Do you ever wonder what the purpose of your life is, where
you are going? At the beginning of
Benedict’s Rule (his guidebook for monks) he uses the phrase: “let us set out
on this way with the Gospel for our guide.”
In that brief phrase he captures a tremendous amount of wisdom.
We are all on a journey.
Many, perhaps most of us, spend a lot of time blithely putting one foot
in front of the other without any real thought of destination beyond the next
meal, paycheck, crisis or other immediate, concrete goal. But often there comes a point in life when
something hits us upside the head and we start to wonder about the deeper
meaning and point to our life. We wonder
what life is really all about, whether there is a meaning that we have
neglected to consider or that we have been oblivious to.
These are precisely the questions that Benedict answers in
his Rule. He is writing for Christians
who want to follow the Gospel as a way of life, people who want their faith to
inform all aspects of their life, who want their faith to be more than abstract
belief or ethical behavior. Benedict
writes a guidebook for people who want the Gospel to permeate all aspects of
their lives, who want to listen to what Benedict calls “God’s delightful voice.”
So what is the nature of this journey? First we have to consciously begin, to set
out. This sounds simple enough but it is
a radical step. To set out on the
spiritual journey means that we can no longer take our faith for granted, it
can no longer be something that we dabble in or think about once in a while. The journey is a journey to
consciousness. We seek to become aware
of God’s presence in our life at all times and in all ways. When we set out on this journey we can no
longer compartmentalize our faith, putting it in a box that is separate from
work, family, leisure and the many concerns of our life. When we decide to set out on this way we have
to look at every aspect of life from the perspective of the Gospel.
But fortunately we have support on this journey. Benedict assumes that we don’t do this alone,
we will be with others and as community we will make the journey together. We have a road map, Benedict’s Rule,
guidebook, is eminently practical and inspiring. We don’t have to blaze our own trail we read
a map that has been used by many generations.
And we walk in the company of the monks who have gone before us and
shown us that the journey is possible.
Perhaps it is time: are you ready to set out on this way,
the Gospel for your guide?
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