A Rule of Life is “an intentional, conscious plan to keep God at the heart of everything we do. . . . The starting point and foundation of any Rule is a desire to be with God and to love him” (Scazzero, 196)
A Rule is a set of practices and relational rhythms that help us create space in our busy world to be with God, to become like his Son – to live life to ‘the full’. (John 10.10)
HISTORY: ‘In the developing history of monasticism each community or monastic order has had its own particular areas of strength, calling and emphasis. One may be contemplative; another may have at its heart a calling to serve the poor; another the carrying of the Gospel to people of different languages or culture-groups; another may have its strengths in spiritual direction, education or discipleship. Their Rule will reflect this emphasis and provide a basic ground in the common calling of everyone identified as part of the community. When it became time to formulate our Community Rule we tried to discern what the vows should be which would reflect the character and spirituality of the Community as it had already developed. It was as a result of this reflection that Availability and Vulnerability were to be embraced as the distinctive charisms of our Community.’
An invitation then this Advent Season to catch the rhythm of the simple Rule below at each start and close of day and allow it to set the pace and thus ‘hold’ us.
We have seen his glory
the glory of the one and only Son
who came from the Father
full of grace and truth.
John 1.14
***
MORNING : INTENTION
The night has now passed and the new day lies open before us….
take some time to breathe deeply and slowly
coming to your senses in stillness and silence…
only then ask yourself these questions:
how am I feeling right now –
how am I anticipating the day ahead –
what will help me make the most of the day –
Father of all
We thank you for the gift of today.
By the working of your grace
increase our capacity for generosity
and grow in us a resistance
to that which shrinks our hearts.
In the light of your truth
deepen our desire to live with integrity
and develop in us an awareness
of all that we avoid.
Through the obligations
and the opportunities
of the day to come
help us to see how we can
grace the lives of others
and be truthful to ourselves
in all that we do.
God of today
we offer ourselves to you:
the words of our mouths
the meditations of our hearts
and the impulses of our bodies.
Imitators of Christ
filled with his Spirit
may we not be less than we are today.
+In the name of the Father
and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
We have seen his glory
the glory of the one and only Son
who came from the Father
full of grace and truth.
John 1.14
***
EVENING : EXAMEN
The day has passed and the night-time hours now beckon us to rest….
take some time to breathe deeply and slowly
gathering your scattered self together …
only then ask yourself these questions:
how and when did I embrace generosity today
and what opportunities did I avoid or resist or miss –
how and when did I embrace integrity today
and what opportunities did I avoid or resist or miss –
when did I appreciate the generosity and integrity
of others today –
Father of all
You know the successes
and the struggles of today.
And we know that you know
the mixture of motivations
which are always at work in our hearts.
As we ask to learn the integrity
of truthful self-awareness
so we also ask to grow in the grace
of generous self-acceptance.
We trust that you are more willing
to embrace us as we really are
than we are ever ready
to embrace ourselves fully.
Grateful for the gift of sleep
for your reliable generosity
and your loving integrity
God of tomorrow
we leave our today with you, tonight.
Resting in Christ
restored by his Spirit
in peace, we will lie down and sleep.
+In the name of the Father
and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.