monks' ladder

Many friends have been asking me time and again what makes us survive and click as monks inside the Cloister. Well, I must tell you that St Benedict (during his time) ruled out to his monks certain steps of humility for them to follow for a more harmonious and peaceful atmosphere in the monastery. These steps form a ladder that until this very moment, serves as one of our guides in living our monastic life inside the four walls of the Cloister.

The first step is to keep us aware of the fear of God. This helps us constantly recall the ten commandments and continually mull over how hell burns the sinners who despise God. We, monks , should therefore guard ourselves at all times from sins and vices: of thoughts, tongue, hands, feet, self-will and desires of the flesh.

The second step of humility is not to delight in satisfying desires out of love for one's own way. This is addressed to the human tendency toward a desire for control and pursuit for pleasure's sake alone. St Benedict called his monks to let go of all intent to fulfill self in favor of seeking to fulfill God's desire. Most of us struggle to know and then trust our true desires, or that our deepest and truest desires might be God's will for our lives.

The third step of humility is to submit to the superior in all obedience for love of God. St Benedict's stand about obedience is that it requires trust and courage to take the risk.The risk of the thought that: will God stay with us each day of our life in the confines of the Cloister? Would God abandon us in the midst of pain and challenges in the pursuit of our monastic vocation?

The fourth step of humility is that when obedience involves harsh, hostile things or even injustice of some sort, we, monks, embrace them patiently and with no outcry.

St Benedict knew that monastic life was not that easy. The reality is that, monks are all sort of "under construction", wounded, learning in the midst of ignorance, fearful, anxious, frightened, broken. Monks are likened to a sheep. Imperfect and broken, monks rub against each other exposing to each other our growing edges. but in the midst of these, St Benedict calls us to the kind of courageous faith to trust that when we work through a difficult situation inside the monastery, God will be present and everything will be ironed out, all will be well and reconciliation will be in our midst.

The fifth step of humility consists in revealing through humble confession to our monastic leader (superior) all evil thoughts that enter our hearts as well as evil secretly committed.

St Benedict lived before the development of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. In his dealings with his monks, he sought to promote a relationship of openness, trust and discernment between the superior and the monk. The superior who was chosen by God for wisdom, compassion and a caring heart, struggles together with his monk over problems, conflicts, sins.

to be continued...