Good Zeal 07/17/2009
 "Thus they (the monks) should anticipate one another in honor (Rom. 12:10); most patiently endure one another's infirmities, whether of body or of character; vie in paying obedience one to another -- no one following what he considers useful for himself, but rather what benefits another." - St. Benedict's Rule, Chapter 72 Oblates hear about this chapter of the Rule quite frequently at St. Benedict's Abbey. We especially hear it read when a monk takes monastic vows. I always wonder what the universal church would be like if we could put these words into practice? Imagine a church where all the members anticipated each other with the honor Benedict describes. Most of us think this goal is impossible. Most of us are right. It is impossible. Benedictines are just like anyone else. Among the monks and oblates of the Abbey we find people who rub us the wrong way. Of course there are times when we also get on other's nerves. And when we're irritated, or when we irritate others there are times we become slightly more than irritated. But in the midst of annoyance there is a feeling of holding back. There is a knowledge of the fact that the one with whom we are angry is one of our brothers or sisters in Christ. So when anger slips out, we calm ourselves, call it back, and make amends. Doing this is not easy. It is something we all will be practicing until the day we die. Perhaps the wider church can also take up the practice. How about it? That person we are now disagreeing with won't start it by himself or herself. So give it a try. Return anger with love. Will love always be returned to us? Probably not, but that is not the point. The point is to live and act as if the person we disagree with is Jesus. CommentsLeave a Reply |   Custom Search Pastor Frank
My name is Frank Fisher. I’m a native of a small town in Missouri, I spent my adolescence in Madison, Wisconsin, and ever since I entered college I’ve been a resident of Illinois. When I began college, I intended to enter pastoral ministry. Instead, I was diverted into a thirty year career with the Chicago Fire Department. I was ordained to an interim pastorate in the year 2000, and am now serving in my eighth interim. Many of you may wonder about the letters, "Obl OSB" that follow my name. The short explanation is that they mean I'm an Oblate of the Abbey of John the Baptist and Saint Benedict, an ecumenical Abbey located in Bartonville, Illinois. An Oblate is someone who has promised to follow the rule of Saint Benedict in their lives up to the point where their position in life makes following the rule impossible. CategoriesAll ArchivesJuly 2011 |
