of his disciples.

Let's use Fr. Elias as our example today, especially the part where he has to remember that he is as Christ among the brothers of the community. Imagine how would you feel if such a load, such a weight of responsibility were wrapped about your shoulders? That is the weight of holiness. It is a mantle he will put on and wear until the day he retires from the Abbacy.

Then he is told to never teach, decree, or command anything that "would deviate from the Lord's instructions." The Lord's instructions, at least as I see it, are those of Christ Jesus. We also know that instructions come down to us from higher up in the church, and even the pope can speak and make it stick! He seldom does that, and for good reason. So Fr. Elias is also obedient then to the church. Can we then infer that the "Lord's instructions," might sometimes be interpreted to mean what comes down the hierarchical ladder to him?

In the end I don't think it much matters, because the Holy Spirit, you see, is in charge of everything. Upon that simple believe I rest easy no matter which way the wind blows in liturgy, encyclicals and Papal statements. The Holy Spirit is in charge, this is not the 6th Century, fear of hell may have been the prime moving force for people back then, but now it must be our understanding that the Holy Spirit is in charge.

Also, today is the first anniversary of my conversion to Roman Catholicism.

RB Reflection: 9 May 2008

In my study of the Rule, chapter 1, or the little red book of Benedict as I enjoy referring to it, we find a couple of notes above the chapter heading

[Here beings the text of the rule]
[It is called a rule because it regulates the lives of those who obey it]

If there were not a full 13 verses in chapter 1, this is the only thing I'd talk about today. "It is called a rule because it regulates the lives of those who obey it." That raises the question of just how much does this little rule regulate our lives?

There are clearly four kinds of monks. First, these are the cenobites, that is to say, those who belong to a monastery, where they serve under a rule and an abbot.

Second, there are the anchorites or hermits, who have come through the test of living in a monastery for a long time, and have passed beyond the first fervor of monastic life. Thanks to the help and guidance of many, they are now trained to fight against the the devil. They have built up their strength and go from the battle line in the ranks of their brothers to the single combat of the desert. Self-reliant now, without the support of another, they are ready with God's help to grapple single-handed with the vices of body and mind.

Two things we can say for certain about these two paragraphs: we as Lay Cistercian's of Gethsemani are neither monks/nuns, nor hermits. Although the call to solitude does not require monastic affiliation, Benedict is speaking of those who have lived in the monastery and now want to live alone. Let's keep reading, seeing if there is a place we as LCG do fit in the chapter.

Third, there are the sarabaites, the most detestable kind of monks, who with no experience to guide them, no rule to try them as gold is tried in a furnace [Prov. 27.21]. have a character as soft as lead. Still loyal to the world by their actions, they clearly lie to God by their tonsure. Tow or three together, or even alone, without a shepherd, they pen themselves up in their own sheepfolds, not the Lord's. There law is what they like to do, whatever strikes their fancy. Anything they believe in and choose, they call holy; anything they dislike, they consider forbidden.

Fourth and finally, there are the monks called gyrovagues, who spend their entire lives driting from region to region, staying as guests for three or four days in different monasteris. Alwyas on the move, they never settles down, and are slaves to their own wills and gross appetites. In every way they are worse than sarabaites.

It is better to keep silent than to speak of all these and their disgraceful way of life. Let us pass them by, then, and with the help of the Lord, proceed to draw up a plan for the strong kind, the cenobites.

Which are we? I suspect that within every monastery and religious organization, that there is at least one of each kind. As Lay Cistercians we can not live as monks and nuns do in enclosed communities. That has been an objection from the OCSO for some time, how can the charism be lived outside the monastery, especially without obedience to an Abbot? Well, we don't live as they do, but our lives are tied to theirs in a mystical way, one which the Holy Spirit continues to prove.

That is a question I am unprepared to answer, but the representatives at Soria, Spain this summer will do their best to help answer it. I am a Lay Cistercian because God called me to be one. I hope that our groups internationally never become so like a Corporation that we become Lay Cistercian's of Gethsemani, a subsidiary of International Lay Cistercians Inc.

The Rule will be our guide in all things. "It is called a rule because it regulates the lives of those who obey it."

RB Reflection: 8 May 2--8

Today is a guest writer.

Holy Rule of St Benedict

Prologue Cont.

Jan 7, May 8, Sept 7

And so we are going to establish a school for the service of the Lord…

As LCG members and candidates we are pupils, disciples, learning to service the Lord. We are establishing a school to serve the Lord in the world. By our daily prayer. By our daily experiences. By the leading of the Spirit. By seeing God’s actions in the world. By Christ’s love. By loving our brothers and sisters. By loving our neighbors. By loving our enemies.

In founding it we hope to introduce nothing harsh or burdensome.

But if a certain strictness results from the dictates of equity

for the amendment of vice or the preservation of charity

do not be at once dismayed and fly from the way of salvation,

whose entrance cannot but be narrow (Matt.7:14)

I don’t even remember going up there. I had decided I wasn’t going to do it that year. But there I was getting my feet washed on Maundy Thursday. As I reflected back over the experience in the following days I recalled Jesus’ words to Peter, “Unless I wash you you have no part with me”. In what exactly, I pondered? The answer came: following Christ on the narrow path. Putting our feet into His Holy footprints. So not to fall off the path, to keep going, not to be afraid. To go where, He is going, to the cross.

For as we advance in the religious life and in faith, our hearts expand

and we run the way of God’s commandments

with unspeakable sweetness of love (Ps.118:32)

Oh, our expanding hearts. As God’s loved is pour in. To overflowing. Overflowing to family and to friends. To the nasty grocery clerk and to the people in the weird church. To the people in the mosque and…and ...and…

Thus, never departing from His school,

but persevering in the monastery according to His teaching until death,

we may by patience share in the sufferings of Christ (1 Peter 4:13)

and deserve to have a share also in His Kingdom.

We take our school to the world. To our homes, churches, workplaces and neighborhoods. To live as Christ lived. As servants to others, as teachers, as listeners, as healers, as lovers of all of God’s people.

…In Christ’s Peace,

A LCG Grandma

RB Reflection: 7 May 2008

Each day's RB Reflection is available on my RB Reflection blog.

Prologue 39-44
Brothers, now that we have asked the Lord who will dwell in his tent, we have heard the instruction for dwelling in it, but only if we fulfill the obligations of those who live there. We must, must, then prepare our hearts and bodies for the battle of holy obedience to his instructions. What is not possible to us by nature, let us ask the Lord to supply by the help of his grace. If we wish to reach eternal life, even as we avoid the torments of hell, then -- while there is still time, while we are in this body and have time to accomplish all these things by the light of life -- we must run and do now what will profit us forever.

We are now packed for the trip. Benedict is already in the car and it's time to go, the Prior is rushing us out of the house, still sleepy. Then we wake up in a new world where we learn that it is not a vacation, that life under the Rule is a life stripped, striped, and rich.. Benedict has been preparing us for several passages now, trying to convince us why we ought to do it. So the car is packed, and now before we cast off into the last passage of the Prologue tomorrow, Benedict gives a speech almost entirely in his own words. We Know:
1. We asked God how to live in his tent, or place, and found out only by fulfilling our obligations. See past posts for those obligations.
2. I find the next phrase a bit scary.

We must then prepare our heart and bodies for the battle of holy obedience to his instructions. What is not possible to us by nature, let us ask the Lord to supply by the help of his grace.

If we are told to prepare for battle, then we should expect at some point to go into battle; the battle "of holy obedience to his instructions." Any mention of battles upsets most people. We have televised news 24 hours a day showing us live battles in Iraq; drive by shootings, hostage situations, so the last thing we want to have in our Holy Rule is an all-but-promise of a battle to come!

Yet, "what is not possible to us by nature, let us ask the Lord to supply by the help of his grace." The battle of the Cistercian life is the battle within the mind, the meeting of yourself, and even though you thought you knew who you were and who God is, you find out that you know nothing, and are an arrogant fool to have thought so.

That is why we'll let Benedict drive and "we will run and do now what will profit us forever."

RB Reflections: 6 May 2008

Prologue 33-38

That is why the Lord says in the Gospel: Whoever hears these words of mine and does them is like a wise man who built his house upon rock; the floods came and the winds blew and beat against the house, but it did not fall: it was founded on rock (Matt 7:24-25).

With this conclusion, the Lord waits for us daily to translate into action, as we should, his holy teachings. Therefore our life span has been lengthened by way of a truce, that we may amend our misdeeds. As the Apostle says: Do you not know that the patience of God is leading you to repent (Rom 2:4)? And indeed the Lord assures us in his love: I do not wish the death of the sinner, but that he turn back to me and live (Ezek 33:11).

I find it amazing that Benedict either:

A. had the Bible in his head so well that he "thought in Bible" much in the same way others would later say Bernard wrote in Bible.
B. had a Bible to look up things.

My vote is for A, because the thought of Bibles laying about in the Sixth Century, as they do now, is ludicrous. What access to a Bible did Benedict have? He had not always been an Abbot, spent the early years of his monastic life as a Hermit in a cave. Somewhere Benedict laid hold of a Bible, or listened to whatever lectionary might have been in place at that time, however it got there, Benedict was a master of the use of scripture. My admiration of his knowledge and thinking process has grown exponentially. That didn't start until I took up preparing the daily reflections.

Benedict makes suggestions. Then he uses scripture to back himself up.

In my Church of Christ years, as a young child and young teen (I converted quickly), you could argue anything so long as you had a Bible verse to back you up. Benedict goes one better, he doesn't just back it up with a verse, he goes forward to draw some conclusions.

The Lord waits for us daily to translate into action, as we should, his holy teachings. Therefore our life span has been lengthened by way of a truce, that we may amend our misdeeds.

By way of a truce. Gosh, that's an odd word to think about in the context of a monastic rule. We think that because we read a rule that we are safe, but Benedict says we have a truce!

The Merriam-Webster says truced is Middle English trewes, plural of trewe agreement, from Old English trēow fidelity; akin to Old English trēowe faithful — more at true
Date: 13th century
1 : a suspension of fighting especially of considerable duration by agreement of opposing forces : armistice, cease-fire
2 : a respite especially from a disagreeable or painful state or action

Well, now that has cleared up why "our life span has been lengthened by way of a truce." It is definition 2 that applies here. We are to "amend our misdeeds," so says Benedict.

As Lay Cistercian's of Gethsemani, and the entire International Lay Encounter 2008, we need to be heard by the order as people who have taken seriously our Rule of Life, who have developed the documents they asked for. We have taken the Rule of Benedict as our own, yet they do not include us in their Intercessions.

The only way to do that is to amend our misdeeds and run towards the Lord with our heart flung wide open. Only the Holy Spirit gives the Charism, only the Holy Spirit can work out our own life as Lay Cistercian's of any variety. We can plan, we can write, we can meet, we can fly all over the world to talk, write and meet, but in the end it is prayer we need most, so that the light of God may seep into us as deeply as the Bible seeped into Benedict.