RB Reflection: 2 June 2008

Chapter 7 35-43

The fourth step of humility is that in this obedience under difficult, unfavorable, or even unjust conditions, his heart quietly embraces suffering, and endures it without weakening, or seeking escape. For Scripture has it: Anyone who perseveres to the end will be saved (Matt. 10:22), and again, Be brave of heart and rely on the Lord (Ps. 26[27]:14). Another passage shows how the faithful must endure everything, even contradiction, for the Lord's sake, saying in the person of those who suffer, For your sake we are put to death continually; we are regarded as sheep marked for slaughter (Rom. 8:26; Ps 43[44]:22). They are so confident in their expectation of reward from God that they continue joyfully and say, But in all this we overcome because of him who so greatly loved us (Rom. 8:37). Elsewhere Scripture says: O God, you have tested us, you have tried us as silver is tried by fire; you have led us into a snare, you have place afflictions on our backs (Ps 65[66]:10-11). Then, to show that we ought to be under a superior, it adds; You have placed men over our heads (Ps. 65[66]:12).

In truth, those who are patient amid hardships and unjust treatment are fulfilling the Lord's command: When struck on one cheek, they turn the other; when deprived of their coat, they offer their cloak also; when pressed into service for one mile, they go two (Matt 5:39-41). With the Apostle Paul, they bear with false brothers, endure persecution, and bless those who curse them (2 Cor. 11:26; I Cor 4:12)

Usually Benedict uses scripture in remarkable ways, however I can't help but think that his use of Psalm 66:12 is actually supposed to show that we are supposed to be under a superior. But, who am I to quibble with St. Benedict. Therefore, I accept his word as truth, just as this lengthy section of the Rule today is teaching us to do.

Sometimes to actually get at Benedict and what he says, you have to remove the scripture quotes, which is what I propose to do.

1. The fourth step of humility is that in this obedience under difficult, unfavorable, or even unjust conditions, his heart quietly embraces suffering, and endures it without weakening, or seeking escape. This is a very difficult thing to do. How many of us will endure unjust conditions even for a moment? And even fewer will embrace suffering without seeking escape. What a tremendous challenge this proposes for us as Lay Cistercians! If we feel slighted by one of the monks at our monastery of association, then we just wilt away, and sometimes not show up again. Or the same applies in the local groups, if one member hurts the feelings of another,the injured party may just quietly disappear.

But that is not what Benedict tells us to do. We are to continue our obedience (showing up for our meetings, and being obedient to the needs of charity) even when it's difficult, unfavorable, and unjust. He also tells us don't gripe about it, either, embrace the suffering without weakening or seeking escape. Is that making a villain out of the victim? No, it is saying stand up, pull up your drawers and take it like a person who has enough faith to go down a road full of potholes. Life is not fair, and even superiors aren't always fair. One thing I've learned from the Trappists: do your work and don't whine.

2. The faithful must endure everything, even contradiction, for the Lord's sake. Isn't this a continuation of the above, just written in a different key? Of course, this is contrary to the world and the workplace, where we are not only unlikely to "take it laying down," we're sometimes actively encouraged to "pay them back." Do I even need to point out the full evil of such actions? The endurance of contradiction is without doubt the hardest thing for me, because not much annoys me more than contradictory instructions. Yet, Benedict tells me to endure it for the Lord's sake! Wow, when I learn to do that -- or you learn to to that -- we will all go directly to heaven.

3. They are so confident in their expectation of reward from God that they continue joyfully. Here we go, the pat on the back that we've been looking for. The only problem is the pat on the back isn't going to come from a "superior" or even someone in our local group, it has to come from our own "expectation of reward from God." That is very challenging to people: work without expectation of reward. That's rather like saying do this job but I'm not paying you for it, you just do it for the satisfaction of a job well done. "Oh, and by the way, do it joyfully!" I will dare to add a little scripture to Benedict's heavy use, "Rejoice in the Lord always."

This could apply right now to the different directions that Lay Cistercians feel pulled, by their local community, their monastery, and the order itself. Others may tell us, you're doing it all wrong, this is how we do it at "our monastery." As if any one of us has the right to say how this group or that group should be organized, who they should or should not accept, etc., yet in Spain at this very moment our representatives are working toward something that can unify us in some way beyond saying, we live by the Cistercian Charism. And, if the OCSO should suddenly decide, we've had enough of you, buzz off, then we'd have to do it, and do it joyfully.

4. In truth, those who are patient amid hardships and unjust treatment are fulfilling the Lord's command. Well, after everything else we come to this. This must have been the thoughts of the martyrs as well, as they were led off to die. For people like me, who grew up in the Theater, who are used to confrontation between conductor and stage director, where tempers flare, and then embraces follow, this is a hard lesson to learn. But praise be to God, I am learning this day by day with the help and prayers of my local Lay Cistercian community, the monks who pray for me, and set such good examples (sometimes), and the witness of countless nuns and monks throughout the ages.