Equality in the Spirit

Equality in the Spirit

Chapter 9 in The Monastery of the Heart is titled “Equality.” In it, Chittister begins by saying that we like to think equality is the characteristic of our age—that we are all equal now, with equal importance and respect, and equal opportunities. But, she contends that in fact “inequality is the greatest sign of our time.”

. . . it is also our world

that enslaves the poor to the drudgery

of survival, that ranks women as lower human beings

than men,

that distributes the goods

 we produce

according to race,

that worships at the feet

of the gods of money,

and lives in gated communities

in order to keep

the rest of the world out.

To this world,

Benedictine spirituality says clearly,

“No.”

She points out that elders, who have lived longer in the heat of life are considered as elders or wisdom figures, as signs that

. . . life grows sweeter with time,

 . . . holier with experience,

 . . .richer of heart

as the heart grows deeper into God.

But age and seniority

are also not its gods.

 . . .”the Spirit often reveals what is better

to the younger.”

The principle is a clear one:

“The Spirit blows where it will.”

We cannot damp down

the fire of the Spirit

on the basis of anything

but the greater movement

of the Spirit itself.

I find it noteworthy that Chittister does not say “We must not.” She says “We cannot.”

Community—Real or Not?

An interesting thing has been happening in our little “monasteries of the heart” group. The point of the book we are studying, Joan Chittister’s The Monastery of the Heart, is that one may practice many of the spiritual principles outlined by 5^th century monk, Benedict of Nursia, while living an “ordinary” life in the everyday world, rather than moving to a convent or monastery. But it is also true that ordinary, everyday life tends to get in the way.

In my opinion, that’s one of the main arguments for not moving into a convent or monastery—I believe Jesus showed us that spirituality is meant to be lived out in the regular, argumentative, difficult, chaotic world, not closeted with others of like mind. But any  monk or nun could tell you human nature is still present in the cloister, too.

In our case, what we’ve been weathering lately is that we feel less “together,” less communal and even less committed than we did at first. The group was intended to meet during the weeks of Lent, but some of us decided we wanted to continue to meet longer. Yet we find ourselves forgetting to pray together at noon, or praying but wondering if others are praying or if they care. . .

Naturally we are all aware that what matters most in prayer is that God cares and that we care. But community is what we were after. So it takes a little re-centering—a little extra effort. A little discussion and decision. . .

So it was with interest not unmixed with amusement that we opened to our next chapter this week: “Mutuality.”

[Community] cannot be accomplished

without making some kind

of connections—

but connections alone

are no guarantee

that a real community

will really form.

On the other hand,

to become community

in a Monastery of the Heart

requires regular

and meaningful interaction

among the members. . .

It gives us the underpinning

that enables us to go on

when we’re tired,

to go forward

when we’re afraid,

to go more deeply into the unmasking

of the self

when everything inside of us

seems to have gone to stone,

goes dry and dull

and lethargic. . .

How can you see these principles at work in the relationships you live in?