THE RULE OF ST. BENEDICT: CHAPTER VII
I have edited the text for the use of St. Anthony of the
Desert, our own Chapter of St. Scholastica Monastery in Fort Smith, Arkansas.
The text is divided into three sections. Our Chapter meets one Sunday of each
month at St. Matthew’s Cathedral in Dallas, Texas, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. to sing
the Offices and share in a cold collation. All are welcome.
Chapter VII Of Humility [Section I]
Introduction and the First Step of
Humility
Brothers and Sisters,
the Holy Scripture cries to us saying: “Every one that exalts himself will be
humbled; and he that humbles himself will be exalted” (Lk 14:11)[i].
Since Scripture says this; it shows us that every exaltation is a kind of
pride. The Prophet declares that he guards himself against this, saying: “O
LORD, my heart is not lifted up, my eyes are not raised too high; I do not
occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me.” (Ps 131:1).
What then? “If I was not humbly minded, but were exalted instead; then you
would have treated me like a weaned child upon my mother’s lap.” (Ps 131:2).
It is important to understand that Oblates are
not Monks or Nuns. Monastics live in an environment where those within the monastery,
by virtue of their vows, have committed themselves to fulfill the precepts of
the Rule of St. Benedict, in the context of their community. The Benedictine
Sisters of Perpetual Adoration website gives the following description of the
vows taken by Monks and Nuns.
Our Benedictine vows come from the Rule of Saint
Benedict which was written centuries before poverty, chastity and obedience
became the standard vows.
Saint Benedict's vows (or promises as he called
them) are stability, ‘conversatio’ and obedience. Stability is a commitment of
lifelong fidelity to God and our Congregation. ‘Conversatio’ is a commitment to
embrace all of monastic life as a path to holiness and conversion. This
includes poverty or simplicity of life and chastity. Obedience is a vow of
listening, responsive love to the voice of God as it comes to us through
prayer, the Rule of Saint Benedict, Scripture, our prioress and our sisters.[ii]
Oblates live in very different circumstances,
and those around the Oblates are most often not committed to the same set of
values to which the Oblates aspire. Nevertheless Oblates strive to take
seriously the call to stability, conversatio,
and obedience insofar as their station in life permits. At the center of
Benedictine life is the understanding of humility; but that humility is
dynamically opposite to the aspirations of the world around them.
On the surface that may sound very academic,
but it’s not. It is often a painful reality. Oblates frequently struggle with
the need for personal balance in settings that can be very conflictual, in the
family, in the various places of employment, and even within the parish church.
The call to humility may sound as odd as Latin in the ears of the children of
the world; but listen to what the Rule of St. Benedict has to say to the Oblates
who live in less than ideal circumstances?
Therefore,
brothers and sisters, if we wish to reach the greatest height of humility, if
we desire to attain speedily that heavenly exaltation to which we climb in the
present life by our actions, we must erect the ladder which appeared to Jacob
in his dream, on which the angels were ascending
and descending (Gen
28:12).
Without a doubt, we understand this ascending and descending to be nothing other
than we descend by pride and ascend by humility.
The erected ladder is our life in this
present world, by which, if the heart is humble, the Lord lifts us up to heaven.
Our body and our soul are the two sides of this ladder; and into these two sides
of our Divine Vocation, as Monks or Oblates, has inserted the various steps of
humility or discipline which we must climb. If you would learn peace, learn
humility. If you embrace self-exaltation
you embrace the disharmony that governs the world.
The starting place is learning Godly fear [or
awe]. The Book of
Proverbs tells us that, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools
despise wisdom and instruction.”[iii] The very
idea that God is to be feared is antithetical to the children of the world, and
especially to the children of the world within the Church. According to C. S. Lewis, “What would really
satisfy us would be a God who said of anything we happened to like doing, 'What
does it matter so long as they are contented'? What we want, in fact, is not so much a Father
in Heaven as a grandfather in heaven—a senile benevolence who, as they say,
'liked to see young people enjoying themselves', and whose plan for the
universe was simply that it might be truly said at the end of the day, 'a good
time was had by all'.”[iv] Those who
hold God in awe understand that God’s Holiness is immutable in its perfection.
Therefore, “Let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for
our God is a consuming fire”.[v]
The
first step of humility is that a man always ought to have
the fear of God before his eyes ( Ps
35:1),
never forgetting it, and always remembering all that God has commanded. He [each brother or sister] should keep in mind
that those who despise God will burn in hell for their sins, and that life
everlasting is prepared for those who hold God in awe. And while he guards
himself always against sin and vices of thought, word, deed, and self-will, let
him also make haste to cut off the lusts of the flesh. Let him recall that God
always sees him from Heaven, and that the eye of God looks on all his works,
and that the angels report his works to God every hour.
This has a direct implication on the calling of the Oblate as well as
the Monastic. To assume that the
Monastic has less temptation than an Oblate is to gravely underestimate the
temptations that beset the Monastic.
Temptation is a universal experience.
Paul tells us, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to
man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability,
but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be
able to endure it.”[vi] Monastic and Oblate alike suffer temptations.
This section of The Rule offers three antidotes, and one of those is an
understanding of accountability; heaven is not a mythical place, and neither is
hell. Secondly, although we are dependent on grace we need to take action and
guard our minds against sin and vice, and make haste to cut off, instead of
entertain the lusts of the flesh. Many contemporary Christians fail to take
this latter point seriously thinking that grace falls on the passive, rather
than on the obedient. The Collect for the First Sunday in Advent makes both our
obedience and our participation clear, “Almighty God, give us grace that we may
cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armor of light, now in the
time of this mortal life in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in
great humility.”[vii]
The prophet tells us
the same thing saying “The searcher of hearts and minds is God” (Ps 7:9).
And again: “The Lord knows the thoughts of men” (Ps
94:11) And also he says: “You discern
my thoughts from afar.” (Ps 139:2). And: “The thoughts of man shall praise You” (Ps 76:10
Vulgate). Therefore, in
order that he may always be on his guard against evil thoughts, let the humble
brother always say in his heart: “I was blameless before him, and I kept myself
from guilt.” (Ps 18:23)
The
Lord knows every thought that crosses our mind, as well as every word that is
on our lips. The full text is helpful, “O LORD, you have searched me and known
me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from
afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my
ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it
altogether.[viii]
Third,
remember that we are never really alone. The shocking truth is that not only
does God see us at all times, but according to St. Benedict even the angels,
always present with us, report our works to God every hour.
Therefore we are
forbidden to do our own will, because Scripture tells us: “turn away from your base
desires” (Sir
18:30). Therefore we ask God that His will may be done in us (Mt 6:10).
And we are rightly taught not to do our own will, when we heed the warning of
Scripture, “There are ways that seem right to men, but the end plunges them
into the depths of hell” (Prov 16:25).
Remember that Obedience is one of the two fundamental
Benedictine vows. St. Benedict tells us that if we would fight against
temptation, we will have to learn obedience, saying, “Therefore we are forbidden
to do our own will.” In Chapter V of the Rule, St. Benedict lays down the
principle, “The first step of humility is unhesitating obedience,”[ix]
He does not leave this as an abstract principle, “they must carry out the
superior’s order as promptly as if the command came from God himself.”[x]
Let
me remind you of the teachings of St. Paul who wrote in an era when persecution
was immanent, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For
there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been
instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God
has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.”[xi]
Rampant
in the American ethos is the notion that each individual, Bible in hand, has
the right, no! the Duty to criticize religious leaders. That is very far from
the mind of St. Benedict. St. Vincent of Lerins wrote, “We take the greatest
care to hold that which has been believed everywhere, always, and by all.”[xii]
As Benedictines we are not called to be critics, but to be obedient, and that
obedience is the foundation of humility and the source of our stability.
And
we also fear what is said to the negligent, “They are corrupted and have become
abominable in their pleasure" (Ps 14:1).
As for desires of the flesh, let us believe that God is thus ever present to
us, since the Prophet says to the Lord: “Every desire of mine is before You” (Ps
37:9). We must, therefore, guard against every evil
desire, because death lurks close by the gate of pleasure. For this reason
Scripture commands us, saying: "Pursue not your lusts" (Sir
18:30).
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,
may be an Ang Lee martial arts film, but it also has a spiritual application;
death lurks close by the gate of pleasure. It is not that God is against
pleasure, after all He created pleasure for His own good pleasure as well as
ours,[xiii]
but it is absolutely clear that God is against those illicit “pleasures” which
will damage the soul, the inner person. That after all is the point of the Ten
Commandments and of Jesus understanding of the Law in Matthew, Chapter Five. If
you play with fire, you will be burned.
In
the conclusion of the first step of humility St. Benedict returns to an earlier
theme:
The
eyes of the Lord observe the good and the bad (Prov 15:3),
and the Lord always looks down from heaven on the children of men to see
whether there are any who understand or seek after God (Ps 14:1).
Our actions are also reported to the Lord day and night by the angels who are
appointed to watch over us daily. Therefore we must always be on our guard. As
the Prophet says in the Psalm, so that God may not see that we have "turned
aside to evil and become unprofitable" (Ps 14:1). Take note that
He has spared us in the present time because He is loving and waits for us to
be changed for the better, and also in order that He might not say to us in the
future: "These things you have done and I was silent" (Ps 50:21).
Remember that the first step is always the
first step, and if you don’t climb the first step you won’t reach the second
step. In his conclusion of the first step St. Benedict returns to the theme of
the Watching God and His angels. We are not alone, we never are. God is always
watching. What we do is reported day and night to God by His angels. That is
the basic reason why we ought to be on guard, and it obviously has to do with
holding God in awe. In order to understand the final verse in the first step of
humility it helps to look at it in context. It has to do with our treatment,
not only of those in authority, but also our treatment of each other, “You sit
and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother's son. These things
you have done, and I have been silent; you thought that I was one like
yourself. But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you.”[xiv]
Humility is not an abstract quality that exists in a vacuum, but something that
is always worked out in community.
Of Humility [Section II]
Humility is not an emotional state,
but a life orientation; an attitude enfleshed in the service of others.
The
Second Degree of Humility is that a man loves not his own
will, nor is pleased to fulfill his own desires but by his deeds carries out
that word of the Lord which says: "I came not to do My own will but the
will of Him that sent Me" (John 6:38). It is likewise said:
"Self-will has its punishment, but constraint wins the crown."[xv]
This is the core of the issue. The surrender of the will
is a difficult challenge, and that surrender has to be carried over into
action, into concrete deeds. Surrender is not a mere passive giving up, but a
surrender into obedient action. We are to do the will of Him who sends us, not
just verbalize about it. That will inevitably lead us into proclamation and the
service of others.
Further St. Benedict tells us that ‘Self-will has its
punishment.” There is a very practical point here. Most of the trouble we get
ourselves into is the result of a bull-headed plowing ahead and stubbornly
doing our own thing. We need to accept constraints on our willfulness and on
our actions. The surrender of the will entails limitations on our will, and our
acknowledgment that we are willing to accept those limitations.
The
Third Degree of Humility is, that for the love of God a man
submits himself to a Superior in all obedience, imitating the Lord, of whom the
Apostle says: "He became obedient unto death" (Phil 2:8).
Surrender and humility are not lived out in a comfortable
vacuum. Each of us is accountable to someone else, whether or not we like the
idea. In the context of the Monastery or the Abbey it is the Prioress or the
Abbot; but Oblates also are accountable. We are accountable to each other, to
our bosses, to our parish priest, to our bishop. In a very practical way
husbands are accountable to their wives, and wives are accountable to their
husbands. Without accountability there is no true community.
The attitude of humility and its complex relationships to
those in authority is clearly revealed in St. Benedict’s Chapter, ‘The
Assignment of Impossible Tasks to a Brother’.
“If it happens that difficult or impossible tasks
are laid on a brother, let him nevertheless receive the order of the one in
authority with all meekness and obedience. But if he sees that the weight of
the burden altogether exceeds the limit of his strength, let him submit the
reasons for his inability to the one who is over him in a quiet way and at an
opportune time, without pride, resistance, or contradiction. And if after these representations the
Superior still persists in his decision and command, let the subject know that
this is for his good, and let him obey out of love, trusting in the help of
God.” [xvi]
The
Fourth Degree of Humility is that if hard and distasteful
things are commanded, even if suffering is involved, he accepts these things with
patience and even temper, and does not grow weary or give up, but holds out, as
the Scripture says: "He that perseveres to the end shall be saved" (Mt
10:22). And again: "Let your heart take courage, and wait for the
Lord" (Ps 27:14).
What kind of hard and distasteful things might a monk be
commanded to do? Everything from cleaning the bathroom, to mucking out the
stable. All of us have things in our homes and in our jobs that are both
necessary and unpleasant; but we are to accept these things with patience, even
if they entail a little suffering on our part. I suspect that many of the
sufferings we endure in such circumstances have to do more with pride, than
hard work.
The surrender of the will is easy when there are no
immediate circumstances that overwhelm either the Monastic or the Oblate. It is difficult for the Oblate, very
difficult, in the midst of impending conflicts, where the desires and pressure
of the world around him call for a surrender of one’s material possessions,
pride, and relationships. The Monastic
at least theoretically has already surrendered such things in taking his final
vows.
And another passage shows that a faithful man should
even bear every disagreeable thing for the Lord, saying with the voice of those
who suffer: "For Your sake we suffer death all the day long; we are
counted as sheep for the slaughter" (Rom 8:36; Ps 44:22). And secure in
the hope of the divine reward, they go on joyfully, saying: "But in all
these things we overcome because of Him that who loved us" (Rom 8:37).
In whatever suffering we endure, even in laboring at
unpleasant mundane tasks; we have the unique privilege of uniting our small
sufferings with the suffering of Christ on our behalf. St. Paul well understood
the principle saying, “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my
flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of
his body, that is, the church” [Colossians 1:24]. While we may not be called to
Paul’s ministry, the same principle holds true in the everyday sufferings that
many Christians have on behalf of their own families, parishes, and in their places
of employment.
And likewise in another place the Scripture says:
"You, O God, have proved us; You have tried us by fire as silver is tried;
You have brought us into a net, You have laid afflictions on our back" (Ps
66: 10-11).
Human relationships are the crucible in which Christian
personality is shaped. Charles Williams tells us one of the important facets of
love,
Christian lovers,
who have considered within themselves the nature of Love, will have known from
the beginning that there is another side to the early delight. To them it is a place of purgation as well as
joy; it is in truth a little universe of place and time, of earth, of
purgatory, of heaven or hell. The companion
in this experience is to him or to her the instrument of fire which shall burn
away his corrupt part. . .
Love is Holiness
and Divine Indignation; the placidity of an ordinary married life is the veil
of a spiritual passage into profound things.
Nor is this all; the lover knows himself also to be the cross upon which
the Beloved is to be stretched, and so she also of her lover.[xvii]
Christian Marriage is a Covenant relationship that is
grounded on the Biblical principles governing that relationship. Marriage is a
Covenant, a commitment that we intend to carry out through life. All
relationships have their ups and downs. The Covenant is a three-fold
commitment; a commitment to each other, and a commitment to God whose love
informs and strengthens our relationship and commitment. This not only true of
marriage, it is in large part also true of all relationships. Even friends
suffer with friends, and suffer for friends, and ultimately count it a joy.
And to show us that we ought to be under a Superior,
the Psalmist continues, saying: "You have set men over our heads" (Ps
66:12). And those who are patient under hardships and unjust treatment are
fulfilling the command of the Lord by patience also in adversities and injuries.
When struck on the one cheek they turn also the other; the despoiler of their
coat they give their cloak also; and when forced to go one mile they go two (Mt
5:39-41); with the Apostle Paul they bear with false brethren and "bless
those who curse them" (Luke 6:28; Romans 12:14).
St. Benedict returns to the theme of obedience to a
Superior; in this case obedience to a Superior who might even increase our
adversities and injuries. Not all the men, or all women, who have been set over
our heads, are pleasant people. How we treat them while they are our Superiors
is important. To return abuse for abuse is not what St. Benedict has in mind.
Quite the opposite! He does not speak of the options people may have in
changing jobs. That is another issue.
The
Fifth Degree of Humility is, that one does not hide from
his Abbot any of the evil thoughts which rise in his heart, or the evils
committed by him in secret, but humbly confesses them. Concerning this the
Scripture exhorts us, saying: "Commit your way to the Lord and trust in
Him" (Ps 37:5). And it says further: "Give thanks to the Lord, for He
is good, for His mercy endures forever" (Ps 106: 1; Ps 118:1). And the
Prophet likewise says: “I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my
iniquity; I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD," and
you forgave the iniquity of my sin” (Ps 32:5).
In tight monastic communities everyone is theoretically
heading in the same direction, towards Christ and towards transformation into
His image; at least that is the expectation. Oblates cannot always make that
assumption in parish Churches, or on the job, or in families; so Oblates have a
challenge that has to be tailored to their particular calling.
First, it is important not to have secrets that you have
never shared with someone who is trustworthy. The Book of Common Prayer
recommends that we find “a wise and understanding priest,” The qualification in
interesting because the implication is that not all priests are necessarily
wise and understanding. Humility requires that we have a place of openness. Hiddenness
leads to hiding our flaws beneath unwarranted pride. From “An Exhortation” in
the Book of Common Prayer,
And if, in your preparation, you need help and counsel,
then go and open your grief to a discreet and understanding priest, and confess
your sins, that you may receive the benefit of absolution, and spiritual
counsel and advice; to the removal of scruple and doubt, the assurance of
pardon, and the strengthening of your faith.[xviii]
Second, humility is: “Knowing who you are before God, and
knowing your place in His world.”[xix]
Self-knowledge is a fundamental part of humility; but so also is the acceptance
that comes from knowing that you are neither better or worse than any other
Christian. One of the features of Confession and Absolution is, that at the end
of the Confession the Priest says, “Go in peace, and pray for me a sinner.”[xx]
Of
Humility [Section III]
The first five degrees of humility focus on
the core issues of self-discovery and surrender. In the following degrees of
humility St. Benedict strikes a hard blow at our attitudes.
The
Sixth Degree of Humility is, when a monk is content with
the meanest and worst of everything, and in all that is enjoined him holds
himself as a bad and worthless workman, saying with the Prophet: "I am
brought to nothing and I knew it not; I am become as a beast before Thee, and I
am always with Thee" (Ps 73:22-23).
In a society like ours where people strive for the best
of everything, this is hard medicine to take, but I wonder if our society is
much different from the society of St. Benedict’s time. The chapter of the Rule
on ‘Artisans in the Monastery’, and quick survey of 6th Century
Italian art reveals the love of quality in St. Benedict’s time. St. Benedict
multiplies our difficulty by bluntly telling us to stop looking for praise for
our labors. That is not to say that the Rule does not honour quality in
workmanship or art, but St. Benedict approaches it from an entirely different
angle. One should seek the best and produce the best for the love of God, and
in both his prescriptions for work, tools, clothing and other things he does
not stint in providing the best available for his monks, but he is insistent
that his monks, and we as Oblates, should not hang our hearts on either
material things or on praise.
The
Seventh Degree of Humility is, when, not only with his tongue
he declares, but also in his inmost soul believes, that he is the lowest and
vilest of men, humbling himself and saying with the Prophet: "But I am a
worm and no man, the reproach of men and the outcast of the people" (Ps
22:6). "I have been exalted and humbled and confounded" (Ps 88:15).
And also: "It is good for me that Thou hast humbled me, that I may learn Thy
commandments" (Ps 119:71).
In the seventh degree of humility he expands on the theme
of the previous step, saying in effect, “Don’t puff yourself up!” You are not
better than any other monk, nor I might add, not any worse; the latter being as
much a temptation as the former. St. Benedict does not want his monks vying
with each other for position, because self-centered competitiveness can be
destructive to a community.
The
Eighth Degree of Humility is, when a monk does nothing but
what is sanctioned by the common rule of the monastery and the example of his
elders.
In the monastery, in the community of Oblates, and in the
Church, there are parameters that must be followed in order to protect the
identity and fabric of the community. Importing dynamics from other sources can
be destructive to the community ethos. As Benedictines we treasure balance in
all things. If someone attempts to bring in harsh ascetical practices from some
other place, or lax attitudes from another, the community will be damaged. If you want to be a Benedictine, learn the
ways of St. Benedict, don’t presume to import your own stuff from somewhere
else.
The
Ninth Degree of Humility is, when a monk withholds his
tongue from speaking, and keeping silence doth not speak until he is asked; for
the Scripture shows that "in a multitude of words there shall no lack of
sin" (Proverbs 10:19); and that "a talkative man is not established
in the earth" (Ps 140:11).
The English Standard version of the proverb says, “When
words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is
prudent.” That does get to the heart of the matter. The talkative man loses
focus, fails to hear what others are saying, and is trapped in his own agendas.
The talkative man often is so eager to speak that while the other is talking,
he is not listening, but rather thinking about what witty thing he might say next.
The
Tenth Degree of Humility is, when a monk is not easily
moved and quick for laughter, for it is written: "The fool exalts his
voice in laughter" (Sir 21:23).
St. Benedict is cautious about laughter for a reason, but
he is also biblically informed and wants us to keep the balance in all things.
“A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones”
(Proverbs 17:22). What is the issue? Experience shows us that telling jokes can
be a tricky thing. I have discovered an interesting dynamic. If you tell a good
clean joke in a group, it will not long before someone comes up with a joke
that is off colour. Underlying our propensity for joking is our very real need
for joy. “Shout for joy in the LORD, O you righteous! Praise befits the
upright” (Psalm 33:1).
The
Eleventh Degree of Humility is, that, when a monk speaks, he
speak gently and without laughter, humbly and with gravity, with few and
sensible words, and that he be not loud of voice, as it is written: "The
wise man is known by the fewness of his words."
While the quote above about the wise man is not
identified, the theme is also a New Testament theme. St. James says, “If anyone
thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart,
this person's religion is worthless” (James 1:26). St. Paul also agrees with
this, saying, “Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking,
which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving” (Ephesians 5:4).
Again, St. James says, “So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of
great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of
unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body,
setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell” (James
3:5-6).
The
Twelfth Degree of Humility is, when a monk is not only humble
of heart, but always lets it appear also in his whole exterior to all that see
him; namely, at the Work of God, in the garden, on a journey, in the field, or
wherever he may be, sitting, walking, or standing, let him always have his head
bowed down, his eyes fixed on the ground, ever holding himself guilty of his
sins, thinking that he is already standing before the dread judgment seat of
God, and always saying to himself in his heart what the publican in the Gospel
said, with his eyes fixed on the ground: "Lord, I am a sinner and not
worthy to lift up mine eyes to heaven" (Lk 18:13); and again with the
Prophet: "I am bowed down and humbled exceedingly" (Ps 38:7-9).
What was acceptable in St. Benedict’s age, would be
posturing in ours. True humility is reflected in the way we present ourselves
to others. The way you talk, the way you walk, and the way you dress should not
be garish, either by putting on an artificially abject appearance, or an unduly
flashy one. Either extreme says, “Look at me. Look at me. Look at me.” St.
Benedict is calling for modesty in dress and demeanor, and modesty is at a
premium in our culture. True humility is not to be found in appearing to be
what we are not. Humility is: “Knowing who you are before God, and knowing your
place in His world.” Self-knowledge is a
fundamental part of humility; but so also is the acceptance that comes from
knowing that you are neither better or worse than any other Christian. The way
you talk, the way you walk, and the way you dress should reflect what you are
as child of God.
Conclusion:
Having,
therefore, ascended all these degrees of humility, the monk will presently
arrive at that love of God, which being perfect, casts out fear (1 Jn 4:18). In
virtue of this love all things which at first he observed not without fear, he will
now begin to keep without any effort, and as it were, naturally by force of
habit, no longer from the fear of hell, but from the love of Christ, from the
very habit of good and the pleasure in virtue. May the Lord be pleased to
manifest all this by His Holy Spirit in His laborer now cleansed from vice and
sin.
In the twelfth degree of humility St. Benedict has just
finished saying, “Sitting, walking, or standing, let him always have his head
bowed down, his eyes fixed on the ground, ever holding himself guilty of his
sins, thinking that he is already standing before the dread judgment seat of
God;” but now he points out that the fear of hell is at best a temporary
motivation, and the only true motivation is doing things for the love of
Christ, and for the “very habit of good, and the pleasure in virtue.” “There is
no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with
punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because
he first loved us” (1 John 4:18-19).
Underlying this shift from fear to love is a very human dynamic.
It is often impossible for people to learn to live by the love of God unless
they have been stung enough times by the result of living for self. When we
clearly discover the painful results of self-centered living we are on the way
to discovering the love of God who accepts and forgives us for the sake of
Christ. It is then that we begin to do things for the love of Christ, rather
than out of fear.
[i] Care has been taken to verify all Scripture citations so that they may
be found easily, and in some cases the text has been modified to conform to the
English Standard or Revised Standard Versions for clarity.
[iv]
C. S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain
[vii]
The Book of Common Prayer, p. 211
[xii]
St. Vincent of Lerins, The Vincentian Canon,
“Now in the Catholic Church itself we take the greatest
care to hold that which has been believed everywhere, always and by all. That
is truly and properly 'Catholic,' as is shown by the very force and meaning of
the word, which comprehends everything almost universally. We shall hold to
this rule if we follow universality [i.e. oecumenicity], antiquity, and
consent. We shall follow universality if we acknowledge that one Faith to be
true which the whole Church throughout the world confesses; antiquity if we in
no wise depart from those interpretations which it is clear that our ancestors
and fathers proclaimed; consent, if in antiquity itself we keep following the
definitions and opinions of all, or certainly nearly all, bishops and doctors
alike.
[xiii]
Luke 12:32 "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure
to give you the kingdom.
[xvi] The
Rule of St. Benedict, Chapter 68
[xvii]
Charles Williams, Outlines of Romantic
Theology, ed. Alice Mary Hatfield, (Berkeley, CA: The Apocryphile Press, 2005), p. 23.
[xviii]
The Book of Common Prayer, p. 317
[xix]
The wit and wisdom of Sister Bede
