Growing in Benedictine Spirituality
“Together (the three vows) are not, as they might seem at first glance about negation, restriction, and limitation...They involve us in the need to face a number of very basic demands: the need not to run away, the need to be open to change, the need to listen. They are based on a commitment which is both total and continuing. And yet the paradox is that they bring freedom, true freedom.” Esther de Waal, Seeking God, the Way of St. Benedict, p. 55.
This weekend I had the privilege of reviewing the Rule of Benedict with an amazing group from St. Nikolas and St. Peter’s Episcopal Churches learning how to be pastoral caregivers through a program called Community of Hope. Following a rule of Benedictine spirituality involves taking a vow to seek spiritual growth by connecting to three areas of support in our lives: conversion, obedience and stability. Stability speaks to our connecting to a certain community, at work, at a place of worship, within a family, in a recovery group, in the world. Obedience speaks to seeking to look for the Christ in all we meet, especially in that community. Conversion or change occurs as we seek Christ in others in our community and they in turn now see and reflect Christ in us. That Christ within us then leads us to growth.
A former priest I worked with, Peggy Bosmyer, compared this concept to a sailing ship. We get into the boat. We make a commitment to be in the boat. That is stability. How we direct our boat is the rudder, that is obedience, being obedient to attempting to see Christ in others. The Holy Spirit, the wind. then moves the sails bringing about conversion, a change in movement as we now see and feel Christ in ourselves. Seeing Christ in our neighbor leads and reflects back to us the Christ within us. That Christ within us then leads us to change to a new life.
Joanna Joannaseibert.com