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.”