Holy Rule for July 10
15 views
Skip to first unread message
St. Mary's Monastery
Jul 9, 2024, 5:44:31 PMJul 9
to holyrule
+PAX
Br. Jerome Leo’s Daily Reflection on the Holy Rule
March 10, July 10, November 9
Chapter 32: On the Tools and Property of the Monastery
For the care of the monastery's property in tools, clothing and other articles let the Abbess appoint sisters on whose manner of life and character she can rely; and let her, as she shall judge to be expedient, consign the various articles to them, to be looked after and to be collected again. The Abbess shall keep a list of these articles, so that as the sisters succeed one another in their assignments she may know what she gives and what she receives back.
If anyone treats the monastery's property in a slovenly or careless way, let her be corrected. If she fails to amend, let her undergo the discipline of the Rule.
REFLECTION
Americans in particular can equate lack of waste with stinginess. It's a terrible view of things, but deeply rooted. Consumerist society encourages waste because it fuels profits for the few at the top. Sad that many below cannot be made to see that when we waste, we are harming ourselves, in more ways than one: ecologically, economically AND spiritually. Waste is a lack of mindfulness for others, a lack of awareness that we must share God's goods which He created for all.
The reasons we have been subtly taught to live with criminal waste as if it were nothing are false, totally false. They are not luxury, they deny others. Why live a lie? We do not live on a planet of infinite resources.
Monasteries and homes are microcosms of the universe. We must never look at conservation as if our actions alone will advance the rise or prevent the fall. They may very well do neither. What our actions CAN do is limit our complicity. That is the only safe rationale for undertaking them.
Every drop of fresh water makes the ocean less salty, though it’s a fair bet that the ocean will remain quite salty, indeed, in spite of our efforts! That's not the point. All God will ever ask us is what we tried to do. He judges our efforts, not our results.
All He asks is that we try to build a better world, that we do our part to make His Kingdom visible. It already exists, we do not "build" it, we simply unveil it bit by bit, for all to see! That's what He meant when He said: "The Kingdom of God is within you."
He knows we cannot change everything single-handedly. No private citizen could have stopped the Holocaust in Nazi Germany, but some chose not to be in any way part of it, even at the cost of their lives. Some saved as many as they could, even though they could not save all. See what I mean? A wealth of opportunity in choice awaits all of us.
Br. Jerome Leo Hughes, OSB (RIP)
Br. Jerome Leo’s Daily Reflection on the Holy Rule
March 10, July 10, November 9
Chapter 32: On the Tools and Property of the Monastery
For the care of the monastery's property in tools, clothing and other articles let the Abbess appoint sisters on whose manner of life and character she can rely; and let her, as she shall judge to be expedient, consign the various articles to them, to be looked after and to be collected again. The Abbess shall keep a list of these articles, so that as the sisters succeed one another in their assignments she may know what she gives and what she receives back.
If anyone treats the monastery's property in a slovenly or careless way, let her be corrected. If she fails to amend, let her undergo the discipline of the Rule.
REFLECTION
Americans in particular can equate lack of waste with stinginess. It's a terrible view of things, but deeply rooted. Consumerist society encourages waste because it fuels profits for the few at the top. Sad that many below cannot be made to see that when we waste, we are harming ourselves, in more ways than one: ecologically, economically AND spiritually. Waste is a lack of mindfulness for others, a lack of awareness that we must share God's goods which He created for all.
The reasons we have been subtly taught to live with criminal waste as if it were nothing are false, totally false. They are not luxury, they deny others. Why live a lie? We do not live on a planet of infinite resources.
Monasteries and homes are microcosms of the universe. We must never look at conservation as if our actions alone will advance the rise or prevent the fall. They may very well do neither. What our actions CAN do is limit our complicity. That is the only safe rationale for undertaking them.
Every drop of fresh water makes the ocean less salty, though it’s a fair bet that the ocean will remain quite salty, indeed, in spite of our efforts! That's not the point. All God will ever ask us is what we tried to do. He judges our efforts, not our results.
All He asks is that we try to build a better world, that we do our part to make His Kingdom visible. It already exists, we do not "build" it, we simply unveil it bit by bit, for all to see! That's what He meant when He said: "The Kingdom of God is within you."
He knows we cannot change everything single-handedly. No private citizen could have stopped the Holocaust in Nazi Germany, but some chose not to be in any way part of it, even at the cost of their lives. Some saved as many as they could, even though they could not save all. See what I mean? A wealth of opportunity in choice awaits all of us.
Br. Jerome Leo Hughes, OSB (RIP)
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages