The men who asked to join St. Benedict’s monasteries were a motley crew: nobles and peasants, priests and the uneducated, scholars and farmhands. Yet rank in the community was determined not by age, occupation, level of education, or wealth but by the date one entered the community. Furthermore, no one was exempt from serving at table except for those who were infirm/ill or were called to other service, such as offering hospitality to guests.
St. Benedict also leveled the playing field by insisting that no one in the community was to have any personal property: clothing, bedding, food, medicine, books, and tools were provided by the monastery. As explained in Chapter 34 of the Rule, goods were to be distributed according to need, thus avoiding favoritism and accounting for weaknesses. As St. Benedict noted, “Whoever needs less should thank God and not be distressed, but whoever needs more should feel humble because of his weakness, not self-important because of the kindness shown him. In this way all the members shall be at peace.”
What enabled St. Benedict to expand his imagination to live in a new way? It was his study of scripture, of course. Jesus shared the good news of God’s kingdom with whoever would listen, be it Pharisees or tax collectors, and he healed the daughter of a Roman soldier as well as lepers. All those who seek to love God with all their mind, heart, and soul and love their neighbor as themselves are welcome at God’s table.
We desperately need to expand our own imagination about how to live together in peace during these times of bitter divisions between races, religions, and social classes. St. Benedict showed us that with the Gospel for our guide, we can set aside the worn-out ways of exclusion and hierarchy to build a community of inclusion and care for one another. To begin is as simple as offering sincere hospitality to everyone we meet, today and in all our tomorrows.
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