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What is a Rule of Life? A Rule of Life is a statement of vows a contemplative Christian adopts so as to give direction, focus, and order in her commitment to be formed into the likeness of Jesus Christ, as well as connect her in spirit with the great tradition of vowed contemplatives throughout the ages of the Church.
Comments
The contemplative is a monk in the world. We see the world outside the monastery as a workshop and spiritual disciplines, or means of grace, as tools. This image comes from St. Benedict of Nursia (b. ca. 480), the Father of Western Monasticism and whose Rule became foundational for monasticism in the Latin West~St. Basil the Great (b. 329) had written a Rule for his community, and this became the basic inspiration for rules in the Christian East.
In Benedict's Rule 4:75, St. Benedict refers to "the tools of the spiritual craft" (Esther De Waal, A Life-Giving Way). In 4:78 the Rule informs us, "The workshop where we are to toil faithfully at all these tasks is the enclosure of the monastery and stability in community."
We cannot be faithful monks in the world without daily attention to living our Rule, which provides the answer to two questions. First, how is it that I am to live a progressively godly and enlightened life? Second, where shall I grow to be more divine-like?
A Rule, then, provides not a standard that we must keep at all costs, but a guide along the way. The early monastic John Cassian (b. ca. 360) reminds us that at times we might find we cannot fully keep our Rule.
Rather than a legal code, I think of a Rule as an embodiment of Wisdom. I like to think of the Rule as Wisdom's gentle reminders and nudges to wholeness and freedom.
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The monastery for a monk in the world entails spiritual community, what St. Benedict speaks of as "stability in the community" (Anthony C. Meisel, M. L. Del Mastro, The Rule of St. Benedict). A Rule implies we share common values with others, and we share a common venture. This community will pray with us, for us, and alongside us. We share a common spirit with this community, and this provides us steadiness and consistency.
I urge you to employ the spiritual means necessary for your engaging in building up your life daily to reflect the Christ. I implore you to consider finding a Spiritual Director who can guide and encourage you. I appeal to you to consider adopting a Rule and join with other persons who will vow to live that Rule.
I urge you to be patient with yourself: utilize gentle effort, not expecting too much, but apply enough effort to make slow but stabilized progress in spiritual formation. See the world as a wonderful enclosure in which to grow as a Servant to others, for a monk in the world is foremost a humble servant, not a recluse concentrating greedily on her own inner life.
Suggested Exercise
Explore some over the Web regarding St. Benedict's Rule of Life. Consider developing your own Rule or starting a group that will frame a Rule for itself.
See next page for details on OneLife Ministries, Brian's book An Ache for Union, and material pertaining to sources used in the writing.
Feel free to submit a query. Thanks! Brian K. Wilcox
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