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A Humble Heart
“O Lord, my heart is not proud nor haughty my eyes. I have not gone after things too great nor marvels beyond me.” (Psalm 131:1-2, LH)
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Before and Above
One of my friends in college, Mustafah, was a student from Iran who had come to the United States to study. He was “trapped” in this country when the Shah was deposed and the Ayatollah Khomeini came to power in Iran in 1979. Because he was cut off from family, he depended upon aid from…
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Trust in the Lord
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight.” (Proverbs 3:5, NRSV)
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Chores and Charity
When I attended the retreat at the Benedictine Mission House in Schuyler, Neb., last year, I, along with my fellow retreatants, ate midday and evening meals with monks in the monastery. The meals were served “family-style,” with one of the monks cooking and another serving the food. When I look back on the experience, I’m…
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Walking in Freedom
“You gave me freedom for my steps; my feet have never slipped.” (Psalm 18:36, LH)
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Murmuring
Right after St. Benedict talks about how possessions can take on the power to possess their owner—me!—he turns to the question of how the community distributes necessities, depending upon need. It’s a stretch for me to listen to this passage and let it shape my thoughts about my life, partly because my daily life is…
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Almighty Breath
“For the spirit of God has made me, the breath of the Almighty keeps me alive.” (Job 33:4, LH)
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Life on Loan
One of the commitments I have made as a Novice Oblate is to immerse myself in the Rule of St. Benedict. This is a slender book, and my tendency is to read quickly so I can give myself the check-mark for completing the book. But that’s not the spirit that fosters rumination, chewing the wisdom…
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Watch Your Step
“If my steps have turned out of the way, and my heart has followed my eyes, or any stain clings to my hands, Then may I sow but another eat of it, or may my planting be rooted up!” (Job 31:7-8, LH)
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An Oblate’s Path
A year ago this month, I spent a weekend at the Benedictine Retreat Center in Schuyler, Neb., joining with three other men on a retreat called “Experience the Life of a Monk for a Weekend.” It was an eye-opening and life-changing time for me. The monks with whom we prayed, ate, relaxed, and talked all…