I was interested to see, in St. Benedict's Rule [St. Benedict's 1600-year-old guide for happy monastic living] that a visiting monk may stay if "he is content with life as he finds it" and if "he does not make excessive demands."
That is a perfect guest!
Author Esther de Waal takes this a step further. In her book Living With Contradiction: An Introduction to Benedictine Spirituality, she writes: "Contentment without excessive demands attracts me, for this is exactly the way in which I would really like to live. It implies that I enjoy things as they are without becoming a slave to them. Since I know that they are only on loan I rejoice in them, but I also feel detachment, delighting in them when I have them but not losing my peace of mind should they be taken away. This is real freedom from ... the tyranny of appearing to be successful in a world which measures success by signs of outward possessions and prosperity and profit. For if I am going to live in this way I am continuously brought face to face with the fact that everything in my life is a gift and I am entirely dependent on God as creator and giver." (p. 74)
In other words, I too am a guest - a guest on this earth. I too need to develop the attitude of being gently content with life as I find it - and not make excessive demands!
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