Reading for Jan 25, 2008

Today's reading from the Rule of St. Benedict http://www.osb.org/rb/

January 25, May 26, September 25
Chapter 7: On Humility

Holy Scripture, brethren, cries out to us, saying,
"Everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled,
and he who humbles himself shall be exalted" (Luke 14:11).
In saying this it shows us
that all exaltation is a kind of pride,
against which the Prophet proves himself to be on guard
when he says,
"Lord, my heart is not exalted,
nor are mine eyes lifted up;
neither have I walked in great matters,
nor in wonders above me."
But how has he acted?
"Rather have I been of humble mind
than exalting myself;
as a weaned child on its mother's breast,
so You solace my soul" (Ps. 130:1-2).

Hence, brethren,
if we wish to reach the very highest point of humility
and to arrive speedily at that heavenly exaltation
to which ascent is made through the humility of this present life,
we must
by our ascending actions
erect the ladder Jacob saw in his dream,
on which Angels appeared to him descending and ascending.
By that descent and ascent
we must surely understand nothing else than this,
that we descend by self-exaltation and ascend by humility.
And the ladder thus set up is our life in the would,
which the Lord raises up to heaven if our heart is humbled.
For we call our body and soul the sides of the ladder,
and into these sides our divine vocation has inserted
the different steps of humility and discipline we must climb.

Some Thoughts

I feel as if I am back at chap 7 All Too Soon. Anyone else feel this way? Anyone else feel this way? I certainly find this section inspiring, but at the same time I remember how often I've failed. The most humble we can be, I think, is when we want Jesus above everything else. Which is easy enough to say but at the same time, I have to ask myself how often do I want Jesus above everything else? When are the times when I don't? What events, considerations pull me away from Him?

We are but human when all's said and done. a Franciscan of my acquaintance told me once that we are just stable muck. I replied "Maybe we are stable muck, but we are **redeemed** stable muck!"