Over the years I’ve been welcomed in many monasteries and retreat centres: by Franciscans in Bavaria, Benedictines in the Mohave desert, Redemptorists in Arizona, and Camaldolese near Big Sur. And by Buddhists, of course: in upstate New York, Los Angeles, Oregon, and Thailand. Having been raised a Roman Catholic, I naturally turned to Christian orders when I sensed a call towards a contemplative life. Although I was welcomed warmly and admired their dedication (especially Franciscans with their down-to-earth and in-the-world practice), I soon realized that I didn’t share their religion to the extent necessary. I became interested, however, in the Rule of St. Benedict, a 1450-year old set of instructions which guide monastics’ conduct to this day.
Esther de Waal, a lay teacher in the Anglican tradition, makes connections between Christian scriptures, St. Benedict’s Rule, and a contemplative lay life. Reflecting on time spent with Trappist monks (Thomas Merton’s order), she writes:
“Present … in their daily celebration of the Eucharist and at the saying of their daily offices is this reminder that death is part of life. It is of course a vivid visual statement of what St. Benedict is saying in the Rule. “Keep death daily before your eyes” (4.47) and, simultaneously, “Look forward to holy Easter with joy and spiritual longing” (49.7). …
“He expects us to hold two things in tension. Death and life are inseparable. Dying and behold we live. Here is the ultimate in contradiction. Here is utter foolishness to the point of absurdity. We lose our life to gain it. But how right St. Benedict is in insisting that we remind ourselves of this every day.”
source: De Waal, E. (1997). Living with contradictions: an introduction to Benedectine spirituality. Harrisburg, PA: Morehouse Publ., p. 113-114.
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