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Humility

2/7/2014

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Over these last few days, we have been reading chapter 7 of the Rule of Benedict at morning prayer. Maybe humility is an odd kind of word for us today. Maybe it appears to be outdated. Maybe it is just not very cool. Nevertheless, in Benedictine communities all over the world, we keep reading, reflecting on, and practicing humility. 

Here is what the dictionary says,

"The term 'humility' comes from the Latin word humilitas, a noun related to the adjective humilis, which may be translated as 'humble', but also as 'grounded', 'from the earth', or 'low', since it derives in turns from humus (earth). See the English 'humus'.
Because the concept of humility addresses intrinsic self-worth, relationships and socialization as well as perspective, it is emphasized in religious practice, moral teaching and ethical study where the notion is often made more precise" (Wikipedia).

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In his Rule, Benedict develops 12 steps of humility. When you read this chapter, it can be a pretty confusing. Just think of all the Scripture quotes, parts copied from the Rule of the Master, Benedict’s anthropology, and some more intricacies,.. BUT it has one consistent message: 

We journey from Fear of God to Love of God. That is the progression on the spiritual journey. Humility is our work and yet, it is God’s work inside of us to move us closer to the experience of God’s love. It is ongoing and our contribution is our gradual growth in self-awareness.

The journey of humility is a journey of personal growth as we re-examine our attitudes, hang-ups, etc. Working on ourselves makes us more compassionate with others. Scholar of the Rule of Benedict, Sr. Aquinata Böckmann, OSB, elaborates that this journey, “is a way to feel in real solidarity with all the poor in the world. The degrees of humility, especially the fourth one, consider injustices.”

For your Lectio this week
, you might want to pick up the Rule of Benedict and slowly read over chapter 7. Look at the different Scriptures that Benedict includes.
Look at the life of Jesus and how he embodies humility.

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The humility of Jesus - Foot Washing

Christ's humility is beautifully expressed in Philippians 2:

4 Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of    others. 5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
6  who, though he was in the form of God,
    did not regard equality with God
    as something to be exploited,
7  but emptied himself,
    taking the form of a slave,
    being born in human likeness.
    And being found in human form,
8   he humbled himself
    and became obedient to the point of death--
    even death on a cross.
9  Therefore God also highly exalted him
    and gave him the name
    that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus
    every knee should bend,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue should confess
    that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.

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January 3, 2014

1/3/2014

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On New Year's Day, we heard the following Gospel proclaimed:

"When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.' So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger.  When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. (Luke 2 15-20)

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On New Year's Day too, we began a new cycle of reading the Rule of Benedict. (Did you know, by the way, that in Benedictine communities we read through the whole Rule of Benedict three times every year? The Benedictine Sisters of Virginia read a passage from the Rule every day before morning prayer.)

The Rule starts off with,


"Listen carefully, my child, to the master's instructions and attend to them with the ear of your heart" (Prologue 1).

Benedict is asking us to be aware of God's presence in all things in a very special way. He advises us to employ our hearts. Does that sound familiar? Well, just go back to the passage from Luke: What did Mary do?

"But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart."


The Word of God proclaimed in the Gospel wants to find a home in our hearts. It wants to be treasured. It wants to be pondered. It wants to work in our hearts. In the Benedictine Way of Life, we practice Lectio Divina, the process of internalizing and savoring the Word. (If you are interested to learn more, there is a short article on Lectio Divina on our monastery website at http://osbva.org/html/Lectio%20Divina.html)

As we go along through the year with our Friday Reflections, we will learn more about attending to God's Word through the lens of Benedictine Spirituality.

May God bless our journey through 2014 and may we treasure God's Word in our hearts always!


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    Author

    S. Andrea Westkamp, OSB



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